Apologies for the late recap!(: Was really really really busy last week, but it should be better this week. 

If favourite-est is a word (well obviously it isn't, but it is in thoughtsramble's world(: ), then this should be the favouriter-est episode, or the best episode so far. I actually teared a few times because it was quite touching. Oh well, my buttons are easy to push.

After Nakatsu realised that what he was touching was a bra, he quickly snapped the folds of the shirt shut. He hurriedly brought Mizuki to Umeda who told him that it's just a minor concussion. Nakatsu stammered and wanted to tell Umeda of Mizuki's gender but before he could finish his sentence, Umeda threw him out of the infirmery. 

Some of the students were happily discussing about their cheerleading dance and music, while Nakatsu was in his little own bubble, tilting his head left and right as he tried to figure out the latest turn of events. The chef appeared with food that were in the shape of things like, lizards. The students speculated that it's done by the chef's girlfriend and Nakao muttered, "Disgusting." Haha! The chef suddenly shouted, "A woman's love is to capture the man's stomach!" before disappearing back into the kitchen. Nakatsu heard this and he pondered upon that sentence, probably thinking about how Mizuki was always making snacks for Sano. 

At this moment, Mizuki appeared after waking up from her concussion. She apologised for making everyone worried and she also thanked Nakatsu.  She joined the other students in looking at the food, while Nakatsu looked at her back and started going, "So Mizuki is a girl? I'm a guy and she's a girl? She's a girl and I'm a guy? I'm a guy… Mizuki is a guy? Huh? What?" 

While Nakatsu was asking himself such confusing questions, Kayashima was sensing his aura calmly.

Lol. 

Then, Sano appeared which gave Nakatsu a shock. Sano asked if Mizuki was all right and she said yes, then Sano told her, "Don't make people worried~" with a half smile, before joining her at the table. As Mizuki passed him a piece of the cake and he ate it, Nakatsu sank into another one of those conversations with himself, "Eh he knows? Wait hold on a second, Sano knows already?? Wait, huh, what is this all about?" Nakatsu, I'm afraid you are going to drive yourself crazy one day. Hahaha! 

The three dorm leaders were informed by the directors that they had heard a rumour — that a girl had sneaked into the boys' school. The dorm leaders didn't think that it was possible, but the creepy director said in her creepy way, "You three staked your future to protect the school, but if you are betrayed by someone, then it's a big thing."

As they returned back to school, Tennoji shouted, "It can't be forgiven. Unforgiveable!" Nanba told him to quit it but he continued, "You don't understand, this is a boys' school —" Oscar suddenly took away his stick and shouted in the exact same voice as Tennoji had used, "and to be suspected of having a girl in here, it's despicable! It's a threat to a man's dignity!" 

Oscar then turned to Tennoji and using his normal voice, "Is that it? Because it was so annoying, I could even memorised it." Hahaha. Later that night, Nakatsu wanted to ask Sano whether he knew that Mizuki was a girl (Onna in Jap) but he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, so it ended up, "Mizuki was On…On….On Air!" Lol that totally didn't make sense, but Nakatsu escaped before asking Sano properly.

During one of their mealtimes, two of the dorm one students came running with the news that there's a girl in their school. The three dorm leaders looked at each other. Sekime remembered that he had heard of the rumour too and Nakao turned to ask Mizuki, who denied hearing this rumour. She then turned back to her food, while Sano looked at her, and Nakatsu looked at her. 

The scene jumped to their cheerleading practice session with Mizuki right in the centre. They did the moves in a sychronised fashion and with bright smiles on their face, which built up to the last move of their cheer, "Juuuummmp, Sano Izumi!" and their hands pointing to the sky. They did well, and as everyone joyfully took of their shirts, Mizuki escaped to the equipment room where she started changing. The three dorm leaders ran around behind trees and bushes, first with the flying action, then acting as if they had a gun, before they ended up behind the bush that was a distance away from the equipment room. They were there to do the spying….and they were shocked when they saw Mizuki coming out of the room. 

They stood up in shock and Sano happened to pass by. The three of them went to Mizuki's room and Nanba told her truthfully about what they had seen. Oscar asked if she could just explain what actually happened, and Mizuki said softly, "I'm actually….not a guy." As Oscar looked away, Tennoji looked furious and Nanba was surprised, Sano was shown listening outside of the door. They asked why Mizuki did this sneaking into the school thing, and she said that even though it might sound really nonsensical, but she wanted to be here by Sano's side. 

Sano was the one who made her so optimistic when she was facing her lowest moment, and when she heard that he had quit high jump, she was so worried and she wanted to repay what Sano had did for her. Sano listened quietly outside.

Nanba asked if Sano knew, and Mizuki replied that he didn't. Then, Sano came in and said, "I knew." "Eh?" 

"I knew about it since long time ago, so if you want to punish her, I should take responsibilty too. If you want to report her to the directors, then I should come too." Aww! Nanba had a half-smile on his face as he asked Mizuki what she wanted to do, and Mizuki replied, "I really wanted to stay til the end in this school, but…now…" Nanba surprised her, "Luckily the only ones who know about this are in this room now," implying that they could keep it a secret. 

Tennoji looked scandalised but Oscar had a grin on his face, showing that he had probably thought of the same thing. 

After they left, Mizuki asked why Sano kept it a secret, and Sano said, "Because I want you to stay till the end. Didn't you say it before that you want to witness till the very end, no matter whether is it me or the school?" 

The next day, some of the students went around harrasing the more feminine looking guys, such as Nakao, by touching their chests to assure themselves that they were indeed guys. The four sitting at a side looked worriedly at what's happening. 

I love it that they place these three characters around Mizuki, because they are the ones who all know about Mizuki's gender… kinda makes them like guardians of Mizuki and protecting her. Indeed, when the guys came over wanting to touch Mizuki's chest, Nakatsu slapped the hand away and insisted that Mizuki's a guy, because he's a gay, and gays only like guys, so by that logic, Mizuki was a guy.

 Everyone saw the logic in that and Mizuki was saved, but they also went into silence at Nakatsu's words and then he laughed and kept trying to tell everyone that even though he liked guys, but "It doesn't mean that I'm only restricted to guys, right?" Sano looked at him thoughtfully. 

Later, when Nakatsu walked past Sano in the corridor, Sano asked, "You've also realised it, right?" Nakatsu understood what he meant  and replied, "I can only protect her. You know about it too, don't you?" and Sano nodded. Juri waited for Nakatsu and implied that she knew the rumour was true, "There's such a person around Sano right?" Nakatsu avoided her question and told her that he felt that liking a person was not about the results, but about how much you care for that person. "But on you, I could only sense that you want Sano that's all." 

The meanest director asked the other guy director if the dorm leaders were doing a good job of investigating and he said they were. He then left while the director said in a child-like manner, "If they are really betrayed, I will be really sad." The creepy director started talking about how all it took was just a little push to send everything downhill, before proceeding to use a stone and pushing all the other marbles down the slope. The guy director was shocked by the 'attack' of the marbles and fumbled around trying to take cover, while the creepy director opened her mouth in amazement and what I would actually say, a sadistic expression.

Seriously, I hate this woman. I don't care if she has good intentions underneath, but she's just damn creepy.

Mizuki looked at the stack of photos that she had taken a long time ago and she smiled. Sano went running on the track and Kagurazaka appeared, saying that he had changed. "But that is good too." His smile got replaced by a determined face, as he said, "I look forward to the competition."

Mizuki appeared at the common room for the dorm leaders and told them that she had decided to say the truth. It's because she really loved this school that she felt like she couldn't lie to anyone any longer. Nanba asked if she would do that no matter what's the consequences, and she nodded. Nanba was touched, Oscar had a half smile, and even Tennoji, the one who disapproved of this whole matter, turned around and said, "Well said." 

Nanba told her that they would leave it to her to reveal the matter herself, and Oscar walked behind her, "Confess in the way that will be accountable to your conscience." When Sano returned back to his dorm, there were students inside ransacking their clothes. Sano tried to stop them but there were too many. Nakatsu appeared and he started fighting with the ones who were touching Mizuki's things. "Stop this, it's all my fault!" Mizuki appeared at the doorway and shouted.

And this was how they ended up in the common hall, with the dorm leaders, Sano, Nakatsu and Mizuki on one side (Told you I love the placement!((:) and the rest of the students on the other side. Mizuki confessed that she's a girl and she bowed, "For always hiding the truth from you guys, I'm sorry!" 

However, all the students couldn't take it and it got worse when Oscar told them to shush and listen to what she had to say, because they realised that the dorm leaders knew about it too. "I thought there was nothing between Oscar and us?" and similar protests rose from the students. All the Dorm 3 students left, followed by Dorm 1. Dorm 2 muttered their sentiments. Even though they weren't furious like the other two dorms, but perhaps they were the ones who felt the most betrayed. Everyone left, leaving only Kayashima behind. 

When they returned to their room, Sano assured her that the students would come to understand her, even if it would take some time. Nakatsu sat alone on a chair and Kayashima came in. Nakatsu commented on him being so calm, and Kayashima revealed that that's because he knew about it long ago. Actually, if you think about it, he should be the first one to realise. "A girl's aura and a guy's aura is different." He told Nakatsu that actually if Mizuki hadn't said anything, nothing would happen because she behaved just like a guy.

Nakatsu was just very down and Kayashima sensed his aura, "Feeling surprised, but accepting of the events that had happened." Nakatsu laughed at his correct interpretation and said that Mizuki came into the school as a girl and thinking of Sano. Sano knew about it long time ago but didn't say anything. "If you think about it this way, there wasn't any chance for me to step in right from the start…it felt like all my hopes are dashed." 

Kayashima told him that since things had always been that way, then Nakatsu should just continue to be Nakatsu and continue to look towards the future. Nakatsu was cheered up by his words, and he went to hug Kayashima, interjecting with a "Eh you like me?" "Er no." 

Hahaha aww such a sweet moment! 

Mizuki apologised to Sano for creating such a stir when his competition was near (hey it rhymed!:P) but Sano told her that it's all right. He used to jump for results, or jump for himself, but now he's jumping for something else — her and the rest of the school. 

He sat up and said, "Don't give up what you think it's the most important, not until it's at the very last." 

One of the student asked about Sano's cheerleading but someone else replied that it didn't matter anymore. Nakatsu stood up with a "I say guys!" but he was interrupted by Nakao who stood up and shouted that it didn't matter that Mizuki was a girl. The whole school had been together for so long and "Is Osaka the kind of school that would disintegrate at this kind of matter?!" However, one of the dorm 2 students voiced out what everyone was thinking, "But it still felt like we were betrayed." Mizuki who came down at first, turned and walked back.

Nakatsu patted Nakao on the shoulder. Later, his mum appeared with his ticket and wanted him to return home. Nakatsu told her that even though it seemed like there was no chance, but he still wanted to protect and guard till the end. His mother suddenly smiled and said that that was what she wanted to hear. "If you had agreed to come home with me, I wouldn't know what to say." She took the return ticket from him and said that could be used for another time, before lugging her luggage and leaving with a "You must peservere!" Nakatsu smiled at the turn of events and said, "Oh." (meaning yes).

At the finals, Kagurazak was shown jumping over the pole and the mean director stood up, "Bravo! Bravo!" You biased person. :< The St Blossom girls noticed that there was no one in the stands from Osaka school, and someone else replied that it must be because of the rumours. One of the helpers went to inquire after Sano who nodded that he's fine. Nakatsu, Kayashima and Nakao appeared at the stands and noticed that Sano managed to jump over all the previous heights. 

Mizuki walked down to the river and recalled what Sano had told her about hanging on till the very last. She walked off. Kagurazak failed to jump over his pole and he was very frustrated. It was Sano's turn. Mizuki walked up the steps and saw Sano preparing to run. She ran to the other side of the stands, before shouting the cheers that was supposed to be done by everyone. Nakatsu, Kayashima and Nakao joined her as they did the actions and she continued shouting at the top of her lungs. Nakatsu even motioned for the others to clap their hands. One of the guys from another school told the mean director something. The creepy director and the child-like director watched this whole cheering thing from the television.

Actually, all the school members were there, standing in their own dorms. Nanba patted one of the dorm mate's shoulder. 

Tennoji said, "How should it be like to be at Osaka school?"

Oscar asked, "Do you guys still remember how Osaka should appear?" 

Sano smiled and he turned to face the pole. With a face of determination, he set off running, just as Mizuki put her hands together in a prayer….and he jumped over the pole. The pole shook a litte, but managed to stay. WHOO((: The helper raised the flag to show that Sano had passed and everyone jumped up in glee. Nanba and the dorm 2 people were so happy they jumped up with their heads above the fence. Likewise, the dorm 1 people laughed happily and so did the dorm 3 people. Mizuki still had a face of shock. 

Sano stepped off the mat and was met by Kagurazaka who said, "You created a new record. I admit defeat." "It's all thanks to you." "What are you talking about, it's not me right? It's that guy over there." And they both turned to look at Mizuki, who still wasn't smiling. Sano walked towards the stands and raised his hands in victory. Mizuki finally smiled and she cried in happiness. 

I must say, I'm tearing here too. 

Sano appeared at the stands and they ran towards him, as they did a group hug and their hands were pointed at the sky, just like the last move of the cheers. Mizuki smiled and watched from a side.

The mean director came up behind her and asked if she's the girl that sneaked into the school. I like it that Nakatsu and Sano both didn't realise what's going on, and that Mizuki's fighting this on her own. She looked at him, and answered, "Yes."

-the end-

Before I continue, do take note that I recognise my error in the previous recap (about this being the last episode) and thank you for those who corrected me!(: That was because I probably interpreted the preview wrongly. I thought I saw the words 'last' and I just assume that
it was the last episode. Haha! -ashamed of my bare knowledge of Japanese-

So how do you guys like this episode? I love it(: I love the physical placement of characters around Mizuki in this episode, where Nakatsu and Sano are constantly around her, like her guardians. I've also mentioned before that I'm suckers for moments where everyone is happy/determined to accomplish a certain goal together. There's nothing better than that than to touch my heart :') and that was what touched me during the last few minutes of the show where everyone's happy and laughing and reveiling in the joy of it all. 

This episode is also the one that showed Maeda Atsuko's acting and I must give her a thumbs up. All three lead actors are still rather new in that sense, with only a few dramas to their name but I really like the combination of actors and the overall effect. I obviously prefer this Sano over the previous Sano, and even though Toma Ikuta's Nakatsu will remain the funniest Nakatsu everrr, Miura Shohei did a very good job and came rather on par. I mean, I HATE IT when second leads are treated poorly by script writers, and I love it that Nakatsu overcame his down moment when Kayashima cheered him up. 

Hahaha those two. Now, I'm not wrong in saying that next week's the last episode right?:D Yes I'm looking so forward to it!! It will be really awesome to watch how the students come together to fight for Mizuki and their school, and watch how Sano and Mizuki's relationship ends up. 

Ahhh and I just so love it when Sano jumped over the pole. ^^

<3thoughtsramble