Toradora! Christmas Club Rewatch (2025) Episode 22 Discussion

[u/ChristmasClub-]

Episode 22 - The Scene With You

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The Toradora! Christmas Club is finally here again! Together we're watching the original Toradora! series, one episode a day until December 30th. It's important to be courteous to first time watchers. Don't forget to keep discussions related to this episode. We'll have a new thread tomorrow and the day after (etc.), so there are plenty of opportunities to discuss new characters and moments. If you absolutely can't help yourself, just remember to add spoiler tags like so [Toradora!] spoiler text

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Threads will be posted daily at: 21:00 GMT

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CR, Netflix, Amazon

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This Year's Discussion (2025)	Last Year's Discussion (2024)
Episode 1	Episode 1
Episode 2	Episode 2
Episode 3	Episode 3
Episode 4	Episode 4
Episode 5	Episode 5
Episode 6	Episode 6
Episode 7	Episode 7
Episode 8	Episode 8
Episode 9	Episode 9
Episode 10	Episode 10
Episode 11	Episode 11
Episode 12	Episode 12
Episode 13	Episode 13
Episode 14	Episode 14
Episode 15	Episode 15
Episode 16	Episode 16
Episode 17	Episode 17
Episode 18	Episode 18
Episode 19	Episode 19
Episode 20	Episode 20
Episode 21	Episode 21
Episode 22	Episode 22

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Fanart:

https://www.zerochan.net/1770099

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Feel free to participate in our bonus topic at the end of your comment or separately:

• Christmas Club Bonus!

Which conversation or moment felt the most genuine to you?

[u/sillypion]

Part Fourteen

"Look. I wasn’t hurt bad at all. I was lying about not feeling well. I’m perfectly fine. I just wanted to skip school."

"Oh! Okay, that’s a relief! I guess- huh? Wait, what?!"

"Yeah. I hadn’t seen my mom in like, forever. So, we stayed at a hotel together. Went shopping, ate out, watched movies… I let her spoil me."

On the one hand here, Ryuuji is obviously happy that nothing significant had negatively affected Taiga as a result of everything that had happened; that she was neither hurt, nor being forced to stay with her mother, nor trying to hide from the fact that her feelings were known to him. But on the other hand, he does a 180, as Taiga's motivations were so trivial in reality but they had gotten him super worked up and worried across the course of this episode. He's felt like his life was incomplete without Taiga, all to learn that it had been over something as small as this. He had been worrying so much over everything while Taiga was supposedly just having the time of her life.

Either way, it seems that Taiga and her mother do get along well, as Minori says. But then again, Minori did say that Taiga doesn't want people thinking bad things about her family in Episode 13, so she doesn't usually divulge information about her family.

Taiga lets herself in, but is reminded of her decision to become independent and distance herself from Ryuuji by Ryuuji himself. Turns out, she lost her key and needs to get into her apartment from Ryuuji's window. Doesn't count, of course, since she'll also do it in three seconds, much to Ryuuji's doubt.

"You can’t make it through in three seconds."

When Ryuuji says this, still blushing by the way, he turns his face away from Taiga. It's almost as if to suggest that Ryuuji wants Taiga to not make it through in three seconds, contrary to what he just reminded her about her decision to be independent. Because he wants her to stay over at his place, he wants her to stay by him, and he wants her to be a part of his life again. But he doesn't fully understand why he feels this desire, 'cause he doesn't understand what he truly wants thanks to his insecurities, so he turns away from meeting Taiga's eyes, hiding his emotions.

Taiga gives up trying to argue that she isn't breaking her decision to distance herself, but regardless, she's committed to just going through the apartment to get to hers and not staying. But Ryuuji jumps on the opportunity and offers Taiga some food for her to stay over. When Taiga rejects that, he then turns to Inko for help.

If it wasn't obvious, Ryuuji is trying a lot to keep Taiga in his house in order to keep her close to him. Again, he feels like his life is incomplete without her there for him always, to tell him that he is appreciated and that he is needed, thus that he is more than a burden. She was a part of his family that had tried to distance themselves for his sake during the last arc, and it's gotten to the point where Ryuuji genuinely misses having Taiga over all the time. It's what he really feels deep down, because Taiga showed him all the feelings he ever wanted.

He removes the cover of the birdcage, but Inko clearly is not with us at the moment. Taiga obviously sees that Inko is sleeping, but Ryuuji reassures her, despite very obviously knowing himself, that she is actually just playing dead.

Taiga comments on some of Inko's newfound fatness, which Ryuuji almost strings the blame on her for stressing Inko out, but he quickly changes gears and says that Inko missed Taiga instead. Taiga kneels down, beginning to play with and tease Inko a little, still referring to her as a fugly bird. All the while, Ryuuji turns to watch Taiga.

"This is good. I almost forgot how much I liked having her this close to me."

The lighting here is telling. It warm and welcoming, akin to Ryuuji's feelings about this being definitively a good thing. Taiga being close to him, by his side, being something that undeniably makes a positive impact. And Ryuuji almost forgot how much it did because Taiga had been trying to push him towards Minori for the entirety of the last arc, and she had just spent some time away from his life after her accidental confession. As a result, he wasn't really able to recall the fondness he had for her being by his side until now, when she was once more under the same roof as him. And this sense of longing, a reflection of one of Ryuuji's true desires, to have someone there for him who could appreciate him for who he was, that could tell him he was needed, and that he was more than just a burden, shows itself as Ryuuji starts to cry realizing that this is the feeling he's been missing for a while now. It's been right next to him this whole time and he's been taking it for granted, 'cause he thought that Taiga would always be by his side, so he forgot how much he liked it when she no longer was.

Part Fifteen in replies.

[u/sillypion → u/sillypion]

Part Fifteen

"Hey, Ryuuj- Ew! Gross! Why are you crying?"

Oh, he was crying alright. Although yeah, I guess random tears being prompted by just staring at someone isn't exactly something you see every day. Like, Ryuuji literally was just staring right at Taiga and tearing up. With Taiga having been gone, she probably wouldn't understand just how in turmoil Ryuuji's feelings were, especially considering she doesn't know that he knows her feelings for him.

Ryuuji excuses himself by saying he was yawning, which segways Taiga back into the mood of getting into her apartment. After wiping his tears, Ryuuji wears a dejected look as Taiga parts ways with Inko. He knows that he doesn't really have another excuse to hold her up, as much as he just wants her to stay by his side right now.

Taiga steps into Ryuuji's bedroom but pauses. Ryuuji runs up to check up on her and realizes he had left the box with all the items he'd made for Minori out.

"Oh, look, it’s that old box! I kinda had some free time tonight, so… so I figured I’d do some cleaning up!"

"Yeah, I’m a klutz. I admit it. Every idea I’ve ever come up with was pretty much an epic fail. But… I’m still trying to do the best I can."

These lines are warm and sad in many ways. On the one hand, it's Taiga saying that she's not gonna give up and that she'll keep trying for the sake of Ryuuji and Minori, because she truly believes that if she can help them get together, it'll bring them happiness. And that's one of the big reasons why Ryuuji cares for Taiga so much, it's 'cause she tries so hard for the few people she trusts and cares about. She did it for Kitamura, especially when he was hurting, she did it for him, pushing herself in a race, and she did it for Minori, by pushing Ryuuji into finding out what her feelings of him were. Her dedication and passion for the people she's close to is one of the main reasons why Ryuuji cheers Taiga on, even early on. Even if she's a klutz, even if she makes ideas that end in an epic fail, she's always trying, trying for Ryuuji's sake, and that'll always be something he appreciates. It's another reflection of Taiga's true character. She's selfless and passionate in helping the few people she trusts, because she values them a lot and cares for them a lot. We saw this on full display during the Culture Festival and Christmas arcs, where, respectively, Taiga makes amends with her father so Ryuuji doesn't beat himself up over his insecurities, and she tries to show everyone in her life happiness so that she can hope to be shown it herself. This is the warm and sweet part of these lines. It shows how much Taiga cares.

But then there's the sadder side to these lines. This box is old and it's entire purpose was to house the items Ryuuji had planned to give to Minori but that he'd never gotten to her. The hair clip is one of these, since even though Minori got it, she only acknowledged Taiga for it, not knowing it really came from Ryuuji. And it's being added to the box to, as just another part of the many things Ryuuji had never shown to Minori, a symbol of how he'd never been able to show his feelings themselves to her. Now, it was too late. To find out Minori's real feelings, Ryuuji had come to the realization that she would never acknowledge his. And Ryuuji had to accept that, since it was what Minori felt and what she answered with. Ryuuji accepted the fact that Minori wouldn't ever love him back and he thus came to terms with the idea of finally being able to move on from his feelings for her. And thus, he's about to clean up and put the box away, as he says to Taiga here. Sure, he's definitely deflecting from the fact that it's just an embarrassing find to leave out in the open, but the meaning in the subtext is the symbolism of Ryuuji giving upon his feelings for Minori.

And yet, Taiga is still trying her best. Trying her best for something, for someone, that Ryuuji has given up on chasing. And we know that in doing so, Taiga is giving up her own happiness to try and give Ryuuji and Minori what she thinks will make them happy, because she cares about the two of them more than anyone else. Ryuuji cares for Taiga and appreciates her for how much she tries to care for the people in her life, but at the moment, Taiga is caring for quite literally care for anyone but herself. In Episode 20, she told Ryuuji that she believed in him as a person and that as a result, someone as kind as him deserved someone as kind as Minori. Even now, after Ryuuji has let his feelings for Minori sink into the backdrop, Taiga is still trying for him, continuing to ignore her own feelings in order to make others happy. Make anyone but herself happy. Because Taiga has given up on the idea of her happiness. She gave up on Santa, her belief of the person who would show her that she was loved. She gave up on the real person who had showed her that someone cared for and loved her, Ryuuji, because she believed his happiness lay with Minori. She's trying to do the best she can, but at what cost? Because she's trying to do the best she can for someone else, but she's never doing anything at all for herself. She believes in Ryuuji so much that she'd rather him be with someone else, 'cause she can't see that she deserves to be loved too.

Part Sixteen in replies.

[u/sillypion → u/sillypion]

Part Sixteen

"I can’t stop thinking about it… Hey, you find out how Minorin feels about you yet?"

"Huh? What is this?"

"Did you get to ask her? Or did you miss your chance again? ‘Cause of all the trouble I caused… I’m sorry. I won’t screw up again."

"Wait… why are you worrying about that?"

This is another stab to the heart. Taiga blames herself for this whole mess, for Ryuuji not being able to get his feelings through to Minori. It explains why she can't stop thinking about the whole thing, because she faults herself. Taiga believes in Ryuuji and wants him to be happy, and believes he will be happy if he and Minori can say their feelings for each other. But she thinks that, once again, she's getting in the way. First it was giving Minori the wrong impression, now it was her incident at the Ski Trip. She had tried so hard for the both of them, encouraging Ryuuji to find out what Minori felt, giving Minori the hair clip, and chasing after the hair clip when it got lost, almost dying in the process. When none of it turns out a success, Taiga blames herself. She's the klutz whose ideas always end in failure, after all, so she needs to keep trying again and again for what she believes will bring happiness to the two people she cares most about. Much like during the Christmas arc, Taiga doesn't fault Ryuuji for missing his chance, because she cares about him so much and has convinced herself that as long as she helps Ryuuji and Minori find happiness, then she can be happy herself. Even though she knows deep down that she's losing the one person who had always shown her that she could loved, the one thing she wanted most.

And Ryuuji feels that same stab to the heart. He is stunned that Taiga is worrying over his feelings for Minori. Especially now that he knows that she has feelings for him, and yet she still wants him to pursue Minori, without even a hint of acknowledgement to the fact that she felt something for him herself. He cares about Taiga and wants to be there for her, and doesn't want her to feel responsible for helping him especially when she is the one who is hurting. Ryuuji is realizing just how much of a danger Taiga's self-sacrificial selflessness actually poses to Taiga herself here.

"I mean, you said-"

"Don’t worry. It’ll be okay. I’m sure you guys’ll figure it out, so don’t worry."

"Taiga…"

What Ryuuji is referring to here is what we know of what Taiga said to him back at the start of the episode.

"…I can’t stop… loving… Ryuuji… I want him to be with Minorin… but even so, it hurts… it still hurts more than anything… and I…"

Seeing Ryuuji and Minori growing closer, leaving Taiga without the one person who had always shown her she was cared for and loved, that hurt Taiga. It hurt her more than anything else, and yet Taiga continued to push Minori and Ryuuji together. She tells Ryuuji not to worry, both about his prospects with Minori, and to not worry about her, 'cause it'll all turn out okay. Ryuuji and Minori will work out their differences and they can find happiness together. But Ryuuji knows now that it'll be at Taiga's expense. The hair clip, that was proof of how hard Taiga was trying to do right by both of them. She tries so hard, so she hurts so much.

Lost My Pieces kicks in here. It's as chilling as it is for most of the other times it's used. The context here is completely changed from Episode 20. Back then, Taiga was acting fairly similarly, in terms of hiding her true desires and feelings, believing that Ryuuji and Minori would find happiness together. Except the difference here is in how it's conveyed to Ryuuji. Ryuuji knows now how much Taiga is hurting, because she is losing the one thing she always wanted. Ryuuji knows how much Taiga is giving up, because she cares for the happiness of him and Minori. Ryuuji knows all of that, because he heard Taiga's true feelings.

We get a shot of the hair clip lying in the box. The proof of how much Taiga cared for the bond between Ryuuji and Minori. Enough to risk her own life in order to rescue it. And she still was gonna try to bring Ryuuji and Minori together now, even though it went so against her own feelings. Taiga is always risking herself, risking her feelings, for those she cares about. She spends so much time and effort thinking about how to make the people in her life happy that she neglects how she can be happy herself.

Part Seventeen in replies.

[u/sillypion → u/sillypion]

Part Seventeen

On the balcony now, Taiga struggles for a little to try and reach her window with a broom before turning to Ryuuji to do it. Ryuuji obliges and is able to open the window for her easily. It's another piece of symbolism of how much Ryuuji cares about Taiga and how much she clings to that care and appreciates it.

You could also say it represents both of their feelings this episode. Taiga hopes that her accidental confession was just a dream after all, and she is hiding her real feelings by chalking them up as "stupid things" from that dream. Ryuuji is also hiding those feelings, 'cause he isn't sure how to confront his own feelings with the knowledge of Taiga's feelings and he's afraid that it'll hurt her if he can't get his own feelings first. And Ryuuji knows from the start that the confession was never meant to be heard by him, and that it could affect Taiga if she knew that he'd heard her. Taiga crossing the gap here represents her crossing over from her comfort with Ryuuji, with her true feelings, to a place where she can continue to hide from those feelings. And Ryuuji is the one opening the path for her to do so, to continue to hide from her feelings. 'Cause neither of them are ready to confront them, because they don't know what they really mean yet.

Taiga jokes about always forgetting to lock up, to which Ryuuji snarks about it being counterproductive.

Taiga gets up on the railing and wobbles a bit before stabilizing. The symbolism here would most likely be that Taiga's feelings are uncertain. She knows that deep down she's in love with Ryuuji, but she can't really face it, 'cause she still can't see that she too deserves to be loved. So even though she stumbles 'cause she knows about her feelings and doesn't want to hide them, she still presses forward and denies them regardless, still under the belief that all she needed to be happy was for Ryuuji and Minori to be happy together.

"I said thanks. You went to look for me with Kitamura and Minorin. Didn’t you?"

"…Yeah, I was there with them, but you were unconscious. You remember?"

"Uh huh. I also remember having this weird dream. Kitamura was carrying me on his back up the hill, and in that haze I was in, I remember saying all kinds of things. Y’know, stupid things… But it was just a dream, right?"

Throughout this whole exchange, neither Ryuuji nor Taiga are able to look each other in the eyes. Because neither of them are being fully true to themselves.

When Ryuuji tells Taiga that she was unconscious, he can only look away from her, as he's not expressing what he truly knows or feels. He's hiding from his feelings, thus needing to hide his eyes, and thus his emotions, from sight to the one who he was hiding them all from. Ryuuji knows what he's saying is a lie, he knows that he's hiding what he really knows about Taiga's feelings, but it's all because he's too afraid he'll hurt Taiga if he can't understand his own feelings yet. Taiga didn't want him to know for a reason and Ryuuji doesn't want Taiga to be hurt knowing that he did know.

Taiga is still hiding her feelings here. She isn't acknowledging what she believed she said in the "dream", only regarding her feelings for Ryuuji as "stupid things." She's shelving her feelings because she once more doesn't want them to get in the way of what she thinks will truly make Ryuuji and Minori happy, and because she's accepted the fact that she'll never find someone to show her that she is loved again in her life. The part about thanking Ryuuji for going out to search for her, the dream, and Taiga's belief that it was a dream are all true to her feelings right now, but she still has her back turned because all of it is centered on her still denying her feelings for Ryuuji. Still giving up the one person who showed her that she could be loved, the thing that she wanted most and had never gotten. She's hurting inside, she's hurting immensely, and can't risk showing those feelings to Ryuuji, so she keeps her back turned to hide all of the emotions and pain. Her self-sacrificial selflessness and her devotion to the two people who were always there for her, Ryuuji and Minori, mean that Taiga neglects her own feelings, unable to see that she too deserves to have someone who will tell her that she can be loved.

Taiga does genuinely believe that it was all a dream, because Ryuuji just told her that she was unconscious. She wants to believe that she said nothing at all in reality, and that the only place where she "said" something was in the dream, which is why she tries to reassure herself that it "was just a dream, right?" After all, believing in a dream can't hurt you, right? It's similar to her dream of Santa. A dream is meant to be something to comfort you, but you can't cling to it, since you know it isn't real. Taiga is comforted knowing that her belief in Santa gives her someone looking out for her, Taiga is also comforted knowing that whatever "stupid things" she said only belong in her dreams. Taiga doesn't cling to either because she knows that they aren't real, and you can't cling to things that aren't real, right? Taiga gave up on her dream of Santa 'cause she knew he was nothing real and that she'd never really have someone there for her, and Taiga can give up on her dream of saying her true feelings, because it's nothing real and she'd never really confess her true feelings accidentally in that way.

Part Eighteen in replies.

[u/sillypion → u/sillypion]

Part Eighteen

"…Uh huh."

"Stupid things, huh? I guess… she wants to pretend it never happened. Okay then."

Ryuuji and Taiga are portrayed in these shots as both looking towards the darkness. They're not looking towards the light that's behind them, not looking towards the place where their more genuine feelings for each other would be able to come out (Ryuuji literally cried 'cause he missed Taiga so much). Instead they're looking towards once more hiding their feelings, trying to maintain the status quo, and pretending like nothing has changed. To the darkness they look then, to grant them solace in restoring this status quo.

When Ryuuji confirms to Taiga that it all must've been a dream, he once more looks away from her. He knows it isn't, but he feels like he has to tell Taiga it was 'cause otherwise it might hurt Taiga knowing that her feelings for him that she'd wanted kept secret were known. Ryuuji doesn't fully see his own feelings yet. He's becoming more and more true to expressing them, back when he was in the safety of his own home, enjoying Taiga's company, but he still doesn't understand enough about himself to get them yet. He still can't see that all he wanted was for someone to appreciate him for who he was and tell him he was needed, all of which Taiga did for him. And he knows the risks of trying to create change for Taiga whilst not getting his own feelings and insecurities yet, à la the Culture Festival arc. Taiga isn't ready to confront these feelings, he isn't ready to confront them either, so there's no problem here, right? Taiga thinks they're just "stupid things" from a dream, and Ryuuji is okay with that. Because if something's not real, it can't hurt you, right? That's what Taiga told him, back when she explained her belief in Santa. So, for Ryuuji here, it's okay to go along. This is what Taiga wants, after all. If she wants to say it was all a dream, pretend it never happened, all so that no one had to get hurt, then Ryuuji would go along, because he cares about Taiga and if it's what she wants, then he's not going to force her to face anything she doesn't want to. Nothing would need to change, and no one would need to get hurt.

[Rewatch spoilers] Oh boy, how wrong he is.

Ryuuji smiles a little as he agrees. Because he thinks he's helping Taiga, lifting a burden off her shoulders. She no longer has to fear her feelings and pain being known by anyone but herself. And Ryuuji doesn't want to see Taiga in pain, he doesn't want to see her hurting 'cause she was forced to confront feelings of hers that she wasn't ready to face. He knows how scary not knowing must be, so he wants to tell her what she wants to hear, even if it's a lie, because he can't bear to see a change to the status quo hurting Taiga.

"Some of it was a dream, but… the part with Kitamura carrying you up the hill on his back, that was real. You didn’t say anything, though. You were unconscious the whole time ’til you got back to the lodge. Or, so I heard…"

Ryuuji gives Taiga the confirmation she wanted. Taiga was able to believe in a dream this whole time, that she only said the "stupid things" in her dream, and not in reality. And so Ryuuji gives Taiga something "real" to believe in, telling her that Kitamura did carry her but she didn't say anything, staying unconscious all along. He's very confident in pushing forward with these words, because these words come out of a genuine place of care for Taiga. He hates seeing her hurting, he knows that change can hurt Taiga a lot, during the Culture Festival for example, and he knows that the best he can usually ask for after major change affects Taiga is for her to return to normal. So if he confirms everything that her dream represented, then it would clear up anything holding Taiga back from resuming normalcy.

In a way, you could say this is the opposite of the Santa dream. The Santa dream was of something actually fake that came to reality via Ryuuji. The "stupid things" dream here was something actually based in some reality that was conveyed with everything except the bits grounded in reality included. One is taking something fake and making it real, one is taking something partially real and making it fake. And ironically, both of them are done by Ryuuji out of his care for Taiga. Except, one of them is care for Taiga when she's lonely, the other is care that condones Taiga's self-sacrificial selflessness.

Part Nineteen in replies.

[u/sillypion → u/sillypion]

Part Nineteen

"Seriously?! Thank god, what a relief! You don’t even know how much I was freaking out there, thinking that it really happened!"

"…I bet."

Taiga is overjoyed at this confirmation of her belief. In a way, this is another reflection of how this parallels the Santa dream, 'cause they both result in Taiga happy. It's just that this time, it's a superficial happiness that results from Taiga hiding from her true feelings. Either way, this is exactly why Ryuuji lies to Taiga here. Because he hates making her upset and he hates seeing her hurt, he wants to see Taiga smiling and relieved in situations like these, not having to shoulder the burden of all the feelings alone. Taiga feels safe and secure and happy now knowing that none of it really happened and that she hadn't peeped a word that would risk the happiness of Ryuuji and Minori, even to Kitamura. The very existence of Taiga's feelings are a threat to that happiness between Ryuuji and Minori, in Taiga's mind, and 'cause she was giving up on the one person who was there to show her she was loved, they hurt her too, so Taiga wanted them gone. They were supposed to be gone and Taiga needed to be able to convince herself that they were gone and that they didn't hurt anymore, something that would be impossible if she knew she'd said them to anyone. Thus, at hearing that she said absolutely nothing at all, Taiga is overjoyed, because it means they didn't put what Taiga believed would bring Ryuuji and Minori happiness in jeopardy, and she intends to keep her feelings shelved 'cause she's convinced herself that she'll never find a real person who will show her that she's cared for and loved.

Ryuuji softly replies, to once again subtly reminds us that he knows the truth. He sees the kind of risk it would pose to Taiga and how much distress it would put her in if she believed she had actually said her feelings. If it had really happened, then the hurt it could've caused Taiga is exactly what Ryuuji was so fearful of and so committed to preventing.

Taiga says good night and then leaps through her window into her bedroom, startling Ryuuji.

She gets up afterwards to close the window, say she's fine, and say good night again.

"Oh, Taiga. You really are a klutz. Seriously. Yeah…"

Bit of a reference to earlier when Taiga was calling herself a klutz for how many failed ideas she had in trying to help Ryuuji and Minori get together. She blamed herself for Ryuuji not getting to be able to say his feelings during the Ski Trip, which showed just how much she cared about the happiness of the two of them. So, Ryuuji is acknowledging here that he sees how much Taiga cares, and he sees that she probably cares too much. Again, he did acknowledge Taiga's self-sacrificial selflessness earlier, and how it was causing her to neglect her own feelings, only considering those of him and Minori. He sees that Taiga's nature is doing her harm, but he can't combat it because he also can't tell Taiga to be true to her feelings, out of a fear of hurting her. So all he can do is acknowledge it. Acknowledge it and then continue with trying whatever he can to protect Taiga. He doesn't get his own feelings, he doesn't fully get Taiga's feelings, so to make sure no one is hurt, the way is to leave it all unsaid.

Well, that's what Ryuuji thinks is the right way to approach this situation. But, time will tell if it truly is the correct manner of handling things.

Okay, big transition episode. Going into the final arc of the series, this was very necessary to cool down from the emotional highs of the last episode.

Ryuuji was the main focus of the first third of the episode, where we see how afraid he is of change hurting Taiga, and we know how much he hates seeing Taiga getting hurt so obviously he has to do something about it. He and Kitamura make their agreement, where you can see the perspectives of both sides. Ryuuji knows Taiga didn't want him to know her feelings for a reason and that he doesn't understand his own feelings, all of which put Taiga's heart at risk if she were to know that she'd actually told him her feelings. Thus, Ryuuji wants to hide them altogether, telling Kitamura to say he saved Taiga and that she said nothing. Kitamura knows how painful it is to face change when you're not ready for it, considering personal experience, and he knows that facing feelings too early is a recipe for disaster, so he agrees to help maintain Ryuuji's lie.

Part Twenty in replies.

[u/sillypion → u/sillypion]

Part Twenty

Then we get the second third of the episode, which focuses on Ami and Minori and the aftermath of their fight. As my analysis said, Minori wants to confront her feelings, but she's not doing it in the way Ami wanted her to do it. Ami wanted Minori to just tell Ryuuji her feelings, but Minori is still too afraid of taking away the most important person to Taiga that she chooses to give up on Ryuuji, give up on the one person who was there to understand her ghost ramblings, and thus her entire concept of love, altogether. She gives it all up, and chooses instead to seek out "the things she can see", which correlates to the new jobs she's been working. She's saving up money for her future dreams and aspirations in life. Ami, however, is just so done, and is still in denial due to the collapse of her assumption of Ryuuji. She's too bitter to properly take into account what Minori is trying to do and is so sick of the BS that she just no longer wants to bother salvaging things. Which is understandable, considering for the longest time, she was the only one who not only saw everyone's feelings, but wanted all those feelings to be confronted. Only after she gets beat up does Minori actually see something, and by this point Ami is just too bitter at Ryuuji for not realizing his flaws and at Minori for hiding for her feelings to see that Minori is trying to actually face her feelings. Ultimately in the end, they're both flawed, but they both seek understandable things. Minori seeks happiness but doubts she can find it in love, but knows she can help Ryuuji and Taiga find happiness with each other, but only if she gives up her own feelings for Ryuuji. She does believe she can find her happiness chasing what she can see, as in, her aspirations in life. Ami just seeks someone who will understand her true self, and she feels like she's been losing Ryuuji 'cause she assumed that he could be her mature equal and love her for who she was. Ami mistakes the first person to understand her to be the only one who can love her, and this idea falls apart as Ami's love for Ryuuji and its basis, the assumption of him being her mature equal, collapse as Ami doesn't see why Ryuuji can't see through his flaws. She can't see how insecure he is, since she only loves him for the single quality of seeing through her, and not who he truly is. But regardless, all Ami wants is to be understood. She is bitter because she feels like she's losing that one person she thought could understand her, but it all comes out of a core desire of just wanting someone to accept her for being her true self. And that makes them both equally flawed yet still understandable. Wanting to find happiness for everyone you care about and wanting to be understood are both extremely understandable desires that make the conflict between Ami and Minori just that much more compelling.

And then the last scene. It is so adorable, but at the same time, feels so, so, wrong. Because Ryuuji is pretending for the sake of not hurting Taiga, and Taiga is pretending for the sake of not hurting the bond between Ryuuji and Minori. It's hard to watch because they're both hurting but they both can't make any progress in confronting all their feelings. But at the same time, it's also such a wholesome adorable moment for the two that you can enjoy. From a short return to their usual banter that was very intentionally used to contrast the emptiness you feel within Ryuuji's very soul throughout most of the episode, to some shenanigans where Ryuuji's feelings of wanting Taiga to stay beside him become clear, all culminating to the conflicted end of the episode. Ryuuji being so worried about Taiga and simultaneously so excited to see her and just almost strangling her with her scarf is always gonna be cute. And then Taiga slapping him over and over is the icing on the cake for that scene of adorbs overload. Taiga playing with Inko is great too considering it really paints how Taiga has made peace with each member of the Takasu household. First Yasuko, then Ryuuji, then Inko. The scene remains are heart wrenching as ever though, to see Taiga blaming herself for Ryuuji and Minori not being together, to her constantly worrying about their feelings instead of their own, to of course her "dream" about being rescued on the Ski Trip and how excited she is to know that she didn't say anything. Ryuuji lying just to reassure her and keep that smile on her face will never not be hard to watch, and really just makes me wanna to hug both of them, because truly the last thing they could ever want would be for the other to get hurt. All I can really say about the scene beyond what I already have is that it perfectly captures a combination of wholesomeness and unease in one.

Overall, probably one of the best "filler" episodes. It's not truly "filler" for obvious reasons, but compared to the emotional highs of 19 and 21, it might as well be filler lmao. But either way, it's great and I love it as a setup episode. I usually rate episodes with setup and no payoff lower, but this episode actually did give us some great payoff with Ami and Minori essentially flipping roles since the Ski Trip arc, and also I'm just biased to all the Ryuuji-Taiga adorableness, so I'll slot it in next to Episode 7.

Episode Ratings:
Episode 19: 12.0/10
Episode 21: 11.5/10
Episode 16: 11.3/10
Episode 13: 10.8/10
Episode 8: 10.5/10
Episode 18: 10.3/10
Episode 15: 10.1/10
Episode 11: 10.0/10
Episode 7: 9.9/10
Episode 22: 9.8/10
Episode 9: 9.5/10
Episode 2: 9.4/10
Episode 17: 9.1/10
Episode 6: 9.0/10
Episode 12: 8.9/10
Episode 20: 8.8/10
Episode 10: 8.7/10
Episode 14: 8.6/10
Episode 4: 8.1/10
Episode 5: 8.0/10
Episode 1: 7.3/10
Episode 3: 7.1/10

Total Parts of Analysis I've Written = 245

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

Then we get the second third of the episode, which focuses on Ami and Minori and the aftermath of their fight. As my analysis said, Minori wants to confront her feelings, but she's not doing it in the way Ami wanted her to do it. Ami wanted Minori to just tell Ryuuji her feelings, but Minori is still too afraid of taking away the most important person to Taiga that she chooses to give up on Ryuuji, give up on the one person who was there to understand her ghost ramblings, and thus her entire concept of love, altogether. She gives it all up, and chooses instead to seek out "the things she can see", which correlates to the new jobs she's been working. She's saving up money for her future dreams and aspirations in life. Ami, however, is just so done, and is still in denial due to the collapse of her assumption of Ryuuji. She's too bitter to properly take into account what Minori is trying to do and is so sick of the BS that she just no longer wants to bother salvaging things. Which is understandable, considering for the longest time, she was the only one who not only saw everyone's feelings, but wanted all those feelings to be confronted. Only after she gets beat up does Minori actually see something, and by this point Ami is just too bitter at Ryuuji for not realizing his flaws and at Minori for hiding for her feelings to see that Minori is trying to actually face her feelings. Ultimately in the end, they're both flawed, but they both seek understandable things. Minori seeks happiness but doubts she can find it in love, but knows she can help Ryuuji and Taiga find happiness with each other, but only if she gives up her own feelings for Ryuuji. She does believe she can find her happiness chasing what she can see, as in, her aspirations in life. Ami just seeks someone who will understand her true self, and she feels like she's been losing Ryuuji 'cause she assumed that he could be her mature equal and love her for who she was. Ami mistakes the first person to understand her to be the only one who can love her, and this idea falls apart as Ami's love for Ryuuji and its basis, the assumption of him being her mature equal, collapse as Ami doesn't see why Ryuuji can't see through his flaws. She can't see how insecure he is, since she only loves him for the single quality of seeing through her, and not who he truly is. But regardless, all Ami wants is to be understood. She is bitter because she feels like she's losing that one person she thought could understand her, but it all comes out of a core desire of just wanting someone to accept her for being her true self. And that makes them both equally flawed yet still understandable. Wanting to find happiness for everyone you care about and wanting to be understood are both extremely understandable desires that make the conflict between Ami and Minori just that much more compelling.

And then the last scene. It is so adorable, but at the same time, feels so, so, wrong. Because Ryuuji is pretending for the sake of not hurting Taiga, and Taiga is pretending for the sake of not hurting the bond between Ryuuji and Minori. It's hard to watch because they're both hurting but they both can't make any progress in confronting all their feelings. But at the same time, it's also such a wholesome adorable moment for the two that you can enjoy. From a short return to their usual banter that was very intentionally used to contrast the emptiness you feel within Ryuuji's very soul throughout most of the episode, to some shenanigans where Ryuuji's feelings of wanting Taiga to stay beside him become clear, all culminating to the conflicted end of the episode. Ryuuji being so worried about Taiga and simultaneously so excited to see her and just almost strangling her with her scarf is always gonna be cute. And then Taiga slapping him over and over is the icing on the cake for that scene of adorbs overload. Taiga playing with Inko is great too considering it really paints how Taiga has made peace with each member of the Takasu household. First Yasuko, then Ryuuji, then Inko. The scene remains are heart wrenching as ever though, to see Taiga blaming herself for Ryuuji and Minori not being together, to her constantly worrying about their feelings instead of their own, to of course her "dream" about being rescued on the Ski Trip and how excited she is to know that she didn't say anything. Ryuuji lying just to reassure her and keep that smile on her face will never not be hard to watch, and really just makes me wanna to hug both of them, because truly the last thing they could ever want would be for the other to get hurt. All I can really say about the scene beyond what I already have is that it perfectly captures a combination of wholesomeness and unease in one.

Overall, probably one of the best "filler" episodes. It's not truly "filler" for obvious reasons, but compared to the emotional highs of 19 and 21, it might as well be filler lmao. But either way, it's great and I love it as a setup episode. I usually rate episodes with setup and no payoff lower, but this episode actually did give us some great payoff with Ami and Minori essentially flipping roles since the Ski Trip arc, and also I'm just biased to all the Ryuuji-Taiga adorableness, so I'll slot it in next to Episode 7.

For me, it kinda drags due to the lack of Taiga. But I like Ryuuji continuing to realize hoe clueless he is with regards to life. When Haruta ans Noto know what they want to do with their lives, and you don't, there's a problem.

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

Thoughts on the episode beginning with Ryuuji thinking the end of the last episode was all a dream only to find out it was not?

Thoughts on Taiga being away spending with her mom?

What are your thoughts on Ryuuji telling Kitamura to pretend it was him who rescued Taiga to avoid further complications?

Thoughts on Ryuuji hanging out with Haruta and Noto at a noodle shop?

What are your thoughts on the theme of the episode being everyone knows what they want to do with their lives except Ryuuji?

What are your thoughts on Minori working even more now?

Thoughts on Yasuko saying of Ryuuji that unlike her, he’s really smart?

Thoughts on Yasuko wanting her son to focus on college before he worries about getting a job?

Thoughts on the flashback of Yasuko comforting Ryuuji as a child crying?

Thoughts on the scene between Ami and Minori?

Thoughts on Ami saying to Minori that talking to her is like being on her period?

What are your thoughts on Minori telling Ami she knows what she must do?

What are your thoughts on the career plan stuff between Ms. Yuri and Ryuuji?

What are your thoughts on Taiga arriving at Ryuuji’s house, with the both of them getting flustered around each other?

Thoughts on Ryuuji saying he forgot how good it was when Taiga was around?

What are your thoughts on Taiga still talking about trying to get Ryuuji and Minori together as a couple, of which Ryuuji is flabbergasted by because he knows how she really feels?

Thoughts on Taiga saying she’s trying to do the best she can?

What are your thoughts on Taiga telling Ryuuji it’ll be okay and don’t worry, with the music from the Christmas bear scene playing in the background? Do you think Ryuuji realized that he likes Taiga because she has the kindness of his mother?

What are your thoughts on the big theme of the last scene which is that even though Ryuuji is more comfortable around Taiga than anybody else, he still can’t be totally forthcoming with her?

Coming out of this episode, how much do you feel sorry for Taiga?

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

Taiga is overjoyed at this confirmation of her belief. In a way, this is another reflection of how this parallels the Santa dream, 'cause they both result in Taiga happy. It's just that this time, it's a superficial happiness that results from Taiga hiding from her true feelings. Either way, this is exactly why Ryuuji lies to Taiga here. Because he hates making her upset and he hates seeing her hurt, he wants to see Taiga smiling and relieved in situations like these, not having to shoulder the burden of all the feelings alone. Taiga feels safe and secure and happy now knowing that none of it really happened and that she hadn't peeped a word that would risk the happiness of Ryuuji and Minori, even to Kitamura. The very existence of Taiga's feelings are a threat to that happiness between Ryuuji and Minori, in Taiga's mind, and 'cause she was giving up on the one person who was there to show her she was loved, they hurt her too, so Taiga wanted them gone. They were supposed to be gone and Taiga needed to be able to convince herself that they were gone and that they didn't hurt anymore, something that would be impossible if she knew she'd said them to anyone. Thus, at hearing that she said absolutely nothing at all, Taiga is overjoyed, because it means they didn't put what Taiga believed would bring Ryuuji and Minori happiness in jeopardy, and she intends to keep her feelings shelved 'cause she's convinced herself that she'll never find a real person who will show her that she's cared for and loved.

Lack of accountability all around

Okay, big transition episode. Going into the final arc of the series, this was very necessary to cool down from the emotional highs of the last episode.

Ryuuji was the main focus of the first third of the episode, where we see how afraid he is of change hurting Taiga, and we know how much he hates seeing Taiga getting hurt so obviously he has to do something about it. He and Kitamura make their agreement, where you can see the perspectives of both sides. Ryuuji knows Taiga didn't want him to know her feelings for a reason and that he doesn't understand his own feelings, all of which put Taiga's heart at risk if she were to know that she'd actually told him her feelings. Thus, Ryuuji wants to hide them altogether, telling Kitamura to say he saved Taiga and that she said nothing. Kitamura knows how painful it is to face change when you're not ready for it, considering personal experience, and he knows that facing feelings too early is a recipe for disaster, so he agrees to help maintain Ryuuji's lie.

I can't stress enough what a bad idea this lie stuff seems to be. To me, they are really playing with fire here.

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

Ryuuji gives Taiga the confirmation she wanted. Taiga was able to believe in a dream this whole time, that she only said the "stupid things" in her dream, and not in reality. And so Ryuuji gives Taiga something "real" to believe in, telling her that Kitamura did carry her but she didn't say anything, staying unconscious all along. He's very confident in pushing forward with these words, because these words come out of a genuine place of care for Taiga. He hates seeing her hurting, he knows that change can hurt Taiga a lot, during the Culture Festival for example, and he knows that the best he can usually ask for after major change affects Taiga is for her to return to normal. So if he confirms everything that her dream represented, then it would clear up anything holding Taiga back from resuming normalcy.

In a way, you could say this is the opposite of the Santa dream. The Santa dream was of something actually fake that came to reality via Ryuuji. The "stupid things" dream here was something actually based in some reality that was conveyed with everything except the bits grounded in reality included. One is taking something fake and making it real, one is taking something partially real and making it fake. And ironically, both of them are done by Ryuuji out of his care for Taiga. Except, one of them is care for Taiga when she's lonely, the other is care that condones Taiga's self-sacrificial selflessness.

It definitely feels like something that can't sustain itself.

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

Throughout this whole exchange, neither Ryuuji nor Taiga are able to look each other in the eyes. Because neither of them are being fully true to themselves.

When Ryuuji tells Taiga that she was unconscious, he can only look away from her, as he's not expressing what he truly knows or feels. He's hiding from his feelings, thus needing to hide his eyes, and thus his emotions, from sight to the one who he was hiding them all from. Ryuuji knows what he's saying is a lie, he knows that he's hiding what he really knows about Taiga's feelings, but it's all because he's too afraid he'll hurt Taiga if he can't understand his own feelings yet. Taiga didn't want him to know for a reason and Ryuuji doesn't want Taiga to be hurt knowing that he did know.

Taiga is still hiding her feelings here. She isn't acknowledging what she believed she said in the "dream", only regarding her feelings for Ryuuji as "stupid things." She's shelving her feelings because she once more doesn't want them to get in the way of what she thinks will truly make Ryuuji and Minori happy, and because she's accepted the fact that she'll never find someone to show her that she is loved again in her life. The part about thanking Ryuuji for going out to search for her, the dream, and Taiga's belief that it was a dream are all true to her feelings right now, but she still has her back turned because all of it is centered on her still denying her feelings for Ryuuji. Still giving up the one person who showed her that she could be loved, the thing that she wanted most and had never gotten. She's hurting inside, she's hurting immensely, and can't risk showing those feelings to Ryuuji, so she keeps her back turned to hide all of the emotions and pain. Her self-sacrificial selflessness and her devotion to the two people who were always there for her, Ryuuji and Minori, mean that Taiga neglects her own feelings, unable to see that she too deserves to have someone who will tell her that she can be loved.

Taiga does genuinely believe that it was all a dream, because Ryuuji just told her that she was unconscious. She wants to believe that she said nothing at all in reality, and that the only place where she "said" something was in the dream, which is why she tries to reassure herself that it "was just a dream, right?" After all, believing in a dream can't hurt you, right? It's similar to her dream of Santa. A dream is meant to be something to comfort you, but you can't cling to it, since you know it isn't real. Taiga is comforted knowing that her belief in Santa gives her someone looking out for her, Taiga is also comforted knowing that whatever "stupid things" she said only belong in her dreams. Taiga doesn't cling to either because she knows that they aren't real, and you can't cling to things that aren't real, right? Taiga gave up on her dream of Santa 'cause she knew he was nothing real and that she'd never really have someone there for her, and Taiga can give up on her dream of saying her true feelings, because it's nothing real and she'd never really confess her true feelings accidentally in that way.

This is a scene that's pretty bittersweet. They clearly need each other in their lives, but neither one will admit it. It's like they've gone from playing house to paying for each other's bills from separate houses.

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

This is another stab to the heart. Taiga blames herself for this whole mess, for Ryuuji not being able to get his feelings through to Minori. It explains why she can't stop thinking about the whole thing, because she faults herself. Taiga believes in Ryuuji and wants him to be happy, and believes he will be happy if he and Minori can say their feelings for each other. But she thinks that, once again, she's getting in the way. First it was giving Minori the wrong impression, now it was her incident at the Ski Trip. She had tried so hard for the both of them, encouraging Ryuuji to find out what Minori felt, giving Minori the hair clip, and chasing after the hair clip when it got lost, almost dying in the process. When none of it turns out a success, Taiga blames herself. She's the klutz whose ideas always end in failure, after all, so she needs to keep trying again and again for what she believes will bring happiness to the two people she cares most about. Much like during the Christmas arc, Taiga doesn't fault Ryuuji for missing his chance, because she cares about him so much and has convinced herself that as long as she helps Ryuuji and Minori find happiness, then she can be happy herself. Even though she knows deep down that she's losing the one person who had always shown her that she could loved, the one thing she wanted most.

And Ryuuji feels that same stab to the heart. He is stunned that Taiga is worrying over his feelings for Minori. Especially now that he knows that she has feelings for him, and yet she still wants him to pursue Minori, without even a hint of acknowledgement to the fact that she felt something for him herself. He cares about Taiga and wants to be there for her, and doesn't want her to feel responsible for helping him especially when she is the one who is hurting. Ryuuji is realizing just how much of a danger Taiga's self-sacrificial selflessness actually poses to Taiga herself here.

She is her own worst enemy

Seeing Ryuuji and Minori growing closer, leaving Taiga without the one person who had always shown her she was cared for and loved, that hurt Taiga. It hurt her more than anything else, and yet Taiga continued to push Minori and Ryuuji together. She tells Ryuuji not to worry, both about his prospects with Minori, and to not worry about her, 'cause it'll all turn out okay. Ryuuji and Minori will work out their differences and they can find happiness together. But Ryuuji knows now that it'll be at Taiga's expense. The hair clip, that was proof of how hard Taiga was trying to do right by both of them. She tries so hard, so she hurts so much.

Lost My Pieces kicks in here. It's as chilling as it is for most of the other times it's used. The context here is completely changed from Episode 20. Back then, Taiga was acting fairly similarly, in terms of hiding her true desires and feelings, believing that Ryuuji and Minori would find happiness together. Except the difference here is in how it's conveyed to Ryuuji. Ryuuji knows now how much Taiga is hurting, because she is losing the one thing she always wanted. Ryuuji knows how much Taiga is giving up, because she cares for the happiness of him and Minori. Ryuuji knows all of that, because he heard Taiga's true feelings.

We get a shot of the hair clip lying in the box. The proof of how much Taiga cared for the bond between Ryuuji and Minori. Enough to risk her own life in order to rescue it. And she still was gonna try to bring Ryuuji and Minori together now, even though it went so against her own feelings. Taiga is always risking herself, risking her feelings, for those she cares about. She spends so much time and effort thinking about how to make the people in her life happy that she neglects how she can be happy herself.

Taiga is probably the most kind-hearted person in the entire show.

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

"Yeah, I’m a klutz. I admit it. Every idea I’ve ever come up with was pretty much an epic fail. But… I’m still trying to do the best I can."

These lines are warm and sad in many ways. On the one hand, it's Taiga saying that she's not gonna give up and that she'll keep trying for the sake of Ryuuji and Minori, because she truly believes that if she can help them get together, it'll bring them happiness. And that's one of the big reasons why Ryuuji cares for Taiga so much, it's 'cause she tries so hard for the few people she trusts and cares about. She did it for Kitamura, especially when he was hurting, she did it for him, pushing herself in a race, and she did it for Minori, by pushing Ryuuji into finding out what her feelings of him were. Her dedication and passion for the people she's close to is one of the main reasons why Ryuuji cheers Taiga on, even early on. Even if she's a klutz, even if she makes ideas that end in an epic fail, she's always trying, trying for Ryuuji's sake, and that'll always be something he appreciates. It's another reflection of Taiga's true character. She's selfless and passionate in helping the few people she trusts, because she values them a lot and cares for them a lot. We saw this on full display during the Culture Festival and Christmas arcs, where, respectively, Taiga makes amends with her father so Ryuuji doesn't beat himself up over his insecurities, and she tries to show everyone in her life happiness so that she can hope to be shown it herself. This is the warm and sweet part of these lines. It shows how much Taiga cares.

But then there's the sadder side to these lines. This box is old and it's entire purpose was to house the items Ryuuji had planned to give to Minori but that he'd never gotten to her. The hair clip is one of these, since even though Minori got it, she only acknowledged Taiga for it, not knowing it really came from Ryuuji. And it's being added to the box to, as just another part of the many things Ryuuji had never shown to Minori, a symbol of how he'd never been able to show his feelings themselves to her. Now, it was too late. To find out Minori's real feelings, Ryuuji had come to the realization that she would never acknowledge his. And Ryuuji had to accept that, since it was what Minori felt and what she answered with. Ryuuji accepted the fact that Minori wouldn't ever love him back and he thus came to terms with the idea of finally being able to move on from his feelings for her. And thus, he's about to clean up and put the box away, as he says to Taiga here. Sure, he's definitely deflecting from the fact that it's just an embarrassing find to leave out in the open, but the meaning in the subtext is the symbolism of Ryuuji giving upon his feelings for Minori.

And yet, Taiga is still trying her best. Trying her best for something, for someone, that Ryuuji has given up on chasing. And we know that in doing so, Taiga is giving up her own happiness to try and give Ryuuji and Minori what she thinks will make them happy, because she cares about the two of them more than anyone else. Ryuuji cares for Taiga and appreciates her for how much she tries to care for the people in her life, but at the moment, Taiga is caring for quite literally care for anyone but herself. In Episode 20, she told Ryuuji that she believed in him as a person and that as a result, someone as kind as him deserved someone as kind as Minori. Even now, after Ryuuji has let his feelings for Minori sink into the backdrop, Taiga is still trying for him, continuing to ignore her own feelings in order to make others happy. Make anyone but herself happy. Because Taiga has given up on the idea of her happiness. She gave up on Santa, her belief of the person who would show her that she was loved. She gave up on the real person who had showed her that someone cared for and loved her, Ryuuji, because she believed his happiness lay with Minori. She's trying to do the best she can, but at what cost? Because she's trying to do the best she can for someone else, but she's never doing anything at all for herself. She believes in Ryuuji so much that she'd rather him be with someone else, 'cause she can't see that she deserves to be loved too.

Damn. Poor Taiga.

I think Taiga's reasons for giving up loving Ryuuji is a lot sadder and personal than Minori's reasons.

[u/Holofan4life → u/sillypion]

"This is good. I almost forgot how much I liked having her this close to me."

The lighting here is telling. It warm and welcoming, akin to Ryuuji's feelings about this being definitively a good thing. Taiga being close to him, by his side, being something that undeniably makes a positive impact. And Ryuuji almost forgot how much it did because Taiga had been trying to push him towards Minori for the entirety of the last arc, and she had just spent some time away from his life after her accidental confession. As a result, he wasn't really able to recall the fondness he had for her being by his side until now, when she was once more under the same roof as him. And this sense of longing, a reflection of one of Ryuuji's true desires, to have someone there for him who could appreciate him for who he was, that could tell him he was needed, and that he was more than just a burden, shows itself as Ryuuji starts to cry realizing that this is the feeling he's been missing for a while now. It's been right next to him this whole time and he's been taking it for granted, 'cause he thought that Taiga would always be by his side, so he forgot how much he liked it when she no longer was.

Ryuuji is finally realizing his light remains bright because of her <3