[Volume 3] The start gets a focus on both Masachika & Yuki's mother and his grandfather on his mother's side. Their mother Yumi is not willing to speak up. While the grandfather loathes Masachika for splitting with the family. He has a philosophy that those with privilege and talent have a duty to give back. While Yuki acting like her school self implies she hides her true nature from those two.
Despite winning the debate, Alya gets upset with the gossip talk attacking Sayaka. Knowing that she doesn't deserve that criticism. She asks Masachika to help since she is in no position to help the loser of the debate. Which leads Masachika to ask Nonoa for help. Focus on Nonoa is superb here. She is one of the most popular girls in their class alongside Yuki and Alya. She isn't called a princess since there isn't too much mystery to her. Though the ironic revelation is that despite even having a follower of fans, Sayaka ends up being her only true fan because she is the only one that is honest with her. Strangely enough all the plants in the debate weren't Nonoa's doing. Implying is there a group of people who simply can't stand Alya?
The chapter in which the hypnosis takes place starts solid, but gets pretty terrible fast. Honestly it is the first bad chapter so far. It starts good with Alya and Masachika studying together. Further showcasing that Alya wants Masachika to depend on him like she does for him. But once Yuki, Ayano and Masha shows off it turns into a mess. Even worse when they found the hypnosis book. Yuki ends up hypnotizing Masha and Alya to relax. But it plays out more like they are getting drunk. Then being drunk would make the scenario make more sense. But this is a high school, so I guess the editor thought that was a no no. The purpose outside of fan service feels very useless. Alya immediately tells Masachika to forget about it and that's that. With regard to Masha it shows there are things like that can get under her skin. But again it doesn't serve much for it.
Masachika as we have known isn't the hardest worker. But he doesn't feel comfortable doing so if it will affect Alya's reputation. Which shows again that his laziness more so is bad when he is the only one affected. A call with Alya helps with get his motivation back on track. Alya simply being the type of person who is too busy to get exhausted. Very relatable because some people just know one gear of working hard, and it is their normal. The bet they make with each other further adds on to this to push Masachika to do well in the exams.
There is one example of difference of culture when Masachika never told her his birthday. It is something she knows that is not his fault, but she can't help but to feel upset about. The point is Russians make a much bigger deal of their birthdays unlike Japan. One good thing demonstrated here is that Masachika notices Alya hasn't spoken any Russian. Clearly showcasing that she is overthinking something. Thankfully the matter gets resolved as they make up by celebrating Masachika's belated birthday where Masachika takes her out to a fancy restaurant. Unlike the previous times they went out, Alya is much more confident. While Masachika was the birthday boy, it was Alya who was the happiest.
Student Parent Teacher Conferences are happening. And this is the first time we are introduced to Masachika's Russian enthusiasts grandfather Tomohisa. They end up meeting Alya and her mom Akemi. Their meeting kind of speculates more so that Masachika's first love was Alya. After all both guardian teases their child/grandchild when they will marry the other one. Masachika meets up with Yuki and his mother Yumi. It is here where we learn that there is bad blood between Masachika and his mother. Masachika was a kid who loved to earn his mom's praise. But after she snapped at him everything changed. Most likely the other grandfather is the cause? But she constantly holds her tongue now.
On the following day Masachika ends up staying home for being sick. Alya ends up coming over and takes care of him. While this scene is very sweet, however this all a part of Yuki's scheme. When Ayano shows up to cause chaos late that night was the one indicator that Yuki was planning something. Unfortunately for Masachika he doesn't realize it until he oversleeps and Ayano is still around. Basically part of the medication Yuki had Alya get also would put Masachika in a deep enough sleep where he would sleep in on the half day at school. But as soon as he realizes something is up and especially given how Ayano is trying to make him stay home leads him to rush to school.
Yuki's plot basically came down to weakening Alya's resolve with mind games. First needing Masachila away from her since he knows Yuki well. Then her plan was to taunt Alya, so her pride wouldn't back down from a debate in her daily announcements. But she tries to sympathize with Alya, so she wouldn't focus. She bends the truth of her beloved brother not being around making it sound like he is dead making it so Alya would reconsider why she is running for office. Alya's mind gets way too occupied with this reason that she severely underperforms next to Yuki in the announcements. This revelation really points out that Masachika really shouldn't lower his guard around Yuki. But this tactic really fired up Masachika to where it seemed like he really seems to enjoying himself on how to beat Yuki.
As it moves to the closing ceremony announcements the order for Yuki & Alya's speeches were Yuki → Ayano → Alya → Masachika. Yuki's speech was mainly illustrating the fact that student council president and vice president only get 1 year to be in office. Also alluding to the fact that the lack of 2nd years that are on student council. Masha being an anomaly of what you normally see. Her main point suggests you would want the person most prepared to take the position. After all Yuki served as student council president in middle school. Clearly among all the candidates she is the most qualified from a logical sense. Ayano's speech most reassurance why Yuki would make a logical candidate. Efficiently smart followup speech planned from Yuki. Also considering Ayano is someone the student body rarely saw her cute gestures with her monotone voice won over the crowd.
The momentum was severely on Yuki's side. But Masachika recommended that Alya starts her speech speaking Russian. This would put the crowd on their toes, so she has her attention. This speech started off going not as well as the other debate, but as Alya starts panicking and looking down, Masachika says in Russian to her keep your chin up. This was a great move by Masachika. Since Alya doesn't know he is fluent in Russian, so him remembering those words would inspire her as she respects those who put the effort in. But once again we get more of that calculating Masachika as it truly shows that he and Yuki are related. Alya overall finishes up her speech by saying no one will out work her. After all that is the aspect of Alya that really inspires Masachika.
With Masachika coming up last it was more so a place for him to take the positive reception of Alya applause and elevate it. In a contrast to Alya's speech he used much more comedy, since the tone is much different then how Alya talked, it really got the crowd intrigued. His big first talk is about why he decided to run with Alya as opposed with Yuki. More so alluding to all of Alya's strong points. Which in turn made her previous speech more convincing as like Ayano he states the strength of his partner. Where Masachika beats Yuki here is when he uses Yuki's argument that there isn't enough 2nd years on student council and uses that to his advantage. He makes the promise that both Sayaka and Nonoa would join student council if Alya is elected president. It was thing to make that promise, but he was able to get both Sayaka and Nonoa which had the crowd he convinced his promise would be reality if he was elected. Even making a slight remark that Yuki would join too.
Simply put Yuki made the mistake of only thing of taking down Alya. She didn't consider her brother would be motivated to figure out and perfectly caluclate her moves. In a manner that would lead them for a slight win. But a moment for Yuki appears conflicted. She is disapointed for the lose here, but at the same time part of her was happy. This was the brother whom she always competed with and inspired herself to beat, but never could. But her motivation is as high as it ever was before.
The volume wraps up leading into summer vacation. Masachika didn't get a top 30 score, but was close. Alya knows that he is fully capable of pulling things off when he puts his mind to it. Considering how much he helped her with the speech, she felt like she didn't need to make the request. But Masachika mentions about calling each other by their first name. Granted Masachika hasn't called Alya, Kujou in a good while so this was more of a thing Alya would find more meaningful. As they start the summer these two have a long year ahead of them where Masachika brings up the idea of meeting up to help plan the year out. He gets massively embarassed to where Alya says to him keep your chin up in Russian. A sweet remark as Masachika couldn't help, but look down when asking her that. But at the same time it really does show how much those words helped her in the speech earlier in the day.
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. Now the conversation between Aoi and Tomozaki was tense for the most part. Tomozaki asking why Aoi went as far as she did. I do like that Aoi is willing to admit that she didn't need to go that far. But given what Erika did to Tama she got the right amount of taste of her own medicine. It is more clear now that Tama's very assertive nature in being herself was something that Aoi loved. And while it was a selfish wish for her not to change in that regard, it was a trait that made Tama Tama. Now at the end of the day she didn't lose that, but you can't blame Aoi for not wanting her friend to change who she was completey.
never doubt a pirate in a tuxedo.
. At this point there was no redemption for this sick woman.
