ANIME EPISODE 7---ROSY CHEEKS
( "Barairo no Hoho ~Growing pains~" (薔薇色の頬～Growing pains～)
Summary
Fast Forward into the Future---Shuichi is fourteen now, and is beginning to realize that there are a lot more problems with being a teenager then one could ever imagine. Even then, unexpectedly coming home one day, only to find Maho making tea, and Anna, the fashion model, in the bedroom, is shocking. Shuichi tries to make small talk with Anna, but comes off as unmitigated awkwardness. However, Anna magnanimously gives Shuichi advice on how to retain a good complexion. Good complexion comes up again when Shuichi later comes across Anna at the drug store. Anna invites Shuichi to call her and talk anytime, within reason. Shuichi is impressed.
At school, Shuichi is recruited for the Drama Club. Saori and Yoshino have a spontaneous conversation in the girl's restroom, with less than desirable results, and Yoshino get ticked off. That evening, a study session is held at Shuichi and Maho's house, with several students, but also with less than desirable results. Some time later, at school, Shuichi reveals to Mako that Anna was asked out for a date, and she accepted. The two went to a karaoke studio, and Shuichi did a love confession to Anna.
For their next date, Anna and Shuichi go to the zoo. Later, Yoshino and Shuichi also go out together, with Yoshino presenting as a boy, and Shuichi presenting as a girl. They visit Yuki and Shiina, wherein Shuichi drops a gossip bomb by announcing a dating relationship with Anna. Yoshino drops the same information bomb on Saori. Saori is so negatively affected, that she quits attending school and falls into a deep emotional depression. Yoshino visits to try and repair their damaged friendship, but is rebuffed by a very antisocial Saori. Nevertheless, they consent to have tea together.
Plot
One day in school, during Shuichi's fourteenth year, they are in class, reading from an English text, only to have two girls giggle about how the text seems to describe Shuichi's complexion problems. After school, Shuichi complains to Mako about their lack of complexion knowledge. Shuichi arrives at home, only to find Maho making tea, and fashion model Anna in the bedroom, looking at a fashion magazine. Still worried about their complexion, Shuichi asks Anna for advice. Maho brings in the tea, but that makes for an awkward moment all around. Later that evening, Shuichi tries the advice, but with no apparent results, much to the glee of Maho. Next day after school, Shuichi runs into Anna again, this time at the drug store. Recommendations are again made, with Anna inviting Shuichi to call her from time to time. This really impresses Shuichi, such that they day-dream about Anna while trying to go to sleep that evening.
Next day at school, Shuichi is recruited to join the Drama Club, and agrees to do so. Yoshino unexpectedly meets Saori in the girl's restroom, and tries to start a pleasant conversation. But Saori is in a foul mood, and only criticizes Yoshino, thereby dumping her foul mood right onto Yoshino. Later, Yoshino learns that Soari is quitting the girl's basketball team. That evening, there is a study group of students at Shuichi and Maho's home. Now Maho is still in a foul mood, and drops gossip that Makoto overhears. Wanting to know if the gossip is true, Mako asks Shuichi a few days later about the intention of dating Anna. Shuichi shares a secret about their relationship with Anna, that the two of them have already been on their first date together. Unable to contain themselves, Shuichi tells all, about how they went to a karaoke studio; also went to see a store manager who looks like a trinket. Then when Anna had asked about loving milkshakes, Shuichi misunderstands and instead blurts out that they love Anna more than milkshakes. A love confession, at last ! It is implied that Anna acknowledged the love confession, since she agreed to go on a second date, that is, going to the zoo. The second date at the zoo was wonderful, as Shuichi muses about it all the next day.
But now Shuichi, dressed as a cute girl, and Yoshino, dressed as a boy, are visiting Yuki and Shii. Shuichi drops an A-Bomb of gossip when they reveal that they are dating Anna. Yoshino is shocked and absolutely flabbergasted ! Walking home, Yoshino puts on a 'poker face' and tells Shuichi that the both of them should not go out together anymore. Yoshino even become distant at school. Yoshino again runs into Saori in the girl's restroom, and decides to drop the bombshell on her about Shuichi dating Anna. Chi even notices that Yoshino is in some kind of bad funk. And hit with the news of the dating going on, Saori now becomes unhinged and refuses to come to school. She tells her mom that she wants to become a mistress, saying that she never jokes about things like that. Even though they are rebuffed, Yoshino continues to try and make social contact with Saori at her home. On one such visit, Yoshino is invited in for tea by mom, and then is invited into Saori's bedroom. Yoshino wishes to have a fresh start with friendship with Saori. But Saori says that she is fine with being anti-social. Although their friendship seems to be at an impasse, they do consent to have tea together as occasional adversarial " friends ".