hontou ni Stripey Insists Sisters Cry Oniichan Now

Sasameki Koto 08

In contrast Miyako x Tomoe's favourite series must be Strawberry Panic

We start dramatically with Sumika thinking that she made Ushio cry. In class, Sumika is approached by a trio who ask if Tomoe and Miyako are dating. Who promptly reappear behind them. As the exchange becomes increasingly heated, Asuza protests and blames Sumika, as class monitor, for not maintaining order. Tomoe stuns everyone except Miyako by shutting Asuza up with a kiss. Who slaps her and runs away. It's revealed that, since she took two years off, Tomoe is actually 18.

Ushio suggests to Sumika that they should go after Asuza. In hiding, Asuza re-enacts light novel yuri doramaz written by Orino Masaka which is witnessed by Sumika. Aoi is a big fan with delusions about the author as a wonderful Oneesama-type but Sumika knows the horrible truth and gives her the impression she is a hardcore fan too. Asuza feels that open yuri love like Tomoe x Miyako is not real and believes it should be more secretive and fragile and thus beautiful. A friendship of sorts is born and Asuza forgives Tomoe on Sumika's account. A badly timed slip results in Ushio seeing the two in a compromising position, leading back to the pre-OP tears. Before Sumika is able to comfort Ushio, she's dragged back to the class by the trio, while Kiyori stays behind. The so-called chaos is an argument over what Tomoe's nickname should be.

After school on the way to Sumika's house, Ushio and Sumika are both miserable and awkward. Tomoe throws iced tea on both of them so they can talk in private. Ushio rationalizes, not very convincingly, that she cried because Sumika seemed like a violent man attacking Asuza. Kiyori interrupts what Sumika imagines was Ushio waiting for Sumika to confess and wonders if it is alright for her to hope that Ushio secretly loves her too. Just as Ushio asks what Sumika and Asuza were talking about, the latter turns up with the Orino Masaka newsletter she's been putting together and Ushio puns.

Both Sumika and Ushio are extremely nervous - worried about accidentally revealing the true identity of Masaka. Tomoe and Asuza reconcile when the former recognises the latter's passion in her writing and tries to recruit her for her club. Aoi leaves at 4pm, leaving her fanzines for Sumika to read. The gang stays for dinner except Ushio who has to go home to make dinner and gives her a copy of Aoi's fanzine for her brother. A long awkward farewell and Sumika is charmed by Ushio in the evening light - as Janette said: Aww... and divine describes as "cute and flustered". Norio is aware of Asuza - she's sent the zine to his publisher but Ushio inadvertedly rubs in it about how he's not really that popular as an author.

Reaction:

Ah, so there's hope for Sumika after all. She might not be Ushio's type but sometimes people are head over heels in love with someone who is completely not their type. The example that jumps to mind right now is Suruga's love for Hitagi.

I actually found Aoi Asuza to be rather creepy. Poor and noble Sumika who has to struggle with the friendship now!

What Others Are Saying:

• Divine also feels that "Sumika now has hope, whereas Ushio is starting to see her as a potential candidate." Actually I suspect that Ushio has always loved Sumika but is convinced that those feelings are unrequited. Probably via some small incident in the distant past that Sumika herself cannot remember. Thus her favoured type is so far away from Sumika, probably as a reaction to that memory and the accompanying self-denial. Nothing else to back up this theory except for a hunch but the tears seem to suggest those feelings have been longstanding in her unconscious - Ushio's guarded herself well by telling herself that her love is unrequited but to actually see your loved one make the moves on someone else is a whole different level that breaches the emotional defences.
• Check out Shinmaru's exposition on Asuza's behaviour, particularly on the "unhealthy" aspect - particularly since Aoi doesn't seem to have much awareness of how problematic her beliefs are unlike, say, Azaka in Kara no Kyoukai. She's setting herself up for a massive letdown when she does, I assume inevitably, find out the truth. See also Erica's caustically delicious post on fan delusion.

Related posts:

1. Sasameki Koto 11
2. Sasameki Koto 10
3. Sasameki Koto 06