Ton eventually quits his job but continues to maintain a facade in front of his family. Retsuko and the others begin to notice that Kabae has been working harder and has become less livelier than usual, causing them to suspect that the higher management may be targeting her as their next lay-off. Kabae begins missing work when her youngest son becomes sick, but even with Retsuko, Haida, and Anai covering her workload, the higher management finally convinces her to resign. Meanwhile, Haida's dedication to work and quick completion of tasks catches Himuro's interest.