Masashi, why are you bringing this up again?
Sorry, Carol.
Mom and Dad are arguing? That's rare.
We've gone through this over and over.
We agreed you'd never bring that up again!
B-But...
Even though you and Mao aren't blood-related,
we're still her parents.
The only father Mao knows is you.
You're right. I need to be more confident.
I can't face him like this.
You need to keep it together.
Did I hear them right?
I'm pretty sure she just said I'm not Daddy's child.
Then... whose child am I?
So?
Who will you choose?
Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!
Rinko Nakama
I...
I'm...
I'm some other man's kid!
It's good...
You gonna eat or cry? Pick one.
Yes?
It's lively over here tonight.
Satsuki-san!
I'll prepare dinner right away.
Oh, no, I'm okay for now.
Is this the younger sister?
Yes! This is Mao-chan, a fellow Magi Merm fan!
Nice to meet you, Mao-chan.
I'm—
The "lonely friend who likes to eat and play with us," right?
Don't intrude on Big Bro and Big Sis too much, okay?
I'll explain later.
Mom and Dad are worried, y'know.
Daddy's...
fine without me.
That's not true.
Yes, it is!
Actually, I'd prefer it that way.
Because in this whole world, Mommy and Daddy are...
my OTP!
OTP?
Your parents?
Yup!
I love Mommy and Daddy as a couple!
They're the most shippable couple!
Carol, the free-spirited writer.
Masashi, the stoic editor.
She's revving up...
Carol is our mom, and Masashi's our dad.
The wheels of fate started turning when the two of them were 11 years old.
Do you think this can be used for an assignment?
The reason she chose Masashi to be the first reader
of her never-before-seen, original work of fiction
was because he was an elite student,
on top of being a very expressionless young man.
I-I'm writing a story about a girl who can turn into a cat.
It's just a side hobby, but...
This doesn't seem to be finished.
Is this all?
S-Sorry! I can't believe I gave you something so unpolished!
Cat Time. It was a great read!
Even though it takes place in the very town we live in,
there are characters who can wield magic,
and real people also make an appearance.
Hey!
I want to read more!
I can't wait any longer!
I-I don't know if I can write more...
You can!
You were born to write this, I'm sure of it!
The main character, Cat...
is modeled after you, right?
Y-You could say that...
There's no way Cat's story ends here.
I'm sure you're itching to leap into this world of magic!
This is the first time I've been so excited to read something!
You're a genius writer!
Thus the lifelong pairing of "genius writer and skilled editor" was born.
Carol already had the potential to be a writer within her,
but the one who drew that part of her out into the world
was none other than Masashi!
See? Aren't they so shippable?
S-Sure.
My head's spinning, but most likely...
Now that she had her first reader, she wrote more.
Of course she did.
She wrote with her heart and soul,
guided by ideas that flowed endlessly through her mind.
However, that wasn't all.
Masashi was a supportive reader for her,
but now that he'd come to know her stories,
he, too, burst into bloom.
He read her works over and over,
correcting and marking any errors.
At times, he'd point out phrases that were difficult to understand.
Working alongside the writer,
he spent many days in contact with her and gave sincere input.
They also reached out to an artistic classmate to design the cover,
and used their own money to have a printing company bind their book.
It was one surprise after another.
Right?
Soon it spread among more and more people.
Eventually, Carol made her professional debut.
Masashi also became an editor.
That miraculous story, Cat Time,
is still ongoing, even after their marriage.
It's...
It's so precious!
What a wonderful couple.
Mommy's still writing Cat's story to this day!
She publishes just one volume a year, and we place it on the Usada family bookshelf.
For such a wonderful couple to exist in this world is just miraculous!
I knew you'd understand me, Big Sis Rinko!
I'd love to read that story, too!
See?
You understand now, right?
They don't need me. I'm not part of their story.
I'm an unwanted child!
That's not...
Tada-Oja.
She's asleep.
After eating and throwing a big fit and all...
This scene is all too familiar.
Mao left out one important detail in her explanation.
Is this related to the "other man"?
Yeah.
Carol and Masashi, my parents,
each had relationships separately from each other growing up.
The parents of my mom's true lover and her parents were like cats and dogs.
I see. A forbidden love.
Even with parental disapproval, her love with that man kept growing.
Soon, they bore a child.
That child was me.
That's when Dad—Masashi— came into the picture.
He's from a well-known household, so Carol's parents were pleased with him.
A sham marriage...
My dad, who likes reading about Cat,
and my mom, who likes to write about her and have him read it...
On the surface, they really do seem like they're truly in love.
So...
I'm not asking for advice, but I do have a request.
What is it?
This doesn't sound good.
My parents are coming to pick up Mao tomorrow.
And?
When I visited them for Christmas, there was a bit of a misunderstanding.
A misunderstanding?
One thing led to another, and now they think Rinko's my girlfriend.
What?!
Why, you...
That really complicates things...
So that's where the "lonely neighbor" thing came from.
So you see, I'd appreciate it if we played along
with Rinko as my girlfriend in front of Mao and my parents!
Huh?
Hang on. Don't involve us in this!
Oh. You don't even have to show up at all, Satsuki.
If Mao ends up resenting me, it'll be hard for me to write about Mimimi.
That's a matter of life and death!
My parents insist on meeting you, Rinko.
That would be an immense honor!
You need to meet them.
Oh, did we wake you?
That's part of the reason I came to visit today, too.
What do you mean?
Before Big Bro Haru started dating you, he'd date girls on and off.
He'd fool around and not take things seriously.
But he seems serious this time, so I wanna support you two.
That's my sister!
You get me!
Seems more like she's dissing you.
And then I want you two to eventually get married!
What?
M-M-Married?!
Mao-chan, let's not make such unreasonable requests.
Why's a neighbor like you telling me what to think?
Anyway! Tomorrow!
Please do as I asked!
Not with a stopgap plan like—
So... that's a no?
But that's what I do with you, right, Satsuki-san?
"But that's what I do with you, right, Satsuki-san?"
is what her face says.
This won't be a long-term solution, though...
"So you're saying there's no use in us keeping it up?"
So you're saying there's no use in us keeping it up?
is what her face says.
But it may be true that this could temporarily be the best approach...
I suppose?
But also, what's going on?
This neighbor guy has nothing to do with you two!
I want... the three of us to be together.
How could such a lonely person exist?!
You're even worse than what I heard!
But in the end, a meddling pest like you is just an accessory to a couple!
You're destined to surrender one day!
There's no telling whether this "pest" will end up being an accessory or not yet.
Satsuki!
You refuse to yield, eh?
In that case...
Usaneko Puzzle
we're settling this with "Usaneko Puzzle: Everyone Assemble and Pick Up Club"!
You're on.
Neighbor
pts
Mao
pts
Hmph!
You were so sure you wouldn't need a handicap,
and yet I'm about to end this.
You've got it all wrong, Mao-chan!
I've been playing this game
since its development period, before it was even released!
He thoroughly planned the early part of this round.
And what lurks deep in his silence...
is Satsuki's special demonic combo!
Satsuki's an assassin. You can't let your guard down or you're done for, Mao!
C'mon, c'mon! Let's go!
Mimimi Scramble!
This is...
the end.
Sukoko Beam!
Scottish Field!
Scoping Attack!
Take this!
Scorching Dimension Collapse!
I win, nya!
I lose, usa...
He lurks in the shadows like a snake.
By the time his foe realizes this, he's already got them by the throat.
That's the kind of man Satsuki the Assassin is.
I... lost.
Good game.
Want some juice?
Your block stacking was not without thought.
It all comes down to how much you can reduce the time you lose chaining.
You should pay more attention to your opponent's moves.
That said, you weren't bad.
I'm sure you'd make a good rival.
I'm gonna take a quick piss.
Hey, Satsuki?
I'm going to call you by your name since I lost.
Without honorifics?
You see how Big Bro Haru and Big Sis Rinko are a good match, right?
Don't you think they're meant to be?
You agree they should get married, right?!
I don't.
Huh?!
Or more like... I don't want to believe that.
I say this because I want Rinko-chan's true love to be me.
Wha—
Satsuki, you're...
an "other man"?!
That's quite a grown-up word for you.
But in my case, I'm more of an "illicit love" than "the other man."
Illicit love​?
Rinko-chan.
Yes?
I like you, Rinko-chan.
Huh?
S-Satsuki-san?!
You're not my boyfriend right now...
Wait, don't tell me...
Is he playing "the pretend boyfriend annoyed
by pretending not to be a boyfriend"?!
This is getting too complicated! I can't keep up!
Hey!
What are you saying outta nowhere?!
Big Sis Rinko!
Dump this neighbor who's forcing his illicit love on you!
Since I'm pretending to be Usaharu-sensei's girlfriend today...
Mr. Neighbor, I appreciate the gesture, but I'm sorr—
Wait!
Wait a minute.
Don't turn him down.
Huh?
Don't reject Satsuki!
Don't.
You can't help falling in love, after all!
Usaharu-sensei?
Right now, he's in my usual shoes.
If Satsuki gets rejected now...
I'll feel like I'm the one getting stabbed!
Depending on the situation,
she could fall for him harder than her own boyfriend!
Of course, I don't plan on destroying
the times the three of us could happily spend together.
So you can forgive me for having a crush, right,
Usaharu-sensei?
Huh?!
There's no way he'd be okay with that!
Right, Big Bro Haru?
I'll allow it.
I absolutely allow it.
Why?!
I don't get it!
Forcing an illicit love while fully aware she's already taken?
That's totally what I'm doing.
He's the worst, going out of his way to fall for someone else's girlfriend!
I'll never forgive the other man!
No! No other lovers!
This bastard...
He's using my sister to call me out!
It's bad! Super bad! I hate this!
Other lovers are the absolute worst!
Oh! It's Mitchy!
Have you been well, Mao-chan?
Did he feed you well?
Is the water here to your taste?
I brought you a change of clothes.
I thought you might be having trouble sleeping, so here! Usa-chan!
It hasn't even been a full day since she got here.
I brought your favorite egg sandwich and soup.
Mitchy-san?
I was so shocked when I heard you ran away from home!
He's our housekeeper.
Housekeeper...
I'm so glad you're all right.
Tada-Oja!
Mao...
I'm not going back.
What?
Now that Mommy and Daddy's ship is officially over,
there's no reason for me to go back to that house.
Mao, what in the world...
I'm gonna ship Big Bro Haru
and Big Sis Rinko here in this room for the rest of my life!
Huh?!
In my time here, I saw with my own eyes and experienced in person
the value of HaruRin.
And their neighbor's occasional meddling adds just the right spice.
It's the perfect recipe for an engaging ship.
Mao.
I've never told you the meaning of your name, have I?
Of course I know!
It stands for "Mom's Adultery Outcome"!
Because I'm the child of some other man!
That's not...
That's not true.
I don't wanna hear your excuses!
Nope. It's your responsibility to listen to this.
Mommy and Daddy were your OTP, right?
So here's an official side story about your OTP.
As the one shipping us, you get to decide if you want to truly believe this or not.
But you must know this before theorizing.
Your name is the result of three people.
Three?
We used the "Ma" of "Masashi" and the "O" of "Michio."
Together, it's "Mao."
Carol picked your name from the two of us.
Who's Michio?
It's me, Mitchy.
Wait, Mitchy is...
Mitchy, also known as Michio Haruna.
He's your other dad.
Mitchy's my daddy?
Mao.
So you mean...
The Mitchy who's been behind
the art on the covers of Cat Time since its first volume is my daddy?!
Will you... accept me?
Why, of course I will!
Daddy and Mitchy, I love you both!
Mao...
Mao-chan...
This is amazing!
This is a godlike official plot twist!
I wouldn't have imagined this!
It's totally unexpected!
Right, Big Sis Rinko?!
I'm so happy for you, Mao-chan.
I wanna know more!
After all, every single event surrounding Cat is canon!
They're absolutely of the highest priority!
Mao-chan!
Mao...
Tada-Oja!
Bye, Bis Sis Rinko!
Uh-huh!
Let's take our time and talk about Magi Merm next time.
And actually let me know before you show up, okay?
Rinko-san.
Thank you for listening to our family issues today.
Oh, that's right!
Satsuki!
I'm going home!
Hey!
Come on out!
I dunno when I'll be back next, y'know!
I'm working right now.
I'd appreciate it if you kept it down.
Ah. Satsuki.
I'm going home now, so send me off.
My...
My word! Sensei!
And who might you be?
Name
Rinko
Job
Location
Stats
Teacher
School
INT
Royalty
Castle
Elegance
Maid
Mansion
Kindness
Adventurer
Mountains
Luck
Witch
Forest
Beauty
Chef-sistant
Apartments
Otaku
Begin?
Otaku
Translation: Karen Bildsoe
Rinko Chef-sistant
Subtitle Timing: Mariana Martinez
Editing & Typesetting: Elisabeth Crist
Quality Check: Geoff Mazzolini
Translation Check: Becky Cottrill
Rinko Chef-sistant
Otaku
Rinko Chef-sistant
Otaku
Rinko Chef-sistant
Continue
Quit
Add to party?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Rinko Chef-sistant
Otaku
Rinko Chef-sistant
Otaku
Rinko Chef-sistant
Otaku
Rinko Chef-sistant
Otaku
Continue
Quit
Hey, Daddy?
Were you sad that all you could do was be close to Mommy and Mitchy?
Sad?
What are you talking about?
Listen carefully, Mao!
From the day I met your mother, my love life started!
Huh? So your feelings for Mommy really are—
I'm talking about Cat!
The Cat that your mother gave life to and Michio drew!
That's the woman I live to be man and wife with!
You understand me, don't you, Mao?
Oh, my...
A problematic pairing is canon?
Next Episode
Satsuki-san's Secret?!
Next episode:
"Satsuki-san's Secret?!"