Kare Kano vol 8

 In volume 7 the second semester begins with it everyone needing to prepare for the upcoming cultural festival.  Aya the friend group to put on a play that she has written.  A new student has transferred that had once gone to school with many of Miyazawa's friends.  During his time away he completely remade himself and is hiding his identity in order to exact revenge on Tusbaki.  Meanwhile Arima plunges deeper into the darkness in his heart as he struggles with his relationship with Miyazawa.

    Everyone works hard as the cultural festival fast approaches, building the sets, memorizing their lines, filling every minute they can towards the endeavor.  Sensing his unease, Miyazawa tells Arima that they will spend as much time together as possible after the festival.  After being warned to not be so friendly with Miyazawa, he begins to recognize an intense jealousy from Arima. Takifumi comes to the realization that his feelings towards Tsubaki aren't hatred but love.  In a moment alone they both admit a love for the other and become a couple.  With that desire for revenge behind him, willed Takefumi be able to heal the sudden divide between he and Arima?

    Just before the festival a typhoon hits the area.  Arima walks Miyazawa home and is made to stay until her father comes home safely.  Miyazawa struggles with the fact that everyone loves her boyfriend, making her question her special place in his life.  When her father comes home he insists that Arima spend the night due to the fierceness of the typhoon.  As they go to bed he and Arima connect over being orphaned as children.  That night, with Miyazawa under the same roof as him, he sleeps peacefully for the first time in years.  But the darkness still lurks in him, wanting to keep the love of his life all to himself, selfishly wishing to restrict her freedoms.  He is afraid of loosing her, fearing that she will one day outgrow her need for him.  He believes that he can no longer grow and without her in his life it will be a radical shift backwards, fulfilling his destiny.

    For the most part the anime ended with only a few pieces of story coming from this volume.  We see a stronger emphasis on Arima's mental health and the struggles with his own happiness and his reliance on Miyazawa.  Miyazawa revels in her blossoming social life and only partially picks up on her boyfriend's dilemma.

Continue on to volume 9.