Either the style switch grew on me, or the studio uses them more judiciously this time.

Aoi has carried this show hard so far, and I admire her VA’s performance. A people pleaser in the past, she’s still conflicted on whether she actually, really loves Makoto romantically. The admittedly more organic feelings Ryuji has has made her insecure. It’s hard to clear up because her dad is away and her mom is dead (that hairstyle, dangit), and appears to be starved of social interactions—at least those that mattered.

So in her alone time, she says “I love Makoto” many times like a charm, hoping that it becomes real.

tl;dw: Imagine Aoi thinking about Makoto while singing “You are my special…”. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past her playing SPECIALZ before she sleeps.