Chapter 10

This is Chapter 10 from the manga series, Namaikizakari.

Chapter Summary

In his classroom, Shou is emotionlessly laying his head on the table. Ponytail girl is putting a ‘cherry’ ponytail on him. While the other girl is poking him on the cheek, she asks if what happened that he’s so nice today. “Are you hungry? I have a snack-” Shou mutters that he doesn’t need one. Abe tells Ichii [ponytail girl] that is his seat. Ichii shouts for Abe to do something since Shou is very boring. Abe says for him [Abe] to do something, Shou is normally like that and his fatigue from Saturday’s competition has not yet dissipated. Shou recalls Shizuka telling him that this ought to be the last time they’ll meet in a competition and Yuki was asking if basketball is only a game for him. In class, Yuki is also thinking that after practicing hard everyday for the practice competition, they were viciously defeated by Misuzu Academy but the problem is not at all due to the defeat itself. After the defeat, they can draw lesson from it and then they can also re-adjust the way they train but the problem is-- willpower. She recalls asking Shou if he isn’t frustrated and is basketball truly just a game for him, and he answered what if he isn’t [frustrated]. She is furious over that answer that she wanted to kick him. She starts thinking of using a turn around kick = using the centrifugal force to use the hardest part of her foot and viciously kick him to send him flying. She couldn’t believe that he doesn’t have perseverance when he told her that whether they lose or win, it is only a competition. Yuki angrily covers her face, hits the desk with her elbows and knocks the desk with her knees. Her friend tensely exclaims what’s up with her. She just says that her face is itchy. Yuki exhales and thinks that’s enough, whatever is okay, just let that guy go[/do what he wants]. While Shou is walking in the streets, Kido sees him and greets him that they haven’t seen each other since graduation. Shou asks what’s he doing. Kido says that it is already college dismissal and he is on his way home. He asks what about club activity, did Shou skip it. Shou says that there is rest day yesterday and today. Kido says that he heard about last Saturday’s competition and even if he wanted to go and cheer for them, he is busy with college. He asks what the result against Misuzu Academy was. Shou looks at him and says that he wants to eat takoyaki. [octopus in batter balls] Kido exclaims that he is still the same as before, disrespectful with senpais. He offers to pay for Shou since he is also hungry. Shou asks Kido if he ever thought of giving up basketball. Kido nervously asks what is that, does he want to quit the basketball club. Shou says not really, until now, it is only because he finds basketball is very interesting which is why he plays.

While sitting beside Shou as he eats takoyaki, Kido admitted that he had many times thought of ‘want to quit’ before. When he is in junior high, he always wasn’t able to become a formal team member and no matter how hard he practiced, there is always someone much better than him, then when they lose in the competition, he would think ‘is there meaning to keep on persevering’. “Everyone has different way of thinking. Not everyone would think ‘persevere’ is very fun. It is because in basketball, one would throw in one’s sincerity that one would feel frustrated and drained. Want to run away, right? ..but, the most important point is, at this time, one must decided whether to give up or to persevere, to runaway or to confront..” And, he sees Shou throwing the takoyaki paper container in the trashcan and thanking the owner for his hospitality. Kido shouts hey, he is saying something very insightful and he should be thanking him. Thinking whether to runaway or to confront, Shou mutters that if is that girl..she absolutely won’t run away. Meanwhile, serious Yuki is walking fast while thinking that at this time, whether like or hate, whatever is fine with that guy who has no willpower. “Yes, I don’t have time to understand that brat and the things I have to do are quickly piling up into a mountain. ..in short, I must bring this sports jacket back to THAT GUY.” She arrives at Misuzu Academy and thinks that no wonder it is a private school, it’s so big. Since it is an exclusive boys school, the guys are saying that it is a girl and who is she. The guys find her cool based on the mood she emits while walking. Yuki thinks that Shizuka ought to be still in club activity and she’ll trouble the officer to give that jacket back to him. She plans to investigate the gym a little bit but she couldn’t find it since the school is too big. Taking out a notebook, Yuki asks a passer-by if the gym here has perfect air condition equipment. The startled passer-by nervously says yes. Yuki notes that in her notebook and thinks that it turns out that the training environment here is quite superior. Then, a couple of guys ask her what she is doing. She quickly shoves her notebook in the bag and says that it is nothing. They ask her if she is looking for someone in their school and they’ll help her by leading her the way then when they found her friend, they can hang out and have fun together. While Yuki is thinking that this is quite annoying, Shizuka grabs the guy and asks if he is stupid, quickly stop for doesn’t he feel ashamed of flirting with a girl. To Shizuka’s irritation, the two guys call him ‘Shizuka-chan’ [<- like a girl’s name] and wasn’t he suppose to be in the club today. Shizuka shouts for them to quit calling him that and today is rest day.

Shizuka is startled when Yuki holds the bag to her and thanks him, those few days ago and this is his sports jacket that he forgot. The two guys start to tease Shizuka that it turns out that the girl is someone he knew and the jacket ought to be washed..how supicious..what were they doing..big pervert..big pervert! Yuki thinks that they are like elementary kids. Embarrassed Shizuka tries to deny it but in the end, he grabs Yuki and tells her to come along. To Yuki’s surprise, Shizuka pulls her as he goes out. Soon, outside of school, Shizuka scolds her if she’s stupid because it’s dangerous for a girl, all alone, to just recklessly stroll around an exclusive male school. While catching her breath, Yuki apologizes. She wonders how to describe Shizuka, he is obviously considerate but he seems to derail [go off tangent] a bit. Shizuka realizes that he is holding Yuki’s arm. He quickly lets go. Holding the bag to Shizuka, Yuki apologizes for suddenly visiting but she only came to bring this and return it to him, then, she’ll quickly leave. Shizuka thanks her then notices something in the bag. He calls out to her and says that there seems to be a notebook inside. He takes it out and it is ‘Defeat Misuzu training plan’ notebook. Yuki quickly grabs it and thinks that it is over. She had carelessly shoved it in the bag when those two guys were asking what she was doing. She thinks that it is no good, and she ought to splash cold water on her head when she returns home. Shizuka suspiciously asks if she came today to investigate. Shizuka denies it. He asks if it is for the club members that is why she was practicing alone on how to shoot basketball before. Yuki didn’t answer. Shizuka nervously asks if a manager would do things up to this extent and is she a bit abnormal. Yuki says that she doesn’t care, she should do ‘up to this extent’ for the manager’s job forever doesn’t end. She thinks even if her motive for joining the club isn’t pure and, if she doesn’t finish what she should do.. Yuki bids him goodbye for she’s very busy. Shizuka calls out to her and says that if she hasn’t given up, he can accompany her in practicing to shoot the ball. At the public basketball court, Yuki couldn’t believe why the ball won’t get in the basket. Pulling up his sleeves, Shizuka tells her that her elbows are too stiff and her basketball grip is too tight. While she tries to decline his help, Yuki wonders if it is the usual, how she would answer at this time, and if she think of it carefully, Shizuka is the lead role of Misuzu so it ought to be advantageous to get his help rather than for her to practice on her own. Shizuka tells her to not let the palm touch the ball and later on, use the wrist to dribble the ball. Then, he shoots.

Yuki thinks that clean and efficient shooting basket pose.. She recalls Shou. Yuki blurts out that it is like Shou’s. This made her embarrassed that she apologizes. She wonders what she is saying, for she was letting things be with Shou. After looking at her, Shizuka says that their pose is the same, is probably because they started learning basketball at the same time in the same class. Shooting the ball again, Shizuka says at that time, he basically cannot compare with Shou since his level is really awful. Flashback: At the playground, young Shizuka’s friends are blaming him for his mistake that they’ve lost the game. Shizuka asked why they are blaming it all on him. His friend said that it is because he kept on noisily shouting to pass the ball to him that the opponents already saw through it. Another friend told him that he’s obviously short so quit grabbing the ball and like the coach also said, just let Shou deal with them. The boy asked Shou isn’t that so. Holding a game console, Shou said that playing basketball together with Shizuka is quite fun. As they argue that they aren’t asking if it is fun or not, and Shizuka shouldn’t join the competition. Shizuka thought that he finally found a trusted comrade. Then, when they were together, Shizuka asked him if he knows about ‘interschool competition’ wherein the amazing guys would gather together and fight for the position of being Japan’s number 1. Shizuka told him that they would definitely participate together at the interschool competition. Shou says ya. And, that was their promise. End flashback. Shizuka says, but after entering grade four, he suddenly has to move to Kyushu. Flashback: After school dismissal, Shou told Shizuka that he heard that he’s moving. Shizuka said ya, he’ll leave next week but he absolutely do not want to give up and he will become super strong so definitely..fight against him in the interschool competition. Shou said ya, if he can persevere on it. Shizuka is in shock that he shouted what he meant by that for didn’t they promised. Shou said that it is because it is a long time afterwards, so he doesn’t know what will happen to that tournament by then. A ponytailed girl with friend was pulling Shou’s arm and told him that they go home. End flashback. Shizuka gloomily tells Yuki that at that time, he decided that only against that guy, he doesn’t want to lose to him. Yuki thinks that in short, Shizuka had too much expectation on Shou, just like her. Shizuka tells her that it is useless to believe that guy. Yuki says no, she already gave up on that kind of person. [<- the usual denying?]

Shizuka continues to say that Shou only plays basketball because it’s ‘fun’ and he only treats it as a game. So if Shou feels that it is troublesome, even if it is the basketball club, he would easily quit. This surprises Yuki. Shizuka says that even if he doesn’t know what’s her relationship with Shou but Shou absolutely won’t treat anything seriously. He adds that for her to be a very serious basketball club manager, it is unworthy for her to take great pains in thinking about that guy. Yuki couldn’t believe that Shou would ‘quit’ at this moment over this kind of thing. Yuki stands up and exclaims that she thinks that it isn’t like that. She says that even if Shou is frivolous and unreliable, even if he is does as he wishes and is undisciplined that there is no medicine to cure that guy but she thinks that at this kind of time, that guy absolutely won’t easily give up. Thinking that she still believes in Shou, Yuki says that Shou definitely wants to compete against him again. She leaves surprised Shizuka. Yuki thinks, definitely, that is the reason why she wants to ignore Shou and want to leave him without care. It is because she wanted to use this kind way to run away from her feelings for him, that’s all. At the gym, Shou goes to the clubroom and starts taking his things from the locker. He recalls asking Yuki how come she still hasn’t gone home at this time. She would tell him that she’s gathering the opponent’s data, she wants to do everything within two days before the competition and she can do it alone so it is alright. He glances back at the cabinet, and then, he looks serious. And, he leaves. Yuki thinks that about Shou, it is okay no matter what it is [<- taking things for granted], and she didn’t really think that she must find him and properly talk with him. It is morning and Yuki decides to talk with Shou during this afternoon’s practice as if nothing had happened. She notices that there are people in the clubroom when there is no morning practice today. She goes in the clubroom and asks the others why everyone is gathered here. She is surprised when Abe exclaims that there’s something on Shou locker. There is a note saying, ‘Temporarily taimu [体む = time out/time] from club activity – Naruse’. Yuki looks dark and wonders where she should start ridiculing [/complaining] first. Abe shouts that idiot Shou probably wants to write ‘yasumu’ [休む = take a break/absent; not the difference between the first kanji characters]. Yuki says that she knows that. Shouji exclaims that no, Shou probably wanted to write ‘time’ in kanji so the meaning is closer to ‘temporary club activity time’. Tonomura says no, now isn’t the time to do[/deal with] this. Blurb: “All of the members of the basketball club have entered speculation time.”