Hatsutaro and Kikuhiko continue their apprenticeship, but as Hatsutaro continually improves, Kikuhiko finds himself stymied by all manner of real-life concerns. He doesn’t have Hatsuta’s natural gift to hold an audience captive, and the fact that he spends much of the day at school means that he doesn’t get nearly the same length of time to practice his Rakugo stories. He finds himself struggling to memorize his beginner’s routines while Hatsuta has moved on to more complicated tales that feature his personality more. Kiku is torn between wanting to give up, and being motivated by watching his best friend’s successes. As to be expected, though, his path begins to open as he start to add more experiences under his belt.
