Chapter 79

Synopsis
The daycare center decides to attend a Halloween party, and the children and adults dress up. While the adults are off to enter a costume contest, the children go around trick-or-treating, but Kotaro soon becomes lost.

Long Summary
Umi suggests that they the children and the teachers go to a Halloween event together. The children ask Ryuuichi what Halloween is, and Ryuu explains that it is like a pumpkin festival where you decorate pumpkins. Umi giggles as she sees that Ryuu is not entirely familiar with the holiday. Kirin excitedly explains that Halloween is when children become ghosts and trick adults into giving them candy. Usaida chuckles as he figures that Kirin's explanation is closer than Ryuu's. The children eagerly jump up and down at the sound of tricking adults. Umi says that adults can participate in a costume party as well. She suggests that Ryuu invite the chairwoman and Saikawa along. Later, the chairwoman declines the invitation, much to Kotaro's dismay. Ryuu consoles him, telling him that the two of them can bring home souvenirs. Saikawa kneels down and tells Kotaro that the chairwoman is always disguising herself as a witch, causing the chairwoman to yell at him. He asks what the two will dress up as, and Ryuu explains that he will come up with a random costume while Kotaro will wear a costume that Usaida has made. On Halloween, Kotaro dresses up as a pumpkin, Kirin as a witch, Taka as a skeleton, Midori as a bat, and Takuma and Kazuma as devils. Usaida takes a picture of the children as he proudly admires his handmade costumes. He calls out Hayato and Ryuu for wearing last-minute "costumes," but Hayato retaliates that their costumes are better than Usaida's pair of sunglasses. Usaida notes that the parents have gone all-out with their costumes. Usaida asks if Yutaka's real hair is part of his Chewbacca-like costume, while Yukari holds his arm. Yayoi mysteriously giggles with her witch costume as Satoru threatens to kill anyone who approaches Yayoi with his bloodied chainsaw. Hayato, embarrassed, tells his mother, a bloody nurse, to think about her age. However, she is far too invested in the fun to pay him any mind. Kousuke, in a ghost costume, nods along to Umi, who is dressed as a fairy, as she excitedly says that Halloween is quite fun. However, Usaida, Ryuu, and Hayato do not immediately recognize Kousuke, causing Kousuke to cry as he lifts his mask. He explains that he does not have work today and is hiding behind his mask. Kazuma pokes Kousuke's leg as he yells for him to go away. He and Takuma continuously poke their father as Kousuke cries and hides behind Ryuu. Hayato watches the scene and calls Kousuke weak. The staff at the Halloween party hand the children a bucket so that they can ask for treats. He asks a female staff member "trick-or-treat," and she hands him a lollipop. Kotaro's eyes sparkle as he looks in his pail with the lollipop. Ryuu smiles as Kotaro shows him. The staff member informs them that there are several booths where the children can get candy and tells the adults that there is a costume contest with a grand prize of a year's worth of rice. The adults hand their children to Usaida, Ryuu, and Hayato, instructing them to take care of them as they enter the contest. Hayato sees that the children are already running off to the next booth, and Ryuu drags Hayato along as he chases after the children. Ryuu catches an excited Taka while Hayato holds Takuma and Kazuma. He tells them to stop squirming as he apologizes to the female staff member for the disturbance, causing her to blush. Kirin holds hands with Usaida as Ryuu instructs them not to run off. Ryuu panics when he realizes that Kotaro is not with them, and Hayato asks Taka where Kotaro is. Taka stares at his brother as Usaida sees a huge crowd of toddlers dressed as pumpkins, just like Kotaro. Ryuu runs to find Kotaro as Hayato keeps the children with him and Usaida. Ryuu picks up several children to see if any of them are Kotaro. He is stunned when he picks up Tamako. Nekota, dressed as a witch, gratefully thanks Ryuu for finding Tamako, regrettably saying that she has not seen Kotaro. Meanwhile, Kotaro tears up as he stands alone, completely lost. A man in a suit and pumpkin hat that covers his face walks up to him and holds out a bag of cookies. He kneels down and asks Kotaro if he would like candy or a trick. Before Kotaro can respond, the man takes off his hat and reveals himself as Saikawa, saying that he has already played a trick on him. Kotaro smiles at the sight of Saikawa, and the chairwoman, wearing a witch's hat, explains that she had come down because she has free time. She picks up Kotaro as she suggests that they go to find Ryuu. Saikawa puts on his pumpkin hat as the chairwoman decides to go surprise Ryuu next. The chairwoman smiles as she hands Kotaro back to Ryuu, and Kotaro jumps into Ryuu's arms, telling him "trick-or-treat."

In the end, the chairwoman wins the year's supply of rice in the costume contest.

Characters In Order of Appearance

 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Taka Kamitani
 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Takuma Mamizuka
 * Kazuma Mamizuka
 * Umi Mamizuka
 * Kirin Kumatsuka
 * Usaida Yoshihito
 * Midori Sawatari
 * Morinomiya Youko
 * Saikawa Keigo
 * Hayato Kamitani
 * Yukari Sawatari
 * Yutaka Sawatari
 * Yayoi Kumatsuka
 * Satoru Kumatsuka
 * Shizuka Kamitani
 * Kousuke Mamizuka
 * Tamako
 * Nekota