The following contains spoilers for Episode 4 of My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex, “That’s Not What You’re Supposed to Say,” now streaming on Crunchyroll.
In Episode 4 of My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex, Mizuto takes Yume out on a date to their local aquarium as a punishment for the underwear incident in Episode 3. While Yume is overjoyed to spend more time with her newly made step-brother, it appears something is a little off. Mizuto’s usual sarcastic tone has disappeared and he’s acting like more of a gentleman than ever before. Although he may simply be showing affection for his former love, there may be something else going on behind the scenes.
Little does Yume know that this date is all part of Kawanami Kogure’s devious plan to shatter Minami Akatsuki’s delusional dream of marrying Mizuto so she can become Yume’s doting little sister. To do this, the two boys plan to prove that Yume only has eyes for Mizuto. However, the question remains: does Mizuto actually love Yume, or is he just using her to advance his own personal goals?
Kawanami’s Kogure’s Devious Plan
In Episode 3 of My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex, Minami set her sites on Mizuto and asked him to marry her. Despite Mizuto declining her offer, she remained persistent and began following him everywhere he went. From eating beside him at a fast food restaurant to breaking and entering his home, Minami went full stalker mode and didn’t take no for an answer. Stranger still is that her true goal wasn’t to get close to Mizuto — it’s to fulfill her fantasy of doting on Yume and becoming her little sister.
After calling Kawanami to get advice, Mizuto learned that Minami is relentless when she sets her sights on something and can only be stopped if she believes there is no possible route forward. Consequently, Kawanami devised a plan to ensure Minami learns her lesson and realizes that Yume has no interest in any sort of relationship, romantic or otherwise.
Does Mizuto Still Have Feelings For Yume?
If it wasn’t clear before Episode 4 that Yume still has feelings for her former boyfriend, then it’s certainly apparent now. Yume is infatuated with Mizuto throughout their date and becomes overwhelmed by nearly every action he makes. Whether it’s his rather dashing appearance or when he grabs her hand, Yume is overcome with emotions. While she remains skeptical about Mizuto’s approach, she cannot help but feel she’s finally getting the attention she deserves.
However, Mizuto isn’t truly on the date to please Yume or fulfill any of the desires he might have to be with her. Instead, the trip to the aquarium is simply a way for him to get rid of a problem — Minami. By using Yume as a form of bait and not being honest with her about his true intentions, some might conclude that Mizuto doesn’t have any romantic interest in his step-sister.
From what My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex has shown so far, Mizuto is a highly intelligent character who is very much aware of people’s emotions and motivations. This discerning attitude enables him to take advantage of certain situations and easily manipulate those around him for his own benefit. This might have been one reason why his relationship with Yume eventually broke down, if he was more interested in what he could gain from her rather than having a balanced partnership.
Having said this, Mizuto does show a concern for his step-sister. Later in Episode 4, it’s revealed that the reason he hasn’t informed Yume about Minami’s infatuation with her is that he doesn’t want their relationship to be ruined. Instead, he manages to deescalate the situation and minimize the harm to both Yume and Minami.
When Mizuto and Yume get back home from the aquarium date, they finally resolve the underwear incident. Yume gets to enact Mizuto’s punishment by making him go through a photo shoot and having him hug her and whisper in her ear. At this moment, it becomes clearer that Mizuto still has some feelings left for his newly made step-sister after saying “I’ve caught you.”
With Minami off his back, Mizuto may have some more time to spend with Yume in an effort to rekindle their relationship. The two are becoming more open about their feelings for one another, and it seems it’s only a matter of time before they are officially together once again. However, if this happens it doesn’t seem likely that everything will go smoothly, as their parents will surely have one or two questions about how this managed to happen.