Episode 9

"
**It's just a country kid / It's just a video game / It's just a part-time job / It's just... something on your face.**" is the ninth episode of the Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu anime series.

## Synopsis

It's the first day of the new semester and everyone is happy to see Komi again, but then a student named Inaka starts following her around.

## Summary

**It's just a country kid**

The semester after summer vacation begins, and none are more depressed (in large part due to Komi ‘s presence) than Inaka Nokoko, a girl in Komi’s class. Inaka is from the countryside and speaks with a thick accent, and thus has neglected becoming friends with anyone in fear of embarrassment. She also imagines Komi to be a trendy city girl. As class comes in, she overhears Najimi requesting another ridiculous order, this time a sandwich from a chain restaurant called Sabowey (a reference to Subway). Hoping to learn how to order food like a city girl, she follows Komi to the shop, and is spotted by Tadano, who is also following Komi. Inaka watches as Komi attempts to order. On the first attempt, Komi becomes too scared and steps outside, which Inaka interprets as trying not to go by the cashier’s schedule. On the second attempt, Komi points to the general sandwich, but is too scared to list any of the specifics and becomes overwhelmed when the cashier asks for them. She ends up ordering a plain sandwich, and invigorated by her ordering something, Inaka goes in and buys a sandwich as Tadano watches. Meanwhile, Najimi is again forced to apologize for making Komi cry.

**It's just a video game**

Nakanaka invites Komi to hang out at her house, who accepts. They quickly find themselves feeling awkward, so Nakanaka starts a single-player video game for Komi to watch her beat. Though Komi is interested, she has no experience with video games and thus has little reaction to it. Becoming anxious and fearing Komi may reject her, Nakanaka hastily invites Najimi, who brings along Tadano. They play a video game called *Swamp Bros.* (a parody of *Super Smash Bros.*). Tadano ends up having to teach Komi how to play, and as he does, Najimi and Nakanaka duel. It is revealed that they used to play the game while in elementary school, and Nakanaka has always lost to Najimi, but is now determined to win to impress Komi. The battle ends when Komi accidentally debuffs Najimi, giving Nakanaka the opportunity to defeat them.

**It's just a part-time job**

On their day off, Najimi asks Komi and Tadano (who is stuck wearing a polar bear mascot outfit) to help distribute paper tissues outside the retail store where Najimi works. Komi struggles to hand the tissues out to other people, until eventually a salarywoman (desperate to have tissues for a variety of reasons) takes a pack from Komi. Becoming more confident, Komi hands the tissues out (with assistance from Yamai), and all the tissues are gone by the end of the day.

**It's just... something on your face.**

Tadano shows up in class with something stuck on his face, but Komi is too nervous to tell him, and begins questioning what it is and if Tadano is really Tadano. She then becomes horrified as every single person in class also has the same thing on their faces. It turns out to be a dream and she wakes up, only for Tadano to actually appear with the thing on his face the next morning. As the day goes by with the thing still on Tadano’s face, Komi further realizes that Tadano calls Najimi by their first name. Feeling envious and wanting to get closer to Tadano, Komi asks him to call her by her first name too. Despite Najimi prodding him and even calling Komi by her first name to provoke him, Tadano is unable to do so. When told by Najimi to also call Tadano by his first name to make things even, Komi, embarrassed, fails at doing so as well. Najimi then points out the thing on Tadano’s face (revealed to be a sesame seed), something they’ve noticed the entire day.

## Characters

*In order of appearance. Bold denotes debuting characters.*

* Tadano Hitohito
* Komi Shouko
* Najimi Osana
* Omoharu Nakanaka
* Ren Yamai
* Agari Himiko
* Yadano Makeru (Cameo)
* **Inaka Nokoko**
* **Teshigawara Hoshiko**

## Adaptation Notes

**This episode adapts the following material:**

* Manga Volume 3
	+ Communication 43: Part-Time Job
* Manga Volume 4
	+ Communication 48: Video Games
	+ Communication 51: A Country Girl
	+ Communication 52: Something on Your Face
	+ Communication 53: First Names