Episode 45

The love triangle Yuusuke is in with Ayumi and Mariko boiling over and having come to a head is quite an exhibition for the other Akindo members; while she wishes that she could help resolve things, Mikako still has her hands full with her family government as she compares notes with Tsutomu about the whole event during the home commute. Mikako finds that Ruriko has prepared dinner for her when she gets home; while Mikako repulses Ruriko's goodwill dinner, Mariko finds that Shintaro has learned to give as good as he gets when she confronts him over his music that night. The next morning, Mikako sets out on her own after leaving behind a note and a meal for Ruriko; while Tsutomu prosecutes a scavenger hunt all over the city for Mikako, Ayumi is killing time with her dog Masshu after leaving Shintaro and P-chan to continue work on the studio. The ironic deus ex machina is that Shintaro's frustration at the whole situation with Akindo forcing him to do all the work prompting him to walk off the job becomes the forum for Mariko and Ayumi to resolve their differences once Masshu does a »Shintaro« on Ayumi. Mariko and Ayumi working together much to Yuusuke's surprise, Tsutomu eventually finding Mikako to deliver a stern admonition against her subterfuge, Mikako confessing that she has given up on her parents . . . those things ultimately do nothing to assuage the shock of Ruriko discovering Mikako's signature at Hirohiko's exhibit using her former surname.