01x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

PREVIOUSLY

At the base of Mount Fuji,

in Fuji-Asada, Yamanashi, Kiyomi Endou

and her childhood friends, Hazuki

and Minami, come to discover the secret

of Kiyomi's colleague, Kousuke Takahashi.

-Mr. Takahashi, I heard you're an alien!

-Well.

Yeah. Please absolutely do not

tell anyone.

The trio get Takahashi

to use his abilities

to solve their trivial

day-to-day problems.

Will you be okay from the side effects?

I'll recover to some extent

if I soak in the hotel's hot spring.

The minerals in our hotel's hot spring

are pretty unique.

They can help heal our bodies.

Their daily lives, which have begun

to change,

are set in motion again today.

I'm running for the position of mayor

in Fuji-Asada city.

My name is Masako Umemoto.

I seek to invigorate our community

for a brighter future.

I'm Masako Umemoto

and I'd appreciate your support.

LAKE HOTEL

Your bill is settled.

Checkout is complete.

-We hope you stay with us again.

-We hope you stay with us again.

-Good morning.

-I'll be heading out now.

Thank you for your work.

By the way,

17 consecutive zero-balance checkouts.

A new record!

What? That's impressive!

I know, right?

A zero-balance checkout

means there are no additional charges,

and guests only need to return

their room keys when they check out.

On busy mornings at the front desk,

it's particularly appreciated.

What was our previous best?

I think it was 11.

Then we've come a long way.

It makes me want to try aiming for 20.

Yeah.

It was pure luck anyway,

so that goal is impossible.

CHANGING ROOM

See you.

-Thanks for your work.

-Thanks for your work.

Isn't Onodera really quick?

Yeah.

Was he changing at a crazy speed?

But with the tie and buttons

on his uniform, isn't it difficult?

Maybe he started stripping

the moment he walked in there.

That could be it.

Otherwise there's no way

he'd make it out that quick.

Or maybe there's a chance

that Onodera is an alien.

Onodera, really?

He's a little private, no?

Right. His personal life is a mystery.

-He can't tell us anything.

-Because he's an alien?

Yeah.

I'm not sure if Onodera is an alien

or not,

but the alien I know takes forever

to leave

and is open about their private life.

Your bill is settled

and the checkout process is complete.

-Here is your receipt.

-Bill settled. Checkout is complete.

-Thank you.

-Here is your receipt.

We hope you stay with us again.

That makes 19 zero-balance checkouts.

FRONT DESK

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

Good morning.

-Are you checking out?

-Yes.

Please.

Please give me a few moments

to verify your information.

Ms. Matsuda.

You have one unsettled bill for breakfast.

-We kindly ask for your payment.

-Yes.

That will be 950 yen.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

We hope you stay with us again.

Streak broken.

It's fine. Let's just move on.

It was pure luck anyway,

so no point in saying, "It's fine,"

or, "Let's just move on."

ONE UNREAD MESSAGE FROM MINAMI

DO YOU TWO HAVE THE DAY OFF ON SATURDAY?

YEP!

I HAVE WORK IN THE MORNING,

BUT I'M FREE IN THE AFTERNOON.

WANNA MEET FOR LUNCH?

SURE!

This group that's been dead for ages

has started buzzing with activity lately.

YEAH!

OKAY.

Please enjoy your stay.

-I'll help with the luggage.

-Thank you.

This way to the elevator.

Please go ahead.

When guests get on or off the elevator,

we use a hand to keep the door open.

But isn't that actually pointless?

What do you mean?

It's not as if the door is going

to close immediately.

I mean, there's a button for "open."

Yeah, we can just press the button.

If we do that, the door won't close.

Using our hands is precisely

what makes the door close.

It almost feels like we're doing it

on purpose to make it close, doesn't it?

-A self-made drama.

-Right?

I wonder what the point of that is?

Maybe it's for show?

What do you mean?

Like, instead of pressing the open button,

we hold the door with our hands

to look like we're putting

ourselves on the line.

We do look more involved than if we just

pressed the button and waited.

Yeah, it's like,

"'Don't worry about me, just hurry up!"

Ah, the whole self-sacrificing vibe.

"Don't worry about my hand!"

It's all an act.

Yep.

But it's really pointless.

Right.

It really is.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

At the end of the day, we do it

because it's our job.

So this conversation

is what's actually pointless.

That's all I have.

Sorry.

I'll be heading off now.

Thank you for your work.

I'll go get some supplies.

-Okay.

-Yes.

Are you going to use the hot spring today?

Of course.

It must be tough.

Well, it feels good,

and soaking in itself is not hard at all.

I see.

I do agree that hot springs are soothing.

Yeah.

In my case, compared to what most people

feel when they're soaking in a hot spring,

it feels a lot better for me.

Really?

We think it's pretty soothing.

I'm sure you do,

but it's on a whole other level for me.

I get warm to the core when I soak

in the hot springs.

That's a given.

In my case, my body fully recovers.

When we soak in the hot springs,

it feels like we're coming back to life.

Yeah, but that's being figurative.

I'm literally being healed.

I'm being serious, we really feel

like we're being revived.

The debate we're having

is probably more pointless

than the one about elevators.

My body literally heals.

CHANGING ROOM

See you.

Thanks for your work.

By the way, Yumi is the quickest

when it comes to leaving work.

Oh, did you know that Yumi

suspected you were an alien?

How did that happen?

Because you don't share anything

about your personal life.

Huh?

But then again,

she suspected Onodera

for the same reason too.

I think you should be fine.

-You didn't tell her, right?

-No.

The only ones that know are Minapuu

and Hacchi.

Well, okay then.

Speaking of which, I'm having lunch

with them again this Saturday.

-Is that so? You three meet often, huh?

-Yes!

We've been meeting once a week lately.

Sometimes, even twice a week.

You three are close.

I also have close friends

back in my hometown,

but we don't meet often.

But you were the catalyst

for us to start meeting up again.

-Is that so?

-Yeah.

Do you want to join?

-Me?

-Yeah. Only if it's convenient, of course.

I'll let you know.

Okay.

No need to force yourself, okay?

I know. I'll try to make it.

"I'll try to make it,"

is usually what people say

when they probably won't show up.

I'll try to make it.

But when Takahashi says it,

you can bet he'll show up.

Do you have a shift on Saturday?

Nope.

But I'm not sure if I have other plans.

Do you have anything on that day?

Not sure, I'll need to check.

I'll get back to you.

Yamanashi is home to a bunch

of interesting folks.

-Folks who are known nationwide.

-What?

Your lunch money is on the table.

Thanks, Mom.

When will you be back?

-I think it'll be a little late.

-Okay.

-What about dinner?

-I'll be back for it.

Okay.

What about you, Mom?

I don't have work today,

so I'm going shopping

and having lunch with my friends.

You three have been

meeting up a lot lately.

Yeah.

-Enjoy yourself.

-Thanks.

I'm leaving now.

See you.

Takahashi is probably going

to be there as well,

but I didn't feel like explaining it all,

so I left that part out.

I watched E.T.

Oh, really? It's great, no?

Yeah.

What was E.T. again?

It's a movie about an alien,

like Mr. Takahashi.

Oh, right.

So you watched it?

Yeah, on a streaming platform.

Are you able to do something like that?

Like what?

Making your finger glow.

Of course not. I have normal fingers.

-The alien in it has glowing fingers?

-Yep.

It can also heal injuries.

That's cool.

-Can't you heal injuries too?

-No.

Then what about

not an injury, but a spot on your face?

Can you remove that?

I'd love that. A glow poof!

You can do that with lasers.

My fingers don't glow to begin with.

Then, what about

making bicycles fly?

That's impossible.

-The bicycles fly?

-Yeah.

In the final scene,

the protagonist flees with E.T.

in the front basket.

From who?

From government agents.

In the end, the bicycle,

along with the protagonist and E.T. flies.

-Through the sky.

-That's cool.

It's a famous scene. But reality is harsh.

But if the government was after you,

wouldn't you fly as well?

Like a fight-or-flight response?

That's not going to happen.

I'll just outrun them on foot.

I see.

I don't even want to be chased.

-That's a pity.

-What do you mean by that?

This is totally unrelated,

but do you have any friends,

Mr. Takahashi?

Huh?

Of course. Lots.

What makes you think otherwise?

You've been joining us lately.

That's because I was invited.

Yeah, but you join us regularly.

Why do you have to put it like that?

-So I'm not supposed to join?

-Of course I don't mean that.

But it's because you join us so regularly

that I'm worried.

I'm fine. I have friends,

and it just so happens I'm free.

Then it's okay.

What are your friends like, Takahashi?

Like anyone else's.

Old classmates and so on.

I have a lot of friends.

Are there any aliens among them?

I was born and raised here,

so I only know humans.

Right.

Which middle school did you go to?

-North.

-Really?

What do you do with your friends?

We go drinking and so on.

What things do you guys talk about?

Mostly just stories from back then.

It's like us then.

I guess.

Do your friends know you're an alien?

They don't. I've been hiding it from them.

-Not a single person knows?

-Nope.

So we're really the only ones who know?

Yeah, that's why

you really mustn't tell anyone.

To live for more than 50 years

with your true identity hidden

must have been quite difficult, surely?

Right.

I'd say it's more lonely

than it is difficult.

Lonely?

I had this group of close friends

back in elementary school.

We were just like you three.

We could talk about anything,

that's how close we were.

But I'm the only one who was hiding

a secret from them,

so I've always felt guilty somehow,

or like

I was the only one being left out.

Did you think about telling them?

I considered telling just them in secret,

but my parents

always told me never to tell them,

so I never did.

I see.

Wait, you bought this?

Yeah, the condition of the screen

was really bad.

It sure was.

It's like the opening from Lupin III.

What do you mean?

Oh, you haven't seen it?

There's a scene where a b*llet

causes the screen to crack all over.

Hey.

Why did you ask

if you're not even interested?

Sorry. But we were listening.

Yeah, right. You were talking about Lupin.

Don't you know it, Takahashi?

Yeah, the part where his name gets shot.

Yes. That's how bad her phone was.

I see.

Come to think of it, your phone is always

in bad shape, isn't it?

You're right. Since the flip phone era,

her phones have always ended up like that.

-Right?

-No screen protector?

-I don't use one.

-Why not?

I used to have one.

But having to put them on

every time is bothersome

and I can't even do it perfectly.

You can just do it at a store.

But then you have to pay.

That can't be helped.

It's kind of a waste, no?

Better than having

a cracked screen, surely?

If I'm going to pay, I might as well

just be careful not to break it.

But it's obviously not working out.

Yeah.

Aren't there stores that do it for free?

-Do they exist?

-Yeah.

I can find one for you.

-But isn't it a bit awkward to ask?

-Why?

The staff are basically working

for nothing.

You're right.

I feel a bit bad for them.

You know, sometimes you stress

over the weirdest things.

Your screen is going

to crack again, though.

That's why I bought one this time.

-You didn't ask them to do it for you?

-No.

By the way, I met Aya-nyan at the store.

Really? How's she doing now?

She's doing fine.

-That's great.

-I want to see her.

I should have invited her.

Yeah.

Sorry, we're talking about

another of our classmates.

I see.

Mr. Takahashi.

Could you do it for me?

Huh, me?

I'm really bad at this.

I'm bad at it too.

Can't you do it with just a touch

using your abilities?

Listen, I get it.

I can kinda understand wanting

to catch a thief or something.

And just so you know, I shouldn't have

helped with the volleyball,

but you seemed to have a lot going on,

and it was my alma mater,

so I thought I'd be flexible

and help you out.

But asking me to apply a screen protector?

Come on, you can get it done at a store!

But I have to pay for it.

Then go to a store that does it for free.

Like I said, I feel bad for them.

Oh, so you feel bad asking the staff,

but not me?

Fine. I'll pay for your drink

so please do it for me.

That's a bit cheap.

It costs at least 1,000 yen at stores.

-Well, that's for stores.

-Huh?

In your case, Mr. Takahashi,

I'm factoring in the sushi we bought

after the volleyball case the other day,

which was roughly 3,400 yen,

so in terms of labor and price parity,

-I thought a drink would cover it.

-Stop being stingy.

I've had enough.

You started it.

Okay, fine.

You don't have to pay.

-You mean it?

-Only this time.

Thanks.

Which abilities do you want me to use?

I don't know, maybe the ability

to concentrate?

Oh, and the ability to have good

hand dexterity?

-Right.

-Dexterity?

Okay, I'll give it a try.

Sorry for the trouble.

Welcome!

Hello.

-It's Aya-nyan.

-Aya-nyan!

Hey, what's up?

It's been a while.

Yeah.

-We were having lunch together.

-Really?

Hi, Ricchan.

What do you say, Ritsu?

Hello.

How old are you now?

Oh, five years old!

Do you remember Auntie Kiyomi?

You don't remember, huh.

-Are you meeting up with someone?

-No.

-Then why don't you join us?

-Oh.

-Is it okay?

-Yeah.

-Okay then.

-Excuse me, could you add two more seats?

-Sure.

-Is that okay?

-Sorry.

-Thank you.

MONT BLANC

This is random, okay?

What is it?

Earlier you asked

if Ricchan remembers you.

I haven't seen her in a while.

When I heard that,

I was like, "Wait, you're that old?"

You really think so? Well,

I'm already over 40.

Yeah, logically I understand that,

but I still kinda see you

as your middle-school self.

I get what you're saying.

Also, I was like,

'Wait, doesn't that make us old too?'"

We're definitely at that age.

But everyone has their own way

of looking at it,

so there's no need to dwell on it.

Yeah, you can still

see yourself as "Miss."

But as soon as Kiichan said

"auntie" back there,

it was like we all became aunties.

Because we're the same age?

I guess I branded you all

with the "auntie" label.

And if I still insist I'm not old then,

isn't it just painful?

-Yeah.

-Right.

Hold on. You're acting

like this has nothing to do with you,

but you're in the same boat

as the rest of us, Hacchi.

What? I'm still in my thirties.

Nah, we're all old.

Didn't you say it was all

about perspective?

She branded us all with the label.

So I've become an early auntie?

Huh? You're just the right age.

It's done.

Thank you so much!

It looks clean.

There are no air bubbles at all.

-Right?

-It went unexpectedly well.

You're really good at this.

This is my senior

from work, Mr. Takahashi.

Hello, I'm Takahashi.

Nice to meet you, I'm Ayano Okada.

He did a great job.

Yeah, I saw. It's so impressive.

Mr. Takahashi is really good

with his hands.

-Is that so?

-Not at all.

Um if you wouldn't mind.

Could you do it for me as well?

Pardon?

I also just bought a screen protector

and I haven't applied it.

-I see.

-Yeah.

You didn't ask the staff to do it?

It feels kinda a waste to pay for it

It's expensive, right?

Yeah, and when I do it myself,

it's always full of air bubbles.

-It happens.

-Right?

Would it be okay?

-I can do it.

-Really?

Thank you!

Sorry about this.

Your parfait is here.

It looks cute!

Okay, wipe your hands.

When did people start calling you

"uncle," Mr. Takahashi?

What?

Don't people get called

uncles or aunties in their forties?

I've always looked older than my age

so I've been called "uncle"

since my twenties.

Oh, you're one of those cases.

Thank you so much.

Wow, it's really nicely done!

He's really good at it.

Why are you so good at this?

I don't know, I just

have a knack for it, I guess.

But it's really good.

You think so?

Didn't you used to work

at one of those stores?

Oh, right. A little.

So that's why.

You're amazing. Thanks once again.

Don't mention it.

Thank you

There's no way you can just do that.

What about it?

Did you see what he did?

Sorry, what?

My phone almost fell,

and he caught it like it was nothing.

Kiichan, did you see?

Yeah, I saw.

His reflexes are next level, right?

-Yeah.

-Usually it would be impossible.

Yeah.

-Right?

-Well, I guess it just kinda happened.

Yeah

-He used to play table tennis.

-Huh?

-Table tennis?

-Yeah.

Weren't you in the table tennis club

in middle school?

Oh, yes, that's right.

So that's why.

It was really amazing.

The motion was so smooth.

Yeah.

Oh, the bathroom? We'll be right back.

Okay.

Off to the bathroom you go.

Um

there are a few things I'd like

to point out.

What are they?

First, wasn't my introduction

a little late?

Was it?

It was.

You kept talking and treated me

like I was invisible.

I guess we kinda did. Sorry.

That's not all.

I got to know her name beforehand

so I knew she was your classmate

but I'm sure she was clueless

as to who I was.

"Who's this applying a screen protector

like nobody's business?"

Sorry.

This is just the start.

Okay, what else?

The way you twisted

my background was weird.

Really?

What's with having worked at those stores

and being in the table tennis club?

I thought I'd cover for you.

I was surprised when you said

that out of nowhere.

But she bought the story.

In that case, it's okay.

But if you think about it, isn't it weird?

That some random old guy is with you.

I properly introduced you as my senior.

Yeah, but what business

does that senior have

at a gathering of childhood friends?

Now that I think about it,

it's a little unnatural.

-Right?

-I see.

We didn't really explain that to her.

Yeah.

But it's not

like we can tell her he's an alien.

That's the hard part.

How should we explain it

without talking about that?

-Right?

-It was because of that.

We had to lie about his background.

I see.

Maybe we can tell Aya-nyan about it.

-That I'm an alien?

-Yeah.

-She's trustworthy. You can rest assured.

-Yeah.

-She's tight-lipped.

-Yeah.

If anything, she's the most trustworthy.

No, we can't tell her.

But if we hide it from her,

then it's hard to explain

why you're having lunch with us.

As of now, you're a random old guy

who's weirdly good at applying

screen protectors and has great reflexes.

Weirdly? You were the one

who made me do it.

But that's how she'd see it.

That may be true.

But I don't think I can handle

any more people knowing about my identity.

I see.

Let's meet up again, Aya-nyan.

-Yeah, let's.

-See you.

See you.

Bye.

See you.

See you.

Bye.

-There.

-Thanks.

Okay!

-Oh, that's not good.

-Woah.

-What?

-Yikes.

Oh-oh.

-What?

-Huh?

Woah!

-I've done it now.

-Are you okay?

It's totally stuck.

What should I do?

Think we can lift the car up?

I think it'd be tough.

Right.

I think I'll get a contractor to come.

-Um

-Yeah.

Why don't we have a go at lifting it?

What?

With so many of us,

we might have a chance.

What?

-I don't think so.

-Yeah, there's no way.

It's fine. I can call a contractor.

But there's no harm in trying, right?

-Right. Let's give it a try.

-Yeah.

It's fine.

Let's just try. If we fail,

you can call the contractor.

-Yeah.

-It's settled.

-Sorry about this.

-Don't mention it.

We'll need you to hold the wheel

while we lift and shift the car.

Okay.

Will you be okay on your own?

Yeah.

-Here I go.

-Okay.

MONT BLANC

Ready, set, go!

Oh!

-Come on!.

-We're almost there!

We're doing it!

We did it!

Thanks!

You guys are amazing!

With four people,

we're surprisingly strong.

I was a former volleyball player, so.

Takahashi is strong too despite his looks.

Really?

But you played table tennis, right?

You did judo in high school, no?

Huh?

You were in the judo club?

Yeah.

So that's why.

-Yeah.

-He's amazing.

Glad I could help.

Thank you for everything today.

-Don't mention it.

-Thank you.

Drive safely, Aya-nyan!

-Yeah.

-Stay safe.

-Did you all see that?

-See what?

You didn't notice?

That taxi has the SOS alert on.

Really?

What's the SOS alert?

Um, you know,

in cases of emergencies or robberies,

taxis have this alert.

Is that so?

This.

TAXI SOS ALER

WHAT TO DO

Hold on, that's bad, isn't it?

What should we do?

But the taxi is already gone.

But for those kind of things,

usually the company would be notified

if the alert is on.

Really?

I'm not sure, but I feel like

that might be the case.

But shouldn't we call the police

just in case?

Yeah.

Hold on.

Wait in the car for a bit, okay?

Sorry!

Hello there.

Let's see

This is k*lling me.

I shouldn't have kept going.

-Ah, this brings back memories.

-The younger generation does it too?

-Yeah, most likely.

-Really?

-That's cool.

-Yeah.

Hold on.

Yes?

Your SOS alert is on.

What?

You're right.

Sorry about that.

I accidentally switched it on.

-I figured.

-Sorry about that.

-Thanks for going out of your way!

-Don't mention it.

I'm in the parking lot of Mont Blanc.

-The taxi was headed to

-Oh?

Just a few minutes ago

-The issue was resolved.

-Really?

Huh?

After verifying, it seems the driver

accidentally switched it on.

Is that so?

Sorry, it seems the issue

has been resolved.

Yes. I'm sorry for any trouble

I may have brought about.

How were you able to do that?

I ran to check it out

and it just stopped around the corner

at the end of the street.

Really?

The driver was chatting happily

with the passenger.

That's a relief.

Wait.

Did you really just go and come back

in such a short span of time?

Well, yeah.

It happened to stop on the corner

over there.

But that's still quite the distance, no?

You were in the track and field club

in university, right?

Yeah.

So distances like that

are not a problem for me.

I see.

You're a real all-rounder.

Well, yeah.

-Let's do something about the drain.

-Yeah.

-I'll do it.

-It's fine,

I'll do it.

We can all help.

Let's keep in touch.

Let's have lunch again.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

See you.

Bye.

Sorry for all of this.

It's fine. I'm helping people for real.

Isn't applying screen protectors

helping people too?

Others can do that.

It doesn't have to be me.

But was the case earlier

really just a false alarm?

-Huh?.

-What do you mean?

I thought maybe it was really

a taxi robbery,

but because Aya-nyan was there,

he chose to lie.

Is that true?

Well yeah.

What?

So it was really a taxi robbery?

-Yeah.

-Figured.

Well, it's not

like I could really say

I stopped a taxi robbery

in such a short time, right?

Yeah.

What happened, exactly?

Um, well, there were two shady guys

who had knives with them.

Were you okay then?

-Yeah.

-So you fought them off?

It's not so much that, it's more

like I took the knives from them,

held them down,

and had the driver call the police.

What? That's so cool!

It's not that big of a deal.

That's amazing. You're like a hero.

You're exaggerating.

You did something great

but can't claim credit for it.

Isn't it kind of sad?

Right. It was the same

in the previous case.

I don't do things like this

for recognition.

Like with the screen protector earlier,

that wasn't something only I could do.

But with stuff like this,

if I didn't step in,

it could've turned out really bad, right?

As someone with these unique abilities,

I just can't ignore it.

After everything I went through,

I think I deserve to tell

at least this small lie.

It's really nothing.

Come to think of it,

you used quite a few abilities.

-Will you be okay with the side effects?

-Oh, right.

I'll have a fever, and it's likely going

to take a toll on my legs and hips,

but I'll be okay if I use the hot spring

on the night shift tomorrow.

That's good, then.

Tomorrow?

I don't recall you having a shift.

No way.

What?

It's me and Eri for night shift.

Really?

See?

-It's true, I don't have a shift.

-Right?

Sorry, can I switch with you?

No, asking at this point

is cutting it a little close.

If you're okay with it, then we're good.

People will think I bailed out last minute

and it won't leave a good impression.

No, I don't mind switching.

Even if you're fine with it,

bailing on a shift last minute is going

to leave a bad impression.

Weren't you idolizing me

as a hero just a while ago?

That and this are two separate matters.

If I bail, I'll lose my pay too.

-Right.

-Okay, fine.

I'll pay you for that shift.

What?

But I don't want to bail last minute.

Come on, I'm begging you.

If I don't soak in it tomorrow,

my body will be in bad shape.

Can't you soak in the hot spring

and then leave?

-Just use the hot spring?

-Yeah.

-You have a point.

-I can't use the hot spring on my day off.

Just don't get caught.

-What?

-You've got a point.

I can help with that.

What?

LAKE HOTEL

WELCOME

LAKE HOTEL

We need more guests.

Right?

But you know

Oh, Eri. Have you had ice cream?

-We have ice cream?

-Yeah, in the fridge.

She brought it for everyone.

-Is that so?

-Yeah.

That's so nice of you.

Have you had some, manager?

Yeah, it was great.

-What about you, Kiyomi?

-I haven't had it yet.

Why not?

I'm full.

I see.

We're not that busy now.

You can go get some ice cream.

Should I?

-Go ahead.

-Don't mind if I do.

Oh, manager. If you'd like,

you can have my portion too.

What?

Are you sure?

Yeah, I'm full.

Right. Maybe I will.

Go ahead.

I'll take you up on that offer.

-Please cover us for a bit.

-Okay.

Enjoy.

Now's your chance.

-Where's the manager?

-He's in the back office. Eri too.

I'll get going now.

If you put it like that,

it sure seems pointless.

Right?

It's all an act.

To be honest, yeah.

Speaking of which,

receipts are also unnecessarily long.

Ah, the receipt problem.

Guests complain too sometimes.

-Really?

-Yes, sometimes.

That's to be expected.

Also, some people say

it doesn't need to be put in an envelope.

Yeah. They just stuff it

into their wallets.

Right?

Is that also an act on our part?

Yeah, it's to show politeness.

A pointless appeal.

You're right.

Can we stop doing it?

Of course not.

Why is that?

Well, if we didn't put them in envelopes,

some would say,

"Why didn't you put it in an envelope?"

Do people like that exist?

I think so.

Besides, other hotels do it

as a matter of course,

so if it was only us who didn't,

people would say,

"This hotel just hands over your receipt."

What a hassle.

Yeah.

Um, is it okay if I have a bath break?

Oh?

That's pretty rare.

Well, you know, I ate two portions

of ice cream.

-I feel a bit chilly now.

-Sorry.

It's all my fault.

Don't worry about it.

It was tasty after all.

Why don't I get you some warm tea?

It's fine. I'll be done in a flash.

How about you grab some tea first?

If you're still chilly,

you can go for a bath.

-Hmm.

-Okay?

I'll go make it now.

On second thought, it's fine.

I'll be done in a flash.

-See you.

-Yeah.

This is bad.

-If you'd like, I can buy a hand warmer.

-Oh.

It's okay. I just need to have a dip

in the hot spring.

This is real bad.

CLOSED FOR THE DAY

MEN

MEN

REQUESTS TO OUR GUESTS

MANAGER WENT IN. LEAVE NOW.

He seems to have read the message.

Will it be okay?

PLEASE SHARE THE WASHING AREA WITH OTHERS

Huh?

What?

What the

BATH

Welcome back.

-Welcome back.

-I'm back.

I feel all warmed up now.

That's great.

It's been a while,

and it's really soothing.

I feel so refreshed.

By the way, in the bath

I found boxers.

What? That's dirty. Whose are they?

Perhaps they belong to one of the guests.

Yeah, likely.

But why would they be in the bath?

You've got a point.

That's strange.

Shall I keep them as lost and found,

just in case?

Yeah.

It's the cheapest after all.

-Oh, take a look at this!

-What is it?

It's from that show the other day.

Did you watch it?

-See? Fifty-three yen.

-That's dirt cheap.

Right?

And when it's on sale,

it becomes a whopping thirty-six yen!

-That cheap?

-I know right?

But you surprised me.

Sorry, I got too excited.

I'm freezing!

Takahashi?

What are you doing here?

Well, er

I happened to pass by here.

Wait, you're soaked.

I was speeding on my bike

and hit a puddle.

A puddle?

Are you okay?

Could I borrow a towel?

-Of course.

-Really?

But shouldn't you dry your clothes too?

You're right.

Wanna use the bath?

Can I?

I'm going to dry your clothes.

-So feel free to come on in.

-Thank you.

Come on.

-Sorry about this.

-Will you be okay?

Please come on in.

Takahashi.

Good evening.

-I'll bring you a towel.

-Thank you.

What happened?

It's a long story.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

When we soak in the hot springs,

it feels like we're coming back to life.

That's being figurative.

I'm literally being healed.

I'm being serious, we really feel

like we're being revived.

I'm definitely the one

who's being brought back to life.

I feel refreshed.

You're not going to bathe?

No, I'm okay.