Kokoro Connect Episode 5

is the fifth episode of the anime series.

Character Appearance

 * Yaegashi Taichi
 * Nagase Iori
 * Inaba Himeko
 * Aoki Yoshifumi
 * Kiriyama Yui
 * Fujishima Maiko
 * Heartseed
 * Nagase Reika (Iori’s Mother) [mentioned]

Synopsis
As Taichi, Iori and Inaba watches from afar in the bushes. Aoki once again makes his love confession to Yui behind the school; however he was rejected again by her. Inaba brought Taichi and Iori to observe from the bushes, and knew about this meeting when she accidently read Aoki’s text message on Yui’s phone when she was in her body.



After rejecting Aoki, Yui ask him “why her?” and Aoki answered that from the moment he saw her, he fell in love with her, and no matter how much time have past he is still in love with her. When Aoki ask how she felt about Taichi, Yui answer that she like him only as a friend. When Aoki ask about himself, Yui claims that she likes him a lot less to Taichi and that she's not yet ready to go out with anyone. Despite hearing her responses, all Aoki understood was that he still has a chance with Yui. Yui and Aoki then return back to class to have their lunch. As the other three watch them walk away, Inaba left Taichi and Iori behind, asking them to think about their relationship.

While Taichi was at the clubroom after school, Iori walks in to the room and claims that she is Inaba. She asks Taichi about his feelings her Iori and he answers that he has strong feelings for her; however he rather enjoys their current relationship. Suddenly, Inaba walks into the clubroom and Taichi realizes that he was actually talking to Iori. When he looks back at her, he finds Iori crying and she ran out of the clubroom. As Taichi was contemplating about what Iori last said to him, he realizes that he just fail to keep his promise to always recognize her. After getting punch by Inaba, she make Taichi go after Iori.



Taichi ran outside the school and encounters Fujishima; she saw Iori run past by but couldn’t do anything to help, so instead she let Taichi borrow her bike to catch up to her. Soon later, Taichi finds Iori standing at the bridge, staring at the sunset, and apologizes to her for not being able keep his promise. As Iori question Taichi how people usually views another person by their appearance, and only ask about their inside when they notices something odd. Iori comment how she constantly wear a different mask to suit her surrounding, and Taichi answers her that it is normal behaviour for someone to adapt themselves in any situation. Taichi announces to her that he will always see Iori as she is, and how each persona she makes is still a part of her. As Taichi carry on about how he will accept Iori, no matter what persona she takes, he then confesses his love to her.



Suddenly as Iori felt Taichi’s love, Heartseed took over her body. He announces to Taichi that he was getting bored of their event. So after handing Iori’s phone to Taichi, Heartseed apologizes and then climb onto the bridge rails. Despite Taichi’s action, Heartseed plunge Iori’s body over the bridge and into the water far below.

Later that night, Iori is put in intensive care; her condition was getting worse and she could die any moment. The school contacted Iori’s mother about her condition and was on her way. As the group was waiting at the main reception of the hospital, Heartseed {in- Gotō’s body} appears in front of them and informs that Iori will die in thirty minutes. In this event, Heartseed tells them to pick a soul to die with Iori’s body and allows them the momentary ability to swap-bodies amongst themselves by verbal request before her death. Heartseed soon left the group to make the sacrificial decision. Accepting the death fate, Taichi volunteers to take Iori’s place to die. After hearing Taichi’s request, Inaba shouted at Taichi, telling him how devastated Iori will be if Taichi were to die in her place. Even though Taichi knows this, he cries out that still rather endure the pain instead of watching someone else suffer. This made Inaba realizes that Taichi also bears a burden and his ‘selfless’ trait was how he handles of that pain.



Afterwards, Aoki states that he believe that the one will to die in Iori’s body should be Iori herself. Taichi was reluctant, but everyone else sadly agrees. Aoki then swap bodies with Iori to allow her to understand what’s happening. When Iori {in-Aoki’s body} heard about her condition from Inaba, she accepts her dying fate and agrees that her soul should be the one to die in her body. While Iori was swapping bodies to say her last words to each one individually. Iori {in-Inaba’s body} finally got to speak with Taichi; she was amazed that Taichi was still himself when everyone else was crying. Taichi tells her his reason was to allow her to cry as she cannot if someone else does so in front of her. In front of Taichi, she let out her tears in their last moments; she uses this time to confess her true feelings for Taichi, but reply that she cannot let herself become his girlfriend as she will die soon. As her last wish, believing that Inaba will forgive her for what she is about to do, Taichi gave her their first and last memorable kiss.

As it was nearly time, Heartseed awaits everyone decision for whom to die. The group decided that Iori will die in her body, Heartseed accept their decision before disappearing and Inaba returns to her body. The groups then waited to hear the doctor that came out of Iori’s room, while prepared to hear the worse; the doctor went against their expectation and announces that Iori has pulled through and will survive. Heartseed reappears and tell them that the whole thing was planned from the beginning, as well as stating there was no desire to hurt them, then Heartseed left in Gotō’s body and indicate that they meet again at another time.

Later on, Iori finally recovers from her injuries and return to school. During Iori’s hospitalisation, the body-swapping phenomenon seems to have stopped. When Iori arrives at the clubroom, everyone threw her a welcome back party and while preparing the table, Inaba told Taichi that she heard about the kiss he shared with Iori, while in Inaba’s body. As Taichi feebly hide behind a paper plate, Inaba demand compensation for taking away her first kiss.