Riri-kins wrote:

Hmmm, interesting topic.  We know they can't be one and the same because Shiori hasn't known him that long. If they were the writers would have to explain why Shiori didn't remember "Ruka" when he returned.

Who says she didn't remember him, or that they didn't know each other long?

If we're to assume BHB=Ruka, it just means that their little charades in the locker room were aimed at getting back together instead of at hooking up in the first place. Of course, that means their first relationship was probably just as nauseatingly superficial as the second round, but were we really expecting anything better from Shiori?

Now, the rest of the student body is another matter. They're very shocked when Shiori manages to hook Ruka, with no indication that her previous relationship with him was public knowledge. That's intriguing, because it would indicate that Shiori kept things quiet the first time around: rather than a public thing, it would have been privately aimed at Juri. The fact that she's so eager for the public attention in episode 30 would indicate to me that in the intervening time, her self-image has gone even further downhill. Why?

minervana wrote:

Are any of the other fencing club members better than Juri? If not, how did Ruka expect her to improve? It's like putting an Oppenheimer-level genius in a school for average kids; how could they not get lazy? .

My thoughts exactly. If Juri wants to excel, it makes sense that she'd have to go up against more formidable opponents, regardless of whose picture she had in the locket. Her only coevals are Miki (sometimes), Ruka and Utena.

Were Ruka the BHB, his willingness to take Shiori back would be even more calculating and cruel, since he'd also know how lonely she is.

I didn't realise Ruka wasn't BHB until I cam here! I thought Ruka was BHB simple because Shiori pretended to have polished his sword (why does that so wrong..?). It made sense in my head at the time. She was mooning about by the lockers and the conversation she had with Ruka indicated to me that she must have known him before, as did Juri. So I assumed he was the BHB simply because he was a boy both Juri and Shiori knew. Like I said, it made sense to me at the time! xD The difference in appearance between Ruka and BHB I just thought was SKU's version of spoiler tags.

I kinda do wish Ruka was the BHB now that I know he isn't. Just because, as oldboy said, it makes Ruka's relationship with Shiori during the Ruka-Juri-Shiori arc even more cruel. I think I would have preferred it that way, because I'm mean!
I think Ruka's character is quite confusing in general though. Was he even a duelist before his illness? I don't even really know what to think of him. If he was BHB, it could be argued his return and general cruel nature is the product of all that drama between himself, Shiori and Juri before. Like, Shiori's scheming hardened him. Assuming BHB ever found out about all that, that is. But maybe that'd be overestimating how mean Shiori is. I'm not even sure what point I'm trying to make here.