What a touching scene...
It seems like Kyoko is the only one who doesn't know about the ultimatum. That's probably for the best, given how Ren's request for assistance sees her arriving at his apartment to help him get into character as Katsuki. Kyoko must now play the role of Mizuki, a kind and gentle girl with a personality polar opposite of Mio. Does Kyoko have what it takes to play a Mizuki that can draw out Ren's Katsuki... when even the actress playing Mizuki can't draw out Katsuki?
This volume contains the chapters:
- Act 67. "Deep Shock" note
- Act 68. "A One-Night Connection" note
- Act 69. "The Game Heats Up" note
- Act 70. "Honey Trap" note
- Act 71. "A Guilty Scene" note
- Act 72. "Scenario Takeover" note
Chapters in this volume provide examples of:
- Age-Gap Algebra: Discussed and conversed — in the same chapter, nonetheless. Kyoko (in her disguise as Bo the Chicken) tries to get Ren to open up to the possibility of a relationship with the girl he's got feelings for... who happens to be 4 years younger than him. She reasons that an age gap of 4 years shouldn't bother him when an age gap of 19 years (shared by the former teacher-and-student couple on the television program they watched in Chapter 66) didn't faze him in the slightest. Ren rejects the whole notion, saying that the age gap isn't the problem.
- Embarrassing Animal Suit: Kyoko's Bo the Chicken suit makes another appearance as she tries to help Ren overcome his acting block AND pursue a relationship with the girl he's got feelings for.
- Florence Nightingale Effect: From both Kyoko and Ren, while roleplaying as Mizuki and Katsuki. "Mizuki" is worried about "Katsuki" because he's sick and has missed school, while "Katsuki" tends to "Mizuki's" injured ankle after she sticks her foot in the door to keep him from shutting her out.
- Flower Motifs: It's a shoujo manga after all. Most chapters have a few instances of panel backgrounds filling with unexplained flowers.
- Literally Falling in Love: Overlaps with Suggestive Collision - Kyoko tumbles off the chair she was standing on to reach a high cabinet. Ren saves her from injuring herself and takes the brunt of the fall by wrapping his arms around her. He's already got it bad for Kyoko, but his inner monologue reveals exactly how much he enjoys holding her close and he very nearly kisses her before she stops him.
- Noodle People: Most characters in the series are drawn with excessively long arms and legs, but especially the prettyboys like Ren, who is an actor/ model.
- Shipper on Deck:
- Disguised as Bo the Chicken again, Kyoko encourages Ren to pursue the object of his affections - unaware that the object of his affections is her.
- Yashiro is getting less and less subtle about how hard he ships Ren/Kyoko - he was the only one who got excited when Ren asked Kyoko to "lend him her time and her body that evening" (though Ren was only requesting her help with rehearsal).
- Show Within a Show: Dark Moon is a type 1 example, where "characters are involved in the production of the show."
- Suggestive Collision: Overlaps with Literally Falling in Love - Kyoko tumbles off the chair she was standing on to reach a high cabinet and Ren dives after her to cushion the impact... with his body. This leaves him lying on top of Kyoko with a hand behind her head and an arm around her waist.
- Through His Stomach: It's not Kyoko's intention to win over Ren by making him a bento box — she just wanted to make sure that he didn't forget to eat, what with his busy schedule — but it makes him fall a little harder for her nonetheless.
