EPISODE CONTEXT

Sitting at the quarter mark of the 25-episode season, Episode 6 directly follows the escalating rumor conflict introduced in Episode 5 and serves as a critical turning point—resolving early tensions around Sawako's social isolation and cementing the friendships that will anchor the rest of the series. This is a pivot episode: everything before it was setup, and everything after builds on the bonds forged here. It transitions the narrative from Sawako's struggle to simply connect into deeper territory exploring how those connections evolve and deepen.