The story thus far: this is impossible even for Tom Cruise.
As Rentarou surveys the infrared sensors, he realizes there's a gap near the ceiling due to a set of chandeliers. This means they can climb above the sensors to get past them. But the hallway is too wide for one person to climb up, so two people need to work together to be able to climb up. Nano determines that Karane would be the only one able to help Rentarou climb up the walls, and she ties the two of them together for the task.
The duo slowly work their way up the wall and over the sensors. During the maneuver, Karane's shirt starts to ride up her body, causing Rentarou's face to touch her stomach. Because the eyedrops prevent him from seeing non-infrared light, he doesn't know what's happening.
Eventually, they succeed in clearing the sensors and make their way into Hakari's room. Before they can rescue her, however, an alarm triggers, summoning the guards to the room. Karane and Rentarou are quickly captured by Hakari's mother Hahari and escorted to her chamber, leaving Hakari to bemoan how much of a burden she feels to Rentarou.
Meanwhile, Rentarou attempts to plead his case with Hahari, who brushes off his "sugarcoated" words, believing that Hakari would make the same mistake that she did as a teenager, having gotten herself pregnant at the age of 13 with a terminally ill classmate and being forced to raise the child all by herself. While moved by her life's story to the point of tears, Rentarou insists to Hahari that his feeling for Hakari are genuine even with all the other girls he's dating. At this point, the eyedrops wear off, allowing Rentarou to see Hahari's face and—ZING!!
Tropes
- Despair Event Horizon: Hakari reaches hers upon seeing Rentarou and Karane being dragged away by her mother's guards.
- Did You Actually Believe...?: Hahari mocks Rentarou for thinking that his "sugarcoated" words would impress her.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Rentarou wonders why the ceiling is suddenly less high than it was before he took the eyedrops. Then Kusuri mentions the chandeliers, and Rentarou realises that the sensors can't be placed in places where the chandeliers would get in the way.
- Shout-Out: The "story thus far" panel mentions Tom Cruise.
- Wham Episode: Up until now, all of Rentarou's girlfriends have been girls his own age. This chapter, however, shows that neither older women nor relatives of existing girlfriends are off-limits.
- Wham Shot: The very last panel, where Rentarou Zings with Hahari.
