WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Adachi & Shimamura Episode 7, "Please Choose the Best Chocolate For Me," streaming now on Funimation.
After their unusual but sweet Christmas adventures, Adachi and Shimamura continue the holiday theme by ringing in the New Year together before Adachi grows even more awkward than usual in the weeks preceding Valentine's Day. Shimamura agrees to Adachi's proposal, with a moving internal monologue revealing her reasons, while the episode's ending introduces a new character who could very well rock both Shimamura and Adachi's worlds.
Yashiro challenges the younger Shimamura, or "Little" as she calls her, to figure out why Yashiro's light blue hair sparkles. The self-proclaimed alien's purpose in the overall story has only grown less clear over time. She's only seen intermittently, usually hanging out with "Little" Shimamura, but always seems to be around the Shimamura family. Perhaps solving the sparkly hair mystery will unravel some of the questions surrounding the curious Yashiro.
Adachi calls up Shimamura late at night on New Year's Eve, while the latter is surprisingly studying. The two enjoy some small talk before Shimamura suddenly says she's thinking about Adachi's thighs and wants to use them as pillows as she did once before. Naturally, Adachi grows flustered and wonders if she should make her thighs softer or harder to make them even more appealing. After they formally wish each other Happy New Year and say goodnight, Adachi finds herself trying to measure her romantic feelings -- by thinking of Shimamura's chest. Adachi questions if her thoughts and feelings are "normal," still fearing what could happen if she fully admitted those feelings to Shimamura -- or even herself.
For all her bumbling awkwardness and natural introversion, Adachi always seems to overcome the hurdles between her and spending more alone time with Shimamura. After a few days of silence, Adachi asks Shimamura to join her at the mall, seemingly without a clear goal aside from getting a snack. However, while holding hands and dodging Shimamura's questions, Adachi finally stops at a donut shop that's already advertising for Valentine's Day. She feared asking about a couple-oriented holiday out of the blue would be too awkward, but by bringing Shimamura someplace where the idea could naturally enter her mind, Adachi feels more comfortable broaching the subject.
When Adachi has made potentially awkward requests in the past, Shimamura has rationalized them as simple friendliness or just gone along for Adachi's sake. Earlier in the episode, she considers what Adachi wants from her -- to be her best friend, as she said on Christmas -- and doubts whether she can truly provide that level of affection and devotion. After this Valentine's Day request, however, Shimamura looks at Adachi's starlit eyes and realizes how much color and joy Adachi has brought into her previously dull, inactive life. She has grown passionate enough to defend Adachi's personality to her own mother, embrace new experiences, and become a more diligent student. She remains unsure about the future of her and Adachi's bond but knows they have something special for now. Shimamura happily accepts the offer to exchange chocolate on Valentine's.
What should have been a simple happy ending for both girls is brought into question with the arrival of a new character. Shimamura enters the Nagafuji family's butcher shop to find none other than her childhood best friend, Tarumi. She is thrilled to see Shimamura and remarks how pretty she's become since elementary school, implying it's been years since they last saw each other. Tarumi turns to leave with a wave but stops at the doorway, and asks to exchange numbers. Shimamura readily agrees, seemingly confirming that Tarumi is here to stay for a while.
What does this mean for Shimamura and, perhaps more imminently, will these developments interfere with Adachi's Valentine's Day plans? At the very least, Tarumi's appearance will likely affect the dynamic of the main characters and force Shimamura to ponder how she really feels about close relationships -- and Adachi.
