The new guy is really "meh", but at least we got some Hachimitsu "bullying" and Izumi being dependable from him.
But yeah, I hope that his "arc" is gonna end fast and we will return to the original pack of friends.
I mean this is cool and all but I wanted more development for the couple not more side arcs and characters; those can come after the main couple actually does anything intimate at all. Seriously they're more just like friends who like eachother than a couple who's dating.
pro-tip: the most scenic view is at the the point before you reach the top, a bunch of shops are there, the top is just trees and graves, you can't really see beyond the trees