[Guido]

It would be a cruel thing to me rating this episode with an '8', because the drama was befitting with Shana, Yuuji, and Kazumi's state of their hearts and wasn't campy.

Therefore, I giving it a '9'.

Yes, since the aftermath of the Seishuu Festival, the cast are growing-up to reflect and reevaluate their roles in respect to the ground that all of them are standing on now.

Spoiler:

I think part of the reason that Yuuji's chest ached and feeling not well around his surroundings was due that part of him wishes not to say farewell and leave the peaceful and mundane world that he has known as Sakai Yuuji.

It's a blow that's eating him alive but tries to cover up putting a facade, that he has finally accepted his nature as a Torch and Mystess.

But his human existence longs to walk on those happy days with all of his schoolmates and to be by his mother's side.

What will became of Chigusa after he's gone either leaving with Shana or be erased?

Would his hollow resolve be correlated to Chigusa's falling ill? or more likely a signal that things are not going well inside Yuuji?

Shana surely has changed completely her outlook and heart. During the first arc of the previous season, she was rational and adamant 'Flame Haze' more concerned with the matters of the mission, but we have seen grown alongside Yuuji since their first contact. With him she has been exposed and living in a world so near and so distance to Flame Hazes. A world she thought at some point meaningless to stand inside.

Shana as well realized that Yuuji is lying to himself. She's now worried, concerned, and hurt that Yuuji giving reckless thoughts at wanting leave behind the memories and the significance of the human existence.

And where does Kazumi will be fitting in the middle? She's trying to cope with her role and knows well she has no place to stand in the world of Flame Hazes, but still she wishes to at least have her feelings replied by Yuuji with the most sincere answer.