Gokinjo Monogatari

The story begins with our heroine Mikako Kouda demonstrating how she bootstraps herself for the inception of another school day and even wielding her childhood friend and neighbor Tsutomu Yamaguchi in a crass culinary comedy as she eats breakfast. We then have it demonstrated that it is normal for Mikako's mother Ruriko to frequently behave as a dependent elder sister rather than as a mother a session of nocturnal manga synthesis. The apartment manager Noriji Sunami often likes to tease Mikako and Tsutomu prior to their school commute; once at Yazawa Geijyutsu Gakuen, Mikako's friends Risa Kanzaki and Mai "P-chan" Oota teasing Mikako becomes the forum for demonstrating that Sensei Hamada has no qualms about detaining Mikako after school for clumsy handiwork. Tsutomu's friends Yuusuke Tashiro and Jiro Nishino are excited about a euphoric diurnal engagement of karaoke with Mariko "Body-ko" Nakasu; frightened for the oblivious Tsutomu when Mariko disposes him, Mikako races off toward Hiroaki Tokumori's bar after imparting her stamp of approval. Hiroaki ultimately mediates the lover's quarrel and warns Tsutomu to focus more for quality rather than quantity after Mikako heads home only to be forced into a rainy-day layover with a stray cat during which she reminisces about her collaborative prologue with Tsutomu who comes to her rescue and escorts her home.

The euphoria of successfully having won over Noriji quickly gives way to a vivacious divergent concourse between Mikako and Tsutomu over what to name the kitten that she rescued that is only extinguished when Mikako has to quickly take responsibility for her cooking. A pair of star-struck schoolgirls accosting Tsutomu with a love letter during the commute to school and Risa's remarks about the convergent cerebral chemistry demonstrated in the situation along with P-chan's exhortation of an author's signature to a sentimental manga sets Mikako to wondering what infatuation is like; while Tsutomu reads the love letter from the schoolgirls, Yuusuke emphasizes the upcoming diurnal karaoke engagement that he and Jiro want to take place after school that day. Unable to accept that her anguish is because she loves him, Mikako does not respond well to Tsutomu suddenly aborting the shopping trip even though Tsutomu later tries to check in with her. Yuusuke and Jiro's subterfuge backfires on them when Tsutomu becomes the center of attention for the girls and becomes Mariko's infatuation; the ultimate irony is that it is Mikako's vindictive rejection of his apology and the adversarial divergent concourse that it ignites the next morning that inspires Tsutomu to unequivocally return Mariko's sentiments.

While prosecuting a series of practice stitches one night, Mikako reflects on the adversarial divergent concourse that she has visited upon Tsutomu whose honest mistakes she has lashed out against as malice only to find that she has become inattentive and clumsy with her work—the same inattention and clumsiness for which Sensei Hamada has detained her after school. The next morning finds that neither Ruriko nor Mikako has slept very much...and that Tsutomu has done some shopping for Kuro—the payload thereof delivered the day before. Deprived of ethical legitimacy, Mikako heads over to Tsutomu's place and acknowledges her fallibility. Tsutomu acknowledging his culpability gives way to accompanying Mikako in acquiring more pet supplies...that is, if Mariko had not exhorted Tsutomu's presence at her place at her convenience. While Mikako fumes at Tsutomu's »snub« and tries to wrap her mind around Tsutomu dating Mariko, Tsutomu superficially excavates into Mariko's prologue of finding the male libido rather than her character content as a person being the sole reason Mariko has been on so many dates. Tsutomu ultimately has more questions than answers as he tries to interpret the data he has seen regarding Mariko as he explains his perspective of Mariko as a misguided but not necessarily evil girl when Mikako is admonishing caution.

Even if she had kept it to herself, it is evident that Mikako is quite livid that Tsutomu has rejected her protective admonition about Mariko. Mikako's frustration is exponentially amplified with Hiroaki's perspective in Tsutomu's defense; unable to acknowledge her emotional fallibility, Mikako prosecutes an adversarial divergent concourse with Tsutomu prior to the school commute the next morning. Tsutomu's perspective of Mariko as a misguided person rather than a copulation milestone confounds both Yuusuke and Jiro when the boys set course for class; Mariko approaching Tsutomu with an entreaty for his lunchtime company inspires iconoclastic analytical concourse over the entire school. It seems that Mikako has interpreted Hiroaki's counsel as simply not allowing Tsutomu's activities with Mariko to affect her; this quickly becomes the elephant in the room but not by a large enough margin for Sensei Hamada to not detain Mikako after school. About the only silver lining is Tsutomu admiring Yuusuke's motorcycle before offering to escort Mikako home...or, he would have if not for Mariko's pre-emptive exhortation. Yuusuke volunteering himself becomes the preamble for him ironically falling for Mikako when she treats him to a »Thanks for the ride!!!« home-cooked meal; still, one has to ultimately wonder about the aftermath when everything is finally resolved.

Satisfied that she has restored social homeostasis by wielding Yuusuke in the same capacity that Mariko is wielding Tsutomu, Mikako decides to bleach her hair one morning and playfully tease Noriji before racing off to school where she inspires a lot of euphoric analytical concourse. Yuusuke is shocked to find that casually courting Mikako is easier said than done, especially when she is focused on her vendetta with the newly-arrived Mariko whose volition for Tsutomu is his company during a shopping trip. While Mikako prosecutes a a euphoric nocturnal engagement with Risa and P-chan where it is proposed to create a social circle from scratch, Ruriko converses with Hiroaki as she reminisces over her collaborative prologue with Mikako who once attempted a medically dangerous stunt as a child. Mikako gives the matter some serious thought and announces her decision the next morning —- a social circle that makes handmade items to sell at flea markets. The irony here lies in Jiro's inquiry of whether anybody can truly join cornering Mikako into a conundrum where her jealousy is the liability it actually is; fortunately, Mikako wisely demonstrates that her love for her new social circle is ultimately much greater than her hatred for Mariko as she races home past a very relieved Ruriko to get right to work.

While Mikako is back on track and chugging full speed ahead, Jiro is hard at work test-playing a computer game of his design for bugs -- one of which requires the whole night to identify and rectify. Yuusuke calls on the exhausted Jiro the next morning for a meal due to having been caught with his micro-economic pants down while Mikako and Tsutomu prosecute their daily school commute while trying to fully awaken. While Mikako tabulates Tsutomu's fond recount of his karaoke concert for Mariko and her friends in preparation for an appropriate response, Yuusuke nearly dumps Jiro on the pavement in a mad dash to school where Mikako exhorts everybody to come up with a name for the social circle before the bell rings to signal the start of class. While the girls have the question answered as to what they will sell at the flea market, Yuusuke is at a loss for how to contribute to the flea market before discovering his proficiency in art; after an unsuccessful brainstorming session, the concourse gravitating toward the rationale for enrolling in Yazaku strikes a chord within Jiro who has been grappling with that very issue from the start. The deus ex machina solution to what to call the social circle, Jiro's contribution to the flea market, and the rationale behind Jiro's attendance at Yazaku lies in the dream sequence that explains his prologue of proficiency at playing video games and how a classmate named Chika Ishida suggested that he investigate how to program them after sharing her dream to be an akindo for tea.

Deciding upon the name of the social circle and learning to keep her hatred of Mariko in check are small potatoes as a jubilant Mikako is shocked to discover considering the less-than-receptive acknowledgment of her newly-created brand name from the other Akindo members; even as her fears that her ambitions will be sunk in the harbor abate somewhat when Yuusuke creates a sketch of her to extricate himself off the hot seat, Mikako quickly finds that she has bitten off more than she can chew while synthesizing clothes that night for the flea market. It quickly becomes evident the next morning that the stress has overtaken Mikako when she immediately takes the boys' absence along with Mariko's as a personal affront and races off much to P-chan and Risa's shock; after having the situation explained to him, Hiroaki advises Mikako to put into perspective both the Akindo circle and her issues with Tsutomu's relationship with Mariko who Tsutomu explains has offered her apartment as Akindo headquarters. Mikako's relief at Tsutomu's dedication does very little to compensate for her vendetta with Mariko; a frenzied foot race later, Tsutomu explains his activities yesterday and Mikako acknowledges her fallibility. Upon returning to Mariko's apartment with the raw materials necessary for the accessories that she wishes to make, Mikako ultimately realizes why the word »assume« is spelled the way it is when she has it explained that Yuusuke and Jiro have been as busy as Tsutomu has been.

The day of the flea market has arrived and Akindo is ready to make its debut in earnest!!! Ruriko decides to wish everybody good luck by giving Mariko, Risa, Yuusuke, Jiro, and P-chan the communications device Mikako and Tsutomu use to contact each other known as the Tsuurabu. Once at the fairgrounds, Mikako wastes no time in taking charge much to Tsutomu's frustration and even counsels P-chan who has a bad case of stage fright. Mariko taking it upon herself to advertise the Akindo shop to help the other six members better do their thing obfuscates a little girl named Shizuka wandering around with an iconoclastic volition for Yuusuke to fulfill...that is, once he sees the folly in scaring away the customers; a brief adversarial divergent concourse later, Yuusuke sets course for a destination arcane that Shizuka promptly emulates only to find that Shizuka gives as good as she gets and insists upon the commerce she is more than willing to pay for while the other Akindo members have gotten back on track—especially since Mariko has brought back more merchandise. No sooner does Yuusuke get compensated for his commerce than Shizuka cries out a negation for her grandfather's company that conscripts him into a high stakes hide-and-go-seek game that requires the other Akindo members; upon having Shizuka's prologue explained to him, Yuusuke's contrition serves at the deus ex machina for Shizuka's reconciliation with her grandfather and for P-chan to do an excellent job of keeping shop to ultimately sell out everything.

Mikako's euphoric home commute serves as the preamble for nearly being bowled over as her mother Ruriko is rushing out the door on a business trip to Osaka. Mikako's euphoria at being able to relax like a normal adolescent instead of having to cook and assist Ruriko with her work is quickly tempered not by Akindo failing to earn enough revenue to at least break even but that Hiroaki is accompanying Ruriko on her way home. Noriji immediately assumes that the two are paramours and tries to compute how to respond before deciding to tell a very frustrated Tsutomu who bursts out laughing at the prospect before daydreaming back to kindergarten when he observed Ruriko conversing with Hiroaki about his high school exams and concluding that Hiroaki having a crush on Ruriko is not really out of the question before deciding to go out for a walk. A demonstration of how Noriji concluded what he did panics Tsutomu into racing home and right into Mikako who forces his hand. As is usually the case, Noriji is clumsy with demonstrating his good intentions; the anguished Mikako hides herself away while Tsutomu frantically searches for her before recruiting Hiroaki to assist him—the deus ex machina of which is Mikako recalling her prologue with Hiroaki coming to fetch her from kindergarten when her mother had forgotten all about her along with Hiroaki coming to explain the whole situation.

The time of year for the Athletics Festival has come to Yawaza with Mikako and Risa dreading the whole experience until P-chan suggests that Mikako appraise her fortunes at the cheer-off competition between the teams. Upon having it explained that Mariko has been chosen as a cheerleader on the opposite team, Mikako's resolve intensifies and the whole competition becomes another vehicle for Mikako to act out her vendetta against Mariko along with her long-standing issues with Tsutomu's conduct. Mikako ferociously dedicates herself to devising her counter-strategy that night even going so far as to repulse a dinner date with Ruriko; alas, this gambit is more pain than gain as Mikako collapses from sleep and food deprivation. Concerned about Mikako even though they are on opposite teams, Tsutomu rushes to the rescue and finds that Mikako has recovered herself into a collusive game plan with Yuusuke who has a much healthier perspective of the Festival and gains new insight about her. The next day, Yuusuke and Tsutomu end up availing the sprint time study as the vehicle to resolve their rivalry over Mikako only to end up as the anchors for the relay race. The ultimate irony of the relay race is that as badly as she wants her teammate Yuusuke to win, Mikako starts to realize that Tsutomu has already won her heart many times over.

Yuusuke summons the other Akindo members during an intermission between classes to announce the successful acquisition of five extra tickets to the amusement park which affords admission for the seven of them if Mikako has not already used the two tickets that he had given her. Murphy's Law wrecks the kids' plans -- the aftermath thereof a circumstantial double date. Sensing Mikako's silent fuming and Yuusuke's lust after Mikako, Mariko excitedly leads everybody through several rides before flirting with Tsutomu during the lunch break which ignites Mikako's frustration enough to vote with her feet with Yuusuke right on her heels with less-than-gentlemanly motives that quickly give way to his arduous attempts to keep pace with Mikako. Mariko accidentally hitting close to home while teasing Tsutomu instigates the deus ex machina epiphany that there is no way that she can ever have any euphoric convergent chemistry with Tsutomu who conscripts her into a hasty retreat when several fangirls accost the pair; an exchange of prologues and perspectives later, Mariko ultimately resolves herself to returning to Yokohama to resolve her prologue while Tsutomu takes responsibility for succumbing to Yuusuke's counterproductive wheedling and intercedes on Mikako's behalf.

While the Yawaza student body speculates the circumstances around Mariko terminating her romance with Tsutomu, the former paramours are actually good friends now that they understand what they can expect from each other. Aside from Mariko's crass comedy driving Yuusuke bananas, Mikako is bewildered when Tsutomu signals an interest in undergoing the training to legally operate a motorcycle and explains that he is not as fragile as she thinks. While Mikako computes her perspective of Yuusuke's budding relationship with Mariko, a daydream sequence illustrating the epilogue of the amusement park outing sets the stage for Mariko's gratitude to Yuusuke for transporting her home but not so much to accept his »tutelage« as payment. Tsutomu summons the other Akindo members the next day after school to explain about a high-school dance party and appends the admonition that it has to be conducted with much greater dexterity than the amusement park outing; a flashy entrance later, the Akindo members waste no time getting down to business. Jiro encountering his old friend Chika Ishida, Yuusuke dancing with a girl that felt put out by all the action, Mariko concurrently flirting with many different guys, and Tsutomu explaining about his trip to Ibaraki over the winter break for motorcycle training to both Risa and P-chan's delight...none of these things ultimately does anything to set Mikako's mind at ease.

Mikako continues to be ill-at-ease as she agonizes over the sparse data she has about Tsutomu's current status as Ruriko compromises her manga synthesis workload in order to offer her home cooking along with a restaurant meal and even a late night snack in order to rejuvenate her daughter. For Ruriko, who seems to think that Akindo is a biker gang, the one thing that Mikako is after is beyond her economy's ability to easily bankroll it. It does not help matters that Ruriko wanders in on Mikako before an advertisement for adult entertainment and that Mikako refuses to properly explain what she plans to do while out and about. While Mikako finds slim pickings in the job market, Ruriko talks things over with Hiroaki before cornering the newly-arrived Mikako into properly explaining her volition. Hiroaki is taken aback at how easily Mikako cajoles Ruriko into purchasing the motorbike she wants; never one to waste a beat, Mikako next approaches Yuusuke with her navigation volition to a place to purchase the vehicle in spite of Yuusuke's libido polluting his logic with thoughts of Mariko. The ultimate irony is that while the newly-licensed Tsutomu is in seventh heaven that Mikako has successfully acquired the motorbike, it will be a calendar year before Tsutomu can piggyback any passengers—the calendar year in which Mikako could have saved up her money for the bike.

The ordinary conclusion of another class session becomes extraordinary when P-chan cries out that her stuffed rabbit Petite Francoise is missing. The other Akindo members are not thrilled that Mikako has summoned them for such a petty purpose; a detailed explanation of Petite Francoise's origins and its collaborative prologue with P-chan later, the other Akindo members decide to participate in the search. Risa and Jiro forced to drop out because of work while Mariko entreats a motorcycle ride from Yuusuke, Mikako suggests that she and Tsutomu continue the search while prosecuting their home commute during which P-chan recalls that she was trying to beat the pedestrian signal that morning and probably lost Petite Francoise in the attempt; during a recess to regroup, P-chan shares her prologue and explains that the Petite Francoise she lost is the first one she has made on her own using her grandmother's instruction. Mikako resumes the search with P-chan the next day only to have some hilarious and humiliating adventures to show for her efforts; the deus ex machina is Tsutomu finding that a kindergartner named Yukari has discovered Petite Francoise; seeing the parallels between Yukari and herself as a child, P-chan ultimately decides to pay forward her grandmother's legacy and make another Petite Francoise for herself.

During the intermission between classes, Mikako inquires the other Akindo members about their ability to have a Christmas party together on Christmas Eve only to find that they all have their own plans; about the only silver lining to having to prepare the neighborhood Christmas party at their apartment complex is the annual visit from Santa Claus which catches Tsutomu by surprise. Noriji prosecutes some preparations to be Santa Claus while Tsutomu grouses about how troublesome and cumbersome the preparations are; while he and Mikako are decorating, Mariko summons Tsutomu because she has gotten cold feet about her trip back to Yokohama. Mikako fumes at the whole dynamic of Tsutomu being at Mariko's beck and call while Tsutomu encourages Mariko with the tale of how he has been Mikako's Santa Claus for the past four years. Yuusuke encounters Mariko as she sets course for Yokohama with an offer of a ride and many sincere wishes of good luck. When the time comes for Tsutomu to do his Santa Claus thing, he finds that Noriji has the same idea and that Mikako has decided to give him a present this year instead of merely receiving.

While prosecuting a frenzied wardrobe configuration, Mariko has it explained that her parents will arrive in Japan with her little brother Shintaro the next day and that Shuuichi has parked his car outside. Fortunately, the excited and tremulous Mariko successfully resolves her wardrobe imbroglio and takes note of his new car while en route to Shuuichi's house. No sooner does Mariko find her courage after recalling Tsutomu's counsel to her than Shuuichi arrives with his somewhat childish college classmate Yuka Matsuyama. While the heartbroken Mariko hastily packs her things in preparation for her return to Tokyo, a worried Yuusuke reminisces over his encounter with the departing Mariko as he wonders about the epilogue while waiting for Jiro to finish cooking. The data Yuusuke discovers when he can no longer stand the anxiety sends him on a journey to Mariko's apartment where he realizes that he would be of no utility even if Mariko did allow his comfort. Yuusuke is not done with Mariko, though; after summoning Mikako and Tsutomu as his wingmen, Yuusuke's bold confrontation of Mariko's anguish over Shuuichi ultimately sets the stage for Mikako prosecuting some cerebral compare-contrast analytical concourse over why Mariko seems to do much better socially with guys and comprehends what makes Mariko tick before demonstrating her culinary skills as she prepares dinner for everybody. Mikako and Tsutomu's prayers while prosecuting the New Year's shrine ritual detail their vastly different maturity phases.

A nightmare of Tsutomu walking away with a very clingy and sentimental Mariko oblivious to her protests pollutes Mikako's computations as she departs with Tsutomu to the upcoming Akindo meeting after school at which time Mariko explains the necessity of returning to her parents in Yokohama and to hold the meeting somewhere else before rushing off. While Mikako fumes at Mariko's conduct, Yuusuke commiserates with Mariko as he reflects on the data of Mariko's prologue and family situation. Mariko's euphoric reminiscence of her betrothed boyfriend Shuuichi quickly turns sour upon her little brother Shintaro walking in during a wardrobe interchange with the volition of familial cohabitation while he attends Yazawa Geijyutsu Gakuen. Concerned about Mariko but pragmatic enough to realize the folly and futility of the venture, Yuusuke reverses course to leave Yokohama only to nearly collide with Shintaro who forces Mariko's hand by pre-empting the arrival of the other Akindo members and propitiating himself before them. Much to Mariko's consternation, Shintaro has ultimately become her roommate and Akindo's newest member.

Detecting Mikako lost in thought as she tries to reconciles herself to the circumstances, Kuro engages in several »Hey, I want to be played with!!!« paw swats at Mikako's foot as Mikako fears that she is witnessing the advent of a love triangle—and a burnt dinner if not for Ruriko's observation. Mikako's fears of a love triangle are assuaged when Yuusuke piggybacking Tsutomu races by with the exhortation to set course for Mariko's place after school where the Akindo members synthesize merchandise for the next flea market while Mariko sleeps. An unexpected phone call brightens Mariko's mood as she customizes herself before departing for a euphoric nocturnal engagement with Yuusuke right on her heels; her deception nullified, Mariko explains that the suitors interested in her have become bothersome and that she really wants to do karaoke with her girlfriends. Shintaro answering a phone call meant for his sister before Yuusuke interjects to lash out at the caller ignites the adversarial divergent concourse between Yuusuke and Tsutomu that Mikako has been dreading in spite of the other Akindo members' best efforts to lighten the ambiance. Mikako ultimately realizes from encountering Yuusuke and seeing Tsutomu rush over to him for a ride that a divergent concourse between friends can only be extinguished by the plaintiff and defendant's collaborative efforts.

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After a hasty flight to solitude, Mikako tries to wrap her mind around having it explained that Tsutomu thinks of her as his sweetheart rather than simply his childhood friend and decides to act normal to obfuscate her disrupted homeostasis only to find that Tsutomu is not fooled by the attempt as he immediately gives chase and eventually catches her. While Mikako computes an alternate strategy, Tsutomu leads her to the other Akindo members as they prosecute analytical concourse about how to conduct better commerce at the flea market. While everybody groans at the idea of Mariko exhibiting herself for publicity, Shintaro surprises everybody by volunteering to sell the new series of haniwa art he has been developing. The Akindo members detect Mikako's disrupted homeostasis during their reconnaissance around the flea market that ends with a visit to Chishou who demonstrates what an excellent merchant she is. Chishou is grateful for the extra commerce converging upon her but also detects Mikako's disrupted homeostasis regarding Tsutomu; upon seeing that the refreshment run did not work so well, Chishou admonishes Mikako against being so hostile to Tsutomu before he decides to permanently vote with his feet as did her boyfriend. Mikako ultimately realizes that it is far better to lose a little of her pride than it is to drive Tsutomu away forever, especially when he has purchased the hairbands that she had her eye on.

Yuusuke arriving to offer Mariko a ride home after finishing a euphoric diurnal engagement of karaoke with her girlfriends quickly becomes the preamble for Yuusuke questioning his value to Mariko that ignites a divergent concourse that ends with Yuusuke ejecting Mariko off his bike before racing off. Mariko reminisces about her recent furlough to Yokohama to visit Shuuichi while Yuusuke reflects upon his prologue with Mariko; while Yuusuke reverses course to search for Mariko after realizing how abrasive he was with her, a self-conscious Mikako is appraising herself with the hairbands Tsutomu bought for her when an ecstatic Ruriko bursts into the room with the news that her manga is going anime. Even as Mariko acknowledges her fallibility with her earlier chauffeur remarks as Yuusuke transports her home, Mikako's frustration at her difficulty in resolving her issues causes her to lash out at P-chan during gym class. While comparing notes about preparing for the next Akindo flea market engagement, Mikako again lashes out to hide her inability to acknowledge her feelings for Tsutomu. The deus ex machina to ultimately resolve things lies in Mariko exhorting transportation of Yuusuke to enjoin against his harsh tone of voice while Kuro getting entangled in the thread jolts Mikako into synthesizing the outfits she plans to sell at the flea market.

Mikako's nightmare of Tsutomu abruptly confessing his feelings for her becoming the preamble for Mikako lashing out at Tsutomu's sneak peek offer during the commute to school obfuscates the moment of male bonding Shintaro prosecutes with Yuusuke as a result of Mariko failing to cover all her bases. While Yuusuke reflects upon his prologue with Mariko whose apology for the earlier misunderstanding prompts him to race off with Jiro in hot pursuit, Tsutomu's introduction of his classmate Ayumi Oikawa sets Mikako to wondering what kind of collaborative prologue they share. Ayumi shows Tsutomu a storage shed where he can work and offers her assistance. Tsutomu's careless remarks during a session of comparing notes ignites an incendiary divergent concourse in which Tsutomu gives as good as he gets from Mikako whose aftermath carries over to the next day when Yuusuke and Jiro offer their counsel. Even with Yuusuke contributing his efforts to the display along with Shintaro chiding Mariko for how venal she is being, Ayumi is taken aback with the cohesiveness of the Akindo members while Mikako is ultimately forced to acknowledge her fallibility -- and her feelings for Tsutomu.

Mikako's frenzied endeavor to obfuscate her anguish and resume her usual academic homeostasis is not lost on Risa who decides to have Tsutomu explain his collaborative prologue with Ayumi being a very innovative deus ex machina during a school project while Mikako tries to sort out her feelings. Frightened by the prospect of being marginalized from Akindo when she sees Yuusuke preparing to transport Ayumi, Mariko lashes out at Tsutomu as she affirms her contributory volition. After a brief recess to feed her dog, Ayumi takes notice of the other Akindo members' cohesiveness and diverse talents as she inadvertently insigates Tsutomu's memories of his recent divergent concourse with Mikako who has decided to stitch and sew away her anguish. An ecstatic Mikako races off to proclaim her recent accomplishment -- and right into a very cantankerous Ruriko that has found the backbone to demonstrate some decisive family government. The deus ex machina lies in Tsutomu barging in on Mikako with the news that he has finished the Akindo display and that he realizes that Mikako is anxious about his relationship with Ayumi who pulls Mariko away so that the two can ultimately reconcile.

When the seventh-heaven ecstasy from their first kiss dies down, Mikako and Tsutomu quickly find that the epiphany of their new-found romance is the preamble for a whole different anthology of problems as evidenced by Mariko finding in Ayumi a new rival for Yuusuke's heart. Mikako and Tsutomu decide to take the train back home oblivious to Mariko silently fuming at Ayumi as she awaits Yuusuke's arrival; a wardrobe interchange later, a perplexed Ayumi watches Yuusuke speed off with Mariko in tow as she tries to wrap her mind around the prologue Mariko has with both Yuusuke and Tsutomu. Ruriko is shocked to find Tsutomu asleep in Mikako's bedroom with her daughter and races off to see Hiroaki who advises her to keep the perspective about the whole situation. This ultimately gives Mikako and Tsutomu all the time they need to ultimately realize their error; Ruriko returns to a feast the lovestruck Mikako has prepared with the volition of celebration.

Groggily afflicted with writer's block that has her on thin ice in her professional life, Ruriko is in no mood to celebrate Mikako's happy-go-lucky homeostasis of having embraced Tsutomu as her paramour since the turbulence has compromised her work. Further inflaming matters, the stress has accumulated to more than what Ruriko can handle on her own as she prosecutes all kinds of dystopian scenarios of Mikako and Tsutomu's future married life. Tsutomu has it explained to him that his new romance with Mikako is community discourse at school and it is suggested that Yuusuke has a strong mutual affinity for Mariko while Mikako's thoughts are split between the practice lab and Tsutomu. Frenzied by work-related stress and the dystopian scenarios of the future, Ruriko ultimately panics with such fervor that Mikako summons Tsutomu over for help.

Shintaro has graduated from intermediate school and successfully enrolled in Yawaza with his big sister Mariko and the other Akindo members who decide to celebrate this milestone with a trip to a mountain resort. Everybody is galvanized by her euphoric expectations and his libido about the upcoming due to the expository concourse about the upcoming journey. Mariko is not thrilled about Ayumi's presence and is unwilling to behave toward her as a fellow Akindo member; the resultant divergent concourse exacerbates the bumpy bus ride to the Takaya Hotel where it is explained that there are none of the common creature comforts endemic to most lodging establishments. While Ayumi leads the girls through making the best of their assigned room, the boys decide to soak in the hot spring . . . right after they excavate it from scratch, that is; alas, although their co-ed bathing volition is extinguished, the boys find that the newly-excavated hot spring hits the spot after all their hard work. The all-natural dinner and the cacophonous concert of the manager that night gives way to having it explained that there is a couple from Tokyo residing in the mountains. Hitoshi and Shiori are wonderful hosts as they explain their prologue to the Akindo members who return to Tokyo with the lesson that happiness is ultimately within the perspective of the beholder.

Mariko's rekindled jealousy vendetta against Ayumi quickly gives way to having it explained that Shuuichi has signaled an interest in spending time with both Shintaro and her; while Mariko computes her response to the news and Shintaro's teasing, Mikako and Tsutomu have learned to nullify Noriji's teasing as they prosecute their school commute to gather the other Akindo members for the upcoming flea market which goes smoothly until Mariko expresses her reluctance because of the scheduling conflict. Yuusuke's rescheduling remarks quickly bring things to a head; a participation affirmation for both Nakasu siblings later, the class intermission ends. Tsutomu encourages Ayumi to take part in the flea market and attend the next Akindo meeting at Mariko's apartment where Mariko fiercely repulses Shintaro's »Please reconsider this« entreaties when the other Akindo members arrive for their meeting with Ayumi in convoy. Throughout the visit, Mariko's frustration at the Akindo members' complacent attitude toward the significance of her hospitality continues to build and eventually ruins the meeting; after having explained the »no can do« given to Shuuichi, Mariko ultimately lashes out at Shintaro for his incendiary but candid discourse while Mikako realizes the root cause of Mariko's hostility toward Ayumi and fears that the rising love triangle in her midst will break up Akindo.

Mikako pauses her clothing synthesis one night out of anxiety about the proximity of the upcoming flea market along with the love triangle Yuusuke is involved in with both Mariko and Ayumi before frenzily resuming her efforts. During the school commute the next morning, Tsutomu explains that Ayumi has offered her shed for Akindo to store its merchandise -- if the members are willing to forego the afternoon classes that day. An afternoon detention sets the stage for Yuusuke to inadvertently slight Mariko when he gives Ayumi a ride home to compensate for Mariko frigidly repulsing her during which he entreats Ayumi to see the big picture of Mariko Nakasu before riding off. Yuusuke exhibiting his compensatory volition for her company does very little to dissuade Mariko from amplifying her vendetta with Ayumi -- the incendiary adversarial divergent concourse thereof ending with the latter's counsel to behave toward Yuusuke as a human being rather than as merely a chauffeur; while Mariko fumes at Ayumi's admonition being very similar to Shintaro's earlier reproof, Mikako proudly shows off to Tsutomu her latest handiwork that she plans to sell at the flea market oblivious to Ruriko seriously considering a decisive exhibition of family government that could extinguish her vendor volition. Tsutomu taking in stride the abrupt arrival of a rainstorm along with Ruriko's maternal interloping ultimately unsettles Mikako into sharing her prologue of having no affinity for group activities before Akindo which she fears will have stormy sailing ahead.

After a bright sunny morning verifies Tsutomu's perspective about the rainstorm, Mikako is in good spirits as she sets course toward Ayumi's house with Tsutomu to transport all of Akindo's merchandise and equipment to the flea market alongside the other Akindo members who mirror her excitement. Payload and passengers now safely aboard the truck, Yuusuke and Jiro racing on ahead to secure a commerce site obfuscates Mariko being in ill spirits in spite of Shintaro's hilarious but dangerous comedy attempt. Though disappointed at the available site Yuusuke and Jiro found, Akindo quickly sets up shop only to find that most of their commerce is a bunch of kids excited over Jiro's computer game along with Risa's punk clothing and P-chan's dolls. Mikako being forced to divide her energies between keeping order with the kids and compensating for Mariko's sour attitude obfuscates Ruriko arriving at the flea market with Hiroaki to find that Mikako is the only one who has not had any commerce channeled her way -- the deus ex machina thereof Sensei Hamada illuminates after looking at the merchandise: while synthesizing the merchandise clothing, Mikako was thinking of both Tsutomu's dimensions along with her own rather than the commerce that she wants for her products.

Mikako reeling from Sensei Hamada's counsel becomes the preamble for a tense ambiance with Mariko missing in action and Ayumi having second thoughts about her affiliation with Akindo along with her feelings for Yuusuke who defines his personal recess with locating Mariko to deliver an admonition for constructive coping instead of taking her frustration out on everybody. It is not long before Yuusuke's hypocrisy is demonstrated when he comes back frustrated with Mariko and lashes out at Shintaro while Ayumi computes whether to make her move. Tsutomu offering Ayumi and Mikako a drink gives way to Shintaro excitedly announcing Shuuichi's arrival while introducing him to the other Akindo members who take well to him except Yuusuke who glowers as Mariko rushes over to eagerly greet Shuuichi before leading him away to get things off her chest. The deus ex machina that ultimately resolves Mikako's sour mood is not Tsutomu's ecstasy at being the motivation for the boy clothing Mikako made but that a somewhat childish young lady named Midori thinking more of her rucksack than the thousand yen she paid Mikako that helps place into perspective Sensei Hamada's counsel.

While ecstatic that she sold her rucksack, Mikako is still reeling from Sensei Hamada's counsel to always think of the customer when synthesizing clothes but has enough perspective to avoid angrily lashing out when inquired about the subject. Tsutomu empathizes with Mikako's plight but does not realize how acute Mikako's affliction really is while synthesizing a robot to help lift her spirits. It seems that Mikako was prowling around the shopping district and wandered into a subsequent encounter with Shishou doing her job; after Mikako explains the whole fiasco of the flea market, Shishou enjoins her company when she is working; ignoring Mariko's vendetta with Ayumi, the other Akindo members are excited for Mikako and encourage efficiency of her. Mikako quickly finds that the field trip with Shishou is not the exhibition of clothing synthesis and appraisal that she expects; the first store has a problem with the merchandise while the second has an illumination problem. It is not long after Mikako cries foul that Shishou demonstrates that she is no one-trick pony -- the deus ex machina being an intercession for an actual store customer whose dimensions are too great for a pair of pants she wants that ultimately ignites Mikako's empathetic frustration and illuminates Sensei Hamada's earlier counsel to her. Even with the insight gained during the outing, Mikako is oblivious to Tsutomu's altruistic volition for his newly-completed robot.

Tsutomu's anguish of Mikako's obliviousness boils over to frustration at Mikako who is excitedly telling the other Akindo members about his latest creation. Shintaro and Yuusuke continuing to comprehend the field trip with their libido along with Jiro ignites a divergent concourse with Mikako that Tsutomu reads as his signal to depart with such dejection that Risa wonders if he had a lover's spat with Mikako who she takes aside to inquire the matter but is unsuccessful in getting Mikako to see the light. Frustrated at Mikako's inability to put two and two together without Risa's assistance during the home commute, Tsutomu egresses a station early and gives Mikako the first robot he built only to find that this gesture sets the stage for igniting a divergent concourse when Mikako pays him a nocturnal visit that night and for Risa to realize the wisdom of neutrality in the matter. A divergent concourse between Shintaro and Mariko over the latter behaving towards the former as a servant sets stage for Yuusuke to illuminate Tsutomu's unrealistic expectations of Mikako's myopia that has been a crucial element in his prologue with her. Yuusuke's intercession sets the stage for the deus ex machina of Tsutomu finishing the synthesis of a second robot and Ruriko demonstrating how Mikako got the way she is before once again explaining his altruistic volition for Mikako through a demonstration using the two robots.

The inception of another school day sets the stage for Mariko to have her dysphoric reverie of the previous flea market interrupted by the courting attempt of a student named Noguchi that attracts the attention of a jealous student that inquires Yuusuke about his prologue with Mariko after he searingly repulses Tsutomu and Jiro's good-natured derision. The Akindo meeting at Mariko's apartment after school to synthesize merchandise for the upcoming flea market along with Ayumi's humility exhibition becomes the theater for Yuusuke and Mariko to begin avoiding each other. Ayumi castigates herself while the other six Akindo members prosecute analytical concourse over the current state of affairs that prompts Yuusuke to head out for a drive. While she is out and about, Mariko has it demonstrated unto her that it is unnecessary to do much to attract male attention -- male attention that is driven by the libido. The prologue of frustration with Mariko in perspective is the deus ex machina that ultimately inspires Yuusuke to deliver Noguchi a »Keep it in the barn!!!« black eye prior to locating the anguished Mariko in the park; neither the reconciliation nor the collaborative »Welcome home!!!« of the other Akindo members complete with omelet rice does anything to extinguish Mariko's vendetta towards Ayumi.

Mikako galvanized by the conclusion of the school day as she packs up for the home commute quickly gives way to discovering Risa's plans to make time with Takeshi at a rock concert; an austere »Stay out of my love life!!!« retrieval of the other ticket from Mikako later, Risa sets course for her job while the other Akindo members firmly decide upon another meeting at Mariko's place. It seems that Mariko is proud of her new-found ability to make omelet rice and thinks nothing of delivering Shintaro a »Do not steal my thunder, kid!!!« cranial jolt while P-chan makes a wisecrack about Mikako and Tsutomu's love life that thickens the ambiance. Meanwhile, Risa's workday takes an unexpected turn when a military veteran named Oosawa arrives in the store searching for an American film that has been out of print for several years. Released early from work, Risa finds that she has plenty of time on her hands before the concert; upon finding that Mr. Oosaws's prologue has many parallels to her own with Takeshi, Risa decides to assist the old veteran in the search only to encounter many dead ends. The deus ex machina lies in the fact that the quarry has an alias that is only shown in libraries; thanks to this lucky break, Mr. Oosawa ultimately reconciles himself with his prologue while Risa still manages to continue composing her epilogue with a perplexed but accommodating Takeshi.

The difficulty of compiling an accurate perspective of Yuusuke given the beauty of his artwork along with his actions jolts Ayumi awake one night into acknowledging her own infatuation for Yuusuke that has made her Mariko's vendetta along with the necessity of resolving it. While taking in stride Yuusuke's reaction to Tsutomu racing off to Mikako and Jiro to get bailed a textbook, Ayumi stumbles into her folded easel only for Yuusuke to arrest the tumble. Ayumi reminisces about her prologue from when she first enrolled in Yawaza and found Yuusuke catching up on sleep after a grueling workday when she is reminded of the Akindo meeting after school while Tsutomu and Mikako compare notes about how well Akindo has been going. Mikako's excitement over the next flea market is tempered by her concern about the love triangle over Yuusuke that Ayumi and Mariko are prosecuting -- an episode thereof currently in progress. Fortunately, Ayumi proves herself the bigger woman when she decides to skip out during the meeting to fruitlessly search for Mariko. Ayumi reflecting upon three more instances of Yuusuke interceding for her ignites the deus ex machina of ultimately locating Mariko on the roof and cornering her into an adversarial divergent concourse of Mariko being frustrated with Akindo who behaves as if providing her apartment as the meeting room is her sole function; after confronting Mariko on her conduct, Yuusuke gives Ayumi a picture to cheer her up.

A bath prior to retiring for the night sets the stage for an expository concourse about Mariko's default technique for resolving her schoolwork -- a technique that requires an available external actor. For the frustrated Mariko, lashing out at Shintaro the next morning does nothing to help her against Sensei Tomada turning the tables unto her after he detects her academic subterfuge; refusing to acknowledge any culpability for her own sour fortunes, Mariko lashes out at Yuusuke before storming away. It is not long before Mariko's foul spirits and sour recent academic fortune becomes community discourse among the other Akindo members; even as Mariko keeps her temper, it is not hard to predict that Akindo will need an alternate meeting place -- a problem easily solved with Ayumi amused as always at Tsutomu and Jiro's cohesiveness with Yuusuke along with some good-natured derision at his expense. While the Akindo members make plans to customize the storehouse and prepare for the next flea market, Mariko is ultimately forced to seriously confront how badly she has managed her life after leaving Yokohama during her after-school detention.

After showing off her completed drawing of Ayumi's storehouse, Mikako summons the other Akindo members into a meeting of the minds for how best to customize it while Tsutomu records everybody's remarks. Yuusuke reads Tsutomu compiling everybody's contributions as his signal to go find Mariko who is still in academic choppy waters and seriously considering secession from Akindo; while Yuusuke puts things into perspective before setting course for Ayumi's shed, the other Akindo members proliferate into their own individual scavenger hunts for materials -- the adventures thereof comical and iconoclastic as is the case with Mikako and Jiro. Jiro's mention at Mariko being excluded in the diagram while Akindo is hard at work becomes the preamble for having it demonstrated that Sensei Tomada is still detaining Mariko after school until she submits a quality assignment. Ayumi's counsel that girls sometimes lash out for reasons unrelated to the ignition event ignites the deus ex machina of Yuusuke setting course back to Yawaza to transport Mariko home who has ultimately decided to turn the tables on her unreasonable teacher and honestly acknowledge her human fallibility along with the fact that she has truly fallen in love with Yuusuke.

Mikako's nocturnal struggle to successfully compile a new concept design becomes the preamble of a conniption in which Mikako lashes out at Ruriko for wondering about breakfast whose furor piques Noriji and Tsutomu's concerned curiosity before racing off to school. While Tsutomu chases after Mikako, P-chan is bootstrapping herself for her school commute and demonstrates that her corporeal mass is an ongoing concern for her. This time around, it seems that P-chan is a little overzealous about her dimensions as per her family government's protests and the environmental suggestion of food conquering P-chan whose collapse after her egress from the train becomes the preamble of Noriji having demonstrated before him the lives led by Mikako and her friends. Noriji's intercession for P-chan and Mikako gives way to Mariko exhorting Yuusuke's lunchtime company much to Ayumi's anguish; a stopover to rent a movie during the home commute becomes the forum for Noriji to have demonstrated Risa's typical workday with rude customers and clumsily-governed kids. Noriji ultimately completes his home commute with far greater insight into the turbulent complexity of adolescence.

The inception of another ordinary school day sets the stage for Risa and P-chan to acknowledge Mikako's seventeenth birthday with a hand-made Happy Berry doll along with a poster of NakaKen and a Manbou CD. While Mikako tries her best to avoid dismissing the teacher's instruction as she reads the lyrics, Tsutomu is finding that Yuusuke and Jiro do not share the euphoria of his upcoming birthday before Mariko exhorts transportation from Yuusuke. The class intermission becomes the forum for it to be explained how Mikako and Tsutomu's birthdays have been celebrated for the past sixteen years as the two adolescents compare notes about their idea of the ideal birthday present. Mariko acknowledging Mikako and Tsutomu's birthdays the next morning sets the stage for the joint party at Hiroaki's bar where the inebriated adults form the backdrop of Mikako reflecting upon her prologue alongside Tsutomu who is bootstrapping himself to score his first kiss from Mikako while trying to shake off Yuusuke's playful derision. The ultimate irony of the whole matter is that the one thing Mikako really wants that is worth a kiss is the return of Mikako's father -- something that Ruriko has decided to purge from her life.

All the adults thoroughly inebriated save for Noriji becomes the backdrop for Tsutomu to lead Mikako outside where the two adolescents compare notes about the party thus far; an awkward silence later, Mikako presents Tsutomu with a pair of hand-made pajamas (after Sensei Hamada grades them) and the motorbike key she has withheld from him. Tsutomu escorts Mikako back home to call it a night after giving her a locket of his design; Mikako's search through the photo albums becomes the forum of having the prologue of Mikako's father explained and emphasizes that she wants to have her father there if nothing more than his photos; as if by telepathy, this rouses Ruriko from her inebriated slumber to the epiphany that it would not be surprising if Tsutomu decided to make love to Mikako on the spot considering the circumstances -- a frightening prospect that sends Ruriko racing home to find Mikako taking a bath. The ironic deus ex machina is Mikako having placed in the locket a photo of herself as a child that her father has taken; Tsutomu quickly sees through Mikako's mirage and affirms his volition to assist Mikako in locating her father.

Aided by the prior data he has of Mikako's father, Tsutomu searches around for any recent publication that mentions the photography industry and gets a clue from a magazine in a bookstore while out for a drive one night. An elated Mikako is naturally overwhelmed at the data Tsutomu has gathered of Hirohiko Sakurada right down to the location and date of his upcoming photo exhibition during their school commute; a heap of ambivalent panicking during a lengthy train ride and a brief sightseeing session later, Tsutomu successfully locates the destination gallery but finds that its public debut is in two hours. Ruriko bootstraps herself for a diurnal outing as the two adolescents wait out that time period only to get a lucky backstage pass into Hirohiko's latest handiwork -- a specimen of which affirms Hirohiko's yearning for his child relative. The irony of the whole thing is that Mikako could have easily found Hirohiko's residence in the prefecture district and Hirohiko himself if she had not so hastily left the gallery for the beach; the ultimate deus ex machina is the signature that she has not used for the past three years that clues in Hirohiko to the presence of his long-lost daughter.

While Ruriko is spellbound by his handiwork, Hirohiko has led Mikako and Tsutomu to his residence which in many ways is a mirror image of Ruriko's; after brewing some tea, Mikako makes small talk as she basks in the ambiance while hydroplaning across the insight she really wants to inquire Hirohiko. The most recent adversarial divergent concourse prosecuted between Yuusuke and Mariko making its advent at school obfuscates the concourse with Hirohiko taking a serious turn when the full scope of Ruriko's deception is illuminated. Anguished that Ruriko has been throwing her under the proverbial motor coach to accomplish her own purposes, Mikako breaks down crying as she demands insight of Hirohiko who acknowledges his human fallibility as he explains that he still loves her regardless of the circumstances between Ruriko and him. The only silver lining in all of this is that the excursion ultimately sets the stage for Ruriko to truly acknowledge the unconscionable fallibility of the family government that she has been practicing with Mikako.

Mikako continues to speculate on the rationale for Ruriko's actions much to Kuro's agony before realizing that even the easy-going Ruriko will promptly extinguish her for delivering the searing reproof her conduct demands especially after having tried to drown away her troubles with alcohol at Hiroaki's bar. Instead of voting with her feet against Ruriko, Mikako decides upon an asymmetrical school-home commute pattern where she takes her sweet time getting home from school. After P-chan compares notes with her over their mothers, Mikako decides to egress at another station and wander around the area -- only to be reminded of when her family government was a cohesive unit before stumbling onto Risa's workplace. The deus ex machina that ultimately gets Mikako back on track is Risa's uncanny sixth sense for the carnage of clumsy family government; a few phone calls and a heap of junk food purchases later, the party that follows reminds Mikako that she can always count on her friends in Akindo.

Mikako and Tsutomu warmly greeting each other and repelling Noriji's playful derision gives way to the two adolescents setting course to Ayumi's place to begin customizing the shed for Akindo commerce only to find that the other seven Akindo members are not exactly all present and accounted for. Concluding that five out of nine is better than nothing, Ayumi leads the other four Akindo members in arranging all the imported items as per their floor plan -- some of which is to Mariko and Yuusuke's comical detriment. Ayumi pre-empts Mikako exploding in frustration at Mariko and Yuusuke's conduct as she sets out with Yuusuke for some provisions; it seems that Ayumi has placed her affection for Yuusuke in perspective as a good friend instead of as a paramour. During a layover at the park, Yuusuke and Ayumi exchange perspectives about their philosophies on life and their plans for the future. Yuusuke shrugging off and repulsing her exhortations for his company sets Mariko to reflecting on her prologue of Sensei Tomada scolding her for her »play it by ear« attitude about her future; the ironic deus ex machina is that Mariko ultimately decides to take that counsel to heart by lashing out at Ayumi -- and Yuusuke promptly returning it back to her.

The love triangle Yuusuke is in with Ayumi and Mariko boiling over and having come to a head is quite an exhibition for the other Akindo members; while she wishes that she could help resolve things, Mikako still has her hands full with her family government as she compares notes with Tsutomu about the whole event during the home commute. Mikako finds that Ruriko has prepared dinner for her when she gets home; while Mikako repulses Ruriko's goodwill dinner, Mariko finds that Shintaro has learned to give as good as he gets when she confronts him over his music that night. The next morning, Mikako sets out on her own after leaving behind a note and a meal for Ruriko; while Tsutomu prosecutes a scavenger hunt all over the city for Mikako, Ayumi is killing time with her dog Masshu after leaving Shintaro and P-chan to continue work on the studio. The ironic deus ex machina is that Shintaro's frustration at the whole situation with Akindo forcing him to do all the work prompting him to walk off the job becomes the forum for Mariko and Ayumi to resolve their differences once Masshu does a »Shintaro« on Ayumi. Mariko and Ayumi working together much to Yuusuke's surprise, Tsutomu eventually finding Mikako to deliver a stern admonition against her subterfuge, Mikako confessing that she has given up on her parents . . . those things ultimately do nothing to assuage the shock of Ruriko discovering Mikako's signature at Hirohiko's exhibit using her former surname.

Ruriko tries her best to concentrate on synthesizing a manga but has difficulty placing all the data she has of Mikako's subterfuge in perspective when Mikako announces that she has prepared breakfast and intends the Akindo studio as her destination. Mikako computing for the correct solution since the subterfuge is not sustainable quickly takes a back seat to Mariko having buried the hatchet with Ayumi much to the astonishment of the other Akindo members. It is not long before Mariko's abrupt but well-planned orders begin to bear fruit as the Akindo members remark that Mariko should avail herself as an expertise consultant for a living. The Akindo members taking a recess for lunch is when it becomes evident that Ruriko is medically in a bad way -- Mikako not being much better off; while Jiro guides Mariko through using the computer, the other Akindo members continue working on the studio. Yuusuke repulsing Tsutomu's playful derision ultimately becomes the deus ex machina for encountering Shishou whose delivery of a dangerous opportunity for both Mikako and Risa expedites the Akindo members successfully finishing up the studio; the euphoria fools Mikako into living on borrowed time.

Although the successful customization of its brand-new studio is a significant milestone worthy of celebration, Akindo quickly finds that there are more difficult challenges ahead -- such as the lack of internal climate control for their new workspace. Tsutomu is not fooled by Mikako obfuscating her frustration with her family government with a fiery determination to make a star performance at the next flea market; while Tsutomu wonders what he can do, Hirohiko reminisces about the good old days when he and Ruriko were both raising Mikako together as he wonders how to bring that about once more. While Ruriko continues with her manga synthesis, Kuro senses that Ruriko is medically in a bad way but realizes that he cannot help Ruriko by himself; thanks to Mikako complying Tsutomu's time limit on beginning her home commute, Kuro effects an SOS rendezvous with Mikako who detects something amiss when she finds Ruriko's uneaten breakfast. Absent-mindedly repulsing Kuro's »Let us keep searching« exhibitionism ultimately becomes the ironic deus ex machina for Mikako to literally stumble over Ruriko -- and a very poignant warning about her maladaptive conduct.

After a harrowing ambulance ride, it is explained that Ruriko is afflicted not by a mortal medical malady such as appendicitis or cancer but a mere stomach ulcer -- nothing that medically-supervised tender loving care cannot cure. This brings no relief to either Mikako who has yet to resolve her hidden issues with Ruriko; Noriji volunteering to fill out the paperwork and Yuusuke calling it a night obfuscates Mikako making a trip to the bathroom in which she is torn over whether to tell Hirohiko about what happened to Ruriko oblivious to Tsutomu having made the choice for her. The ironic silver lining in Mikako's protracted absence is that it has ultimately set the stage for Mikako to finally realize that she never had to go it alone and that Tsutomu has already demonstrated his promise of perpetual proximity and attentive availability many times over.

As P-chan loudly indicates, the other Akindo members are crestfallen at Mikako's plight and would have all gone to visit Ruriko if not for the fact that there is an important flea market to prepare products for. Mariko inadvertently ignites a divergent concourse with Yuusuke and storms away in frustration before Risa decides to go visit Ruriko by herself. As the other Akindo members get right to work, Mikako is finding that there is more wrong with Ruriko than the stomach ulcer when she has it explained that Ruriko has been harboring several anxieties and has proof of Mikako's subterfuge with Hirohiko. The air cleared between mother and daughter, Risa visiting with flowers helps with the tense ambiance of the already-stormy office politics between Ruriko and her editor; ironically, this becomes the forum for Ayumi to catalyze Yuusuke and Mariko's reconciliation. The deus ex machina that ultimately resolves things arrives in the form of Hirohiko paying a visit the next day; relieved of her parents' marital drama, Mikako jubilantly sets course for the Akindo studio with Tsutomu right on her heels.

Even as the other Akindo members are setting up shop and taking in stride the prospect of Kaoru Hirosaki prowling around for rising stars, Mikako is petrified at the high stakes involved before she has it explained that it is far more important to be true to herself and let the chips fall where they may -- the latter being applied to her parents Hirohiko and Ruriko. While Ruriko customizes herself, Hirohiko takes upon himself the stewardship of escorting Ruriko after he sends Noriji and Hiroaki on their way to the flea market where the other Akindo members execute one transaction after another until a casually-dressed gentleman approaches Mikako to signal an interest in her merchandise after some iconoclastic analysis. Kaoru Hirosaki having favorably appraised her, Hirohiko and Ruriko deciding to play things by ear as they try to find common ground . . . those events help Mikako to ultimately come to grips the assets that she has in her midst in Tsutomu and the Akindo gang.