Godai decides that since its Kyoko's first Christmas at Maison Ikkoku, this would be a great opportunity to buy her a present and tell her how he feels. As will become the norm, he chickens out when the Ichinose's arrive. Meanwhile, he learns from Akemi that Kyoko is already seeing someone and these suspicions are confirmed when he finds a sleeping Kyoko mention someone named ""Soichiro"" on the roof.

With his entrance exams bearing down on him, Godai just can't seem to focus. Kyoko decides its up to her to stop the other tenants from interrupting his studies, but what she doesn't know is that Godai's thoughts slip everytime she's in the room. And just as things are about to settle down...the power goes out. Kyoko's determined to fix the problem and Godai offers his help, but is he really trying to be a good tenant, or does he want Kyoko all alone in the attic?

Test time has finally arrived for Godai. As he does all the last minute cramming he can get away with Yotsuya, Ichinose, and Akemi take bets on which school's will reject him. Kyoko does her best to keep them out of Godai's way, but it doesn't do any good. As Godai heads off to take his tests, he misinterprets Kyoko's words of encouragement as a sign of affection, and can't stop thinking about it long enough to do well on a single test. With only one school left, Godai faces another year as a ronin, or overcoming all his distractions to become a full-fleged college student.

Godai's grandmother arrives to inform Godai that if he doesn't get into a college, his family will no longer let him stay in Tokyo. Godai does his best to hide from her, but with Kyoko's help they finally track him down, just in time to realize he's going to get to go to college.

The secret sadness that Kyoko has kept hidden for so long is finally revealed as Godai realizes that Kyoko is a widow. Visiting Soichiro's grave, Godai asks for whom he is offering incense ad realizes that it is Kyoko's late husband. Afterwards, as the two of them walk home, Godai can't help but feel that he has no chance to win Kyoko's heart from a dead man.

Mr. Otonashi offers Godai a job tutoring Ikuko, who insists that if she is to have a tutor that it must be Godai. Seeing this as a way to endear himself to Kyoko and to earn a steady paycheck, Godai agrees. Kyoko begins to worry when the other tenants put the idea in her head that Godai might have a thing for Ikuko, and tries her best to resist the idea of Ikuko having a new tutor.

Celebrating their arrival into college life, Godai and Sakamoto go out drinking. Feeling depressed about his situation with Kyoko, Godai confides in Sakamoto, who recommends a bit of liquid courage to help Godai tell Kyoko how he feels. Once they arrive back at Maison Ikkoku, Godai not only tells Kyoko how he feels, but the entire neighborhood as well. After his announcement, he marches off to his room with Kyoko in his arms, seemingly ready for a night of passion!

Mrs. Ichinose decides that Kyoko's been much to glum lately with worrying about Godai's confession and her always looming regret over Soichiro's death, so she signs them both up for tennis lessons. The neighbors confide that the tennis coach is someone they'd have no problem leaving their husbands for. The tennis coach, Shun Mitaka, upon meeting Kyoko instantly becomes enamoured with her, and little does Kyoko know, but Mitaka will become the man she'll come to depend on quite a bit over the next few years, and after Godai's recent antics, she has no problem accepting his friendly overtones.

A depressed Kentaro confides to Godai that his family is too poor to ever take him on a vacation. This reminds Godai of his on youth, when he had to stay and work at his family's restaurant while all the other kids in his class went on their summer vacations. Godai happily agrees to take Kentaro to the beach so that he won't have to suffer the teasing of the kids in his class. Mrs. Ichinose is reluctant to leave Kentaro alone with Godai, so Kyoko offers to go along with them, which Godai decides to use as a chance to get close with the Manager. Soon his happiness fades when Ikuko decides to come as well, and Mitaka arrives at Maison Ikkoku to drive everyone there. Feeling extremely dejected at all the new company, Godai makes the discovery that the children have smuggled Soichiro, the Manager's dog, into the car with them. Pulling over to take a break, Godai learns that Mitaka is deathly afraid of dogs, and discovers his rival's one weakness.