The clouds seem to form a horizon,
chiheisen wo nazoru you ni
地平線をなぞるように
linking the sky and earth,
sora to hoshi wo tsunaideiru kumoga
空と地球を繋いでる雲が
Still half asleep in the morning,
boku no sumu kono machi wo gururi to kakotta
僕の住むこの街をぐるりと囲った
I feel completely immersed in the town I live in.
yumeutsutsu no hirusagari ni
夢うつつの昼下がりに
The far off sky looks like cotton candy...
watagashi mitai na sore wo chigiri
綿菓子みたいなそれを千切り
...ripped into a thousand pieces.
kasuka ni aita ana no mukougawa
微かに空いた穴の向こう側
If you strain your eyes,
me wo koraseba
目を凝らせば
you can see a tiny door leading through to summer.
chiisana natsu no iriguchi ga hora
小さな夏の入り口がほら
The outbursts of crying cicadas,
sosogu semishigure
注ぐ蝉時雨
the beetles we chased,
oikaketeta kabutomushi
追いかけてたカブトムシ
and melted ice pops, bring our memories flooding back to us.
toketa aisu kyandi, maki modoru kioku
溶けたアイスキャンディ巻き戻る記憶
Those times may not come again,
nido to modoru koto ha nai
二度と戻ることはない
but they'll never fade away.
demo kienai moyou
でも消えない模様
Nako, I'm hungry!
Me too!
Hang on a second.
Geez, and I got off work early today, too.
I don't want onions.
Me too.
If you don't eat them, you won't grow...
I'm going to touch your belly button!
The old man will come and take you away!
No!
I don't know about that.
I don't like how you're influencing her with your compliments.
What if she loses her motivation?
No, children are smart.
It's the opposite.
If you commend them unreservedly,
they will be motivated to meet your expectations.
That opinion is way too optimistic-
Leave that discussion for school.
Also, get changed and clean this mess up before dinner.
I'm sorry.
You're really helping us out, Nako.
You really are.
This household is only stable because you're here, Nako.
From what I just heard, I find that a little hard to believe.
Nako, it's going to get burnt!
Right, right!
Hey, you two.
Nako's so together, isn't she?
Haven't I said you shouldn't pinch food?
I'm sure it's because I gave her all those compliments growing up.
You're going to be full before the proper meal.
Wait a second!
Raising children and educating them are two completely-
Hey!
Sorry.
The mermaid princess, who admired the prince,
began wishing she could live on the surface.
The figure of the prince she saw above the water seemed beautiful...
If I were a mermaid princess,
I wouldn't admire princes.
I'd just swim around the ocean to my heart's content...
...and take a break when I'm exhausted...
Living on land is so frightening, after all.
I think, for me, being in the ocean feels more like being at home.
I'm off!
Nako, I lost my right shoe!
Hey, I told you to always keep your left and right shoe together!
Geez!
It's really hard to take care of my siblings,
but it helps me be myself, I guess.
Geez, you shouldn't do that.
Good morning, Nako-chan.
Are you off work this morning?
No...
Good... morning.
Nako!
My shoe!
My shift starts in the evening...
Nako!
Yes, it's hard to breathe on land.
Episode 18
The Mermaid Princess and the Shell Bra
Waitress, what kind of flower would be best for viewing at the moment?
Hm?
What kind of flower?
Something good.
Not a bunch of neat, arranged flowers.
We'd like to find some dynamic, wild ones.
Dynam... Erm...
Oh, never mind.
Taking a stroll and discovering the flowers of the season is nice, too.
Yeah.
Let's get an early night, so we can be up early in the morning.
"Beyond the lake, there's a place where buckwheat flowers grow."
"They're very beautiful right now,
but since the path is very steep, please wear trekking shoes."
Why couldn't I just respond with this spontaneously?
It seems like I can't swim as well as I wish I could...
What are you up to?
Nothing much.
Ah, there you are!
You two, come down to the office!
Huh?
It's the long awaited pay day!
Yay!
Fifteen thousand yen down?
You broke the vase in the Crane room, no?
I'm sorry!
But that was because a child ran into me from behind and then-
I took it out of your pay.
That was a high quality Kutani vase.
They can easily cost as much as 20,000 or even 30,000 yen.
Which would you prefer?
I'll take it gladly.
Amazing!
I got more than usual.
They're relying on you, Nako-chan.
It's the opposite.
If you commend them unreservedly,
they will be motivated to meet your expectations.
Landlady...
What do you say, Nako-san?
Why don't you leave that money in my care?
I'm currently writing an FX novel th-
Don't start begging from high-school girls!
If I had 15,000 yen, and used that to buy soybean cakes...
Since one is 20 yen, that means... 10... 20...
750.
Wow!
You could buy a lot of them too.
That's so nice... Let me have some!
There's nothing to give, I'm not buying soybean cakes.
I think the landlady wants me to change.
Huh?
She wants me to work harder.
That's why she paid me more.
You think so?
In that case, I will too...
I think you're probably the type to get carried away when you're praised, Ohana-chan.
Carried away...
I'm sorry, I...
I meant it in a good way, a good way!
I started working here because I wanted to change myself.
You've said that before.
I can somehow manage when I'm at home, or rather,
I think that's the real me.
But elsewhere...
I'm not talking to the real Nakochi right now, then?
With you and Minchi it's different...
Let's pull out the real Nakochi!
Stop it!
I don't want to show my forehead! Not the forehead!
Hmm, payday?
Good for you.
But I lost 15,000 yen, so I don't have much for myself.
Yuina-san, is that empty?
Can I have it?
Sure, but why?
I'm filling it with tap water.
Ohana-chan?
What a tear-jerking scene.
What about you, Tsurugi-san?
Tilefish.
What?
Tilefish?
I wanted to challenge myself to grilling pine cone,
but they wouldn't let me handle high grade ingredients.
I see.
What about you, Oshimizu-san?
I don't have any hobbies...
...or anything I want to learn.
I'll just save it.
That's such a waste!
You have to spend your money in one go!
But...
My grandmother told me!
Money refines people!
It refines people?
I know, let's go shopping after school!
Shopping? That sounds great!
If you have money to go shopping, how about buying yourself some juice?
I'll just pack some barley tea tomorrow.
This looks good!
Yuina-san picks rather, how would you put it, skimpy clothes.
Minchi's just looking at the "3 T-shirts for a thousand yen" sale.
Hey, beige dots!
Cute!
Ohana-chan has pretty good fashion sense.
As expected from someone from Tokyo.
I like these frilly cuffs, maybe I'll try it on.
I thought you had no money.
At least let me dream!
I want that too!
The clothes are the same but...
I didn't realise they were so sexy.
I want to be sexy too...
You're not making the most of this!
Oshimizu-san, one more time. House!
H-House?
Hey, are you done?
Well then.
Amazing!
It suits you!
You look so mature, Nakochi!
It feels breezy around my legs...
Clothes can change a girl, indeed.
Change?
Nakochi?
Thank you very much.
Erm...
Welcome.
This please!
All of it!
All of it?
Nakochi, that's greedy.
Landlady, about Nako-chan... do we have the leeway to raise her pay like that?
Are you in any position to say that?
Well... that's...
Karaoke
Sound
Students Welcome !
Hour Yen
May flowers blossom on this endless plain...
Oshimizu-san, even though we've given you a trendy look,
your choice of music leaves much to be desired.
I wonder what I should sing...
"Shourou Nagashi"!
"Tsuki no Houzen Joukochou", "Tsuki no Houzen Joukochou"...
You still haven't decided?
Usually I just eat whatever my siblings don't want any more, so...
Ginger pudding is unusual.
I wonder what kinds of vegetables they use in their vegetable burger...
Just order whatever you want, I'll eat your leftovers, Minchi.
Ah, we'll split the cost, don't worry.
Excuse me!
Are you ready to order?
I'll have the cheapest blend you have,
and put as much milk in it as possible!
Milk?
Actual coffee is too bitter for me, but I like café au lait.
The thing is, I have no money.
Aw, what a poor thing.
What is it, Nakochi?
I'm not doing what I usually do, so I'm pretty tired.
I'm enjoying it for my part.
Ohana-chan?
Well, we work together all the time,
but this is the first time we've gone out together, isn't it?
I see.
Ohana-chan, you don't seem like you have that many friends either.
Not in a bad way, in a good way!
I seem like I have no friends in a good way.
No, it's because... how should I put it?
You're very straightforward, and it seems like you'd make a lot of enemies that way...
...in a good way!
Do you think you can say anything just because it's "in a good way", huh?
You're misunderstanding!
I'm choking!
I'm dying, I'm dying, I'm dying!
I'm dying from thirst!
Water!
Or rather, tea!
Tea together with beautiful girls!
Tea!
Are you novice performers or something?
If we don't drink tea we'll die!
That's funny!
Then die!
Yuina-san, what are you saying?
They're hitting on us, you know.
Hitting on us?
What's that?
Sorry, we're having some girls-only fun today.
Please, don't be like that!
Like I said...
At least I found it, in this city like a desert, my oasis!
Nakochi is being hit on!
Wait, Nakochi!
Nako!
Whoa!
What's this all about?
A mountain of cake!
Is it your birthday?
Hey, is it your birthday, Nako?
Wow!
What's going on, Nako?
The cake and that outfit are so unlike you-
I know!
No matter how much I change, it's all pointless!
Come to think of it, my outfit has nothing to do with my work.
Ah, what a waste of money.
But it's not like I want money...
Ah geez, I just don't get it.
N-Nako-chan?
"This city like a desert", huh?
I can't swim in a desert.
Even though I want to swim... more freely...
Nakochi-hime!
My, Tilefish-san!
The queen is calling for you.
What's with this outfit?
Even mermaids have to be fashionable these days.
But this is heavy!
Work hard, so you might become fit to wear these jewels.
What is it?
It's no use, it's so heavy that I'm sinking!
The decorations and the expectations are too heavy!
Even if changing is useless, at least just being myself...
Ah, Ren-san...
It's almost fall, so I splurged a little.
This was 150,000 yen.
Uh, that's a nice embroidered jumper.
Good morning!
Good morning.
That's no good, Ren-san, coming to work in such a hilarious outfit.
Hilarious outfit?
Ren-san?
I'll be going ahead.
Good morning!
Go... Good mor...
This is looking good, isn't it?
This way I can be like I am with my siblings.
Fine, fine, fine. That's good!
Dear customer, may I carry your luggage to your room?
Come, come!
It's okay.
Take your time!
Yes, yes.
That's right.
Fine!
Like always.
Fine!
I'll take these to your room.
It's okay. Just take your time.
Ah! Don't just touch that!
I was observing a flower blooming!
Now I'll have to start again!
I'm so sorry!
Well, he forgave you, but don't ever be so inconsiderate again.
Y-Yes.
What's wrong?
Return to your work.
Um...
It's about my wages...
I'm not a good enough waitress to... to have my wages raised.
And now I failed like this.
Because I'm not a good waitress, you expected me to become better,
but I'm bad at talking to people.
I can't even properly attend to customers...
I mean...
I'll tell you this much.
This is not school.
Raising your wages in order to motivate you is not a leisure I would partake in.
B-But...
Look at this.
To the Landlady at Kissui Inn
The customer from yesterday left while you were at school.
The field of flowers at the top of the mountain was magnificent beyond description.
Like the waitress had suggested,
buying trekking shoes had been the right decision.
We will definitely be back to see that waitress again.
These are customers who approve of the way you usually work.
That is why I raised your wage.
In what way is that strange?
T-The way I usually work...
But I can be much more cheerful, and talk much louder...
You may be timid and quiet in Kissui Inn,
but you notice things nobody else notices,
and can convey warm emotions.
That is the kind of waitress you are.
Minchi.
The customers in the Crane room says they don't want Japanese Sardine.
Okay.
Nakochi?
Crawling in mid-air?
That's pretty gross.
TL Note: "Kinakomochi" means "soybean cakes", and "kimo Nakochi" means "gross Nakochi".
"Kinakomochi" and "kimo Nakochi" are pretty similar, right?
This might not be the ocean, but...
...even if it's a little mean to the prince,
I'm still going to aim for the surface!
This me can swim anywhere!
Blue, yellow, purple, red;
buru- iero- pa-puru reddo
ブルー イエロー パープル レッド
the way the colours of our breaths appear.
tameiki no iro iroha
溜め息のいろいろは
And the many memories of things you taught me that I can't put into words.
anata ga oshietekureta kotoba ni naranai omoi
あなたが教えてくれた 言葉にならない想い
I can't help but recall them over and over.
nando mo nando mo omoidasu
何度も 何度も 思い出す
A prism shines suddenly, at the mercy of the wind.
kaze no manimani futto kagayaku purizumu
風のまにまにふっと 輝くプリズム
It shines softly and uncertainly.
tomadoi nagaramo sotto
とまどいながらもそっと
I try to stretch out my hand.
te wo nobashite miru
手をのばしてみる
To a sky I still cannot see...
mada minu sora
まだ見ぬ空
...and whatever lies beyond.
sono saki he to
その先へと
Waiting for the day when the flowers will bloom.
itsuka hana saku koro
いつか 花咲く頃
A culture festival, huh?
Let's bonboru together, okay?
Right, let's do this culture festival.
I don't really mind going out to do work.
Episode 19
Muddled Rice Omelette
Yes, it's youth!