A Bridge to the Starry Skies

Hoshino comes back to his childhood place. He goes in pursuit of a monkey taking his brothers hat and meets Ui. He kisses Ui by accident by falling on her and Hinata appears and thought Hoshino forces himself on Ui calling him a pervert. When the brothers reach the Yorozuyo inn they are welcomed by the owner and shows them their room. When Hoshino came to bathe he was accidentaly seen naked by Tsumugi Todo and the owner of the inn Senka Yorozuyo. In the morning they go to the school they transferred in and Tsumugi shows the brothers the way to their schools. When Hoshino enters the class, Hinata notices him and she was surpirsed to see him in their school

Hoshino gets shown around the school, makes new friends and gets shown around the town. The title comes from Hoshino saying "That's why it tasted like cheese" (Referring to Ui's muffins that she had for lunch) when Ui bought lots of cheese treats from a shop, explaining that she likes cheese. Ui takes Hoshino's comment the wrong way, thinking he was talking about the kiss.

Following an awkward morning and breakfast with Senka, Kazuma and Ayumu head to school with Daigo. As Ui and Ibuki catch up, Kazuma experiences an aura that he is being watched. Class breaks for lunch; on his way with Daigo to get food, Kazuma experiences another aura as a girl hides. Homeroom is let out; as Kazuma leaves with Daigo, he spots the girl and gives chase. Bumping into and startling Madoka instead, bodyslams him onto the floor. The next morning, shooed out of the inn, Kazuma rethinks the incident and decides to apologize to Madoka; finding her at the shrine. Making up, she inquires about him and Ui, brought to tears upon hearing they kissed. Watching this from atop a tree and upset at Madoka crying, the girl from earlier reveals herself to be Koyori Toudou, Tsumugi's other sister. Berating the poor boy with acorns, and to the defense of Madoka, Koyori pardons Kazuma and leaves. On their way from school the next day, Ui and Kazuma bump into Ayumu. With a moderate fever, Kazuma piggybacks him the rest of the way as Ui fantasizes about being carried. Back at the house, Ayumu asleep, Kazuma and Ui relax in his room. Senka drops by with Tea and Daifuku, of which Ui immediately begins to make a mess of herself eating. To his amusement, Kazuma laughs.

On his way to the bathroom, Daigo tosses his lunch to Kazuma, who stumbles backward into Hina Sakai, a third-year student, knocking both of them over. Apologetic, he picks up and returns her cellphone, complimenting the cuteness of the ornament dangling from it. Hina mistakes this as ridicule, snapping back and leaving. Back in class, Kazuma, Ui, Ibuki and Daigo sit to lunch discussing the upcoming sports festival, specifically the renown Hikonan Race, a form of triathlon. As participants in this event represent a business, Kazuma is informed by Senka upon his return that he will be entered on behalf of the inn. He heads out on a jog to prepare, finds Koyori up a tree in the park, and breaks her fall when she slips off. Reconciled, he accompanies her to Gengorou Yamakawa, an elderly friend and widower. The man talks of his late-wife, specifically his hospitalized grandson, Keita, awaiting an undisclosed surgery, making plans with Koyori to visit him. Back in her room, Hina makes the decision to apologize to Kazuma. Koyori and Gengorou surprise Keita the following day; in an effort to keep his spirits high, Koyori promises Keita to enter the Hikonan Race and place first if he will remain optimistic about the surgery. After a brief encounter with Hina, who does not apologize, Kazuma finds Madoka at the shrine; where she tells him more about the story of Futagoyama.

The school games are on and Ui, Hoshino, Hinata and friends are all participating. The title comes from the last event in the games, when they have to all do a series of random tasks in a race. First, they must each eat 30 bowls of red bean soup, then they must catch eels, then they must pick a card and dress up in the costume that matches (The wedding dress).

At school the next morning, Kazuma, Ibuki, Ui and Daigo, in preparation for finals, arrange a study group at the inn. After five and a half hours of studying, the group break to take baths and watch fireflies; it is revealed around this time that Hajime was married when Ui was very young and that it had a negative impact on her. Finishing dinner, the group turns in for the night, Kazuma bumping into Ui on his way back from the bathroom. The two sit outside and share a plate of onigiri as they discuss Futagoyama. Waking up to Ui missing, Madoka peers outside one of the room windows, rueful to see her and Kazuma standing together.