When Hachiman was punished and sent to the Service Club by Hiratsuka-sensei, Yukinoshita Yukino was the only member at the time. The first and second seasons developed the relationship between the three of them as the Service Club. This means that Yui came in as the third member at a later stage, making her the proverbial third wheel. However, Yui’s third-wheeling in the series is also in contrast to the fact that Yukino was in the car involved in Hachiman’s accident early in his high school career, an accident that took place because Hachiman was saving Yui’s dog.

While the accident may have been a secret underlying component bringing them together, Yukino’s initial objection to Yui joining the service club; as well as the fact that Yui is different from the indifferent and colder Yukino and Hachiman, creates the image of her separation from them. Yui also battles feelings of inadequacy because of her belief that she doesn’t have the talent that makes others great.

In season three, due to Yukinoshita’s student council obligations, Yui and Hachiman have spent a lot more time together by themselves. The series which, up until this point, showed the growing relationship among the three now shows fissures in that relationship. Their co-dependency has reached a critical point and Yui, who struggles with not being able to solve problems on her own, finds her feelings hurt on quite a few occasions.

Yui’s feelings for Hachiman have been alluded to and explored a little bit as the series progressed, but her most recent outing with him was the sad outcome – Hachiman doesn’t seem to feel the same way. Hachiman’s dismissal of Yui’s feelings, especially when he prioritises helping Yukino with the seemingly collapsing prom proposal. Hachiman’s relationship with Yukino is wrought with its own brand of tension, so the third wheeling of Yuigahama Yui is set in stone with his plan to set up a fake prom to help Yukino despite her wishes.