Overflowing Affection! Jinshi Gets Flustered Imagining Maomao in “The Apothecary Diaries”

Compared to the first season of the anime "The Apothecary Diaries," the level of fondness has skyrocketed. In the first episode of the second season, viewers teased Jinshi (CV: Takeo Ōtsuka) for being unable to contain his emotions after just a single comment from Maomao (CV: Aoi Yūki), with reactions like, “Just how much do you like Maomao?!” and “Jinshi, your feelings are totally showing!”

Jinshi is the eunuch who manages the inner palace, and he is the one who appointed Maomao as the food taster. At first, he saw Maomao as a convenient pawn, but as the story progressed, it appears that he began to harbor special feelings for her.

In episode 25, the first episode of the second season, Jinshi visits Maomao while she is caring for a kitten. Jinshi grumbles, “I don’t understand what’s so great about cats,” to which Maomao replies, “Apparently, cat lovers say that not knowing what a cat is thinking is what makes them appealing. Watching them never gets old, you can’t take your eyes off them, and eventually, you just want to touch them.”

At those words, it seems Jinshi couldn’t help but imagine Maomao herself. When Maomao continues, “It’s irritating how they’re usually aloof but act friendly only when you feed them, but it seems that at that point, people just give in,” Jinshi blushes as he stares at her. Then, as he picks up the kitten and buries his face in its fur (“cat snuggling”), he murmurs blissfully, “I think I’m starting to understand…”