I've already posted a lengthy review on OL Returns with my feelings on the overall season, so this is going to be just a note for those trying to figure out what's going on with the spin off/ side-stories situation.

There are two side stories/special shorts (labeled here as “spin offs”) of Returns. One of them (Forbidden Gout Temps Nouveau) consists of two episodes and can be found in some places labeled as 9.1 and 9.2. This one (Haruta to Maki no Shinkon Shoya) is only one episode and can be sometimes found as a “special clip”.

This episode is approximately 10 minutes long and it’s a segment on Maki and Haruta reuniting and Maki coming to their new home for the first time. It can be watched after the series (that’s what I did) but, differently from the other spin off, I think it would have been ideal to watch it after episode 1 of the Returns season. It takes place after Maki returns and before they decide to call for a housekeeper (like, 9 minutes into episode 1?).

Some of the things that show up and are discussed in this special are mentioned or show up during the main season (the chores distribution, Maki not wanting to have home parties, Haruta wanting to have more dates, etc.). They also provide some small but actually interesting context of timeline regarding the previous installments, on how long it’s been since they’ve seen each other and why, having a long distance relationship, how Haruta got the house and why he got a house instead of an apartment…Honestly, there was more information than I expected for a short domestic 10 minute fluff, information I kind of wish I had while watching the season.

It’s not going to make or break the season experience not to watch it, but who would have thought so much interesting context could be packed in a 10 minute short of these two being flirty with each other. I hope this helps clarify the situation for those who might have been as lost as I was. I'm leaving the description of the other spin off in its own review.