Original subtitles

Who is it this early in the morning?

- Good morning! - Morning.

Could it be your friends?

Maybe they want to go to school together with you.

I have no clue...

I feel something wrong.

- I'll open the door. - Wait.

It might be a stalker.

Don't worry, I'll protect you, Ren-kun.

Oh, it's him~!

Yes?

Good morning!

I'm here to bring you some freshly baked bread.

Please come in.

It was a stalker, you said?

You just have to be so annoying first thing in the morning, huh.

I have no concept of morning.

Good morning.

Can't you say "good morning" back?

A day starts with a morning greeting, you know.

Are you a member of the Public Morals Bureau or something?

Ah right, we're already equals, aren't we?

So I can complain with my mouth now.

I just said it in a way that even a kindergartener could understand.

Huh?

I'm coming~

Aiko-chan, long time no see.

Hayase-san?

Why are you here?

Aiko.

Big sis!

Big sis!

They were barging in from behind.

What's going on?

I went to your apartment.

But it had been torn down.

And when I was at my wits' end,

this guy approached me and led me here.

I can't comprehend the situation...

Hayase.

How did you know Aiko-san was here?

Oh, that's because...

Because?

I've been watching you.

What?

It's just that... you suddenly dumped me like that,

Because you're too good for me.

I couldn't accept it, so...

So you followed her around?

You can't really call it that...

Could it be that you were the stalker?

I'm not a stalker...

But you were following her, right?

It's just that...

I lost the timing to call out to her, so I kept quiet.

Hayase, that's called stalking.

That's right.

That's what a stalker is.

Sister, I...

I was worried!

Because Aiko-chan, after you broke up with me,

you had a secret date with a younger teacher,

and moved into a house with a man and a child.

And soon after, you got into a car with a "Bubble Generation" type man.

Taxi!

Hurry up! Hurry up!

The limo in front of us... hurry up and chase after it!

Hurry up!

Aiko-chan is not a slutty girl who has a messy love life like that!

So I figured there must be a reason.

I knew it.

I got this sense of foreboding yesterday when the picture of our late mother...

fell down all of a sudden.

Sis, I have a lot of reasons for this...

Could it be that you have sugar daddies?

Aiko!

Since when did you become immoral like this?

No! I don't have sugar daddies!

Calm down.

Aiko, do you have sugar daddies?

I said, I don't!

Wh...wh... hold on.

- Wh...why?! Why? - Hurry up and leave.

Her sister is allowed in but why am I not?

Karibe-kun is a very picky person.

He wouldn't let a stranger into the house so easily!

What is Aiko-chan helping that mangaka, Karibe-san, with?

Well, that's...

Could it be...

something indecent?

Don't be silly!

Karibe-kun is doing the sacred work of manga!

I'm sorry.

Let's talk again later. That's all for today.

I can talk today.

Karibe-kun's currently way behind on the NAME,

and if we don't decide on the next mission by the end of the day, we'll be in trouble!

I don't get what you're saying, but okay.

I'll call you later, okay?

So umm... I don't know where to start...

You and Karibe-san are planning to get married, right?

I mean, you guys are cohabiting, aren't you?

We're not!

You can't be just living with a man you don't intend to marry...

You're not doing anything immoral, aren't you?

Of... of course not.

I get it.

You're in dilemma, right?

You're not sure if Karibe-san is the one...

you've been looking for to be the right partner in your life.

There's no way, no way!

Listen up, Aiko.

You can't be a hundred percent content when it comes to marriage.

Take this momentum of living together to move forward already.

That's it!

But, you know what...

Actually...

The results will follow naturally. Okay?

Aiko-san, can you come with me?

Sis, I'll be right back. We need to talk about work.

Work, huh?

What did you want to talk about, Kogo-san?

Come on in. Hurry up.

I came up with the idea for the next romance mission.

What?

Your sister thinks that Karibe-kun and you are lovers who are living together, right?

Yes, she does.

What?!

My sister is very conservative.

She thinks that, by living together, a man and a woman are going to get married.

Your sister seems pretty scary.

She is a disaster when she's mad.

What if she finds out you guys are not lovers but just housemates?

She'd be furious and call me immoral,

and drag me to the deep mountains where she lives.

Are you okay with that?

Living alone with her means I'll be scolded every day and experience hell.

That's why, even though I don't have any money, I didn't ask for her help.

I understand how you feel.

So... what does that have to do with our mission?

Pretend to be lovers in front of Aiko-san's sister.

Let's make this our next mission!

Huh?

It's a real pseudo-romance!

- No way! - That's too vulgar.

Don't say that. Listen to my idea for a sec.

The heroine, Misuzu, is asked by a man she loves...

to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his family.

Isn't that too cliche?

But this is "Ginten", remember?

Misuzu is a town girl from the Edo period,

who travels through time, to the outer space and Egypt.

So her values and behavior, at best, are umm... "freedom",

and, at worst, are "nonsense".

Do you think his strict older sister would accept such a girl as his girlfriend?

But~ That setting is unreasonable...

What do you think?

Can you develop that into the story?

But still...

Hello~

Then can you come up with any other good ideas?

Well...

Karibe-kun!

I don't want you to have to go through this humiliating thing either!

Especially to pair you with someone as unappealing as Aiko-san.

"Unappealing"?

But we're running out of time.

We can't afford to lose our "Ginten".

You keep talking like I'm not here.

But I don't want to do it either...

Won't it be of benefit to you?

You won't have to be taken to a house deep in the mountains.

And you can also put your sister at ease.

But still...

This time, you both know from the start that you're going to be in a pseudo-relationship,

so you don't need to worry about deceiving or hurting the other party.

That's... right.

Right?

It's a win-win situation.

A win-win situation for both of you!

Aiko-san, you'll do it, right?

If that's the case, then I'm willing to do it.

What about you, Karibe-kun?

SUBTITLES BY @EVEYCHOOEY.

This is Karibe Seiichiro-san.

Now that I see you two together,

you seem to be quite a good match.

Huh?

So how did you and Aiko...

get to know each other?

Well...

Um...

It's through work.

What do you do for a living?

I'm a mangaka.

Oh? How nice!

And I'm helping him out with his work...

as an assistant.

Aiko, how can you be one when you're super bad at drawing?

Even the picture that you drew of a dog...

looked more like a scrub brush.

Well... That's true but...

You see...

A mangaka is like a person...

who writes the script for a movie, acts in it, and directs it all by himself.

So there are many things he needs help with.

That must be a tough job.

Yes, it is.

Is Aiko being helpful at all?

Of course I am! Right?

Huh?

Yes, she is.

Thanks for the tea.

SHE'LL FIND OUT AT THIS RATE! WE NEED TO PRACTICE!!!!!

So, umm...

Do you have any plans today?

No, I'm just here to see you.

It'd be a shame to not have one! Since you've come all this way.

How about we go shopping or something?

Well...

I'll accompany you as your bag handler.

Will you? Is that okay?

Yes, of course.

I'm going then.

Have fun!

Shall we get going?

This way please.

I'm counting on you!

Shall we begin?

Begin what?

The setting establishment and the pseudo-romance practice.

What?

- Let's decide what to call each other. - What to call?

It's not that important.

It is. It's super crucial.

We met through work,

then I continued to call you "Karibe-san" even after we started dating.

Yeah.

Huh?

By the way, what did you call me again?

I have no recollection of it.

I've never felt the need to call your name.

Right. But let's decide it here.

I'll call you "Kuon".

No, no.

My sister has very good intuition,

so call me "Aiko" instead.

Then, "Aiko-chan".

"Achan."

"Ahtan".

No way!

Let's go with "Aiko".

Try calling me.

Huh?

It's practice.

I'm not letting myself to be humiliated like this!

Are you still willing to do it?

There are things I can and cannot do!

We don't have much time, so let's move on.

Move on...

I wonder if those two are okay.

Did you say something?

Ah, no.

By the way, you and Aiko-san have quite a large age gap, don't you?

We have different fathers.

Oh, I see...

My mother divorced and remarried, and her new husband was Aiko's father.

But...

he died before Aiko was old enough to even remember him.

My mother was busy with work,

so my grandmother and I were pretty much the ones who raised Aiko.

That's why you're so strict with her, right?

Since our mother and grandmother have passed away,

I'm the only one she has now.

You must have gone through a lot.

Well...

I never thought of it as a hardship.

Aiko has always been a very good girl, you see.

I can see it in her.

Right?

But that makes me worry about her instead.

"Instead"?

So what about our first date?

Do we also have to decide that?

When drawing a manga, you also have to decide on the setting, right?

Of course. I'll create a personal timeline for each character...

Think of it like that.

Speaking of dates... movies?

Or a meal?

Lies will soon be exposed if you don't include a little bit of truth.

Right.

Then, how about going to the shrine where we were looking for Ren-kun?

Sounds good.

We started going out...

How about after you had a backache?

'Kay.

The reason I live in this house...

was because I was forced to move out of my apartment and had nowhere else to go.

I think it's fine.

Next is... what we like about each other.

What?

It's not real. Just a setting. We have to discuss it first.

As for me...

I like your talent as a mangaka.

But if tell her that,

my sister will definitely say, "Is that all?"

Or I'll just tell her that you're actually very gentle.

I'm not really...

Then please say what you like about me.

What?

You wouldn't be able to come up with something right away, would you?

Of course not.

Please think of something.

I can't find one!

You're a mangaka, but you're not very creative, are you?

You're not the character I came up with, are you?

You suggest one yourself.

Okay.

I'm cheerful.

You hold grudges, aren't you?

I'm family-oriented.

Stingy and family-oriented are not synonymous.

I'm considerate of others.

What kind of a considerate person calls someone "Onigawara"?

I'm surprisingly cute.

Disagree!

- Tsujimoto-san. - Yes.

Apply the evening tone for page 9, please.

Okay, I'm on it.

This must belong to Maria-sama...

But who's the Karibe-san with that menacing look?

Maria-sama's family?

That's it. That must be it!

Maria-sama does live in that house!

Yoo-hoo~! She's there!

Yes, it is. Right, Karibe-san?

Yeah.

Cut!

Again?

That won't do.

What we're practicing right now is how to exchange words in a conversation...

when I ask you to agree with me.

You have to make eye contact with me when saying yes.

I can't!

But the situation now is,

I'm the only one here who keeps showing my one-sided, lovey-dovey affection.

And we don't feel like a couple at all!

That's that.

I just want to confirm it.

The man Misuzu-san pretends to be in a relationship with in "Ginten"...

is a narrow-minded person who has closed his heart to others.

Is that how it's set up?

Of course not!

What?

He's a well spoken, eloquent, chivalrous character...

that women would like.

Let's play out that character then.

One more time.

Stand by.

Action!

Why are you avoiding me?

You are very aggressive, aren't you?

It's normal to have a casual physical touch.

My ideal woman is a graceful person who doesn't make the first move...

But Misuzu from "Ginten" does.

She's a bad-guy magnet who falls in love too easily and is very aggressive.

You're extremely lively today, aren't you?

It's because you keep saying you can't do it that I'm putting all my efforts now!

How about you try to be some kind of character?

What?

How about pretending to be one of the male characters that have appeared in "Ginten"?

Let's see...

The prince of Egypt is too far removed from reality, so...

The policeman from the "22nd Century Arc"!

- You mean Sakai? - Yes, Sakai!

Isn't that guy great?

He's very eloquent and also a gentleman, so I think he'll be well received by women.

Let's give it another try.

Okay.

Is it wrong?

No... umm...

You suddenly improved and did the correct action, so I was surprised.

Really?

Yes.

Okay... shall we practice hugging too?

What?

Come.

Never in a million years!

Got it.

Has Aiko-san been bearing the title of a "bad-guy magnet" for a long time?

Man, your question is pretty straightforward.

Don't you want to know the background story?

Oh, right...

The first person she fell in love with...

was her kindergarten principal.

Old enough to be her grandpa.

Seriously?

When a guy is nice to her, she immediately falls for him.

She didn't fall for me, though.

When you said you were worried about Aiko-san earlier,

were you talking about her love life?

Not exactly her love life...

It's just that she doesn't know how to rely on others.

She didn't want her busy mother to have any worries,

so she did everything on her own...

and grew up into someone who doesn't rely on others.

That's why she keeps being taken advantage of by men...

and always ends up becoming someone they depend on.

Is that how she became a bad-guy magnet?

I see.

But, Karibe-san should be fine, right?

Yes, of course!

He's as dependable as he looks, you know.

Who is this Karibe?

Oh, you don't know him?

He's Aiko's sweetheart.

What?

I'll explain to you later.

That girl...

just can't help but want to love someone.

Aiko.

Are you okay?

Yes.

You should say "yep"!

Yes, I should.

It's just that you acted too different from the usual you,

so I was a little thrown off.

Sakai is a character that I created.

I pretty much know what action he will take.

You should always act like that, then.

If you do, you'll surely be popular.

I don't need to be popular.

You can only come up with such shallow thoughts.

It'd be great if you kept being Sakai.

- Did you say something? - No.

But I can really tell...

that you truly are the one who created "Ginten".

I mean, the male characters in "Ginten" are all sexy and such ladies' men.

They're completely different from you, so...

The artist and what he draws are not the same.

That's right.

However...

After Jun's gone, there's one thing I've noticed.

All the men in "Ginten"...

resemble him in some way.

I think I understand what you mean.

Umm...

There's something I've been wanting to ask you about Jun-senpai.

Let's stop wasting time.

We don't have much left.

You're right.

Then... let's practice...

what to do when my sister says, "Please take care of Aiko".

Okay, I got it.

So this is where "Ginten" is made.

Is there anything I can help you with?

Kogo-san?

Ki...Ki...Kinjo-sensei!

What are you doing here?

As you can see, I'm walking my dog.

Oh, do you live in this neighborhood?

Yes.

I'm going in first...

Is that perhaps... Karibe Maria-sensei?

What?

I have all the evidence to prove that this is her residence.

The "Karibe" family name, the G-pen found here, and also...

you, Kogo-san!

Wait, no! You're wrong.

She's a little different from what I imagined...

but still very charming.

I said, she's someone else!

Well then let me ask you... why are you here, Kogo-san?

That's because...

Because?

This is...

my relative's house.

The name of your relative is the same as the mangaka you're in charge of, which is "Karibe"?

That's too much of a coincidence to be true!

No, it's the other way around.

The pen name "Karibe" was chosen by me based on my relative's name.

It actually sounds plausible, though.

Right? Isn't it plausible?

Well then, take care!

See ya! Bye-bye!

Phew! Is she here to spy on her rival?

Maria-sama...

Do you know Kogo-san?

Yes.

There's something I'd like to tell you.

Oh my, oh my... I was really at a loss...

I met Karen-sensei at...

Let's save the details for later.

Kogo-san, thank you so much for keeping my sister company today.

It's no big deal.

It was fun talking with you.

I had fun, too.

Karibe-san, you should thank Kogo-san, too.

Thank you very much.

It's nothing at all.

I also bought the ingredients for dinner tonight.

Sis, are you going to stay for dinner?

Of course!

Because I'll be staying the night here, too.

Ah... Let me book you a room at a hotel...

It doesn't matter where as long as I can sleep.

But this is too sudden...

It's fine, Sister...

You can stay.

Thank you.

Are you sure?

You sure~?

No need to ask.

She's your sister after all.

Are you perhaps... Sakai?

Thanks!

Don't mention it.

- Welcome home. - Welcome home.

I understand. So, the current setting is the two of you being lovers, right?

I had no choice.

But...

Aiko-san and you look good together.

Huh?

Karibe-san is such a nice guy.

Doesn't seem like a jerk at all.

Forget about me. I'm curious about you.

It's been a while since your husband passed away.

It's been nine years.

That long?

Don't you think it's time to get remarried or find a new love?

Nope! I'm good.

Is it because...

you think he was the only suitable partner in your life?

That's right.

After he died, I started to think of him that way.

But you know what, I'm really enjoying my life right now.

It's probably the first time I've ever lived...

only for myself.

I see.

Now if only you'd settle down and marry someone nice,

I'd feel much at ease.

Give me more!

Sis, don't you need to wake up early tomorrow?

Let's just call it a night, shall we?

I'm totally fine!

Being a bad drunk has to be in your blood.

I'm still more civilized than her.

Is there no more wine for your sister to drink?

Is there?

Alright, alright.

Here you go.

So... where should I sleep?

In my room.

How can I share a room with a hot-blooded couple?

Hey...

Don't look at her.

I really forgot about the room.

What to do now?

Anyway, let her sleep first.

I'm sure she'll fall asleep after a few more drinks.

Take a peek...

What does "hot-blooded" mean?

I-I guess that means energetic.

You should go to bed.

Let's go to bed.

Memory-chan~

Sis!

Aiko-chan~

Thanks~

She doesn't look sleepy at all!

That's weird~

Hey...

Why don't you guys go on a date?

Huh?

It's hard to go out just by yourselves when there's a kid here, right?

No need to worry about us.

Aiko-chan!

Why don't you go to the park and give him a kiss?

Shall we go?

Huh?

Go! Have a nice date~

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

I was also getting tired of having to put on an act.

I guess so.

But... thank you for that.

It's been a long time since I've seen my sister so happy.

She's overprotective and scary...

But she'd actually been through quite a lot of hardships.

After our mother passed away,

she finally got married to a good man.

She said she was so happy living in the countryside,

but her husband died soon after.

She always said that she didn't want me to have a hard time.

She's been pestering me to hurry up and find the right person to marry.

So I think she is really happy now...

because I have "found" the right guy.

Are you okay with that?

This is the lie you hate.

That's true.

But...

I can't put her at ease without telling her this lie.

Jeez! I really am a hopeless mess, aren't I?

It's hugging... practice.

Think of me as Sakai.

Huh? That's Aiko-san, isn't it?

Let's go.

Just keep walking.

Akh! There's a couple there!

They're glued to each other!

How nice! I'm so jealous!

Shall we go?

Yes.

Sis...

What are you doing, Aiko?

Are you awake?

I'm going to the bathroom.

Ah, no, no, not that way!

Let's turn around...

Go straight here and turn right at the far end.

Memory... Memory-chan...

That scared me.

Are you going to sleep there?

Are you sure about this?

She won't get suspicious if you sleep here.

Thank you very much.

I'll be working on the NAME.

Okay.

Don't look at me.

Do you have eyes in your back?

I can sense it.

I won't let you sense it.

How are you going to do that?

With my strong will.

While you're at it, you can ask me now.

Ask you what?

There's something you want to ask me, right?

About Jun.

Yes.

I heard this from Kogo-san before.

You said that the reason you make romance manga...

is because romance isn't something you do but something you draw.

And Jun-senpai thought that it was his fault.

I'm wondering what he meant by that.

You should ask that question to Jun.

I can't ask him anymore...

Could it be that...

it has something to do with Ren-kun's mother...

I'm going back to work.

Go to sleep.

You told me to ask and now you're ignoring me?

Did you change your girlfriend again?

There's just too many attractive girls here...

What about you?

I've never heard you say you have someone you like.

Do I need to report everything to you?

So, you do have one.

Yes, I do.

Huh?

What is she like?

I'm really curious about what kind of girl you like.

So it's a drawing instead of a photo?

Let me see.

Wow! She's cute.

How did you meet her?

I saw her by the river sometimes.

That's great.

Is this perhaps...

Thank you very much for letting me stay here.

Anytime.

Please come and visit us again.

Thank you, sweetheart.

- Karibe-san. - Yes.

Come here.

Please take care of Aiko, okay?

Okay.

I'll walk you to the bus stop.

Excuse me then.

You sure you want to carry it?

Yes, I got this.

Come visit me sometime with Karibe-san and Ren-kun.

You know what, Sis...

Actually, you and Karibe-san are not lovers, are you?

Did you find out?

How many years do you think I've been watching you?

Since when?

Since the beginning.

I'm sorry.

It's okay. That's not what's important.

Aiko, you can let yourself rely on Karibe-san, right?

Otherwise you wouldn't have asked him to pretend to be your boyfriend, right?

It's a give-and-take agreement, so...

I'm just happy that you have someone you can rely on.

Seeing you guys reminded me of something.

Being with another person means...

fighting over stupid things,

putting up with each other a lot,

and facing many situations that make you sick.

But it's still fun enough...

to make up for all those hard times.

Maybe the right life partner is not someone you find,

but someone that grows on you as you spend time together.

Bye.

Thanks.

Umm...

This picture...

Is this perhaps... Aiko-san?

Then... let's practice...

what to do when my sister says, "Please take care of Aiko".

Okay, I got it

Please take care of Aiko.

I'll make sure your sister's well-being is being taken care of.

You said a bit too much.

This is hard.

I just can't feel this scene much.

- Karibe-san. - Yes.

Come here.

Thank you for allowing Aiko to rely on you.

You're the first man to do that for her.

Please take care of Aiko, okay?

Okay.

I'll walk you to the bus stop.

Excuse me then.

Twitter: @eveychooey Support me: ko-fi.com/eveychooey