Light Novel Volume 7.5/Summary

Below is the long summary of Volume 7.5 of the You-Zitsu light novel series.

Prologue
On the morning of 25th December, it was snowing hard. Ayanokōji ponders of how people all over the world would be spending time with their loved ones, some fortunate students would even have the luxury of spending it with their significant other. He then returns to preparing and grooming himself for the date he had promised. For the past 8 months since he arrived at this school, he wonders if he has enjoyed being here, as minuscule as it might be. He wonders if he'll ever experience love, consider someone precious and sharing happiness with another person by merely being together. Nonetheless, he predicts something significant will happen on this day, as he gets ready to leave his room and begin his date with Satou Maya.

Chapter 1
On the twenty-third of December, Karuizawa notes on her change in that she is no longer bounded by her past. More specifically, she has gained the power and courage to overcome her forgone days. She thinks back to yesterday's events of how she was faced with the full brunt of 'his' cruelty and had hit rock bottom. She knew of how Kiyotaka goaded Manabe and her friends into bullying her. She then starts thinking more about Ayanokōji and how at first she felt despair and then anger. However, he did eventually rescue her at the very last minute. She knew that he asked Manabu and Chabashira to look after her once the ordeal was over. She was extremely conflicted with the paradoxical feelings in her heart.

She then thinks back of her impression of Ayanokōji. Initially to her, he was just a background character that she never knew nor care had existed. Some peers thought that he was cool but for her personally, she wasn’t interested in someone who lacked social skills. Those same people eventually forgot about him as no matter how good one is at sports or academics, at the end of the day, people skills are instrumental to garner influence. To the him she pictures right now, she views him as someone cruel and coldhearted...though he did save her at the end. After getting to know him, he was a relatively good talker, smart, mature and more athletic than she once thought. She adamantly told herself to reject any preconception of love associated with Kiyotaka as it was because of him that all those bad things happened to her. In fact, "Kiyotaka should've been grateful that i wasn’t holding any grudge." She couldn’t forgive his selfishness if he stole her heart on top of everything. She then wonders if a normal person would ever chose to forgive Kiyotaka and finds it impossible. Only a 'gracious' person like her could forgive him, though a small part of it was her apprehensiveness of whether he will continue to protect her if she didn’t do so. Regardless, she debates on whether to give him a hard time to show that her resentment have not been fully quelled.

She then gets a message from Satou asking to meet her at 11:00 and that she is 'counting' on her.

She heads to Keyaki Mall and greets Satou. Satou offers to buy her breakfast and announces that she would be going on a date with Ayanokōji on the 25th. After hearing this, Karuizawa tries to recommend some other guys to date as according to her, Ayanokōji was someone who was beneath the standards of Satou.

Satou then explains her intention with this consultation, which was to ask for advice on how to go about her date, since Karuizawa was the girlfriend of the most popular guy in their class Yōsuke Hirata, hoping that she would impart her wisdom to make her special date a success. This causes Karuizawa to go into a spiral, as she reflects on the benefits of ‘dating’ Hirata and whether she should continue to ‘date’ him, realising the fact that their relationship was restricting their ability to find their true loves.

After some silence from Karuizawa, Satou shows her the plan for the date:

Meet at 12 - Lunch - Movie - Shopping - Confession at Legendary Tree - Present

While Karuizawa wonders if confessing on the first date isn't too early, they talk about the Legendary Tree, which had a rumoured 99% success rate if confessed to, under, after 5:00 PM with no one around. Karuizawa then asks why Satou fell in love with Ayanokōji. She pretty much says because he's cool and mature and very quick on his feet.

On the way back Satou weirdly invites her and Hirata on a double date. She also adds the condition that they have to ‘randomly’ meet. Karuizawa accepts.

Back at the dorm, Karuizawa wants to call Ayanokōji, to ask if he would rather use Satou than her (she was getting fond of being used) but isn't able to call. Suddenly he calls her, though. After being questioned by Karuizawa, Ayanokōji asks her to investigate Satou's hobbies, etc. and mail it to him.

Chapter 2
23 December, Ayanokōji goes to the Keyaki mall and buys 2 small expensive things. His plan of going to watch a movie was then ruined by the meeting of Arisu Sakayanagi. From her actions, Ayanokōji deducts that Arisu wants to take him down alone.

She asks him about the class C incident, but Ayanokōji plays dumb. She then goes on to ‘challenge’ him to a duel, but he declines. She states that she'll just play with Ichinose if Ayanokōji won't.

Kamuro arrives. Arisu asks her what she thinks of Ichinose. Kamuro answers, a kind honours student. Arisu goes on to call her an idiotic saint, saying (like Kushida) she's hiding her true emotions, but unlike her, it's not violent or sensible and compares it to Masumi's secret. She then declares that she'll crush Ichinose and leaves.

Ayanokōji goes to the movies. He goes into the theatre and wonders about his weird obsession with watching movie ads before the movie, before being interrupted by Mio Ibuki, who sits down next to him.

As Ayanokōji tries to focus on the movie, he feels Ibuki's gaze but decides to endure it. At the ‘climax’ of the movie, the lights go out due to technical difficulties.

During the difficulties, they sort of talk about Ayanokōji's past actions and intentions, but Ibuki quickly ignores him again. Even after 20 minutes of black screen, the movie didn't play, so Ibuki strikes up a conversation again. She states that she won't leave the theatre until he does. Another announcement is made saying the screening is cancelled. On their way back, Ibuki drags him into hiding from an approaching Daichi Ishizaki.

After Ishizaki and the others pass, Ibuki brings up the point that he might "spill the tea" to everyone. She then proceeds to challenge him to a street fight inside the mall. Ayanokōji, of course, trying to avoid it. Ayanokōji deducts that Ibuki just can't accept her defeat against him.

He accepts the fight on the condition of a location change. She leads him into a storage room, only for it to be locked a few moments later. He agrees to the fight on the condition this will be their last ‘personal’ fight.

Ibuki's starts kicking him. Ayanokōji dodges and then slaps her on the forehead, causing her to collapse backwards. She doesn't give up and continues to kick him. He gets bored, grabs her throat with his left hand at which point she admits defeat.

Ayanokōji calls for the staff member who forgot to lock the door (since he'd get in trouble too if it got reported) and makes a lousy ‘I was fooling around with my partner’ excuse.

On his way back, he runs into Satou, Shinohara and Matsushita and decides to eavesdrop for the useful info. After he hears his name, he decides to go into hiding instead.

On his way back, Ayanokōji gets a call from Haruka Hasebe, inviting him to a party on Christmas. Ayanokōji declines as he has a date with Satou (though he refuses to call it so). Hasebe then wonders how to avoid Sakura exploding.

Chapter 3
Christmas Eve! Ayanokōji goes to meet Ryuuen in the morning. Ryuuen states that he'll regret making him stay at the school. As Ryuuen gets 'bored', Ayanokōji offers him cooperation between class C and D to beat class A. After evaluating the deal, the two talk about the problem of Kushida, who is still hunting Horikita. Ayanokōji states that he'll get Kushida expelled causing Ryuuen to laugh. The two then start discussing Ryuuen's strategy of saving up 800 mil points.

They come up with an agreement for Ryuuen to lay the foundations for a Class C-D ‘alliance’ against A. As the negotiations are done Manabu shows up. He reminds Ayanokōji of the promise of defeating Nagumo. After a short Ryuuen vs Manabu, Manabu reveals that the student council can even make an implement special exams. He also reveals that Nagumo has already played a part in 17 expulsions. Ryuuen gets bored and skedaddles.

The former student council president and Ayanokōji stay behind to talk about Nagumo. Manabu says, there are people against Nagumo in 2nd year and says he'll inform them about Ayanokōji. As they talk Ayanokōji tries to figure out Manabu but can't.

Ayanokōji goes back to his dorm and asks Suzune to meet him. She tells him to come to her cafe. On his way there he overhears, that Sudou was rejected by Suzune. He also overhears that Ike is going on a "date" with Shinohara that night, as a thank you for saving her earlier.

He arrives, and surprisingly sees Kushida with Suzune. He tries to avoid Kushida hearing unnecessary information, but Suzune forces him to talk. He asks if she has any interest in the student council and says her brother wants her there. She doubts him, but he gets her on a call with him to confirm. Manabu confirms, but Suzune declines the offer (after the call).

In the evening, Sakura gives Ayanokōji a pair of gloves. He wonders if he should get her something for valentines.

Chapter 4
Christmas Day! Ayanokōji thinks about the upcoming date and goes to the meeting place. He sees Satou approach. As they greet each other, Hirata and Karuizawa show up. After talking for a while, Karuizawa suggests a double date, which bewilders both Hirata and Ayanokōji. Hirata and the two girls accept, and after thinking a lot Ayanokōji accepts too.

The two girls reveal the ‘coincidence’, that they're going to see the same movie at the same time, but their seats are opposite.

As they walk to the movies, Karuizawa teases Satou, that she and Ayanokōji look like a couple and such, while Satou and Ayanokōji try to converse (with Hirata and Karuizawa chiming in sometimes), Ayanokōji figures out Karuizawa's goal is to make him and Satou a couple.

Karuizawa suddenly asks Ayanokōji, what's his "type of girl". He says the 元気 (energetic) type but clarifies that someone who can tug him around a bit. As Karuizawa asks, what his relation to Suzune is, Ayanokōji realises it's for Satou, since she already knows. From this, he deducts, that the double date was set up and proposed by Satou.

The four are interrupted by Nagumo and his followers, who calls out to Ayanokōji. He wishes for Ayanokōji to be his next opponent after Manabu passes out. He reasons that if Manabu saw something in him, there must be something.

They arrive at the theatre. Satou and Karuizawa go to the toilet. Hirata and Ayanokōji talk about Karuizawa's improvements. They then talk about Nagumo. Hirata mentions that he played a role in students leaving the football club and then leaving school. The girls come back and they watch the movie.

The movie ends. They ask each other questions at dinner. Karuizawa and Satou ask for Ayanokōji's preference for long or short hair. Ayanokōji asks if Hirata is aware that he's popular.

During the meal, Ayanokōji finds out Satou wants to be a designer. Ayanokōji and Karuizawa want to go to university.

After the meal, Karuizawa and Hirata leave. Satou is concerned that Ayanokōji didn't have a good time since he didn't even laugh once. Ayanokōji explains that he expressing himself. She then confesses to him, but he rejects her. He offers to hang out again. She runs back to the dorms crying. Ayanokōji states, that he probably would have accepted her if she had confessed before the relay race.

Ayanokōji had noticed a person lurking in the shadows and someone had been calling him. He answers the call. The person calling him asked to meet him behind the school building in 20 min.

He then goes to confront Karuizawa who had witnessed Satou's confession. They argue about why had Ayanokōji rejected Satou. Ayanokōji states that it would have made Karuizawa jealous, and he couldn't afford that. They then talk about his relationship with Manabu. He mentions that he would be meeting a senpai and invites her along.

Epilogue
20 minutes after the promised meeting time. Vice-president Ikuto Kiriyama shows up and explains that he idolised Manabu, so he naturally wants to take down Nagumo. He also mentioned that Nagumo had beaten him and risen to Class A. Kiriyama reveals that an exam in the third semester will include battle or cooperation between school years. After discussing the situation for a bit, Kiriyama states that the only 2 ways to defeat Nagumo are to expel him or forcibly kick him out of office.

Ayanokōji did not trust Kiriyama because his words were biased for himself, and Kiriyama notices it. Ayanokōji states that he wants to do something without being either liked or disliked by Nagumo. Kiriyama says he'll leak info to him.

On the way back Karuizawa and Ayanokōji talk about the Nagumo situation. Karuizawa then unknowingly accurately guesses what Ayanokōji's past was like. They then talk about Karuizawa breaking up with Hirata, which Ayanokōji agrees with since it was the plan from the start. Ayanokōji now states he'll call Karuizawa by her given name, Kei, too. He then shows that he was worried about her.

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