Asumi notices an odd change in Nodoka who begins running and eating more, and after discussing it with the Healing Animals they come to the conclusion that Nodoka is stressed after the revelations of her illness and is finding ways to relieve it. But Asumi and the Animals feel she is overdoing it so they decide to find a different way for her to relieve her stress. Meanwhile, Nodoka meets a classmate named Kotoe Kanemori, who is a member of the school band. It is revealed Kotoe was home recovering from a cold but has returned to school; however she appears to be overdoing her trumpet practice in an effort to catch up with everyone else...