Taniyama Sayaka has brought forth a proposal to start requiring teacher approval for StuCo officers, something specifically targeted at Masachika, for whom the faculty has no love. Masachika decides to treat the challenge as an opportunity for him and Alya to introduce themselves, and if they prevail, it will lend their candidacy legitimacy against the seemingly undefeatable Yuki.
Sayaka’s running mate and childhood friend Miyamae Nonoa will also back her in the Student Congress. Nonoa is well-loved and well-connected, but Masachika wants Alya focused on Sayaka. When Alya looks out into the crowd and is overwhelmed by the mix of doubtful voices, he brings her back and settles her nerves by asking if she’s an E-cup.
And hey, it works! As does telling Alya to do what she thinks is cool, not strive for perfection. After Sayaka delivers a concise and convincing opening statement, Alya follows with one of her own that has the audience split on the issue. When the debate section commences, Alya holds her own, but then Sayaka relies on dirty tricks from Nonoa: texting plants in the crowd who loudly voice their doubts.
Alya is suddenly frozen, but Masachika is there, as promised, by her side to wrap up this farce. He addresses the students who voted for President Kenzaki, and notes that the reformed dweeb’s election proves that this shouldn’t even be a debate. Kenzaki is a great president, but if the teachers had the power to choose StuCo officers, he wouldn’t have had a chance to run. Masachika integrates deprecating humor perfectly, and has Sayaka literally fleeing the stage in a snit.
Nonoa withdraws the proposal and the congress ends with Masachika and Alya the victors. But Alya has already left the stage to chase down Sayaka, who is a blubbering wreck. She admits that she only accepted her loss to Yuki and Masachika in middle school because they were such a perfect, ideal electoral duo who beat her fair and square. When Masachika chose Alya, Sayaka felt betrayed, even though she now knows it was all in her head.
Nonoa comes round to take over, insisting that Sayaka apologize to Alya and Masachika both once she calms down. Before she goes, Alya tells Sayaka that even she doesn’t know why Masachika chose her, but since he did, she’s going to put in the work to not only be worthy of his support and partnership, but to convince Sayaka that it was the right choice. Nonoa calls Alya “a good gal,” and Sayaka says of course she is: Masachika chose her.
Yuki is unfortunately relegated to one scene this week, but it’s a good one, as she was working the sound and lights for the congress so she could have a commanding view of the proceedings. She goes out of her way to criticize Masachika and Alya’s lack of killer instinct while holding a cup of tea she’s not allowed to have in that room.
I love what a delightful gremlin this girl is, and how she’s utterly throwing herself into the role of the ultimate Final Boss. Ayano remarks that the classic role of such bosses is to lose to the Hero. Yuki doesn’t comment on that, but if she does lose, she’ll still be happy, because it’ll mean Masachika won.
As for Yuki’s status as Masachika’s biological sister, I hate how he continues to keep even Alya in the dark about it. Surely at this point she’s earned his trust, and it would be so much easier for them both going forward if she knew the whole story. Instead, Masachika says he ran with Yuki primarily out of guilt, not ambition.
At least he’s honest when he says this time he chose to run with Alya because he wanted to, while Alya can only say in Russian that she’s running with him потому что это ты (“because it’s you”). Judging from both the sports club mediation and how she froze during the debate, she’s got her work cut out for her. But it’s just as clear if anyone can make her president, it’s Masachika.
