"Trains are currently delayed due to an accident at Ogikubo Station."
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to drag you into this.
Don't worry about it.
I'll wait with you until the trains resume service.
Thank you very much.
Oh... Hello?
Sorry, the trains are delayed.
But I'll be home soon.
Yup... I'm fine. Thanks.
My little sister was worried about me.
You have a younger sister?
Yes. I have three siblings.
What? I have three siblings, too!
Wow... I've never met anyone else with three siblings before!
I feel very relieved now.
I just started school and I still have a lot to learn.
I was worried about interning for Mr. Yanagida.
I'm not confident about my skills and experience with people.
But now I have one less thing to worry about!
Miss Kokoro, are you aiming to become both a model and a designer?
Huh?
Shoot, what am I saying?
That must be a very sensitive topic for her...
My dream... was to become a model...
But... I got really nervous at my first fashion show.
Then, the brand's designer walked up to me...
Move your legs and walk normally as if you were walking around town.
Let my clothes lead you down the runway.
Yes...
Her words were so inspiring...
She influenced me to dream about becoming a designer.
That's why I enrolled at Geika.
That's amazing. That designer seems great, too.
May I ask who it was?
Oh. She's actually quite famous.
She was at the exhibition, too. Her name is Mai Ayano.
Wait... The top designer...?!
Miss Kokoro's first fashion show
was for the top designer of Japan?!
She's my inspiration.
Miss Kokoro... She must be a truly talented model.
"Smile Down the Runway"
"Geika Fashion School"
"Episode 5: Individual Styles"
Welcome to the Geika Festival information session.
Let's get right into it, shall we?
I'd like to start by announcing this year's grand prize.
The winner will receive support to launch their own brand
and the opportunity to study abroad in Paris!
Wow.
That pretty much covers everything.
The preliminaries will start next week.
That's all for today!
Paris... If I win... Even I could...
Oh, Ikuto!
Huh?
So, tell me about your helper, Kokoro.
What do you mean?
She's not the strongest player, is she?
What?
But let me tell you. That girl's got potential.
She masters everything she learns by the next day.
I see...
Take care of Kokoro for me, okay?
Just come with me.
--You're done playing school.
--I'm sorry... I'm sorry...! --You're done playing school.
Huh?
Quit acting like a brat!
Miss Kokoro?!
I'm sorry... I'm sorry...
--Don't think you can just apologize.
--What are you doing?! --Don't think you can just apologize.
--What are you doing?! --Huh?
Who the heck are you?
That's what I want to know. Who are you?!
That one...
I manage that model right there.
The manager...?!
Like I said, Hasegawa.
This month... You have until this month to quit this school.
--What?! --What?!
You can't make her quit!
This is none of your business, kid.
That one... She's the hope of our agency.
She's 181 cm tall and her inside leg measures 93 cm.
She's our agency's treasured model.
We can't afford to let her escape into a fantasy.
It's impossible.
You'll never be a designer.
You're just pretending that you want to be a designer
because you don't want to model anymore.
It's disrespectful to those who are actually pursuing to become designers.
I'm... serious...
What...? If you have something to say, tell me now.
I'm... sorry...
Miss Kokoro...
Huh?
Huh? What's this...?!
Oh... Huh?
Is that it...?
I'm sorry you had to come all this way.
Oh, it's no big deal.
Did you happen to read what I wrote inside?
Oh! I'm sorry... I...
Um...
When I first started at the model agency...
...I was scared of the other models.
"When I look at you, all my efforts seem pointless."
"Be happy you don't have to work hard."
They said those things to me at my first show.
I dreaded changing in front of everyone.
My mind would draw a blank when I sensed everyone's eyes on me.
I was scared.
That's why...
I couldn't deny it.
You'll never be a designer.
You're just pretending that you want to be a designer.
It's disrespectful to those who are actually pursuing to become designers.
Oh... Huh?
What my manager said was right.
If I liked being a model, maybe I wouldn't want to be a designer.
I'm sorry.
Miss Kokoro.
Oh... Huh?
Ah!
But let me tell you. That girl's got potential.
She masters everything she learns by the next day.
Learn how to handle the Georgette.
A busy month ahead. Set aside time to make clothes.
--Get used to draping!
--I don't understand the pattern of the dress I wore at today's shoot! I need to study more. --Get used to draping!
--I take too much time ironing pleats. --My stitches aren't stable on soft fabrics.
--Study up on page 104 in the "Fashion Design" textbook. --The collar needs to open more beautifully or else the outfit doesn't work.
--How can I make the drape look more beautiful? --Don't be intimidated by Mr. Ayano.
"I want to be a designer."
I want to be a designer.
Disrespectful...? Not at all.
Mr. Ikuto...?
Miss Kokoro!
Huh?
Let's participate in the Geika Festival's fashion show!
What...?
We'll show your manager how talented you are and that you're serious about it!
I'm sorry... I have a hard time following--
Aren't you frustrated?!
Being treated like that?!
Um... I can't find the words right now...
If you want to do something, you should!
If you want to be recognized, you have to take that first step yourself.
That's right. I learned that from someone I respect.
Am I capable... of it...?
Absolutely! Let's show them!
Oh...!
I'll do it.
I'll participate in the Geika Festival, too!
"Hayasaka General Hospital"
Wow, you're going to be in a show, Ikuto?
I'm impressed!
I'll be rooting for you.
Thanks.
Huh?
Your face... You look tired.
Maybe you're working too hard.
I wouldn't say that.
Is it tough?
Not at all.
Are you having fun?
Yup.
It's really fun.
That's my boy!
Now off you go. You don't want to be late.
You're right. I have to go now.
All right. You can do this!
I'll see you later!
Ms. Tsumura, it's time for your screening.
"Geika Fashion School"
Today's the day. It's the Geika Festival preliminaries.
Miss Kokoro, where's your test room?
I'm in Practice Room B.
I'm in Room E. We'll be in separate rooms.
Let's promise to do our best today!
Yes!
Oh?
Don't get too carried away now.
It's the fitter from Tokyo Fashion Week...
Oh... It's you again.
Kaoru, do you know him?
No... Not really.
But...
He gets on my nerves.
I'll take him down a peg or two.
What? Thought you weren't that invested in the preliminaries.
She glared at me.
But actually...
There's so much tension in this room.
Huh?
All right, have a seat, everyone.
Take any seat that's open, hurry up.
I guess I'll take this seat.
The 30 of you selected to make women's clothing--
you'll work on your design for the next two days.
Then, you'll be judged to see if you make it into the second round.
Only a few get to proceed...
So here's your task.
Design an outfit for the 1/3 scale doll.
Oh...
Now... Onto the theme...
But before that, I'll collect your participation fee.
Put the 10,000 yen on top of your desk.
"Participation Fee" Put the 10,000 yen on top of your desk.
Sorry... I could only scrape up 5,000 yen.
I can't take this. It's for living expenses.
Don't be ridiculous. This is your chance to participate in a fashion show!
Have fun, okay?
Next.
Oh?
That's a lot of change you've got there.
He must've gathered all the change scattered around the house.
So desperate... I feel sorry for him.
Shut it. Money is money.
Huh?
Let's move on. We're wasting time.
Oh...
You're right. It's time to reveal the theme.
Is this recording now?
Hey everyone! It's me, Sara!
Sara?! The famous model?!
I thought really hard about what the theme should be for today.
But I decided to not think too hard and kept it simple.
Your task is...
...to make a stylish outfit that makes me look amazing!
What?!
Because we all know every girl wants to look stylish all the time!
Now off you go! Good luck!
Stylish...?
This is a really hard task...
We don't know when, where, and for what Miss Sara is thinking of wearing it.
You've got an hour to come up with a design.
All right. Let the Geika Festival preliminaries begin!
Smile Down the Runway.
Excuse me.
Huh?
Will you tell me that woman's name?
I wanted to thank her for standing up for me.
Now I get why Kaoru's acting like that.
Huh?
Everyone here is your enemy.
But you've got the nerve to "thank" one?
You're annoyingly naive.
Oh... I see.
We're all rivals here.
There's no need to be friendly.
But still... Will you tell me her name?
Being friendly and expressing gratitude are different things.
Since she did stand up for me,
I want to thank her properly.
It's Kaoru... Kizaki.
Thank you very much.
And...
I feel so bad for him.
I won't let anyone feel bad for me again!
All right, time's up!
You're all off on your own now.
Use the participation fee of 10,000 yen as your budget
to purchase the fabric you need for your design.
Oh...
They don't come cheap, do they?
Oh, yeah. I told him your name, Kaoru.
What?
That was unnecessary.
He really gets on your nerves, huh?
Not really...
I'm not just frustrated at him.
I'm frustrated at everyone who destroyed Mr. Hajime's show.
I see.
Plus...
I'm not trying to stand in his way or anything like that.
I just want to defeat him fair and square.
What a relief. If the budget comes from the participation fee,
I could get away with using just my money.
I can give 5,000 yen back to Honoka.
This is the budget I have to make something stylish in Miss Sara's eyes.
To make it work...
Oh?
I know!
Patchwork!
A method where you sew together various pieces of fabric to form a design.
I can buy cheap scraps of fabric and build my design with patchwork!
It's my...
...so-called, specialty!
This is the cheapest way!
Look, he's still here.
But why does he look so pale?
This outfit's not going to work.
It wasn't a bad idea.
But there was no way I could've designed something
Miss Sara would like with fabric made from cheap materials.
Then, I better ask for help!
I hear you, phone...
Hello?
What's up, Ikuto?
I need to know everything about Miss Sara!
Oh?
Hey, hey.
Come in.
S-Sorry to bother you!
Do you want slippers?
Huh? I-I'll leave that up to your imagination.
What?
She wears heels inside?
But wait a minute...
She's barely wearing anything!
Do you want to check out Miss Sara's runway footage?
I recorded variety shows, too...
What do you want to start with?
Are you listening?
Huh? Oh... Y-Yes!
Let's start with the variety show. That way, you'll see her transformation.
U-Um... Miss Chiyuki, why do you wear heels at home?
I'm practicing getting used to it.
All right. It's playing.
Sara, is it true that you choose all the outfits you wear on TV?
I do! I think about fashion 24 hours a day--I can't help it.
Miss Sara is a celebrity, popular for her easy-going and fun personality on TV.
Of course not!
That's silly.
Apparently, she became popular for her beauty and blunt comments.
Um... Miss Chiyuki...
Yeah? What is it?
Could you...
And... There!
I can't concentrate at all!
Could you please stop that for now...?
No way. It's part of my daily training.
My eyes keep wandering...
What? Just focus on the TV.
That's true!
You get distracted because you're not fully focused.
All right! One, two!
One, two!
This is pretty tough...
Miss Sara does this exercise to maintain her figure, too.
Miss Sara's always smiling and making silly comments on TV...
The Miss Sara on TV is different from the one I know.
I know her as a sophisticated and stoic model...
She's like an actor who plays different roles through her walk on the runway.
Designers make clothes for an ideal person in their mind.
The model's job is to embody that ideal on the runway.
Of course, some models are known for their powerful personality...
But some models manipulate their stride, the movement of their arms, waist, shoulders,
and at times, even their head, masterfully...
...to achieve that ideal image that the designer demands.
But what's most impressive about Miss Sara...
...is how she can perform the same walk with heels of all heights.
She acquired that ability with a lot of training.
But why did she work so hard?
She's 171 cm tall.
Which is considered short for a runway model.
She's a small model with world recognition.
I consider Miss Sara as the key to my path.
See? Look at her walk.
Down the middle of the rug sprawled down the hallway...
She traces the straight line of imprints perfectly as she walks with her heels.
If I compare her with the elite model on the screen,
I see no difference with the performance
of this 158 cm model in front of me.
So, did you find anything that helped?
Y-Yes!
Thank you so much.
I didn't, to be honest.
Actually, if you don't mind me asking...
Are you traveling somewhere?
Oh.
I was planning on going to Paris on our next three-day weekend.
Paris?
Models have to put themselves out there to get work.
So this is my way of taking action.
Amazing...
I, on the other hand, can't seem to get out of this creative block.
Miss Chiyuki...
She's working so hard towards her dream...
Ikuto...?
Your face... You look tired.
Maybe you're working too hard.
Ah!
Where did that come from all of a sudden?!
What? You're the one making that face.
Are you getting enough sleep?
Y-Y-Yes. I'm getting enough sleep!
And plus... Huh?
What?
I got it...
Huh?
I got an idea!
Next, "Superiority and Inferiority."
"See you next time!!"