Ep. 8: Kaoru Hoshino reflects on her past relationship with Rikuto Tsuji before attending Kouka School.

Before entering Kouka School, Kaoru Hoshino faced pressure from comparisons to her actress grandmother and mother, while peers mocked her umbrella use. She bonded with Rikuto Tsuji, brother of a baseball star, over shared familial expectations, but they broke up due to conflicting views on success. Kaoru desired to emulate her family, whereas Rikuto felt burdened by his brother’s legacy. After a fight at a fireworks display, Kaoru blocked him and avoided their usual bus stop. Rikuto eventually became a starter for his team’s Koushien run, hitting a home run that Kaoru watched with happiness before their early elimination. At the start of the second semester, Sarasa shows Kaoru a photo of that bus stop, now bearing a thank-you note from Rikuto. Kaoru smiles, romanticizing the memory and promising to reserve him a front-row seat at the SS section if he still plays when she crosses the silver bridge.

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