Momoko arrives a little late but still regarded as a goddess by Akane for providing much-needed provisions to beat her cold. When Momo learns Yamada took her to the hospital and watched over her, Momo asks if they’re dating now, and Akane says they’re just friends.
Momo, who has met some real cads, isn’t not sure a man would do that much for a woman he’s not in love with. That said, she knows too little about him to make a fair judgment. But it’s evident to us Akane’s feelings are growing beyond mere friendship, as she feels extreme relief upon receiving a belated text from Yamada saying he’s fine.
Feeling up for it, Akane ditches her studying to play some FOS, and ends up meeting the newest member of their guild, Tsubaki, through Rurihime. It’s clear that Rurihime, i.e. Eita, ensured that Tsubaki would see that Akane is a good, kind person who is easy to talk to and work with.
Eita also makes this entertaining for him by pitting Akane and Tsubaki, both relatively weak Paladins, against a seemingly low-level boss Rurihime could destroy with one strike. Tsubaki and Akane work well together, using trial and error to make progress even though they run out of time.
Later, when it’s just Tsubaki and Rurihime, the latter tries to offer the former some advice after Tsubaki tells him that she’s “afraid to make a move”—go ahead and make that move. Waiting for courage or motivation to well up won’t do her any good.
Just as Tsubaki ponders this advice and possibly plans to adopt it in one form or another, Akane follows similar advice she got from Momo: Timing is everything with love. Akane calls Yamada up, and they have a long conversation mostly about the game. But she also admits she just wanted to hear his voice, before quickly saying good night and hanging up, her hands trembling.
To paraphrase the Oracle in The Matrix, by taking this first step Akane has already made her choice, she just needs to understand it. Fully recovered, she meets with Momo at an adorable café she hadn’t noticed before, and it’s not long before two pushy, handsy guys from one of Momo’s group dates show up and join the women without asking.
As Akane and Momo’s luck would have it, the manager at this café happens to be Eita. He and Akane exchange nonverbal communication, and he cheerfully invites the jerks to go find another table to sit at. When that doesn’t work, Eita adopts a far sterner aura and bearing, and the flowery request becomes an order with an air of a threat. The toxic boys obey, not wanting to wait around for Eita Stage 3.
Momo is surprised to learn Akane not only knows Eita, but can engage in effortless conversation at the drop of a hat. I especially love how Eita snaps right back into his normal bubbly self when the unpleasantness is over. Momo is not just impressed, she’s smitten. Eita is indeed a hot guy, as is Yamada, leading Momo to wonder if she should ditch the group dates for a game guild.
After Eita clocks out for the day and smoothly, politely declines a karaoke invite from a cute co-worker, Eita is approached by Akane and Momo. Akane has something she needs to talk to him about. If it’s not about Yamada, both me and Momo are going to be soufflé pancake-withholdingly cross.
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