Rent-a-Girlfriend (彼女、お借りします)

Oh, right, you came for the wake.

Grandma's house has been left unattended since she died.

I'm considering selling it,

but I need to get it in order first.

It'd be nice to have a guy's help.

I do come clean every now and then

Before calling the pros

Sure.

Sorry to ask you on your day off.

Nah.

I was just sitting around watching WeTube.

We're here.

Ichinose

This is it.

I thought I was good at going it alone

Would you prefer to go together?

Place your finger here

Rent-a-Girlfriend

"Childhood Home and Girlfriend"

The front door's locked. Mind if we go in from the back?

S-Sure.

This is Mizuhara's childhood home.

Haven't been here since the wake

It didn't really hit me the last time.

And I was only here for a minute

Depending on how you slice it, this may be more valuable than her apartment.

She's doing her investigation,

so she invited me to a more personal space?

key

key...

Chills down the neck

This feels tense!

Like I'm going to meet her parents!

Please let me have your daughter!

You're asking the front door?

Oh, that cover...

The water main

It's loose, so be careful.

This thing is always so heavy.

And... hup!

Come on in.

Sorry, the slippers are by the entrance.

Excuse me

Don't worry about it.

Wha?

The washing machine's ancient!

The second floor's this way, and that's the entrance.

The bathroom's next to the entrance.

O-Okay.

If you want to use it

The creaking of the floor, and the scent of bedding and incense...

This feels so lived-in.

It's a lot older than I expected.

It's frankly run-down

It doesn't suit Mizuhara's current image at all.

The air gets stale when it's been closed up for two months, huh?

This glamorous girl

Better air the place out.

Not that I can tell her that.

This is the living room.

Before the pros show up,

I want to put all the miscellaneous trinkets in boxes.

Height matters

I want to take down the curtains, too.

Wait, what?

Rocks? Why are there rocks?

And they're all over the place.

They're not pickle weights...

It's not some big bonsai, right?

staaare...

Locks eyes with the rocks

Can I ask about this?

R-Rocks?

All the courage he could muster

Yeah, it's crazy, right? That's my grandpa's collection.

Any time he'd travel anywhere for work, he'd bring rocks from there.

Saying each one was a memory

There's a bunch in the yard, too.

The stuff inside's the tip of the iceberg, actually

This is all

This is what I need the most help with

I'd like you to gather them outside to make it easy for the trash collectors.

O-Oh, really?

His collection?

I see why you'd want a guy's help for this.

There's a lot

But they're mementos...

and you're dumping them?

I'll do the job, but...

Will you keep them in your Room 203, then?

Are you sure, though?

What else am I supposed to do?

Yeah, no

I guess it is what it is

Not very sentimental, is she?

Let me show you the other rooms.

Th-Thanks.

Okay, shall we begin?

I'll do my best

beam beam

We're working as one!

I'll sort out what's needed and what isn't while I clean.

You start dealing with the final boss, the rocks.

Let's start with the tough one— the living room

Put the trash in the bags over here

Roger

Final boss?

My grandma was such a hoarder.

Her ancestors are watching!!

Where am I looking, and in her family home, no less?!

This is really some situation, though.

We're in her family home all alone.

It's like I'm her childhood friend or something.

Is that how much she's opening up to me?

Sheesh, it gets covered in dust so easily.

We're all alone here right now!

Make me and my background all yours.

You've grown up so much.

Focus on your work, you dumbass!

There's a lot of rocks

What're you spacing out for?

Carry them out

Huh? Oh, sorry.

Wait, why are you sweating so much already?

Don't get so conscious of her!

I am but a forklift

Damn, the bath's super old-fashioned, too.

I've only ever seen bathrooms like this in old TV shows.

Mizuhara lived her life here for the longest time, huh?

Wait, for a long time?

Lived her life here?

Which means high schooler Mizuhara...

bathed here?

I need to make myself pretty for the one I'll meet someday.

Gyaaargh!

Huh? That sounded like you dropped something!

I-It's okay. I dropped it on my feet.

I can't! It's sensory overload!!

Did you really think there wouldn't be a bathroom?

Keep

Keep

Dump

No one ever said it would be this hard...

This is actually hard labor!

Way to trouble your family!!

Think of the consequences!!

Who brings home rocks? What was her grandpa even like?

I mean, not like there's a better option

But she really is so blasé about it.

I'm sure her grandpa did care a lot about these.

Normally, you'd get a bit sentimental cleaning up an empty family home.

She's always calm and logical, and she never lets her emotions win.

Will I ever capture this iron maiden's heart?

I'll give it a real shot.

Do it for her!!

Don't show any signs of fatigue!

Still, I just gotta do it!

You brought another rock?

Beat.

Midnight

From Iyo in Ehime!

A 20-hour, 20-minute round trip!

Please don't make it heavier based on distance.

That's not even a rock! It's a boulder!

Long-distance drives

Ooh, that hits the back hard.

I'll put a compress on you

You need to lie down.

Don't push yourself. You're not young anymore.

You'll throw it out again, you know?

That's right.

You could turn down clients demanding such long-distance trips.

What? They're heading far away late at night with no travel options.

They all have their reasons.

Not that I think I'm being a hero or anything...

but for people in need, I can always find the strength to fight through!

Almost done.

Just noticed

An altar?

Photos. That's her grandpa.

That means...

this one must be...

Oh, that's my mom.

But she died when I was four, so I barely remember anything about her.

She didn't like taking photographs, it seems.

That's about all we had left of her.

This is Mizuhara's mom.

She was really beautiful.

No surprise there. She was Sayuri-san's daughter.

Okay, back to work.

It's gotten dark

R-Right.

She really is so chill about it all.

It makes sense, given she was only four at the time.

I think we did a pretty good job.

A sense of pride and accomplishment!!

I carried out all the rocks.

I've learned not to collect rocks when I'm older.

Not me

It's so much cleaner now! Thanks!