Shiori is back home recounting the encounter to Akio while playing a rubix cube, how unexpected that a guy like Haranishi would ask her about such stuff. At first she was so nervous, but because of his sister, they actually greeted each other. Haranishi apparently is super strong in judo, being of national standard. Shirori thinks in her head it would have been nice if she could also boast about her suave brother. She asks Akio if she is bothering him as he does the family accounts, which he says no, as such things are fairly straightforward. He offers to teach her how to do it, so that in the future where she lives alone or has her own family she would know what to do. But she declines saying it too bothersome. Even cooking is troublesome to her, and in comparison she prefers cleaning, she tells Akio as she rolls on his floor. Akio warns her that she can’t sleep there. “I like the nights where I can spend time in Akio’s room like this, next to Akio as he chats with me and reads his manga.” Shiori challenges Akio to reaching behind his back, with both his hands in a prayer position. Then he challenges her to doing a split. “It would be nice if this could last a life time.”
The next day in school, Haranishi greets Shiori good morning, and so do some other classmates. Chika’s clique looks on but says nothing. The clique eats at a donut shop. They point out the change in Shiori, like how in the past, she would have treated all these “plain” people as idiots. Chika lies to them that Shiori’s acting skills are superb. Ona questions Chika’s statement, for it has been such a long time since the accident, and by now there is no merit in her pretending to be suffering from memory loss. Chika is offended and accuses Ona of trusting Shiori more than her. She states how everyone thinks Shiori is still lying too anyway. Ona points out that the current Chika is becoming very Shiori-of-the-past-ish. Chika asks for explanation of that statement. The other girl tries to break up the fight before it escalates further. Ona brings up the time when rumours of Shiori prostituting herself were going around, and Chika was crying, telling them that it is actually true, but Shiori told her not to discuss about it. She says it was true that Shiori often switched boyfriends to her fancy, and because she didn’t care about others, there was a sense of discomfort. Then, because it was Shiori’s best friend, Chika was saying that she believed it, but the truth is she heard the rumour from Chika personally. Chika with an angelic smile on her face, tells her such thin eyes don’t suit blonde hair. Ona corrects herself- it is not that Shiori had a good personality, but she definitely wasn’t as petty as Chika, and leaves. The next morning Ona greets Shiori in passing, and starts to hang out with other people in the class, leaving Chika alone with the other girl.
Yuusuke reminds Kai that the 25th is approaching. Kai doesn’t know what is happening on the 25th and Yuusuke has to point out to him that it is when the voting results of the Cookie model selection is out. Kai is impressed by Yuusuke’s memory and starts to think of the future that awaits her when she gets in. Yuusuke says Kai doesn’t get it- yes, Shiori is pretty, but she doesn’t seem to have much selfawareness that…
We cut to Shiori at home, thinking that in 4 days the results will be out. She finds it funny that while she thinks she won’t be getting in, she is getting nervous over it. She rolls and rolls on her bed until she falls off. She finds Akio in his room reading, and request to roll on his floor for a while, to which of course he agrees. He offers his new monthly manga magazine to her, which she declines saying she has no mood. Lying face down, she sighs how good tatami feels. Akio looks at his phone’s calendar and knows the coming 25th is bothering her.
Shiori is by the sea when she receives the results. When she first picked up the call, it took a while for it to register in her brain. The editor tells her the results would be published the next day, and she is telling her in advance as she has other things to settle after the publication. And the outcome is… she failed. She thinks to all the encouragement she received in recent days. She politely thanks the editor. Suddenly the editor says “What can I receive?” This puzzles Shiori. The editor tells her that is what she said at the interview, that she had nothing so thinking what she can do, what she can get, she came to the audition. Shiori said no matter what she would have done, as long as she had put in her best effort, it would be good. Now thinking back, she kinds of regret what she said. The editor tells her she was in 7th place and tells them most of the other contestants actually are contracted to model companies and have experience and probably that is the crux.
Shiori calls Akio to tell him of the result. She assures him that she isn’t down and that it would have actually been a miracle if she had got enough votes to qualify for the top 5. Then she tells him she is going home soon.
“The previous me would have more skilfully handled it, the feeling that I have now, is a bit like indigestion.” At school, her supporters each offer their two cents- some thinking big companies manipulated the results, others think the fact she lasted so long in the competition is commendable. Haranishi tells her to cheer up. But her anti- fans say behind her back how shameful it is to have lost. Kai and Yuusuke try to cheer her up by each offering their food to her, Kai bread, Yuusuke pickled radish made from scratch by his grandmother. Kai scolds Yuusuke for being stingy, and Shiori suggest putting the radish into the bread to each. This idea seems to disgust both boys and instantly stops their fight.
The various winners are shown on tv as the family are eating their dinner. Shiori exclaims that she remembers that girl for she stood out among all the cute girls. Then she points out another 2 girls who have super long legs. She comments that one is too skinny and more, showing that she is okay with the results, as Maho observes her.
Akio is in a hotel room with Mizuki. Mizuki tells Akio frankly that she thinks Shiori is hot. Akio thinks she is overrating her, but she is serious. Then she comments how overprotective a brother Akio is, and tells him to take it easy. Akio wants to say something, but Mizuki cuts him, saying that it is lucky that Shiori is his sister, for having such a cute girl at his side all the time, Akio may very well have ended up liking her romantically. It is so hard for her and yet she doesn’t even get an apology. She turns to Akio remembering he wanted to say something, but Akio just smiles and says there was nothing.
Shiroi is walking back from school alone. She thinks to herself. Because of the audition, a lot more people talked to her in school, and that with her loss, she expected things to return as they were before, but unexpectedly people didn’t. She is cheered up by it, but she still feels a sense of emptiness is her heart. She still has feelings for Akio, and wonders what can distract her from it. She thinks about the question the editor quoted her. Indeed it isn’t just about Akio, but also what she wants to do. She doesn’t have memories of studying for an exam or participating in sports day. No memories of herself working hard, feeling satisfied or even having a sense of regret. To her gaining honour as a person, or working towards a dream has no meaning. As Shiori reaches home, the manager guy from a few chapters ago approaches her, introduces himself and tells her he is here to scout her.