Aoi Hana 3

While visiting Fujigatani Girls Academy with Yasuko and her classmates, Fumi stumbles upon a visibly upset Kyouko, who runs off crying. When Yasuko exits the same room Kyouko just came out of, Fumi wonders what is going on.

Asking her senpai if they can talk, Yasuko agrees to Fumi’s request, but only if they can talk outside because she feels like being out in the open air.

Sitting together on a bench in the school’s courtyard, Yasuko anticipates Fumi wants to quit the basketball club, which she feels is a shame. Fumi replies that while she may indeed be tall, she’s actually terrible at sports.

Flashing a smile, Yasuko says she doesn’t really want to see Fumi leave since she’s genuinely interested in her.

Having returned from visiting the chapel, Yoko, Miwa and Misako observe the exchange from afar and Yoko decides to playfully interrupt the two girls. What none of them notices is Akira’s dumbfounded expression when she sees Yasuko and Fumi together, seemingly unable to grasp the situation or come to terms with what she witnessed.

Later that night, Kyouko feels depressed and sits listlessly at her desk. Even when her fiancée Kou comes to pick her up to walk her to school the next morning, Kyouko acts dejectedly and rather cold towards him.
Telling Kyouko that her selfish behavior isn’t cute at all, Kou does agree with her request to make their date on Sunday a double date by including Kyouko’s friend Akira and one of Kou’s own friends from university.

Walking home after class, Kyouko invites Akira along and the twin tailed girl is surprised to hear Kyouko has a fiancée.
But as Kyouko’s troubled heart surfaces during their conversation, Akira is shocked that Kyouko has no romantic feelings for her fiancée and that she has been rejected by the person she really loves.

Discussing her school’s theater club upcoming performance at home, Akira revels in the fact that attending students are allowed to bring their fiancées, finding it such an adult term. Akira’s mother coyly replies most will probably just label their boyfriends as being a fiancée just to be able to have them come along.

Reading a book on her bed, Fumi seems restless. The bespectacled girl even starts reorganizing her room, causing her mother to question why she is doing that at such a late hour when tomorrow is Sunday, her day off.

Thinking back on the source of her anxiety, Fumi remembers how Yasuko asked her out on a date when they were talking during their visit to Fujigatani Girls Academy. Just the thought of going on her first date with Yasuko makes Fumi’s heart skip a beat and her cheeks turn red.

That Sunday Fumi isn’t the only one going on a date though, for Akira is to join her classmate Kyouko for a double date.

But first the twin tailed girl must overcome the obstacle of her meddling brother who tries to force her into letting him tag along, out of misplaced worry over his younger sister. Arriving late for her meeting with Kyouko, her fiancée Kou and his friend, Akira apologizes but fails to notice her brother is spying on them from afar.

Ultimately stopping for a drink at a café, Kou observes that he spotted a suspicious guy that seems to have been following them for most of the day. Shocked, Kyouko thinks it could be some kind of stalker, while Kou’s friend seems to brush it off as coincidence.

The three are shocked however when Akira starts to cry, revealing it is no doubt her brother, who followed her even though she forbade him to do so. Distressed, the twin tailed girl apologizes for her brother’s behavior ruining their day like that.

Back home, Akira is enraged with her brother, flinging books at his head while he desperately tries to justify his actions as care for his beloved younger sister. Intervening, their mother sternly berates him, forbidding him from any such further improper behavior.

In contrast, Fumi’s day is quite different.

Meeting Yasuko for their date, she has a wonderful time walking along some idyllic sights around town together with her upperclassman.
Visiting a quiet shrine and enjoying the romantic sight over the sea from a path high up the hill, Yasuko takes a direct approach, asking Fumi if she’s seeing anyone and expressing her own interest in further dating Fumi, causing the shy bespectacled girl to blush.

The next day at school, Fumi quits the basketball club and decides to enter the literary club after all, which suits her better. Saying it is a shame, Yasuko does accept Fumi’s decision and swiftly invites her along to go to the school library together.

Going through the many rows of books in the library, Fumi is excited at having such a comprehensive library in their own school, an enthusiasm Yasuko finds infectious and she approaches Fumi.
Taken away by Yasuko’s directness which is like a tidal wave that sweeps her off her feet, Fumi hides her tear eyed face behind a book, whimpering her heart isn’t ready for Yasuko being so bold.

Whispering to Fumi that she best take a deep breath and prepare her heart to take a plunge, Yasuko stands in front of the fragile girl.
As the sunlight basks the library in its warm rays, we hear Fumi think of how this library will forever have a special place in heart for it holds the memory of her first kiss with Yasuko.

Another excellent episode that picks in right where the previous one left, wonder if all episodes will tie in directly with each other like that. Most of the characters have been introduced now and the stage is being set for the different plots and character interactions.

So far Yasuko is portrayed as the more generic bold senpai, whom sees told little interest or pleasure in her academic and club life, but is quick to romantically pursue a shy girl like Fumi. I’m curious to see how they will flesh out Fumi and Yasuko’s relationship.

Is Yasuko merely after Fumi because she found a new favorite plaything in the bespectacled girl, or is there more to the tall basketball player?
And what about Fumi? She may look shy and easily cry, is she just being swept away by the bold Yasuko because she’s unable to resist and say no, or is she genuinely enamored by her upperclassman?

Looking forward to how this plot and the character’s relationship will be fleshed out.

The contrast between Akira and Fumi is again very striking and looks like this could be a pillar for the series character plots.
With the physically seemingly mature yet apparently emotionally weak Fumi already moving into more adult emotions and romantic relationships, in juxtaposition against the physically seemingly childish yet apparently emotionally strong willed Akira who seems unable to full grasp the emotions and adult relationships she sees develop around her.

And there’s off course the question whether the two will end up romantically involved with each other or not?
While in part I’m looking forward to such a conclusion, now three episodes in I actually also have great hopes they can achieve making this a strong, perhaps epic character driven series where we see a bond develop between Fumi and Akira that is not romantic love, but still much deeper than friendship, much like the bond Yumi and Sachiko have in “Maria-sama Ga Miteru”.

Also noticed a lot of care went into the character’s hair animation in some scenes this week, just look at how intricately Fumi and Akira’s hair was rendered in a few shots towards the end, very nice.

After seeing Fumi cry several times each episode, it’s quite the surprise to now be introduced to Akira’s crying face, which was so cutely done one would die from moe overload.

Looking forward to next week’s episode.