Kimi ni Todoke [Chapter 100]

Chizuru is sitting in front of her house’s door when someone is standing in front of her. She looks up to see Ryu. She looks surprised at him. Ryu seems to be also surprised. Ryu says that she is staring at him with such round eyes, could it be that she isn’t waiting for him. After exclaiming in surprise, Chizuru says that it is because she thought that he won’t come today..after all.. It is Hokkaido’s big competition..the semifinals is for today. After a pause, Ryuu says that he’s going. He turns around to leave when she suddenly calls out his name. He looks back at her but she couldn’t bring herself to say, ‘gambatte’ [/good luck/do your best] so she just tells him to be careful on his way. At the Starffin Stadium, the girls are watching the baseball game. Ayane says that the sky is quite clear and how long will this practice last. Looking down, Chizuru says that she doesn’t know. Ayane says that the rival seems to be a strong team. Chizuru says that’s right. Ayane says that it isn’t too encouraging. This made Chizuru angrily stare at Ayane. Ayane laughs and asks Chizuru if she wants Ryu to win or not, what is she thinking. Becoming nervous, Chizuru says that she is thinking of both. Ayane asks what that is. Chizuru exclaims that she doesn’t want both.

Ayane says no, she [Ayane] thinks that thinking that way is also no problem. Sawako looks at glum Chizuru. Sawako says that Chizuru wants to cheer for Ryu, she really wants to cheer for him because Ryu has been doing his best in practicing every day for each of the competitions. Chizuru know this, the most but her feelings of not wanting to part from Ryu is also real. This made Chizuru look flustered. Ayane glances at Sawako who is looking at Shouta. Shouta is sitting somewhere else. Sawako recalls that day. After Shouta hugged her that day, they pretty much went home without saying much. End flashback. After a pause, Ayane asks if afterwards, Sawako and Shouta didn’t discuss about the future aspiration anymore. Sawako says yes, and how can she say it, the topic didn’t go there and they just deal with each other like how they normally do. No..it isn’t normal at all..it is only that the heart[/mind] persistently thinking, one has to be normal [with him]. She thinks that perhaps, it is the same for Shouta. Sawako wonders out loud why he would say that when she obviously said that they are going to take an exam for the same college. She wonders when he started to think that way. <- she is going to a normal university. She asks out loud [when] he had that kind of feeling. Her friends look at her.

Ayane says that in the end, it is basically easy for Sawako to take an exam and enter the college but she would still go to cram school and study as if her life depended on it. How should she says this, it felt like what she [Sawako] is doing is the same with what she [Ayane] did. One cannot help but think that she wanted to take an exam at some other college. Sawako asks if it looks like that. She wonders if Ayane also think that way. Chizuru says that just now, what Sawako mentioned about her [Chizuru] feeling is probably also Shouta’s feeling. And, Shouta would cheer Sawako on, right. Then, one of the players goes to Ryu. Chizuru exclaims that the pitcher’s body is too stiff. Ayane asks if the opponent is better and that is inevitable. Ryu shouts for someone to stand closer a bit to the third base. The other girls are asking if that was Ryu just now, and it turns out that he can shout. Chizuru worriedly thinks that from the start, they are already caught in a predicament. Clenching her fist, she hopes that the right fielder goes forward. She wonders if he really wants to win. Then, there is a 1 score on the board.

Ayane calls out to Chizuru and exclaims that Ryu is on the plate [to bat]. Chizuru exclaims that she knows but forget it. Then, they look surprised for Ryu got hit. It was a ‘hit by pitch’. [<- is a situation in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is hit by a pitch from the pitcher. The batter is awarded first base, provided that {in the plate umpire's judgment} he made an honest effort to avoid the pitch, although failure to do so is rarely called by an umpire. Source: wiki]   While someone helps Ryu up, Chizuru recalls asking Ryu if he isn’t afraid of anything. Ryu says he does, for example being hit by pitch type of thing. She shouted for him to endure it. He said that it is very painful, a hit by pitch. End flashback. Chizuru suddenly stands up and shouts for Ryu not to die. Ryu is holding up his hand and telling the others that he is okay. Then, he stands up. Chizuru shouts that Ryu has resurrected. Ayane sweatdrops and says that he didn’t die, he just got hit. Upon seeing Ryu running to the first base, Chizuru looks away, then she stands up. She says that she is going to the toilet.

After Chizuru left, Ayane says that Chizuru couldn’t watch on because she has that disposition wherein obviously the crisis still continues but she couldn’t cheer for Ryu. If it is the usual times, she won’t leave her seat during this kind of time. If she is able to cheer for Ryu, then.. Chizuru is standing by the stairs and looking out to the view outside. Later on, Shouta who is carrying some beverages sees Chizuru standing by the stairs. He climbs halfway the stairs and asks her what she is doing in this kind of place. Surprised Chizuru says how about him. Shouta says no, it is because everyone’s throat is parched dry so he went to buy some drinks. Shouta asks since when is she staying here. She says that it is from the time when Ryu got hit by pitch. Standing beside her, Shouta says that has been quite a long time, since they are now in at a disadvantage with 3 vs 1. This surprises Chizuru. He continues but then, they also passed through a lot of crisis. Ryu is also shouting loudly a lot more than usual whether it is to give instructions or running to the pitcher’s mound. Chizuru looks flustered.

Shouta asks if she knows that every time, her voice can be really heard clearly at the [baseball] field. That is because during grade one, whenever he and Ryu play together, everyone would say that Chizuru is amazing. Blushing Chizuru asks if he is teasing her. He says that at that time, he recalls that Ryu didn’t get a strike the next time. Chizuru blushes. Then, Shouta says that he’ll be going ahead. She calls out to him and asks if he can cheer for Sawako from the bottom of his heart even if they will be separated. Shouta shouts back for her not to underestimate [/look down on] people. While Shouta leaves, Chizuru recalls exclaiming in disbelief at Ryu that today’s competition is the last one for junior high. Ryu said yes. Chizuru groans about really wanting to go and see it. Ryu told her that it is a losing game. Chizuru exclaimed that it doesn’t matter for she wanted to cheer for him. Ryu said that it is already over. Chizuru exclaims it isn’t, for there is still high school. Perhaps, it is already over with this team but it doesn’t mean that Ryu’s baseball has ended. Blushing a bit, Ryu said ya. Chizuru exclaimed for him to wait until high school and if they pass the first round, won’t all the school come and cheer for him. Ryu said who knows, if they can do it, then perhaps that is possible. Chizuru encouraged him to pass through the first round. Ryu laughed and said ya. End flashback.

That startled Chizuru. She thought that obviously right now, it is that time. Obviously everyone are here to cheer for him and obviously right now, Ryu is at a disadvantage, so what is she doing at this kind of place. She runs back into the bleachers. Ayane sees her and exclaims that she’s so slow. Chizuru asks which round are they in. Ayane say the 7th and explains the situation to Ayane. Even if the opponent is leading but because of base on balls [<-occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls, and is then entitled to reach first base without the possibility of being put out. Source: wiki] and two runners on the base hit. Next, it would be Ryu on the plate. She looks at the field to see Ryu getting ready to bat. She rushes down to the fence and tightly grabs it. Someone calls out what is going on and tells Chizuru go to back to her seat. Chizuru exclaims that she saw Ryu lost and he was so frustrated to the point that he got a nosebleed. The person asks huh, what she is saying. Then, Chizuru notices Ryu’s batting gloves and those are the ones she gave him. Chizuru shouts for Ryu to hit it. “Gambatte! Ryu! Gambatte-!!!” As Ryu gets ready to bat, Chizuru continues to cheer along with the others. Chizuru thinks that she knows that he has always been doing his best and she is just being difficult with him that’s all. And, Ryu gets ready to bat.

Comment: And Chizuru finally let go of her worries, anxieties and other feelings about separating from Ryu and do what she has to do right now which is to cheer for her man. ^^ What Shouta said probably help jog her memory about what she told Ryu before. He most probably also inspired her to do what he did/can do for Sawako. In a way, it does seem that Ryu is right here, right now in this competition because of what she told him before. She practically cheered him to reach this stage because of what she said at that time. As always, Ryu is very understanding and gives Chizuru her space. He didn’t rant or anything and remind her about it. In a way, I guess he believes that in the end, Chizuru will pull through and do what she has to do even if she can be a bit slow in understanding the situation. ^^ This is still the semi-finals. We don’t know if they will reach the finals or being in the semi-finals is enough for Ryu to get a scholarship. Whatever the outcome, win or lose, he’ll go to a faraway college or not, Ryu will remember that Chizuru had cheered for him. And, thankfully, Chizuru won’t have regrets about it later on. ^^ By the way, I might have used some of the baseball terms wrong since I’m not really familiar with baseball terms, rules, etc. ^^; Scans by 夜莺工作室

Quote of the day:

A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success. ~ Author Unknown