By now, the girls have come to realize the number done on them by the Eating Contest in the previous volume (except Kurumi, due to her Hyperactive Metabolism, and Mei, who hadn't joined the harem at that point) and decide to undergo some "secret cuteness training" after school. Rentarou buys the charade and heads to the courtyard, where a girl is performing practice swings announcing openings at the girls' baseball club. As he gets closer, their eyes meet up and—ZING!!
After flusteredly inviting Rentarou to join the girls' baseball team, she introduces herself as Iku Sutou and explains that she's soliciting people to join the club to win an upcoming practice game and prevent the club from getting disbanded. While there was a complete team half a month ago, everyone except Iku left to study baseball in America so they could win the national championship. Rentarou's befuddlement only escalates as Iku shows off masochistic traits, but he quickly composes himself and offers to help her with recruiting members.
The next day, Iku spots Rentarou walking in the hall hand in hand with Nano, and when Rentarou returns to the courtyard, she confesses to Rentarou, who promptly explains that he's already dating eight girls and doesn't think he has what it takes to make her happy. As Iku revels in masochistic glee, Rentarou starts vomiting Blood from the Mouth, revealing that his rejection was fake. He noticed Iku getting off on seeing him with Nano and, figuring she wanted to be heartbroken, thought it best to let her experience that feeling.
He immediately accepts her confession and promises to do what it takes to satisfy her on top of all the other girls he's dating, to Iku's astonishment.
Tropes:
- Batman Gambit: Rentarou pretended to reject Iku's confession so that she could enjoy the pain of a heartbreak. It doesn't take long for him to start vomiting blood.
- Blood from the Mouth: Rentarou vomits blood as a result of pretending to reject Iku's confession.
- Didn't Think This Through: The reason why the girls' baseball club is about to be disbanded is that all the members went to America to study, with only Iku behind. Rentarou even calls this surpassing tunnel vision.
- Foreshadowing: Rentarou mentions that while he had seen Iku soliciting club members before, they hadn't actually made eye contact until that point. This would be far from the last time such a scenario played out with his girlfriends.
- Weight Woe: Played for Laughs, where all the girlfriends realize the Eating Contest from a few chapters ago did, in fact, leave its mark. Hence, they go off to do some "secret cuteness training" (even dragging along Kurumi, whose metabolism defies weight gain, and Mei, who hadn't even participated), allowing Rentarou to meet Iku by himself.
