All Grown Up

"All Grown Up" is the twenty fourth episode in Gokinjo Monogatari.

Plot
During warm embrace in the storehouse, Mikako and Tsutomu finally both understand without words that they are in love with each other. They kiss for the first time.

Ayumi with Mariko waits in the mini-mart. Mariko as always complains and whines. Soon Mariko's patience ends, she decides to stop waiting, buy food for everyone and go. Ayumi tells her that Yuusuke said he will be coming back to the storehouse after his job, so they have to buy bento for him too. Mariko noticed that Ayumi likes Yuusuke and flares up with jealousy. Mariko tries to show off her closeness to him by saying that his favourite food is omurice (omelette with rice) and calling him by the first name while giving Ayumi a mean glare. Ayumi asks her if she is dating Tashiro (using Yuusuke's surname to address him). Mariko avoids answering by angrily asking back "what if I am?". Their conversation dies down at that.

Tsutomu shows up in the mini-mart and apologises for basically throwing them out. He thanks Ayumi for the help with the display. Mariko begins to fish for compliments reminding Tsutomu that she has helped too (yeah, though that was in the last moment), she was rooting for him and Mikako too (though that was only in the beginning, she forgot about them quickly) and that she was his first woman. The latter makes both Ayumi and Tsutomu blush in embarrassment. Tsutomu tries to defend himself by explaining that Mariko only means that she was his first girlfriend and nothing more, though Mariko thinks that he is not being honest because they did kiss and such.

Mikako was waiting for Tsutomu outside of the mini-mart, feeling too embarrassed to meet with others. Watching the dawn felt to Mikako so happy and serene as if she was filled with the holy spirit. Tsutomu bought them both corn dogs to eat on the go and they went home on the first train.

Mariko and Ayumi wait for Yuusuke in the storehouse keeping in hostile silence. Mariko finally decides to explain that she is not dating Yuusuke, but at that moment Yuusuke comes to the storehouse. He is all grouchy and yells at Mariko for not being ready to go home. Ayumi offers him food, but Yuusuke says that he is not going to eat and that he came back only to pick up Mariko. He says he is so tired that he could puke. Mariko runs to the bathroom to change her paint-stained clothes. Ayumi says that it's very nice of him to coming all the way back to the storehouse to pick up his girlfriend. Yuusuke tells her that she got it all wrong and Mariko isn't his girlfriend. With a brooding eye, he says that Mariko merely uses him as a chauffeur.

Watching Yuusuke and Mariko leaving, Ayumi thinks back to the time when she saw Yuusuke's beautiful painting of the sunflowers on the Yazagaku school's exhibition. Everyone seemed to be very impressed by his painting too. That painting was the first one that shook Ayumi to the core. Her deceased grandfather used to say that canvas mirrors what's in the heart. Ayumi didn't quite understand what that means until she saw Yuusuke's painting. She thought that such a gentle panting might be proof that Yuusuke has a gentle spirit. Ayumi began wanting to learn more about Yuusuke after that.

When Mariko comes home, Shintaro rebukes her for being out all night again. She defends herself saying that she wasn't having fun, but was helping with the display. Shintaro looks very excited to hear that display is finished. He says he is proud of Mariko and gives her a postcard from Shuji. Mariko's first love wrote that he is going to visit them during spring break. Shintaro tells her that he is going to house-sitting that day so she will be alone with her sweetheart. At first, Mariko is happy to tears that Shuji is coming, but she feels uncertain whether her feelings towards him haven't changed yet, it seems she likes Yuusuke now.

Seeing Tsutomu casually sleeping on the floor in her daughter's room startles Ruriko. She goes to the Blue Parrot to discuss her concerns with Tokumori. Tokumori laughs at the situation and reassures her that if kids did something regrettable, they wouldn't be carelessly sleeping together as if nothing happened. Though leaving them alone like that might be not the best idea, he adds. Ruriko agrees with him on the latter, so she hurriedly gathers her things to head back. She still is afraid that she has been too uninvolved in Mikako's life lately. Noriji startles her with his remark about the beautifulness of intimacy. Ruriko hasn't noticed that he was sitting there for a while and has heard everything she said.

When Ruriko returns home Mikako already waits for her with a happy smile and a delicious dinner. Tsutomu already went home. Mikako says that she has a lot of things to celebrate, but most importantly she became a little more grown-up. Such a statement completely confuses and worries Ruriko since she doesn't quite understand what exactly Mikako means by being more grown-up.

Mikako and Tsutomu both are sitting in their rooms in front of the window, looking at the stars in the night sky and already missing each other.

Cast and character appearances

 * Ayumi Oikawa
 * Kuro
 * Mariko Nakasu
 * Masshu
 * Mikako Kouda
 * Noriji Sunami
 * Ruriko Kouda
 * Shintaro Nakasu
 * Shuuji Shintani
 * Tsutomu Yamaguchi
 * Yuusuke Tashiro