Neighborhood Story

For love and dream, one step at a time! (1x30)

Air date: Apr 14, 1996

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.