There you go!
It's your first day on the job.
Thank you very much.
You're very welcome.
You're going to walk to work in your uniform?
Aren't you going to be hot?
But if you pretend it's just the sun abusing you, it'll feel a lot better.
That only works for you.
It'll take a while to learn how to put this on. And it's not far away.
Plus...
Senpai is looking so intently at me.
Though I know she's really only looking at my clothes...
The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior
E p i s o d e 8
H a p p y
The restaurant is in a remodeled Meiji-era western-style house.
You'll be working in the café outside.
Wear this name tag.
Anekouji
So this really is my name?
Good morning.
Owner, you found someone to work in the café?
That's wonderful.
I can feel them wishing me good luck...
So there are normal uniforms?
The restaurant focuses on dining.
I'd rather work over there.
There are female waitresses...
Now, now.
You shouldn't be hard on Madame.
You must be Anekouji-kun's replacement.
The first guy I meet here already looks overwhelming.
Nice to meet you.
My name is Yamamoto.
Yamamoto
Huh? That's a normal name.
Maybe he's not as strange as he looks.
Is Yamamoto your real name?
My name is—
Absolutely!
Chatter Chatter
I was born at the foot (fumoto) of a mountain (yama).
Thus, Yamamoto.
Many good masters believe that commoners don't have family names.
I was born to a poor family in the country,
His real name is Hojo.
I was wrong.
but I have come to the city for an education.
His real name is Hojo.
His real name seems more fitting!
And what is your name?
Well,
he will be inheriting the Anekouji name.
Please show him the ropes.
So you're Anekouji-kun's younger brother.
Chatter Chatter Chatter
He talked about you all the time.
Your brother was sent abroad to study languages,
and now you've been allowed to take the Anekouji name.
Anekouji-sama is a true philanthropist.
I've been given a fleshed-out backstory.
You must show your gratitude.
That's enough, Yamamoto-kun.
You're making him uncomfortable.
Nice to meet you.
My name is Kurokawa.
My real name, that is.
Saionji
I go by Saionji here.
I'm Usa. It's nice to meet you.
Though I'll only be working over summer break...
He seems like a mysterious person...
Our uniforms may look like this,
but otherwise, this is just a normal café.
Really? That's good to hear.
Before these, we wore uniforms that looked like what monks wear.
I was pretty surprised when our uniforms changed a few months back.
At least he seems like a quiet and normal person.
However...
My guardian spirit has a connection with Koda Rohan,
Great Meiji Writer
so that may have led to the change.
How many times have my hopes been betrayed already?! I'm an idiot!
My guardian spirit is the grandchild of a man who lived in the same area as Rohan.
So they were strangers!
Strangers
Yours is also similar.
What do you mean?
That makes sense.
What does?!
Your guardian spirit was connected to Natsume Soseki.
He was someone who wanted to go to Soseki's school.
They were total strangers!
Total Strangers
Oh, no! Usa-kun!
Evil spirits are lining up!
All this talk of spirits reminds me of Hayashi
and my Freak Show days, so I wish he'd stop...
Cut that out!
Honestly, you're always spouting utter nonsense, Saionji-kun.
I appreciate the help, but you're no better.
Professor Natsume is an instructor at Tokyo Imperial University!
How dare you call him a spirit?!
Wow. So that's why he's mad.
Wait, weren't you talking about the state of the world
after the end of the Russo-Japanese War the other day?
Soseki was no longer an instructor at that point.
At least, not at Tokyo Imperial.
You haven't done your research.
What?!
Well, your guardian spirits have nothing to do with historical figures!
A-And what time period is that hair style from, anyway?!
Bickering
Uh, calm down, you two!
Take it easy, okay?
Whose side are you on?!
Wh-Whose side am I on?
Stare
C-Customers!
Right, they were in a private room.
We apologize for the disturbance!
Welcome back. How'd it go?
It was another reminder that my life is stuck in hard mode.
I'm so jealous!
Just zip it.
You have no right to talk about "hard mode"!
I just found out that some of my younger friends
set up a group date and kept it a secret from me!
If you think that's hard, you must be easy.
Are group dates really such a big deal?
When I think about going to one...
Sounds like a pain...
It sounds like a pain...
But in high school, group dates are usually limited to karaoke.
You have plans to go to one?
No way.
And if I did, I wouldn't tell you.
Tagami
Calling to draft the Freak Show Ringmaster?
No! It's just a friend!
Hey, Usa? You up for a group date?
Well?
Tagami.
The devil is standing behind me right now,
Devil
so I need to hang up.
Tagami The Devil? What was that about? lol Do you live in Hell or something?
According to Tagami-kun's e-mail,
he was hanging out with some friends from middle school,
when they ran into some girls from East High and set up a group date.
The location is, predictably, a karaoke parlor.
Congratulations.
"I'm suffering from rectal prolapse and can't make it."
Can't you come up with a better reason to refuse?!
There's another e-mail.
"You went to West Middle, right?"
Huh? Yes.
"I'm with the girl who's setting this up and
she also went to West Middle.
I'll send a picture."
Here's the picture
Check the picture and see if you recognize her.
A little flashy, but she's pretty cute.
She went to my school?
Oh, this is a textbook example of someone who made a high school debut.
You mean someone who realized she was cute?
No.
Someone who realized she can make herself cute.
And went overboard.
Just like you.
Eyelid Glue: None
She did a lot of work on her eyes,
Eyeliner: None
Fake Lashes: None
Black Contacts: None
so they must be small with no eyelid fold.
She left her eyebrows untouched before.
She doesn't know how far to go with maintenance.
Her hair is hiding her face, so it must be pudgy.
Since her hair is so flashy,
it probably used to be black and plain.
And her name is Hayashi...
Hayashi... Hayashi...
It's Hayashi?!
Look, Usa-kun, Restligeists everywhere.
Hayashi! You're the last person I want anything to do with right now!
It's the Ghost Whisperer who kept bugging Usa
when he was Freak Show?
Perhaps she'll make a move on him at the group date.
After all, you're the reason
she wasn't alone or bullied, right?
Well, she was pretty alone.
She must be grateful.
What do you think, Rit-chan?
She might be.
Wha—
There's another e-mail.
"Sorry. When I mentioned you to Hayashi-san,
she immediately said she wouldn't set up
a group date if you were coming.
Sorry, forget I said anything.
What did you do to Hayashi-san, anyway?"
When I see how pathetic Usa is,
I can almost convince myself that it's
not a big deal I wasn't invited to a group date.
Thanks!
It was never a big deal!
And you're still only almost convinced?!
Tagami and those guys are probably finishing up karaoke now.
Not that I wanted to go or anything,
but that was some pretty cold treatment.
What if I go the rest of my life
always getting screwed over like that?
What if nothing changes between Senpai and me?
Stop thinking about it.
Customers.
Welco—
They're really dressed like student houseboys! Hilarious!
Usa-kun?
I'm so bored...
Your younger friend may be wearing sexy underwear
on a first date after a successful group date,
and you're just lying around in a worn-out bustier as Saturday comes to an end.
Okay, let's test the efficiency of different facial cleansing methods.
Using her face.
Shiro, bring sandpaper and paint thinner.
That's not a facial cleanser.
Stop fighting!
If you have nothing to do, why don't we all go visit Usa-kun?
That sounds good.
Yeah, it sounds more productive than scraping off the magic mask...
I mean the Sayaka mask.
Don't say "scraping."
You, too, Rit-chan.
I'm not interested...
The café has an incredible book collection.
Why do I have to wear this?
It's the perfect opportunity.
You like costumes, don't you?
I do, but that doesn't mean I want to wear them...
Hayashi and Tagami...
Usa? What are you doing here?
Wait, this is where you work?
What's this? Is he a friend?
You also know him, Hayashi-chan?
Yeah...
We were classmates in middle school.
Seriously?
You wanted to see a student houseboy and found a classmate.
Sounds like fate to me.
Hey! Don't say that!
We went to the same school, but we never talked.
Oh, no, Usa-kun!
Your guardian spirit has turned evil!
You're the one who talked to me all the time!
It sure has been a while, Hayashi.
Have you talked to anyone from our...
L-Let's go inside.
What? You sure?
But he wants to talk.
It's fine!
What? What's the matter?
Sorry about this, Usa.
After the group date, we started talking about this student houseboy café.
The girls were all excited about it.
Especially Hayashi-san.
My friend's interested in Hayashi-san.
I'll get them out of here as fast as I can.
You know, you seem to fit in perfectly.
I didn't know you swung that way.
I don't! Which way is "that way"?
Welcome.
I'll take you to the room in the back on the second floor.
Wait, aren't you supposed to do the whole "Welcome home" spiel?
This isn't that kind of café.
I came here expecting people to call me Master!
Idiot!
We haven't had such unpleasant customers in a long time.
Every one of them is incompatible.
They're just trying to show off for the girls.
All of them had useless guardian spirits.
Warrior Deserter
I think Hayashi should be pretty compatible.
Though I guess that might not be true anymore.
I don't want to be assigned to them.
Sorry, count me out.
One of them's a classmate from middle school and it'd be awkward.
Very well. I will go.
There's nothing to worry about.
Heh
I'll show you how to handle spoiled, rich brats
who enjoy spending their parents' money.
I'm very worried.
How insulting!
That was fast.
How dare they?!
They mocked me because I'm a poor student from the countryside!
They must be jealous because
the master is impressed by my talents!
Grr...
I envy him for being able to make complaining fun.
Hey, come take our order, houseboy!
Oh, it's you.
Perfect timing.
Come over here.
Hey, this café looks pretty nice.
Look up, Rit-chan.
No.
But everybody's looking at you.
That's even worse!
Do we call you Anekouji-kun?
Hahahaha
Ahahahaha
Ooh...
Sounds like a "professional."
Wow...
Huh?
No way...
Japanesque host?
Come on...
Uh, can I take your—
Ahaha
Do you get special requests from crazy fangirls?
Oh, man, I bet he does!
Sounds rough
Wahahaha
So do you swing that way, Anekouji-kun?
Is that how it works?
Uh, can I take your order?
Hey, is he the guy you were going to
invite to the group date, Tagami?
Leave me out of this.
Gulp
You were really adamant about refusing him.
Is he your ex?
N-No!
Sounds fishy. Did something happen in middle school?
Tell us, Anekouji-kun!
Well, Usa-kun was kind of weird.
P-People called him Freak Show.
Freak Show Ringmaster
Because of you.
What does that mean?
What? So he was always strange?
Or does he dig freaks?
Looks like he's found the perfect job!
Sorry for asking if he was your ex, Hayashi-chan.
I didn't think he was one of those people.
That's rude!
Sorry!
Hey.
No, no, no!
I'm sure Anekouji-kun will meet someone much better for him!
Someone real "special"!
What is this?
Why isn't he saying anything?
He should tell them off.
Why am I here?
Right...
I need to take their order...
It's okay.
This will be over soon.
I'm sure I'll be laughing about it tonight.
I'm sure everyone will laugh.
But this is pretty rough...
Maybe Sumiko-san will make my favorite food.
And what about Senpai?
Maybe she'll smile for me?
Senpai... Senpai...
Senpai...
Usa-kun.
Usa-kun!
Usa-kun.
S-Senpai?!
Why are you dressed like that?
Sumiko-san helped me put it on.
Sayaka-san did the makeup.
It's...
It's beautiful.
Everyone's waiting on the first floor.
You should come.
Um, come take our order.
I could go for crazy fangirls.
Yeah, maybe I should work here.
Glare...
Oh, then...
Once I finish up here...
Come quick.
Is that a special request?
It really happens!
You can make fun of me,
but don't make fun of Senpai!
Yes, that's right.
This is a special request.
So come quick.
We'll be waiting.
Okay...
That's right, Usa. Hurry up.
I'm so lonely without you.
Uh, wait... What are you...
I'm here to support you.
Since you're always very good to me.
Especially at night.
Night
That's because you're at work during the day.
I'm not an ungrateful woman who
bites the hand that feeds me.
Huh? There's something on you.
It's black.
A bug?!
Ugh! A caterpillar!
Huh? Is this...
Smack
Oh, no. I'm so sorry about the mix-up.
I've never seen a fake eyelash before.
I didn't know they were so thick.
So those must be bugs you're wearing.
I-I'm leaving!
Sorry, I ruined everything.
Was that...
One of Wizard Sayaka's back-up magical tools.
And now the Wizard is going to kill time
by trapping those boys.
You've gotta stop being so nice.
It's irritating to watch.
Yeah, but
she looked really scared.
And while Hayashi could be overbearing...
Huh? They're still on.
I didn't hate her.
No, you should hate her.
Whatever. Let's go find Rit-chan.
That's right.
Senpai is waiting for me.
Yes!
Rit-chan just left.
She's not waiting...
And she was hopping mad earlier.
Mayumi-chan, why are you undressed?
A lot of things happened.
Oh, that explains it.
Huh?
She came back with a really scary look on her face.
Rit-chan?
What's wrong?
But all of a sudden...
I-I'm going home!
Why?
That's right. Senpai hates
talking to strangers or
being the center of attention.
She feels really embarrassed after the fact.
And yet...
Usa-kun.
Oh, you're back.
Are you okay?
Did they say terrible things to you?
Don't feel too bad.
It doesn't matter what they say.
That's right!
We can sit here laughing as we watch them fall from the upper rungs of society.
Can you not make things more complicated?
I love Senpai so much.
I'm so happy I could die...
You're happy?!
Miss Modern?
Miss Modern just ran out of a student houseboy café.
I'm...
I'm so embarrassed I could die.
Hamburg steak...
With melted cheese on top.
And I'm sitting next to Senpai.
I should worship her...
It's so good!
Oh, it's like what oyakodon is to Mayumi-san.
Usa-kun.
Yes?
The books I lent you the other day...
Sorry, I haven't started it yet...
Right, that's what I thought.
Lattice Sliding Door
You should start with the third chapter of the book with the blue cover.
Huh? Why?
It's the funniest part.
Uh, so that means...
If you think it's funny, it must be hilarious.
Sorry for being antisocial.
I didn't say that!
Senpai
is trying to cheer me up...
Then, I'll read it tonight.
I can't wait.
Sorry, Senpai... You've got it wrong...
I like to eat my favorite foods
to celebrate when something good happens.
I never thought being squished against my boobs would make you that happy.
You thought it would end on a happy note?
Too bad!
You got Mayumi-chan instead!
Next Episode Preview
What's wrong, Mayumi-san?!
I-I saw it!
Saw what?
In English, it's "centipede."
"Call for a doctor at once!"
"Oh, you're back already? That was fast."
"No, I'm still putting on my sandals."
It's the thing featured in that story!
Oh, a centipe—
Don't finish that sentence!
I can't bear to hear its name!
You hate them that much?
No girl can stand them!
Mayumi-san, you're wasting time and energy when you try to show off
your girly side and there aren't any hot guys around.
Aren't you scared, Sayaka?
Not really.
Sayaka-san grew up in the country.
E p i s o d e 9
F o r b i d d e n
Life in the country sounds scary.
If you say that again, I'll smack you.