Original subtitles

"Dear Prince,

I come to you bearing terribly unfortunate news."

"He is a man who does not work and only finds joy in life by daydreaming."

I see.

Absorbed in picture books at your age...

What's wrong with that?!

It's nice.

What? It's nice?

Is it not?

O-Of course it is!

Picture books are stories adults write for children!

They're more than just childish distractions.

They're a bridge between children and adults.

That's what picture books are!

Regardless, you're ashamed of that.

Wha—

It's true.

The very person who needs to believe in them can't even do that.

Even though your best ally is yourself...

"Poor me."

"Oh, but... How can we believe him?

Isn't it more likely that what everyone else says is the truth?"

Hey, Nakama-san.

Are you still... y'know?

Hey, cut it out. No way she is.

"'I will pay no mind

to what an inexperienced and uneducated commoner has to say,'

said the young man."

Um, not lately.

I guess it'd be weird if I kept watching them, right?

What? I think it's fine.

We're in a diverse era.

Wow. You're so open-minded.

"Isn't that most certainly the right thing to do?"

Jorn's Tale The Glass Letter

Wait. Who even are you?

How did you get in?

I am Jorn.

I came from your heart.

Thank you!

The people he met throughout his journey may have existed only in fiction,

but they did exist.

That was why I was never lonely.

Jorn's Tale.

The debut series by the children's book author

Izumi Kanisawa-sensei, whom I deeply admire.

It's very popular and still ongoing to this day.

It got me through tough times in middle school,

and it still does so even now.

Especially The Glass Letter, his debut title and magnum opus.

That dream I just had was just like a passage from The Glass Letter.

Usaneko Club

Time and time again, I dream of Jorn.

It must mean the story left a precious impression deep within my heart.

I'm sure Usaharu-sensei would be furious if I told him this,

but it's a fundamental and important part of me.

It's a whole other level from my fave characters and crushes.

It's a precious series that's untouchable by everything else.

I'm starving. Make me something.

Yes, sir! Right away!

So?

Who will you choose?

Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!

Rinko Nakama

Wh-Wh-Wha...

Your face says, "How did this happen?"

B-B-But...

And now it says, "But Usaharu-sensei isn't even here."

W-Well, of course!

It's not like we're really dating!

So you'll be... my boyfriend?

It's all an act, though.

An act...

If you don't want to, we don't have to.

But I think it'll be beneficial to pretend you live next door to your boyfriend.

You're right...

Th-This is part of a chef-sistant's duties!

I can carry the groceries...

We're almost home, after all.

This is part of a pretend boyfriend's duties.

I can never tell what Satsuki-san is thinking.

Usaharu-sensei!

Yeah?

Delicious Strawberry Milk

Potage Crackers

Bold Corn Taste

We're back from our shopping quest!

All right. You've passed the beginner's test.

Also, Rinko.

Y-Yes?

A kiss...

Huh?

Did ya get one on your way back?

I'll leave that to your imagination.

Wh-What?!

Why a kiss?!

But we didn't!

We did hold hands, though.

Wait! Holding hands is also a big deal!

It's because your cheeks are bright red.

Th-That's because it was cold!

We'll need to share a scarf next time.

I'd blush even more if we did that!

I look forward to seeing that.

You're embarrassing me!

Enough lovey-dovey crap, you crazy couple.

I'm starving here.

R-Right away!

"Crazy couple"?

Do we actually look like that to Sensei?

I think it'll be beneficial to pretend you live next door to your boyfriend.

You're right...

What do I do?!

All of my past boyfriends had dialogue options!

I-It's not like...

It's not like I've never had a boyfriend before, but...

Though it's embarrassing to say,

I've only dated men with visible parameters that I could monitor!

I'm not confident I'll be able to pretend I have a boyfriend in real life!

I see.

Which is why I think our story is too unnatural.

Our cover will be blown in no time...

You think so?

Huh?

Is it really that unnatural for you and I to be dating?

It is!

To think that I'd be dating my refreshing and wonderful gentleman of a neighbor...

It's unthinkable! Impossible! Unimaginable!

Is it really that strange?

I can imagine it.

How we'd each fall for each other, I mean.

Why don't we come up with scenarios together?

We can start with our fateful meeting.

H-Hey! You keep teasing me, Satsuki-san!

Oh, no...

If Satsuki-san pretends to be my boyfriend for my sake...

Won't that make his real girlfriend upset?

Does he have a real girlfriend, I wonder?

Are you trying to tempt me?

Huh?

You're tempting me.

Nakama-san! Are you okay?!

My bad.

I gave in to temptation.

Satsuki-san, I...

The smell of curry on a Sunday evening...

There's no way she's not trying to entice me.

Don't say it like that.

Anyway, time for dinner!

Hell yeah!

Tada-Oja!

It's delicious.

Uh-huh.

As expected of my chef-sistant.

I bestow my praise upon you.

I-I'm deeply honored.

That's my girlfriend for you.

Eek.

But I wish you'd only make homemade curry for me.

S-Satsuki-san...

Tch. Whatever.

Yum.

Nakama-san, are those...

Y-Yes.

I thought Usaharu-sensei wouldn't like seeing things from other series, so...

Nakama-san! You don't have to go that far!

You shouldn't change the things you like that easily.

You're right.

I agree.

You're free to do what you want.

I'm not the kind of guy who's bothered by stuff like that.

We can just eat at my place from now on.

It's cramped in here, anyway.

And you can use my kitchen. You're my girlfriend, after all.

Th-That's right.

You two have bigger apartments.

I still can't believe someone did all this with just one foot.

It's not my fault your walls are weak!

They're like tofu!

It's my fault?

Well, my old man's apartments are particularly unique.

Your "old man's" apartments?

What do you mean?

Oh.

My dad owns this building.

What?

I had no idea my sanctuary was built by my own lord's father!

How discourteous of me!

No wonder you didn't seem remorseful after breaking down the walls.

I do pay my own rent, I'll have you know.

Also, I had a few walls removed to build the one I'm currently living in.

Come to think of it, I heard the last tenant in my apartment

also expanded the space...

Y-You mean my apartment is small with thin walls because of those alterations?!

Probably.

Now I feel bad.

I was wondering why I was able to get this place for a reasonable price...

So? How about it?

Do you think your fortune's changed?

Many creatives have blossomed here at Spring Heights.

Mangaka. Novelists. Musicians.

Even renowned film directors in this day and age

once came from this very building.

Lots of people come here after hearing the stories.

That's amazing!

Usaneko Club, the current reigning mega-popular series

that's a source of comfort for the people,

Usa!

Nya!

Anime Release!

Merch Drop!!

Various Manga Awards!!!

has an anime and its merch flies off the shelves!

Not to mention our lord and savior, the author, has won many manga awards...

But...

That's not the true essence of Sensei's manga!

It's true that immensely cute characters are a huge part of its charm...

But I believe what truly makes Usaharu-sensei's works so good

is the story writing!

No. The energy? The vibe?

That friendly taste that pours out

from the mundane daily life in his heartwarmingly fun worlds!

"Friendly taste"...

It makes me feel like an optimistic shut-in choosing to stay in the world he's created

because it's just so immersive.

Like going back to being a baby in my mother's womb...

That sense of security and tranquility

feels like it can last forever...

And when I finish reading it, I feel so warm and fuzzy inside.

I can forget about my daily struggles and worries!

His works are the ultimate comfort!

Sensei's work is cute and entertaining.

It's also an emotional rollercoaster

that can drive you to tears or make your heart thump!

Aw, jeez! I'm so sorry for lacking the vocabulary

to perfectly encapsulate the appeal of your work!

What I want to say is...

It's the embodiment of happiness!

Yeah. I get it already.

You can stop now.

In short, I really, really love it!

Ah.

Well, thanks... a lot.

He's in blizzard mode?!

So?

What about you two? Are you guys creators or anything?

My true job is supporting my favorite works!

C-Could it be that Satsuki-san is also a god?!

Yup. I am, actually.

What kind of god?! What kind?!

Just what kind of god are you?!

Can I borrow something to draw with?

Tada-Oja!

Such unwavering lines!

Oh?

Done.

It's a cat.

A goat?

Chupacabra?

It's a cat.

From what planet?

A cat...

Tada-Oja.

As you can see, I'm not a mangaka.

Then what do you do?

I-I'm also curious.

Are you a writer? Programmer? Investor?

Oh. I guess you could be an original author...

Lyricist, composer...

You could even be a gamer? A streamer?

Keep going, Usaharu-sensei!

Ugh! I dunno!

Tell me, Rinko!

What?!

I-I'm supposed to be his girlfriend, so it'd be weird for me not to know.

I can't just give a random answer, though!

He's... He's a...

Satsuki-san quiz!

Here's your question!

What is Satsuki-san's job?

Tick, tick, tick...

Huh? I-I dunno.

A quiz writer!

You keep letting yourself get dragged into these.

Satsuki-san!

Don't give him too many hints, please.

Tick, tick, tick...

Warmer? Am I getting warmer?!

Does he design escape rooms?!

Oh, no! He's getting colder! Or is he?

Maybe it's a red herring!

Sports? Nah, that seems far off.

An assassin!

Who do you take me for?

I bet he'd smile while going for the kill.

Yeah. I feel like if it's you, Usada, I could kill you anytime.

D-Did I somehow manage to play the part of his girlfriend?

Time for our post-meal games!

What?

It is difficult to understand the young man known as Jorn.

He's full of mystery, fickle, and pure.

He's a bit malicious—

a trickster whose true intentions are never revealed through his words.

Even so, he's hard to dislike.

The people he encounters cannot help but be drawn to him.

His words are sharp, slicing through people like a weapon.

They cut through masks of lies.

Those exposed through his actions face the truth

for the first time, in that very moment.

To those very precious, true feelings within me...

You're older than me, but you're still a child on the inside.

Well, excuse me!

You have no one but yourself to blame for feeling the need to apologize for it.

All I did was speak the truth.

Yeah, yeah! I know!

I hate myself.

"The me that cannot put my heart into the things I love."

Jorn's Tale The Glass Letter Izumi Kanisawa

"Jorn wrote a letter to the prince.

Regardless of whether what he wrote was the truth or not,

the prince had no other choice but to believe him.

But one thing can be said:

The prince always looked forward to the letters from Jorn.

He also loved Jorn for setting off on adventures in his stead.

And so Jorn's journey continues."

Name

Rinko

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Continue

Quit

Add to party?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Rinko Chef-sistant

Otaku

Continue

Quit

Oh. Pome-kun.

Rinko-san!

Good morning.

G-G-Good morning!

Oh. You have something on you.

Whoa! S-Sorry.

W-W-Well, I'll be going now.

He's such a hard worker.

Next Episode Meanwhile...?!

Next episode:

"Meanwhile...?!"