Mahoraba 21

House? I meant mansion, the mansion of the 水無月 Minazuki family. Asami can't believe what she sees. Sayoko simply says it's just as it used to be. They go inside while Tachibana goes to get the master of the house.. well, he's already there -- Ushimitsu, the guy with the eyepatch -- and he's not in a good mood. A little lady stabs his foot with her cane to stop him, saying he's scaring Sayoko. Yup, she's Sayoko's mother, Yuu-chan. She welcomes Sayoko, saying she's happy that she's able to see her again. Tachibana gets a room ready for Sayoko and Asami -- they'll talk later.

Sayoko stands outside, remembering how things were when she was here long ago. Mahiru comes up and talks to her. Sayoko says that she's gotten bigger. Ushimitsu watches from his room...

Tachibana gives him a report on Sayoko's situation. Kurosaki, Sayoko's husband, died in a traffic accident soon after eloping with her. Sayoko hasn't remarried. After her husband died she went from place to place, job to job, finally ending up at Narutakisou and working jobs from there. And the girl? Asami came with Kurosaki when he married Sayoko. However...

Yuu-chan shows Asami to her room, quite unlike any room Asami's ever had before. Sakura comes in and changes Asami from her usual school uniform to something that Sayoko wore when she was that age, tying her hair into ponytails as well. kawaii~ :) Sakura pulls away the curtains to let some light in.. Yuu-chan falls down.. apparently she's rather weak to light. But she's not a vampire or anything ;)

Back to Tachibana and Ushimitsu. So, Asami's not really Kurosaki's child? Kurosaki took Asami in from an orphanage. Ushimitsu orders Tachibana to not let Asami and Sayoko see each other for now.

Sakura and Asami took Yuu-chan back to her room downstairs (where there's no sunlight, of course). While they walk back, Asami asks Sakura about Sayoko? Tachibana hears and pulls Sakura aside for a little chat... Mahiru comes up to Asami, who's looking at a painting, a painting of her mother. Mahiru apologizes for not telling Asami sooner that she was Sayoko's little sister. Asami asks if she can borrow a phone? She calls up Narutakisou, where everyone's busy trying to find the Minazuki residence on maps. She tells Kozue that's she's doing just fine and she'll explain the rest when she gets back. Momono takes the phone and asks what's going on. Asami reassures her that there's nothing wrong, in fact the place is almost like a hotel.

That chat Tachibana wanted to have with Sakura... Tachibana tells Sakura not to let Asami get close to Sayoko. If she messes up.. that's it for her... Asami and Mahiru have dinner together, with Sakura ready to serve. Asami asks where her mother is, and Sakura, remembering what Tachibana said, says that she's already eaten and is asleep. So Asami digs in to a feast like none she's had before :) After eating, she takes a bath with Mahiru, then downs a cold drink -- Kojima Fruit Milk -- Mahiru joins in as well, then it's time to get ready for bed. Asami's in pajamas, and Mahiru's in a very cute negligee. Mahiru suggest Asami try on one as well, but she'd rather stay in the pajamas ;)

Ushimitsu waits impatiently for Sayoko to come in to have a talk with her. Sayoko looks terrified. Ushimitsu says he never expected her to run off with Kurosaki -- he's had his resentment for him, and against Sayoko, too, for abandoning her family, but that's in the past. For now, he's just relieved that Sayoko's right there in front of him doing fine. He's gotten old, and doesn't have much a future, but Sayoko's different, she's still young and has a future. He only wants her to be happy. Tachibana brings over a large stack of things... Ushimitsu tells Sayoko to choose from among those for her future -- they're photos of men -- the man who will make her happy. After Sayoko leaves, Yuu-chan comes in asking why Ushimitsu has suddenly arranged marriage interviews for Sayoko. It's for her future.. Yuu-chan's not against it, but.. Sayoko's going to be the one who decides in the end.

Sayoko stares out the window of her room, with those profiles of her potential suitors on a table behind her. Meanwhile, Sakura turns off the lights in Asami's room as she goes to sleep. Asami wonders if her mother's asleep already... she closes her eyes, saying "mother", almost seeming to be crying...

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Now do you see why I said to pay attention to Buchou's tarot readings last time? The past of Sayoko and her husband, Kurosaki, was explained earlier in the manga in a chapter entitled 「絆」 in volume 2, and while it would've been good to have that story told in the anime earlier, things still went well this time even without having that explanation, going very close to the manga chapter this episode is based on ("Daiji (first part)" from volume 6) while adding some original touches that worked well. Needless to say, poor Asami's going to be in for a rather unpleasant revelation next time... and Sayoko's going to have to make a decision. I'll leave it at that for now as we'll finish up this thread next time.