COME OUT TO THEIR MUM

Chiaki’s taking cram lessons and preparing for college entrance exams, while Kazuma is taking make-up courses. Chiaki is getting tired of the thought of hiding their relationship forever, and starts talking about not going to college and going straight to work so that they can become independent adults sooner. Kazuma is afraid of all they stand to lose if they come out and doesn’t want Chiaki to waste his intelligence/potential by not going to college. They argue, and Chiaki accuses Kazuma of acting like a child and just running away without making decisions.

Eventually, Kazuma realizes that Chiaki believes in/is planning for a long future for them and doesn’t have any doubts about doing whatever he needs to do to make sure that happens. When their teacher scolds them for being the only two students who haven’t turned in their post-graduation plans, Kazuma suddenly reveals to their teacher that their situation is more complicated because they are dating (which catches Chiaki off guard).

Their teacher is surprisingly supportive. After Chiaki and Kazuma leave, Tomoe thanks the teacher, who says that she is very mature and that she doesn’t make (or let) anyone worry about her, but that acting a little more freely would be more suited to her way of doing things.

Tomoe drags the boys along to the fireworks festival to meet up with some classmates, and Chiaki intentionally leads Kazuma away from the others. While watching the fireworks, Chiaki tells Kazuma that “From this day on, regardless of what crossroads we stand at, I will choose to stay at your side” and Kazuma says “I also want to be with you.” They make a pinky promise (flashback to them making a pinky promise as kids in their secret fort!) and Kazuma boldly kisses Chiaki (even though they’re in the middle of a crowd) and then drags him off to their secret base to have cramped sweaty sex. When they rejoin the others, they explain their wet clothes/bodies by saying they jumped into the pool in the park because it was so hot…

Tomoe goes to find their teacher in the classroom, where he is staring at an huge bird of prey drawn on the chalkboard. He asks her if she knew that Kazuma had this talent, and she says she until he said he was going to go to a specialized school, she had no idea. Their teacher says that Tomoe will probably easily exceed anything he could imagine for her, and she asks him to wait, and promises that she will definitely surprise him.

Chiaki keeps getting pulled by different girls to take graduation photos, but eventually makes his way up the roof to join Kazuma. All of Chiaki’s coat buttons are gone, but Chiaki gets jealous that all of Kazuma’s buttons are gone too, noting that it makes him jealous because Kazuma did also have interest in girls. Chiaki says that he wishes that Kazuma would have asked for one of his buttons, to which Kazuma says that he only has an interest in Chiaki himself.

They meet up with Tomoe and she tells them that the next month, she’s going overseas to broaden her horizons and see more things. She tells them that she has decided to live more freely, and tells them to live more freely as well (the same advice their teacher gave her). Chiaki and Kazuma thank her for staying by their side and protecting them. Chiaki and Kazuma off hand in hand. On the last page, they say in unison, “Mom, there’s something we haven’t told you…”