After Celebrating New Years, it's back to the beach. Quon wanders off, and Ayato follows her. They come up to ruins located in the forest. Apparently Quon and Ayato go missing, and and Haruka starts a search to find them. Quon and Ayato are off somewhere, and Haruka's search was stopped due to the fact they were no where to be found. Haruka ends up back at the ruins, where Quon and Ayato reappear in front of her again.

B-story line: While Ayato and Quon are missing, Itsuki tries to pilot the RahXephon, but fails to do so.

Megu is going through a test to become a full-fledged member of TERRA. Ayato is still depressed because he's a Mulian and everyone was keeping it from him. He's going around biting people's heads off, accusing them of laughing about him behind his back. Haruka is worried about telling Ayato some secret. The two of them talk. Haruka says that it doesn't matter that Ayato is a Mulian, but he doesn't listen. Sayoko breaks it off with Iishiki, saying that he was using her, but she was also using him. She gives him a dress as a token, because she no longer has anyone to wear it for. And Quon is about to be moved to her new home. Megu passes her test and she is going to meet someone to tell him about her feelings for him. But when she goes to meet him, she finds that Souichi is already in a relationship with Kim. She's upset at first, but Kim starts to cry, so Megu forgives her. Quon asks Ayato to take her to Tokyo and he agrees, flying off in the RahXephon.

While on the run from the authorities, Ayato and Asahina grow closer as they start a life together and try to blend into the rest of society. Free of Tokyo Jupiter effects, though, Asahina soon discovers something about herself that frightens her. Fearing that Ayato would leave her if he knew her secret, she decides to keep the news to herself.

Eager to prove himself, Ishiki fires Haruka over a trivial matter and takes control of the attack on Tokyo Jupiter. Against orders, he moves the attack up one hour. The attack commences with disastrous results.

Meanwhile, Ayato is busy finishing up his painting when he receives a call from Kunugi to pick up Mamoru's cat. While there, he learns how Haruka saved him from the concentration camps. Returning home, he finishes his painting. He is about to show Haruka when Mishima appears and reveals her true purpose for her existence and Ayato's destiny with the RahXephon.