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Sixth grade was when Chihaya Ayase met Arata Wataya, the transfer student from Fukui. The shy and quiet Arata was hiding a surprising talent. He knew how to play the competitive Karuta version of Ogura's Hundred Poets.

In the annual elementary school karuta tournament, the final match is between Taichi and Arata. Feeling threatened by Arata's skill, Taichi steals Arata's glasses before the match.

Chihaya, Arata, and Taichi visit a Shiranami Karuta Society practice session. There they meet Dr. Harada, the society's director, and the oddball Hiro Kinashi, known as Retro.

As Chihaya and Taichi say goodbye to Arata, Chihaya declares she will become a karuta queen, the top-ranked female player, and Taichi declares he will become a master. Back in the present, Chihaya tells Taichi that she made Class B over spring break and that, if she wins a tournament that Sunday and makes Class A, he has to help her form a karuta club at school.

Chihaya and Taichi travel to Fukui to see Arata.

Chihaya has convinced Taeko Miyauchi, the science teacher and tennis coach, to allocate a storage room in one of the school's out-buildings as a clubroom. Kanade Oe, who currently is in the archery club so she can wear a hakama, considers joining the karuta club instead, because she thinks they love the classical poems and also wear hakama.

Chihaya attempts to recruit second-ranked first-year student, Tsutomu Komano, nicknamed Desktomu by his classmates because he is always studying.

At school, Chihaya encounters Nishida, who refuses to join the karuta club because he is now in the tennis club. Chihaya realizes that he is using karuta timing to play tennis and tells him that that is not fair to tennis.

Miyauchi grants the club official status, with herself as provisional advisor, if the members select someone other than Chihaya as president. When the other members select Taichi, Chihaya declares herself captain. Chihaya sets a goal of winning the Tokyo regional high school team tournament, so the club decides to hold a camp at Taichi's house over a long holiday weekend while his family is away.

Komano, frustrated that he cannot win any matches, declares that he is going home.

Chihaya suggests an order that brings out the best in themselves rather than worrying about Hokuo's order. Using Retro's cards, Hokuo matches Sudo against Chihaya, Retro against Taichi, and the rest randomly, since they are confident of an easy win.

At home, Chihaya tries to tell her parents about the tournament, but they are preoccupied with Chitose's appearance on a quiz show.

In the first round of the national tournament, Chihaya has alternating sweats and chills. Meanwhile, Arata makes his way there and thinks of his grandfather, who continued to coach him even after he had suffered a stroke.

The next day is the individual tournament. Taichi thinks about how he needs to be in Class A to play Arata in a match. Sudo tells Chihaya that Shinobu Wakamiya, the youngest karuta queen in history and a first-year high school student, is playing Amakasu in the first round.

Shinobu defeats Chihaya by 20 cards and resolves not to let Chihaya take any cards if they ever meet again. Chihaya resolves to improve her accuracy.

A recap of the events so far, interspersed with various omake segments.

Chihaya needs to train for the eastern queen qualifier. Taichi and Nishida need to make Class A. Taichi also secretly desires to compete in the eastern master qualifier. Komano and Kanade need to make Class C.

Chihaya tries to play a balanced style that doesn't rely on speed, but she is unable to restrain herself and commits a lot of faults. She also recognizes that her opponent, Sakura Kanai, is using the strategy against her that Komano described.

Chihaya reflects that faults are costing Komano his match against Kanade, just like her faults cost her the match against Kanai earlier. Komano realizes he isn't losing to Kanade so much as to himself.

Komano tutors Chihaya and Nishida for exams while Taichi enters a tournament, his last opportunity to make Class A before the eastern master qualifier. Arata, also there, gives him a note with his contact details to give to Chihaya.

In the first round, Chihaya faces Ririka Tachikawa, a child prodigy hailed as the next Shinobu.

In the second round, Chihaya faces the former queen, Yumi Yamamoto, who lost the title to Shinobu a year ago. Yumi has a history of contesting every card she loses, but this year she is unenthusiastic. Watching through the window, Kanade is impressed with the clear voice of the reader.

Depressed by her loss, Chihaya hides inside a locker. Harada takes up the defense of Chihaya's hair against Sudo. When Taichi says she needs to come out to cheer for Harada, she comes out but says Taichi needs to watch them because they will be his rivals when he makes Class A.

The club members watch the master and queen matches on TV at Taichi's house. They are shocked to see that Shinobu is now pudgy.

Komano amazes Chihaya by using his statistics to figure out that she has 20 one-syllable cards. Discouraged that he doesn't have talent like Chihaya and Suo, Taichi calls Arata, who tells him that his grandfather once said that there are plenty of ways to take cards that don't rely on talent.