The class goes on a school trip to help out in a rice field, where Natsumi and Komari end up getting stuck in the mud. Later that night, Komari gets frightened after seeing a scary movie, which is not helped by Natsumi. After getting into a fight with her mother, Natsumi runs away from home with Komari in tow and goes to her secret hideout. They eventually spot a cat that had put Natsumi in trouble in the first place, but leave her alone when they see she is feeding her family and eventually head home.

Hotaru and Renge are invited to the Koshigaya’s house for breakfast. Afterwards, the girls, accompanied by Kazuha, go to the beach, where Komari’s height leads her to be mistaken for a lost child. On their way home, the girls stop at a railside noodle restaurant, where a prank by Natsumi on Komari backfires due to Renge’s innocence. They manage to catch the last train home on time, but accidentally leave Kazuha behind.

Natsumi gets chewed out by her mother over her poor school grades whilst also trying to hide her poor test results from her. Afterwards, the girls visit Hotaru, who attempts to hide the vast number of handmade Komari plushies in her room. This ultimately fails, but she manages to pass them off as part of a school project. Later that night, the gang have a test of courage at the shrine, which proves a bit too much for Komari.

Hotaru gets along with the Koshigaya family’s next door neighbour, Konomi Fujimiya, whilst Komari laments that the two seem more grown up than she is. Later, Komari joins Hotaru and Renge in doing some sketching, where she ends up becoming a model for them. Afterwards, Konomi helps Komari and Natsumi make dried persimmons.

Since the school doesn’t hold cultural festivals, Natsumi suggests they hold their own and invite the alumni, including Kaede, Konomi and Hikage. At the festival, the girls run a café, hold an art exhibit and put on a play. However, they’re play ends up being overwhelming and they end up slacking on food orders. They do eventually work together to prepare some food and have fun. Afterwards, Komari and Konomi help clean Natsumi’s room, where they find a lot of old toys.

After sleeping through the New Year, Renge joins Kazuha, Hikage and Kaede as they decide to go up a mountain to watch the first sunrise of the year. Along the way, Kaede recalls five years ago when she was first asked to look after the one-year-old Renge, initially finding her to be quite a handful but soon taking a liking to her. They eventually manage to reach the top of the mountain and watch the sun as it rises.

Natsumi’s mother asks Natsumi to go catch something to live in the family’s pond, and Natsumi agrees when she’s told she’ll be paid. She lends Natsumi a watch and tells her to be home by curfew, and all the kids go out for a day of fishing. Later, Konomi sees that Natsumi still doesn’t seem like a girl at all even now that she’s in middle school, and brings some of her old outfits over for her to try on…

One morning during winter break, Ichijo Hotaru and Koshigaya Komari are on a walk when they run into Fujimiya Konomi on her way back from practice. Komari takes great interest in Konomi’s cellphone.

During spring break, Renge and Hotaru head to school to feed the rabbits and end up finding Renge’s Legendary Sword.

After breaking a bonsai planter with a Surefire Kill Shot, Natsumi and Hikage practice the art of apology… sort of. Turns out neither one of them is very good at it.

Parents’ Day provides Natsumi a particular variety of anxiety, but she finds a way to relax when Renge brings home a new friend.

Akane and Konomi go shopping, and they take a detour to play some festival games! But beginner’s luck will only get you so far, and there’s something weighing on Akane’s mind…

Komari receives an unexpected visitor. Now she’s making a weird face and can’t seem to knit properly. But don’t worry — Natsumi will cover for her. Sort of.

New Year’s is here, and that means New Year’s money! What will everyone spend their cash on? And is there a way to get even more? Or perhaps that’s not a good idea…

Following a graduation ceremony, Renge and friends spend the day playing in the great outdoors. It’s days like these you wish would never end…