Tanashi Miyoko stands at the tree in the thunderstorm demanding to die. She raises her arms to the thunderstorm demanding that it take aim at her. She adds, "But if you fail, then turn my fate around!"

Lightning strikes.

Miyoko rises from the ground to find the tree behind her destroyed. She laughs, "I win . . . this is my win!" She demands that "god (神様 ・kamisama)" save her since she won the bet. The wind picks up, and Miyoko clutches herself shivering. She concludes that there is no way help would come, and concludes that no god exists.

She hears the voices of the pursuing Orphanage Guards and Head. She begins to run, but her foot steps into a puddle that proves to be a hole and she trips. She finds herself having fallen to a road. She sees a payphone. She sits inside since it is at least warm. On the floor of the booth lays a ¥10 coin. She flashes back to her father instructing her to seek help from his mentor Takano Hifumi. Miyoko realizes that as her father started to cough up blood, he mouthed the Hifumi's phone number. She recalls, "0,3,2,7," and starts dialing. Hifumi answer.png.pngs. She meekly identifies herself. He repeats the name "Tanashi" a few times, and she explains that Tanashi Takemitsu was her father. She explains that her father told her to call him. When Hifumi asks if something happened to her father, she haltingly explains that he and her mother died in a bus crash. Hifumi expresses his condolences but frankly asks her what her father expected by instructing her to call him. Miyoko pauses then screams, "Please save me!"

The phone disconnects. Miyoko falls to the floor of the booth devastated. She sees lights appear on the road. A vehicle drives by and stops suddenly. She starts to run from the booth and finds herself pursued by the Orphanage Guards. As she runs she flashes back to punishments meted out to children who tried to escape. A hand reaches out and stops her. As the guards seize her, her narration continues as she recalls the whispered names of punishments. The Head smiles and punches her directly in the face. She finds herself dragged by two guards down the corridor of the orphanage as the screams of girls are heard along with the shouts of other orphanage guards. "You can't move, can you?! You can't, eh?!" a guard screams somewhere.

Miyoko is deposited in a room. She looks up to find the Head looming over her. He shows her his bandaged right thumb. After a brief flashback to Miyoko biting it, the Head snickers. Miyoko repeats, "I'm sorry!" only to be dragged by her hair. Her screams continue over a view of the outside of Hifumi's home. Inside, Hifumi looks through a scrapbook that contains a picture of him with her father. He looks at the phone, puts down the scrapbook, and dials. He tells the person on the other line that he has a request. Meanwhile, the Head continues to drag Miyoko by her hair into the bathroom. He opens a stall and throws her in it. Closing the door behind him, he lifts her by the neck. Suddenly, two of the guards appear.

The Head leads Miyoko outside where a vehicle waits. The window of the back seat rolls down to reveal a well-dressed Hifumi. As they are driven, Miyoko sits meekly and quietly next to Hifumi. He finally turns to her to confirm that she said her name is "Miyoko." She merely nods her head, then asks, "Takano Sensei?" He confirms that his name is "Takano Hifumi," then draws his first name in some fog on the window: 一二三 (1,2,3). He then asks if he can call her "Miyo (3,4)." She then writes with her finger the kanji for "Miyo": 三四.

"I am Miyo."

In Hifumi's library, Miyo dutifully moves his books. He looks at his watch and tells her she should go to bed. She insists that she is not sleepy. He thanks her but reminds her she has school in the morning. She insists that this is her one way to help him. She promises to study hard so she can help him more. He agrees to let her put away the files she is carrying if she will then go to sleep. He then makes her "pinky" promise.

Koizumi visits and compliments Hifumi. Hifumi addresses him as "colonel," but Koizumi politely dismisses it. She then remarks on how Miyo has grown and serves excellent tea. He deems Hifumi lucky to have such a granddaughter. He then informs Hifumi that "the professors" can visit him in two weeks. Hifumi immediately thanks him. Koizumi insists that they found his work potentially worth a Nobel Prize. Miyo listens as Koizumi notes that the "professors," worry that Hifumi may be infected with the Hinamizawa Syndrome. Hifumi insists that Hinamizawa Syndrome is not a dangerous disease if one leads "a normal life." He explains that the outbreak occurred due to the stress people suffered during WWII. However, if sufferers practice relaxation "using Takano-Style Breathing Techniques," while sleeping 9 hours a night for a week, the progression of symptoms will stop. After Koizumi leaves, Miyo excitedly suggests that people will come to help Hifumi or fund his research. Hifumi responds that he cannot depend on that, but he does need to make his research papers more readable within two weeks. Miyo eagerly offers to help him.

Over a view of his home, the title "2 weeks later" is typed. Miyo pulls back a curtain to reveal a beautiful day. She turns to see Hifumi doning a suit. They hear a car arrive and look to see four men approaching the front door. Hifumi formally greats them; the Lead Professor tells him that they represent "Professor Koizumi" who suddenly had to attend to other matters. Miyo dutifully carries a tray of tea to the room where the men are meeting. She excuses herself as she opens the door to hear one of the professors declare, "That's impossible." Hifumi protests that there are many examples of parasites that control the actions of their hosts. Prof. Glasses and Mustache retorts that in those cases, the parasites have the primitive goal of reproduction. Prof. Balding adds that to claim a parasite could affect human thought "is absurd," and he then adds that it is a "dangerous thought." Hifumi continues that autopsies performed on soldiers that came from Hinamizawa showed sufficient," only for Prof. Glasses to interrupt that the number of cases are too small to be deemed "sufficient."

Hifumi concedes that in comparison to them he is merely an amateur, and his research is personally conducted since he has no connection to a prestigious university or other research institution. He admits that he has reached the limits of what he can research on his own. He begs that they help him pursue this research. Prof. Balding agrees that, if true, his research would be the "discovery of the century." Prof. Glasses turns to agree with him since it would suggest that religions and even cultures and nations could result from the action of parasites. Prof. Glasses and Mustache interrupts to apologize if he appears rude, then suggests that Hifumi focused too much on the unique beliefs of Hinamizawa and strayed away from science. He shakes his head and suggests this often happens to people who research the occult. He then starts to laugh. The others join him. He continues to suggest that Hifumi convert his work into a popular work of fiction.

Miyo backs away a bit and protests that "Uncle Koizumi said. . . ."

A man with a green tie and an organizational pin wipes the sweat from his face as he sits with Koizumi. He bluntly tells Koizumi to make Hifumi cease his research. He explains that the Hinamizawa Syndrome "must be buried.": "If you work on it, you might hit a bush and cause a snake to come out! And a huge snake at that." Koizumi looks shocked, and the man apologizes for letting Koizumi get involved without him warning him.

Back in Hifumi's home, Prof. Glasses and Mustache returns Hifumi's paper. Prof. Balding quips that if one actually calls it a paper, "the scientific world would be a lot less tiring." As Prof. Glasses and Mustache hands back the paper, it fall on the floor, and he steps on it as he starts to leave. Miyo grabs his leg and begs him not to walk on the paper. Hifumi slaps her, and the professors leave in disgust. Hifumi apologizes to Miyo for failing to have researched better. As she helps him gather up the paper, a tear falls on it. Hifumi asks her to simply take care of the tea. When she leaves, she can hear him crying. Miyo narrates, "That was a big decision in a small heart. If human life is heavier than Earth, then my small decision was also heavier than Earth." She vows to create the future she wants as she pours herself into study.

Miyo graduates from college. As she receives her diploma in formal kimono, the voice of a professor lauds her research into parasites. She receives a call from a representative of an alumni group, "only open to top graduates of the Imperial University." She recalls that Koizumi, "a friend of my late grandfather," was also a member. She remarks that she never thought she would see him again. The voice replies that their members include important political and economic members who, he is certain, will not hesitate to help her in her research. She looks at a picture of herself as a child with Hifumi. She tells the picture to just watch as she becomes a "goddess." She looks at a large scrapbook which contains Hifumi's paper, and she vows that her "unfaltering will" shall create the future she desires.

Approaching the stairs to the Furude Shrine, two elderly women discuss the opening of the new clinic. Takano ascends the stairs past them to approach the saisen. She holds a ¥10 coin: "If there hadn't been a ¥10 coin coin at that time," she observes and tosses it into the saisen. The coin never reaches it; with a flash, it flies back and bounces off of Takano's chest. Surprised, Takano suddenly sees a girl in a miko dress staring severely at her from behind the ''saisen. Takano asks her to confirm that she is the "goddess of this place (あなたはここの神様だ・anata wa koko no kamisama da'')." Hanyū responds that a strong will makes fate stronger. Takano agrees. Hanyū continues to state that an unwavering heart will break through any fate. Takano agrees again and giggles. Hanyū confesses that she finally understands why Fate could not be changed no matter how many times they tried. Hanyū vows not to lose to Takano. She has finally learned that the power to believe can create miracles that will change Fate. Takano laughs at her, and challenges her to come at her: "You stupid brat! I will drag you down from the Throne of God!" Hanyū looks back in anger, as the scene pans fast up to the sky over the sound of the higurashi  c rying.

Dressed with cat ears and a tail, Chibi Rika observes that Hinamizawa has a number of odd accents. Chibi Hanyū complains that she thinks they have discussed the subject before. "I don't care!" Chibi Rika retorts in her Child Voice which elicits an "Auu~!" from Chibi Hanyū. Chibi Rika asks if she knows the term "You damn pickle" that Satoko's Uncle uses. She explains it comes from pickled vegetables: After introducing the next episode, she calls Chibi Rika, "You damn pickle!"