The second time a group date Kise sets up for the rest of the starting members ends in tears (on Moriyama's part), apologies (on the girls' parts), and shouting (all Hayakawa), Kise puts up a temporary cease on all dating for the time being.
"What we need to do first is learn how to act on a date," Kise says magnanimously, ignoring the fact that he already knows how to act on a date and that he never had a problem with dating and finding dates in the first place.
"What we need to be doing is basketball," Kasamatsu grumbles, but very quietly so that Moriyama doesn't hear. Kasamatsu is usually – is never – this accommodating to Moriyama; but the truth of the matter is that Moriyama's birthday is coming up. Which is why they are here, accompanying him on his last attempt to get a girlfriend as a high school student.
Kise had asked him why he is so desperate; won't he have more time for a girlfriend after he graduates instead of in the middle of exam preparation season?
"That's where you're wrong," Moriyama had tsked. "I won't be a high school student anymore, will I? And I won't have you here to help me either!"
Kise is ashamed to admit his heart fluttered a little hearing that. Even though he knows Moriyama only meant that as needing Kise's help with girls.
But it's not just him. Even Kobori. Even Hayakawa. Even Kasamatsu at his most prickly cannot help but give in to Moriyama's need for love and romance. And thus everyone is here squished in a tiny karaoke room, learning what dating entails and how to be good dates.
They will learn. Kise will make sure of it.
First things first. Kise plonks one of the electronic menus down in front of Kasamatsu.
"What's this?" Kasamatsu asks suspiciously, even though Kise knows he knows how to work one.
"You are here with a date, sempai," Kise tells him brightly. "You've just gotten settled in, what do you do first?"
"I know! I know!" Hayakawa says excitedly. "Sing!" He takes up one of microphones, ready to belt out a song while the screen is still on standby mode.
"Wait, Hayakawa, you need to input a song to do that," Kobori points out, taking up another electronic menu and poking at the song menu.
Kise sighs. Moriyama perks up at that. "You're wrong! First you set the mood with a song you wrote yourself! So that your date is wowed by your prowess from the first!"
Kise sighs again. He looks beseechingly at Kasamatsu, who tells him sourly, "if I'm here with a girl on a date then you can forget me being able to do anything. If I just sit here, you think she can do all the stuff for me?"
This is going to be harder than he thought. And Kise already knew it was going to be very hard going in. But he is Kaijou's ace. And being the ace means leading Kaijou to victory. Even if it is a victory in the matters of the heart.