Episode 01

## This Is Your Story

**This Is Your Story** is the first episode in the Smile Down the Runway anime.

## Summary

Chiyuki is introduced and her dream of becoming a top fashion model is disclosed.

8 years prior to the start of the series shows Chiyuki at her father's model agency telling Shizuku that she's once again had a growth spur. She learns from Shizuku that the baseline for models used in France is 175cm which leaves Chiyuki with only 20cm left to grow. Openly declaring her desire to become a model in the Paris Collection, Shizuku claims only when Chiyuki grows 20cms. A trio of models overhear Chiyuki's conversation with Shizuku and believe she'll make it to 180 cms in no time. At that moment, Chiyuki's father Kenji enters the room and informs her that he has a job for her. Elated to hear about to hear that, Chiyuki believes it's for the Paris Collection, to which, he dismisses. With a seemingly bright path ahead for Chiyuki, this changes after she never grew another cm since her last growth spur. Because of this and her attitude, her father threatens to fire her if she keeps it up. 2 years after this she's fired from her father's agency.

In the present, an adamant Chiyuki auditions for a spot in her father's agency, Mille Neige. She, however, is rejected by one of the two judges Shizuku who admonishes her becoming a fashion model. After this failed audition, Takahashi approaches Chiyuki with applications to other agencies with openings. However, she still plans on auditioning again and to inform Shizuku about it.

At school, everyone in her class is to fill out a paper that expresses what job they wish to pursue after they graduate. Chiyuki writes for hers to become a Supermodel and two of her friends praise her for choice believing she can become president of her father's company for sure. Soon, a timid Ikuto approaches Chiyuki and after introducing himself, he asks to rewrite his job choice and she allows it.

Afterward in afterschool, Ikuto has yet to return his paper and so Chiyuki finds him in the dressmaking room. It's revealed that he never changed the job he wrote down and while he was there he was watching a Paris Collection DVD his mentor gave him. He apparently was trying to recreate a dress shown on the DVD that featured Shizuku. Curious to know, Chiyuki asks Ikuto if she'd look good in the dress that Shizuku wore on the DVD. Plainly, Ikuto claims she'd look great in just about anything. However, Chiyuki asks to see if he has anything better than what's shown in the DVD that she'd look great in.

So, Ikuto takes her to the closet room where he has all of his works. The one outfit that he shows her is believed to be too "masculine" and she disapproves of it. Learning of Ikuto's passion for fashion and he initially wrote that he wanted to become a fashion designer when he wrote his job choice, but erased it. Confessing that her assumption was true, Ikuto then confesses that he has three younger sisters and gives an explanation on all of them. Two of them reject going to college and the youngest isn't old enough to be considering attending college. Due to this and his financial circumstances. Although Chiyuki can relate to Ikuto's circumstances, she says something admonishing to him, which she comes to regret.

Because of this, she applies for a major agency and gets approved for it. Back in school, she's approached by her teacher who inquires about the jobs she applied for. Those being supermodel, and "hypermodel" that's a model for her father's agency. Once this explanation is over, Chiyuki confronts Ikuto in the dressmaking room and promises to give him all of the clothes she doesn't wear. This is in order for him to make clothes that she'll look good in.

Ikuto shares this news to his hospitalized mother and late that night when he returns home, to his three sisters. There, the oldest of the three tries to persuade Ikuto to follow his passion for fashion design, after learning he put down "find employment" for his job choice. He, however, is content with his choice and thanks his sister for her thoughtfulness.

The following day, Chiyuki auditions at her father's agency again wearing an outfit made by Ikuto. This time around, Chiyuki is finally accepted and signs a contract for the agency. Also because of a photographer who took pictures of Chiyuki in her outfit made by Ikuto, it goes viral. This leads to Chiyuki and Ikuto attending a meeting with Chiyuki's father involving the outfit Ikuto designed. He asks to purchase the designs and hire him to the firm.

## Characters

* Chiyuki Fujito
* Ikuto Tsumura
* Hajime Yanagida
* Shizuku Naruoka
* Kenji Fujito
* Takahashi