Yamato tags along as Mei intends to visit the parlor to have her hair cut, eventually becoming a date. On the way they meet Aiko Muto, along with her boyfriend Masashi Tachikawa, and eventually invites the two to a bowling alley. Aiko, who has a crush on Yamato after finding out her ex-boyfriend cheated on her, wonders what did he see in Mei, who looks not interested in him. When the two girls are alone Aiko bluffs Mei into leaving him alone, but it was in vain as Yamato followed Mei on the way out. Yamato momentarily loses Mei, but knew where to find her. Eventually he shows Mei his middle school, where he sheds light on his past, about not caring about anybody else as a middle schooler, even with his best friend who was being bullied. He says it's him who is having a hard time blending with others. For this Mei, who herself needs to trust others, tells him to trust others, else he will lose friends.
To trust is to set yourself up for failure. That’s the lesson Mei Tachibana learned when her heart was broken. She found a solution: never make any more friends. It’s not as easy as it sounds, but it works for Mei. At least it did until handsome and charming Yamato Kurosawa showed up to complicate everything. Mei’s not looking for a white knight. So why did he have to kiss her and ruin everything? Between heartbeats and behind trembling lips the specter of betrayals past, future, and present haunt them both in Say "I Love You"!
