In a cafe together, Kyoko shows some photographs to Shuji "This one is at the Grand Canyon, this one in Los Angeles..." Shuji sighs with envy "It's nice...really..." & then notices a couple of snapshots on the table "What are these?" "Ah, Aoyama...remember when Sachi & I were gathering pictures for the hairstyles...rain had just stopped & a rainbow appeared..." Shuji looks at the two photos in his hands "This one's taken by you right?" "Hm?" Shuji shows her "This one..." Kyoko looks at it "Yes, I did..." Shuji nods "I know..." "How come?" "This one has the feeling of looking upwards..." "Oh, I see...this one's taken by Sachi...mine has the feeling of looking upwards huh..." Shuji points to Kyoko's photo "I like this one better..." "Really?" "The composition's better too..." "That so? Actually, I've gotten a little interested in photos, shall we take some?" "That sounds great..." The waitress comes by "Would you like refills for your coffee?" Shuji looks at his watch "Ah, damn, I can't..." hurriedly getting up & putting his coat on. Kyoko looks at him in surprise as Shuji explains "Work, work..." "Isn't it your day off today?" "There's a magazine photo shoot...take your time & drink..." replies Shuji, digging into his pocket for money & putting it on the table "Here..." Kyoko smiles "Thank you..." as Shuji leaves "I'm off..." Kyoko nods & then mutters to herself "...that means, I...can't leave my myself..." looking at her wheelchair placed behind the sofa out of her reach...

Shuji speeds of on his bike & stopping at a red light, something occurs to him "Damn..." Getting off his bike, he pushes it across the street going back in the direction he came from & heads back to the cafe. Rushing back inside, the waitress asks him "Did you forget something?" Shuji, not seeing Kyoko, asks "No, no...the girl who was here with me..." A waiter comes up, explaining "We helped her out with the wheelchair...she's left already..." Shuji bows "Oh, I see...thank you..." leaving the cafe, not feeling too pleased with himself...

At home, Masao in the living room goes "Eh?" Kyoko, reading the newspaper at the dining table replies "What 'eh' ?" Masao asks "You're kidding...coming!?" "Coming!" Masao goes up to Kyoko in a fluster "Kidding, kidding, kidding! Coming!?" Kyoko calmly replies "What...always here anyway..." Masao scrunches up the newspaper Kyoko's reading "This is not the time for leisurely reading of the newspaper!" "What!?" "Am I weird?" "You're weird all year round..." "Are you & I really blood related!? You could look up to me a bit more, respect me...says 'oni-chan, you're really cool..." Suddenly they both hear Sachi at the front door "Good afternoon!" Kyoko smiles "She's here!" & Masao goes back to the living room nervously, facing the family alter & putting his hands together. Kyoko looks at her brother strangely "What are you doing?" Sachi walks into the room & Kyoko greets her "Welcome, welcome, come on in...but you're already in..." Sachi looks awkwardly at Masao, the both of them mutter greetings to each other. Masao finally says "Ah, that..." Sachi goes "Eh?" Masao asks a little strangely "Tea, make some tea? Or coffee..." Sachi awkwardly replies "Ah, I'll do it..." Masao adds "Over there...there's some 'hakurai' (imported) cookies too..." Kyoko starts laughing "Oni-chan! No one says 'hakurai' these days! Like an old man!" looking at Sachi but Sachi doesn't laugh, just quietly replies "I might have a cookie..." Kyoko says "What?" Masao gives a little laugh "I'm going out to buy something..." leaving the room. Kyoko, not quite understanding, looks at Sachi "What? What? What?......Ah! What happened?" Sachi looks at Kyoko, a smile slowing appearing on her face. Kyoko says in shock "You're kidding?! When......?"

At the photo shoot, Shuji fixes a model's hair asking someone "Do you have a blower here?" "Yes..." "Could I borrow it please..." 

Back stage, the magazine editor says to Takumi "Shuji's been really great recently, doing all this styling for various magazines..." Takumi replies with a smile "Just like the magazine editor! You've noticed!" She adds "Yeah...working on a model is great but I'd like him to appear in person too...he's really cool..." Takumi agrees "That's true...that's really like Shuji..." 

Shuji calls "Takumi!" "Yes!" "Hair wax or hair gum, bring either over..." "Hair wax or hair gum...there's no hair gum?" "No..."

"...then?" Kyoko in her room, questions Sachi closely. Sachi replies "Then I told him that I understand him more that he realizes, & started crying..." "Then?" "Then?" "Then why didn't you at that moment...why didn't you grab him tightly at that moment?" "No one does that nowadays!" "You're not aggressive enough..." Sachi retorts "Who are you to say..."  sitting on the bed. Kyoko adds "But I'm seeing someone too!" Sachi reaches out for a cookie "Oh, really?" Kyoko turns solemn & Sachi goes "Eh? Gloomy?" "...telephone number..." "yeah?" "I've told him..." "Oh..." "You kept saying to tell him, tell him...he asked so that's why I told him..." Sachi merely grunts a reply, munching on a cookie, not really paying attention to what Kyoko's saying. Kyoko tells her "Sachi...when you're talking about yourself & then listening to others, the look on your face is different..." "Is that so?" "Forget it, it's mutual..." "So...what about the telephone number?" "...as if I didn't tell him..." "How come?" "He hasn't called...asking for telephone numbers or e-mail addresses, one would usually call or send out a message..." "Oh..." "...usually the case, right..." says Kyoko, both girls deep in thought, munching on the cookies. Suddenly Sachi asks "Kyoko, you do e-mail?" "No..."

At a pachinko parlor, Masao washes up muttering to himself "What should I do?" Walking up to a machine, he takes out his wallet...

Outside the Machidaya store, Sachi says "Thanks for dinner..." Kyoko's parents tell her "Come again anytime..." "This time we haven't got anything for you to take back with you..." Sachi replies "It's ok..." Masao takes something out of his pocket "I do! It's just some little thing..." "Oni-chan!" says Kyoko but Sachi takes it "Thank you..." Kyoko adds "Ah, oni-chan, walk Sachi to the station..." "Eh?" Sachi shakes her head at Kyoko who smiles back at her. Yoshio agrees "That's true, a girl alone at night, it's dangerous...walk her to the station..."

Masao, in a fluster, walks at a quick pace ahead of Sachi who's trying to keep up. Suddenly he turns around "Ah! Am I walking too quickly?" "Eh?" "Uhm, no...usually guys walk faster...I've seen girls saying 'slow down'..." They start walking at a slower pace now & Sachi asks "Movie?" "No...what is it...maybe in manga (comics) that you might have read..." "Manga?" "...maybe..." "You read those too?" "No...I...when I'm free, I just flip through that manga called 'Poi'...but I don't read it, not at all..." Sachi smiles "Kuramochi Fusako..." Masao replies excitedly "That one's good! What was it...Tokyo Cananova..." Sachi smiles at Masao who realizes he's been taken in. Sachi says "Sorry..." "It's ok..." "This is fine..." "Eh?" "Walking speed..." "Ah..." "But...can you walk a little slower?" "Eh?" "That way it'll take longer to the station...& we can be together a little longer..." Masao suddenly stops & Sachi awkwardly says "Sorry! This is too direct isn't it...this is hardly dignified, can't control myself..." walking off embarrassed. Masao says "That time..." Sachi stops "Yes?" "That time when you cried, it's been on my mind all this while..." "oh..." "By any chance...by any chance...sorry!" "Yes?" "If I say something to offend you, a thousand apologies! Uhm...do you...like me......?" Sachi looks at Masao, finally plucking up the courage "Ah...like you very much...but then it's ok...that is that, this is this...you're Kyoko's brother & that's not going to change...that's why...it doesn't matter..." Masako suddenly pulls something out of his pocket & gives it to Sachi "Here...actually I got it playing pachinko...no...I didn't know how to face you when you came so I went to the pachinko parlor...if you don't mind, I want you to have it...it's perfume..." Sachi hesitates "...I don't use perfume...but thank you...the bottle's pretty, I'll use it for decoration..." Masao replies "It's ok, ok...I'll give it to mom..." "I wonder if she'll use it..." Masao looks uncomfortable & Sachi tells him "Sorry..." "It's ok..." Sachi quietly says "Then, in place of the perfume..." "Eh?" "...in place of the perfume...can I touch you...?...can I touch you?" "...yes..." Hesitatingly, Sachi reaches out & touches Masao's chest "...if it's ok, can you hold me?" Masao gentle puts his arms around her, holding her to him. Sachi murmurs "I'm really happy..." "You smell good..." Sachi laughs "That so? Shampoo I guess..." Masao replies "Next time I'll get shampoo...if I win at Pachinko..." Sachi laughs, happy to be in Masao's arms...

As Sachi prepares to close up the library & getting ready to leave for the night, Kyoko's cell phone rings. Surprised, Kyoko says "It's mine..." & empties her bag to look for her phone. Sachi points to the chair "It's there..." Kyoko picks it up "Hello...ah, hi...eh?" Shuji, outside Hot Lip talking on his cell phone replies "...that's why after the haircut, there'll be a magazine photo shoot..." "Oh I see...but it's work, can't be helped...it's ok...speaking of which, remember we spoke about taking photographs, I was thinking of going to the shopping center to the camera store..." Kyoko speaks excitedly but Shuji cuts her off "I'm sorry, customer's waiting for me..." "Ok..." replies Kyoko, surprised to hear Shuji hang up abruptly. Kyoko looks at Sachi waiting for her "Sachi, I now know what cell phones are for. Whenever, wherever, you can always get a hold of the other party & cancel a date..." Sachi sighs "...it's not for the sake of talking about love..." Kyok nods "Not for that..."

At Hot Lip, Shuji finishes a cut on a model & Takumi comes up to him "Looks cute..." "Not bad...not bad..." the both of them look in the mirror, smiling...

Shuji looks at his appointments for the following month "40 people in one day!?" Mayumi tells him "Boss said to do it..." Shuji gets his breakfasts out from his bag "But that means 15 minutes per person! Why to that extent?! It's not a royal princess's wedding!" Shuji retorts in a huff. At that moment, the boss walks in & makes an announcement "I've got good news today..." Shuji goes over & listens, offering to share his breakfast to Takumi. The boss tells them "Next month, we'll be doing a 'live' at a live house in Asabu..." Satoru asks "A 'live'...?" "Hot Lip Live...cutting & styling on stage...it's an event..." Everyone gets excited over the news except Shuji who sits glumly alone, eating his breakfast...

At the cafe, Kyoko reads alone, waiting. Suddenly Takumi walks in "Hello..." & Kyoko looks surprised to see him "Ah...hello..." Takumi apologizes on Shuji's behalf "Sorry, Shuji's still working..." The waitress comes in "Welcome..." & Takumi tells her "Coffee..." "Can I sit?" "Uhm..." Takumi takes a sit & tells her "I'm here to tie you down..." "Tie me down?" "So you don't get tired of waiting..." "I'm fine...go back to work..." "It's alright, I already told them...besides, anything happens, there'll be someone to help out...ah, where's your wheelchair?" Kyoko points to the wheelchair by the wall "Over there..." Takumi nods "Oh..." smiling at Kyoko, who returns it, a touch awkwardly...

Waiting for Shuji, the both of them talk...the waitress comes by with refills...Takumi makes a phone call to Shuji...Kyoko continues reading...Takumi tiredly flips through a magazine yawning "This is strange...he should be here by now..." Kyoko looks at her watch "You've stayed over an hour with me, it's enough..." Takumi digs into his pocket "I'll call him...ah, he's turned it off...important customer...it's an actress Namiki Yukari...said she wanted Shuji to cut her hair...isn't that something..." "It's great, Namiki Yukari..." "Do you know her?" "I do..." Shuji finally arrives "Sorry!" Takumi gets up "Then I'm going..." Shuji asks "Why? Have something to eat...haven't eaten have you..." Takumi pulls Shuji aside "She's been waiting for an hour & a half...you're going to be killed..." Shuji looks at his watch & nodding, Takumi leaves, Kyoko telling him "Bye...", Shuji saying "Thank you..." Left alone together, Shuji gingerly sits down across from her, giving her an awkward smile. Kyoko returns a forced smile & Shuji picks up the magazine Pia from the table reading a caption on the cover "...'What will happen at the Academy Awards this year'...what do you think?"

At a movie theatre, Kyoko looks at a sleeping Shuji beside her & puts her coat over him. After the movie, Shuji carries her out & back to her wheelchair. Wheeling her out but seeing the elevator full of people, Shuji says "Let's take the next one..." "ok..." Finally coming out of the theatre, with a practiced hand, Shuji maneuvers Kyoko down steps & pushes her along. Heads turn to watch them go by but Shuji appears not to notice. Hesitatingly, Kyoko murmurs "...somehow...somehow..." Shuji asks "What?" but Kyoko changes her mind "Nothing..." not saying anything after all...

At the Big Boy family restaurant, Shuji says "Although I thought going to the Futago Dama restaurant but its so late now..." Kyoko merely nods "Uhm..." Shuji looks at the menu "What to eat...ah, Big Boy Hamburger Steak..." Kyoko hesitating says "...somehow..." "Hm?" "What I wanted to say just now...did you notice people watching?" Shuji nonchalantly replies "Really? It's just your imagination..." Kyoko looks at him "They were looking..." Shuji tells her "Because a nice girl is with a nice guy..." Kyoko doesn't reply & the waitress comes along "Have you decided on your order?" Shuji replies "Yes...a Big Boy Hamburger Steak &......a beer...& you?" Kyoko looks at the menu "I'll have this..." "wafuu (Japanese style) Hamburger..." "I'll repeat your order...one Big Boy hamburger steak set, one beer & one wafuu hamburger...is that all?" "Yes..." A group of schoolgirls sitting at another table nearby laugh loudly & Shuji says to Kyoko "Coming to a place like this..." Kyoko replies "It's my fault..." Shuji doesn't reply & awkwardness descends between the both of them again, both of them taking a sip of their water at the same time. Shuji says "The movie was interesting wasn't it?" Kyoko retorts immediately "You fell asleep!" Shuji doesn't say anything & Kyoko tries to explain "I wasn't serious...you say something I just reply..." "Really..." The waitress comes by with Kyoko's dinner "Sorry to keep you waiting...the wafuu hamburger steak..." Shuji tells Kyoko "Go ahead & start, mine will be here soon..." At that moment, the group of school girls walk by them & one of them bumps into Kyoko. Kyoko self consciously touches the wheels of her wheelchair & Shuji suggest "Sit over there?" pointing at the seat across from him. Kyoko replies "It's ok, it's just a bother..." The waitress comes back with Shuji's dinner "Big Boy hamburger steak..." "It's here...ah, beer!" "Coming..." "Alright..." They both start "Let's eat..." Shuji reaches for the salt shaker "Salt?"

"What's this!? Terrible..." Shuji looks at the heavy rain as they come out of the restaurant "What shall we do? It's raining, raining..." As they wonder what to do, a waitress comes out with an umbrella "Please take this..." "Thank you..." Shuji says "The car's this way right?" Kyoko nods "Uhm..." Shuji tells her "First lend me your keys..." opening the umbrella & going to get the car grumbling "What a bother..." leaving Kyoko alone waiting at the entrance of the restaurant. Kyoko's voiceover comes on...

　

If I were normal...if I were a normal woman...

the two of us would be under the umbrella & running to the car park together...

& if we could be together arm in arm, just fooling around...

then even falling asleep halfway during the movie, 

even having to go to a family restaurant instead of Italian...

that would've at least made up for this disaster of a date....

　

...even the rain that's become a beautiful stage prop for lovers...to me, it's a fatal wound......

　

たとえば私が、普通だったら、普通の女の人だったりしたら、
あの傘の中に二人で入って、駐車場まで二人で走ったりするんだろう．．．
それで、ちょっと腕なんか組んだりして、ふざけあったりすれば、
途中で寝られちゃった映画も、イタリアンがファミレスになっちゃったことも、
このデートの失敗はみんな帳消しになるのかもしれないのに．．．

恋人たちの素敵な小道具になる雨も、私にとっては致命傷だ．．．

Shuji drives up & helps Kyoko into the drivers seat, holding out the umbrella over her "Are you ok? Ah, I'll put this in the back..." grabbing her wheelchair & putting it in the back seat. Getting in the front seat, Shuji asks "Could you drop me off at the Ebisu Station?" "Uhm..." Shuji's phone starts ringing & he mutters "ok, ok, ok..." Putting his seatbelt on & answering the phone at the same time "Hello...ah, how are you...no...just now? Really? That's great, great! I'll watch it, hang in there! Bye..." Kyoko asks "Who was that?" driving off. "The actress I did the haircut for earlier today...about to start filming so she was worried if her image was alright...but her manager likes it so that's great..." Stopping at a junction Kyoko says "Namiki Yukari?" "Eh? Did I tell you?" "Takumi did..." Shuji looking out for cars says "Ah, alright, alright...go..."

As they drive off, Kyoko says "That's really something, getting a call from someone like that..." "It's no big deal..." As they pull up at a red light, Kyoko says "It's like it's different..." "What is?" "The worlds...the worlds we live in..." "What are you saying?" "You're brilliant...doing actresses' hair, appearing in magazines...a famous person..." "I am not famous..." "I'm merely a librarian..." Shuji looks annoyed at Kyoko "I've never ever thought that...a librarian's job is even harder than I imagined. From the moment I started going out with you that's what I've learnt...you're doing it with pride too aren't you? On the contrary, being a hairstylist...you think that's stupid?" Shuji turns up the volume of the radio as Kyoko retorts "What!? Of course not..." "If that's not it, then you wouldn't have picked such a complicated movie..." "It's not complicated, it's a good movie...only you fell asleep..." "...'First run showing' films...those will make anyone sleepy..." "But the both of us have already seen Matrix..." Shuji gets irritated "Enough already, I know..." Kyoko retorts "If that's enough than don't say anymore..." Shuji replies with exasperation "You're the one that started this!" Kyoko says half pouting "So it's different after all...the world...you can walk, I can't..." Shuji stares out into the rain & then with a tired sigh "So we're back at square one..." Kyoko says "Just now you said it was a bother..." Shuji looks at her "Huh?" "When you were going to bring the car around..." "I did not......ah, no, I meant the rain..." "Really? I didn't hear it that way..." Shuji replies getting fed up "Wait a minute...I can't say things like that? Things are a bother...huh? You're being damn sensitive...you're the one who hates it & yet doing it yourself..." Kyoko looks at him "That I'm trying to get sympathy?" Shuji replies "You think you're so special don't you...." "You don't have to talk like that...can't you be nicer..." "I've been nice enough..." "You call that nice!?" "Then again showing off being nice to you, you don't like that either!" "I hate it if you're forced to be nice to me!" "Then what do you want me to do!? I don't have what it takes to fulfill your wishes..." Shuji unbuckles his seatbelt & gets out of the car, telling her "The light's green already..." Shuji runs in the rain to the station, leaving Kyoko alone in the car...

(-= CJ =- Kyoko does a good job of irritating me to death here.....what a spoilt BRAT!!)

Miyama comes by the library "Kyoko! Hello..." Kyoko smiles "Going through Gankutsu Ou? Ah, I'll lend this to you...Kaitei Ni Man Ri (2000 leagues under the Sea)...it's interesting...it's my own but I'll lend it to you..." "No, I'm not here to borrow books today...I brought someone who wants to see you..." Kyoko looks up at him "Eh?"

Miyama wheels Kyoko out of the library & she looks around "Who?" A guy on a wheelchair turns around to see them coming towards him & with a wave & smile says "Hello..." Kyoko looks in surprise "Te-chan! Hurry hurry!" excitedly telling Miyama to push her faster. Kyoko says "Haven't seen you in a long time!" "You look great!" "I'm fine...what about you?" "Uhm..." "Are you still playing basketball?" "No, busy with work..." "Work? What are you doing?" Miyama interrupts "Standing around & talking here...ah, not 'standing' is it..." Kosugi Tetsuya laughs & Miyama apologizes "Sorry..." Kyoko laughing with them...

The three of them adjourn to the canteen & as he moves 2 chairs out of the way for Kyoko & Kosugi, Miyama tells Kyoko "So that's it...working as a volunteer, I met Kosugi...when I heard about his high school, it was same as Kyoko's..." Kosugi adds "Brings back memories...how many years has it been?" Kyoko says "But it doesn't feel like it's been years...it's like we just said "Bye bye" yesterday & then meeting again today..." Kosugi laughs "Really?" Miyami says "But then classmates?" Kosugi tells him "Kyoko was a real tomboy..." Miyama retorts "Even now too..." Kyoko interrupts "Wait a minute...hey, what are you working as now? You were really good at studying...are you a lawyer or something? Did you go to college in the end?" Kosugi takes a sip of his coffee & tells her "You're the one that was good at studying...I got into Waseda University...now I'm working in an architectural firm..." Kyoko looks at him "Wow, cool...an architect?" Miyama adds "We're working together...Kosugi's designing a home for the disabled..." Kosugi tells her "It's more a hobby than assignment, that's a little different..." Kyoko says with admiration "That's really something..." "The office is nearby..." "Aoyama?" "Uhm...I absolutely didn't know you were working in this library..." "You've really grown up..." "Eh? You're saying that I'm an old man?" Kyoko laughs shaking her head "We were only 17, 18 then right?" Kosugi nods looking at her "You've become beautiful..." Kyoko laughs "There you go again..." & then turns to Miyama "Sorry, we got carried away..." Miyama replies "No, how shall I put it...it feels really good...I feel happy too..." "Eh?" "After all being with old friends, you feel at ease don't you..." Kyoko thinks & then adds "& the fact that we're both in wheelchairs?" Kosugi adds "Well, maybe that too..." Kyoko smiles but deep in her heart, thinking about Shuji...

Shuji rides to the library in a hurry just as Miyama, Kyoko & Kosugi go into the library grounds outside. Kyoko looks back "You were talking behind my back weren't you..." "Sorry..." the guys reply. Shuji pulls up, parking his bike in the usual spot next to Kyoko's car. As he heads towards the library, he hears Kyoko talking with the guys & turns to look "There's an old man that only borrows manga..." "Really?" "Unbelievable old man!" "Old man!?" "Is there an old lady?" "No..." "But there's manga in the library?" "Of course! What are you saying?" "Really?" "Yes!" Shuji sees Kyoko laughing with the guys, a happy smiling face that he didn't see once on their date the night before...

Back at the counter in the library, Sachi hands Kyoko a magazine "Shuji said to pass this to you..." Kyoko looks at it "What's this?" Sachi replies "He's probably in it or something..." going back to her place. Kyoko flips through the pages "Hmmm...got a bad feeling about this..." "Eh? What's that?" "Appearing in magazines...I wonder if he's just trying to show off to me, I'm just simply working in a library..." Sachi comes up & put her hands on Kyoko's shoulders "...Kyoko, you're becoming unpleasant...I'm sure he just wanted you to see his work..." "If that's the case, then he could've spoken to me..." replies Kyoko, looking at a picture of Shuji in the magazine...

At Hot Lip, Shuji & Satoru work side by side, silence between Shuji & his customer, Satoru chatting with his. The girl Satoru's working on says "...live performance is the first time..." "Really?" "...seen it on TV a lot..." Satoru finishes the cut & says to his assistant "Shampoo please..." & as he moves out of the way, he bumps into Shuji. Both guys exchange glances but neither say a word...

In the staff room later where everyone's gathered to talk about the live event, Shuji voices his objection "...that's why I said I don't understand..." Satoru butts in "Just becoming a top stylist & you're going against the boss..." Shuji tells him off "Don't interrupt..." The boss asks "What's eating you?" Shuji retorts "Why do we have to rent live house & do an event?" Mayumi replies "That's to build up the image of Hot Lip isn't it?" Shuji bites back "What image?" Satoru tells him "That's why we're doing a hair show at a club...getting cute girls on stage & cutting their hair, getting a DJ to spin records & everyone gets into the swing of things...that's not bad..." Takumi asks "Do we have the money for that?" Mayumi looks at him "Huh?" Takumi explains "Getting a DJ & models..." Mayumi replies "& reservations for Player too..." Shuji asks Takumi "What do you think?" "Well, I agree with you that it's got nothing to do with hair styling but...wouldn't it be cool? Raising the image (position) of a hair stylist, holding an event at a live house...like holding it in "Budoukan" would be different, think it's cool..." Shuji says "It's the same thing..." Satoru asks "Why are you against it?" "In the first place, we're in the business of cutting hair for people, why do have to show that?" Sataru sarcastically says "That's stoic...getting a girl in a wheelchair, appearing in magazine & you never thought about that huh..." purposely hitting on Shuji's sore point. Shuji snipes back "Perhaps...but then again there's no need to brandish your scissors about in the air either, you're not spinning records..." Satoru replies "Don't complain about the way other people work..." the atmosphere between the both of them deteriorating rapidly. The boss puts his hand on Satoru's shoulder & says "The both of you will appear, the both of you are the stars of Hot Lip. Mayumi too, as a female stylist she's popular as well. Doing this event will get a lot of notice & we can realize our dream about a 2nd salon...get more customers..." Shuji protests "Wait a minute, now it's 15 minutes a person! If the number increases, how are we going to cope?" The boss replies "Then you can do it in 10 minutes..." ending the discussion. Shuji nods, obviously not pleased. The boss continues "Then let's make a decision...those in favor of doing it at Player, raise your hand..." Everyone raises their hands & Takumi, giving a glance at Shuji, then raises his hand as well. All except Shuji. The boss says "That's great, everyone into it...then next month on the 12th...all right, dismissed..." Everyone leaves the room excitedly, talking about the event except Shuji & Mayumi. As the boss leaves, he says to Shuji "You're not allowed to be absent..." Shuji mutters "Just the boss saying a few words, everyone raises their hands afraid..." Mayumi tells him "That's not it...couldn't you feel it? Everyone's really excited & looking forward to the Hot Lip event...you're now a top stylist, you should try to understand them, the young assistants..." Shuji retorts "So what if I understand their feelings? It's stupid..." Mayumi says quietly "Shuji, lately you've been rather proud (looking down on others)...just dashing ahead by yourself...in any case, our job needs 'team work' too..." Shuji nods "I never thought that you'd lecture me..." walking off, not in the least bit interested...

Shuji comes out of Hot Lip, gets on his bike & goes home. Coming into his apartment, he checks his voicemail on his cell phone "There are no new messages..." Switching it off, he tosses it on his bed...

In her bedroom, Kyoko flips through the magazine Shuji brought for her. Next to a picture of a model is Shuji's photo & profile. Putting it on the bed, Kyoko goes to her dressing table & picks up her cell phone. Pressing a button, Shuji's name appears on screen. With a sigh, she puts it back down...

Driving to work one morning & stopping at a traffic light, Kyoko notices Takumi handing out flyers to people on the street. "Excuse me, this is Hot Lip's live event...please come..." Kyoko pulls up alongside & sounds the car horn to get his attention. Takumi sees her & goes up to her car "Kyoko! Good morning!" Kyoko grins "Good morning! Chasing girls?...no, looking for models?" Takumi replies "Nope, this..." handing her a flyer. Kyoko takes it, reading it "Hair Groove..." Takumi explains "They'll be performing on stage...you'll come for sure won't you..." Kyoko looks at him "Eh?" "Shuji performing on stage..." Kyoko nods, not replying & Takumi tells her "You have to come...gotta go..." leaving her alone reading the flyer...

At a rehearsal at Player, Satoru's deciding on the light settings "Excuse me, try the B design please...oh..." An assistant runs up "Satoru, all the models are here..." "I'll be right there..." "We'll be waiting..." "Excuse me, go back to the other design..." Sitting on some stairs watching uninterestedly, Shuji smokes a cigarette. Mayumi says to him as she walks by "Might as well resign yourself to all this..."

At the library, Sachi looks at the Hot Lip Groove 2000 flyer & asks Kyoko "Didn't you hear anything about it?" "Well, haven't seen him for a while..." "You're not going?" "I don't really know what 'live' is...don't even know whether it's a place I can go to or not..." "I can go with you..." "Eh? Really?" "Yes..." "But don't you have a date with my brother?" "I'll just give him a call, it'll be ok if I'm a little late..." "But that's not so nice..." "This is a good chance to make up with him...just go & say congratulations..." Kyoko finally nods...

In the car, Kyoko says "I don't think these are appropriate...these flowers..." Sachi replies "Eh?" "It's a live event...this is Player..." "That's right..." "Let's not..." "You right, let's not..." replies Sachi, putting the flowers in the back seat. Kyoko looks at her wheelchair in the backseat "Speaking of which, the wheelchair's out of place too..." Sachi tells her "That shouldn't be a problem...after all, Takumi invited you didn't he..." "I wonder if he thought about it to that extent..."

Sachi pushes Kyoko towards Player & at the entrance, Kyoko says "It's as I thought..." looking at the flight of stairs going down into Player. Sachi tells her "Wait her for a bit..." disappearing down the stairs. Some people arrive to find Kyoko in the way "Excuse me..." & Kyoko moves away "Sorry..." looking about rather self-consciously...

Sachi comes running back up the stairs with Takumi "Welcome..." Sachi explains "I asked him to help..." Takumi tells her "We're just about to start..." Kyoko says apologetically "Sorry..."

As Takumi pushes Kyoko into Player, a few of the other assistants tell people to "Please excuse us..." making way for Kyoko. Takumi tells her "Over there..." Kyoko tells them "Here...if you can lift it..." The guys lift Kyoko in the wheelchair up onto a platform where she can see what's going on. Kyoko tells them "Thank you very much..." & Takumi replies "Enjoy yourself..." before getting back to work. Kyoko looks anxiously towards the stage, seeing all the models posing & Shuji, leaning against the wall, looking bored. Takumi comes up on stage & whispers to Shuji that Kyoko's arrive & Shuji looks around for her. Finding her & exchanging looks, Shuji gives a hint of a smile before looking away...

From a section above, the boss of Hot Lip sits at a table with some people "What do you think of Shuji's cut?"

On stage, Mayumi tells everyone "Let's give a round of applause to Satoru & Shuji who will be creating great hairstyles today..." 

As the crowd applauds, Sachi shouts into Kyoko's ear "This is fantastic!" 

The stage clears, leaving only Satoru taking center stage while Shuji stands off to the side, the unwilling participant. Satoru says to the crowd "Thank you for coming here today..." 

Sachi says to Kyoko "That's the Airly Shaggy Satoru right?" 

Sataoru continues "Today, there will be an attraction...we'll be getting someone from the crowd to come up here...& whoever that person is, we'll cut that person's hair!" Shuji looks absolutely fed up but forced to be there, listens to Satoru as he says "But then, just picking one's own model is boring so let's pick each other's models instead...how about it?" The crowd applauds as Satoru adds "I'll pick a model for that person over there that doesn't feel like doing this...& he'll pick a model for me...how about it?" Shuji finally says "Don't just do as you please..." Satoru plays along "Cool...putting on a mike for the first time & first thing he says is 'Don't do as you please...'...cool & shy & cute..." getting the crowd all excited. Satoru says "So what shall we do? Yes or no? Or, if the both of us do the haircuts & the difference shows...afraid?" taunting Shuji. Shuji takes a couple of steps forward & mutters "Alright...do it..." 

Sachi whispers to Kyoko "Is Shuji posing? Being made to do it? Is it real?" Kyoko doesn't answer Sachi's question, instead saying "I think I'll go back after all, I don't feel comfortable here..." "Eh? Let's watch a little bit more..." 

On stage, Shuji points out to a girl in the crowd "That girl over there...yes, that girl in brown..." Everyone applauds as Satoru says "Really cute! Please come up on stage..." 

Kyoko tells Sachi again "I'm going back..." "You're serious? Alright, wait a second, I'll get help..." 

On stage, Satoru glances around in the crowd "Shuji's model for the cut...that girl..." Shuji looks to where Satoru's pointing. The light falls onto Sachi & Kyoko as Satoru says "The girl who's about to leave..." 

Sachi points to herself but Satoru says "Sorry, not you, her... the one in red..." Kyoko looks at her red coat & Satoru says "You're the one I've chosen! Please come up on stage!" The crowd applauds as Kyoko looks around stunned, turning to look at Shuji on stage. 

Shuji looking upset, throws an annoyed glance at Satoru that says "What the hell are you doing!?" & then looks at Kyoko, unable to do anything.....