I'm a bit sad that it's so quiet here ....

I was surprised to see a new, likely permanent character introduced to the supporting cast at this point in time -- I guess this means the series is still going strong!

Anyway, I was very pleased that Chiba finally got his turn for character development -- and a childhood love story that doesn't end with a sigh and a regretful smile at the end of the story arc. Naeko looks to be a delightful addition to the cast, in any case.