Uzuki and Rin come to 346 Production for the first time. They meet the final member who won the idol version of a “second chance sweepstakes,” Mio Honda, as well as the 12 other eccentric members, and thus the project can finally start. The first job for the three newcomers is to do a publicity shoot, but their nervousness threatens to derail the whole thing. Somehow, they get through it, and well enough to impress superidol Mika Jougasaki, who suddenly hires the trio to be her backup dancers for an upcoming concert!

Kanako, Chieri, and Anzu make their unit debut as Candy Island. However, Anzu states that she doesn’t want to work. Kanako is laid-back and does everything at her own pace, and Chieri is so nervous about an audience watching her that she can’t look at them.

The unit seems iffy from the get-go, but the three of them are invited to appear on a variety show hosted by Mizuki Kawashima and Airi Totoki. Preoccupied by the audience’s gaze, the newly-minted trio has zero teamwork as they face off against three other idols. It doesn’t help when a terrifying “punishment” is announced beforehand for whichever team loses!

With the fall fest finished, the Cinderella Project members have ascended another stair. But when Uzuki suffers a crisis of confidence, she tells Producer that she wants to go back to the basics and subsequently returns to training school. Feeling that something is off, Producer frequently visits Uzuki at the school to keep an eye on her, but she sticks to her usual line of "I'll do my best." Producer doesn't think Uzuki is heading in the right direction, so he sets up a Christmas concert for New Generations and entreats her to re-enter the fold there. However, Uzuki doesn't show any enthusiasm for the plan.

When Producer tells Rin and Mio about Uzuki's condition, they become anxious and go to the training school to see how she really feels. They find that Uzuki has lost her former dazzling smile...