Quartet (カルテット)

Woah!

When do you think she's coming?

I wonder.

Uncle, do you want to see your daughter?

Of course I do.

I'm sure he wants to see his daughter one last time,

but it's been over 20 years since he last heard from her.

I wonder if she's on Facebook.

What's her name?

- Suzume-chan. - Suzume-chan.

She was left to the care of various relatives.

Watarai Suzume She was left to the care of various relatives.

She stayed at my house once. Watarai Suzume

One day she found Grandpa's cello in the storage room.

Since then,she spent the whole day in her room playing the cello.

Why didn't she live with her parents?

Her mother passed away a long time ago.

Her father, which is Uncle,

was involved in this huge fraud case that shook the whole of Japan.

He was arrested because of that.

Arrested? What kind of fraud?

Fake psychic powers.

He trained his daughter to think she had psychic powers...

...and had tons of TV appearances.

You mean this?

Ah! This this!

It was quite popular. It even caused an obsession with witch girls.

Alright everyone! Are you ready?

Let's witness Suzume-chan's miraculous psychic powers.

Here we go, Suzume-chan.

What card is this?

Nine of spades.

Correct! That's amazing. How about this?

- Someone found out it was fake? - A weekly magazine exposed them.

They became the objects of harassment.

The people at the TV station committed suicide.

Her father was arrested.

Suzume-chan was called a liar for pretending to have psychic powers.

She's a girl with real psychic powers!

"Suzume-chan. Looks like it's about to snow, so please gather the laundry before noon. - Beppu"

A K I T A R I C E

We don't use rice at the restaurant. A K I T A R I C E

We don't use rice at the restaurant.

Thank you.

Here you go.

You're not going on dates even though it's your day off?

I was sleeping until a bit earlier.

Plus I don't have a boyfriend.

Why don't you look for a boyfriend?

Why? I wonder why.

I'm not good with confessions.

Confessions are for kids.

- Adults seduce. - Seduce?

The first rule of seduction: throw away your humanity.

"Throw away humanity?" Is that alright?

Typically there are three patterns. A cat, a tiger...

...or a dog drenched in the rain.

- Cat, tiger... - Which one do you like?

Well then, cat.

- First I'm gonna lie down on the futon. - Yes.

Ah~ I'm tired.

Wow~

You mustn't kiss the man.

It's a woman's job to maintain a distance that tempts the man to kiss her.

Ah~

Maintain a distance of a plastic bottle.

If the woman initiates the kiss, the man won't fall in love with her.

Yes.

Let's go!

Why are you holding a plastic bottle?

Nothing.

Huh?

What's the matter?

I can't find my underwear that should've been in the laundry.

- Your underwear? - No, my lingerie.

- What? - I'm not wearing any.

Did you see it when you took out the laundry?

Why don't you lend him your lingerie, Beppu-san?

- Let me borrow your lingerie. - Stop calling it lingerie.

- Lend me your lingerie. - Lend him your lingerie.

- Sorry to keep you waiting. - Let's go!

- Wait, Beppu-kun. - Linge-- buy your underwear at the convenience store.

You two, you are both wearing stripes.

- Ah, sorry. - We can't?

It's gonna look like you have a special relationship. Is that okay?

I'll go get changed. Give me a sec.

- Why did you choose stripes? - I can't wear stripes?

Your clothes will definitely overlap with someone else's.

Normally people would think if others might be wearing the same thing, wouldn't they?

Then when can I wear stripes?

When you go to see someone who wore stripes yesterday.

Isn't that too strict a rule?

Thank you for waiting. Let's go.

That's no good.

It's gonna look like you have a special relationship.

I'll go get changed.

Also, avoid T-shirts with overly strong messages.

- Excuse me! - Yes?

- He's wearing stripes. - See?

There's nothing I can do if we happen to meet on the street.

Um, excuse me.

Yes. I need to talk to you about Watarai-san.

He's an acquaintance. I'll catch up with you later.

- Aren't you glad you didn't wear stripes? - Right?

Thank you.

You're Watarai Suzume-san?

Well~ - Your father...

...will pass away soon.

He's at a hospital in Chiba right now.

He's in critical condition and could pass away anytime now.

Ah.

He wants to see you for the last time.

- Ah. - Could you come with me, please?

Well, I have work today.

But he's in very critical condition.

Yes. Thank you very much.

- I'm saying your father wants to see you. - Yes.

You're his daughter, right?

Yes.

Hold on...

Suzume-chan, your tempo today was--

- Ah, was I too slow? - You were too fast. Noticeably.

I see. I'm sorry.

Big news.

Arisu-chan invited me to her house.

Ah, what should I do about my underwear?

Didn't you buy one on the way here?

Ultra Soul

They weren't selling anything else but this. Ultra Soul

The message sure is strong.

Say it with me. Ultra...

- Ultra Soul! - Ultra Soul!

That's the spirit! Let's go, let's go!

Ouch! Ow!

Ice-cream?

- Here you go. - Thank you.

Beppu-san, do you have any plans tomorrow?

Tomorrow?

- If you are free... - Ah! Tomorrow there is...

...a mochi-making tournament in Kyukaruizawa-Ginza. Why don't you go, Suzume-chan?

Mochi-making tournament... How about you, Beppu-san?

I have to go to my parents' house tomorrow.

Apparently my dad was awarded some prize. We're having a celebration.

- I see. That's awesome. - Everyone's amazing, except for me.

Isn't it more fun to go to the mochi-making tournament?

I'm sure it'll be fun.

It's a celebration party after all. I should go home.

Suzume-chan, what about your family?

Never heard you mention it.

Ah, my family makes kibi dango in Okayama Prefecture.

"No new message"

Suzume-chan, why don't you go upstairs to sleep?

I'm not sleepy.

It smells good, but...

It kinda smells like toilet deodorizer, right?

Didn't you go to Arisu-chan's house?

No "Ultra Soul?"

Beppu-kun, could you get me some strong liquor?

Hehe! Are you sure I can go in?

What did you come here for?

Ah! Over there! My grandpa is sleeping.

Here's my father. Next to him is my mother.

Um...

- This place is...? - My parents' house.

My sister is studying for her high school exam. Please make sure she studies.

Ah~ ah, alright.

I have to get up early tomorrow, so I'm leaving. Good night.

Night~

You should stop pursuing her.

Her nickname is Yodo-gimi. (T/N: Yodo-gimi, is Toyotomi Hideyoshi's concubine. The name implies a woman who is attractive, but wicked and manipulative.)

Then, according her little sister, during elementary school...

Arisu-chan's class is the only class that lost control every year.

I wonder what happened.

Also, her ex-boyfriend...

...used to work at the Apple Store before he dated her.

Now, he's lining up in front of a pachinko parlor every morning.

I wonder what happened.

Six of clubs.

How about this?

Queen of hearts.

Amazing! This is unbelievable--

Good morning!

Good morning.

I started my remote job.

Transcribing magazine interviews.

I see~

- Suzume-chan? - Yes.

Do you wanna go to the mochi-making event together?

Sorry, I have some stuff to do.

I see. Alrighty.

- I'm sorry. - Don't worry.

This is the pay for this month.

I'm thinking of quitting this.

You have the locker's key right?

You want money right?

You want to move her to a place that looks out to the sea, right?

How do you...

I also have performances with the quartet.

I offered you the job after looking into your personal history.

Shall we go to tell them now?