Another year's gone by, and she still hasn't learned her lesson.
Otherwise known as "The Day I Feel Sorry for Higashida."
Kamakura, do something so Higashida isn't transformed by that chocolate.
Use the power of money.
Instead of that,
it'd be faster to fiddle with Higashida and turn him into a cyborg.
Transform Higashida so he can't be transformed...
So no matter what, he'll be transformed, huh?
FEBRUARY
Poor guy.
FATE SURVIVAL
Yuuta!
Here.
Is this money?
Have you finally turned over a new leaf, she-devil?
You're shaken up, huh?
Come on, Yuuta. Have you forgotten what a reward is?
This is...
That's right, lottery tickets. And they're all losers!
I don't want 'em!
But you never know.
I ordered Tasaka and the others to get all losing tickets,
but maybe they made a mistake and there's a winner mixed in here.
There's even a possibility that one of these tickets is worth a fortune.
PICKED NUMBERS
Well, it's up to you whether you check them or not, Yuuta.
Ignorant people are entrusted with dreams just based on scraps of paper.
Pathetic, isn't it?
Even though you know they're all losers,
you cling to a tiny hope and check them all anyway.
It's incredibly unsightly.
I'm so kind to give you that hope!
Clean that crap up.
M-Make a fool out of me? Dammit!
You're actually checking them.
Here you are.
Sorry. You buy for me every time...
Oh, this time I changed the plan and made my own.
What's wrong, Adachi?
Don't ask me.
Mura, did you do something?
I didn't do a thing.
After all, he's unconscious!
All I did...
It had to be something scary!
I've failed every time trying to make chocolate!
But this time is different!
The reason is I had an assistant this time!
Shut up. Just give it to me.
Well, well, Nagata...
Did you make the chocolate this time, Nagata?
Higashida!
No. I helped.
You helped, Nagata?
It must've been tough.
Yes. Um, it was...
If you melt the store-bought ingredients first, you shouldn't really fail.
Right!
As long as you don't add anything that's inedible. Just kidding!
You don't add any?
There were various surprises. Um...
She put you to a lot of trouble.
Miss...
Higashida is even scarier.
I-It's okay! I'm sure he's nervous, too!
You did your best to make that, right?
Good lu—
Huh? It's strange for me to wish her good luck, isn't it?
When I think about it, I like Higashida, so it's weird for me to cheer on Miyakoshi.
But if she doesn't do her best, Higashida will be in trouble!
The feeling of wanting to support Miyakoshi is, um, is, um...
Good luck!
To me!
H-Here!
Thanks.
N-Nothing's happening!
Did I fail?
You succeeded!
Nagata...
Y-Yes?
I'm very sorry for always giving you so much trouble.
Higa—
It's definitely not your fault, Nagata, so don't worry.
That was my one concern.
And with that said, goodbye...
Higashida!
Even though his face is bluish-purple, he's got a dazzling smile!
Shake it up, baby!
Are you up, Higashida?
Why are you going back to sleep, Higashida?
I came up with it.
The reason you come here.
Even though it's not in your jurisdiction,
I appreciate you going to all the trouble.
Cooking is made up of the love between the person who eats
and the person who prepares the food.
I realized you two don't have that.
Therefore, Higashida, you should love Miyakoshi with all your heart.
What was bad about it?
That's what I want to ask.
Higashida, I'm sorry.
Even though we don't like each other at all,
I almost kill you every time with my chocolate.
Miyakoshi, cheer up.
Higashida once told me to give chocolate to the person I like,
but I don't like anyone.
The person I like?
If I come to like him, I can do anything?
No!
I thought you were furious, but now you're crying!
I recommended you proceed with make-believe love.
That would only result in Miyakoshi getting hurt, too.
I'm sorry.
No. It's not about getting hurt.
The thing is, Miyakoshi just isn't my type.
Pretend you didn't hear my suggestion and go home.
Higashida!
Thank goodness, right, Miyakoshi?
Yes! Higashida, I'm sorry again for everything!
Somehow, I'll definitely get better at cooking for next time
and make something edible, so forgive me!
Get good at cooking...
In other words, I would have to love Miyakoshi with all my heart.
Don't worry about it.
That's okay. You don't have to console me.
No, really.
You can continue to be lousy at cooking. I'll keep eating it.
You can stop worrying about whether it's good or bad or a matter of life and death.
In fact, I like you this way, unable to cook, Miyakoshi.
H-Higashida...
When you're nice to me, I feel...
totally grossed-out!
That's the spirit!
Will these two always have a relationship like this, with love mixed in?
Hana-hana and Naga are busy with Valentine's Day stuff,
and it feels like I've been left behind.
So I bought some chocolate on a whim.
I feel sorry for you, Kouno, so I was going to give it to you...
Drip...
but it looks really good, so would you mind if I ate it myself?
Eat it.
So I wonder what happened with Shindou's lottery tickets.
I won!
I checked them all, and one's worth 300 yen!
Huh? What are those looks of pity for? I'm happy!
Saiki helped me!
I yelped.
I HELPED.
You know...
the time it took to check all those tickets,
you would've made more money by just working.
This is why you're poor.
Wh-What the hell?
I-I didn't put a winning ticket in there because I like you.
I figured if I put even a cheap winner in the bunch,
you'd waste effort looking for it.
Shiho!
Thanks to you, I won 300 yen, so put it towards this month's payment.
Thank you so much!
What's with you? That ticks me off!
Wh-Why?
Adachi...
The person who just ordered doesn't like scallions, so leave them out.
Sure.
I'm counting on you.
Um... Why are you talking with your back turned towards me?
I wouldn't want you to faint again.
I know, right?
Faint?
Of course that would make Muranushi mad.
I know, right?
This is work, so I'm sure she's just trying to be nice,
but it's homemade, so she did put some feelings into it.
Therefore, you have an obligation to accept it.
It doesn't matter who it's from or what it is.
Right?
Those are the eyes of a man who's been through a war.
On the other hand, it seems you don't really like Muranushi,
so don't bother forcing yourself.
Huh?
"Huh?"
After all, when she talks to you, you turn pale,
avoid making eye contact and act all scared.
It's obvious to me that you dislike her.
Adachi?
Um... Uh... You know horror movies...
Yeah. There are people who are scared of horror movies, but they watch them anyway.
- It's the same kind of thing. - Sorry for being a horror movie.
You were standing there!
I was. I'm working, so of course that's where I'm going to be.
Do you have a problem with that?
No.
Adachi, I don't like it when someone is whispering about me behind my back,
so if there's something you want to say, would you say it to my face?
But, um... Uh...
How can I explain it, uh, Muranushi...
What? Spit it out.
- S-Sorry... - A-Are they fighting?
SORRY
Muranushi, try not to be mad at him.
I'm not mad. It's just...
He fainted in response to my homemade chocolate
and then compared me to a horror movie.
I'm just saying, "What's up with that?"
You're mad, aren't you?
This horror movie's homemade chocolate is as lethal as Miyakoshi's chocolate, huh?
No, Muranushi, that's too extreme!
- Don't compare it to that stuff! - What?
Muranushi, I feel really bad about all of that.
I've been totally rude.
Being scared just because you talked to me...
Even though you did nothing to harm me, and your cooking isn't like Miyakoshi.
On top of that, I fainted after you gave me homemade chocolate.
Your cooking isn't Miyakoshi's cooking! I'm sorry!
Okay, okay. Calm down.
The chocolate was delicious.
Anyway, I won't be scared or run away or turn pale anymore.
Really?
Yeah!
Really?
- Yeah! - You withstood it.
I understand, so we can forget about what happened this time.
Thank you.
By the way, why did you make homemade chocolate this time?
The reason is...
Adachi...
I figured...
you'd be extremely surprised by it.
So it turned out just as you wanted. I was so surprised that I fainted.
But you got angry.
That's true.
You all piss me off!
What's the harm? Those two patched things up.
And I was moved.
It was the moment your cooking became useful for the first time ever.
I was right. There's no sense bending over backwards trying to improve.
Stay just as you are.
Higashida has been nice to me like this lately.
Jeez.
It really is scary.
What if my cooking's become a habit for him and now he can't get enough?
I don't think that's it.
Impossible.
Miyakoshi must actually hate Higashida
if she dislikes it when he smiles at her or speaks kindly.
But she's lucky...
If Higashida smiled at me...
...maybe I'd be a little scared.
Naga... It's written all over your face.
I'm done with all this chocolate sweet stuff.
I've decided to give up on chocolate!
Even though she said she'd feed him chocolate until he died...
My late grandpa said something a long time ago...
I'm gonna feed Higashida a variety of things!
"Nothing good comes of a woman's resolve."
That's what Miyakoshi said?
I wonder what's wrong.
I wish she would've stayed the way she was.
- What's wrong? - What's wrong?
Is Higashida okay?
In more ways than one, huh?
It doesn't look like he's going to get together with Hana-hana,
so do your best to make your love for Higashi bear fruit and still hang out with me.
Yanagiba...
My love...
What do I do...
...if it does bear fruit?
Naga...
When you have as much money as milady Shiho,
there's a high likelihood that something dangerous will happen.
Listen, newbie!
It's our job to protect at a time like that
and most of all, prevent any crime from being committed.
Tasaka, it seems...
she can handle herself fine.
Idiot! It's the man we're protecting!
The man...
Until just recently,
she was merciless but smiled normally and seemed happy.
After buying that Japanese sword, though,
she's been oddly kind to Shindou and sometimes has a faraway look in her eyes.
Those eyes tell me she intends to kill Shindou!
Did that blond guy do something to her?
He did and he didn't. Well, it was a long time ago.
A-A long time ago...
It happens, right?
Because of your youth, you do or say something that can't be undone.
It does happen.
It does.
Maybe we should get those guys some tea.
I'm on break now, so I'll get it.
Anyway, those bangs look like they'd be too hot for comfort.
Isn't it hard for you to see through that?
No. Unless it's this length, I can't make eye contact with people.
Um... Have some tea.
Thank you.
Y-You're Sayuri Muranushi, aren't you?
Yes, that's right.
We met ten years ago!
Don't tell me you've forgotten!
Long time no see... Yamagishi?
Dammit! No! You friggin' forgot about me!
It's Saitou! Saitou! Daichi Saitou!
DAICHI SAITOU
We were in the same class in elementary school... Dammit!
I remember a Saitou.
You're the Saitou who was about to cry
when you lifted a girl's skirt on the way home from school, right?
You don't remember me!
Acquaintance of yours?
Yes, I suppose.
He was a classmate in elementary school who'd tease me about everything.
Hey, Muranushi!
That ghost-like face of yours has never smiled, I'll bet!
I thought I'd smile at him to teach him a lesson,
but after that, Saitou totally had the blues.
At the time, I didn't really understand my own power.
You talk like your smile is a weapon, but is it really?
At any rate, you've changed.
It's your fault!
Ever since that incident, I haven't been able to look anyone in the eye.
Socially, it's been an extreme hardship.
It's your fault I had to take this crappy jo—
I'm sorry, Muranushi. Sorry about my "thing" here.
THING
Not at all.
Wh-What do you think you're doing?
"What do you think you're doing?" is my line!
When I'm here, the other employees are basically the same rank as me.
You've got a defiant attitude against one of those people.
Know your place, you low-level jerk.
You know what I mean by "low-level"?
There you are.
I'll let you off the hook this time,
but from now on, I expect you to be much more obedient.
Um...
It seems that it's my fault you've had various obstacles in your life.
And apologizing won't change anything, but I'm sorry.
You don't owe him an apology!
As a fellow sadist, that's not like you, Muranushi!
I'm not a sadist.
His hair has turned white, too. I feel responsible.
I...
I just dye my hair!
Don't worry about that, idiot!
He just abandoned his post. That takes some nerve.
It's always been like that with me.
In front of me, the boy is stressed out or angry,
but just when I think he hates me, it seems that's not the case.
That's...
I wonder why. It's strange.
Very strange.
I have to come up with a snappy comeback here?
I'm definitely fired, dammit.
Nothing good can come of getting mixed up with Muranushi.
I've been looking for you.
You blame Muranushi for your life turning out lousy.
Miserable, low-level Saitou.
It's pathetic how you let the past linger your whole life long.
Milady Shiho is incredibly blind to her own shortcomings.
The funny thing is you actually had a crush on Muranushi, right?
No!
There are warped people who are in love with someone but pretend not to be.
They are mean to that person just to get their attention.
I wonder why those people waste so much time and effort on that,
when the person they like just ends up thinking they're hated.
Shut your face! I can do what I want!
I know you're gonna fire me anyway, so leave me alone.
I can't work in an environment if Muranushi is there. But it can't be helped.
I'm not going to fire you.
But I'm totally useless!
You're fine.
Milady is kind to kindred spirits.
Maybe you'll put me to work somewhere Muranushi isn't?
I'll do everything I can to see to it that you're always around Muranushi!
You should suffer with the complicated feeling that may be joy or misery!
Milady, you hate kindred spirits?
Hello.
I'm here to work!
I know.
Yanagiba...
Why don't you go to school already?
Higashi, you're always on my case about that.
The next time you eat Hana-hana's chocolate, become nicer.
I don't know what you're talking about.
We just had Valentine's Day, so I'm not going to eat chocolate for a long time.
Right, Miyakoshi?
I'm coming up with a plan!
Even if you say that with a service smile, forget it!
You think I'm just gonna let you feed me on a regular basis?
The poison from last time hasn't left my system yet!
What the heck? Miser!
If you think about it, I only made it for you three times!
At this rate, who knows when I'll hit upon a success?
Since we've come this far,
I'm gonna keep making stuff until you declare it's delicious!
Let me get some more experience here!
I've had it up to here with near-death experiences!
B-Besides...
Higashida, you should love Miyakoshi with all your heart.
All your heart... All your heart...
That's the one thing I won't do!
Instead...
I like the Miyakoshi who can't cook!
I don't need you to like me.
REJECTED
That's right.
When you think about it, it's crazy, isn't it?
The two of us arguing, you making chocolate, giving it to me...
All over a little chocolate...
SO FURIOUS THAT SHE'S TONGUE-TIED FOR A MOMENT
Valentine's Day is ridiculous, too.
I'll never eat your cooking, Miyakoshi, not for the rest of my life!
In the first place, I'm not obliged to!
Higashida, that was cruel!
I was listening, and Miyakoshi is definitely the one who's cruel!
Well, my shift is over, so I'm going home.
I no longer have to live in fear of your cooking. Life is good.
Oh, that's right.
I don't want you to like me either, Miyakoshi,
so we're on the same page, huh?
Good work.
Wh-Why was he so angry?
Miyakoshi...
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
So Higashida's raccoon is plumping up!
He must be feeding it something good!
Well, that's because Mom makes me delicious food!
Nice and plump.
You want to kill me?!
Next time, "Cooking is Love."
COOKING IS LOVE