Namaikizakari [Chapter 25]

Soon, it is dawn. While the guys are sound asleep, they heard multiple knocks on the door. The door slides open loudly. Abe and the others are startled awake and ask what is going on. They notice a guy standing at the door and shouts, “Basketball Club’s cheering squad belonging to first year section C, Sakuraba [guesswork from 櫻庭] Shikanosuke. From today on, will be officially participating in the camp, night showing death pain [<- actually pun for yoroshiku]!!! Abe and the others just look stunned. And something big happened on the second day’s morning of the training camp. While holding her breakfast tray, the others inform Yuki and Himiko about Shika from the cheering squad. Himiko informs Yuki that it is the first year student, and she thinks that she had already explicitly told them that the cheering squad cannot participate in the camp. Pointing at the side, Abe says but this morning, he suddenly burst into the first and second year’s room and hanged around there, not wanting to leave!! Yuki says that they cannot exceed the number of reservation arranged for the camp and there is no guardian’s consent.

Shika appears at the door and exclaims for leader [/commander] to be flexible. Yuki says that she is a manager and even if he asks of her, it cannot be done. While Abe is hiding behind Yuki, Tonomura asks Shika why he wants to particularly join the camp. Shika says that it is because.. He looks at startled Himiko and calls out her name. He bends down to her and says, “Please go steady with me as the precondition before getting married!” This surprises everyone before they exclaim loudly in disbelief. Amamiya and others exclaim if this is for real, summer vacation’s passion is really hard to estimate. Shika says that he himself knows that it is very strange for him to suddenly come to this place but she would be spending four days and three nights with other guys. “Just thinking of it, I couldn’t sit still..” Then, slightly blushing Shika says, “I’m really sorry.” Holding a basketball, Shou asks then what [<- probably sleeping while this is all happening], he won’t move a step from this place. Shou glances at Shika who is sitting with the other players and glaring. Yuki says yes even if Himiko had rejected him.

Flashback: Shika asked what the reason is. “Is it because you don’t like me? *Himiko timidly said no* Then, is it because you like some other guy? *Himiko said that is..* Until I hear a satisfactory reason, I won’t be going back.” End flashback. Yuki thinks that if Himiko firmly scolds him then it might be possible to resolve this but unfortunately, he is the type whom Himiko is really not good in dealing with. Scratching his head, Miyoshi says that in the end, they only have to make him give up today and make him go back. “It cannot be helped. Right now, it only depends on me..” The others exclaim that Miyoshi is so brave. Miyoshi calls out to Shika and puts his hand on his shoulder. Miyoshi says that Shika still doesn’t know the hidden darkness of romance. “Do you know about it? Want to properly listen to me? My ex-wife before is like Himeno-chan..” Shika glares at him and says that even if 100 years had passed, Himiko will still keep on being like that, are you an idiot? This made Miyoshi apologize to him. Clinging on to Tonomura, Miyoshi whispers that it is no good, he doesn’t want to be beaten up by that thug and end up on the newspaper.

After hearing that, Himiko goes to apologize to Yuki. Carrying some towels, Yuki says that this isn’t something that she needs to apologize for. Himiko says that she totally couldn’t think of why this kind of thing happened. Yuki mentally agrees with her when she was all ‘!?’ when Shou says that he has fallen for her. Glancing at Shika giving the ball back to nervous Hatori, Yuki thinks that since it is like this, for Himiko not to hesitate in intruding into this kind of place by herself. “What should I say this-- It is rare.” [Mangaka’s blurb: Will prolong the three days and two nights camp to four days and three nights. Because I want to draw more of this a bit.] While resting by the door of the gym, Shouji complains that he couldn’t concentrate. Shou tell him that it is fine just ignore him. Shouji exclaims that he couldn’t ignore him because whether he is dribbling or pass the ball, Shika would time to time get into his sight that he couldn’t ignore him. Abe groans that today they couldn’t make him give up and go back. Pointing at Shou, Nishiyama tells Shou to simply go and pretend to be Himiko’s boyfriend. Shou asks why him.

Nishiyama exclaims that it is because in confronting a thug, if it isn’t someone as tall as him, it is possible that one can get killed. Yuki arrives and tells everyone that for Shika to hang around and won’t leave, it might possibly cause some problem on the team so let her resolve this issue. “Leave this Sakuraba-kun issue to me.” They exclaim, oneesama. She tells them to give their all out in practice as if their lives depend on it. They gloomily say, ah..oneesama. While Shou watches her leave, Yuki thinks that on the first day, she was careless that caused that accident to happen [<- attacked inside the futon] so definitely on the second or third day, she will make camp life become serious. So, first, she must resolve the Sakuraba issue. By the wall, Himiko nervously faces Shika and thinks of Yuki saving her. Shika asks her why he won’t do, please tell him clearly. “Is it because of the face? Or is it because my rough voice?” As Himiko is about to say to wait a moment, Yuki tells Shika to stop while he is ahead for today and quickly go back because Himiko and the other members didn’t participate in the camp to play around.

While Himiko is relieved, Shika asks, ‘play around’, that make him unable to pretend to have not hear that, leader.. Is she saying that his feelings for Himiko is some child’s play [/trifling matter]. Yuki says that if he wants to refute then for Himiko, he should take the first step of seeing the situation clearly. “The current you is just a hot-blooded guy who only thinks of yourself.” Shika angrily asks what she just said. Then, Shou stands in front of Yuki. Shou tells Shika that it is almost time for him to give up and quickly go back. Thinking that this is bad for they will quarrel, Yuki calls for Shou that is enough and go back to practice. To their surprise, Shou holds up Himiko’s hand and says that this girl is going steady with him. This made Yuki wonder what this idiot is saying for in this kind of situation, with that kind of deliberate lie, he’ll definitely give Shou a vigorous angry.. To Yuki’s surprise, there is a tear on Shika’s eye as he asks if that is true. Shou asks why he is going to lie so let’s go, Himeno. And, he walks away with Himiko.

Yuki didn’t think that this kind of uncivilized method would unexpectedly work. Even if she pities him a bit, but this time, it is really inevitable. Looking at Shou holding Himeno’s wrist, Yuki wonders why her heart felt uncomfortable. At some place, Himiko timidly apologizes to Shou for making him do that kind of thing. Shou tells her that before she says, ‘sorry’, didn’t she think of relying on her own strength in resolving the issue. This surprises her. Himiko thinks that even if it is her, she also wants to talk like Yuki. Shou says that she is thinking that Yuki will come and save her, right? Flustered Himiko says that he won’t understand for he is good at basketball, he has good looks, filled with self-confidence and always towering in the middle of the crowd. He can immediately say what is in his heart but actually not everyone is that strong. “Wanting to say something but cannot say it out as one wishes. That kind of weak person also exists.” To her shock, Shou says that kind of person doesn’t exist. “You are only afraid that you’ll hit the wall and get hurt, that’s all. You only think of thoroughly becoming that kind of person, that’s all. Basically, there is no one who can understand a person’s feelings, if one doesn’t say everything in one’s heart.” This made Himiko reflect on what he said as he leaves.

Later on, Amamiya asks where Shika has gone to. Hatori says that after the break, he didn’t see him. Ponytail asks if he had already gone home. Abe exclaims that’s great for if Shika hangs around on the third and fourth day, he’ll vomit due to high pressure. While putting the clothes in the washing machine, Yuki thinks that Shika left after being convinced by that reason. She felt that after this break, Himiko looks listless so could it be that Shou said something strange. She imagines Shou asking Himiko if she wants to go steady with him for real. This made Yuki slam herself on the washing machine and thinks that she’s really awful for when a kouhai is listless, she would repeatedly have that kind of senseless delusion. To her surprise, Shou leans down on her and says that yesterday, the place where she punched him is swelling so help him say, ‘Pain, Pain go away’. Angrily thinking of this stinky brat who doesn’t understand other people’s feelings, Yuki tells him that degree of punch won’t swell up so quit acting spoiled and go away, it’s so hot!!

Shou says that he always felt that after the break, her feeling had become bad so could it be that she is angry about that thing A WHILE AGO? Thinking that she must calm down, Yuki pretends to not know what he is talking about. He says that it is about him going steady with Himiko. Yuki claims that kind of thing isn’t worthy to be angry about. She turns to him and says that the door is open so what if someone passes by, quickly.. And, Shika is at the door and sees Shou on top of Yuki. This angers Shika that he grabs Shou and pushes him to the wall. He shouts, you stinky, obviously you are already going steady with Himiko yet you are doing this obscene kind of thing. Yuki thinks he is actually still here and this is 100% their fault but Shika totally misunderstood. She tries to tell Shika to wait..it isn’t-- Just before Shika punches Shou, Himiko calls out to Shika. Nervous Himiko recalls what Shou told her so she musters up her courage and says, “..I’m really sorry.. I’m.. not going steady with Naruse-senpai at all.. I also do not have someone whom I like.. I also do not hate you, Sakuraba-kun.. But.. But right now, I want to properly do my best at the basketball club. *bows* ..sorry.”

Shika notices Himiko’s trembling hands which are the same trembling hands that held his face before. Shika smiles and says that in the end, he likes her so, he’ll start all over again. Yuki is relieved and thinks that everyone is mustering up their utmost courage. Lying on the futon, Yuki thinks that refusing also needs a corresponding courage but possibly it is because the other party is that kind of person. Recalling how she told Shou that ‘obviously that isn’t her true feelings and he obviously know’, Yuki thinks that she always think that there is no need to say it out and it can completely be conveyed to the other. Possibly that there are some things that if not said, things won’t change. Then, her cellphone rings. She thinks that it is a message and who would send one in the middle of the night, is it her younger sisters when it is already past 11pm. And, it is a message from Shou saying that the stars are out, along with some poop emoticons stickers. She wonders up to what time is that idiot going to be up.

Yuki opens the balcony door to look at the stars a bit. She looks up the starry sky and thinks that it is really magnificent. Then, from the other balcony, Shou says that in the end, she is still awake. Yuki thinks that it is over for her and by the way, it turns out that the first-second year’s room is just adjacent to theirs. [<- not sure why she doesn’t know when she spread out their futon yesterday] Yuki tells him to quickly sleep for there is still practice tomorrow. Playing with his fingers, Shou says that he is always thinking of her that he couldn’t fall asleep. Things are quiet as some birds are chirping. Yuki thinks that it is this quiet because everyone is asleep so compared to the usual, she can hear this guy’s voice clearly. Thinking that she cannot see his face and she must say something, Yuki asks how his head is. This puzzles Shou. Yuki says that didn’t his head got hit when he got pushed on the wall. Shou says that it is okay for the place where she hit him hurts more and that small injury doesn’t hurt at all. Yuki says then that’s good.

She comments that Shika’s frantic love for Himiko is really shocking. She thinks that at first, she only thought that he is hot-blooded but perhaps, he is like this person. To be able to do that degree of thing, one also has to muster up a huge courage. Holding out his hand, Shou says, “-senpai, caress me. ..for I feel that a bit of senpai isn’t enough.” Yuki becomes tense and wonders if she should muster up ‘courage’ here, no wait, what if someone is awake, so do not be carried away by the mood. After wondering why she has a Shika-like expression, Shou tells her that indeed, that guy has an intense love for Himiko but his love for her [Yuki] is more intense. This made Yuki blush. She thinks that if she didn’t say it out, then she ‘won’t be able to convey’ so he is always constantly telling it her to the point of making her sick of it, and because of that, she also felt it [/his feelings]. She touches his hand and says, “..I know.” Shou smiles and kisses her on the cheek. He says good night and heads inside, leaving Yuki standing by the balcony. Mustering up an insignificant amount of courage, ‘now’ is gradually having a change.

Comment: And, it seems that the mangaka extended the camp to probably add this part in? Anyway, it seems that we have another couple here and I almost thought that he is going to beat Shou and Yuki in becoming a couple first with Himiko. ^^; Since everyone is afraid of him, he must be really a delinquent type which makes him a unique couple with Himiko. Well, probably not so unique in the world of shoujo manga =P It is nice how Shou is helping Himiko become more vocal about her feelings and not always depending on Yuki for help. Actually, I guess he just doesn’t want Yuki to get in trouble because of Himiko. Because of Himiko mustering her courage to reject Shika who doesn’t seem to be the type who’ll easily give up, Yuki has realized the importance of speaking out things to Shou to make him know what she feels rather than for him to ‘feel’ it or just ‘know it without her telling him’. I guess it is the ‘don’t just do some lovey-dovey things’ but also, ‘say it’ at times? I guess this round also belongs to Shou = winner =P

Quote of the day:

Have the courage to be sincere, clear and honest. This opens the door to deeper communication all around. It creates self-empowerment and the kind of connections with others we all want in life. ~ Sara Paddison