English Dub Review: The Dreaming Boy Is a Realist “Coffee. With a Ratio to Milk About 8 to 2. Sugar 1 Teaspoon, Caramel Powder Too, Please”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Wataru finds out the reason why Mina wants to keep her job, no matter what. Meanwhile, Aika meets up with Sasaki, who is getting tough!

Our Take:
Well, this is a surprise that Wataru and I didn’t expect. The previous episode showcased Mina’s reason she wants to keep her job. Her brother, Yu, a Morals Public Committee member, had spent much time with Mina, but that changed when Yu brought home his girlfriend Yuri with him, resulting in Mina feeling neglected. But that’s not all. She came home to see Yu kissing Yuri in bed. Shocking, isn’t it? This explains why Mina hopes to become more independent and keep her new job at the bookstore.
With the previous episode being the start of Mina’s life problems, this week’s episode serves as a conclusion that sees Mina becoming more dependent, with Wataru continuing to train her. That includes befriending Fuka Sasaki, who shares a common interest in literature with Mina. However, this is due to Wataru avoiding more awkward situations with Fuka because she is a middle schooler. Then, Wataru helps Mina be more confident around Yu and Yuri by explaining her progress at her new job. Yeah, she didn’t tell them about her working at the bookstore, but it was due to them not knowing what she wanted to do with her life.
The mini-saga involving Wataru and Mina might be the best part of this middling rom-com series. Without Aika, the show gives Wataru more breathing room to improve his characteristics and help his classmates with their problems, including Mina. That and its change of scenery from high school to summer vacation helped the series provide more interest in its concept instead of going through the narrative motions similar to its first half. Additionally, this episode and the previous one displayed the working environment and coming-of-age elements in a serene, humorous, and heartwarming light. It looks like next week will see Wataru and the others returning to school, so let’s hope that Wataru and Aika can figure stuff out between them before the season concludes.