After 8 volumes of gaming, having games in his brain, evolving as more things around him change (from his personal life to the arcades), and people important to him appearing in his life, Haruo has finally sat down and realized something.
He loves Akira.
Note, he doesn’t actually say love, he says he has feelings for her. But his friends, Akira’s sister Makoto, and even his mom already know he loves Akira. We, the readers have known this for years now! But before he can really confess how he feels, he has to finally settle his long-standing gaming rivalry with her. So with some advice from a friend and Moemi being so “appalled” at her going that she’s going to conveniently be seeing family the day of, Haruo and Akira head to Osaka to compete in the Super Street Fighter II Turbo tournament. He expects to not only face off against her in the finals, but to finally defeat her.
But while she agrees to go, he doesn’t actually know the true reason she accepted. Makes sense since even Makoto didn’t know either!
Two major bombshells happen — one that occurs in the middle of this volume that drive Akira’s actions and the final page of this volume. The only bombshell to really discuss since it actually drives even that final page is Akira will be moving to Los Angeles at the end of the month. The series has long shown how much she’s felt she had to do what was best for the Oono family, and while she’s rebelled at points, she’s still done what she could to maintain prestige. But now after years of building new relationships and finding a person she could grow to like being around, it’s now going to be undone.
And at the moment, she accepts that…which drives the following actions:
- Accepting the trip to Osaka with Haruo.
- Of course spending every moment with him as they go arcade hopping, and her once again dominating him and every other opponent she faces.
- Not being able to sleep.
- After being frightened by a “ghost”, she asks Haruo to stay with her in his room — he was just going to swap rooms.
- Them both sleeping in the same bed.
- Poking the man in his sleep.
- Committing ultra violence by looking at him and holding his hand.
Biting him because she’s transformed into a vampire.
But she hasn’t told any of this to Haruo (though of course, she doesn’t speak), likely because she doesn’t see any way of changing her parents’ decision. So while she’s acting like this will be farewell, Haruo’s oblivious, though throughout the trip moments in the past where he would’ve been mad are now few and far between. He really does want to keep being with her — but he just won’t say it.
Yet he’ll obviously begin to understand what’s been happening soon enough — and how he reacts will be the driving force of the final volume. Time for one last gaming lesson, spiel, etc, alongside a dash of love, both bitter and also emotional too.