Episode Title - "One Step Forward"
Original Air Date - January 22, 2009.

Taiga and Ryūji try to get Yūsaku to become the next student council president by telling students how Taiga will ruin everyone's high school life. Ryūji discovers that Yūsaku has feelings for Sumire, the student council president, and that she is going to be studying abroad in America soon, which explains Yūsaku's odd behavior. After encouragement from Sumire, Yūsaku becomes a candidate; Taiga drops out of the race, leaving Yūsaku to become the student council president. He confesses his love to Sumire in front of everyone, but she does not respond to his feelings. Taiga becomes outraged at this, and fights Sumire. After Ryūji and the council members stop the fight, Sumire confesses she did not want Yūsaku to sacrifice everything for her. Yūsaku overhears this and states he is glad he fell in love with her. As Minori leaves, Ami asks her if she feels guilty. Two days later Sumire leaves to study abroad and Taiga is suspended for two weeks. She is told to send a letter of apology to Sumire and instead sends a letter with only the word 'idiot', in reference to Sumire confessing that she wished she was "just another idiot" like other people.

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