Like I said, we're making an offering to Mom.
It has to be the high-end ones.
Don't be stupid.
Mizuyoukan that cost 500 yen each?
Your mother would be rolling in her grave if she knew that.
Oh, Takumi, are you going out?
Just to the field.
Takumi, there's something I've been meaning to ask you.
That incident with the baseball team...
You weren't involved, were you?
Not that I'm really expecting you to actually answer me.
Why would you ask me that at this point?
Because you seem depressed.
They suspended our team. Of course I'd feel depressed.
You're right.
If you take away baseball from you, you have nothing left.
But you've lost weight, haven't you?
Is something troubling you?
Don't touch me.
Don't touch my shoulder.
Takumi!
Fine. I won't mention it again. Just do what you want, then.
Oh, you were so close, Makiko.
Close with what?
It's because you touched a pitcher's shoulder.
You need to be more careful.
I touched my son's shoulder.
I've heard it so many times
It's not going to work out
That nothing will change
Even if I pretended not to listen
I knew it all, I learnt this from you
That it's not a failure, even if it is
When I thrust my feelings upon the drifting clouds
The quiet melodies push my back
Because the sky is so vast and free
I decided I wouldn't cry no more
All right, let's get to it before it rains.
Rain? Look how clear the skies are.
-Is that coming this way? -Yeah.
You notice how humid it's gotten?
Let's warm up that shoulder.
What is it?
Behind you.
Otomurai.
Coach...
Let me borrow that for a second.
Yes, sir.
Harada, I'll catch for you. Throw it to me.
What? Am I not up to your standards?
No, it's just...
Can you really catch my throws, coach?
You've got some nerve.
Go for it, Takumi.
I get to watch you from a different position.
Different position?
Is that Harada's best pitch?
-No, he can do more. -I figured as much.
He's not holding back for my sake, is he?
Coach, the next one he pitches will be his.
Was Harada testing me?
Honestly.
Harada, give me one right down the middle.
Show me the fastest pitch you got.
-Was that it? -Yes.
Give me three more in that same spot.
Can't you give it back to me a little more carefully?
I was ready to laugh and say how unimpressed I was with his throws.
Come here, Harada. On the double.
Harada, you want to play, don't you?
With our activities suspended,
there hasn't been much hope for a game, let alone even time to practice.
I hope you've realized how powerless you are.
-Coach! -Quiet. Let me talk here.
Listen up, Harada.
You're still in junior high.
If it's canceled, you don't get to play in the game.
That's where you're at. Got it?
Coach, please stop.
Then what about you, coach?
What makes you so great that you can sit there and judge us?
They took baseball away from you too.
You need to cut this out, Harada. Who do you think you're talking to?
Didn't you want to play baseball?
Didn't you want to compete as a coach?
You said that I was going to start the first match of the tournament.
Yes, you're right. I did.
I pitch and Go catches.
Are you telling me, coach,
that you never wanted to see what it'd be like to coach a game like that?
You are such an insufferable brat.
Harada, I'll be getting our activities resumed before long.
Make sure you stay in shape.
I won't let you do what you want next time.
What did you say?
I'm not letting any of you tell me what to do again.
There's still a lot you don't know.
Including just how fun a sport baseball is.
Why don't you give it a serious shot?
To not just play for yourself but for your team instead.
Harada, Nagakura.
We're going to make it to the nationals next year.
Coach.
I'll take you to the nationals with me.
What did you say?
I'm willing to make you a coach that takes the nationals.
Well, now that you've made that bold claim,
I'm going to make sure you do what needs to be done to keep that promise.
Mr. Principal, I have a favor to ask.
I heard that you were close with Yokoteni Junior High's principal.
Yes, I suppose.
Could you ask them for a game? With Yokote's baseball team?
Yokoteni Junior High's baseball team...
Didn't they win the district tournament 8 to 1 or something?
It was 9 to 1.
I doubt it, then.
I see.
If I were Yokote's principal, I would decline.
We're just not the same caliber.
Please. I can step in and help with the negotiation.
Mr. Tomura, please try not to rush things.
The only thing you need to worry about doing
is leading the baseball team in a wholesome manner.
I apologize.
Please refrain from taking action on your own.
The baseball team does not belong to you.
It belongs to Nitta Higashi Junior High.
Takumi! It's Mr. Kaionji!
Hello?
The coach wants to talk to us after the opening ceremony.
We're meeting by the net.
Captain, does that mean we can start practicing again tomorrow?
I think so.
We might be able to make the rookie game in the fall.
If I'm being honest,
I'm a little jealous of you first- and second-years.
-Harada. -Yes?
It goes without saying that I'll be contacting Nobunishi and the others too. Okay?
Captain, I hate Nobunishi and his friends.
But I can live with it as long as it means I can play baseball.
I don't care what you want.
All I care about is that we have a functional team.
-Yes, sir. -Bye, then.
Pardon me! Is Takumi here?
This is my house. Of course I'm here.
Oh, you've got a point.
-Did you get a call from Mr. Kaionji? -Just now.
Isn't it awesome? We get to play baseball again tomorrow.
Go!
Oh, Seiha!
You're looking more manly. Have you put on weight?
Do you mean that? I've been eating three square meals a day.
I eat all my vegetables too.
Oh, Seiha, you act so spoiled around Go.
I guess you look for attention because Takumi never gives you any.
I'm sorry.
I've caused a lot of trouble for all of you.
But after I was able to get the principal's and other teachers' understanding,
they allowed us to resume our team activities.
Harada.
-Are you listening? -No.
Coach, all the seniors will be retiring, then, won't we?
Hold on, Kaionji.
Yes, seniors would normally retire around this time.
But this year, I'd like you to stay on a little longer.
What do you mean?
I want to set up an exhibition match and treat it like a formal one.
We didn't get to participate in the district tournament.
I can't send you off with so much left undone.
-You're letting us play? -That's my intention.
Who will we get to play?
-I want to play Yokoteni Junior High. -Yokote?
Please let us play them, coach.
If it's against Yokote, I don't care if it's just an exhibition match. Right?
However, I haven't gotten the school to sign off on this.
They told me we're just on different levels.
I see.
I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm going home.
I can't be late for my cram school.
And also, here is my letter of resignation.
Nobunishi.
Are you really going to quit?
Yes. I...
I just hate him.
That's my only reason.
Hold on a second.
What kind of reason is that?
Are you really going to run from a little freshman kid?
I never really liked teamwork in the first place.
But I did have fun some of the time.
I knew I was getting better, but I was putting up with it the whole time.
That's what baseball is, isn't it?
You're the one who taught us that putting the team first is what's most important.
-I did. -Then what about Harada?
Do you really think Harada is playing baseball for the team?
Wait, Mr. Nobunishi...
Tell me, Harada,
have you ever wanted to win a tournament?
Or wanted the team to be stronger?
No.
But I also know that I can't play baseball by myself.
I guess my only goal is to throw the best pitch I can.
Harada, you're going to fail.
You can't achieve your dreams
by doing whatever you want to.
I won't accept it!
Excuse me.
Nobunishi!
After all these years, you're really just going to end it like this?
I'm sorry. You're the only one I feel bad about doing this to.
I'm really sorry.
-Nobunishi. -Coach, just let him go.
What do you mean?
I knew this whole time.
I knew how much strain he was putting on himself.
But I told him to hold it in for the team.
So please just let him do what he wants now.
Coach. About Yokote...
What if they're the ones who ask us for a game?
What did you say?
Baseball Team
Do you have an idea or something?
Don't tell me your plan is to just go and beg them.
No, I'm not going to beg.
I'm just going to meet with their captain and talk to him directly.
-With that Kadowaki? -Who else would it be?
But Kadowaki is a real slugger.
Rumors say that big schools are trying to scout him even now.
You know Kadowaki?
I just talked to him at the district tournament last year.
Will he really agree to play us?
I'm going to try to hook him so he'll be begging to face us.
-It might just work. -How?
-Harada. -Yes?
You need to pitch to Kadowaki and strike him out.
If you can do that, knowing Kadowaki's personality,
he's going to want his revenge.
He's not one to sit idly by after getting struck out by a first-year.
After that, I'll just need to talk to him.
That's crazy, Kaionji.
-Harada, it's a big responsibility. -Yes.
Look, I don't think you understand.
They say Kadowaki's a talent that only comes around once every 10 years.
I know he'll be able to take down Mr. Kadowaki.
Hey, Takumi. It's the baseball team.
Hello?
Harada, we're meeting Kadowaki at Yokote's central park in two days.
Okay.
Coach is going to give us a ride in his car.
It'll be me, you and Nagakura going. Got it?
Understood. I'll see you then.
Hold on. Don't you have any questions for me?
About what?
Like how I was about to get Kadowaki to agree to this.
What do you think I told him?
I don't know.
Man, you really are cold.
I asked him if he wanted to face a real 140-kilometer pitch.
That got him to bite.
But I never meant it as a joke.
-Sorry to keep you waiting. -Yo.
-Is that him? -Yes.
He's so skinny. Can he really throw that good?
Yes, but only fastballs.
We've got tests every day at our school.
All the seniors are in exam mode.
Yeah, but you're getting in with a sports scholarship.
You don't have to worry about exams.
But everyone around me is studying like crazy.
I was bored out of my mid.
But then I got a call from you.
It sounded interesting, so here we are now.
Oh, so you were just bored.
I mean, I didn't quite believe everything you said.
But he looks like the real deal.
Strike one.
I see. You weren't lying.
Ball.
Hey, Mr. Catcher.
Is that pitcher throwing what you're signaling for?
Yes.
In that case, since this isn't a real game,
how about we leave all the cheap tricks out of it?
Can you have him throw the fastest pitch he's got?
Okay.
Strike.
Time out!
That was freaking blazing.
Kadowaki's timing was completely off.
Your fingers are shaking.
I guess I'm pretty excited.
Could you throw that again?
What is it?
It's nothing. I got it.
Home run.
Did it make it to the stands?
Just barely.
Takumi!
The summer peak came and went
That's what the weather report said
But it still feels like the city is restless
The evening bells of 5PM
Resonate inside my heart today
Clouding me with something convenient Like "destiny"
It's the final fireworks of the year
I will remember them Many years from now
Are you here? You're probably not
I'm sure you're not
Will I be able to say it if I see you?
I close my eyes and dream