Now that Winter break has arrived, the gang has not gotten together in a while, and Shouko Komi can't help but miss her friends. As always the social butterfly that is Najimi initiates a gathering, but to Komi's horror, she is now expected to host a Christmas event as her home.
With only a few hours left to get to the shops, and not much time to plan, Komi cannot buckle under the overwhelming pressure of suddenly becoming a hostess overnight. Forced to venture into the harsh world of the mall, Komi is once again pushed out of her comfort zone in Komi Can't Communicate.
"Merry Christmas"
After Komi gets an unexpected phone call from Najimi with ideas for a Christmas party, Komi attempts to head off to the mall, however, is anxious about going alone. She somehow manages to convince her brother, Shousuke, to tag along, and the two end up going shopping together.
Shousuke wants to get this whole ordeal over as quickly as possible, but Komi wishes to browse, and the two silently debate about which gift option would be most suitable for Christmas. Deciding on a scarf, it is now time to pay, and Shousuke makes a hasty retreat for the door. Neither sibling is courageous enough to endure interacting with the cashier, but eventually, (and with much coaxing), they get the job done.
The Seating Arrangements
Tadano, Ren, Najimi and the others arrive at Komi's home and surprise their friend with a birthday gift, as Komi's date of birth is on Christmas Day. This fact is not common knowledge, and so Komi is completely shocked by the grand gesture and is unable to process all the additional attention. After being presented with an oversized stuffed kitty, Komi is completely overwhelmed and freezes to the spot. Unfortunately, her friends think that she is disappointed, and walk into her home feeling like failures.
The time has come to make amends, and the person who sits next to Komi has the best chance of making a good impression on the Class Goddess. Most of the group fight over the best spot and decide on playing rock-paper-scissors to determine the lucky locations. Ren emerges victorious, and so they all arrange themselves very carefully around the table, leaving but one spot open for Komi to sit in.
Tadano arrives back from helping in the kitchen and sees that there is only a single seat left. Taking the gentlemanly route, he leaves it for Komi and opts to sit on the floor. However, Komi is just as polite, and joins her guest on the carpet, blushing in the process. Najimi ruins the intimate moment by jumping into Tadano's lap, jiggling themselves around a bit too much for Tadano's liking...
The King Game
How the game works: each person picks a chopstick out of the pile, revealing either a (secret) number or the title of "King". Naturally, the King commands their servants in whatever task they deem fit. Being the one who initiated the game, Ren Yamai conveniently wins, already aware of what Komi's number is. However, before Ren can say anything, she is overwhelmed by the internal debate of whether to be deplorable or polite to Komi, eventually completely fumbling up her moment in the spotlight.
Najimi is next to be King and makes Komi dress up in an adorable Santa outfit that they just happened to have brought along, but Komi is happy to oblige. The next few requests are pretty average until Nakanaka is declared King and immediately targets Ren. Removing her eye patch for the first time (that fans have seen), Nakanaka attempts to trap Ren in a humiliating task, however, she gets Ren's number wrong and Tadano is forced to embarrass himself.
Komi's mother stealthily sneaks into the game, and once she is in charge she goes straight for blood. Shuuko's command is that #4 and #9 must kiss. Tadano is mortified yet again when he has to smooch Shinobino Mono (who practically turns scarlet), while Komi watches on in horror. The last to become King is Komi, and, of course, she is reluctant to make any demands of her companions. Instead, in a sentimental gesture, she asks that the group forever remain friends; too cute!
Tadano Reminisces
Flashback to the morning, where Tadano is reminiscing over his encounter with Komi during the winter break in Season 2 episode 3, when he suddenly realizes that Komi's birthday is the following day. Panicking, he calls Najimi and asks that they gather everyone together. The group of friends meet at the mall and spread out in search of the perfect birthday gift for Komi, namely:
|
Ren |
Her Narcissistic Self |
|
Nakanaka |
Digital Gift Card |
|
Onemine |
Pickled Plums |
|
Makeru |
Whey Protein Powder |
|
Najimi |
2kg of Ice Cream |
|
Agari |
Dog Toys and Accessories |
|
Otori |
3x Oil Timers |
|
Najimi (again) |
Dancing Santa Doll |
The rest of the gang came up with nothing, and it is now up to Tadano to make his big reveal. With the perfect gift (and the only one that addresses Komi's desires), a giant plushy kitty wins the top spot, however, it is way out of budget. Tadano suggests that they all pool together to purchase the stuffed cat, and gift it together. Tadano also realizes that one gift might be easier for Komi to handle, rather than awkwardly receiving a whole assortment of unexpected presents.
Strange Vibes
From what fans know so far, Shousuke seems to also suffer from social anxiety, but it seems that the Komi siblings are comfortable in their silence together. While out shopping, however, Shousuke is caught off guard by his sister's beauty, and stops to admire her. This interaction could come across as strange because Shousuke's thoughts are presented similarly to Komi's classmates and admirers. It's likely that Shousuke is simply captivated by Komi's elegance, similar to those around her.
New episodes of Komi Can't Communicate will be released weekly on Netflix, with Seaon 2 episode 5 due to air on 25 May 2022.