Original subtitles

These are the apartments where people make it big!

Honda, Takamine, Kogi

Let's eat!

Let's eat.

Thank you for the meal.

I'm Kyo Honda, a newbie mangaka.

Kyo Honda (23) Newbie shojo mangaka. Currently setting a record for most rejections in a row. Nickname: "Pome"

I'm 23 years old.

I'm rooming with friends who are fellow newbie mangaka!

We're all aiming to make it big!

What do we call a meal after an all-nighter?

Dinner? Breakfast?

Hazuki Takamine (23) A handsome guy and expert on women's feelings. Likes dogs more than girls.

Cogi doesn't care what meal it is as long as I get to eat.

Shion Kogi (20) A cross-dressing, boisterous young man with a hearty appetite. Calls himself "Cogi."

The three of us won a manga award for our first ever co-created story,

Pometa

I wanna collab on a manga for a contest! Let's all be mangaka!

I was thinking the same thing!

Cogi

Cogi as well.

which rocketed us right into the industry!

Things were good up until that point...

So?

So?

Who will you choose?

Who will you choose?

Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!

Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!

Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!

Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!

Rinko Nakama

In the end, I still don't know what Satsuki-san's job is.

He wouldn't tell me even after all that.

"What could his job possibly be?"

That's what's written on your face.

I'm sorry it's so obvious.

You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.

Yeah.

I don't think I want to share just yet.

I understand!

Thank you.

It's like he's setting a boundary.

Like he's hinting that he doesn't want me

to get any closer to him than this.

I feel a bit left out...

Man, I have some nerve!

We have to maintain distance!

Don't pry!

Satsuki-san is my super generous neighbor!

If I may, Nakama-san.

S-Satsuki-san! And Usaharu-sensei!

Is there a party of some sort today?

Ack!

Wh-What is all this?!

Where'd all of these guys spawn from?!

And what's with this massive one?!

Oh. It's from Rinko-san.

What?!

I made too many pancakes. Are you guys hungry at all? If so, would you like to eat them?? (You can freeze them, too!)

She says she made too many pancakes.

She hasn't cooked too much in forever!

Wait.

Do we even deserve this when we haven't been able to make it big?

The act of eating food made in excess is a universal human right.

She seems to really need the help.

We can't! We haven't made it big yet!

Cogi just wants to have a full and satisfied tummy.

Tada-Oja.

Excess food! Excess food!

Stop sulking. You should eat before they get cold.

It's vital to replenish your energy to facilitate the creative process.

I know that.

I know, but it feels spineless. Or like, pathetic...

We haven't gotten to that level yet.

Yum!

What the heck? It's so good!

Rinko-san really has a knack for cooking!

Yummers!

Now, be grateful and eat up so we can make a great manga.

We must exercise our right.

Goal: Top-selling mangaka!!

Goal: Top-selling mangaka!!

Rinko-san's so nice.

She's taking care of us under the guise of making too much food...

Goal: Top-selling mangaka!!

Rinko Nakama-san. She lives in the same apartment complex.

When I was down because my manuscripts kept getting rejected,

she reached out to me.

I need to escape this abominable hell of repeated rejections

so that I can share some good news with Rinko-san!

I'm low on ingredients since I accidentally made too much food...

But those aren't for Usada, right?

Oh, ah... But...

I'm just playing the part of your boyfriend.

O-Okay...

Th-Th-Th...

They're totally living together!

Guess we can't say for sure if he's her boyfriend or what.

Well...

There's no way some stranger would just carry half of someone's groceries

and put an arm around them.

Yeah, I guess not.

This is the kind of stuff that's missing from my manuscripts.

A compelling setting.

A balance of fiction and reality.

Manga that are too realistic are boring.

So you're saying our manga needs

to be more compelling, and Pome's love life needs to face reality?

It's not love or anything.

I just want to repay her somehow.

I want her to acknowledge me.

The End

A fish that looks like a dog

I can't help it...

It's making me cry!

This is the birth of a historical masterpiece!

Finally...

We'll make it big!

Rejected.

We were only hyped because of sleep deprivation.

Reading over it again, it's boring.

Extremely dull.

Who was it that said this was going to be a historical masterpiece?

Where did the masterpiece we saw that night go?

I don't even want to look at it again.

I feel like I can't even read through it.

Like, there's no hook.

Yeah. The hook is weak,

and there's nothing in it to direct the eye.

We didn't put enough thought into the plot progression and panel layouts.

To be honest,

I thought this part could get by on the character's charm.

Yeah.

The editor said our draft alone

has to have the energy to win people over.

Looking over it again,

there's not a single character we can empathize with until page six.

Then how about we start the story from that page?

I think that sort of change would be just right.

That's it!

Maybe we were too stuck on our first idea!

It'll be much easier to read.

Then we can flesh out the side characters

by replacing the old pages...

While we're at it, can we add a catchy and dynamic scene?

Hmm...

What if we change the setting of the turning point

into a construction site?

We night actually be geniuses!

Indeed.

All right!

Let's hurry home and fix it!

Yeah!

Hey, Rinko.

You're drooling.

Good morning.

If you're here about breakfast, it's in your fridge.

I'm not here 'cause I'm hungry.

Tell me now that your boyfriend's not around.

Is Satsuki-san away?

Relax. He's definitely out.

Running errands this early in the morning, huh?

Now, let's get this over with while he's gone.

It's driving me nuts, and I can't focus on work.

What are you talking about?

The answer to the quiz.

What kind of quiz doesn't reveal the answer afterward?

I'd... also like to know.

But he never told me.

I told him I wouldn't force him to answer me.

But I actually really want to know.

I don't know anything about Satsuki-san.

I'm so sad!

What? You seriously don't know?

I don't...

Oh.

Are things rocky between you guys?

It's not like that.

I don't know the details, but you're gonna be fine.

Probably.

Enough blubbering.

Is Usaharu-sensei trying to comfort me?

Man, what's Satsuki even doing?

Who doesn't tell his girlfriend about himself?

It's because I'm not his real girlfriend...

In that case, I'll uncover his secrets myself!

H-How?!

By snooping around his crib, duh.

We'll reveal everything your shady boyfriend is hiding!

Let's go.

It's a crime to sneak into someone's house while they're out!

Satsuki could be a criminal himself.

The assassin theory's starting to sound believable.

No, it's not!

There could be suspicious meat in his fridge.

Please stop with the ridiculous assumptions.

A locked door even though he lives alone?

Bingo.

Maybe he locked it in case someone came snooping around just like this.

Maybe he's got someone locked up in here.

Hey! I'll save you!

Satsuki's an assassin specializing in revenge assignments.

Code name: "S."

After relentlessly torturing his targets for extended periods,

he shows them a hint of hope.

But in the end, all that awaits them is the ultimate despair. A cruel tactic.

He plays dirty. Far too dirty!

I bet his current client is a father whose child was murdered.

He wanted the killer to suffer the same pain, so he imprisoned the target's child.

And now there's no response from inside.

You came up with all that so fast.

Sensei, you're amazing!

However...

This is a rescue mission!

There's nobody here?

Of course there isn't!

Interesting.

Slasher movies. Zombie flicks. Psychological horror and splatter films.

Most of these titles are heavy on the gore.

So the hobbies Satsuki-san didn't want to tell me about were horror-related.

What do I do? We found out without his permission.

Breaking and entering?

The Barbarian

\h\hHey, Four-eyes. You're up, right? Go to the convenience store for me.

\h\h\hCorn soup rice porridge \h\hStrawberry milk jelly w/ nata de coco \hAlmond tofu strawberry ice cream Monthly Paradise

Go to bed

\hIf you won't do it, I'll just ask Rinko

Don't

I'll do it.

I can't let my guard down around you.

We're so sorry for going in your house without your permission!

You don't need to apologize, Nakama-san.

I know it was Usada going on a rampage.

My bad, my bad.

So? Where are those snacks I asked for?

Apologize more sincerely.

And don't order people to do stuff for you this early.

You're a nuisance to Nakama-san, too.

At least I'm not the one making her cry.

I-I didn't! I didn't cry!

You were sniveling about how sad you were.

That was something else!

Nakama-san!

Come talk to me if something's wrong. Not Usada.

Satsuki-san?

Wow, what the hell, man?

You're such a selfish boyfriend.

You need to talk to Rinko more, too.

About yourself.

I'm sorry, Nakama-san.

I just couldn't bring myself to say it.

I was scared you'd be put off.

Well, you do have bad taste.

It's not that I'm embarrassed about my interests.

But if the person I like disapproves of the things I enjoy, and therefore me...

I'd feel so hurt.

I totally get you!

Because I'm normally a closet otaku!

No matter what others might say, I just want to shout to the whole world

how much I love all my favorite things!

But I end up holding back for fear of how people might react...

Please come with me!

Tada-Oja!

I haven't shown anyone this because it's so embarrassing...

You sure we're close enough acquaintances for this?

Nakama-san, please don't force yourself.

Since I saw the hobbies you wanted to keep secret...

I'll show you my secret, as well.

You're free to do what you want.

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

I was really touched by what you two told me the other day.

Even though I know what I like,

there's a side of me still haunted by guilt.

But...

Deep down, I want people to know!

This is my treasure.

Wait, so it's... not porn?

Jorn's Tale: The Glass Letter Jorn's Tale: The Midnight Library Owl

People usually call these children's books.

I'm not a child anymore, but I still love them.

The Glass Letter

You have so many copies of the same book.

Regular and collector's editions.

I also need extra copies just in case.

I've been deeply engrossed in the Jorn's Tale series for ten years now.

I even frequently write fan letters to the author, Kanisawa-sensei.

So many that even I cringe a little.

Hold up, Rinko.

I thought you said my manga was your favorite?

Usaneko Club is no doubt my favorite manga!

It's the best source of comfort and my reason to live!

So I'm number one when it comes to manga, huh?

Hmm. I'll take it.

Ta! Da! O! Ja!

Jorn's Tale is...

a series that lifted me from the pits of despair when I needed it most.

The image of Jorn, the main character, standing against hardships

inspired me to do my best.

During times of struggle, I'd ask myself, "What would Jorn do?"

It gave me a positive attitude.

It's a work that's precious to me, and I love it very, very, very much!

But no one at home understood me.

"It's embarrassing that you're still reading kids' books."

"Cut it out and move on."

My parents would scold me like that.

One day, they threw away all of my books while I was away.

It really hurt.

Both because they couldn't understand me

and because I couldn't protect my beloved books.

That's so shitty!

That must've been so hard, Rinko!

And you too, Satsuki, for being unfairly judged!

You two better live a better life together!

No more holding it in!

Live freely as an otaku couple!

Usaharu-sensei, you're losing it a little...

I can watch the super gory stuff with you, Satsuki!

Even splatter films with guts everywhere,

or an erotic and kinky S&M plot!

No, thanks.

And Rinko! Enjoy other series that aren't mine as much as you want!

Are you sure?!

Hell yeah!

The Manifestation of Usadabnoxious

He's annoyingly hyper after his all-nighter.

Tada-Oja!

So you two understand each other now, right?

Be grateful to me for saving you two from that crisis!

Fine, fine.

Why don't you head to bed, Sensei?

Not yet!

I need to see you off before that!

How so?

With a hug!

What?

Seal your reconciliation with a hug!

What?!

Hug! Hug! Hug! Hug!

H-Huh? What?!

We're so close!

With that, you're all better!

Case closed!

Okay. Take it easy, you two.

God, I'm sleepy.

H-Have a good night...

Usaharu-sensei sure was in a weird mood.

Nakama-san.

Yes?

Satsuki-san—

Sorry.

Can we... stay like this for a little longer?

O-Okay...

Hm?

Oh, yeah. We still don't know what Satsuki's job is.

Well, he said he's not a mangaka. But that room...

He's gotta be a writer.

If that's the case...

why doesn't he want to tell us?

Usaharu-sensei's back in his room,

so he can stop pretending now...

Um, Satsuki-san...

I can't say anything about Usada.

Sorry. I think I'm at my limit, too.

Limit?

They both must be so tired.

Name

Rinko

Job

Location

Stats

Teacher

School

INT\h

Royalty

Castle

Elegance

Maid

Mansion

Kindness

Adventurer

Mountains

Luck

Witch

Forest

Beauty

Chef-sistant

Apartments

Otaku

Begin?

Otaku

Translation: Karen Bildsoe

Rinko Chef-sistant

Subtitle Timing: Mariana Martinez

Editing & Typesetting: Elisabeth Crist

Quality Check: Geoff Mazzolini

Translation Check: Becky Cottrill

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

Gulp...

Rejected.

I Don't Have Writer's Block, Okay?!

I Don't Have Writer's Block, Okay?!

Next Episode

Next episode: "I Don't Have Writer's Block, Okay?!"