While stretching, Suwa asks his teammate how come the coach didn’t come today. His teammate tells him that he went to see the tournament, the Kanto Tournament. Suwa says, ah it’s the second day. At the basketball court, the game is already at the first half with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Misuzu is ahead by two points of 57 vs Ryuhoku’s 55 points. Gloomily biting his finger, Amamiya mutters that it is this pattern again, and his psychological trauma is revived again. Nishiyama wonders out loud where Yuki is.
He looks at the side to hear someone shouting, “Raise your hands! Defense, defense! Defense, defense!” Upon seeing Yuki and the others shouting on megaphones, Nishiyama exclaims that it is a cheering squad!? Amamiya shouts when she went to the cheering squad..!?
Holding some cheering paraphernalia, Yuki says that she’s there from the start. She tells them to join them and she brought some handmade cheering fans. They were shock that she made those by herself. Himiko and others are moved to hear the cheering squad.
Yuki thinks that she had repeatedly reflected about what she can do but regarding shrinking back in fear, it is something that she won’t do again. She recalls kissing Shou and telling him that she’ll support him as if her life depended on it and she’ll cheer for him tomorrow.
Yuki thinks that’s right, no matter how much one cares for the other, if one doesn’t bravely enter the court to cheer for him then it has no meaning. “It’s alright. I’ll properly convey it. Convey it to him.”
Shou manages to steal the ball but Shizuka immediately goes in front of him. With fangirls screaming for him not to lose, Shou says, get lost, stupid. While his fangirls are cheering for him, Shizuka replies, yeah right, moron. Shou runs and pushes Shizuka aside.
Fangirls are screaming as Shou jumps to shoot the ball. With 3:10 minutes on the clock, the teams are now in a tie at 72 points. Watching at the balcony, Kira’s friend says that they’ve chased after them. Kira assures him that it is alright because on the second half, the points will pull apart again.
He opens his eyes and says, “There is a decisive gap between Ryuhoku and Misuzu’s athletic strength.” During the half-time break, Kuon is breathing really hard. Offering some water, Kimiko asks him if he’s okay. Kuon says, ya. Noda comments that it turns out that it’s very tiring to compete against Misuzu.
While Abe is stretching his leg, Hatori is screaming that his foot is going to break. Himiko thinks that everyone’s physical strength has been greatly drained as they are about to go to the second half. Aside from Shou, it is actually everyone’s first time to compete against Misuzu and their strength is quickly at its limit.
Usami-kun calls out to Himiko and says that his hair [rubber] band broke so can she lend him one. He tells her that it is okay if it is a cutie-cutie type. Kuon shouts how come he is totally okay. Hatori shouts that he’s a monster of physical strength!!
Shou pats Usami-kun’s shoulder and tells him to maintain that pace. With a wink, Hatori-kun says that it is as he ordered. Noda is jealous to death over that. So, everyone did their best to score and run towards the end. While cheering on, Yuki thinks that there is still 10 minutes left for the second half.
Then, Suzuka manages to slap away the ball from Hatori. His teammates cheer for him and that there’s 5 minutes left. Shizuka thinks for Ryuhoku to try to block him, then go ahead and try for the one who can run and persevere until the end is the winner. With 1:51 minutes on the clock, Misuzu is leading with 112 vs 107.
Shouji comments over how difficult it is and there is still less than 2 minutes left. Tonomura says that even if Ryuhoku played quite well but it feels like chasing after Misuzu’s pace still entail quite a strenuous effort. Yuki calls out to the two not to stop cheering with their hands.
Shouji apologizes. While calling her ‘commander’, he says that her hands are all red [from cheering]. Yuki thinks that there are only less than two minutes left with 5 points difference. “Actually, it is quite strenuous but-” Noda now has the ball.
He sees that there are only 50-something seconds left. Shou shouts for him not to stop. This made Noda toss the ball to Shou who catches it. Narration: “But, if we give up at this time, all our strength would have been wasted. You and me, and also everyone else knows this clearly.”
As everyone cheers Ryuhoku on, Yuki shouts for them not to lose. Recalling Yuki telling him that she’ll cheer for him as if her life depended on it, Shou jumps to shoot the ball. And it is in! Pfft-- Game over. The game ends with Misuzu’s 112 vs Ryuhoku’s 110.
As the others catch their breath, Yuki thinks that it is a difference of two points, and it’s just a little bit already. Shizuka calls out to Shou and says that he had changed a little bit. Shou asks ha? Shizuka says that it is nothing.
He thinks that in the last eight seconds, there is a 5 points difference. “With regards to being persistent in winning, one would only relax a bit and wouldn’t throw the ball from that far distance. [Shou seems to have shot the ball from half court]...
...–for a second, I thought that the score can be chased after. ...a guy whom I cannot lower my guard.” Later on, while walking at the hallway, Usami-kun is complaining how frustrating this is. Hatori tells him to shut up for he is like a girl who played a wild card and lost.
Miyoshi tells them but Kuon and Usami-kun are still first years so it is already amazing that the difference is just two points while playing against Misuzu. He confesses that he thought that they’ll be utterly defeated. Abe shouts that he’s so mean.
The coach says that just as Miyoshi said, they did well. Someone says that the third game is starting so everyone have a change of mode[/mood?]. Shou notices Yuki is standing by the vending machine so he calls out to her. She tells him, ‘otsukaresama’ [/good work]. He says that she’s still here.
She is puzzled. He says no, it’s great that she didn’t leave yet. Puzzled, she says that she won’t because there is still a game on. He says ya, it is so. She tells him to quickly go for the others left already. He says ya. He passes by her and says, sorry.
As he leaves, she wonders why he apologizes to her. At 1-12 store’s staff room, Yuki wonders if it is because they lost to Misuzu but then, it isn’t because they gave up midway yet it is truly regretful. “And, even if he said ‘sorry’ to me, I also don’t know how to answer...
...‘It is because you didn’t give up psychologically, and even if you didn’t win the competition, you also didn’t lose.’ I feel that I have said that kind of words last year. It is because it is very important, so I said it twice...”
Just then, Suwa arrives and they greet each other. Suwa asks about the game yesterday. Yuki says that they’re in third place and it is the first time they stood at the Kanto tournament’s award stage. Suwa says that’s amazing and congrats.
Yuki says yes, but because their rival in high school got to be champions so they couldn’t bring themselves to be very happy even if it is the first time for them to stand on the awarding stage.
There is a scene of the captains holding their certificates and the photographers telling Shou and Shizuka to stand closer. Suwa exclaims that it is Misuzu, right and the captain is a kid whom one wants to poke fun with. Yuki wonders if he is talking about Shizuka.
Yuki thinks that it is the first time they got an award and even if it is like this, this year is Shou’s last time to participate in the Kanto tournament. “And indeed, losing to Misuzu to get third place can be really frustrating. Can I...calmly without any trace comfort him...”
Just then, the manager arrives and gives Yuki her salary. He says good job this month. Yuki thanks him. While Yuki looks at her salary envelope, Suwa exclaims that it’s great that it is salary day. The manager says that he’ll definitely spend it on a date for it is said, a black haired bshonen [beautiful guys] with a mole are sexy so he is definitely popular.
As Suwa exclaims what’s with that prejudice to the manager, Yuki nervously recalls Usami-san saying that it is great to cheer on the person one likes. She also recalls Shou asking if she doesn’t want to be with him. She blushes and scowls upon remembering him him apologizing to her. She thinks,...okay.
Ding dong. Yuki opens the door and tells Shou to come in. Shou thanks her. As Shou removes his shoes, Yuki says otsukaresama [good work] regarding the game two days ago. Shou says that for her to suddenly call him over to her house, what kind of poison she drank. Yuki says, none, and she...she’ll go..go make some tea for him so first...stay over there.
Shou asks how come she is like Himiko [who stutters]. He notices that there is now a sofa in Yuki’s apartment. Patting the sofa, he asks if there was a sofa before and is it newly bought. She darkly says yesterday. He asks why. She says that she used her salary. Shou says no, that’s not.
While the kettle is whistling, Yuki says, fine..it is because it seems to be a two-seater sofa. Shou says that the kettle is so noisy that he totally couldn’t hear what she said... Yuki shouts that it is because it is impossible for her to buy a double bed!!
“This is..bought for you. No matter when you’re unhappy, when your work as captain is too tiring, or the game didn’t go quite smoothly, I’ll leave that space which belongs to you open. I won’t go anywhere and I will be always here. After you’re finished [with stuff], you can come and rest anytime. And for you not to always hang around and won’t leave, I made this.”
She shows him a calendar of his visiting days and [I think] the cat stickers are to show when he came. Shou darkly says that there’s no need [/don’t want that]. Pulling his wrist, she tells him okay, quickly come and sit over here. She says that she always hasn’t sat on this sofa until he came over.
After he sat on the sofa, Shou pulls Yuki down to him. He apologizes to her for losing again. Yuki is about to protest but he says that since she is around, he was able to struggle until the last second. “...Even if I struggle to the last second, their strength had become more powerful. It’s really quite frustrating...”
Yuki thinks that it seems that it is the first time for him to say, ‘it’s frustrating’. She pats his back and says, yes. He apologizes for she obviously specially came over to kiss with him. She darkly says that it’s nothing, no big deal. Yuki thinks that this is the first time he had frankly acted spoiled with her.
Then, she wonders that perhaps, it is the first time she frankly received his spoiled act. He looks at her and licks her lips. Then, they do a French kiss. Yuki thinks that before, she always thought what’s the meaning of taking the pains to caress and kiss. “There is no meaning that there’s no value in mentioning it. It is okay to do this invariably [/blindly]?”
Shou then pulls away and asks if today is Tuesday. Yuki goes huh!!? He sits up and says that he forgot about it for there is a program that he wanted to watch so can he open the TV. She tells him to go ahead. Shou asks her if she’ll sit over that side. She asks if she can’t sit over this side.
While looking at Shou watching the program, Yuki thinks that they are obviously lovers but there are indeed so many times when she refused physical contact with him before. “In short, In short, I must get used to watching the television together. Holding hands-whatever is also totally...totally okay. From today on, I have to be more tolerant, have a more gentle heart---”
And Yuki looks down on her chest that is being casually groped by Shou. She immediately hits his hand away and angrily shouts that he isn’t allowed to get carried away! Shou says that didn’t he say, can he sit beside her. Yuki goes !? Narration: “Yes. About this thing, I still need to continue on working hard on it.”
Comment:Hm...Ryuhoku actually lost against Misuzu but is indeed kind of win since they did improve from their last standing. It makes me think that Misuzu is like Slam Dunk’s Kainan. ^^; Well, iirc, there is still the Nationals and the Winter Cup games. So there are other opportunities.
When Suwa mentioned their coach is going to watch the game, I suddenly wondered if it is to recruit the good players there. Does that mean the possibility of Shizuka going to that same university? Actually, there’s a chance for Shou to go, too. And will that be a Slam Dunk scenario of [Shizuka] Hanamichi and [Shou] Rukawa-type of teamwork later on?
Well, Yuki did well in cheering with her all-out effort and ‘force’ others to also do so. She even used her salary to buy a sofa for him to show him of a place where he can go to when he isn’t in a good mood, and that she’ll be there for him.
She is now okay with kisses and stuff but apparently not with that kind of touching. =P Her pacing for love is still slow so that will take some more time for her to get used to. Apparently, she didn’t understand Shou’s ‘question/asking permission from her/hint’. ^^; Anyways, a little progress is better than none. Scans by 红莲汉化组
Quote of the day:
Life is like a sport. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but the game always goes on. ~ roli/Author Unknown