Peach Girl - 23: Confronted With A Choice

Title:	Peach Girl
Episode:	23: Confronted With A Choice
Synopsis
On a streetcorner Kairi grabs Sae just before she was apparently going to shove Misao in front of an oncoming truck. "If only you were gone", Sae exclaims, "Ryo would come back to me!". Misao slaps her for ignoring the best interests of her unborn child. Sae says she will definitely give birth to Ryo's child, and gives Misao the envelope full of money which Ryo gave her as a bribe to leave him alone. Later, Misao angrily returns the money and asks Ryo why he did such a thing when he had told her he was going to "talk things out" with Sae. Ryo replies that he has no intention of being a father and figured the money was what was best for Sae and her child. "I guess I really don't suit you after all. I never realized it", Misao says. "I despise the way you are treating Kashiwagi-san (Sae) from the bottom of my heart". She says goodbye and walks off, leaving a stunned Ryo behind. Kairi finds that Momo has his student handbook with her photo in it. She asks him why he was carrying her picture instead of Misao's, who she presumes is still his true love. Before she knows it, he's hugging her--just as Touji walks in. She demands he release her, as does Touji. "I need Momo-chan!" Kairi pleads. "I'll treat her right this time. So please! Give Momo-chan back to me!". Touji insists he's the one who will make Momo happy, and they leave together. Sae is overjoyed to get a call from Ryo telling her that Misao has dumped him and asking her to meet him. In a park, she asks him if he minds if she has his child. "No one as pathetic as myself should become a parent" Ryo replies. He says his brother Kairi will be a much better parent someday. "I'm sure our parents always loved him more as well". He admits he's jealous of Kairi's ability to "effortlessly enter into people's hearts". Sae says she has always felt the same way about Momo--maybe this simularity between herself and Ryo is why she fell in love with him. Sae promises to make a loving family for Ryo so that he'll never be lonely again, which startles him. Just then three punks appear, looking for trouble. Ryo orders Sae to run while he keeps them occupied. Meanwhile, Momo is confronted by both Touji and Kairi. They ask her to choose between them, once and for all, and assure her the loser will hold no hard feelings. Momo doesn't know what to do; fortunately, her cell phone rings with a frantic plea for help from Sae. Then the call is abruptly cut off...
Comments
As usual, too many coincidences leading to misunderstandings. Still, I can't help wondering if Momo will ever manage to make a final choice between Touji and Kairi. Both boys are so well known to us by now that it would be hard to make the series end on a happy note if either one was permanently rejected by Momo. I'm guessing she'll tell them "lets always be friends". I think Kairi has gotten a good deal more character development, owing to his troubled past, whereas Touji has always been a straight-laced kind of guy. I hope things work out well for Sae, too. After her surprising pledge to raise a loving family for him, I was sure Ryo was about to propose to her--until a semi-surpising twist came about near the end of the episode. This show does manage to be fairly touching at times.

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