Neighborhood Story

Troubles of the Party-ko (1x36)

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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.