In the fencing practice area Miki and Juri are fighting while others watch, amazed at the skill of both students. Both are brilliantly skilled, but somehow Miki manages to win. They remove their masks and Juri compliments him on his improvement but Miki meekly replies that he is not yet perfect. Juri kindly replies, "It's a power because of your purity. Your sword always has the force of your sincerity and today, it seems to be stronger than ever." She wonders if it is because of the girl, but he stammers that he doesn't know what she is talking about. As she walks away she says that his isn't a sword for real fighting.

In the garden Miki hands Anthy a watering pot and comments that it is like the garden in his youth. Utena comes in but remarks that she is unwanted. Utena and Miki listen to Anthy playing and Miki says, "That is the sound I have been seeking." Utena recognizes it from the night before and Miki replies that it is "The Sunny Garden" which was a song he and his sister had written in their youth. Utena is shocked because it is such a famous song.

As a child, he and his sister would play the piano in the garden and he was truly happy. They were considered geniuses of the piano and were even asked to do a concert, which his sister agreed to only because he would be there as well. The time for the concert came and Miki came down with a serious sickness which prevented him from performing. The young girl couldn't perform by herself and refused to ever play a piano again. The childhood game was ended and Miki lost his shining thing.

At a meeting of the student council, Miki makes a motion (say that ten times quick) to disband the council and end the duels. The others are shocked by his declaration, but Touga tells him that it will do no good. It wouldn't free Anthy because there will still be duels for the Rose Bride. The only way to get what he wants is to claim it himself. This gives Miki a moment's pause.

Later, when going into the music room, he runs into (literally) his sister Kozue who is just coming out. He is more than a little cold when he wonders what brought her to the music room and she replies that there are other things which can be done in that room… He enters to find Touga slightly less dressed than he should be. He reminds Miki that he must grasp what he wants.

He goes to see Utena, who thinks he is there for a more pleasant reason, but he hands her a rose, challenging her to a duel. Juri watches from afar as the duel begins. Miki is skilled, inspired, and seeking something he desperately wants. They exchange blow for blow, but Miki is confident he will win. Anthy needs him and he won't let her down. The two both charge prepared to strike, but at the last moment Anthy cheers for Utena and he freezes in shock which allows Utena the advantage. She destroys his rose and the duel is over.

Miki is crushed. Anthy didn't need him after all. Will he ever find his Shining Thing? At that moment Anthy compliments him and he feels better about losing.

His sister is with a friend and she plays the song her brother loves so dearly, only she plays it very poorly. Her friend is a little surprised and comments that she couldn't have gotten that bad from not playing and Kozue revels her secret. She never was good at the piano. A boy next door told her he could hear her playing and that it was beautiful, not realizing that it was her brother playing. She would play with her brother, but he was so good that he covered up her mistakes. She could not do the concert because her secret would be revealed.

Miki and Utena meet again and he says that they will fight again.

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