Summer's almost over!
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?
I feel like I'm melting...
Coming!
Ricotta-chan!
Suzume, we're going to the pool.
The pool?!
I was just melting in my room because it's been so hot!
So thanks a bunch for inviting me.
I had figured as much.
Gosh, you're such a handful, you know?
Now, tell me, what exactly is that?
It's for sun protection!
As long as you're okay with it...
I didn't know there was a pool nearby.
I also didn't know that you could show up without a swimsuit!
They sell them at the facility.
I did my research, so we should be fine.
You're on top of things, Ricotta-chan!
CLOSED TODAY
Why would the pool be closed during the summer?!
That's just their business hours, Ricotta-chan!
Please calm down.
But it's so darn hot here!
I know, right?
Ricotta-chan, here.
I'll be right back!
CLOSED TODAY
We need to take the train to get to the closest pool...
If I'm taking Suzume, it has to be a highly rated spot.
Shoot, this one's closed today too.
Ricotta-chan!
Sorry to keep you waiting!
Ta-da!
Wh-What exactly is that?
It's called shaved ice!
FLUFFY!
SHAVED ICE
STRAWBERRY MELON MANGO GRAPE
I remembered there's a vendor who stops right around the corner!
I thought it'd help us cool off a little.
You already had a bite, didn't you?
It was starting to melt on the way back, so I took a small bite.
But my goodness, what a bright pink.
It's strawberry flavored.
Try some!
The intensely sweet syrup melts together with the ice...
It's sweet, cold, and delicious!
I like how you can adjust the sweetness by changing the ratio of syrup to ice.
I'll blend this bare ice with more syrup!
Chyun!
Shaved ice is even mentioned in The Pillow Book from the Heian period.
Back then, there were limited ways to transport ice,
so only the nobility got to eat any before it melted.
Look, look!
It's so red!
You're back to your usual self, Ricotta-chan.
And, actually, there's somewhere I'd like to go.
I didn't know there was a river here.
I discovered it on my walk the other day.
Don't tell me...
G
She's gone!
GON
GONE
Hurry up, Ricotta-chan!
Seriously?
URGH
Come on! It's fun and it feels great!
Fine, then!
Wh-Whoa! Th-That's cold!
Wait, it's lukewarm?
The temperature's all over the place!
You already had a swimsuit on!
That's smart.
Ricotta-chan, let's hold hands.
I don't want you to trip.
I don't want you to either.
Don't worry!
I'm the one who wants to hold your hand.
Gosh, you're such a handful, you know?
My clothes feel so heavy!
It's a good thing you live close by.
GLOOM
Wow! This place is classy!
He hit me up to hang out out of the blue...
Here, of all places.
He clearly knows what's been on my mind.
So, you were at the station?
I was!
It's a long story.
I mean, I don't even know what to make of it, but... Will you hear me out?
I've been... I've been meaning to talk to you about it.
What is this? An investigation?
So, basically...
The girl in the maid outfit wanted some ice cream...
Then you prevented her from getting heatstroke...
And then at the summer festival, you helped her find her friends...
Is that right?
Mm-hmm.
That's so weird!
I won't deny that.
I was expecting you to tell me she's your girlfriend.
No, she's not.
Since you have a girl, I guess we won't get to hang out as much.
Yeah, I said that's not the case.
Well, if that's how it is, I won't have to worry about that for a while.
Actually, if you're friends with her, I want to ask you a favor.
A favor?
Excuse me.
Here's your cheesecake combo.
The tea is hot, so do be careful.
Please enjoy it to your heart's content.
This is nice!
This is nice...
Chyun!
The oldest recorded cheesecake dates back to ancient Greece!
The earliest version was made by wrapping lard, eggs, cheese,
ANCIENT CHEESECAKE
and milk in fig leaves, then boiling it to finish!
There are even records showing it was served to athletes at the Olympic Games!
Oh! So, what's the favor?
Oh, right.
Promise me you won't laugh.
But I want you to ask her...
if she'd take her clothes off.
Yeah, not funny.
BOUNDARY ESTABLISHED
Wait! No, hang on! That's not what I meant!
I'm thinking about making clothes.
Clothes?
I'm self-taught,
so I don't really understand how those flowy garments are structured.
If you're friends, I was hoping to ask to borrow them.
I thought you were into cooking since you're in the home ec club.
Well, I thought I'd get to sew, but it's mostly cooking.
I do like it, though.
You know that summer research project we got?
Yeah.
My goal is to make an outfit for that.
I see...
I'd assumed you were a weirdo into maids
and obsessed with talking about romance. Sorry.
That's a pretty low opinion of me!
I'm not good at anything like you, Sora.
So I'm taking on anything that interests me, even just a little bit.
You think I'm good at something? What would that be?
Swimming, of course!
Swimming, huh?
Remember how fast you were in elementary school?
Yeah, well... I'm not that into it, though. It's not my passion.
Anyway, don't worry about me.
About asking Tachibana-san a favor...
I want to help, but I don't know her number, so that makes it tough.
She called me from a pay phone the other day.
What's that face about?
Wanna start a maid appreciation club with me?
What led to that idea?
Don't you like her?
So you really are a weirdo who's into maids and talking romance!
Oh, come on. Being in a club is fun!
Ugh, that's not the point!
plain hot water
BRR
It's cold...
Summer's gone... just like that.
Hyah!
I feel a little tired today...
I'll have some water.
Oh, right...
Then add some cold water...
COZY
Chyun!
As plain hot water is close to body temperature,
they say drinking it at the start of the day improves circulation
and helps wake you up.
COMFORTED
Who knew drinking plain hot water was so comforting?
I don't see any big, fluffy clouds...
Maybe I'll wear long sleeves today.
It still gets really hot during the day!
I'm glad I didn't end up wearing long sleeves.
All right, come on in!
Sorry my place isn't very big... Well, as you know!
Thank you for having me.
A LITTLE EARLIER
All right!
DELICIOUS WATER
Water, food, flashlight, and a helmet!
I'm ready as can be!
Now I won't be scared of any typhoons...
O-Oh yeah, dinner!
I'll eat some dinner.
That'll surely lift my spirits...
The wind is so strong!
I'm scared!
Try not to go outside during a typhoon! It's dangerous! Chyun!
Komatsu-san!
Huh? She's not answering?
That's right. She's not home.
LATE SUMMER BREAK
VISITING FAMILY
I should go back.
Whoa, it's all dark out too!
Looks like the whole area lost power.
Hey there. This typhoon's something, isn't it?
Are you crying over there?
Here's a towel!
Oh, thank you very much!
I'm Anzu Shingetsu here in unit 202. Call me Anzu.
And... you live all the way down the line, right?
Yes! Oh, I'm Suzume Tachibana.
Tachibana-san, huh?
What kanji characters do you use for it?
Oh, it's just one character.
With the "tree" radical? Gotcha.
Nice to meet you!
Well, make yourself at home.
Wow... What a lovely space.
It's nice and bright.
That thing's great. I usually use it when I go camping.
But it's useful in this kind of situation, too.
Camping?
Is tea okay?
Oh, I'm all right.
I was getting bored just listening to the radio.
So I'd love if you could hang for a bit.
Have a seat.
What?! You came out here alone from the UK?
That's so cool!
But wait. Suzume Tachibana is a Japanese name, right?
Well, my grandma's British and my grandpa's Japanese.
Wow! So you're not wearing colored contacts? Your eyes are beautiful!
What are some of the things you like about Japan?
I went to the summer festival last week.
In our neighborhood? Nice!
When I was little, I'd be so excited just wearing a yukata that I'd always get lost.
I totally got lost the other day too!
Can't help being drawn to all the festivities, right?
I also got to hang out at the river with my friend the other day.
Nice!
I assumed not, but are you an outdoor person, Tachibana-san?
I love camping.
Pitching a tent by the river and listening to the water is the best.
That sounds amazing. I'd love to go myself.
It's super fun.
Breathing in the fresh air and being one with nature...
At night, you can warm up by the fire.
Wow, that sounds lovely.
That was scary, huh?
I was just about to have some dinner.
Would you like to join me?
Chyun!
Instant ramen was invented around the year 1960!
I see these at the supermarket all the time!
Would you prefer the soy sauce or seafood flavor?
It's a tough choice.
But isn't this your precious food?
We got to meet thanks to the typhoon, so let's celebrate a little.
Plus, they're unopened and safe to eat!
I want to hear more of your stories, too.
W-Wow! What is this? How cool!
I thought it'd be fun to boil water that way.
Nice, right?
Pour the water in...
It looks like a cat.
Wait for three minutes exactly!
Anzu-san, you're great at cooking!
I don't think this counts as cooking...
Hey, I really like this song.
What is it called?
It's called...
Japan's weather changes all the time. It's very different from where I was.
Yeah, it's nice to be able to enjoy the seasons.
There's plenty of nature, too.
Shoot! It's been three minutes already.
It's ready!
Let's eat!
The broth has a bold soy sauce flavor that pairs well with the noodles...
The shrimp adds a nice texture, and the egg bits absorb the broth well...
Plus the meat!
Wait... What meat is this exactly?
These cubed bits...
Um, oh well. In any case...
It's so good!
Yup! Yup!
I haven't had this in a while.
I can't stop eating!
I know what you mean! I do!
Wow, that was gone in a flash.
I was so focused on eating it, too.
That's bright!
The lights are on! Back to civilization!
It seems the rain has lightened up too.
Um...
I got very anxious because of the typhoon today...
But thanks to you, Anzu-san, it turned out to be a fun, special day!
You're a real comfort.
Thank you so much!
It's embarrassing to be told that so directly.
This typhoon was a big, intense one, and I was also... Oh.
Uh...
I was actually feeling a bit lonely too.
Thanks for the good company.
I'll bring some snacks from my place!
Nice! Let's keep on chatting!
It feels like autumn is approaching.
It's getting cooler, and walking outside feels nice.
With memories of summer in mind, I'm starting to crave curry!