Namaikizakari [Chapter 20]

Outside the stadium, a couple of girls are hurrying inside for Shizuka and Shou are still playing, Misuzu vs Ryuhoku, and it seems that the last part [fourth quarter] has already started. “The game is super intense!!”  Inside the stadium, Shou shoots the ball into the basket and scores. With 4:02 minutes left in the game, Ryuhoku has finally tied the game against Misuzu at 48 points. People are getting excited for they have even the score. Abe excitedly shouts that their Naruse has evened the score. While Nishiyama is asking if Abe is okay with his bleeding nose, the coach says that it’s not bad, and what’s next is the crucial point. Yuki calmly looks at her stopwatch. There is still 3 minutes and 20 seconds left. She hopes that the team can surpass them. Misuzu tells his captain that even if it is a bad ball [?], it is alright, don’t worry and just pass everything to him. “[We’ll] definitely will win.” Misuzu wants to personally end this, no matter from what source, this self-inferiority came from, whether fretful or some other thing, he’ll take advantage of the victory here and eliminate it. Shizuka shoots the ball and the three point shot is in. Then, Shou also manages to score.

With 58 seconds left, it is 52 vs 51 with Misuzu having the edge. Everyone has become really tense since it is difference of one point. Yuki tightly clenches her clipboard and recalls the promise. She mentally calls Shou stupid, for basically, there’s no need for some kind of promise, it is okay not to do that pinky swear thing, because she is always nearby watching everyone continuously become strong. With eight seconds left, Amamiya shoots the ball but it only hits the basket’s ring. Shou manages to catch the ball on rebound. With three seconds left, Shou slams dunk the ball. Everyone is stunned. One second turns to zero. People are screaming that it is over, Ryuhoku managed to reverse the outcome. While some fangirls scream for Shou, Ryuhoku team is somewhat stunned and asks if they won. Looking at the score board, it finally sunk in that they have indeed won. They cheer and Amamiya climbs on Shou who grumpily says that he’s heavy. Abe is crying that Nishiyama tells him not to cry and wipe clean his bloody nose. Just when Himiko excitedly call out to her, Yuki just seriously says that the preliminaries still continue tomorrow so they shouldn’t get carried away.

While the teams are made to form a line [for ‘thanks for the game’ formality with the opposing team], Yuki covers her face with the clipboard and thinks that they won and finally chased after them. Shou sees her as he goes to form the line with the defeated Misuzu players. At the locker room, Yuki uses a marker to trace a line on the chart to show that they are advancing in the competition. Abe says that ever since that crushing defeat during spring’s practice game, it has already been two months..and they managed to surpass Kanto tournament but had a regretful defeat..finally..! It has finally come when they managed to taste victory.. Shouji exclaims that it has been long..really too long, those hardships of two months. Tonomura says that for him to say ‘hardship’ [two syllable] on top of two months, it seems to have become short. Yuki thinks that it is no good, everyone is quite excited, and in tomorrow’s third round of the competition, they’ll encounter a much amazing strong team compared to Misuzu. On her way out, her cellphone rings. It is a phone call from Kido. Kido greets her and says that he heard that they won the second round of the competition so like this, they will probably go to the Nationals. Yuki replies that she cannot exactly say that. Kido says that she hasn’t changed, she’s still so calm.

At some dining place with his girlfriend, Kido says that after the end of the third round, the fourth round would be next week. He and the other OBs [old boys/members who already graduated] talked about having a gathering tomorrow after the game. It seems that they have been always busy with the competitions since spring so they [OBs] felt that they go and give them some encouragement. Yuki is touched by this for in the end, it is very amazing when obviously they [OBs] are also very busy with college but they would still care for the basketball club as always. Even if they retired and graduated, they are always protecting them. At the subway station, Shizuka places his IC card on the train’s fare gate but someone is also using it. He apologizes and freezes for the other person is Shou. They kept on staring at each other that others think that even if they are huge handsome guys but they’re a hindrance. Shizuka goes yo. Shou goes eh, then starts walking away. This made Shizuka angrily tell him to say something and this is so like him. Puzzled Shou says that didn’t he already say something. Shizuka tells him that they should be talking something about the game and because Shou looks very idle, he’ll give him an advice.

Shizuka says that if Shou would still be like today wherein starting from the first half, no matter what the outcome, he’ll be bustling about, then at tomorrow’s third round, he will absolutely use up his physical strength. “..Not only for tomorrow’s game. ..also for the Winter Cup which happens after five months, and next year’s Interhigh preliminary games. Next time, I’ll definitely won’t like you have your way like you did today.” After Shizuka left, Shou recalls Yuki telling him that this summer’s Interhigh has a special meaning to everyone. Shou mutters, “There is no ‘next time’.. There is already no ‘next year’-whatever.” The next day at the stadium’s locker room, Tonomura tells them that on the third round today, they are going into an intense battle against the famous school, Nagaoka [長岡] and today, the OBs will specially attend to watch so everyone do their best and play a beautiful game. Everyone is hyped up that they shout to bring on that famous school. Yuki is relieved that even if yesterday, everyone is abnormally excited that it made her worry, but it seems that their morale had exceptionally surged up. That’s right, it isn’t easy to reach this place so they absolutely won’t cower. And during the game, Amamiya is about to shoot the ball but the taller opponent manages to easily block him and tap the ball away.

Everyone is getting tense. Yuki looks at the scoreboard to see that the opponent is leading by 12 points with the scores 57-45. She mentally wishes them gambatte for no matter how strong the opponent is, it is still an intense game and they can only bravely face and fight the opponent head on. With Yuki as his inspiration, Shou plays hard in trying to catch up but then, in the end, Nagaoka is too strong that the game ended with them still leading with 12 points, 72-60. At their side of the court, Shouji is strangling Hatori as he curses that this year, it is only up to that point again. Abe says that the opponent is too strong. The coach tries to cheer them up that last year, it is already totally different so it will be fine if they save up their strength and come again next year. Nishiyama tells the coach that they won’t be there next year. While tidying up the towels, Yuki thinks that in the end, in her three years of high school, ‘entering the nationals’ is only a dream but then, it isn’t that easy. Shou turns around and starts to leave. Amamiya asks where he is going. Shou says to the toilet. This puzzles Yuki. Amamiya calls out to Shou that the toilet is not that direction and don’t ignore him.

Later on, Yuki walks around the place and mentally complains that Shou would always irresponsibly run off somewhere after losing when the reflection meeting is about to start.. She finds Shou at the side with both hands on his face. Yuki becomes nervous as she calls out his name. She wonders could it..be that..he is crying. She tries to cheer him up by saying that actually, next year, there is still the Interhigh competition.. He says that she’s noisy to death and don’t come over. As Yuki stops herself from approaching him, he tells her that there is no next year, no matter what’s up with Inter High is fine but to be able to fight alongside with her, this year is the last year.. “No matter what, I wanted to use the Interhigh to make you, Yuki-senpai, show a smile..” This soften Yuki’s expression as if she is about to cry. She recalled him asking if she wanted to get into Interhigh. She thinks that except for Shou, she and also everyone, probably think that Interhigh-whatever is only a faraway dream. She leans near him and tensely asks what he is crying for. Shou looks at her, and sulks again to say that she’s noisy to death. Yuki clicks her tongue and says that sooner or later, they’ll get revenge to get even.

Shou asks if she is a kid. Yuki says that she doesn’t want to hear that especially if it’s coming from him. She bends down and pats his back. She tells him that that let her say it this way, take her to next year’s Interhigh competition. He asks if she is going to repeat a year [in school]. Yuki says no, she isn’t saying that. Even if she retires and graduates, she will still always watch him attentively so next year, definitely bring her along. As Shou covers his face again, Yuki continues to stroke his back and thinks that his back is quite hot, sweaty, fast heartbeat that seems to say, ‘I still want to compete’. “Yes, from today on, you’ll become incomparably strong. ..it’s really great.. It would be good to be able to always al-ways watch you attentively at your side..” At a yakiniku restaurant, Kido holds a glass up and says then, otsukare-sama [good job] everyone for playing in the Interhigh prelims. Everyone cheers. Shouji cries that it is over, his last high school’s summer and not only they didn’t get into the Interhigh [<- final games] but he also doesn’t have a cute girlfriend like Kido has. Kido asks if he drunk too much when it is still June. [<- Shouji is actually drinking oolong tea] Clueless Lena asks what Interhigh is. The freshmen wonder who she is, for she’s super cute.

At the side, Shou is asking Nishiyama to pass the salt but Nishiyama complains why would he when Shou’s arm is so long and the salt is closer to him. One of the guys tells Shouji that they haven’t retired yet so persevere until the end. While distributing the food to Shouji, Yuki says that is right, there is still summer vacation’s summer training camp, and the preliminaries for the Winter Cup will start on the second school term. Someone asks what that is on her neck. She casually tells him that it is a mosquito bite. Then, her cellphone rings. She thinks that it is from her family but then, she told them that she will be late in coming home. It is Shou who messaged her in an instant messaging app, that he plans on not washing his back where she stroked him...and also.. Yuki looks at him and thinks that this is extremely senseless. While covering his lower face, Shou is complaining about not wanting to eat green pepper but Nishiyama tells him not to be choosy when he’s obviously big. After reading the rest of the message, Yuki suddenly stands up. Lena asks what’s up. Yuki says that Himiko hasn’t come back from the toilet so she is going to check on her. Outside the room, Yuki wipes her tears/flustered face. She thinks, what..obviously just a while ago, that brat was sniveling. He had wrote that, ‘and also.. what happened today, I’ll remember it forever, probably’. Narration: “That’s right. The things to do are still piled up like a mountain- Our summer has just begun.”

Comment: Ah, the roller coaster of emotions of a basketball match.. They weren’t able to savor their victory long since they got defeated the next day. Well, at least Shou delivered in the match against Misuzu. It is indeed just too far away for them to get into the Nationals especially if they are mostly just depending on Shou to deliver. Shizuka seems to be hinting that he would burn himself out if he gives it all out in the preliminary games. But then, Shou doesn’t care for he is aiming for that elusive Yuki smile if he manages to fulfill what she also worked hard for. In a way, for him to cry there, which is very unexpected, really shows that he isn’t invincible and always cool and everything. He can be human when faced with defeat especially in failing to make his girl happy. In a way, I think he’s the same with Yuki who doesn’t want others to show their true feelings especially if it shows their weak sides. Just like what he saw before, she now saw him crying, and she did her best to comfort him. ^^ Hehe, it seems that she pulled off some inspiration from what Kido and others are doing for their team.

Well, with that, I think that Shou will keep on working for that goal even if Yuki has already graduated. In a way, it is amazing to keep on striving and persevering hard even with minor gains. The things that Yuki is doing are like laying down the groundwork for future success which she might not be able to experience during her high school years. It also depends on the future batch if they will continue and improve what she and the others had reached. Nevertheless, I guess in sports, one learns a lot of things that cannot be taught in a classroom which they can use in their future lives ^^ Anyway, they managed to get qualified for the Winter Cup unlike last year so if they can improve within 2 months, they can do more later on ^^ And of course, there is summer camp and I bet Shou will most probably try to pull something off with her since it will be their last high school summer together ^^ Scans by 红莲汉化组

Word of the day:

If we rejoice only in our own victories, we miss the wonder of celebrating the power of the Lord, who desires to accomplish His purposes in and through others as well. If we mourn only our own losses, we lose the opportunity to “be there” for those who are hurting by showing them compassion. Life is filled with the extremes of joy and sorrow, victory and defeat. But we have been given the privilege of entering into those moments in people’s lives to see the grace of God at work. Don’t miss it! ~ Our Daily Bread