Holmes of Kyoto (京都寺町三条のホームズ)

Holmes of Kyoto

Episode 10

"The Bisque Doll's Smile"

Happy New Year

Good morning!

Hey, Aoi-chan.

Happy New Year to all of you!

Happy New Year to you!

Happy New Year, Aoi-san.

Wearing kimonos for our first day back to work...

This really has that Kura vibe!

Even though mine is the more informal version.

It really suits you.

Yours suits you as well, Aoi-san.

It certainly does. You look positively radiant.

Th-Thank you very much.

Heya! Sorry I'm late.

Nobody even invited you.

The owner invited me!

Well, now that Akihito-kun's here,

we can begin.

Takeshi, Kiyotaka...

Yoshie, Aoi-chan...

Rikyu, Akihito-kun...

Let's toast to another year together.

Cheers!

Cheers!

I'm gonna make you fall for me, Yoshie-san!

I'm flattered.

Give me a break...

Your writing still don't got enough depth to it...

I can't win with you, Dad...

I guess you can even dress up a peasant.

How dare you, Rikyu?

Aoi-san is hardly a peasant!

Don't be so mad, Kiyo-nii!

Anyway, we're headin' out on a date.

He's going to take me somewhere nice.

Excuse me, but would you mind waiting a bit before heading out?

It's our first day at work in the new year,

and I'd like to take Aoi-san to Yata Jizo Son.

Sure, but make it quick.

We ain't waitin' long.

All right, Aoi-san. Let's go.

I'll tag along!

Me too!

Hold on just a minute, now.

Akihito-kun, Rikyu, you leave those two be.

The boy wants to walk around town with Aoi-chan in their kimonos.

Kiyotaka, if you don't tell others how you feel,

they'll never know.

Yata Jizo Son

Please help me learn to drink the black coffee that Holmes-san makes!

You seem to be wishing rather hard for something.

It must be something wonderful.

Let's have another fine year together, all right?

That sounds great.

I hope you'll teach me all kinds of things this year.

Teach you? What in particular do you want to learn?

What do I want...?

No... We can't, Holmes-san...

Can't what?

Oh, I didn't mean...

I-I want to learn more about R-Raku tea bowls!

Raku tea bowls?

Yes!

It was so frustrating at the party, not being able to tell if they were real...

I see.

I understand feeling frustrated.

I'll teach you all about Raku tea bowls while you're on winter break.

Please do!

Well, the owner is waiting.

Shall we return to the store?

Sure.

By the way, are the owner and Yoshie-san not married?

My grandfather divorced my grandmother for personal reasons when my father was young.

Because of that, they've decided not to make it official.

What reasons could that be?

While we're out, would you like to get some coffee here?

But isn't the owner waiting for us?

He can wait a bit longer.

Hey, come on... We really should get back.

Don't look so sad!

You can take me some other time.

To any cafe you recommend!

All right. I'll invite you soon, then.

Well then...

Shall we head out now?

Can I take you up on your offer to go with me to a cafe of my recommending?

Oh, sure!

I'm so glad.

I was a little hesitant to go by myself.

Oh, is that what this is about?

It's charming!

The atmosphere inside should be nice, too.

Wow!

The first floor is a chocolaterie.

The cafe is in the basement.

Here.

That's the entrance.

"Angel Library"? What does that mean?

They say the angels who study hard every day to make delicious chocolate for everyone

converted their own library into a cafe

so that the customers could relax in a more leisurely atmosphere.

If you would, punch in this code to open the door.

This is kind of exciting!

It's so wonderful, my heart is pounding!

I'm so glad you like it.

Here you are.

Do you need a fresh?

No, thank you.

Ma'am?

What's a "fresh"?

Some kind of fruit dish?

I'm sure you don't need a fresh anymore, Aoi-san.

Did you think I needed one?

No, not now that you're trying to be an adult.

Um, Holmes-san...

What is it?

What's a fresh?

Of course...

You wouldn't know what a fresh is.

Forgive my ignorance, but...

It's something that people trying to be adults don't need?

So it's got nothing to do with fruit, then?

No.

I think you might understand once you try your coffee.

This is my first time drinking black coffee.

It's kind of unnerving...

It's a little bitter for my tastes.

Then why not ask for a fresh?

In Kansai, coffee with milk is referred to as a fresh.

Holmes-san... a real nasty Kyoto boy.

I managed to drink it without sugar.

You're one step closer to adulthood.

That reminds me...

You said you were hesitant to come to this cafe by yourself.

Do you usually visit cafes alone?

Well, I don't have anyone else to go with.

There's not a girl you could ask to go with you?

Maybe a girl you'd like as a girlfriend?

I don't really know.

I've never particularly wanted a girlfriend.

I was flattered when Izumi asked me out,

and I was curious about dating, so I accepted...

But that ended in disaster,

so I've kept my distance from relationships ever since.

I see...

But lately, I've begun to think that spending my days

with a girlfriend might not be so bad.

That it might be nice to have someone to spend time with.

Holmes-san has fallen for someone...

Aoi-san?

R-Right.

I see.

Yes, I see...

If you brought her to this cafe, I bet she'd fall head over heels!

Head over heels, you say?

Oh, Kiyotaka!

Grandma!

Grandma?!

My, haven't you grown!

Um, I'm a part-timer at Kura.

My name is Mashiro Aoi.

A pleasure to meet ya.

If this is his grandmother...

My grandfather divorced my grandmother for personal reasons when my father was young.

She's the owner's ex-wife that Holmes-san mentioned before?

Say, Kiyotaka,

since we've run into each other,