Episode 8 -
Warning: Spoiler!Very sweet that Maya kept a pressed purple rose petal as a memento. But the critics have begun to do their damage. Ms. Tsukikage tells her troupe that it is all rumors and lies meant to discredit them. She tries to undo some of the damage to no avail and even guesses who is responsible, but falls ill and ends up in the hospital. And her students begin to quit.
Sakurakouji has been covering for Maya at her job and when Maya finds out, she hugs him and then gets embarrassed, but I don't think he minded at all. And Maya's boss thinks that Sakurakouji is her boyfriend! Later, he tells Maya about the new play he’s in and recites some of his lines, but it's so obvious that he’s really telling Maya how he feels about her. However, Maya still doesn't get it and Sakurakouji laments that she doesn't realize his feelings for her.
The girls visit Ms. Tsukikage in the hospital and she tells them to ignore the reviews because Masumi bribed the critics, thinking she joined with Aoyagi Productions and is a threat the Daito Troupe. She assures them that they all acted very well, but Maya just can’t believe that Masumi is behind the bad press.
The real investors come to the school to meet with Ms. Tsukikage. Did they really have to push Maya into a wall? They tell Ms. Tsukikage that they want her to enter a competition and that if her troupe doesn't make the top three, they will disband it. But I know they'll make it! When they go to register for the competition, Ms. Tsukikage meets Masumi and they exchange words. Maya inadvertently witnesses this and cries. Again, I think Masumi regrets his actions. But when Ms. Tsukikage leads Maya away, her memento falls out of her pocket and Masumi picks it up, surprised to see what it is.
Maya asks him to give it back, explaining about the purple roses from “a fan” and how happy they made her. Later, in the car, she is still crying over his insult of the play and her original image of him is shattered.
Ms. Tsukikage decides on the play for the preliminary competition and gives Maya the lead role of Midori, much to everyone's surprise. Maya doubts she can do it, but her fellow students support the choice and Maya cries with happiness, still convinced that her acting isn’t any good. Meanwhile, the Ondine Troupe has chosen the same play and Ayumi is given the same leading role! Maya resolves to become Midori and do her very best. However, I wonder how she’ll feel when she finds out about the other troupe doing the same play. What a disaster!