Well, I’m certainly glad that wasn’t the final episode.  That would have been depressing as hell, but fortunately we have one more episode to define the aftertaste Tada-kun wa Koi wo Shinai is going to leave behind.  By the looks of things we may be going into full-bore fantasy mode (perhaps leaving Roman Holiday behind at last in favor or more traditional anime themes) but it’s still too early to say for sure.

One thing that was already clear is that Tada-kun suffers pretty heavily from an abandonment complex.  And really, who can blame him considering what he’s been through?  That’s why what Teresa did was kind of cruel, no matter the circumstances – especially given that she’d just given him a lecture on sharing his feelings with people while he has the chance.  Tada may have struggled with expressing those feelings (even to himself) but Teresa is no fool despite playing at one sometimes – she knew the score.  Leaving without a word, under those circumstances?  That’s a coward’s way out – though I’ll wager she convinced herself she was being cruel to be kind.

Over the course of the several weeks than this episode spans, Tada’s state of mind comes across pretty clearly.  He’s a stoic of course, but those closest to him (including Nyanko-big) can certainly sense the truth.  Things are changing at the club, too, with Pin-sempai (now voiced by Sugita Tomokazu, as Umehara Yuuichirou has sadly been sidelined with an autoimmune disorder) getting ready to graduate.  Before he does, though, he secretly submits Tada’s photo of Teresa to the exhibition – where it wins first prize.  Could that photo be a Chekov’s gun, I wonder?

Plot-wise, there isn’t a whole lot happening this episode it’s true, but plot isn’t really the point.  It’s all about showing us Tada’s deepening malaise as the seasons change.  Reminders like the old couple who return to the kissaten after three months only deepen that dark mood by making clear what Tada-kun is missing in his life – emotional commitment.  I’m kind of irritated that no one said anything sooner, but that especially applies to Tada’s grandfather – he knows more about all this than anyone else, surely, and stands by helplessly while his grandson suffers.  As for Karou, he does what he always does – stand by and try and lighten Tada’s mood as best he just just by being ever-present and ever himself.

Things come to a head when an old SIM card of Teresa’s is found during the New Year’s cleanup in the clubroom.  Even Tada has to admit the truth at this point – while he runs away from the others, he finally stops running away from himself.  Of  course Ijuin follows him – there’s something rather poignant in the relentless nature of his devotion – but it’s Grandpa finally speaking up that sets the stage for the last act.  For Tada-kun to actually board an airplane shows the depth of his feelings for Teresa, but what sort of denouement awaits us when he (and Karou – naturally he’s going to follow even halfway across the world, and he can afford it) is still intriguingly uncertain.