The following contains spoilers for Episode 8 of Oshi no Ko, "First Time," now streaming on HiDive.
After a week break in which a recap episode aired, Oshi no Ko returns with a bang as the new Akane Kurokawa returns to the set of LoveNow. With her taking on the role of Ai, Aqua can't help but find himself struck by both her talent and how uncanny her impression is.
This week's episode is quite focused on romance as Aqua's relationships with Akane and Kana start to become more complex. Both girls clearly adore Aqua, but how does he feel about them? The answer may not be as heartwarming as fans may hope for.
Conflicted Heart
Akane makes a huge splash upon her return to LoveNow, thanks to the new personality she constructed that was based around Ai. The other cast members and the staff are struck by her sudden change in demeanor, and Aqua is no different. Yuki and MEM-cho are the first to notice Akane's effect on Aqua, and unlike his usual cool and indifferent self, Aqua can't bring himself to keep a straight face. Witnessing a rare moment of vulnerability, the two encourage Akane to pursue Aqua seriously if she genuinely wants to be in a relationship with him.
Aqua isn't the only one feeling troubled by Akane's sudden change in personality. With Akane suddenly stealing the spotlight, her potential relationship with Aqua has suddenly become the talk of the town, much to the chagrin of Kana, who hasn't had a chance to see Aqua in a while. That changes when Aqua approaches her and asks her to skip school with him. While Kana is initially excited to be asked out, that excitement fizzles when Aqua takes her to a nearby park to play catch.
As the two throw the ball back and forth, they eventually broach the subject of LoveNow. Kana asks Aqua who he's thinking of going for, but he evades the question. He does note that as he continues to grow as Aqua Hoshino, he starts to feel his former and current self merging together, and that he does see girls around his age as love interests (though he would prefer them to be a bit older). While Kana is unable to get a clear answer from Aqua about his romantic goals, Aqua does gain one thing from talking with Kana: he does not think of Akane romantically.
Invaluable Talent
As the final episode of LoveNow is about to start filming, Aqua talks with Akane about how she managed to get Ai's personality down so well. She explains to him her process for researching characters, and remarks that she often makes some character assumptions when she needs to fill in the gaps for a character's personality. As an example, she made an assumption that Ai had a secret child, since it made many of her inconsistent statements and actions make sense to her. Aqua then asks Akane how well she thinks she knows Ai, and Akane claims that she has a fairly good grasp on her personality type at this point.
Aqua realizes that Akane is a one-of-a-kind talent, and her ability to analyze and put together personalities has made her far more intimate with Ai's thought processes than Aqua could ever be. Since the two have a strictly business-based relationship, Aqua wants to establish a more personal relationship so that he can remain in contact with Akane. To do this, he makes a confession to Akane on the show LoveNow, kissing her to end the show on a high note.
The Third Member
At the wrap party for LoveNow, the other cast members ask Akane if she really will go out with Aqua for real, but she is unsure. She receives encouragement from the director to do as she pleases, and that there are many ways to handle a relationship after the reality show. Aqua, meanwhile, meets up with Kaburagi, who tells him that despite his actions in the scandal, he has done a good job on the show. The two make plans to talk about Ai in the near future.
When Aqua returns, he talks with Akane about their relationship. Akane asks if their relationship is strictly work-based, or if it is for real. She also tells Aqua not to lie, because she already knows he does not see her romantically. Aqua admits that he does not have any romantic interest in Akane, but that he is interested in her acting ability. Satisfied, Akane declares her relationship with Aqua to be business only, and nothing else.
The party breaks up, and Aqua ends up walking home with MEM-cho. As they talk, their conversation turns to the topic of Ai and B-Komachi. MEM admits that she used to want to be an idol, but because of circumstances, wasn't able to make that dream come true. Aqua then suggests that MEM-cho join Strawberry Productions' new incarnation of B-Komachi. MEM initially brushes it off as a joke, but when she realizes Aqua is not joking, a glimmer of hope appears in her eyes.