Sakurako wins the jackpot at the
pachinko parlour!

Sakurako and Higagshijujou are meeting with the manager of their wedding venue. Higashijujou seems to be the one who’s briefing the manager on the event, and Sakurako is not very engaged in the whole process, only nodding agreeably at everything that Higashijujou says. (Noticing her detachment, Higashijujou seems somewhat unsettled by how uninvolved she is.) Afterwards, they’re sitting in a bar, and Sakurako apologizes to Higashijujou again for her "impulsiveness" (for asking him to change the hospital location). She tells him that she feels overwhelmed by her happiness and how he will do anything for her. She comments on how she must be the happiest bride on Earth and he asks her again if her request for the hospital is because of Osuke. She insists that it’s because she dislikes the current location.

After the pre-flight briefing, the chief purser notices how tired Sakurako is (she can’t stop yawning) and comes over, commenting on her fatigues. Another male colleague pipes up that it must be very exhausting to prepare for the wedding and how they’ll miss her when she is gone. The chief enters wholeheartedly into this statement, but Sakurako has already left!

Sakurako is talking with her crew-mates about her wedding plans and the other girls are all envious at her elaborate wedding plans (she’s going to 4 countries for her honeymoon!) – but Sakurako says that even though it’s very exhausting, it’s necessary because she’s determined to have the perfect wedding.

Osuke’s at the hospital with his mom and he’s happy that she will be released from the hospital sooner than expected. She tells him that she’s been working hard to recover quickly because she’s worried about the fish shop. She then mentions Wakabe, saying that Wakabe is flying to Italy and has promised to bring back some pretty pajamas for her as o-miyage, and comments on how nice a girl she is. Osuke seems to be quite uncomfortable at her words.

Osuke comes back to the shop (Takashi, the kid, is minding it for him) and finds Higashijujou waiting for him inside. Higashijujou asks after his mom’s health and then as Osuke is thanking him for his decision to change the hospital location, Higashijujou realises that he doesn’t know about Sakurako’s intervention. He pretends to Osuke that the decision was made because they found a more convenient location and then takes his leave abruptly.

The cabin crew arrives back in Tokyo after their flight and as Sakurako calls Higashijujou to let him know of her arrival, the others are saying how she is focusing all his attention on him now and has even given up gokon. Nami then asks Wakabe if she’s going to visit Osuke’s mom and she says that she wants to bring the o-miyage to her. As Aya mentions how Osuke’s shop has been saved, Wakabe looks over at Sakurako to gauge her reaction and Sakurako deliberately says in a mean way that she’d originally thought they’d finally be able to rid the area of such an unsightly shop, and how lucky Osuke is.

At work, Kasuya thanks his colleague (who’s Osuke’s creditor) for helping Osuke out with the debt situation but the guy lets on that it’s not him, but Higashijujou’s fiancee who had intervened by threatening to cancel the wedding. Kasuya’s stunned by the news and hurry over to Sakuma’s place to tell the others. The others are all really taken back to learn that Sakurako was the one who had helped Osuke and both Kasuya and Sakuma suspect her of some sinister ulterior motive, while Mariko tries to put in a good word for Sakurako, saying that it’s because she wanted to help Osuke. But even Osuke finds that a little hard to believe – and he then comments on how she appears to be troubled by something lately.

As Higashijujou drops Sakurako off near her house, he tells her that he’d visited Osuke and Osuke doesn’t seem to have any knowledge of what she had done about the hospital plans. Sakurako replies that there’s no reason he should, and it had nothing to do with him. Higashijujou then asks her about the leak in her home and wants to go visit her place. Sakurako is taken back by the intensity of his request and he says that she has been acting strangely lately, from about the time he asked her to change the location for the hospital. She tells him that it’s not her, but him that is acting strangely and that she doesn’t like this new Higashijujou, before running off.

Wakabe goes to visit Osuke’s mom and she is very happy with how pretty the pajamas are that Wakabe had bought for her. Afterwards, Nami goes off to look for Hanabusa (asking Sakuma where he is). Meanwhile, Kasuya shows up and when he finds out from Sakuma that Nami is there, he goes skipping off to find her. He sees her with Hanabusa, and naturally flips out, and hits Hanabusa. Nami tells Kasuya that it’s Hanabusa whom she loves and then suddenly, Hanabusa gets up and tells Kasuya that he can take Nami if he really wants, as Hanabusa has plenty of other girls, and there’s no need to act like a child over this. As he walks off, Kasuya is flabbergasted to be called a kid and Nami stands there, feeling really hurt by his words.

Osuke’s at the fish shop at is thinking over what Kasuya had said about Sakurako being responsible for bringing about the change in the hospital construction plans, and contrasting it with what Sakurako had said that night they bumped into her and what Higashijujou had said about having found a more convenient location… Meanwhile at the beauty salon, Sakurako is reflecting on what Osuke’s mom had told her about the one most important thing that money can’t buy and how she will know what it is when she is with Osuke…

Sakurako goes home and finds Osuke waiting on her doorstep. He tries to thank her for what she had done but she brushes him off saying she didn’t do it for him, but that she just wanted the hospital to be in a classier neighbourhood. He still wants to thank her, saying that regardless of what the motivation was, the truth was she really did help him out. As he leaves, she stops him and asks him to take her to the places that he normally frequents.

Osuke takes him to the diner he usually goes to, and she is unaccustomed to the casual atmosphere, but then asks him to order for her what he normally eats. He orders something that’s only prepared for regulars and when it comes, she’s not attracted to the food, but he tells her that even though it’s not fancy, it’s very good. She looks dubious but tastes it anyway, and finds it to be delicious. The drunk guy next to her invites her to drink with him, and Osuke tries to stop him, saying that Sakurako will only drink fine wines and cocktails. The guy agrees that such a classy girl wouldn’t drink cheap sake with him and Osuke offers to drink it for her. But Sakurako takes the glass and downs it, requesting another one!

Higashijujou goes to Sakurako’s supposed address, meaning to apologize to her for the other night. When a total stranger opens the door, he realises her deception.

At the diner, Sakurako asks Osuke what "that most important thing" is. Osuke has no idea what she is talking about, and she persists, saying "you have it, right? That thing that money can’t buy and will give you happiness. Please tell me." But he answers in some bewilderment, "what thing? I don’t have anything. No money... or anything else!" Sakurako thinks for a second and realises the truth of what he is saying and says, "that’s true...forget it, then. Just take me to another place that you frequent."

Osuke takes Sakurako to a pachinko parlor and she is clearly unaccustomed to the noise and low-class atmosphere. She asks him if he comes often, and he tells her that he only does so on occasion. As she’s sitting there, she comments to herself that she "really doesn’t get it"... but then all of a sudden, she wins the jackpot! She’s freaked out by all the ringing noises and the balls that came gushing out non-stop, while Osuke is running around trying to find buckets to gather it all up!! Afterwards, she happily skips out of the place, while Osuke helps her carry the massive teddy bear she has won. She then asks him to take her to another place, and while he is standing there thinking, she prompts him, asking "how about sports? Like golf or tennis..."

Osuke takes her to a baseball practise range. She’s bored by such a common sport, and when it’s her turn, she isn’t hitting very well. But all of a sudden, she gets a home run and she becomes more into the game. When they change to pitching, she takes the ball from Osuke confidently, but then ends up smashing one of the signs hanging above! They sneak out and run off laughing.

Osuke helps her carry everything back to her place, but outside her home, they find Higashijujou waiting for her. He tells her that he came to apologize but then found out that she doesn’t live at that other address and after asking around, he discovered her real abode. He then asks her why she lied, and as she stands there silently (and looking a little mutinously), he says that Osuke knows her real address and asks if he comes often. He then asks her again if it is for Osuke that she asked to have the hospital location changed. Hearing this, Osuke speaks up and says "no, it’s only because Sakurako-san pities my mother who is ill. She came to the hospital to visit her - on Higashijujou’s behalf of course - and wanted to convince us to give up the fight but then, she was moved by my mom’s supplications. I came to thank her today. And about her home address, I think it is not uncommon to be untruthful to the person you love - not because you want to lie to them but in order for you to appear as a better person in their eyes."

Higashijujou is moved by Osuke’s words and he apologizes to Sakurako for misunderstanding her, saying that "no matter where you live, I will still love you." Sakurako apologizes for having lied before, but Higashijujou says that he is the one who should apologize, for having suspected her. Osuke, seeing that they have made up, quietly takes his leave.

At the pre-flight lounge, both Sakurako and Nami are listless. Nami gets a call from Kasuya but doesn’t answer it, and Wakabe - watching her - says that it must be tiresome to be hounded by someone you don’t love, but Aya counters that you must expect to be hassled if you play with others’ feelings. Wakabe tells Nami that Kasuya must be sincere if he’s still calling after all that has happened. She then adds that one must choose to marry someone they really love. Hearing the word "love", Sakurako scoffs and pronounces love to be a "sickness of the mind" which affects your power of reasoning and clouds your judgement in making the right decision. She says that if one impulsively enters into a marriage, then it will adversely affect the rest of your life. She then asks Wakabe what she would do once the feeling of love vanished...would you still want to spend the rest of your life in a fish shop? Wakabe reflects softly that she’s happy at the fish shop, but Sakurako says dismissively, that it’s fine if there’s money, but the shop’s debt-ridden and about to close down any minute... why would you still want to spend the rest of your life there? Wakabe looks uncomfortable at her words and doesn’t answer.

Sakurako goes home and looking at the chameleon, she thinks back about what was said to her about the most important thing that money can’t buy... Suddenly she gets a call from her mobile...

Sakuma, Mariko, Wakabe and Kasuya are all assembled at Osuke’s place, celebrating his mom’s birthday. Mariko remarks that Sakurako is late, and they’re surprised to learn that Mariko has bothered to invite her, saying that she won’t show up in any case - when she suddenly arrives. Osuke’s mom thinks she’s Yukiko, until it’s explained to her that Sakurako is a totally different person. She is still a little unsettled, and says it had seemed like a dream to her anyway, that day when "Yukiko-san" visited her at the hospital. She then looks a little questioningly between Wakabe and Sakurako, no doubt wondering about their relationship to her son. She learns that Sakurako is getting married soon and congratulates her, saying that this is a woman’s happiest moment. Meanwhile Kasuya is getting quite drunk and the others try to stop him but Osuke’s mom says kindly that it is okay, as they don’t have to open the shop tomorrow, so he can stay over if he’s too drunk to go home. She then suggests that Osuke can take Wakabe to the airport tomorrow as he doesn’t have to work. At her words, Wakabe quickly pretends to be drunk as well (!) Mariko adds that Osuke can also drive Sakurako at the same time, but Sakurako says that there’s no need as it’s her day off tomorrow and she has already made a luncheon appointment. She then gets up to leave, spurning the offer of a drive home. After she is gone, Osuke hesitates for a moment and then goes after her. Outside the shop, he offers to take her home but she says that it’s not necessary since she lives so close. As she walks off, she suddenly stops and turns back to him, saying that she should thank him for what he’d said to Higashijujou the other night, and that she’s grateful to him for having helped strengthened her relationship with Higashijujou. Osuke replies that he’s sure Higashijujou will be able to make her happy and holding his hand out, congratulates her on her engagement. As Sakurako takes his hand, she is reminded of the time in the hospital, when he spent the night holding her hand while she slept on...

Later that night, Wakabe is upstairs in the bedroom with Osuke’s mom, while downstairs, Sakuma, Mariko and Osuke are cleaning up while Kasuya is drunkenly ranting and raving over his feelings for Nami. Sakuma looks at him and comments that men are like that, getting hetted up over something that they can’t do anything about and that it’s no use, no matter how sincere he is... (he looks over at Osuke while he says this). Kasuya suddenly grabs Osuke and says "I may be stupid but at least I’m not like you. Not wanting to be hurt is not the same thing as always trying to escape from things..." Osuke tells Kasuya that he’s drunk too much but Kasuya replies that "I know what I’m saying...that’s what you always do, even with Yukiko...ten years, twenty years, what difference does it make - you’ll still continue to be like this?!..." Kasuya then tells them that he loves Nami, even if she is two-timing me...not like you, letting Sakurako go without making any effort even if you do want her..." (Upstairs, Wakabe overhears Kasuya’s words.)... "when are you going to leave your safe hideaway and venture out to face the real world..."

The next day, Sakurako is at her lunch date with Higashijujou. Meanwhile, Osuke drives Wakabe to the airport, and as she is getting her stuff out from the trunk, he fusses over her, asking if she has forgotten anything and if there’s enough time. Meanwhile, Sakurako goes to the washroom and a pachinko ball falls out of her handbag... Back at the airport, as Wakabe leaves, Osuke watches her go and suddenly makes the decision to make a move, asking her out for a date when she comes back. Wakabe quickly agrees and runs back to where Osuke is standing and presses her lips to his. As they stand there (kind of) kissing, Osuke’s mobile starts ringing in his car, but he doesn’t hear it. Sakurako hangs up after getting no answer from Osuke’s phone and on her way back to the table, she drops the pachinko ball into the garbage...

 
- End of Episode Eight -