spoiler
Arata’s parents really don’t want Arata to attend school in Tokyo, but that was the agreement. His parents are funny and I like how his mother doesn’t want to be stuck at home with just her husband. Taichi is also amazed that Arata won the individual match and even beat the Queen. Arata comes over to congratulate Taichi on his match as well, but Taichi is still a little too dumbfounded to respond.
I liked how Chihaya congratulated him – by pulling him down to the floor! She continues to hold on to his shirt as she asks him how he can play so calmly and keep smiling. Before he can answer her, the winners are called to the ceremony downstairs. Chihaya is positive there is something wrong with the way she plays, but can’t quite put her finger on it.
The awards are handed out and I loved the look on the Queen’s face when Arata received his! LOL In addition to Taichi, Komano and Tsukuba also won their matches. Chihaya cheers for her teammates and others members of the audience think that Mizusawa is a force to be reckoned with. Sadly, it was Chihaya’s plan to win every class and she was the only one that lost. It hurts that she couldn’t do it.
As the team leaves, the Fujisaki coach offers a video of the Class A final to Chihaya and gives Chihaya her e-mail. Midori also sees what strong plays Arata and Taichi are. Back home, Chihaya has her hand checked out and the doctor sends her to another hospital. That doctor orders a MRI for her hand. It turns out that Chihaya has Enchondromatosis – a rare bone disorder. Thankfully, it’s only in one finger. She tells her teammates about it and they are very concerned. She will most likely need an operation as well – if she wants to keep playing karuta.
The operation will require Chihaya to be in the hospital for a while and she’s naturally scared. But she wants to be able to play karuta without any worries. She wants the operation. After she’s settled into her hospital room, she plays the Class A final on a laptop that she borrowed from her sister. The little old ladies that are her roommates can’t understand her intense concentration which was funny. If they only knew Chihaya a little better! LOL
Arata is checking out a magazine of her sister when Chihaya calls him. But I’m not sure what she wants unless it’s to continue their conversation from the tournament. Meanwhile, her teammates are preparing to visit her and argue over what they should bring her. Looks like they will be getting her individual gifts and Taichi chooses flowers. Chihaya tells Arata that she wants to get better at karuta. She tells him that she’s been working really hard and that it hurts. She feels that Arata is too far away and begins to cry.
Arata tells Chihaya his secret. He always thinks of them playing when they were little. That must be why he always smiles. Chihaya is touched and has a fond memory as well. This is what makes Arata so strong? She really doesn’t understand and this is when her teammates arrive. Taichi instinctively knows who she’s talking to too. She says that she will always love karuta – and Arata. But I think she means that she loves him as a friend and part of her karuta world.
The operation was a success, but there will be pain and I’m still worried for Chihaya’s future karuta playing. She tries a practice swing and gets scolded by the doctor and nurse. Only Chihaya! LOL And she still has to stay in the hospital for a week and do her homework as well. One assignment is to compose twenty poems, which shouldn’t be hard for her considering her hobby, but it is. She remembers Kanade telling her to “translate your feelings into meter”. But she told Chihaya other things as well, which totally intimidated her! Chihaya just can’t think of anything and I wonder why she doesn’t write about karuta, her passion.
Her mind again wanders back to Arata’s room when they were kids. Taichi and Kanade visit and find Chihaya struggling with her homework. They read one of her poems which was pretty hysterical. But she also wrote a couple with that childhood memory in mind, which were quite beautiful. Kanade can see Arata behind those words. On the way home, Taichi tells Kanade that he’s happy with Chihaya’s progress and that she’ll probably be able to play in the fall tournament. But Kanade has other things on her mind and tells Taichi that he has to try harder. I guess we know what side Kanade is on! LOL
Kanade knows that Taichi has feelings for Chihaya and would like to see him visit her alone. And she also knows that Chihaya is clueless about those feelings. But Taichi knows all this already. Chihaya keeps watching that Class A final and the nurse catches her practice swinging again. LOL Chihaya calls Midori to thank her for the video and to ask for her thoughts on the match. Midori analyzes both Arata’s and the Queen’s style of playing. It’s a bit overmuch, but Chihaya appreciates it.
Midori then invites Chihaya and the Mizusawa team to the Fujisaki karuta training camp. Chihaya jumps at the chance, but how is she going to participate? Her hand still needs to heal. When the time comes, Chihaya and Taichi are the only ones that can go. But this was Kanade’s plan to get them alone together. And Chihaya still can’t use her hand for another month. She tells Taichi that karuta is all she can think about and Taichi tells her that they can only go forward.
I enjoyed the season recap during the end credits. Afterwards, Arata tells his co-worker that he hopes to get to Tokyo on a karuta scholarship. I do hope there will be another season. I still want to see Chihaya become Queen. I’d also like to see the three friends together again. But I’m not sure how things with work out with Taichi’s feelings. There is definitely more story to be told. It’s still one of the best series ever!