Hey.
Riko.
I was thinking all last night about the romantic advice we should give.
Oh, that.
Shoot right through his heart.
Don't you think it's a great way to get a boy interested?
This is not where your brainpower should be going!
You're so mean!
I made that mechanism myself.
This isn't the time for that!
We've got four requests from students,
no way to reply to them,
and a pair of weird girls investigating us.
I know.
I am taking this situation very seriously.
After much consideration, I arrived at a conclusion!
We should conduct as many love labs as we possibly can!
Why?!
To the Kurahashi House!
This is like one of those heartwarming news stories.
I'm not a cat stuck in a tree!
And to prove it...
I'm scared!
You're such a mean girl! You're a demon! A demon!
You're blaming me?
I'm so scared!
Want me to help you?
I-I will not accept help from an old enemy!
"Old enemy"? We've never met.
You don't remember?!
Sayo, what are you doing?
You're the root of all evil!
What's your problem?
I'll make you cry "uncle" someday!
Uncle.
I did it!
Here's a freebie for you.
Uncle, uncle, uncle...
Have some from me, too.
Uncle, uncle, uncle...
They're harmonizing! Yeah!
Nana-chan, calm down.
Momo-senpai.
Are you okay?
I was wondering where you went.
Kurahashi-san just threw something out of the window.
President Maki seemed panicked, so thought I'd go pick it up.
I tried taking a shortcut over the wall, but it was taller than I thought...
I lost what could've been my chance at a scoop!
Nana-chan, you're so loud.
Sorry, Sayo-chan.
You know her?
This might really be a problem.
Please knock!!
I see.
Maybe we really should go easy on the love labs.
What?
An underhanded person like Mizushima-senpai, who thinks nothing of eavesdropping
and breaking and entering, says it's a problem.
You know, Kurahashi, I'm pretty scary when I'm angry.
Uh... I'm kidding, I'm kidding!
Well, I don't think there's anyone at Fuji Girls' who can
commit any mischief without me noticing.
I wouldn't expect any less.
Amazing. I must learn from her.
I don't think you need to learn that.
Momo is different from me.
Are you saying she'll attack us directly?
She'll probably come at us with a curve ball that just barely qualifies as direct.
Funny...
That doesn't seem different.
You seem to know an awful lot about her. Were you friends?
I don't know her.
No, not really.
We were in the same group during elementary school, once.
Hmm...
So, it seems we have no choice but to wait and see what she will do.
Can't we continue conducting love labs with tighter security until then?
Yeah, but...
I'm worried.
Who cares?
Let's do it!
I don't like this!
I support your love labs!
Thank you.
You're unusually assertive.
Eno likes pushing people around, but she hates being pushed around herself.
Oh, shut up!
Now, the topic of today's love lab is "Capturing a Boy's Interest!"
By the way, that gun trick is out.
What?
Let's start by having Kurahashi teach us some techniques.
What?!
I'd like to know some, too!
You can do it, brain cells.
Think, think.
Uh, um... Look up at him...
Stick out your tongue...
And touch him lightly...
No!
Am I doing it wrong?
Now you realize?!
What did I do wrong?
Everything, I think.
If I had to choose something, your touches were a little heavy.
But how are we supposed to touch someone lightly?
Right, let's see...
I guess beginners should start with touching the shoulder.
You're working hard.
I think I could do that.
Me too!
Try it, then.
Okay.
What kind of dump is this?
Ri-san, you seem down.
Who are you calling Ri-san?
You can't even do that?
You can't do anything, can you?
That's amazing, Yuiko-san.
Could you do it to me, too?
What?
No Makio!
And Senpai, stop acting so nervous around Makio.
He's a girl!
Sh-Shut up.
Even if we can do it while we're practicing, with a real boy...
A real boy?
I can't!
You can't?
What are you conducting these love labs for, then?
W-Well...
You can't help it if reality's a little different from your ideal.
But there may be someone out there like Huggy!
Or, if I keep holding him like this and caring for him...
He may someday come to life!
What a terrifying image!
Yan's just obnoxious.
There are all kinds of boys.
Are you sure?
There are even worse ones.
Ones who will lick the flutes of girls they like, just like someone's brother.
Who?! Whose brother does that?!
You're the only one I'll never tell.
That's the same as telling me!
Boys are so...
In that case!
I must love him even harder to awaken his spirit!
I'll start by sleeping with him.
Gosh, I feel so excited...
You're awakening to something entirely different!
No more Huggy!
Why don't you come to my place and practice with my little brother?
What?
He's younger, and he looks like me, so he should be easy to talk to.
Really?
My time has finally come!
I'm finally going to a friend's house!
You're way too excited for this.
It's all right.
I have been practicing the perfect simulation for this day.
Yeah, you should abandon that simulation.
I've got a bad feeling about it.
What?
Just act normally.
That sounds fun.
I'll go, too.
I'd like to go, too!
I-I don't mind going, either!
And it's not because I got scared of boys after what Maki did earlier,
so don't get the wrong idea!
Real tsundere girls are such a pain.
Mom, my friends are coming over this Sunday.
What? From Fuji Girls'?
Yeah.
Are they graceful young ladies?
Maybe I'll stay home this Sunday.
Dad, Mom.
Don't you agree that birds of a feather flock together?
Rentaro-kun?
Wh-What?
Are you doing anything Sunday?
My friends and I probably—
Great, you don't. Stay home.
If you're not going to listen, don't ask!
No way!
A bunch of girls are coming over, right?
Girls are so loud.
They're persistent and jealous,
always talking about who they're friends with and who they like...
They're savage, too.
Neat young ladies exist only in dreams.
Now, now, boy. You're a little too young to know that.
Ren, answer the door.
What?
This sucks.
I'm sure they're all crude and loud like Nee-chan.
Yeah, yeah. Come in.
Are you Riko's younger brother?
Nice to meet you. I'm Maki Natsuo.
Strike
Um...
Ren, what're you spacing out for?
Come on in.
Excuse the intrusion.
Come in.
Rentaro-kun.
My room's upstairs.
Oh, okay.
It's not much, but I brought this.
Cake?
Thanks!
My room's just at the top of the stairs.
You go on ahead.
Okay!
Mom, Maki brought cake.
I-I never expected anyone like her...
Again?
Come on in.
She's huge!
She's tiny!
Her eyebrows are so thick!
Suzu's about your height, midget.
My eyebrows?
Do you have a problem with my eyebrows?
I'm still in elementary school.
She looks nothing like a middle schooler.
What about my eyebrows?!
Even elementary school kids don't look so childish.
D-Don't cry over that!
You should be the one crying.
Sorry my brother's so rude.
Hey, that's it. Say something back.
What? What should I say?
Mizushima-senpai, you seem like you're good at being critical.
Show her how.
You're just as rude as your brother.
I bet you like the algae in fish tanks.
Were you a snail in a past life?
That's too mean!
In that case...
In a past life, you were a great snail who made people happy
by removing algae from their fish tanks.
No more snails.
Just say something you wouldn't want someone to say to you.
Uh, um...
Wh-When supermarkets and convenience stores have marketing campaigns...
that guarantee free goods, I hope you get none!
I feel better.
That's great.
Hey, wait!
You should apologize for calling an older person's eyebrows thick
when you've never even met!
What? He said that?
Sorry. I was just going with the flow.
The flow?
But they look good on you, so I don't think it's a problem.
I'd tell you if they looked weird.
I-In that case, you're forgiven.
He's gonna be a lady killer.
Is something wrong?
Ren got a little excited.
Wh-Who's excited?
Ren, do you want some cake?
Maki-san brought it for us.
No, thanks.
It's a little messy, but don't let it bother you.
It's kind of girly.
I am a girl, after all.
Unpopular Girls, Read This!!
Huh? What's this?
I forgot to hide it!
Is something wrong?
Nothing, it's nothing!
I wonder what the popular Kurahashi is doing with a book like that.
I-It was... a birthday gift from my brother.
He doesn't know I'm popular.
Oh?
Hey, what's going on?
Kurahashi has this book.
Is something wrong?
It's nothing.
Album
It's a photo album.
Do you want to take a look?
It's from elementary school.
Can I?
I'd like to see it.
Really? Let me see.
Riko, you're so cute.
Why don't you have any pictures with boys?
Huh?
Oh? Now that you mention it...
If you were popular, you should have tons of pictures with boys.
There really aren't any.
Well, that's because...
Are you finally going to tell them?
The truth is...
Your boyfriends weren't allowed to have their photos taken?
Huh?
They were international spies who had to keep their identities hidden,
or VIPs whose lives were in danger.
If they were old-fashioned,
they'd be afraid their souls would be taken with the photo.
Are you stupid?
There's no way that's true.
If they can't take photos, it's because they're employed by a talent agency.
You've dated so many different kinds of people.
Th-That's true, actually.
Amazing!
Is this what you want, Kurahashi?
Calm down, calm down.
Ren, go buy some juice from the convenience store.
Why me?
Riko bought that juice for her guests.
I'm going, then.
While you're out, buy some snacks, too.
That will be 514 yen.
Campaign!! Lottery
Okay.
Win fabulous prizes! Campaign
Spend 500 yen and you're guaranteed a lottery ticket!
Welcome
Total
Out of 600 yen.
Your change is 86 yen.
Thank you.
Welcome.
We're currently offering lottery tickets to customers who spend over 500 yen.
Go right ahead.
I didn't get one.
Sorry about that.
I didn't think Ren would act like that towards girls.
It's fine.
That was the first time I've been able to talk back to someone.
I can never find the words...
I'm impressed you two can talk back to boys without breaking a sweat.
It's not that impressive.
I know.
I'll teach you some simple and extremely damaging verbal abuse you can use.
No! Don't taint Suzu!
I wasn't able to talk back very well, either.
Maki's Imagination
What are you, stupid?
The next time I see him, I'll really give it to him!
It takes one to know one!
If we were eel lunches, I'd be regular and you'd be extra special!
You admit you're both stupid, then?
If we were curry, I'd be regular,
and Japan's biggest eater would try to take you on!
Yeah, you're stupid, all right.
Meanwhile, Ren
I wonder what she's talking about now.
I bet it's something intellectual.
I'm home!
Thanks for helping.
It's no trouble.
Someone's in the kitchen.
Could it be?
Mom, I'm back from shopping.
Damn, it's just the midget.
Ow!
By the way, I missed my chance.
Missed chance, not pissed pants!
I didn't get the guaranteed lottery ticket for spending 500 yen!
Did you curse me, midget?
So mean!
I need to say something quickly.
Quickly, quickly...
Is he waiting for me to say something?
What? You don't have anything to say?
Um, uh...
I'll use the one Mizushima-senpai just taught me...
Serves you right!
You'll be bald in 21 years!
What's with the weirdly prophetic abuse?
You stupid midget!
Ow!
I thought he was mean, unlike Riko-senpai,
but he might actually be a little nice.
Why do I have to do all of this?
Don't whine.
I'll take that upstairs.
Oh, um... Here.
Thank you.
What's with the dreamy expression, boy?
Nee-chan's friend is really pretty!
Really?
Yeah!
She's beautiful, slim, and a proper lady.
Nee-chan totally pales in comparison. I pity her.
I think I'll be pitying you in a second.
Damn it, that Ren.
I can be...
Hello, I'm Kurahashi Riko!
Mom, come check this out.
We've got a nice young lady in the family.
Ren!
Rentaro-kun!
Do you want me to keep my mouth shut?
My allowance is pretty meager.
You can have mine.
I want your ice cream.
Take it.
Also, ask Maki-san if she likes younger boys.
You know, in general.
Maybe I'll tell Maki my brother is mean.
Th-That's not fair!
But if you gave me your ice cream, I'd tell her you're nice.
You can have it!
Thank you for having us.
Later.
Come back any time.
Ren-kun.
I was just talking to Maki, and...
Maki-san?
Elementary schoolers are so mischievous and cute.
It makes me feel like a mother.
That's what she told me.
Too bad.
The Next Day
I'm home.
The test I was hiding...
You're going to cram school starting next week!
Tattled
Serves you right.
Hey.
Hey, Sacchan.
Who are you calling Sacchan?!
That's what we used to call you.
Because you were cute.
I told you to stop calling me that back then, too!
Kurahashi?
Yan, I heard you tricked Maki by calling her cute.
What?
Maki was upset.
She said you're extra special challenge curry.
What?
I did call her cute, but it was...
You really said that?!
I'm telling you, that was...
For you to compliment her, she must be a fox!
I really want to see her.
Listen to me.
What's his problem?
He used to like me...
You know, Maki was with me the other day.
Huh?
Oh...
I could only see you then.
N-No, that's not what I meant!
Don't get the wrong idea, you idiot!
What did you say?
Well, it takes one to know one!
What's wrong with them?
Preview
When it comes to cutting people deeply,
no one is better than Mizushima-senpai.
Ren-kun was tearing up at the end.
You're exaggerating.
Oh, Eno, you've got shredded seaweed on your head.
Is something wrong?
She cut me! She cut so deep...
Oh, come on.
As long as you've got a strong spirit, you can endure most anything.
Kurahashi the heartbreaker, you're so wonderful.
I bet you have boys confessing their feelings to you every day.
To the Wild Kid...
Why are you crying even though she complimented you, Riko?
Don't miss the next episode!