New Year's Visit

Lore & Background

This arc highlights the disparity between their backgrounds while deepening their emotional bond. Kaguya struggles with the fear of being judged by Miyuki’s parents, particularly his mother, Yoshiko. Meanwhile, Miyuki is tasked with balancing his duties as a shrine assistant with his desire to simply spend time with Kaguya without the usual mind games.

Reader's Guide

The narrative begins with Kaguya struggling to secure permission from her strict family to attend a traditional New Year's shrine visit. She manages to slip away, arriving at the Shirogane residence which doubles as a Shinto sanctuary. Upon arrival, she encounters Shinobu's parents for the first time outside of school, creating immediate social anxiety regarding her status and background. As heavy snow blankets the grounds, the two students share quiet moments amidst the shrine grounds, discussing their respective family burdens.

The atmosphere shifts from comedic misunderstanding to genuine vulnerability as Kaguya confronts Shirogane about his perception of her. A pivotal moment occurs where they nearly cross a romantic threshold, but Kaguya's pride and fear cause her to retreat before anything definitive happens. This arc advances the central romance by stripping away their student council personas. It reveals Shirogane’s humble upbringing compared to Kaguya’s wealth, grounding their relationship in reality rather than status games.