Happiness is:
Hikky dreading going back to school after the club’s big conciliatory catharsis.
Komachi doing a pitch-perfect impression of Hikky’s condescending mumble, before remarking that she likes this “scum-niichan” just fine, and Hikky agreeing with her.
Hikky returning to a very brightly-lit club room to find a perfectly civil, downright chipper (for her) Yukino.
An elated Yui wanting to sit as close to Yukino as physically possible.
Yukino being both happy and a little uncomfortable with the closeness.
Happiness is:
Yukino and Yui attending the event meeting with Hikky. The cavalry has arrived!
Yukino and Yui’s priceless reaction to Hikky and Irohas’ little bag exchange ritual. “What was THAT all about?” their eyes seem to ask…
Yukino and Yui both agreeing with Hikky’s opinion of the other president dude, but being unable to enact instant change. Fixing will take some doing.
Shizuka giving Hikky, Yukino, Yui and Irohas tickets to Destiny Land to celebrate the club pulling through.
Hikky’s demand for someone to marry Shizuka already, before he’s forced to.
The gradual reveal that Yukino is not only a yearly member of Destiny Land, but doesn’t want to go during the busy season.
Yui and Hikky working together to convince her to come anyway.
Happiness is:
Iroha inviting her crush Hayama, which leads to Miura, Ebina, and Tobe also tagging along. One big happy family. (Unfortunately absent but probably for the best: Kawasaki and Totsuka).
The resulting dynamic of Hikky with his two girls (Yukino and Yui), Hayama and his two girls (Miura and Iroha) and Ebina and Tobe, a pairing that Hikky worked so hard to prevent, which led to all that unpleasantness that is now behind them.
How Hikky is cut off in the group photo, but the one closest to him is Yukino.
Happiness is:
DAT PHOTO.
Yukino teasing Yui about how there will never be a “next time” in which she’ll allow her photo to be taken.
Hikky’s realization the two are only joking around and are actually closer than ever.
Ebina properly thanking Hikky once more for what he did, knowing what it cost.
Hikky telling Ebina his, Yukino’s and Yui’s problem had nothing to do with her request; it had been brewing before; at best it was a catalyst/last straw.
Hikky smiling unironically. I know; I’m scared too!
Yukino demanding absolute silence on the Panda Battle ride.
Happiness is:
The adorableness that is Yui getting up in Hikky’s face with a panda puppet.
The moment Hikky believes Yui is making “the first move” she told him she’d make (last season), rather than wait.
The way Hikky agrees to a date at the theme park next door (Amaburi?), “someday,” which is enough for Yui for now.
Yui slipping animal ears on herself and Yukino and having Hikky snap their picture.
Everyone wanting to give Komachi gifts. She got the ball rolling on Hikky’s redemption, after all. But more than that, she’s just a very cute and lovable sister.
Happiness is:
Circumstances working out so Hikky and Yukino end up separated from the others.
Yukino taking Hikky’s sleeve in her hand, asking him to “save her someday,” justbefore their boat takes the plunge. DAT PLUNGE. The silence…pure poetry.
Happiness is: Yukino making relative peace with the fact she isn’t like her sister, or Hikky, and may not “have what they have,” but that’s okay, because she still loves them both. (She doesn’t say that part, but it’s pretty evident.)
Happiness is Hikky, Yukino, and Yui side by side by side, watching the park’s fireworks show, being bathed in warm and cool flashes of light as they wear smiles on their faces.
Happiness is Yukino’s many smiles throughout this episode, in particular that last one looking up at the sky, and Yui whispering to Hikky, again getting as possible close to the person she loves.
Happiness is NOT watching Iroha confess to Hayama, only to get flatly rejected and run off, more upset than we’ve ever seen her.
However, as unhappy an event as it was, I was very happy with how it was portrayed: from the POVs of the others, in particular Hikky; without words, only expressions half-concealed by the shadows. All the planning in the world to create an opportunity for Iroha to get closer to Hayama didn’t mean a thing, because Hayama didn’t want to get closer to her.
Will she now turn to Hikky, fulfilling the prophecy in the OP of Iroha taking her place among the other three Service Club members, filling the void between Hikky and the others? Whatever happens, and as sadly as this episode ended, there was still plenty of happiness to be found. |