I'm Suzume.
I'm a maid who serves at a mansion in the UK.
However...
Due to various circumstances, said mansion has collapsed.
EEK!
Until it's repaired,
I'll be staying here in Japan for the next year!
Done!
What shall I have today?
A FEW DAYS LATER
What?! You're interested in someone?!
You, Sora?
You, Sora?!
Never mind. Forget about it.
Wait! Hang on, hang on! I'm sorry.
I'm pretty sure she's older. I see her on the way home from school sometimes.
She's a bit unusual... and we make eye contact a lot.
Yeah, okay. Go on.
That's it.
That's it?!
Well, in that case,
she's either a little interested in you...
or she just likes kids. Don't sweat it.
She's not that much older!
Go and see what kind of person she is!
I'm curious!
Why does the conversation always turn to romantic relationships?
I never know when she's around. How am I supposed to find out what she's like?
She's a maid. What else is there to see?
She has blue eyes... Are they colored contacts?
Why is she always in that maid outfit?
Well? Well? Is she cute?
What's she like?
Is she the reserved type? Cutesy?
How about her hair? Is it long?
Come on, tell me!
Ugh, he won't shut up in my head!
Sora!
Just thinking about this is such a pain!
Tell me, tell me!
Excuse me.
I noticed you've been staring at me.
If there's something you want to say, can you just say it?
Oh...
Shoot. If she doesn't speak Japanese, I'm screwed.
Was I really staring?
BAM
She was totally unaware!
I-I-I-I'm so sorry!
I didn't mean to...
Well, if there's no reason for it, could you please stop?
Yes, of course!
I'm terribly sorry.
Pardon me!
What a relief! Your clothes look okay.
Yeah.
Well... I guess that's all.
Okay! Again, I'm very sorry for troubling you.
I guess we won't cross paths ever again...
Excuse me.
Um...
That ice cream! Where are they selling it?
You can get it at the vending machine right around that corner.
It's from a vending machine? That's good to know!
Thank you very much!
Hooray!
That ice cream he's always eating! The kind I've been curious about!
So this is where you get it!
Let's see... Which flavor?
BAM
Mint chocolate chip!
The minty aroma hits right in the nose! It's so refreshing!
The chocolate bits are sweet, a little bitter, and crunchy!
What delight!
Chyun!
Mint extract by itself is colorless,
so mint chocolate chip ice cream would actually be
plain white if made without any alteration!
No one really knows why it became this color.
But it feels fresh and totally fits the flavor, right?
If I see him again, I'll be sure to thank him.
WERE YOU ABLE TO TALK TO THE PERSON YOU'RE INTERESTED IN?
NOT REALLY
Something happened!
Gulp...
They're all wearing masks.
Their eyes are red.
They're all sneezing.
And they're all heading in the same direction.
Hey, that's...
Was it Karasu? No.
Um, um...
Suzume-san?
Komatsu-san!
Morning...
Don't go over there, Komatsu-san!
Don't let the Leucochloridium get you!
The what now?
LEUCOCHLORIDIUM
Chyun!
Leucochloridium is a parasite that zombifies snails and controls them.
Allergies?
Yup.
Your eyes get itchy, your nose snotty, and it can make you sneeze a lot.
You also get sleepy all the time.
Those symptoms sound exactly like a cold to me, but you still can't miss work?
I know, right?
HAND-PREPARED FOODS
LION
This is a prepared foods store.
Their dashi smells amazing!
I'm stuffed up, so I can't smell a thing.
I've never been in. I wonder if it's good.
Do you cook at home, Komatsu-san?
Nah. These places are all closed by the time I'm headed home.
So, do you like Japanese food?
Didn't you say you were from the UK?
Yes! I'd still have it over there sometimes too.
Oh, I know! How about I let you know if I find a good place?
Thanks.
I should go somewhere other than a convenience store for a change.
Also, everyone's headed this way because they're all going to the station.
S-So that's what it was!
Well, see ya.
Yes!
Have a wonderful day.
Catch you later...
I feel like a fancy rich girl.
Tian cha! Lemongrass flavor!
Let's see...
What's tian cha, you ask?
It's tea made from plants in the rose family,
and it's believed to help alleviate allergy symptoms like hay fever.
Chyun!
I'd like to serve Komatsu-san some, but I should give it a try first.
I wonder if I prepare it like black tea...
I'll start by warming up the teapot.
It has a nice aroma.
It's amazing that it's portioned into single servings!
That's not right...
If you pour the hot water from up high with some force,
the leaves will dance, and it'll taste even better!
And now, steep it for a minute.
It smells sweet.
Let's try it.
AH
Tian cha...
It has that sweet, slightly bitter Chinese tea flavor,
while the lemongrass makes it so refreshing.
I've heard some people don't like it, but this is actually pretty easy to drink.
I bet it'd be even better cold.
I think she'll like it too.
Okay... Where are my keys?
FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR SUZUME TACHIBANA
Tea and a letter?
Nana Komatsu-sama, welcome home.
This is a tea called tian cha, which is said to help with allergies.
If you'd like, please give it a try.
I'm sure you worked hard today.
From Suzume Tachibana.
WELCOME HOME
She's like a real maid.
It's late now, so I'll thank her tomorrow.
She probably goes to bed early.
Oh?
Excuse me!
Are you talking to me?
Are you a princess?!
You're wearing a frilly skirt with a huge ribbon...
And that pure white tiara!
You're wearing a princess dress, right?
Sorry to disappoint, but I'm just a maid, not a princess.
A maid?
Well... I'm someone who takes care of a princess.
I help out with meals and getting dressed.
Like a mommy?
A maid is like a mommy?
I can see how she'd think that...
But there's a fundamental difference!
Oh, yeah! Speaking of Mommy...
She gave me this!
MINI BOLO
Bolo!
Chyun!
Bolo means "cake" in Portuguese.
It's one of the sweets that was introduced to Japan
from abroad during the Azuchi-Momoyama period,
and now there are lots of variations, like egg bolo!
This here's a snack!
Mommy said I should eat it if I get hungry!
Right this second?
Let's wash our hands before we eat!
Oh yeah!
Here you go.
Thank you very much.
But that's your precious snack, isn't it?
Please don't worry about me.
Yeah.
That's true. It is precious.
Actually...
Could I please try one?
Yeah!
I'll give you lots!
Thanks so much!
When you bite into it, it just melts away.
It's so gently sweet and comforting...
It makes me feel nostalgic somehow.
Hey!
Tasty, right?
It is!
Sharing something precious makes it taste all the more delicious.
Yeah!
So, are maids mommies?
I never came up with a response!
How is everyone from the mansion?
They're all doing well? That's great to hear!
Yes. Please take care of yourself, Master,
and please give everyone my regards.
Yes. Right.
I'll phone again soon.
Done with your call?
Yes! Thank you for letting me use your phone.
Are you sure you didn't want to talk to Master?
It'd be too much trouble, so it's fine.
Everyone at the mansion's either on vacation or visiting family, he said.
Great! Then you can relax and enjoy your time here without any worries.
Yes... You're right.
Anyway, Grandma, what is this?
KIKYOU SHINGEN MOCHI
It's Kikyou Shingen Mochi.
Chyun!
It's a famous confection from Yamanashi.
The name comes from Takeda Shingen,
YAMANASHI
a figure highly respected by the people of Yamanashi.
I received them from an acquaintance.
Aren't they like cute little packages?
Sorry, these are for humans.
I wonder...
How do you eat this?
Oh, let me teach you, dear.
Step one: lay the wrapper flat under the container.
Step two: remove the black sugar syrup and lid.
Step three: dump the entire container out onto the wrapper.
What? Really?
Step three: dump the entire container out onto the wrapper.
SMIRK
I believe you, Grandma!
Here we go! Here we go!
It's not the most visually pleasing sight...
You really went for it, didn't you?
Step four:
pour the sugar syrup on top and pinch the four corners of the wrapper together.
Step five: knead it!
And just like that, by some magic, you have delicious Kikyou Shingen Mochi—
Are you crying?!
Y-You've told me before that I shouldn't play with food!
You silly little thing.
Here.
The bounty of toasted soybean flour perfectly soaked in sugar syrup... Yum!
The mochi is soft and fluffy, and it melts in your mouth right along with them!
Wait, are you eating yours differently, Grandma?
With this technique, you remove a single mochi
and pour in the syrup without turning everything out.
GRIN
You can eat it however you want.
Were you listening?
All I gathered is that you, Master, are concerned.
Indeed. Well, I suppose we did only speak over the phone.
Perhaps it was still too early for Suzume.
Could you go to Japan and check on her?
What's the matter?
It's nothing...
I would be happy to.
A bakery!
Bread... Bread, huh?
But I already bought the side dishes for tonight's dinner.
I'll come back next time.
We've got bread right out of the oven!
Freshly baked!
Now that's a different story!
PIG IN A BLANKET CROISSANT
APPLE PIE
CREAM BUN ANPAN
RECOMMENDED! RUSK
HALF LOAF AVAILABLE! BAGUETTE
Pick me! Pick me!
Pick me!
PICK ME!
YOU HAVE TO PICK ME!
Pick me! Pick me!
PICK ME! PICK ME!
YOU HAVE TO PICK ME!
PICK ME! PICK ME!
I'M BEAUTIFUL TOO!
Pick me!
Pick me! Pick me!
You have to pick me!
PICK ME! PICK ME!
I'm beautiful too!
PICK ME!
Th-The bread is talking to me!
First things first... Gear up!
TRAY LV. 1
TONGS LV. 2
Freshly baked! Freshly baked!
Freshly baked bread!
How charming!
No, stop!
Freshly baked! Freshly baked!
Freshly baked bread!
Freshly baked! Freshly baked!
Freshly baked bread!
FRESHLY BAKED!
TOP PICK! MELON PAN
This is what I'm after!
A score from the freshly baked batch!
This takes care of snacks for today!
This batch is freshly baked too!
Please come again!
I bought too much, so I hope Grandma and Komatsu-san will take some.
FRAPPE
The freshly baked batch was bagged separately!
It feels cozy.
It's like I'm holding a small animal.
They might be cold by the time I get back home!
No... I can't let that happen!
Where can I stop and eat?
There's a bench right there!
Freshly baked melon pan!
Let's try it!
The cookie layer on top is super crispy!
The inside is fluffy and bursting with a buttery scent.
You only get this unique crisp-yet-fluffy combo when it's freshly baked!
Chyun! Chyun!
When melon pan was first sold,
"melon" actually referred to the makuwa uri,
so the original melon pan was almond-shaped!
After muskmelons were imported, the bread became round like it is now,
which makes it easier to associate with the fruit.
Wow... You haven't stopped eating.
Oh, it's so good!
That was delicious!
RUMBLE
Wood sorrel, violets, birdeye speedwell...
Dandelions...
White clover...
They're usually three-leafed but can come in a four-leafed variety?
Can I find one?
OH!
Nope, that wasn't it.
There's a saying in Japan: "ichigo, ichie."
Just as we cherish every encounter,
we should also cherish each meal every day!