Happiness Comes from Eating, Sleeping and Waiting (しあわせは食べて寝て待て)

Satoko: Thank you very much!

If you don't mind - could you teach me more from now on?

I have a disease I'll have to live with for life -

and everything changed for me.

I was just getting through each day when I met you and learned about medicinal cooking...

and I thought, "This is it."

Honestly, half the reason I moved here was to learn from you.

Tsukasa: If that's the case, I can't teach you. Huh?

I'm sorry, but I can't take responsibility for someone who's ill.

Oh...

(Inner voice: Whatever. I can just study medicinal cooking on my own.)

Ow!

Owie, owie! Oh, that hurts...

(Inner voice: When I'm down, my body hurts, and when my body hurts, I get down. I learned firsthand that mind and body are connected when I got sick.)

Owie...

I rushed in on my own like an idiot...

If I'd just kept proper distance, I wouldn't have to feel this way...

Suzu: Good morning. It's a lovely day. Yes... good morning.

Ah, impossible.

Miyama-san... I brought snacks. Would you like some tea?

Sorry for the mess. Oh, what a cute plate.

A friend gave it to me. I see.

Sorry for intruding.

I was going to eat on the bench out front... Yes.

Sweet potato...? Yes.

It's delicious with milk tea.

And it's filling. Go ahead. Let's eat.

Hmm?

Mmm!

Do you steam it with sugar?

No, that's not it. There's a trick to it -

you steam it until it's incredibly soft,

then let it cool without removing the lid. Huh.

That way the moisture seeps into the potato, and it becomes moist.

I see. I'll try that too.

Let's eat.

Oh, it really does go well with milk tea.

I'm glad - it gives you energy.

Huh?

They say natural sweetness like this helps relax your mind.

Is that medicinal cooking? Yes.

Tsukasa told you he can't teach you, didn't he?

I'm sorry about that. Tsukasa had a bad experience before from teaching someone.

He had a bad experience before from teaching someone.

Is it because I was being annoying...? Oh no.

It's not your fault.

So... this "bad experience" what happened?

Curious? ...Yes. Hehe...

There was a neighbor who heard Tsukasa talk and became interested in medicinal cooking.

So Tsukasa lent her some books.

And then...

(Flashback: My grandmother insists food can cure her illness.)

She won't take her meds, and she won't go to the hospital even when she gets worse.

If her condition deteriorates, can you take responsibility!?

The grandmother was wrong to rush in without reading the books properly, but...

after that, Tsukasa stopped teaching people with chronic conditions.

Ah... I see.

He's a coward. He's still hung up on that one failure.

That's his bad habit. I'm sorry.

Oh, no.

You really understand your son, don't you?

I'm envious.

I...

What?

I can't keep in touch with friends the way I used to.

Everyone's getting married, having kids, building happy families...

I got sick, quit my job,

and lost my dream of buying a condo...

Well... instead of a condo, you got this old housing complex.

No, that's not what I meant... Sorry.

Isn't it hard because you keep comparing yourself to who you used to be?

How about thinking of it this way?

You've become a new person.

A new person...

Yes. You know, I fulfilled a lifelong dream after I turned ninety.

- And it wasn't through my own effort. - It just came to me out of nowhere.

Ah...

You know the saying, "Good fortune comes to those who wait."

So you need to stay healthy for when luck comes your way.

Yes.

Thank you.

Oh, let me have some first.

Delicious. Hehe... Yes...

Mmm... it really pairs well. Really? Good.

It's delicious.

Sorry for intruding. Not at all - thank you for the meal.

Um... What?

What was your lifelong dream, Miyama-san?

Oh, that... Hehe... it's a long story.

Could I invite you for tea again sometime? ...Yes! Then we'll talk then. Hehehe...

"To stay healthy, it's important to live in harmony with nature."

(Inner voice: If I could live each day so peacefully like this -)

(would I someday be able to think of myself as a new person?)

Ah...

Looks delicious.

What a lovely fragrance.

Let's eat.

Mmm.

"Incorporate seasonal ingredients. In spring, broad beans, onions, leeks, clams..."

"In spring, broad beans, onions, leeks, clams..."

"Celery and mitsuba - aromatic greens - are also recommended."

"If you can clear out the waste accumulating in your body during this season,"

"you can prevent summer health issues."

Oh... Oh...

Good morning. Good morning.

Oh...

(Inner voice: The misunderstanding is cleared up, but still...)

(Inner voice: Spring is good for green ingredients...)

Whatever, it's fine.

Kara: So, let's go with that. Mashiko: Yes.

Tomozawa: Hey, is that a homemade bento, Mugimaki-san?

Oh... yes.

It saves money too.

I thought you had plenty of money, Mugimaki-san.

Huh? Well, working just four days a week -

it seems so carefree, being able to live comfortably on that.

Mashiko's been pushing the theory that you come from a wealthy family.

No...

That's not true. I...

I can't work five days a week. Physically...

I see...

I have collagen disease.

That's why I left my previous job -

my boss knew Kara-san, so he introduced me here.

Collagen disease...

Yes. It's a disease I have to live with for life...

I was so insensitive to pry like that... I'm sorry!

No, no. I'm sorry... No, no. Not at all. Um... Oh...

So I started medicinal cooking.

Medicinal cooking... Yes.

Apparently it's good to eat green vegetables in spring.

Especially bitter ones have a detoxifying effect...

Like leeks... Oh, yes!

Mitsunari ate leek porridge when he had a stomach ache. So that was for detox! Mitsunari?

You know, Ishida Mitsunari - he lost the Battle of Sekigahara!

Come to think of it, they offered him dried persimmon before his execution,

and he said, "It's toxic for the phlegm," and didn't eat it.

Toxic for the what?

It means it's bad for digestion.

So he was practicing medicinal cooking! I had no idea.

Medicinal cooking existed back then? Huh.

I wonder... Come to think of it, we still haven't had Mugimaki-san's welcome party.

That's right.

At this rate, we're going to Ginza for a high-end course. No way, that'd cost tens of thousands per person!

What about this place?

Huh?

A medicinal cooking cafe... Sounds good!

Mugimaki-san, are you okay? The party will be in the evening.

Yes, I'll be fine. I'll make sure I'm in good shape before joining.

Okay. Great. You're already making a reservation? Go ahead.

Sure. But don't pick the most expensive course.

It's the most expensive course! Please, I'm begging you.

My treat. Sigh... You didn't have to say that...

Thank you for the meal. Kara: Work hard first. Tomozawa: We'll do our best! Mashiko: I made the reservation!

"Come in." Aoba: I'm Aoba from Ginnan-sha.

"Please come in."

Hello. Hello. Hello.

I've brought the color proofs. Thank you for coming all this way.

No, I wanted you to see them in person.

Oh, is it raining again? Yes...

This constant rain really gets you down, doesn't it?

Yes. Aoba-san is so sensitive.

Oh? Are you making fun of me, Kara-san? Hehe... Not at all.

Both laugh.

Kara: Alright.

Kara: Yes. Yes.

Here. Aoba: Thank you.

Oh, this tea...

It's jasmine tea.

That's it - what a lovely fragrance!

They say smelling a nice scent helps when you're feeling down.

I've also added some chenpi. Chenpi?

It's dried mandarin peel. Yes, I can smell the citrus.

Both are said to improve the flow of "qi" in the body.

The flow of "qi"... that's lovely.

Sigh... Hehe...

Oh, Kara-san, would you like some? No, I'm fine.

"Qi" and stuff is scary.

Scary...?

Kara-san is so sensitive.

Hehe... Hahaha...

Sigh.

Mugimaki-san, that jasmine tea is yours, right?

Yes. Please put it on the company expense.

Oh, I couldn't - I just made it on my own.

No, I'd like to stock it regularly.

Everyone can help themselves. Tomozawa/Mashiko: Yes. Keep it stocked. Yes.

Kara: Alright.

"What's good in the rainy season is yellow ingredients."

Yellow...

Yellow...

Oh...

Things good for the rainy season even if they're not yellow... Yellow...

Sigh...

Medicinal cooking costs money too...

(Inner voice: Good thing I can put the office tea on the company expense...)