Episode: 25

Title: "Futari Sorezore no Ai", "Two Different Kinds of Love"

Tsukushi walks home from school. It is late at night, and she looks really tired and worn out. She is lost in thought and is startled when something blocks her path. It is Doumyouji! Tsukushi is so shocked at seeing him, she starts babbling about how she and Kazuya have been practicing for the basketball game, but he isn't really listening to her. He says that he will call the whole game and everything off if she will just admit she loves him. Doumyouji looks very intense.

Tsukushi is stunned by this, and cannot immediately respond. Doumyouji gets frustrated and keeps repeating himself, needing her to say that she cares about him. But Tsukushi is too spooked. Finally Doumyouji grasps her in a tight hug. Caught in his grasp, Tsukushi starts having this inner dialogue questioning why she is in his arms and how confused she is. Unfortunately Doumyouji's efforts are in vain. Tsukushi cannot admit she loves him, though it is clear she cares about him and is confused. Doumyouji tries to kiss her, but she resists and starts to cry. He gets upset and more frustrated and can't understand why Tsukushi likes Rui so much. Tsukushi doesn't say anything to defend herself or clear anything up. Finally Doumyouji gives up, calls himself stupid, and leaves Tsukushi alone and shaken.

The next day is the big game, and Tsukushi consults the yellow toy Rui gave her to see what today's lucky item is. Apparently it is something yellow, which Tsukushi takes as a sign that the lucky item is the toy itself, and because Rui gave it to her, she should trust in him. Finally, game time approaches, and a huge crowd of students has gathered to watch and cheer on the F4. She meets up with Rui, who is calm, and unconcerned, and Kazuya who looks beat-up from extra practice and is eager to help Tsukushi.

Tsubaki is the referee of the game and tells them that the game time will be 10 minutes, and whichever team scores the most points in that time wins. Doumyouji looks very determined, and Rui looks pretty intense now as they start the game. Seeing all the other students cheering for the F3 (Doumyouji, Soujirou, and Akira) gives Tsukushi new determination to win. the game starts and things don't go well. Rui is a great player, but Tsukushi and Kazuya are quickly overwhelmed by Akira and Soujirou. The other team keeps scoring, and Tsukushi's team can't compete. With 7 minutes gone by, only 3 minutes left, Doumyouji brags about to Rui about how his team is gonna win. Rui says he will protect Tsukushi no matter what. This angers Doumyouji enough that Rui is able to get by him and score. Doumyouji is enraged when he sees how happy Tsukushi is that Rui scored. Rui, sneaky guy that he is, says they will win no matter what, and grabs Tsukushi right in front of everyone, and kisses her forehead. This causes the crowd to go wild, and stuns Doumyouji. Tsukushi is flabberghasted too, but Rui has a plan, and he tells her to smile, and calls her 'Tsukushi' (instead of 'Makino' like he usually does). All of this seems designed to anger Doumyouji, and it does.

Doumyouji is so angry at Rui, he keeps fouling against him, and Rui gets several freethrows, enough to make the score more even. He plans a move that will give Tsukushi the ball to throw for a 3-point basket, but unfortunately (and after a really long, tense, SLOW, sequence of ball flying through the air, everyone's reactions to it, and inner monologue by Tsukushi) it doesn't go in. 10 seconds remin in the game now, and they only need one more point to tie it up. Doumyouji has the ball, but what does he do? He drops it, and much to the amazement of everyone, he quits the game. Gives up. Turning away, he leaves the court to go wander off alone. )In the background, Kazuya makes another basket and ties the game ^^) Everyone can't believe that Doumyouji is just gonna quite like that, but he does, and before he leaves, he tells Tsukushi to do what she pleases. She will not be kicked out of school after all.

Toys used in the episode:
Tsukushi uses Rui's toy to determine the lucky item of the day.

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