Aria Vol. 12

At the start of summer, Akari meets a man with two dolls, one smiling and one frowning, which he claims reflects human nature. After hearing Singles gossip about Alice's promotion to Prima ahead of Aika, Akira worries about how Aika is taking it. Aika assures her she is motivated by the competition, and Akira sets Aika's Prima exam for a month later. As a Prima, Alice has little time to see her friends and cannot think of an excuse to call them, even though she misses them. When they pay a surprise visit to her dorm with a pizza, Akari tells her that being a friend is reason enough. At practice one morning, Aika tells Akari they can no longer practice together because she has been promoted to Prima with the title Rosen Queen, and will be managing a new Himeya Company branch office. Alicia sets Akari's Prima exam for the next day, during which she directs Akari down a very narrow, difficult channel. Akari successfully negotiates it and is promoted to Prima with the title Aquamarine. Alicia immediately announces her retirement to get married and work for the Gondola Association. The next several days are busy as Alicia hands the running of Aria Company over to Akari. When Akari finally breaks down crying, Alicia admits that Akari could have been promoted long before but Alicia had delayed the exam to postpone leaving her. At the end of summer, Mr. Mailman hires Akari for a tour, during which he says she is a great undine because she is a master of bringing happiness. In the morning, Akari sees Aria Company filled with memories of Alicia and her friends but, remembering Alicia's advice to stay in the moment instead of stuck in memories, she opens the reception-area shutter to let in the new day. Akari tells her correspondent what has happened to the other characters, ending with an invitation to visit Neo-Venezia and meet her. In the final pages, a new pair, Ai, starts her first morning at Aria Company.