Or the montage. Whichever passes time faster.

Kyou makes her triumphant return as a kindergarten teacher, and possesses similarities to Misae in both physical and emotional attributes (at least the peaceful ones; it’s not too hard to imagine their violent personalities being the same beforehand), overall giving her a more mature and caring aura than before as her conversations with Tomoya demonstrated. She even demonstrates some maternal aspects as well that if I wasn’t so sure that Show ▼

, I’d probably say that Kyou would be the logical second-choice for Tomoya…for now anyway.

Fuko indeed showed up again as I predicted, but maybe I ruled out her significance a bit early, since her growing friendship with Ushio seemed pretty focused on; maybe because they both have infantile mindsets, Ushio being just 5 and Fuko being Fuko, it’s plausible that the two end up becoming best/close friends and thus stress the importance, at least on Fuko’s part, of how they are to one another. Of course, since the story is primarily fixed on Tomoya, all this doesn’t necessitate Fuko to play a key role until the end, but she’ll likely show up next episode to at least give some advice or support just like she did here.

Especially after how things ended here. Ushio faints as she enters the room, exhibiting the same signs of Nagisa’s sickness, though I don’t recall it being winter already. It’s even stranger when you consider the fact that, as Kyou stated, she’s much more active than her mom; if I recall, Nagisa was born with her sickness whilst Ushio was acting just fine before now, so much so that she can go off by herself to the hospital built on the grounds Akio took Nagisa years ago and get home without Tomoya apparently noticing…even though it’s night by the time she gets there. o.o Regardless, perhaps we can expect Tomoya to bring her here if her condition worsens…which it probably will…

PREVIEW

Tomoya brings up a good point: his happiness has been taken once before, and now that he’s found a new one, it seems like it’s going to be taken again, even after all the hard work he’s spent in recovering. Ushio is bed-ridden, and I’m left wondering what this wish is that she has: maybe to keep living? Tomoya received the light orb of the town, so maybe it’s effect will kick in now?

…I admit, I lol’d.

-Jay