Episode 7 of *The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity* opens with Rintarou lying in his bed, his mind swirling with thoughts of the heated altercation he'd had with his friends. He bore the full weight of the blame on his shoulders, determined to make things right. Suddenly, a message from Kaoruko pops up on his phone, inquiring about his encounter with Subaru. As he engages in conversation with her about the matter, a spark of inspiration ignites within him.
The following day, Usami picks up on the fact that Rintarou is preoccupied with something. Normally, Rintarou wasn't the type to fumble during sports festivals, yet he seemed clumsy and out of sorts. Moreover, his restless behavior and odd demeanor during classes didn't escape Usami's notice. Eager to uncover the mystery, Usami rallies their group to investigate what was troubling him.
However, they're taken aback when they discover Rintarou's plan involves them tailing him, though they reluctantly agree to go along with it. Their journey leads them to a restaurant, where Tsumugi joins Subaru and Kaoruko. The blonde-haired Subaru then offers a heartfelt apology to the girls for his frequent calls, but Kaoruko, with a warm smile and a blush creeping onto her cheeks, assures him she's delighted to see him more often. Subaru is taken aback by the clarity of her feelings.
After a prolonged silence, Subaru calls Rintarou out, urging him to reveal the reason behind their restaurant invitation. Rintarou, feeling guilty for not being honest with his friends from the start, seeks their understanding. Throughout his life, he's often been misunderstood, leading him to give up on explaining himself at times. But Saku, Ayato, and Usami have never judged him harshly.
Touched, Kaoruko breaks into a wide, emotional smile, echoing Rintarou's sentiment about revealing their secret. Seeing her agreement, Subaru also nods in consent, recognizing Rintarou's sincerity.
As they step out of the café, night has already cast its veil over the city. They engage in a relaxed, friendly chat, but their tranquility is shattered by the appearance of three shady individuals, on the hunt for Rintarou. These are the senior members connected to the two thugs who had previously attacked Rintarou. The original attackers are also lurking nearby, concealed behind a tree.
Subaru attempts to retreat and make her escape, but her path is swiftly blocked as a few more thugs materialize behind her. Kaoruko leaps to Rintarou's defense, insisting that he's done nothing wrong, yet one of the aggressors sneers, dismissing him as a no-good type. The situation escalates further when the hoodlums spot the Kikyo school uniforms and, with a lewd glint in their eyes, declare their intention to "have some fun" with the privileged young ladies. Naturally, Rintarou steps forward, determined to shield them.
As one of the ruffians reaches out to fondle Subaru's hair, Usami materializes out of nowhere, seizing the offender's wrist in a vice-like grip. Saku and Ayato arrive on the scene, declaring their intention to take charge. Rintarou, ever the protector, ushers the girls away to safety, promising to explain everything once they're out of harm's way.
Saku zeroes in on the two cowards lurking in the shadows, chastising them for their cowardice and reliance on backup. In a shocking twist, they reveal themselves as the ones who had previously assaulted Rintarou, taunting him as the true weakling. Little do they know, they've just awakened a sleeping giant.
All three boys are consumed by fury, but Ayato exudes an especially chilling aura. By the time Rintarou returns with the girls to the station, Ayato has already subdued the entire gang. Even Saku and Usami are taken aback by his sheer strength.
Despite Rintarou's eagerness to meet and talk, his friends concoct an excuse to postpone their reunion until the following day. The group needs time to synchronize their stories, ensuring they don't accidentally reveal their earlier surveillance of Rintarou.
Though they had rallied to his aid in the fight, an awkward tension still lingers between Rintarou and his comrades. Preoccupied with these unresolved issues, Rintarou performs dismally in the sports festival, failing to hit a single ball in the baseball game. His teammates urge him to clear his mind and return for the second match.
As he splashes water on his face, his friends approach to initiate a conversation. However, within moments, Usami inadvertently blurts out their secret—that they had been tailing Rintarou. Realizing his mistake, he yanks Ayato's arm and bolts, leaving Saku to shoulder the apology alone.
As Saku begins to express his remorse, Rintarou interjects with his own apologies, bewildered as to why his friend should be the one seeking forgiveness. Saku gently silences him, explaining that Rintarou always shoulders the blame, and now it's his turn to listen. With heartfelt sincerity, Saku confesses that hearing Rintarou's voice the previous day had filled him with joy. He bares his soul, declaring his unwavering trust in Ayato, Usami, and Rintarou.
When the other two boys rejoin them, they find Rintarou and Saku already engaged in lighthearted banter. Saku's heartfelt words had been precisely what Rintarou needed to hear. Energized and refocused, he returns to the baseball field with renewed determination, leading his team to a thrilling victory and sending the entire class into a frenzy of excitement.
