Hey, have you heard?
In order to avoid people, Aoyama basically never takes the train.
Really? That sounds like Aoyama.
He'll have a rough time making it to our game against Takada Academy tomorrow.
What's up?
Isn't that Aoyama?
You're right.
I may be able to give Aoyama a reason not to show up.
#03
The Reason Aoyama-kun Isn't Here
Mr. Zaizen! Thank you for treating us!
I never said it was my treat.
It's our tradition to eat at a family restaurant the day before a match!
Stop making up traditions. I only treated you one time.
You can't go into battle on an empty stomach!
We want to win tomorrow, right? Right, Aoyama?
I'm going home.
Why? He's treating us!
I just told you I didn't say that.
Look! It's the next head of the Zaizen family over here!
Aoyama, let's do some killer mixing at the drink bar and start a revolution!
I'd rather get home quickly and take a shower.
Looks like nature's providing you with one right now.
Welcome.
Can I take your order?
This is some guerrilla downpour...
We'll all start with the drink bar.
It's right over there.
So that's out, too?
That looks gross. What's with that color?
It's cola plus melon soda. It might look bad, but it's the best!
I dipped a teabag in there as well.
Well, let's prepare ourselves for making it through the preliminaries tomorrow—
Unacceptable.
It's beyond belief that Aoyama's playing for such a worthless team.
It's like giving a national cultural treasure to toddlers.
You're that perverted forward from Oshigami-Minami, Takechi Akira!
Ah, it's the worthless soccer team from Fujimi High School.
Who are you calling a worthless team?!
Aoyama!
Fancy running into you here. What a coincidence.
Stop it with the ab flexing!
People call you a pervert because you do that no matter where you are!
And coincidence? Puh-lease. You always come and watch our practice sessions.
Why would I lower myself to watching a bunch of amateurs train?
You may think those sunglasses in your pocket are an adequate disguise,
but they're conspicuous as hell!
Well, if the cat's out of the bag—
You're not even trying to keep it there!
So you're up against Takada Academy tomorrow?
If we fielded our starting eleven against them, we'd win at least five-nil.
And if we had Aoyama,
even the lowest estimate would see us scoring ten goals.
So what?
Hypothetical scenarios are so pointless.
Let's eat.
No matter what you say, Aoyama's on our team.
Go home, go home.
This is why you're all worthless! You're not getting my point!
I'm saying you aren't fit to be Aoyama's teammates!
Shut up! There are other customers in here!
Stop shouting!
What's going on?
A fight? That's so lame.
Takechi-san, please calm down!
I can take your order now.
It's finally here!
Thank you for the food!
Hey, Aoyama, you're not going to eat?
This jumbo Hamburg steak is addictive! You should order it.
Here's your jumbo Hamburg steak.
You guys know nothing about Aoyama.
What?
Aoyama never eats out.
He only eats nutritionally balanced meals he's prepared himself.
He does that so he can stay in perfect shape as an athlete.
He's not like you slobs,
who pay no regard to your prelim match tomorrow and eat with reckless abandon.
I think his germaphobia just prevents him from eating food someone else has made.
So, Aoyama, I will take care of this thing for you.
Now wait just one minute...
That's actually my job.
You already have the same dish in front of you!
This? It'll be gone in three seconds flat!
Now, gimme that Hamb—
You already finished it?!
That pervert keeps provoking us!
Your cheese-filled Hamburg steak.
Huh? I didn't order that.
The gentlemen over there ordered it for you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
I don't think you can beat me for speed.
You schmuck. You dare to challenge me?
All right, then!
It's a dead heat!
The next battle is over the Japanese-style radish-topped Hamburg steak!
Huh? Another Hamburg steak?
How long is this rainstorm going to last?
And how long will this speed-eating contest go on for?
I guess at this point, they're competing over who can eat more.
Wow, only five more dishes and they will have conquered the whole menu!
In that case, the one who eats it all first wins.
Takechi-san, let's call it quits! This is such a silly fight.
Tachibana, there are fights you can't afford to lose.
There are fights you can't afford to lose
Even if it wasn't our regular eleven, we lost the training match against them.
We lost
Losing against the same opponent twice?
My pride won't allow it!
My pride won't allow it
No, wait. This has nothing to do with soccer!
This has nothing to do with soccer
They're finally on the last dish! It's everyone's favorite: curry and rice!
And now both contestants' hands have stopped in midair!
To be honest, my stomach went way past capacity a long time ago.
I feel like it can't even take another grain of rice.
But you know what?
Watch me, Aoyama!
I am better than these scrubs in every regard!
Takechi's powering through to the home stretch!
You and I... We met in middle school, at the training match for the Tokyo try-outs.
I still remember the pass you made to me in the youth internationals.
It was the kind of pass that guides you to the goal.
I can't forget how it felt.
No matter who they are, any forward who receives a pass like that
will want to receive it again.
That's why I've tried everything I can to persuade him.
I wanted to conquer all of Japan with you.
The last bite!
Pass the ball to me like that once more!
Aoyama!
"Seasonal dish: the mega-sized strawberry parfait?"
Takechi-san, this is the last item.
You perfectionist.
This... is our mega-sized strawberry parfait.
Aoyama, that was one hell of a killer pass.
Takechi-san!
Hang in there, Takechi! I've brought my special hyper-mixed drink for you!
Dessert goes into a different stomach.
Looks like we win again.
The rain's stopped, so I'm going home.
So this place we went to last time with Kana was so delicious.
Let's go there together.
Yeah, I want to go!
Kana?
Tokyo Subdivision Preliminaries Arena
That damn clean freak! Where's that oddball got to?
Where did he go?!
Calm down, Zaizen. He was here just a moment ago.
He'll be back.
Yeah, cool your jets.
You guys are way too relaxed about this!
The important first match of the Inter-High preliminaries is today!
Dammit, don't you know this already, Aoyama?!
All right.
What a drag.
Why on earth must they insist on playing matches at our school?
It just creates more work.
Hey, you!
Why are you washing the bottle I just washed?
Well...
"Well"?
Because it's dirty.
Then why don't you come and help me?
All right! Are you done warming up?
Yessir!
But, Orihara-san, this Fujimi High we're up against
has that Aoyama dude playing for them.
So what?
It's not like I do this because I want to.
My boyfriend happens to be the captain of the team, so...
Gross! What have they been doing in here?
Oh, please put that box on the shelf at the back.
My boyfriend's a punk, but he actually cares about soccer.
He told me that today's opponent in the prelims are a real threat.
His name...
Why have you locked the door?
Aoyama from Fujimi High School.
You won't be getting out of here.
Not until the match is over, anyway.
Always showing off his six-pack!
Takechi Akira
Tachibana
New formula
The cleaning power will astonish you
Bring on
the foul play
Orihara Youji
Kana
Tokyo Subdivision Preliminaries Arena
This is a surprisingly big crowd for a subdivision preliminary.
It's because Fujimi High School has that Aoyama kid.
They're probably all here for him.
I see. He's just that popular, huh?
This is weird, though. I don't see him anywhere.
Aoyama isn't coming.
I'm seriously going to murder him!
The match is starting.
Let's keep this huddle going just a little bit longer.
I can't find Aoyama-kun anywhere!
Seriously?! What's that chronically late fool playing at?
I-I'll go look again!
Aoyama going AWOL is an issue,
but we also got a bad draw with this first opponent.
It's not like Takada Academy has any standout players,
but everyone on the team is physically solid and runs a lot.
And they don't shy away from a bit of foul play in order to win.
They're famous for being a team that likes to rough other teams up.
Son of a...
Soccer Team
Conquer the Nation Takada Academy Soccer Team
I can't let you play in that match.
Don't move!
I'll scream otherwise.
I see.
You play dirty.
Huh? Wha—
What happened?
When I thought about the fact that I'm locked in here, I suddenly...
So not only are you a clean freak, but you're also claustrophobic?!
Don't touch me.
You're such a pain!
Just being locked in made you break out in a cold sweat and collapse...
And you're a severe germaphobe, aren't you?
Can you even play soccer, a game where you keep running into people?
It's impossible to play this sport without getting dirty.
They blasted it in on the counter.
Takada Academy bag themselves another goal.
All right! Goal number two!
Damn.
Once they scored, they shored up their defense and waited to counterattack.
Even though they look like delinquents, they take soccer seriously.
Where are you at a time like this, Aoyama?
Just another thirty minutes.
Does your boyfriend know about this?
Of course he doesn't.
You looked so shifty just then.
N-N-No, I didn't!
I'm doing this on my own!
Stop...
Gotou Moka.
Anyone who makes Aoyama-kun suffer has to answer to me.
How did you... The lock!
This kind of cheap lock won't even stop me for ten seconds.
Some people saw a girl and Aoyama-kun walking in the direction of the clubhouses,
so I unlocked them one by one to check.
Aoyama-kun, please hurry! The match has started!
Fifteen minutes remain, and Aoyama is missing.
Might be time to pack up.
You said it.
That idiot.
Aoyama-kun!
Aoyama has finally made it on to the field!
Aoyama-kun!
Fifteen minutes left, two goals behind. That's an uphill task, even for Aoyama.
What were you doing?
And why do you have a brush?
Zaizen-san.
I'm going to pass to you.
Why is he here?
Ha. So you've finally shown your face, Aoyama.
I've been waiting to take you on.
But it's really unfortunate that there are only fifteen minutes left.
Takada
1st
2nd
ET
Fujimi
Aoyama!
Aoyama's first touch!
What will he do now?
That's way too far for a pass!
Ishida, get back! He's going for goal!
Saved by the bar!
He's really up for this, going for a long-range shot after just one touch!
He's only made one play, but I can already smell a goal coming!
So cool!
That's Aoyama. Shoot! Shoot!
Tch. "I'm going to pass to you," my ass.
See! That's our Aoyama right there!
Did you see that?
Right on!
I told you not to give him space or time on the ball!
It's dangerous!
Yessir! I'm sorry!
Damn, so this is Aoyama...
How can he move so fast, yet keep the ball at his feet like it's on a string?
He scores! Goal number one for Aoyama!
Dammit! He's in a totally different league.
But you know, soccer's not a clean game. You get me?
Do it!
Put more people on him! Don't let him get away!
It's amazing that he can be surrounded and still keep the ball.
Hey, now...
They're being way too obvious about wanting to hurt Aoyama.
He crossed while being surrounded.
And it's on a dime!
How did he even see that?
Aoyama got sent flying!
Goal! It's two apiece! We're tied!
Aoyama!
Yeah, that warranted a card.
What, really?
Bastard! What the hell?!
Zaizen!
That was totally on purpose!
Cut the crap!
I just had too much momentum.
Hey, are you okay?
I'm fine.
You're...
totally not fine!
What do you mean?
Stop pretending!
Aoyama's movements have suddenly become stilted!
Once his uncleanliness crosses a certain threshold,
Aoyama-kun gets so stressed out that he can't play properly.
Let's put that away, shall we?
Right now, Aoyama is a waste of space! Let's put them away!
Since Aoyama can't move, we need to cover for him!
Yeah, we just have to do it!
It's 2-2, and neither team is yielding!
There isn't much time left, so the next goal will decide the game.
Takada
1st
2nd
ET
Fujimi
There!
No!
Fujimi's defending for their lives,
but with Aoyama in that state, this will be tough.
We've somehow kept it tied, but it's starting to look hopeless.
Less than five minutes left!
Takada Academy's attacks are relentless!
I've got it!
I thought...
you couldn't move.
Wow, he controlled that piledriver on his chest!
And now, he's counterattacking!
I'll make you go flying again!
Wha—
This is a complete departure from his earlier finesse. He's going in hard!
He came back out of his shell.
Yeah.
Aoyama hates losing more than dying.
When he reaches the last five minutes...
Stop, you little turd!
the shackles of his germaphobia...
can no longer keep him down!
He scores! All by himself! A lightning counterattack!
3-2! Fujimi High School pulls ahead!
What is it with you?!
I thought you hated getting dirty!
I hate dirty things.
Chief among them...
Dirty cheats.
So I'm going to crush you with everything I've got.
Unacceptable.
Aoyama's a monster in the youth division who's never lost, not even once.
Time's up! In the end, Fujimi wins 5-2!
We did it, we did it!
Yeah!
Aoyama!
Learn your lesson already, guys.
What is this?
Why is the clubhouse so clean?
So Aoyama wasn't locked in here, but stayed back to clean?!
Aoyama-kun!
Thank you! Thank you!
Aoyama-kun! You're so cool!
Kana!
You're a germaphobe, but you're on a sports team.
That's hard to fathom, Aoyama.
Next time
Narita-kun Keeps It a Secret