I don't get why people are predicting some sort of NTR route from this. It's like the reader only focuses on watching how looser can Kazuma become without paying attention to how other main character behaves and developes.
Despite Kazuma's being hard with his own feelings, Chizuru understands him. At this point she knows how he is, actually she said it at the beginning of this episode "I'm sorry about this, you don't know any of these people". She felt he was overwhelmed, rightfully so.
The fact that she decided to stay with him, despite the powerful people who can have a good interest in her around, I found it really cute.
Even in a place like that, he looks like a looser. Put yourself into his shoes, he's standing in a place where everything has nothing to do with your life or your circle. It sucks, but despite everything she's still around. Umi knows this but he can't understand why.
I mean, we've seen how Chizuru is when someone has an interest with her and she doesn't give a damn, it was actually very explicit in the first episodes of this manga. And, besides hearing Kazuma's true feelings from the distance, she's still around. I'd be pissed if that changes after all we've been through.
If I can predict something about this story, it would is a message of superation from someone who's afraid of everything.
Still, so many loose ends, we haven't seen Ruka in a while, and Mami's come back wasn't that big of a deal, at least just yet.
