Original subtitles

You're single, Ms. Kinoshita?

Uh, yeah.

How about me, then?

I come with lots of amenities.

Oh, yeah?

That's so funny!

WHAT?

I WANT OUT OF HERE

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT

GRIN - GRIN

I set this blind date up for you.

Sorry, I'm not ready, after all.

I wanna go home.

THE FEMALE ABILITY TO CONVERSE THROUGH GAZE

Ms. Kinoshita,

you seem really into that game.

What's it called?

I play mobile games too.

Why don't we play together?

Um, it's not a mobile game.

It's a PC game called Forest of Savior.

Oh, right...

Fore...

I think I've seen the TV commercial.

It's uh... yeah...

-I saw the commercial! -Sorry about this.

No, wait, I mean...

I remember now!

Forest, yeah.

Savior, yeah.

ORIGINAL STORY BY MASHIRO

Unbelievable...

Were you even trying?

This was your chance to meet someone,

and you couldn't put your phone down!

Are you even trying?

Sorry.

Ruri was messaging me, and I wanted to reply.

Ruri?

My friend from the online game.

She's a girl with this really cute avatar.

A girl?

What'll you do if she's really an old man?

It's risky giving out your cell phone number.

I'm pretty sure it's a girl.

Whatever.

Anyway, I'm headed this way.

Come to think of it...

I never gave it any thought.

MY DINNER'S DONE. I'LL LOGIN AT HOME!

RURI WILL BE HOME SOON TOO. LET'S HAVE FUN TOGETHER WHEN YOU LOGIN.

In my imagination, she's a girl around high school age.

I wonder what she's really like.

Wow, is that gothic Lolita fashion?

Or is it more like the cute fairytale type?

CAN'T TELL THESE DAYS

Somehow...

She reminded me of Princess Ruri.

All right...

I only have afternoon classes tomorrow,

so I can really enjoy the game tonight.

WONDERS WHY SHE'S MORE EXCITED FOR THIS THAN HER BLIND DATE

Well, it's no big deal.

GAVE UP THINKING ABOUT IT

I'm just not in the mood for another romance yet.

SYSTEM: AKANE HAS LOGGED IN

Huh?

There's no one in the guild room.

Oh, it's Princess Ruri and Yamada!

What are they up to?

Maybe the three of us can go hunting.

Let's see...

RURI: THERE ARE NO GUILD MEMBERS ONLINE TODAY.

HERE'S ONE.

RURI: KINDA LONELY. AKANE'S NOT HERE EITHER...

YAMADA: WELL, IT IS A WEEKDAY.

RURI: SHE SAID SHE WOULD COME THOUGH.

Huh?

I guess they haven't noticed I'm here?

THIS REMINDS ME OF WHEN THE GUILD STARTED

This reminds me of when the guild started.

Yeah.

It was just the two of us every day, back then.

We have a lot of members now,

but sometimes...

it's nice being just the two of us.

On one hand, there are more people to share with

and on the other, I have less time alone with you.

Ruri's been missing that.

Well,

a lot of things were easier

when it was the two of us.

Th...

These two are...

-An item! -It's ready.

FINDING IT HARD TO INTERRUPT

Wow, thanks!

Alchemy is such a cool skill to have!

Maybe Ruri should learn it too.

By the way,

we're not the only guild members here.

Oh, it's Akane!

I missed the system log entry.

Sorry, Akane!

AKANE: THANKS... BUT AM I BUTTING IN?

Not at all!

GRIN - GRIN

Anyway, I have other plans, so gotta log out.

Okay!

I'll phone you later.

-Phone? -Right.

SYSTEM: YAMADA HAS LOGGED OUT

Now that you mention it...

Yamada barely interacts with everyone else,

but he does talk to Princess Ruri a lot.

Could it be they're...

boyfriend and girlfriend?

Like when Takuma and I started playing the game together.

Maybe Yamada and Princess Ruri...

Akane?

Is something wrong?

Not at all!

Why am I...

feeling down all of a sudden?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

TALK TO YOU LATER!

YOU'RE THE BEST!

YEAH, LATER

Why am I so hung up on those two?

The "Arab Spring" began in Northern Africa and swept through Arab countries.

The power of people to connect on social media

formed the background.

As this example shows, social media

is capable of building new connections.

Yamada's account...

I'd like to take a peek.

But then...

it sort of feels like I'd be prying.

Ms. Kinoshita!

Over here!

It's the guy from that blind date.

What was his name, again?

You had the same lecture as me, huh?

-I saw you playing with your phone. -No way!

I didn't notice.

His name... what's his name...

It's no good. I can't remember.

By the way,

I looked up Forest of Savior after our dinner.

It's pretty popular, huh?

So I've heard.

I had the urge to try it too.

I like video games, after all.

There sure are a lot of gamer guys.

YAMADA, PRO GAMER

Do you play FPS too?

"F?"

Do you know a pro gamer named Yamada?

Uh, Yamada... yeah.

I, uh...

-I may have seen him in a commercial! -Sorry again.

You really are into games, aren't you?

What is this...?

I have this vaguely uneasy feeling.

And so, when summer arrives,

our circle is talking about going to Okinawa.

Yeah? That sounds fun.

It will be!

Our members all know how to have a good time.

-Why don't you join us? -Huh?

That girl...

Haven't I seen her before?

Sorry I'm late.

Let's go.

The hotel we book regularly has an ocean view!

I've never had a girlfriend.

Well...

Yamada is handsome.

I was sure he must have had

a girlfriend or two, at least.

Ms. Kinoshita?

Sorry, I'm headed this way.

-Ms. Kinoshita... -See you on campus!

So why...?

Why do I feel so uneasy?

I think I'll skip logging in today.

Who's that?

Momo, maybe?

HI THERE, AKANE! ARE YOU FREE?

It's Princess Ruri.

What do I do?

I'm not in the mood for gaming today.

HI THERE RURI, WHAT'S UP?

AKANE, DID YOU READ THE FOS NEWS?

FOS News?

I haven't logged in today, so I don't know about it.

THEY'RE OPENING A FOS COLLABORATIVE CAFE NEXT MONTH. WANNA GO TOGETHER?

A collaborative cafe?

OH, AND I RAN INTO YAMADA IRL AND INVITED HIM TOO! AND THE OTHER MEMBERS!

"Ran into him IRL..."

Could it be...

That girl really is Princess Ruri?

I did get the same kind of vibe from her.

But then, those two really are...

RURI WOULD LOVE TO MEET OFFLINE! CAN YOU COME?

P-L-E-A-S-E!

OKAY, I'LL GO

GOOD MORNING, AKANE

TODAY'S THE DAY!

I'M SO EXCITED I COULD BARELY SLEEP!

Well, I guess I'll get ready.

I won't get many opportunities to meet the guild members IRL.

I should enjoy it.

MEETING OFFLINE?

IS THAT SAFE? YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE, RIGHT?

IT'S FINE! THEY'RE ALL NICE

AND YAMADA WILL BE THERE TOO!

YAMADA WILL BE THERE? THAT'S A RELIEF

HAVE FUN!

Yeah, let's have fun!

Now then...

The Murata building outside the north exit...

MURATA BUILDING

...will be on your left when you cross the street.

And then...?

Better check the map again.

SOBA RESTAURANT

Where is it?

FREEZE

IN A HURRY...

-Oh, excuse me! -Not at all!

-It was my fault... -Let me get that for you.

I hope your phone isn't broken.

SORRY...

You're going to the FOS cafe?

By any chance...

do you play the game?

It's a fairly casual game,

so I heard there were a lot of girls playing,

but I didn't know there were any

as pretty as you.

Come on, I'm not that...

I followed him because he said he'd lead me there,

but what if this is a new kind of scam?

HE KEEPS COMPLIMENTING ME TOO...

I started playing with a friend,

but I've gotten really into it.

We even started a guild together.

I thought it would be your average MMO,

but it actually has a solid balance of elements.

My favorite feature is how they prevent

characters from over-buffing through purchases.

It's true that the GFX are a bit out of date,

but the cuteness makes up for it.

Best of all, there are no super races.

I enjoy seeing diverse characters

and I bet the difference in classes isn't that big either.

Mages do have a slight advantage now,

but each update leads closer to perfect balance.

And thanks to guild enhancements,

there's a reason to fight.

The game is built to encourage parties.

It gives meaning to playing together.

Of course, leveling up can be nerve wracking,

but it works well for self-imposed challenges.

I really feel like the developer is listening to users.

I can tell they've learned from their previous mistakes.

Phew. He's just your average gamer.

Anyway, that's my take. What's yours?

-What do you think? -Huh?

Um...

I'm still new to all of this

and I don't know as much as everyone else.

I even got in trouble

for putting "garbage" in the guild treasure chest.

But then, the Guild Master is really kind

and I like the group I'm with...

Oh, I think I see him.

Hey! Over here!

This way!

It's over here!

Isn't that...

Princess Ruri?

I didn't know you played that game.

-Let's battle, sometime. -Sure.

Yamada!

Yamada! It's been a while.

Long time no see.

-How've you been? -Same as usual.

Same as usual, huh?

STARE

Oh, you're Princess Ruri, aren't you?

Nice to meet you.

HOW CUTE

You look just like your character.

I recognized you right away.

Thank you for your message this morning!

Huh?

Her personality seems a bit different from in the game.

Um...

Hey, Eita.

Who is this girl?

If I'm correct...

you're Akane,

aren't you?

Excuse me...

Everyone, why don't we at least go inside?

IZAKAYA BOTTA

Home at last...

My back hurts...

How is she so damn heavy?

*UNCONSCIOUS PEOPLE ARE ALL HEAVY

I'm beat...

IT'S PRACTICE TIME, BUT YOU'RE OFFLINE?

Uh-oh...

*YAMADA BELONGS TO A PRO FPS TEAM

You're late! Where've you been?

You've kept us all waiting.

Please excuse me. Actually...

through a turn of events...

a woman I don't know is asleep in my room.

TANI-YAN

KIM, GOBOU,

A woma...

JET BLACK AQUA,

A woman?!

"A woman?"

-Unforgivable... -He did, right?

-Show this wayward soul the error of... -He said "woman"!

Is someone reading an incantation?

Hey, photos...

I wanna see a photo!

I won't spread it anywhere!

I have rather high digital literacy!

Not a chance.

Trust your team members!

I feel sick...

Hold to him the mirror

that he may see how he has sinned.

I have to step away.

Hey, Yamada! Wait!

Now I'm pissed off. I'm gonna slander your account.

-Please don't. -So much for digital literacy.

Excuse me...

Are you okay?

Do you need water or anything?

Nothing.

After all...

you don't...

love me anymore, do you?

Then go...

Hurry up and leave me.

Go!

She says that

while clinging to me...

Isn't that a contradiction?

Or so I thought,

but this seems different, somehow.

I don't get it.

WOMEN'S HEARTS ARE THE HARDEST GAME OF ALL

Even so...

If I move from here...

I get the feeling... she'll cry even harder.

SHE FINALLY FELL ASLEEP...

She's been crying, non-stop...

She must really be hurt.

I guess...

love is pretty hard on people.

Just sleep quietly until morning.

I'm gonna barf!

Subtitle translation by: Brad Plumb