Takemoto reluctantly returns home for the New Year and meets Kazuo, his step-father.

In the second part of the episode, the gang takes a road trip to a hot spring using the money won from a lottery ticket.

Everyone is working late preparing their exhibits for the school festival including Hagumi, who has trouble with her wax work. She later finds a white broach that someone had made for her. The broach is quite similar to the one she had doodled on her notebook. Hagumi also gets a job to help Yamada sell Christmas goodies at her family store but they have to compete with a new supermarket that has opened nearby.

Takemoto views the map the night before he starts traveling the next morning. He comes across a store near a school, and ends up eating sweet rolls. The store owner talks to him about her time in America, offering him some corn for the trip afterward. Takemoto reminisces about the time he wished he could go to America with his father. Not paying attention, he falls off his bicycle, but manages to get back on and continues on his journey back to the apartment. When he arrives home, he goes to see Hagu. Professor Hanamoto goes to see Hagu shortly after, but finds out ...

Miwako discusses about Ayumi's work in pottery, complimenting on her work. They go to a spa and resort to celebrate her accomplishment. Ayumi later notices that Miwako was trying to cheer her up, causing her to cry. Nomiya becomes worried that she is staying at Miwako's house. The next day Yūta is infuriated that Shinobu out his bread. However, Hagu offers to share some of her bread with him. Yūta declines, and Shinobu eats her bread instead. Soon after, Shinobu receives a call from Kaoru. Kaoru asks Shinobu to do one more job, which he hesitantly accepts. Yūta wants to get driver's license as soon as possible in order to work full-time with the carpenters he had met from his journey. Yūta asks Takumi why he still lives at the apartment, and Takumi says he is saving money for Rika. Ayumi waits in the Fujiwara Design Office for Miwako, but Nomiya unexpectedly visits. Ayumi starts to develop feelings for Nomiya.

After spending the night with Shinobu, Hagu wakes up and sees her right hand swollen, frightening her. Shinobu takes her back to the hospital, meeting up with Shūji. Yūta encounters Shinobu outside the hospital. Yūta takes Shinobu to Hagu place, questioning himself if Hagu will be able to paint again. Shūji visits Hagu again, and Hagu asks if Shūji can give up his life for her, and Shūji reluctantly accepts. Hagu reminisces about the time she was with Shūji when she was younger. Shūji was always with her. Yūta and Shinobu wake up early in the morning. Yūta and Shinobu soon begin to fight over Hagu, but soon reconcile. Shinobu delivers a box to Shūji, but Shūji only takes some money and gives the box back to Shinobu. Shūji admits his love for Hagu.