Ep. 8: Ikuto faces family crisis and financial pressure during the finals themed around the character wa.

The finals theme is the Japanese character wa, allowing designs associated with it and models from Geika or personal choices. Ikuto intends to ask Chiyuki to model but learns his mother is in critical condition after frequent hospital visits. He discovers she delayed her surgery to fund his participation in the Geika Festival. Torn between family and his dream, Ikuto endures pressure from Toh, who wants his patternmaking skills, and Igarashi, who attempts to bribe him to make Kokoro quit. Ikuto loses his temper and lashes out at his second youngest sister, Aoi. Chiyuki’s father, aware of Ikuto’s financial struggles, offers two million yen for Ikuto’s design in exchange for comforting his daughter after receiving no offers in Paris. Grateful, Ikuto asks Chiyuki to model for his collection at the Geika Festival, and she agrees.

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