A Word in Your Eye

a.k.a. perseverance

Aiko lay in her bed, with tears running down her nose and across her lip. She remembered proudly telling her mother that she was finally getting the students to respond. Yoshiko poked her head in through the curtain and said, "Aiko?" Aiko turned over and pulled the blanket over her head.
( a challenge... )
This episode ended with many bits from next week. I think they stretched the time for previews from the normal minute to two minutes. Some of the ones I caught included: Fumie in a kimono in front of manga character sketches, saying "Arigato." (thank you). Genbee holding his hands up in prayer. Miyako nodding in the doorway. Aiko and Yoshiko smiling. The two editors -- Toyokawa and Kitamura, from Shonen Land -- in suits with drinks. Fumie and Shigeru standing in the woods. Kanou, the professional woman, in a purple dress. Shigeru and others in funeral suits. Kameda, the pawn shop owner, laughing. Fumie crying. A manga sketch of Kitaro, his eyeball father, the sandthrowing hag, and the ratman. Uraki waving an invitation. Inui and Sanae, Japan's smallest publisher and his wife. Shigeru in a top hat raising a glass of juice. The three wives in the doorway. Taichi laughing. Yuichi and Sachiko. Several others -- it looks like in the last week we're going to see everyone again. And the final bit with Fumie saying, "Always together."

<to be continued>