[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by DXMichael

I'm not thinking about any future theories, i'm focusing on the episode at hand.

Given that Kyousuke and Masato have been presented as likable protagonists almost the entire show, I think it just makes sense to speculate that they have good reasons for doing what they're doing here. I mean, I really doubt that the anime is having them do an actual heel turn this late in the game.

This episode made Masato and Kyousuke look like the bad guy, and Kengo and Riki look like the good guys,

That's one way of viewing it.

Another way of viewing it is that Riki and Kengo are babying Rin, and that they've become enablers for her childishness by going easy on her when what she really needs is tough love.

It's certainly possible to spoil a kid, or ruin his/her development, by sheltering him/her too much from the rest of the world.

because he did what most people would want and stood alongside Riki against Kysousukes seemingly harsh methods for making Rin a better person.

What people want, and what people need, are frequently not the same thing. I respect a person who recognizes that, and hence is capable of favoring long-term needs over short-term wants. Besides, Kyousuke was willing to compromise to the point that Rin could come back on the weekends.

And Masato just sat and watched until the very end. You can speculate all you want, but at the moment, for just an anime viewer, all I can see is Masato and Kyousuke being people that I no longer see as a pleasant presence anymore.

I'm sure that they themselves realize they're not a pleasant presence anymore. They're allowing themselves to look like the "bad guys" in order to help Riki and Rin. I respect that more than I do people just doing what feels good in the heat of the moment, since that's a lot easier to do than doing the hard thing that nonetheless needs to be done.

Maybe Kyousuke and Masato are doing it for the greater good,

I'm sure they are. I very much doubt that Kyousuke wants to hurt his sister, who's also been one of his closest friends for years. Kyousuke thinks that this is necessary for her, and he's probably right.