Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku Episode 5 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

Premonition of a New Beginning

Saku finds a note from Kaoruko in Rintaro's notebook and presses him in front of the class, but Rintaro only says he doesn't want to talk about it, and the two begin avoiding each other. Saku admits to Shohei and Ayato that he feels Rintaro doesn't trust them, and Ayato points out that Rintaro was honest with them for once. Kaoruko drops by the cake shop to high-five Rintaro for passing and cheer him up, and he realizes how much his feelings for her have grown. That night Subaru calls Kaoruko to the park and tells her she spoke with Rintaro the other day.

• Classroom note confrontation

  Saku questions Rintaro over Kaoruko's note in front of the class, and Rintaro refuses to talk about it until the teacher interrupts and orders cleanup.

• Strained days with friends

  Saku and Rintaro avoid each other, Shohei and Ayato try to repair things, and Saku admits he feels Rintaro does not trust them.

• Midterm results and Kaoruko's visit

  Kaoruko drops by the cake shop and high-fives Rintaro for passing, lifting his spirits, and his mother celebrates with a special dinner; that night Subaru calls Kaoruko to the park and tells her she spoke with Rintaro.

Recent Timeline

• Kaoruko waits at the Chidori gate, then they make up (Episode 2)

  Kaoruko waited for Rintaro outside Chidori's gate and then at the store, where she said she was glad he went to Chidori; when he said he hadn't expected a Kikyo student to come back, she left hurt. The next morning he apologized at Kikyo's gate, and they exchanged contact information.

• 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.

• Subaru confronts Rintaro at café (Episode 4)

  Subaru asks Rintaro to stop seeing Kaoruko, citing the schools' rivalry and the danger Kikyo teachers would pose; Rintaro refuses, valuing how Kaoruko did not judge him by his appearance.

• Midterm results release (Episode 4)

  Rintaro and Shohei both pass the midterm exams, and the class celebrates; Rintaro is happy to have passed while Saku is credited by classmates for helping them study.

• Rift over Kaoruko's note (Episode 5)

  Saku finds a note from Kaoruko in Rintaro's notebook and demands an explanation in front of the class, but Rintaro only says he doesn't want to talk about it. The two start avoiding each other, and Saku admits to Shohei and Ayato that he feels Rintaro doesn't trust them.

Character Graph

Ayato

Chidori

A Chidori student who was frightened by Rintaro's outburst and later works out how to improve the situation between the friends.

• Rintaro (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend; Rintaro apologized for startling him. Ayato reminded Shohei that Rintaro once helped Shohei and Saku make up, so now it's Shohei's turn.

• Saku (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend whom he pressures to talk.

Kaoruko Waguri

Kikyo

A Kikyo honor student and Rintaro's friend who tutored him for the midterms. She dropped by the cake shop to celebrate his passing with a high-five and cheer him up, then was called to the park by Subaru.

• Kikyo student

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

• Childhood friendship with Subaru

  Has been friends with Subaru since they were kids and loves her deeply; she rescued Subaru from bullying over her silver hair.

• Study help for Rintaro

  Tutors Rintaro in math and gives him a notebook of key points and revision strategies before the midterm.

• Rintaro (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend she messages; she dropped by the cake shop, high-fived him for passing, and told him to eat a lot when he feels down.

• Subaru (Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend who suddenly asked to meet at the park where they played as kids, saying she had talked with Rintaro.

Kyoko

Rintaro's mother, who runs the family store with him behind the counter. Notices he is troubled and is glad he put in effort this time.

• Rintaro (Family, Affinity)

  Mother who cares for him; worries about his mood and is proud of his effort.

Rintaro

Chidori

The protagonist, a Chidori student feared for his looks, though he is kind at heart. He refused Subaru's request to stop seeing Kaoruko and now realizes how much he respects her and that his feelings for her are growing, while his silence about her note has strained things with Saku.

• Reputation

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

• 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.

• Motive for studying

  Wants to take part in Chidori's Sports Day and spend the day with his friends; failing would mean remedial classes.

• Stance toward Subaru's request

  Refuses Subaru's request to stop seeing Kaoruko because he values that she did not judge him by his appearance.

• Kaoruko Waguri (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend he deeply respects and has growing feelings for, though Subaru's words make him hold back from contacting her.

• Subaru (Other, Mixed)

  Kaoruko's classmate who asked him to stop seeing Kaoruko; he refused.

• Saku (Friend, Mixed)

  Avoiding Saku after refusing to explain the note; the friendship is strained.

• Kyoko (Family, Affinity)

  Mother; he helps at the family cake shop.

Saku

Chidori

A Chidori student who notices Rintaro's note from Kaoruko and presses him about it. Feels annoyed that Rintaro does not trust his friends and wants to help him.

• Rintaro (Friend, Mixed)

  Friend whose trust he feels is lacking; he wants to help Rintaro when he is down.

• Shohei (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend who walks home with him and pressures him to talk.

• Ayato (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend who pressures him to talk and asks about Rintaro.

Shohei

Chidori

A Chidori student who worries about the rift between Rintaro and Saku and tries to step in.

• Rintaro (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend; reminds Saku how Rintaro usually helps people willingly.

• Saku (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend whose rift with Rintaro he tries to solve.

Subaru

Kikyo

Kaoruko's silver-haired classmate and childhood friend, who asked Rintaro to stop seeing Kaoruko. She has now called Kaoruko to the park where they played as kids to tell her about her talk with Rintaro.

• Childhood bond

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

• Protectiveness toward Kaoruko

  Worries Kaoruko could face serious consequences from Kikyo teachers for associating with a Chidori student, and asks Rintaro to stop seeing her.

• Silver hair and past bullying

  Was bullied as a child for her silver hair and was rescued by Kaoruko.

• Kaoruko Waguri (Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend she protects; she called Kaoruko out to talk about Rintaro.

• Rintaro (Other, Mixed)

  Asked him to stop seeing Kaoruko; she thinks he is probably a good person but could not look past Chidori, and he refused.

Clue Board

• Reason for running away (Episode 1)

  Kaoruko ran out of the shop because Rintaro's stare made her heart race, not because she was scared of him; she explained this herself in episode 1.

• Kaoruko seen at Kikyo (Episode 1)

  Rintaro saw Kaoruko peeking out from the curtains at Kikyo and then worked out that she is a student there.

• 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 teared up over a childhood photo of herself and Kaoruko. Episode 4 shows why the bond runs deep: when boys bullied Subaru over her silver hair, Kaoruko was the only one who stood up for her, and the two have been together ever since.

• Sticky note in Kaoruko's notebook (Episode 4)

  A sticky note written by Kaoruko is noticed on a page of the notebook she gave Rintaro, and Saku asks Rintaro about it. Its content is not shown, so the note's meaning remains unrevealed.

• Note from Kaoruko in Rintaro's notebook (Episode 5)

  Saku finds a note from Kaoruko in Rintaro's notebook and Rintaro refuses to explain it, so why he kept it and why he hid it stays unexplained. Rintaro had said he met Kaoruko only by chance.

• Subaru's warning against contact with Kaoruko (Episode 5)

  Subaru told Rintaro to stop seeing Kaoruko, fearing that Kikyo's teachers, who despise Chidori, would punish Kaoruko as a scholarship student. Now Subaru has called Kaoruko out and says she talked with Rintaro recently; what she will tell Kaoruko is still unknown.

• Kaoruko's dressed-up outing after school (Episode 5)

  Kaoruko comes to meet Subaru a little dressed up after going somewhere after school. Earlier that evening she had dropped by Rintaro's family cake shop, secretly hoping she might see him.

Season Summary

Season 1 — Season 1

Episodes 1–5

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. She tutored him for the midterms, and though her childhood friend Subaru begged him to stop seeing Kaoruko for fear that Kikyo's teachers would punish her, he refused.

After he and Shohei pass, Saku finds a note from Kaoruko in Rintaro's notebook and presses him in front of the class; Rintaro only says he doesn't want to talk about it, and the two start avoiding each other. Saku admits he is hurt that Rintaro doesn't trust them, while Ayato points out Rintaro was honest for once. Kaoruko cheers Rintaro up at the cake shop and he realizes his feelings for her are growing, just as Subaru calls Kaoruko to the park to tell her she spoke with Rintaro.

Music Releases

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