Yuri Is My Job!

Episode 11

Last week's episode left us with one burning question: Why, if Kanoko is so completely head-over-heels in love with Hime, is she so determined not to confess her feelings? She wasn't hesitant or afraid of what might happen. She was certain that it would be pointless—not that her feelings would not be reciprocated but rather that they could not be. This week we learn exactly why this is.

We've known from the first episode that Hime is both self-centered and pragmatic—but it's here that we learn the extent of it. To Hime, marriage is just a way for her to get an easy life. All that matters in a potential partner is that they are rich. Feelings don't factor into it. This is because, despite her ability to empathize with others, Hime does not understand the concept of romantic love. She's simply never had those feelings for anyone.

Now, to be clear, it's not like she doesn't feel love in general. She clearly cares deeply for both Mitsuki and Kanoko. When they are hurt, she is hurt. When they feel joy, she feels joy. But for everyone else—including those at the café—they might as well be extras in the story of her life when it comes to any sort of emotional attachment.

Because she understands this, Kanoko knows it would be futile to ask Hime out. More than that—given the way Hime rejects and distances herself from anyone who confesses to her—it's likely that she would lose her special place in Hime's life if she tried.

Of course, if all that is the case, why be so threatened by Mitsuki? After all, if Hime pushes away anyone who shows romantic interest, wouldn't Mitsuki acting on her obvious crush be the end of their rekindled friendship—basically resetting the status quo in the way that Kanoko wants? Because, when it comes down to it, Kanoko fears that Mitsuki won't be rejected.

Numerous times, Kanoko has seen Hime act “out of character” when it comes to Mitsuki—what if this would be yet another time? What if Mitsuki could get the love from Hime that Kanoko has never even dared to dream of? Kanoko's place as Hime's best friend has been tolerable only because she has been sure that no one could ever get closer than that. Sharing the best friend spot with Mitsuki is so horrible she can't even bring herself to accept it as reality. Yet, the idea that Mitsuki could become Hime's lover? That's her greatest fear.

Kanoko is an emotional pressure cooker that's primed to explode. And, as we saw in the previous episode when that happens, everything comes out violently. Yet, thanks to Sumika, this doesn't happen. Rather, Sumika puts herself in the position to be a pressure valve of sorts—someone who Kanoko can vent about all the things she can't tell Hime. Despite their rocky relationship, Kanoko can't resist the allure of having an outlet after all this time. And so, without thinking, she does the one thing she swore she'd never do—the thing that makes her “better” than Mitsuki. She tells Hime's greatest secret.

Of course, when she realizes what she has done she starts to break down—until she finds herself in a feedback loop of sorts. Hime wants her secret to be kept but she also wants Kanoko to express her feelings—because if not, they might as well not be real. The only way out is to trust Sumika—to trust she will never tell Hime's secret to anyone else. And to keep the café free of romantic drama, Sumika is willing to do so and be Kanoko's confidant now and in the future.

But, of course, given the past few weeks, trust can be hard to come by. So Sumika shows Kanoko through her actions and how seriously she takes their promise. While Kanoko may not care about the Schwestern concept, she knows that Sumika does. To Sumika, it is the symbol of a real sisterly relationship—on stage and off. Sumika is willing to make herself vulnerable—to open old wounds to show her sincerity to Kanoko. And together, they can work to keep the status quo as it has been until now.

Of course, there remains one looming issue in the café that threatens this goal: Mitsuki herself.

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Yuri Is My Job! is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.