Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku Episode 3 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

A Kind Person

On a hot spring day, Rintaro and Shohei learn from their homeroom teacher, Makoto, that failing the midterms means a retest on Sports Day, and he promises them ice cream if they pass and win. Saku refuses to tutor them, so Shohei drags Rintaro to the public library, and Rintaro urges Shohei to go make up with Saku. On a bench outside, Rintaro meets Kaoruko, learns she is a scholarship student who works hard to stay at the top, and asks her to tutor him. Kaoruko's friend Subaru then tells him to stay away from Kaoruko, a clash with his returning friends ends in apologies, and a late-night call brings Rintaro and Kaoruko closer.

• Midterm stakes and reward

  Their homeroom teacher, Makoto, warns that anyone who fails the midterms must retake them on Sports Day, and promises Shohei and Rintaro ice cream if they pass and win.

• Library study and Kaoruko

  Turned down by Saku, Shohei and Rintaro go to the public library, where Rintaro urges Shohei to go back and make up with Saku. On a bench outside, Kaoruko tells Rintaro she is a scholarship student who works hard to stay first in her year, and he asks her to tutor him.

• Standoff with Subaru and late call

  Subaru confronts the Chidori boys and leads Kaoruko away, the groups apologize, and a late-night call leaves Rintaro and Kaoruko flustered before Subaru is shown longing over a childhood photo.

Recent Timeline

• Alley confrontation with delinquents (Episode 1)

  Kaoruko is cornered by the two delinquents, who badmouth Rintaro as a scary delinquent. When one decides to punch her, Rintaro steps in and takes the blow on his forehead, and the delinquents flee in fear. Kaoruko, who had stood up for him against the rumors, calls him a kind person, and the two grow closer.

• Kaoruko waits at Chidori gate (Episode 2)

  Kaoruko waited outside Chidori's gate for Rintaro, and Shohei's confrontation with her drew a crowd. Rintaro grabbed Shohei to stop him. That evening at the store she said she had come to see him and was glad he went to Chidori, but when he said he hadn't expected a Kikyo student to come back, she left looking hurt.

• Rintaro and Kaoruko reconcile (Episode 2)

  The next day Rintaro waited at Kikyo's gate and apologized to Kaoruko for dismissing her as a Kikyo student. They agreed that school affiliation did not matter, and exchanged contact information. Kaoruko then happily reopened her curtains from the classroom window.

• Standoff outside the library ends in apologies (Episode 3)

  Outside the public library, Subaru tells Rintaro to stay away from Kaoruko, and Shohei's returning group clashes with her. When Saku mocks Subaru's hair, Rintaro stops him and covers for Kaoruko, saying he had approached her to apologize for scaring her at the gate. Shohei and Kaoruko apologize to each other, while Subaru refuses and leaves.

Character Graph

Kaoruko Waguri (Kaoruko)

Kikyo

A scholarship student at Kikyo who keeps the top grades in her year and works part-time to save money. She agreed to tutor Rintaro for the midterms, apologized for Subaru's harsh words, and called him kind and cool for covering for her.

• Kikyo student

  Attends Kikyo, the school for prestigious young ladies, as shown when Rintaro sees her there.

• Developing interest

  On the morning they made up, she told him she wants to know him because he is Rintaro, regardless of Chidori or Kikyo.

• Family and motivation

  Begged her father to let her attend Kikyo and does not want to disappoint him; feels growing pride from studying there.

• Relationship with Rintaro

  Kept speaking politely because she saw herself as just a customer at his family's cake shop, then agreed to speak casually with him.

• Rintaro (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend she trusts; she agreed to tutor him for the midterms and, at his request, to stop using polite speech with him.

• Subaru (Friend, Mixed)

  Childhood friend who protects her and speaks harshly of Chidori boys; Kaoruko tries to calm the situation.

Rintaro

Chidori

The protagonist, a Chidori student feared for his looks, though he is kind at heart. Determined not to give up this time, he asked Kaoruko to tutor him for the midterms and covered for her when Subaru and his friends clashed outside the library.

• Reputation

  Rumored to be a delinquent and scary, a reputation that stems from his appearance and past bullying.

• Reconciliation

  Realized his own prejudice after his mother pointed it out, apologized to Kaoruko, and agreed to get to know her beyond their schools.

• Family

  His family runs a cake shop where Kaoruko is a regular; his mother asked him to tell Kaoruko about the monthly discount day.

• Character

  Realizes he has been judging Kaoruko by his own assumptions, the very thing he hates others doing to him; flustered when she called him kind and cool.

• Kaoruko Waguri (Friend, Affinity)

  The Kikyo girl he has grown close to; he was let down that she still saw herself as just a customer, asked her to drop the polite speech, and looks forward to studying with her.

• Subaru (Other, Hostility)

  Kaoruko's friend who told him outside the library to stay away from Kaoruko because he is from Chidori.

• Kyoko (Family, Affinity)

  Mother; she asked him to tell Kaoruko about the shop's discount day.

Subaru

Kikyo

Silver-haired girl with a cold personality who protects Kaoruko and is hostile toward the Chidori boys.

• Childhood bond

  Stares at a childhood photo of herself and Kaoruko with tears welling up.

• Kaoruko Waguri (Friend, Mixed)

  Childhood friend who looks out for Kaoruko and asks who she is spending time with.

• Rintaro (Other, Hostility)

  Confronts Rintaro and asks him to leave Kaoruko alone; hostile toward him and the Chidori boys.

Shohei

Chidori

Rintaro's cheerful classmate at Chidori who must pass the midterms to join Sports Day. At Rintaro's urging he went back to make up with Saku, and outside the library he and Kaoruko apologized to each other for the gate incident.

• Rintaro (Friend, Affinity)

  Close friend and fellow midterm struggler; excited about Sports Day, he urges Rintaro to aim for the win with him.

Saku

Chidori

A sharp-tongued friend of Rintaro's at Chidori and the group's best student. He refused at first to tutor Shohei and Rintaro, who failed last year despite his help, and outside the library he went too far mocking Subaru's hair until Rintaro stopped him.

• Rintaro (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend who tutored him last year; Rintaro called him out for insulting Subaru.

Ayato

Chidori

A gentle friend of Rintaro's at Chidori who also relies on Saku for studying. Outside the library he nudged Shohei to apologize to Kaoruko.

• Rintaro (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend who is struggling with the midterm material too.

Kyoko

Rintaro's mother, who runs the family cake shop. She asked Rintaro to invite Kaoruko to the shop's monthly discount day, saying she missed seeing her.

• Rintaro (Family, Affinity)

  Mother; she asked him to pass on the discount day to Kaoruko.

Clue Board

• Why Kaoruko came back (Episode 2)

  Rintaro wondered why Kaoruko came back to the shop even after learning he attends Chidori. The next morning she answered herself: Chidori and Kikyo don't matter — she wants to know him because he is Rintaro.

• Childhood photo with Kaoruko (Episode 3)

  Subaru stares at a childhood photo of herself and Kaoruko and begins to tear up. The two seem to have been together since they were small, but why Subaru is crying is not yet clear.

Season Summary

Season 1 — Season 1

Episodes 1–3

Rintaro, a Chidori student feared for his looks, has grown close to Kaoruko Waguri, a regular at his family's cake shop who attends the elite girls' school Kikyo next door; after a misunderstanding over their rival schools, they made up and exchanged contacts. Facing a retest on Sports Day if he fails the midterms, Rintaro runs into Kaoruko outside the public library, learns she is a scholarship student who works hard to stay at the top, and asks her to tutor him. Her friend Subaru, who dislikes Chidori, tells him to stay away from Kaoruko, and a clash with his friends ends in apologies. That night Kaoruko calls to apologize for Subaru and set a study date, and the two agree to drop the polite speech.

Music Releases

• Your Gaze, Crepuscular (OP)
• On a Good Day (ED)