Episode: 39

Title: "Ma no Turaianguru", "Devil's Triangle"

Shigeru has punched Doumyouji, who has landed on the ground with a loud thud. Everyone stares, amazed :) Doumyouji gets up, and faces Shigeru, and they stare at each other. He holds his reddening cheek. Shigeru mentions marriage, and Doumyouji, madder than ever, and has to be restrained by Akira and Soujirou from going after Shigeru's throat. Tired of it all, Tsukushi turns around and walks away, as Doumyouji shouts after her for her to stop, wait, he wants to talk to her. Tsukushi walks away and stands in front of a statue, which she punches with her fist. Suddenly Shigeru pops up next to her, startling Tsukushi so that she grabs onto the statue (funny!)

Shigeru cheerfully walks next to Tsukushi and asks if she wants to go get some tea. Tsukushi refuses, but Shigeru begs, dancing around Tsukushi, saying 'ne, ne, ne! Finally Tsukushi relents, and accepts a concealing handkerchief to tie around her head as they sneak away from school. At the restaurant, Tsukushi is irritated by the rich atmosphere and by Shigeru who talks about how good the expensive tea is. Tsukushi tries it, and agrees that it is delicious. Shigeru begins to talk about Doumyouji and how interesting he is. Tsukushi seems surprised that Shigeru is interested in Doumyouji. Shigeru asks what Tsukushi's first name is, and Tsukushi tells her. Then Shigeru asks what Tsukushi is to Doumyouji and Tsukushi says she is nothing in particular. Shigeru then asks about doing H things, and Tsukushi freaks out, frantically denying anything. Shigeru talks more abut the engagement and Doumyouji. They go get some ice cream and are sitting on a bench outdoors. Tsukushi says all of this is none of her concern. Shigeru asks Tsukushi to be her collaborator (in getting Doumyouji?) and her friend. Before she realizes what she is agreeing to, Tsukushi says yes. She regrets this right away and can't believe what she has done. Shigeru is very happy though.

Shigeru and Tsukushi sit there, and Tsukushi thinks about the triangle she has gotten herself in, with Shigeru after Doumyouji, Doumyouji liking her, and herself collaborating with Shigeru. Shigeru finds Tsukushi's green toy and says it is cool, where did you get it, she wants one too. Tsukushi says without thought that she got it from Doumyouji in Canada. Shigeru thinks that is cool. Saying that has triggered Tsukushi's memory, and she thinks about the trip to Canada and Doumyouji warming her with his body after the snow storm. Then Tsukushi says something about Doumyouji liking her, but reassures Shigeru that she doesn't like him. This cheers up Shigeru. Tsukushi walks home and thinks about Shigeru and love.

The next day, Tsukushi goes to the staircase at school and thinks about Doumyouji and Shigeru. She lays down on the ground and looks up at the sky, pondering events when suddenly Rui's face appears above her. Startled, Tsukushi sits up and greets Rui. He asks her what she is thinking about, and she says ‘Koi' (meaning love) Rui looks at her and says ‘Koi?' (Thinking of it as the fish). Rui sits down next to Tsukushi and hangs his head down.

He says that for some reason he hasn't been able to sleep and complains of a headache. Tsukushi stares at Rui and gets an idea, she will massage his head for him =) Rui is dubious of this idea at first, but relents when Tsukushi insists. Tsukushi kneels behind Rui and places her fingers on his head, through his hair. Tsukushi begins to massage his scalp slowly. Rui hangs his head forward and says it feels good, and allows Tsukushi to continue to massage his head. Tsukushi loses herself in thought as she works her fingers through Rui's hair. She thinks about Rui, and the other times she met him on the staircase. She remembers how he looks when she sees him sitting there.

Then Tsukushi realizes what she is doing and stops touching Rui. Lifting her hands away from his head, she stares at him. Rui looks up to Tsukushi wondering why she stopped. Tsukushi looks worried and upset. She sits down next to him. Rui says her face doesn't look good, and he leans closer to her and places his hand on her forehead. Tsukushi leans back and raises her leg, placing her foot against Rui's chest pushing him back. Surprised, Rui looks at Tsukushi, then at her foot. He tells her to move it. Tsukushi looks at her foot.

Looking down, Rui comments on Tsukushi's underwear (which she is giving him a nice view of :) and Tsukushi panics and recoils back, falling against the stone wall. But before her head can hit the wall, Rui lunges forward and catches her head in his hand, shielding it from the hard wall. He says danger, watch out! Catching her in her fall has caused Rui to lean his body directly over Tsukushi's. Startled, realizing the position of their bodies in relation to each other, they stare at each other, as Rui seems to be feeling something towards her. Mesmerized, they look into each other's eyes for a long time, staring at each other in an intense moment. Finally, Rui snaps out of it, and lets Tsukushi go, allowing her head to fall back and hit the stone wall anyway. (Ouch!) He calls her an idiot and walks away. Tsukushi just sits there and thinks about what happened. She agrees that she is an idiot, what was she doing?

Toys used in the episode:
Shigeru finds the green toy Doumyouji gave Tsukushi in Canada and asks about it. Tsukushi's explanation triggers her memories of the snowstorm and Doumyouji's rescue of her in episode 29.

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