Magia Record Story A Bouquet for Tomorrow's Happiness
The following is a summary by VirusLord.
Part 1
The event opens with Mitama finishing up Aimi's Coordination at the shop. As Aimi comes to, Mitama confesses that she got a taste of Aimi's fantasies during the Coordination, and with her usual smile, asks: so Aimi wants a chapel weddings, huh? Aimi stammers and Mitama, good-naturedly, apologizes for prying; her curiosity got the better of her. Aimi explains that, being who she is, she fantasizes about marriage a lot. For the longest time, she's been dreaming of the classic white Western wedding dress and ceremony, but these days, she's had the traditional Japanese white wedding kimono on her mind, too - which necessitates a shrine ceremony rather than a chapel... It's a hard choice! But before she falls into fantasy again, she reminds herself that before any of that, she has to confess first!
Coincidentally (or not), Masara and Kokoro arrive at the shop just then, looking worn out. Masara explains they came late due to some trouble along the way, and we learnt that they've been scouted as models for a beachside wedding shoot! Mitama and Aimi are delighted, but quickly observe that their friends aren't feeling so hot...
Upon prompting, Kokoro explains that she's not unhappy with it, it's just...well, things are complicated. Her parents broke up before, after all. Though she and Masara tried turning down the shoot, the photographer was very insistent, saying that this job was made for them - no other models can do this! Mitama says, well, doesn't that just go to show how suited they are for the role? Aimi agrees, and Kokoro says it'd be nice if that were true. At the very least, Mitama points out it'll be a great memory for the duo, and Masara remarks that yes, this is a rare, unusual opportunity.
Kokoro and Masara find their energy again. Since they've accepted the job, they've got no choice but to put their hearts into it. In light of that, Aimi says they need to get in the mindset of marriage! She starts gushing about how she'd been torn between a chapel or shrine wedding, but now a beach wedding sounds lovely, too - and she quickly falls into yet another fantasy about her and Hayato being wedded on the beach! Kokoro pulls Aimi back to reality, but Mitama says yes, weddings and marriage are all about love - so to get the girls in the proper mindset, they're all going to have a little chat!
First up is Mitama. To her, "marriage" is about love and romance, but also about becoming a family. While Mitama wants romance, of course, she also has to consider practicality when it comes to choosing a partner... A couple needs their values to align, and compatible lifestyles...but you mustn't forget finances! So after factoring in both romance and reality, Mitama concludes that her ideal spouse would therefore be...an oil magnate! (C'mon, knowing Mitama, do you really think she would be honest and vulnerable here? :p) (And Masara, deadpan, basically says "good luck finding one")
Kokoro and Aimi think about practicalities like money, but Aimi decides that as long as you're in love, you can be happy even if you're poor, hence why she puts love first! Mitama giggles, saying that's a wonderful philosophy. Kokoro adds that, well, Aimi will be marrying Hayato, right? But of course; Aimi gets blushy and giggly at the thought.
And that bridges them onto the subject of proposals. Aimi says she'd be happy with anything, as long as it was from the one she loved. Her *ideal* proposal, however...well, she plummets back into fantasyland again, describing the classic "down on one knee with a ring" proposal, on Christmas night at a beautiful cafe...but also says it doesn't have to be a grand occasion as that - Hayato could propose to her on one ordinary day like any other, milling around in their home together... (Her fantasies are great because in reality you see her running back and forth to mime out her and Hayato's parts)
After returning to earth, Aimi asks what Kokoro wants. Kokoro admits that when it comes to marriage...it's hard for her to imagine herself in that position. Mitama suggests that Kokoro work backwards - what kind of family would Kokoro like to have? That prompts Kokoro to think back to her core memory of her childhood hiking trip, the scene where her parents "identify" flowers together. Aloud, Kokoro says she'd like a close-knit family that spends holidays together, happy and smiling. Masara quietly listens, while Mitama chuckles, saying "How lovely!"
Aimi remarks yes, when you fall in love, you get married, you become a family, and...maybe you even have kids together. Kokoro (perhaps deflecting) says Aimi would be a great mom, getting Aimi in another flustered fit.
Finally, there's one person who's been quiet all throughout this discussion, so Mitama asks (and Kokoro urges Masara on): what does Masara dream of in a marriage and love? Nothing, Masara says. She's not being evasive out of shyness, of course, but it's her honest thought, because in her eyes, marriage is merely a contract and nothing more. Masara explains further, rattling off a detached, legal/dictionary-like view of marriage and its benefits, ending by saying that sharing one's life with another carries both advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, Masara has no sense of romance towards the idea, and furthermore, while it is said that many people marry for love, how do you get solid evidence of something as vague and ambiguous as "love"? Can you truly make the right choice for something as major as marriage with an emotion as shaky as love?
Aimi stammers for a response. Masara apologizes, saying she didn't mean to invalidate Aimi's opinion, and adds that this is why she had kept silent until now. Mitama and Kokoro apologize as well, saying they shouldn't have pushed Masara to speak if she wasn't comfortable with it. Masara says no, Kokoro (and Aimi and Mitama) aren't at fault here.
There's a bit of an awkward silence, which Mitama salvages by asking if the girls have told their parents about the photo shoot yet. They'll want to see their daughters' wedding photos, yes? Kokoro stammers in response, but Masara does point out that they'll need permission from their parents/guardians in order to participate. Speaking of parents, Aimi proposes that Kokoro ask her parents about their relationship - how did they meet, and how did they get married?
Kokoro points out that it's a bit of a...hard question, considering, and Aimi quickly apologizes for her inconsideration. But Kokoro says not to worry; it's better to be too blunt than to be forced to be too sensitive. And Aimi is right, anyway; Kokoro ought to try asking, even if just once. She'd been avoiding this topic for longer than was right. She's curious as to how her parents used to be... In that case, Masara will ask her parents the same.
With that, Kokoro thanks Mitama and Aimi for hearing them out - she feels much better about the photo shoot now. Mitama, though, asks them to stay a little while longer - she has an "interesting" Coordination she wants to try out on them. Masara is wary when she hears "interesting," but Mitama assures them it's nothing to worry about. Ultimately, since Kokoro is game, then Masara will participate, too.
After the Coordination, Kokoro transforms, but...her outfit is the same as always? Asked what's up, Mitama says she gave them a new costume. Aimi asks if it's a wedding dress? Mitama explains she doesn't know, actually - the form the costume takes will change depending on Kokoro and Masara's emotions (ex. consider how the alt outfits and powers work in the NayuMii and RikaRen events - both parties need to be in sync in order for the outfits and powers to manifest, and the outfits are born from each girl's subconscious). Kokoro is nervous but excited to see how it'll turn out in the end, and Masara supposes likewise. Before departing, Mitama says she and Aimi will be attending the shoot as well - they'd love it if [[MasaKoko could show off their new costumes there! Kokoro laughs it off, embarrassed but smiling.
That evening, MasaKoko head their separate ways home. Kokoro, alone, contemplates marriage: she thought ill of it in the past, given her parents, but hearing everyone's thoughts today gave her a different idea. Well, Masara was the same as ever, but still - she's beginning to feel a little excited about modeling, and wonders what she and Masara will be wearing at the shoot...
Her spirits are crushed the moment she enters her home. She hears her parents have a row right in the living room, and kicks herself for getting her hopes up for even a moment. The screaming match playing out in the background, she wonders if she gets married, is this the inevitable result? She flashes back to her discussion with her friends earlier today, to Aimi waxing romantic, Mitama talking about love and romantic ideals, and Kokoro's own dream of a loving family...but now Kokoro is slammed against the cruel reality again. She starts to think, when you get married, you make a family, and maybe you even have children...
Kokoro's parents suddenly notice her, stammering and quieting down, clearly feeling embarassed by their display. Kokoro says it's fine. Kokoro's mom plays dumb, but Kokoro points out how they obviously stopped fighting only once they noticed Kokoro was home. Kokoro remarks bitterly how children are said to be the fruit of their parents' love. Kokoro's dad says yes, that's true - that applies to Kokoro too, of course. "Of course," Kokoro mimics - he says that so brazenly just after he had a screaming match with her mom?
Her parents don't have any response to that. Kokoro, sagging, tears in her eyes, asks - "What am I? Why was I born?" She quickly apologizes; she didn't mean to ask it aloud, but...she's just so *tired* of this...and she bolts out the door. The screen fades to black, and Kokoro narrates - if children are the fruit of their parents' love, then...what does that make her, the child of two people who don't love each other?
On the other side, Masara comes home to a peaceful household. She fetches the newspaper for her mom, and she notices a card fallen on the floor - an invitation to a school reunion. Masara's mom says she's not sure if she's going. Masara points out the beautiful penmanship on the card, and her mom, speaking fondly, explains the writer used to be her old class representative. Masara's like "Oh, so you were good friends," but with a chuckle, the mom explains no, they were, in fact, old flames! Her mom tells Masara not to breathe of word of this to her father; he'll get jealous! (NB: the writing goes out of its way to keep the old date's pronouns ambiguous; draw your own conclusions from that)
Masara asks - did her mom love her old date? The mom isn't sure, really. Does she love her husband? Of course she does! But she still doesn't know if she loved her high school flame? Her mom hums, saying it's a hard question! Masara asks, "So is love just a mood/fleeting emotion after all?" Her mom says it's not quite the same thing. You see, it was a very long time ago, so they were young kids. She can't say if it was affection, romantic love, or neither - but whatever it was, even if it wasn't "real" love, it still mattered. (The discussion plays out with this lovely sense of compassion and patience that makes it clear that the mom has plenty of experience with helping Masara with these questions)
She hopes that wherever her old flame is and whatever they had, that they're living well and happily now. She loves Masara and her husband, but also thinks that because of what she used to have, she was able to meet her husband and find this happiness now. Masara asks for clarification, and the mom says it's hard to explain, but...everything is a step that leads to the present day. Masara's mom seems to remember something and wants to show Masara, but they're interrupted by the doorbell. Masara says she'll head out for some shopping, telling her mom to explain the rest later, and is out the door before her mom can object.
We jump back to Kokoro, some ways from home, catching her breath. She might be worrying her parents now, but she has a lot on her mind that she needs to untangle. Her parents fell in love, got married, she was born, then her mom abandoned the family, so Kokoro made a wish to force her parents back together, which just revealed their fundamentally broken dynamic, and...Kokoro feels herself getting worked up and tries calming herself down.
Normally, when she needs to process things, she takes a hike in the mountains, but...she's understandably not up for that right now, especially so late in the day. Instead, she opts to head to the beach, where she listens to the soothing sound of the waves...and to the sounds of a nearby wedding. She hears the couple making their vows, which brings her back to her parents, who made the very same promises to each other, thinking marriage would make them happy. And, thinking back to her hiking core memory, she remembers them all being happy together when she was a kid... So how did things turn out this way? Why did they marry to begin with? What was their life like before the wedding?
The wind blows, carrying a handkerchief. She finds it came from a different couple, looking sad, and goes to return it, where she overhears that their engagement is in dire straits - the man has been transferred overseas, and the woman is hesitant to uproot her entire life to join him, despite wanting to stay with him. Kokoro flinches as she hears this, but the man points out that that's still okay; they can still get married - they can live separately, but still be together.
Still, the woman isn't okay with this. She wants to be a family with him because right now, they're "strangers" (where it matters the most) - if one of them died tomorrow, the other wouldn't know. The man understands - the way things are, if the worst happened, they wouldn't be able to hold each other's hands, or hear each other's last words. And he goes on - "I want to be a place where you can come home and feel at peace. I want us to be a family that heals each other after a hard day of work. Isn't that too much to ask of her, the woman points out? The man chuckles, saying he can ask this, because he loves her. Smiling, the woman says none of this makes a lick of sense, but laughs too.
Despite the poor start, things actually worked out, it seems! They seem to be ready to figure things out together, at least. Kokoro snaps out of observation mode and goes to interrupt so she can give them back the handkerchief. After doing so, she thinks about what she just witnessed, and feels even more confused now. Even if they're not physically together, they still love each other...does that make a happy couple? But aren't families supposed to be together?
Kokoro thinks back to the "I want to be a family with you, because right now, we're just strangers" line - in a way, marriage is one way to allow two strangers to become a family. And as she thinks about the man's declaration of being a refuge for his fiance...is that what it means to be a family? Of course, everyone and every family is different...
Cue the event CG with Kokoro looking at the beach. Kokoro gazes across the beach at all the lives playing out - an old man walking his dog; a mom and her kid; a lone person gazing out at sea; friends chatting together; an old couple walking along the shore... Are all of them happy? And what is happiness, anyway? Will she be happy if she gets married? If she gets together with someone? If she stays alone? If she has children?
She doesn't understand. And maybe the reason she doesn't is because of her core memory - the day that shaped her feeling of "happiness." For the longest time, that was the meaning of happiness to her...but in light of all this, she doesn't even understand that anymore.
Her phone pops with various notifications, sensational news - a woman stabbing her ex-boyfriend; rumors of a celeb couple's infidelities...
Family, love, and marriage. As much as she'd like for them to embody happiness - as much as she literally wished to make that happen - it didn't come to be. Maybe she was just naive as to how the world worked. Normally, this line of thinking would be so sad that she'd avoid it, but...she can't avoid it anymore. She wonders, wanly, what Masara would say to this now...
Masara, meanwhile, happens to be at the beach herself! She gets the same phone notifications as Kokoro, and remarks to herself on how dangerous the world is. Love is so vague and strange that we mustn't allow ourselves to be driven by it, or else you become the subject of these bleaker stories. She thinks on her conversation with her mom about love, and in the present thinks about how emotions are fleeting and inscrutable - and yet people are still driven by them.
Though it is late in the evening, there are still many people at the beach. In her equivalent event CG, Masara watches the couples go by. Their relationships are just a moment in time, however - even people who pledge to love each other forever often find themselves breaking apart, like Kokoro's parents. People in love and marriage can betray each other so easily, too, and so often do feelings fade away, or even turn to hate. It's irrational for us to make major life decisions based on something so fickle and unprovable as emotions. Despite what her mom tried saying, Masara still believes that feelings are nothing more than that - fleeting moods.
She thinks back to the big scene from her/Kokoro's MGS - the "I don't care if I die; if I'm gone, either no one will notice or they'll get over it in time" exchange, if you recall - and thinks now, even if she dies, her family will be fine. They'll inherit the money from her wish, and with time, both their love and grief will fade to nothing.
The wind blows, distracting Masara, and she notices a young girl out in the water - moving from the shallows to the heavy waves, fully clothed... Masara immediately dives into action and swims over to the girl, checking for a Witch's Kiss and finding nothing. Out in the water, she warns the startled girl that it's dangerous to swim in clothing (as Masara herself swims in her school uniform :p). She tells the girl to go find a swimming shop to get properly suited up, but the girl stammers, clearly having something to say...
Back at shore, the girl apologizes for all the commotion. Masara bluntly asks if the girl was trying to commit suicide, then Masara had interrupted her, but Masara couldn't idly stand by once she saw the girl. The girl quickly clarifies no no no, she wasn't trying to commit suicide! In fact...she's a bit embarrassed to admit it, but...she swam out to scream at the ocean in order to vent her anxiety, and ended up getting caught up in the waves.
Specifically, the girl is anxious because she's getting married right out of high school. Masara asks, what's the problem, then? Is she dissastisfied with her fiance? The girl quickly says no, not at all - she's really happy to get to marry the guy she loves! But she's worried that even though things are going well now, someday, his feelings might change, and they'll break up... The thought of it fills her with anxiety, so she needed to vent.
To herself, Masara thinks that even if the worst future outcome occurs, time will solve it, and she'll get over it. ...But she knows that won't be a helpful answer to the girl, and so she keeps silent. Perhaps feeling awkward in the long silence, the girl apologizes again, and her boyfriend runs into the scene, having been trying to find her. The girl explains that she was just goofing around and accidentally fell in the water, but Masara here saved her, and they thank her for her help before making their way home.
Alone, Masara thinks over the scene. In her eyes, people are built to ensure they can overcome sadness and grief. This girl has no reason to be so anxious over a future that doesn't exist. But she again thinks back to her MGS, about Kokoro's response to Masara's "it'll be fine if I die" talk - that it's not about money or the aftermath, but that if Masara dies, how will her loved ones feel?
After a pause, Masara affirms again that emotions are hard. What would Kokoro say to all this? And just then, of course, she and Kokoro bump into each other...
They catch each other up on what happened, leaving them with the central question: What do they make of love and marriage? Kokoro recaps how after talking to Mitama and Aimi about love, she was starting to turn around on it, but after seeing her parents, she knows it's all just a fantasy. Marriage is a promise easily broken - as she's always known. And as Masra points out again, marriage is just a contract, and love is just a fleeting mood. Kokoro echoes it, saying she's the product of a simple mood...
Masara pauses when Kokoro says this. Kokoro continues, returning to the day they first met, the scene in the MGS - at the time, she was very upset with how dismissive Masara was towards her own life, with how easily she said "my family will get over it eventually". But now...she gets it. If she dies, her parents will be sad, but...they'll be fine in the end. Because she's the product of two people who don't love each other. If she dies, they won't be bothered.
Masara starts to object, but Kokoro laughs, saying not to worry about it - given her feelings now, she was just being a hypocrite back then, yeah?
Masara, thinking to herself, says she was trying to tell Kokoro - "Don't say that." Because...if Kokoro were to disappear...would Masara get over it? She doesn't want to think about it. After everything she'd declared, after how clear and clean everything was...she can't bear the thought of losing her. Frankly, she's the hypocrite now.
Kokoro pipes up, asking - what'll they do about the wedding shoot? Neither of them have gotten permission yet. And Kokoro isn't sure if this is the right job for her anyway. She's thinking love is fickle and trivial; she's not the right person to model for wedding stuff. She decides she'll turn down the job, and Masara says if that's what Kokoro wants, alright. So Kokoro pulls out her phone...only for a call to beat her to the punch. It's from her mom, and she's thinking it's about her storming off, only for it to be far more dire - her dad was in an accident, and he's in an ambulance as they speak.
Part 2
Kokoro and Masara rush to the hospital and find Kokoro's mom already there. Masara backs off to give Kokoro some space, and her mom is freaking out. Apparently, after Kokoro ran off, her dad went to go look for her but he never came back, and then Kokoro's mom got a call from an unknown number, telling her that he'd been in a car accident and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. She's panicking about what if he dies, and she'd been too stubborn to even say goodbye when he went out the door...
At which point Kokoro's father walks up. He's totally fine! He got a little bump and hit his head, and the driver called an ambulance for him to be sure, but the doctor's checked him over and it's only a minor injury. Kokoro's mom had leapt to some conclusions and failed to get all the details in her panic. It's a bit of an awkward moment, but there's a round of apologies from everyone for worrying each other, and they agree to just go home for now. Kokoro is surprised; weren't they fighting earlier? Are they done with that? They admit that they don't really mean to fight, and it's usaully over something trivial; they might not always get along, but they're still a family. It's not so much that they don't love each other, but they've been talking recently, and they think that, while they used to love each other as lovers, now, they love each other best with just a bit of distance. So...they've been thinking that, after Kokoro leaves home, they might live separately.
Kokoro is surprised. Have they only been living together because of her? (Because of her wish?) She says that, in that case, maybe she should leave home sooner so that they can get it over with... But her father quickly corrects her. It's not that they're waiting for her to leave home, but rather, they both want to be by her side and watch over her as she grows up. Being with Kokoro is what makes them happy. Kokoro asks why her mom left her, if that's the case, and her mom says that she was in a bad plae back then and thought her family would be happier if she left... or perhaps that's just another excuse, and she recognizes tht she's contradictory. Which reminds Kokoro of her talk with Masara, and how Masara has contradicted herself. Kokoro's parents apologize to her for causing her so much trouble, and they assure her that, even if their love for one another has changed to a different form that it was at first, they will always love Kokoro, their beloved daughter. Kokoro thinks about how happiness is different for everyone, and that she's been bound by the happiness she felt on that one perfect day as a child for too long, and that while she wants her family to be together, more than that, she wants them to be happy.
But then her mother remarks that they're still living about the living separately thing. After all, wouldn't it be a problem if something like this traffic accident happened again and they were living apart? And they have to think about their old age, too, and don't want to trouble Kokoro... They muse about living separately, but still close together. Maybe next door in the same apartment complex, or on different floors, and then they can all get together whenever Kokoro comes home. Kokoro can't help but laugh about this, and thinks about how happiness can come in many forms, and can change, and is sometimes contradictory, and wonders if her own happiness will change someday... At this point, she tells her parents about the wedding photoshoot with Masara, and asks for permission. Her mother says there's no reason to object, and that Kokoro will surely look wonderful in her dress. Her father seems a little flustered, and insists that it's not like she's REALLY getting married... Kokoro asks if she can hear about the time that her parents got married, and her father is embarrassed but her mom is happy to talk about how he fell in love with her at first sight and proposed to her on a beach with a bouquet of roses. (Kokoro even sees it in a flashback, and wonders if she caught Aimi's delusions.) They go on to talk about how Kokoro's dad cried in happiness when he found out he was going to be a father, and Kokoro realizes that her parents didn't start off as parents, and thinks about how their relationship changed forms over time. As the family happily banters with each other, Kokoro muses about her own form of happiness.
Meanwhile, Masara is watching the whole thing from a distance. She's happy that Kokoro's family is safe, but she's baffled that they seem to be getting along so well, contrary to what she'd heard. She'd thought that emotions fade and vanish over time, or worse, would transform into something else, like hatred. For them to change form by unmistakably remaining "love"... it surprises her. And...the situation reminds her of a time from her childhood, when she was almost run over by a car(!!), and her parents saved her just in time. (We get to see NPC Mr Kagami here!) She thought she'd be scolded, but they hugged her tightly, with a worried expression... She thinks back to the conversations that she and Kokoro have had, about how their parents would get over it if they died, and about Masara's own feelings about Kokoro and how she doesn't want to lose her. She realizes that, if her family feels similarly about herself as she feels about Kokoro... then Kokoro has been right, and Masara should take better care of herself. She even thinks about the girl on the beach, worried about being discarded by her fiance, and thinks that she can understand her a little better. She's still convinced that emotions are temporary things... but maybe they're something that can't be explained by logic?
Masara and Kokoro meet back up again outside the hospital. Masara asks if she'd rather go back with her parents, but Kokoro says that she wants to give them some time by themselves, since they seem to have a good mood going right now; it's fine if they want to live apart, she's decided, but hey, if they can get along, even better! She goes on to say that she got permission from her parents, and that she wants to go through with the modeling. Masara sees that she's had a change of heart, and agres to ask her parents as well, and they part ways for the night. Masara then gets a text from her mom, asking what time she'll get home. Masara apologizes for being late, and gets a text back saying that it's fine and to be careful coming home, and that she's got something to show her. (It really gives off the feeling of Masara's mom being very understanding; she's checking in on her like a good parent, but she's being respectful of Masara's autonomy and trusts her.) When Masara gets home, her mom remarks that she's glad she made it home before her father; this is a little tricky to show in front of him. It's Masara's mom's old diary! She thinks it'll help Masara understand better than trying to explain it to her.
We learn that Masara's mom had a marriage arranged by her parents; she wasn't too keen on the idea, but since she'd already gotten to experience love while she was in school(!), maybe it would be fine to have an arranged marriage now (i.e. she's already experienced love in her life so, having had a taste of it, she can now live with a loveless marriage and not worry about never having experienced love). She decides to go through with it for her prospects for the future, but doesn't understand her husband at all, can't tell what he's thinking, his porridge tastes weird... but then her diary talks about having a baby, and her husband is so happy and emotional like she's never seen before. Little Masara is born, and they're all crying and laughing together, and she feels like they finally became a family.
Masara is surprised. She'd thought that fer parents got married for emotional reasons; she'd never imagined that they got married for cool, rational reasons. And the fact that her mother's relationship with her father changed over time, that they got married as basically strangers, but now her mom is so glad that they got married and she loves him very much... She isn't disappointed (the opposite, in fact; it sounds like she was sort of looking down on her parents in thinking they'd gotten together for irrational emotional reasons). She remarks that actually, perhaps her mother's way of thinking is similar to her own, which her mother turns around to say that Masara surely takes after her. Masara asks if she can hear about more stories from her mother's past.
They get to chatting and sharing stories, and Masara's mom remarks that they've never really talked like this before. It almost feels like it's on the eve of Masara's marriage! Masara asks if her mom wants her to get married, and she replies that it's fine as long as she's happy; she's glad that she got married, but it isn't everything in life. And Masara doesn't have to take after her parents, either! Besides which, Masara has seemed happier lately, so she's been relieved. Masara is surprised. Her mother asks if she hadn't noticed; ever since becoming friends with Kokoro, Masara has been smiling more often. Masara herself hadn't realized! Masara gets to thinking to herself that her mom sincerely wishes for Masara's happiness. If Masara dies, it'll make her mom sad; Masara thinks such feelings are absurd, and yet, imagining it makes her feel pain. Perhaps emotions don't have to be logical, and people can have contradictory feelings and still strive for happiness...
Masara brings up the wedding photos and asks for her mom's permission. Her mother immediately latches onto the fact that Masara is taking photos with Kokoro. She just said that she doesn't mind if Masara gets married, but now she'll get to see her daughter on her wedding day! Happy as a clam, very blatantly supportive of her daughter's relationship, she starts looking around for the camera. Mr Kagami arrives home, and his wife immediately starts bubbling about how they need to find the camera for Masara's wedding ("What? A wedding?!"). Masara is taken aback by the overenthusiastic reception, but smiles quietly to herself that she's so loved. She wonders how long magical girls like herself have left to live... and thinks to herself that she won't die so easily.
Scene cut to the day of the shoot! They're at the beach, and in addition to their parents, Mitama and Aimi are there too, plus a huge crowd of other people; some that are there for other wedding shoots, some that are there to get married... for various reasons, there's a lot of people! Even the Azaleas are here! Ayame runs over and asks Kokoro for help; they're taking a family portrait and are picking out outfits... Hazuki and Konoha want to get cute clothes for Ayame, but they're kind of pricey, and Ayame complains that they're making too big of a deal out of this. Masara encourages her to not worry about it and let the other two spoil her a bit; after all, they love her, so they can't help it. Ayame grins and lets it go; it can't be helped! Kokoro is surprised that Masara would give an answer like that; it's not very logical, is it? But there are feelings that transcend logic, and Masara says that it was Kokoro that she learned that from.
Kokoro then spots the couple that she ran into on the beach the other night. "I've decided to take a cooking class so that I can serve you delicious food when you come back." "Then I'll have to learn foreign cuisines and cook them for you." They seem to be getting along well, and Kokoro is glad; it seems that happiness can mean a lot of things. Kokoro remarks that now, she feels like she can imagine what it'll feel like when she and Masara get married. "...When we model for the photo, you mean." "Yeah!" HMMMM...
Masara says that she still doesn't know how getting married feels, but... she thinks that, while marriage isn't everything, people get married because they want to be happy. Kokoro agrees; happiness is different for everyone, and what people want in a family is different, and getting married isn't always necessarily the right solution, but... people want to be happy. And everyone here, they're smiling. And that's an important thing to remember to do when you're modeling! (Even Masara smiles here.)
In the next scene, though, Kokoro's got a case of the nerves. How does she smile?! Masra, heeeelp! Masara tells her she just needs to calm down; really, Masara's the one who needs to work on her smile. Kokoro will be fine if she just does her usual. But anyway, that aside, they see the photographer, and he seems to be in a bit of a tizzy. They check in with him, and it turns out, their costumes haven't arrived! And on top of that, one of the brides for the day (because there's real weddings happening too, if I'm understanding correctly) has run away! Kokoro and Masara volunteer to help and go to search for the missing girl. They search around, and find the girl that Masara met at the beach the other night, the one that was afraid of getting married and was screaming her fears into the wave. She's standing at the cliff, abou to throw herself off... and a Witch's Labyrinth opens up. She's been stamped with a Witch's Kiss, the monster taking advantage of her insecurities.
Kokoro steps forward firmly. Marriage is a complicated thing, different for everyone... but it's something people do for happiness. It's natural for people to be anxious about it. And she'll never allow anyone to take advantage of those feelings! Masara and Kokoro are in sync on this, and with a flash of light, they transform, not into their normal magical outfits, but into wedding attire. (There's an awesome CG here.) In unison, they resolve to defeat the Witch. It's only then that they notice their outfits; this must have been from what Mitama did, but what's with these clothes? Because their feelings on wedding have changed? Still, why would Mitama cast them in these rolls? Well, regardless, they're still magical girls, and they've got a job to do! With their newfound power they make short work of the Witch, and rescue the damsel.
She comes back to her senses, but she's still riddled with anxiety; she's happy right now, but the happier she gets the more scared she is of losing that happines. Maara tells her that everything comes to an end, even love doesn't last forever... but she still loves her fiance, right? She replies that of course she does! So Masara tells her that the logical thing to do, then, is to cherish the time they have now. People will eventually die, feelings will change, but right now they're alive and in love, so being together is what will make them smile the most. She doesn't have to give up her feelings of uncertainty, because that too is a part of her that will one day lead into the future, but... has she told her fiance about her anxieties? How would he feel about letting her suffer all on her own without even knowing about it? But ultimately, it's not Masara's place to interfere... But at that moment, who should come running up but the finace himself! And so the girl brings herself to confess that she's actually been really worried about this.
With the day saved, Masara and Kokoro reflect on their thoughts and marriage. Kokoro wonders if they'll get married someday too. Masar remarks on how having someone important in your life makes you stronger. She doesn't want Kokoro to get hurt either, and she'd be sad if Kokoro left... Kokoro is startled by the admission, until Masara says that she wonders if her parents feel the same way about her, and Kokoro says "Ah, you meant THAT kind of love." (Masara is puzzled, she has no idea that Kokoro thought she was confessing just now.)
And the photographer shows up, thanking them for finding the missing bride. But wait, they're still in their transformed outfits! Kokoro panics but Masara stops her: they should just go in these outfits! Don't they look perfect for wedding photos? The photographer is surprised, he doesn't know where they got the outfits from, but Masara assures him that they didn't do anything against the law, so don't worry about it! He heads back first, and Kokoro laughs at how pushy Masara was. Masara stops, noticing that Kokoro has a great smile right now. And as Kokoro points out, Masara does too! Masara hadn't even noticed she was smiling, but she fun when she's with Kokoro, so that must be why. She makes to escort Kokoro back, and Kokoro remarks that, costumewise, shouldn't she be the one escorting Masara? But Masara says that either way is fine, and Kokoro agrees.
Back at the venue, Aimi notices that their outfits are actually a magical girl transformation, and Mitama remarks that now they know how the two of them feel about getting married! Aimi comments on how nice their smiles are, but wonders why Kokoro looks like a groom? Mitama isn't sure, but theorizes that maybe it has to do with her desire to protect everyone's happy future. In any case, the photographer starts to encourage them to try to capture the happy expression of a couple getting married... but he stops himself, saying that their expression is already perfect. Three, two, one, snap! The event closes on a lovely photo of Masara and Kokoro smiling at each other in their wedding outfits.