namida no ame ga hoo wo tataku
涙の雨が頬をたたく
As a shower of tears falls upon my cheeks,
tabi ni utsukushiku
たびに美しく
I become more and more beautiful.
kudaranai ru-ru kara hamidasezu ni naiteita
くだらないルールからはみ出せずに泣いていた
I've been in tears over the senseless rules I can't come to accept,
boyakesugita mirai chizu
ぼやけすぎた未来地図
And the map of my future is too muddled to read.
surihetta kokoro wo umetakute atsumeta
すり減ったココロを埋めたくて集めた
I've been trying to mend my damaged heart,
iranai mono bakari
要らないモノばかり
but now it's filled with things I don't even need.
baibai ano itoshiki hibi ha
バイバイあの愛しき日々は
Bye bye, my precious days...
modori ha shinai kara
戻りはしないから
...to which I'll never return.
hiraiteyuku chiisaku tojita kokoro ga
開いてゆく小さく閉じたココロが
My tiny, closed off heart...
yoru no sumi de shizuka ni
夜の隅で静かに
...begins to open quietly in a corner of the night.
irodzuiteku motto fukaku yasashiku
色付いてくもっと深く優しく
It ripens with the morning light,
asa no hikari wo ukete
朝の光を受けて
growing deeper, more tender.
namida no ame ga hoo wo tataku
涙の雨が頬をたたく
As a shower of tears falls upon my cheeks,
tabi ni utsukushiku
たびに美しく
I become more and more beautiful.
Here, last month's pay.
Keep up the good work this month, too.
Y-Yes.
I'll do my best.
Nako-chan, how much did you get?
It's a secret.
Ohana.
Here's your relative pay.
Thank you so much!
Even so, this is the mistress we're talking about, so I doubt-
U-Um, because you're living here,
I think she probably took out the food and lodging fees-
20,000 yen...
At home, I made the meals, did the laundry,
and cleaned... but I only ever got 8,000 yen.
Why 8,000 yen...?
It's my age times 500 yen.
Nako-chi! Having a job is great!
Episode 6
Yeah...
Making the place sparkly before school!
Morning, hopeless inn.
Morning, employees of this hopeless inn.
Good morning.
Um, Nako-chi.
When a guest arrives, you should say "Welcome."
That's the basics of the basics in the customer service industry!
W-Welcome!
Takako-san! I've been waiting for you!
Thanks for coming so early.
And I've already had to educate your employees.
Never mind that.
Come this way.
I'll be adding that to my consultation fees.
Of course.
I kind of want to clean that woman up too.
Y-You can't do that!
Mum, we have a guest.
Kawajiri Takako, management consultant.
Mistress.
Ah, Mistress.
Come on, she came to introduce herself.
I'm not feeling well today.
Eh?
You seemed fine yesterday.
I caught something this morning.
Ah, Takako-san, wait!
We were in the middle of preparing breakfast.
And we're still doing morning cleaning-
All right, all right.
Come on, this is vital for the sake of Kissui Inn's future.
Now, Kawajiri-san.
Good morning, everyone.
As you have just heard,
I'm Kawajiri Takako, a management consultant.
I've come to revitalise Kissui Inn.
We've been waiting for this!
I've heard.
We already know.
Does she come here often?
About once a month.
Now, the change I have in mind today is for this inn's waitresses.
Let's head back to the kitchen.
Yes.
Ah, that's not fair!
It was us last month, remember?
Don't worry. Today's plan is perfect.
Yes, ma'am!
Everyone!
We're doing a complete overhaul of the waitress' clothes.
Eh?
Oh my...
What are these?
If you keep wearing such old-fashioned clothes,
Kissui Inn will remain stuck in the past.
If we improve the inn's image with the latest fashion,
and increase customer satisfaction,
the long tail of word-of-mouth can start swinging!
I can't do this.
No way, no how.
If I have to wear these, I'll die.
Aren't these a bit much for waitresses at an inn?
That's just a stereotype.
"Standing pools gather filth."
Unmoving water only gets filled with garbage.
Can't you feel the stagnating atmosphere of this mouldy inn?
I guess the futons are kind of mouldy.
O-Ohana-chan!
That's exactly why you need to challenge yourself!
Challenge!
Venture!
Nothing venture, nothing win!
If you don't challenge yourself, what you win is nothing!
Challenge.
This challenge... might be a good idea.
Yes!
Of course!
It's "good idea."
What are you looking at?
I-I'm not looking at anything!
All right, work, work.
Nako-chi, how's this?
It looks a bit lacking in coverage...
Idiot.
Not at all!
Well?
They look stunning.
This is great. You look good.
Will this really be a challenge?
Of course.
It's challenge.
I don't really want to challenge myself...
It'll be over soon.
Now, we just need to find a customer befitting of this kind of image.
Ah, in that case...
Kissui Inn Inn Management System
As I recall, there'll be a customer coming in today...
Room Availability
Tachibana Atsuji
Tachibana-sama. 43 year old male. Party of 3.
This will work.
Speak of the devil.
Now, off you go, you two.
Got it!
Me too?
That's right.
Let's do our best, Nako-chi.
Good luck.
Hello-
Welcome, dear customer.
E-Eh?
He's surprised.
Could it be because he's impressed?
This might just be a success.
Hmm... The booking for Tachibana-sama was...
Allow me to get your luggage.
Ah, no, it's fine.
Yes?
Dad.
What are you doing?
Pervert.
Who, me?
How is this my fault?
Eh? Me?
I can't take this anymore.
My sincerest apologies.
It's fine, really. Don't worry about it.
Of course you'd be fine with it.
Ah, no, that's not what I meant.
We're really very sorry!
Today's challenge was a failure, huh?
That's why I said I didn't want to...
Nako-chi, your forehead is red.
Eh? Don't say that!
It must've been the choice of clothing.
Maybe we should've gone with something more suggestive.
I couldn't wear anything like that!
I wonder what was wrong about it...
Everything.
Cosplay?
I guess unpopular inns really explore their options.
What do you mean, "unpopular"?
I'm impressed, that's all.
It's like... "Passionate effort" or something!
It's so admirable.
The problem is that all our hard work isn't getting us anywhere.
If you keep working and don't give up,
I'm sure something good will happen.
Got any ideas then?
Let's see.
For instance, raising the slit on a Chinese dress.
You think so too?!
What's wrong?
It's nothing...
I wonder... Does effort not always pay off?
Min-chi!
Wait!
If I'm late, they'll get mad at me!
It's the same for me!
Yeah, me too!
It doesn't matter if you're late.
I seriously doubt that...
They shouldn't be mad at us for getting back at this time, right?
Is it different for the kitchen?
I heard Min-chi wanted to learn dinner preparations from the beginning.
I see.
Wait a minute!
Takako-san! Wait!
If my consultation is unnecessary, then I have no reason to be here.
No one said it's unnecessary... Right, Mistress?
It's unnecessary.
Mum!
Mistress.
Mistress!
Wait- Hold on-
Takako-san!
Hey, wait up!
Hey!
He looks sad. Should we say something?
I don't know...
You two!
Welcome back.
Ah, I-I'll get right to work.
Nako-chi... such intuition!
What about you?
I'll get started.
So that consultant was a college graduate that majored in business management.
That's what I heard.
The young master met her while he was in college, apparently.
It's not like I don't understand why he's upset.
Our inn hasn't been doing too well.
Oh, really?
We haven't been getting many customers for a while now.
I see.
So that's why we needed to challenge ourselves...
But I can't stand those clothes.
Nako-chi, did you want to wear something else?
No!
Well, this isn't something for us to worry about.
'Cause if I had to choose, I'd rather not wear those clothes.
See you!
Good work today!
What?
Ahh!
Well... "What" indeed!
You seem kind of down.
Is it because the mistress got mad at you?
Well, Tomoe-san and Nako-chi weren't really willing to cooperate either...
Eh?
That's what everyone says...
...but I'm aware that I'm more or less asking for the impossible.
Nonetheless, I'm doing this for the sake of the inn.
Even so, Mum...
Even if it fails...
...isn't it better than doing nothing?
What the heck?!
Cheer up, got it?
I'm sure things will turn out fine eventually!
Satsuki... nee-san?
Hm? Mama?
Yeah.
Whenever I was feeling down, she'd always do something like that.
She'd give you baseless encouragement?
Yes, baseless encouragement.
Heh, she's terrible...
But she's your mother, isn't she?
And so?
I started wondering if there's something I can do for Kissui Inn too.
What would that "something" be?
I don't know, but...
Hey, Min-chi! Would you try cosplaying with us?
I don't get the meaning of that.
It might be really well-received.
At the very least, I think Touru-san would like it.
Shut up! Die!
I told you to stop telling me to die...
Hobiron!
I'll go to sleep, then.
Matsumae Ohana
Salary Matsumae Ohana
I have to find something I can do.
Otherwise I won't be proud of the 20,000 yen I earned.
I was wondering why you came to me this early in the morning,
and it turns out to be about that shady woman.
But I understand how the young master feels, or rather...
...if we don't do anything and the inn ends up bankrupt-
What made you think this place would go bankrupt?
Did someone say something?
Don't worry about such minor details.
They're not minor.
Anyway, I think it's a good idea to try something new.
What do you mean by "something new"?
For example...
Such as raising the slits on some Chinese dresses.
B-But if this place goes bankrupt, I'll have nowhere to go!
If you say "bankrupt" one more time, I'll chase you out!
Fine then, "decline".
We've been declining for a while now, so there's no need to worry.
When you put it like that...
Oh? Ohana-chan?
Sorry, Mr. Beans.
I was in the middle of a debate with the mistress, so...
Business has always been poor.
Always?
The mistress understands how you feel.
But, if she understands, then shouldn't she try to do more about it.
Well, I think the young master's ideas are a bit off the mark, but...
What is this place?
Wow!
A-Amazing.
We had a room like this after all!
Ah! It's so lovely!
This one's cute too.
Ooh, this one's kinda stylish!
Could it be that the mistress made all of these?
A lot of them are old, but they don't look worn out at all.
Have you been taking care of them?
Maybe.
That's it!
Mr. Beans?
Nako-chi!
Nako-chi, it looks great on you!
Yours looks nice too, Ohana-chan.
Really?
Ohana?
These are so cute!
You two... What on Earth are you wearing?
Mistress.
How is it?
Do they look good on us?
Why are you wearing those...?
We're challenging ourselves!
Hey.
Yes?
You two...
I've finished cleaning the front.
Thanks for your hard work.
Ah-
Jiro-s-
That's...
Wow!
It's so pretty!
Can I touch it?
Sure.
It's so soft!
Mum!
My, isn't that nice?
I recall the mistress wearing these when I came to Kissui Inn for the first time.
Wow, when was that?
Probably from way before you were born.
The mistress was so gorgeous back then.
Sorry for the trouble this early in the morning.
Oh? This is...
You've brought out quite a nostalgic piece!
I must admit, this is embarrassing.
Not at all! How could it be embarrassing?
Aren't you the one who came up with these clothes in the first place?
Was that so?
I think you were trying to come up with "something new" or the like...
Ah, and then your husband got extremely angry!
Wasn't that what happened?
I wonder... It's been so long.
You're not at the age to be forgetting things yet.
See you another time.
Please come again. We will be waiting.
Thank you very much.
Kissui Inn has quite a history, huh?
Yes, indeed it does.
What was that bow a moment ago?
Eh?
You aren't a bowing grasshopper.
TL Note: コメツキバッタ/kometsuki-batta: Acrida cinerea; a type of insect from the grasshopper family whose stance looks like it's constantly bowing.
A bow like that is rude to the customers.
Y-Yes!
Ah, Mistress. I wanted to speak with you.
Have you not learned yet?
Anyway, listen to this, Mum.
Mistress.
I have a good idea this time.
Hey, wait a sec...
It'd be nice if what happened this morning would bring us more customers as soon as tomorrow,
but reality may not be so optimistic.
We're gonna be late! We're gonna be late!
Where's Min-chi?
Hurry up!
Ah, Min-chi, wait!
Don't worry, I'm sure it'll work out next time!
Yeah, I know!
I have an even better idea for next time!
But as long as we do something, something will happen.
tsuki ga terasu kaeri michi
The path home is bathed in moonlight,
koen wo toori sugiru to
as we pass through the park.
kisoku tadashi kono yurari ni wa
The systematic swinging of the park swings,
For Kissui Inn, whether changing is the right thing to do or not...
doko ni iru no wa ima wo kasanete
nonchalantly forges on to the future.
doko de no ame wo surihete
We leave footprints in the sand,
...isn't something I know the answer to.
suna ni ashi oto wo nokoshite
that's absorbed the evening rain.
But it's fine as long as something can be done.
That's the thought I was beginning to have.
ima sonna koto kangaeru to yappari sukoshi nakisou ni naru
As we verify the sensation of being alive, we start to feel the urge to cry.
loop suru image e nukedashite
We break free of the looping imagery;
saigo ni wa hitotsu dato kimi ga iu
"We'll be as one in the end", you say.
boku ga tsukutta sekai ni wa
In the world I've created,
iyana nioi ga tarinakute
there aren't enough colors or smells.
todoki souna ashita sae mo kega terakute
I can't even seem to paint a suitable tomorrow.
kimi na niyoui ni sasowarete
I'm invited by your scent,
reidai no nimei wo ubawareta
and my eyes are captivated by the colors you show me,
tarinai mono wa koko ni aru no
Everything I've been missing is right here.
uchuu no himitsu ni furetara
As I witness the secrets of the universe,
hajiketa kimi no yume wo mita
I see your dreams blooming.
horane to tokui ge na kao de kimi wa waratta
You smile proudly with a face that says, "I told you so".
shigatsu no kaze ga fuiteru
An April wind is blowing;
sangatsu no boku wo nosete
it carries away my March self,
gogatsu no boku no hou e buranko wo yurashite
and brings me close to the me of May, pushing that swing...
mirai e toori nukeru
...on through the future.
I don't know anything about that!
Is there any point in continuing to work like this?
I've been thinking a bit about returning to my hometown.
Episode 7
Kissui Battlefield Front Lines: All Clear
Yay! My waitress life is over!