Convenience Store Woman

Mami, younger sister to Keiko by two years, is “normal” but loves her strange older sister very much. When they are children, Keiko intervenes when their mother scolds Mami and gives Mami her candy and toys (which don’t interest Keiko), cementing Mami’s affection. As they grow older, Mami helps Keiko think up excuses and vague answers to deflect prying questions from friends about Keiko’s part-time work and lack of romantic partners. Yet Mami, who is married with a baby son named Yutaro, ultimately wants Keiko to conform to social norms around sexuality and marriage. The first time Shihara stays over (non-sexually) at Keiko’s apartment, Keiko calls Mami and mentions having a man in her place—news to which Mami reacts ecstatically despite knowing nothing about the man in question. Later, when Keiko explains to Mami that her relationship with Shihara is a fake to deflect social pressure, Mami starts sobbing and asking whether Keiko will ever be normal. She eagerly believes Shihara when he lies and claims that Keiko only said what she did because they’d had a lovers’ spat. From this incident, Keiko concludes that Mami would rather her sister were unhappily partnered than happily single.