Shortly after his graduation, Tomoya decides to be more independent, and works toward this goal by first taking up a job at the bakery. Meanwhile, Nagisa has begun her new school year, although she makes few friends and her attempt to reestablish the theater club ends in failure. Tomoya eventually moves out of Nagisa's home to a small apartment of his own, while taking up a job as an electrician with Yusuke Yoshino. After his first day of work, Tomoya returns to his home completely exhausted, barely able to stay awake during his dinner with Nagisa.

Working has its ups and downs for Tomoya. He does not want his boss to find out that he has an injured shoulder, in fear that he will lose his new job. He promises Nagisa that he will join her at the Founder's Festival, yet work gets busy and while his fellow co-workers would have covered for him, he wanted to prove his worth. He is late for his date, and is starting to become too busy to sustain a healthy relationship with Nagisa. He gains respect with his co-workers and settles into his job.

Yusuke tells Tomoya a little about his past and how he met Kouko in high school. After graduating, Yusuke went on to become a successful singer-songwriter, but ultimately it all came crashing down and he started taking drugs. When he came back to the city and saw Kouko again for the first time in years, he regretted not continuing to sing for her sake. Tomoya is offered a new position as a manager in a new electrician firm, but the deal falls through when his father is arrested. Tomoya is enraged that his father is still managing to mess up his life. Tomoya finally proposes to Nagisa, and she accepts.

Five years after Tomoya left Ushio with Sanae and Akio, he spends his days at work and spending money on smoking and drinking. Sanae and Tomoya go out together into town, and she asks him to go with her and Akio on a family trip; after Sanae continues to ask him, he accepts. The day of the trip, he discovers that both Sanae and Akio have left him and Ushio alone together. The two spend the next day and night together, and when Sanae and Akio still do not show up, Tomoya asks Ushio if she would be willing to still go on a trip, even if it was only with a person like him. The two decide to take the trip by themselves and, as they walk, Tomoya wonders where they are headed.

Ushio's fever does not back down and Tomoya decides to stay home to take care of her. In case he had to leave home, he calls for both Akio and Sanae to take his place. Ushio tells Tomoya that she wants to go on a trip again like last time, but he declines and tells her that it will happen once she gets better. After resigning from his work, Akio offers him some money, but Tomoya declines his kindness and Akio states that every man has something to protect. After several months, winter arrives, and Ushio's fever still does not back down, and Tomoya seems to be getting sick too. Ushio once again ask Tomoya to go on a trip, and he ultimately accepts thinking that he might not be able to fulfill another promised wish. After they leave the house, Ushio's fever worsens, and she dies in his arms right after telling her father that she loves him. Soon after, Tomoya collapses as well.