It's spring.
Temperatures are rising,
and everyone in town's switched to lighter clothing.
As for our college, spring break is over,
leaving us students mumbling, "Welp, time to look for a job"...
What's your plan, Kuri?
Well, my family runs an orchard.
I could make bank by advertising apples that guarantee HS admission in time for exams.
Go cash in that reality check!
Kazu-chin, you're on the FANZO train, right?
Fate is a cruel temptress
- Mikoto
What gave you that idea?
A JAV scout?
What gave you that idea?
...while we do nothing about it.
And thus began our second year.
No exception
Rent-a-Girlfriend
Karaoke Village
Sing with Livesound Premium!
Karaoke Village Manager Ushiide Hiroshi (36)
How to land a girl way out of your league?
Uh, yeah.
"The Usual Girlfriend"
Didn't you say your wife was a cabin attendant?
I flew and flew and flew some more!
Huh?
I even flew to random places I had zero interest in!
Damn, you went hard.
The moment you fall in love, you're fighting a losing battle.
And the only weapon you have is passion.
Right...
And why aren't you washing the dishes?
But this girl's a rental girlfriend, you see...
Karaoke Village
Goodbye!
Later!
Because I don't have the talent.
So don't tell me you're gonna give up!
I love Mizuhara...
I love you, Mizuhara!
Oh, hello there.
Café Kanoir
Are you ready to order?
I'll have what he's having.
Are you okay?
She shines... like the sun!
Crushing Defeat
Silent
Oh, right. The money.
Before that, can we talk?
I really feel like renting me out every week is going too far.
I mean, yes, I get a good payout when you choose me,
and I'm happy that you want to support me financially.
P e r k . . .
But you have no obligation to do that much for me,
U r k . . .
and when I consider my other clients...
I don't think it's right to rent me out for any purpose other than being your "girlfriend."
And there's absolutely nothing in it for you.
I... I guess.
Well, yeah, I'm not your boyfriend or anything.
Besides, Mami-san told me to stop seeing you.
If she were to see us here like this, who knows what she would think?
It all pisses me off just a teensy bit.
Oh, right. She did say that, didn't she?
I didn't think much of it back then because Mizuhara was planning to quit anyway,
but yeah, things can't go on like this.
And lastly, there's the matter with Ruka-chan.
What about her?
She did understand and accept us meeting,
but if we meet up too often, we run the risk of upsetting her.
As someone who helped you two hook up, I'd like to avoid that.
I'm really sorry, Ruka-chan, but please let me go on dates with Mizuhara!
Huh?
Do you have any idea what you're saying?
Oh, I'm aware.
But please, I'm begging you!
Popular in Nerima Third A Fool For You The Future I Wished For With You Sliding Solo Last Sentence
Are you seriously telling me to my face that you want to cheat on me?!
Don't you feel bad for me at all?!
Kazuya-kun, be mine and mine alone!!
Shrill
It's not cheating!
Not even using the mic
And weren't you telling me you wanted to make it official?
We didn't get to finish that conversation, but I could tell what was coming.
Was that not an admission that
Teary...
you were finally getting serious with me?
C u t e . . .
Back then, I was trying to put Mizuhara behind me.
I want to make it official!
But things have changed now.
I saw it for myself!
She wants to be an actress, and she's got all the talent in the world!
For her, being a rental girlfriend helps pay the bills and supports her dream...
And, well, she's helped me out a ton, so I want to help her out.
But it doesn't have to be you!
Her other clients can do that just fine!
Chizuru-san's super popular! With people from all walks of life, too!
She does have a point there.
But...
That's not the point!
It's not about that!
Then promise me.
That you'll take me with you to see Chizuru-san's play sometime.
S-Sure!
I mean, it's pretty clear that we're making steady progress as a couple.
I don't know about that.
And I don't know if you're really a good judge of acting.
A girlfriend's composure
I won't believe it unless I see for myself.
Yeah! Yeah, let's go!
I'm absolutely sure you'll love it!
Calm down! You're being annoying!
Thanks for the coffee. It was great.
Where to next?
We can go wherever you like.
Listen.
Can you just act normally?
Be the usual you when you're with me.
I know what you're really like, so having you put on an act makes us feel distant.
And I feel bad.
I can't do that.
I told you, this is acting practice for me.
It'd be pointless if I wasn't acting like your ideal girl.
But you are.
The usual you is my ideal girl!
Wh-Where did that come from? Quit being corny.
But, okay, if you say so.
I'll be playing it natural, then. The customer is king, as they say.
I'll be fine from here.
O-Okay.
S-See ya.
Yeah, see you later.
So don't tell me you're gonna give up!
What's wrong with me?
Renting her every week?
Just put yourself in her shoes.
Sure, it may help her,
but it's way too clingy.
I'm a client.
We're just maintaining the status quo.
The gap between us isn't closing anytime soon.
Okay, it's past 5:01 PM!
Now I'm off work!
Are you free right now?
There's someplace I want to drop by.
Huh?
What?!
Rent-a-Girlfriend
Ba-dump Ba-dump
Holy... Holy crap!
What's going on here?!
Why?
Rent-a-Girlfriend
Why am I here, of all places, with Mizuhara?
(Not) Renting-a-Girlfriend
Wha... She's good!
Not good. I can't not overthink this!
I mean, this is free!
The time I booked has come and gone!
Is this really okay?
Are you sure about this, Mizuhara?
Now that I'm aware that this isn't work, I don't know where to look.
She looks the same as she did an hour ago, but now it's making my heart race.
Isn't this basically... a date at this point?
You're really good.
Desperately trying to start a sane conversation
Do you come here often?
Yeah, often when I'm in a bad mood.
But when I come alone, I attract attention.
Just so you know, this isn't a date.
Our interests just happened to align.
I'm here to let off steam,
and you have nothing else to do.
I know!
She laid down the law.
Two at-bats, two hits!
Get a load of that chick. She's super hot.
Think she's by herself? Wanna try talking to her?
Nah, she's with some dude.
What? That's her boyfriend? I didn't even notice him.
Buzz off!
That said,
she really does stand out wherever she goes.
Even this sporty stuff suits her perfectly.
Wait...
So she's in a bad mood because she's not over how that play went?
Because I don't have the talent.
Well, duh.
She may act unfazed,
but because she took it so seriously, it must've really hurt her.
Ba-dump
Mizuhara's fighting with all she's got, huh?
No interacting with me!
No meddling or prying, either!
You and I are strangers until we graduate!
Are you sure about this?
Meeting up with me like normal.
I mean, it's not like you're some weirdo or anything, right?
Well? Are you?
Wh-What are you talking about?!
I just figured it was a bit late to be fussing over it.
It isn't like you chose to move in next door to me.
It'd be mean to treat you like some kind of nuisance.
We should be equals.
Just neighbors, fair and square.
No, wait.
How do you even be neighbors fair and square?
Yay! A home run!
Wh-Whoa!
Did you see that?!
Y-You hit it dead center!
Lucky bastard.
I wanna date a girl like her, too.
Oh, no!
Neighbors
I got too close.
Neighbors
I, uh...
Smart
Pain has never felt so good!
Shake Shake
A high-five with Mizuhara in her off time...
A dream come true!
P e r f e c t . . .
Hey, there's somewhere else I'd like to go.
Tremble
C-Could it be...
Dinner together?!
Itabashi Third Hospital
Wh...
Why the hospital?
What happened to dinner...
My grandma insisted on seeing you, and I couldn't talk her down.
I didn't want us to stay too long,
so I was killing time until 15 minutes before visiting hours ended.
Her grandmother's back in the hospital?
She wants to see me? But why?
But man, I should've known!
The Dinner Together Plan:
Free!
The batting center was just to kill time!
Goodbye, my youth
Oh, welcome, Kazuya-kun!
H-Hello.
Come, take a seat.
Internal Medicine Ichinose Sayuri-sama Supervising Doctor: Zaizen Goro Supervising Nurse: Satomi Shuji Patient ID: 355847621
Have you had dinner yet?
Oh, no.
Sorry. I only have some bread and rice balls to offer you.
She's giving me the VIP treatment, as always.
Would you like something to drink? You must be thirsty.
N-No, I'm fine.
Right. This is how she was.
I'm glad to see she's fine, though.
Jeez, Grandma. You haven't replaced the water in the vase.
I reminded you, too.
Oh, dear.
Say, Kazuya-kun.
Cling Cling
Scratch Scratch
How's college treating you?
Same old, same old, you know.
Good on you for taking it seriously. Attaboy.
R...
Really?
Really!
Hey, Grandma.
Quit hanging all over my boyfriend.
What's the problem?
I love my young men.
Sheesh.
I know we're pretending to be a couple and all,
but hearing her say it gets me all hot and bothered.
Whatever.
Huh? Where are you going?
To get some fresh water.
Uh-oh, we're all alone now.
Okay, she's gone.
Kazuya-kun.
I have a favor to ask of you.
A favor?
What is it?
What's all this about?
Did she find out we were lying?
No way. We didn't slip up... I think.
Wait, she's Mizuhara's grandma.
She might be terrifyingly perceptive.
Oh, right. I heard you went to see Chizuru's play.
Yeah, I did.
How was it? I couldn't make it, you see.
It was amazing!
She was shining up there...
Completely unlike the usual Chizuru-san.
She was really so damn cool!
Did you tell her that?
Huh? Yeah, I told her.
More like, I went and ran my big mouth.
It must've made her so happy.
She's always loved acting and compliments, ever since she was a child.
Oh, I didn't know.
Chizuru-san is truly incredible.
She's got her act together, and she's so strong.
Meanwhile, all I ever am is a burden...
"Strong"? Who, Chizuru?
She's always been a needy girl.
Her? No way!
The older kids in the neighborhood would often make her cry,
and she'd crawl into my bed, saying she felt all alone.
That's the kind of little girl she was.
Needy...
Mizuhara?
A needy girl?
Kazuya-san, I feel empty inside.
m 0 0 l 46 0 l 46 140 l 0 140
* Naked for some reason
Come here. I'll fill you up all the way.
Control yourself!
Now is not the time for fantasies!
You're talking to her grandma, you know!
And I'm old and withered.
The reaper may come for me as soon as tomorrow...
Sob
Yes... I will die tomorrow!
I'm going to die...
O-Oh, please!
Why are you saying this out of—
G l a n c e
Just kidding!
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCackle Cackle
You should've seen your face! It was so funny!
If that's a joke, it ain't funny!
I believe you have the potential to make it big.
Uh, I don't know if I can live up to your expectations...
Don't say that. I believe in you.
Y-You really think so?
m 0 0 l 86 0 l 86 200 l 0 200
* One brain cell
Yes, really. I'm sure you'll make it big.
You sound pretty convincing...
Besides, if you ask me, you're the much stronger one.
Nobody is perfect.
We lose our way, and we make wrong choices.
We learn how weak and frail we are, are brought to our knees,
and yet stand back up again in the pursuit of happiness... over and over.
That, my boy, is what we call life.
What makes humans special is that, though we may be hurt by how weak we are,
we can admit that others can be amazing and admire them.
The fact that you can do that shows you're bighearted.
You've already made it big.
Chizuru's a little awkward in recognizing and accepting her weakness.
She's covering her fragile self in armor of ice—a mere display of strength.
In that sense, she's a prodigious actress.
There's no one alive who doesn't get lonely.
Just a lot of people good at hiding it.
Mizuhara...
But one day, she'll surely need someone who sees her for who she is.
So I ask you...
No, I beg you.
Please, please, be that for Chizuru.
I see... Of course.
Mizuhara is her dear granddaughter.
She would never want her to date some random dude.
I can't be irresponsible and say I'll have her back for life.
What I can say is...
I love her.
I love Chizuru-san with all my heart!
I'm satisfied hearing that.
Sob
I can die in peace tomorrow!
I'm going to die...
No, you won't!
What did you two talk about?
N-Nothing special.
Itabashi Third Hospital
Huh...
Well, not that it really matters.
Mizuhara's a lonely, needy girl...
I still can't believe it.
The Mizuhara I know is endlessly strong.
She's always the one offering to help others out. I can't picture her receiving it.
Bye.
But if it's true...
Goodnight.
G-Goodnight.
I want to be there for her.
I want to help her out, even if it's not as her boyfriend.
Granny Sayuri trusted me, and I need to live up to that.
Send
Cancel
Talent Name
Mizuhara Chizuru
Rating
Review
Truly the perfect girlfriend
Review submitted. Thank you for your patronage.
But could I really be that kinda guy for her?
DAZED
Mizuhara was so cute today.
T r a s h
Yes?
Mizuhara? What does she want?!
I lost my key.
Hey, Chizuru-san! What do you mean, you lost your key?
Exactly what I said.
Are you pretending you lost it so you can enter Kazuya-kun's place
and get down and so dirty that it can't even be broadcast as a late-night anime?
Is it gonna be an endless parade of sax instrumentals?!
Ruka-chan, calm down for a sec.
If it comes down to it, I will personally censor everything with light beams!
Feel free.
Next time on Rent-a-Girlfriend:
"The Return of...
...the Girlfriend."
"The Return of the Girlfriend"
I won't stand for any lucky tumbles, either!