Ever since the student council has disbanded, Miyuki and Kaguya haven’t talked to each other once. That’s kinda sad. Pride is often a mask for one’s insecurities, and this week’s episode keenly demonstrates how insecure how main characters are.

— Hm, I guess Ai must have taken this picture. She’s like some sort of ninja-maid crossbreed. And sadly, she has no free time. She must spend most of her days stalking Kaguya.

— Anyways, Ai teases Kaguya for making no progress despite all the heartfelt moments the latter has shared with Miyuki. In return, Kaguya dares her maid to try and seduce him. I’m not sure why Ai took the bait. Maybe outta pride? Even if she thinks she can get the job done, doing it one day is kinda setting yourself up for failure. Still, it goes to show you that these two don’t have a traditional master-servant relationship. They’re more like sisters, I guess. And sometimes, sisters like to compete even if Ai has no interest in Miyuki.

— So the next day, Ai not-so-randomly bumps into Miyuki at a bookstore. I’m also not sure why she picks this personality to try and seduce him. Considering how he likes Kaguya, maybe Ai should try to emulate her master a little more.

— Naturally, Kaguya is lurking nearby, and she’s hardly inconspicuous. She’s also honestly shaking with fear. She actually thinks Ai has a shot at pulling this off even though it’s highly improbable that someone like Miyuki would ever date someone he barely knows. It just goes to show you that people’s public personas are often a front. She puts on a confident air around others, but Kaguya’s self-esteem is on par with the average teenager.

— Ai is so dedicated to her job that she would even pretend to sleep for three hours. And somewhat similarly, Miyuki is such a nice guy that he doesn’t leave her side. Apparently, girls are completely defenseless in a Tokyo bookstore. Shrug.

— In any case, she eventually goes in for the kill. She even suggests that he can have her as a side piece in case he likes someone else. While some people might find that tempting, I’m not sure that it’s a winning move against someone like Miyuki. There’s no way a guy like him would be interested in two-timing.

— In the end, he simply tells Ai that he likes someone else. That’s pretty much a tacit confession to Kaguya, isn’t it? She should be over the moon to hear this… but I guess she can’t be 100% sure that he’s talking about her. Y’know, insecurities and all that.

— Plus, she’s not being a very gracious winner right now.

— In the second third of the episode, Chika helps Miyuki realize that he needs someone to help endear him to the “pure” students. Apparently, if you don’t attend Shuchi’in from start to finish, you’re considered an outsider. I personally wouldn’t even think about something like that, but people can be kinda elitist about this sort of thing. I’m sure there are very exclusive clubs at some private academies and universities out there. I’ve only ever attended public schools, though.

— Chika wanted to nominate herself as the person to deliver Miyuki’s campaign speech, but the guy quickly hones in on Kaguya. It’s obvious to us that Kaguya is better for the job, but hey, an airhead can only take so many shots before they pop.

— Miyuki wants to ask Kaguya in person, which I get. You’re requesting a big favor, so you shouldn’t do it over email or LINE. But I mean, he still could’ve just asked her to meet up with him over email or LINE. Instead, he goes to her homeroom, and Ai is more than happy to make a scene.

— Pretty soon, all of the students get the wrong idea. I love the girl fanning herself in the background. Oh my, the vapors!

— Eventually, the entire student body gathers for what they hope to be a confession for the ages. Miyuki feels that if he chickens out in front of everyone, he’ll lose the election for sure. It doesn’t help when Chika adds fuel to the fire.

— Sadly, Miyuki manages to squirm his way out of the predicament. He wusses out at the end, and Kaguya even helps him do so. It’s frustrating, isn’t it? She also tells him that she would answer yes to anything he might ask her. Yet again, we get a tacit confession. I guess if you compare this season to the previous season, this is progress. It’s just not satisfying progress. Anything short of a true confession is just a cruel tease.

— In any case, I guess Miyuki needs some sort of “back-against-the-wall” situation in order to confess. Maybe if her family tries to move her away or something, y’know? Let’s say she has to go overseas because that’s a common trope in anime. For example, the main couple in High Score Girl didn’t see each other for years. Coincidentally, the heroine in that series also comes from a very, very rich family, but I digress. My point is that these two frustrating kids will only make a move if something threatens to pull them apart… like how Kaguya begged him to be the student council president again in last week’s episode. So basically, we need an even bigger threat to their relationship.

— In the final third of the episode, Miyuki is the obvious frontrunner for the upcoming election. Unfortunately, he’s just as insecure as Kaguya.

— We are formally introduced to Miko, a first year who just happens to be Miyuki’s biggest competition. He really shouldn’t feel threatened by her because his body of work speaks for itself. Unfortunately, he kinda gets defensive in their first encounter.

— I also don’t really understand why he isn’t campaigning. Even incumbents have to campaign and campaign smartly. Otherwise, anything can happen.

— Oddly enough, Miko wants Chika to be her vice president should she win the competition. Why? Because Chika was really good at playing the piano. Um, how does that qualify one to be a vice president? Right off the bat, I feel like the girl has some questionable decision-making. In any case, Chika is more than happy to switch sides… for now, anyways. As an airhead, she’s as flighty as the wind.

— Right before the credits roll, Yu assures Miyuki that he doesn’t really have anything to worry about. Miko might have her ideals, but her ideals are hardly popular.

— At the same time, however, it would be boring if Miyuki simply crushes the competition. Either Chika somehow helps the underdog make up some major ground (unlikely), or Miyuki shoots himself in the foot to make the election much closer than it needs to be. We’ll just have to wait and see, I guess. You can bet the house, however, that he’s not going to lose. I’m not sure I can really imagine this show without him and Kaguya at the top of the student council.