This one sits you in the uncomfortable chair: a guy who confessed because he lost a bet has to figure out whether he actually meant it, and a gyaru who's done everything has to survive being treated gently for the first time. The sleepover where nothing happens does more romantic heavy lifting than most shows get out of a whole beach episode. And the real spine isn't the bet at all, it's Maria's apartment, the mother who left, and the reason Runa says yes to whoever asks. Nikoru and Akari refuse to be decorative gyaru sidekicks, Ijichi's shameless running commentary keeps it breathing, and Runa's constant checking of whether she's allowed to want things will wreck you if you've ever done that. Yes, Ryuuto is a blank with narration, and the comment sections will argue about her past until the sun burns out. Then he tells her she doesn't have to earn it, and you get why people die on this hill.

Ryuuto Kashima is a shy, gloomy loner with a quiet crush on Runa Shirakawa, one of the most popular girls at school. After losing a bet with his friends, he is pushed into confessing to her and braces for a harsh rejection. Instead, Runa agrees to go out with him, and she is secretly just as inexperienced as he is. Overwhelmed, Ryuuto asks to keep the relationship hidden from all but their closest friends, which sets off a string of mishaps and misunderstandings. The two move in different social circles and share few hobbies, yet spending time together helps them come to accept those differences as common ground. Their bond is soon tested when Maria Kurose, Ryuuto's middle school crush, transfers into his class, just as nasty rumors about Runa begin to spread.