Mikako! Good morning!
Good morning!
- Good morning! - Good luck!
Meimi, you look very sleepy today.
Yeah, yesterday's homework...
Hey!
Why are you looking so gloomy in the morning?
What did you say?!
With that expression on your face, you can't enjoy the day!
Good morning!
You two are so close!
Mikako! What are you talking about?!
You're running this early, aren't you?
Because soon we'll commemorate the year...
...of the Olympics, and we're going to have...
...the Seika Open Marathon.
That's right! See you later!
Saruwatari was pretty excited!
He says that Mikako will represent our school...
...and she's favored to win the race.
I see... Mikako! Good luck!
Thank you!
STEAL A WOMAN'S MARATHON RUNNING SHOES
Hey, Meimi! After school today...
...can you go shopping with us?
All right!
Hi, Haneoka!
I want you to go somewhere with me.
Sorry! I've just made plans.
Well, it has to be today.
To tell you the truth, I'm writing an article...
...about an attractive runner's road to victory.
I know! It's a special...
...about the senior, Mikako Tamura.
What's wrong with that?
Today Mikako will practice on the riverbank.
I want to take some pictures there...
...showing her supportive friends.
I was wondering if you would be one of her fans in the photographs.
Sounds like fun! Let's all go together!
You told us your plan...
...but your real purpose is to take pictures...
...of Meimi, isn't it?
Well, that's one of the reasons.
In the past week...
...I've been following her in order to write an article about her.
But she doesn't look very happy.
So I was wondering if we could all try to cheer her up.
Good for you, Sawatari!
All right! I'm going to be supportive of her!
Yeah! That's a good angle!
Haneoka is in the middle! Yeah! That's right!
Very good!
There she is! Mikako!
- Yay! - Good luck!
Oh, all of you came!
Take this...!
Thank you!
We're going to speed it up!
Yes!
Mr. Tsukamoto!
Remember my shoes that you had the other day?
What did you do with them?!
Go away! We're in the middle of a workout!
Mikako!
Come on, Hiroko! Let's go!
All right.
I did it! I captured their rivalry!
Was I wrong...?
Yeah...!
Who's that girl?
She is considered the biggest threat to Mikako.
She's Hiroko Hashimoto from Seika Minami Academy.
She doesn't seem very nice.
She's the daughter of the Chairman of the Board.
She has her own coach.
Oh, is that the man on the bicycle?
I wonder if something's...
...going on between those two.
Don't you need to practice today?
I don't care about practice...
I... I can't run anymore...!
If you don't mind, could you tell me why?
The other day...
...we had a practice workout at Seika Minami Academy.
Hiroko's coach...
...Mr. Tsukamoto approached me.
Mikako. As usual, your times are great.
Thank you very much.
I would like to see...
...your custom jogging shoes.
We'd like to check them out.
Sure!
He said he would return them right away...
...and I lent them to him without being suspicious.
The next day, the shoes were returned right away.
But...
Ouch!
The shoes he returned weren't mine...
...and a pin was hidden inside.
If I had been wearing them in the race...
...and didn't notice, my foot would have been...
That's very cruel sabotage!
My shoes were custom-made abroad for my feet.
If I order another pair...
...they won't be here in time for the race...
Without them my times won't be good enough to win.
My real shoes must be at Tsukamoto's place.
I went there to get them back...
...but they chased me away...
Don't worry. I'm sure God will protect you.
All right, Hiroko! That's all for today.
Thank you for the workout!
Father...!
Tsukamoto, you're positive...
...that you can assure my Hiroko of a win, aren't you?
Of course!
When she gets first place...
...you'll keep your promise, won't you, Mr. Chairman?
I'm aware of what you want.
If you've trained a runner who took first place...
...it's easier for me to reward you...
...with a winning bonus and a promotion...
...to the school's Head Coach...
...at the board meeting.
I'll ensure that she wins no matter what...!
I have a secret plan.
I'm counting on you.
If my daughter becomes the top runner...
...my position at the school will be solidified.
Coach! In exchange for my winning...
...he'll receive money from my father...?!
Mikako's shoes were switched?!
It's as I suspected...
Did you know about it, Meimi?
Well, yeah...
Then can you do it?
Of course!
St. Tail won't allow cheaters to tarnish...
...the sanctity of sports.
But we don't have time.
The race will start at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
All right.
I should get Mikako's shoes back tonight then.
You can count on me!
It's tomorrow at last.
Asuka, are you going to watch the race?
The race is being held during class.
But Sawatari was telling us...
...he'd get permission to go take pictures.
He is special...
...because he's with the school newspaper.
Then we should get permission, too.
I'm Mikako's fan!
Just because you're her fan...
...doesn't mean Sister is going to give you automatic permission.
Let's go.
You think so...?
"Tonight...
...I'm going to Seika Minami Academy, in the track team's room...
...to get a pair of jogging shoes."
It's St. Tail's warning note!
I have to go!
Hey, Asuka!
I'm home!
Welcome home, Meimi.
Dad!
Mom!
Where are you?
Here! Here!
What? Where?
Over here, Meimi!
Oh. It's no use hiding...!
Aha! I've got you!
Ouch!
Success! Success!
Boy, where's Mom?!
Here I am.
Mom! Were you there all along?!
Yes!
Then the shadow in the kitchen was...?
Here it is! It's my idea for some new magic.
Using a mirror and a light...
... I can make an item, which isn't there, appear.
Wow! That's great, Dad!
Let me have that trick for a moment!
Meimi! Why don't you come down and have a snack?
Later!
Meimi may...
...seriously be thinking about following in my footsteps.
I wonder...
Now let's get to work!
BASEBALL CLUB
TRACK AND FIELD CLUB
First place...
Could these be?! Mikako Tamura's shoes?!
What's the matter?
Coach! These are Mikako Tamura's shoes, aren't they?!
What's going on?
Why were these in our locker room?! Please explain!
These are... Hiroko, they're for you.
For me?!
It may not be appropriate for me to say this...
...but to be honest with you...
...your current times aren't good enough to beat Mikako.
What?!
I've done it because I've been thinking about you...
...trying so hard to measure up...
...to the expectations of the school.
It's not fair...
...to take her shoes...
...and her chance of recording a winning time! Coach!
I'm going to return the shoes to Mikako!
Wait, Hiroko!
That's...!
Stop it! Hiroko!
It's bitter!
Coach! This isn't Mikako's special drink!
You did something to it!
That's what I'm telling you...
...I want you to win!
How dare you...! I know that...
...my winning will make you money!
You talked my father into this.
How dare you...
...make me your cash cow?
I won't run tomorrow!
I don't want to run if I have to cheat my opponent!
Mr. Tsukamoto, Hiroko! Is something wrong?!
No.
We're just getting nervous because the race is close.
Is that right?
Asuka Jr. and the police are here.
Just a moment. I'll be right there.
The police...?
Keep these shoes in the locker.
No one's going to get suspicious seeing shoes...
...in the track team's locker room.
But...
Don't do anything stupid.
I'll take care of the situation.
You should think only of running.
A warning note?
Mysterious thief or whatever...
How can you investigate...
...every little tip?
But St. Tail doesn't steal without a good reason.
The fact that it's just before the race...
...makes me think of something else.
Among your athletes...
...is there anyone who could be her target?
We have an important race tomorrow.
I don't want you to make it a big deal, if possible!
We won't bother anyone.
Then suit yourself.
Oh, Lord, forgive me, for I use no gimmick or trick.
One!
Two!
Three!
Mikako's special shoes have...
...the initial "M."
Please be careful.
Count on me!
May the blessings of God be with us.
Excuse me.
Hiroko! You're still here?!
You'd better go home and rest.
Otherwise, you can't run well tomorrow.
Coach, I'd like to stay with them.
Is she...?
She's the ace of our team, Hiroko Hashimoto.
What...?!
Mr. Tsukamoto and Hiroko. Get out of the room!
All right!
It's St. Tail!
Catch her!
- She's outside! Chase her! - Yes, sir!
Well, where are the shoes...?
These must be them!
Wait a minute.
She hasn't stolen anything yet.
This must be a dummy! The locker room is at risk!
Darn!
St. Tail! Come down!
Come down and give me a fight!
It's...
...Show...
...Time!
All right! I'm coming up!
What...?!
Hiroko! What are you doing?!
Hiroko! Come down!
If you can't race tomorrow, my job is...!
That's what I want!
What did she say?!
St. Tail! Why don't you attack me?!
She's trying to provoke me.
Asuka Jr., I beg you!
PIease stop Hiroko!
Of course!
And I'll catch St. Tail, too!
Stay still up there!
Don't come any closer. It's better if I get hurt.
What are you talking about?!
If I get hurt and can't race...
...you and my father will think about it.
Come down, Hiroko!
Don't come any closer!
Mr. Tsukamoto!
I'm taking Mikako's shoes!
You'd better not interfere anymore!
Mikako's shoes?!
What's going on, Mr. Tsukamoto?!
What's the explanation here?
It's all over...!
That's good... This is the way...
TAMURA
These are...!
Thank you, God.
Mikako!
Hiroko!
It's time to compete, Mikako!
Yes. I won't be easy on you!
On your mark!
Get set!
Mikako was very happy.
The coach confessed to everything.
So Hiroko can also race without any problem.
Really?!
Then the result of the race is even more exciting!
Hey! Sister gave us special permission!
So we can go now?!
- Yeah! - We'll be in time for the finish!
Hurry up! Here! Here!
SEIKA CITY MARATHON
Tied for first place!
This is the first time in the history of the race!
Great! Both of them!
Yeah. I guess St. Tail and I are rivals, too.