When Kaguya woke up from her nap in Ice Princess Mode, I thought she had somehow reverted to a Pre-In Love with President state, when she closed her heart to everyone. Miyuki, meanwhile, assumes Kaguya is in a weird-to-bad mood because of the kiss. Turns out we were both wrong!
This version of Ice Kaguya retains her feelings for Miyuki, but she has the same aloof, hostile demeanor as Pre-Love Ice Kaguya. As such, her words and actions continually baffle Miyuki, who had gotten used to a far softer and more vulnerable Kaguya.
When she brings up their kiss the other day, she downplays its importance, saying she’d kiss anyone if she was in the mood, then walking up to him and asking if he wants to kiss right there and then. She waits and waits, then opens her eyes to see he’s waiting, and whaps him with a harizen.
The narrator reminds us that Kaguya is the product of strict, Spartan Shinomiya upbringing, where she was taught to adopt whatever masks she needed to achieve the family credo: Rely on no one; instead, use them. Do not receive; take. Do not love. There is no instead.
When her phone dies, Miyuki walks her home, but despite her numerous attempts to point out how cold her hands are, Miyuki is still too confused by her behavior thus far he’s unsure of what to do. This in turn just makes Kaguya more disappointed.
She hails a cab, essentially tells him he had one job and he failed, and throws him the much-loathed “How Cute” before being driven off. Miyuki feels like an utter failure of a man and now believes Kaguya doesn’t want to date him. But in the taxi, we see that Kaguya is also feeling low, because she didn’t get what she wanted.
The next day, Kaguya is still wearing her hair down. She again demonstrates she’s not the Ice Kaguya of yore by teasing Yuu about another makeup application session, and listens approvingly to Chika’s Christmas party plans. When Miyuki asks Yuu if Kaguya is acting differently, he says no, because she isn’t…not towards him, at least.
Kaguya came to school with a mission: to conquer her man. To that end, she applies what must be extremely expensive perfume in the bathroom. Upon emerging she crosses paths with Miko, who tells her perfume isn’t allowed. That’s when Kaguya goes full Tigress Mode, all but gathering Miko in her jaws and having a playful little chew.
Kaguya sensually applies the perfume to Miko as well, telling her she’s sure to conquer the man she likes as well (obviously oblivious that the guy she likes is Yuu). She has complete control until 1.) Miko points out it kinda smells like old woman perfume, and 2.) Miyuki approaches Kaguya to speak to her.
Kaguya bolts without warning, and Miyuki chases her around the school. Clearly her heart is in great shape as her celebrity doctor indicated, because Kaguya is able to easily evade Miyuki with kick returner speed, deft acrobatics and a dash of parkour. I love how Ai opening a window is so perfectly timed to her mistress’ superhuman leap.
When Kaguya encounters a locked door, Miyuki approaches from behind her, and she’s cornered. She warns him to stay away, and at this point he’s sure she hates his guts, but simply wants to know why. Of course, the reason has nothing to do with hating him (she doesn’t) and everything to do with timing.
The narrator explains that her perfume takes 30 minutes to reach its optimal fragrance. However, thanks to the chase, she’s sweating profusely, and realizes it’s actually hit the much-sought-after “Heart Note”. She tells Miyuki her mood today has been a product of her wish to suppress the “absurd side” of her that got “a bit carried away.”
She admits it’s that side that agreed to go abroad with him, and gave him that adult kiss. When she approaches him for another kiss, he protests that a kiss shouldn’t be so causal, and she kicks him. Miyuki then proceeds to assess all of the changes in her demeanor and personality, stating that he’s simply worried about her.
However, what makes Kaguya happiest is that he notices how amazing she smells since she’s wearing perfume, something he knows she never does. He then goes on to tell her he now realizes that her going on about how cold she was was her way of asking to hold hands, and when he didn’t, that’s what made her mad. Hearing him realize this many hours late, she runs off with her hands on her face.
The love is still in there, it’s just a matter of Miyuki and Kaguya synching up in terms of timing. They both seek advice from others: Miyuki talks with Maki, and Kaguya with Nagisa. For her part, Nagisa is amazed and delighted that Kaguya is dropping the “my friend” act and being open about loving the President, and even confessing to “feeling perverse” when around him.
Miyuki, meanwhile, isn’t ready to spill the beans and uses “my friend” when talking to Maki. But because Maki and Kaguya are from the same family, Maki can totally relate to the behavior Miyuki is describing. She can tell Miyuki’s “friend” is hiding her feelings behind all the assertiveness and hostility.
Once Maki has absorbed enough information, she eventually realizes that Miyuki is talking about Kaguya, and she runs off to Yuu, feeling betrayed. As for Nagisa, she indulges Kaguya by telling her the story of her first kiss, an unexpected one, in front of a convenience store while waiting for a green light to cross the street one summer night.
While Nagisa didn’t think it was that romantic, Kaguya smiles, saying it sounded like it was lovely. She’s had the extremely over-the-top romantic kiss atop the clock tower. But what she wants more than anything in the world is an “ordinary” kiss, like Nagisa’s first. She wants an ordinary romance.
The thing is, that’s probably what Miyuki wants too. Still under the tree where Maki left him, Miyuki finally gives in to fatigue (he hadn’t slept the night before) and nods off against the trunk. Kaguya happens to arrive there just as he’s about to fall onto his side, but she catches his head, lays it in her lap, and gently caresses his lip.
The narrator pipes up once more to describe Ice Kaguya’s true, seemingly contradictory nature: the manifestation of the wariness everyone has toward one another, and the cowardly heart of one who is in love. The narrator declares Kaguya the loser, as she’s no longer there when Miyuki wakes up.
We’re now halfway through the tale that began with an adult kiss that opened up a Pandora’s Box of emotions, insecurities, and doubts, but also new possibilities and desires. Sorting them all out was never going to be easy, but despite all the resultant turmoil and misinterpretations and delayed realizations, Kaguya and Miyki’s love for one another continues to endure; like a calm and patient ocean just below the seething waves.
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