Well, on balance this is a different direction than I expected Shoushimin Series to take. That’s not a bad thing, because at least it means we’re not going back to the insufferable navel-gazing sweets dates from the first season. In fact Osanai was almost entirely absent from this episode. But she’s this series’ dark matter – even when she’s not present she’s heavily influencing those who are. And as with Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, there are no coincidences with Shoushimin. Everything that happens around the two leads is connected to everything else.

We jump right in with Kobato being wheeled into a hospital, unconscious. A concussion, cracked ribs, a broken femur – it’s serious, but could be worse. A hit-and-run, it seems. Yuki was with Jougorou at the time, and according to Yoshiguchi (she sees all) was eerily calm as she told the cops what happened. Apart from flashback we hear no more from her than a note left under Jougorou’s pillow, thanking him (he pushed her out of the way) and promising “no mercy” on whoever did it. But Kengo does make an appearance, despite his whole “we’re not friends” speech last week, and brings Jougorou up to date on what happened.

The emergent truth is that there was another accident in that same spot when Kobato-kun was a third-year in middle school – a classmate named Hisaka, a star badminton player. A second-year named Fujidera supposedly witnessed it , and as with Kobato the boy emerged with injuries requiring hospitalization but not life-threatening. Because Jougorou can’t resist such a scenario who appoints himself to investigate the case, one Hisaka clearly doesn’t want investigated. And does so with that eerie smile of his plastered on his face all the while, unable to hide how much he’s enjoying himself.

Kengo’s info is incomplete, and he’s clearly reluctant to be drawn back into Kobato’s dramas. He says he’s heard that Hisaka committed suicide, but that seems very unlikely to me. Fujidera’s testimony that there was a girl with Hisaka when he was hit strongly implies that Osanai was a constant between both incidents, and indeed that’s later confirmed. In fact, this is the first time to two sociopaths met. Again, as there are no coincidences here Yuki’s involvement is obviously a crucial factor.

As to what’s really happening, a few things seem possible. Occam’s Razor suggests Yuki was the target in one or both “accidents”, which weren’t accidents at all, but I suspect there’s more to it. Hisaka is clearly lying and Fujidera was clearly pressured to cover for him, so maybe Hisaka staged the first accident (to get out of playing in the upcoming tournament?). If so, Jougorou’s comment about apologizing might be due to his having exposed Hisaka’s deceit, and Hisaka might have targeted him this time as an act of revenge. That wouldn’t explain Osanai’s involvement though, and if there’s something nefarious happening in Shoushimin Series it seems almost impossible that she wouldn’t be at the heart of it.