Wait!
Thief!
Someone help...
Hey!
You like running?
Huh?
Do you like running?
What?
Run with the Wind
Chikusei-so
This is Nira the dog.
201
Let me introduce you.
These are the Jo brothers from room 201.
The older brother's Jotaro.
Call me Jota.
The younger brother's Jojiro.
I'm Joji.
Nice to meet you.
205
The Karakara-tei public baths!
Sugiyama Takashi from room 205.
He's a third-year business school student.
His nickname is Shindo.
Shindo's written with the characters for "god" and "child."
Nice to meet you.
Back there is Sakaguchi Yohei of room 205.
He's a sociology student.
Like me, he's a fourth-year.
Call him "King."
1938!
He's the king of trivia. Self-proclaimed, that is.
204 Do Not Enter
Don't touch that!
It's all exquisitely balanced.
I can't be held responsible for anything that happens.
You heard him.
That's Kashiwazaki Akane of room 204.
He's a second-year literature student.
His nickname is "Prince."
104
That's Hirata Akihiro from room 104.
We call him Nico-chan Senpai.
He's a nicotine addict!
He's a third-year science and engineering student.
How many times do I have to say it?
He was a year above me when I first met him,
but now he's a year behind me.
It stinks! It really, really stinks!
Shut up. You're just too high-strung.
102
If I sue, there's a 100 percent chance I'll win.
This is Iwakura Yukihiko from room 102.
We call him Yuki.
Are you listening, Nico-chan Senpai?
He's a fourth-year law student who passed the bar on his first try.
You're smoking another?
This is the landlord, Mr. Tazaki.
This is Musa Kamara, a foreign student.
He's in room 203.
He's a second-year science and engineering student.
Nice to meet you.
Let me know when you're out of the bath.
I'm in room 101.
He—
Take your time.
What am I doing?
The 10th Man
Where did you find him?
Kurahara Kakeru.
He's a first-year.
Kurahara?
I've heard that name before.
Coach...
Huh?
That's ten.
You win.
Fine, then. Do what you want.
Come on! You should listen to your department's seniors!
Well? Huh?
Keep it down. This place is tiny.
Quit whining. You guys have the biggest room.
What?
There's two of us in one room.
I can't hear you. What was that?
But I was about to finish.
Newbie, eat something.
This is your welcoming party.
Since Haiji made it, it's all country cooking.
Where are you from?
I'm from Yamagata.
Uh...
Oh, you don't have to tell us.
I'm from Tanzania.
Have you heard of Tanzania?
Africa?
Yeah. Ever been there?
No.
Most people haven't.
Musa's a government-sponsored exchange student.
He's smart.
Isn't his Japanese incredible?
It's not that good...
Don't, guys!
You're too close!
To being fully occupied!
A toast to our tenth resident!
Cheers!
That's good! It stings!
You should definitely read it.
It's no exaggeration to say it'll completely change your college life.
Really?
Let us borrow that comic, then.
Buy it yourself.
Why can't I wear my jacket?
You'd stand out as the only one.
Do I really need a suit?
No one wears jeans when they're looking for a job.
King, what did you do for your coming-of-age ceremony?
Huh? I didn't attend.
Did your high school uniform include a blazer?
You're not telling me to wear that, are you?
Here.
How'd you guys meet?
Huh?
You and Haiji.
You spilled on yourself, Jota.
Hold still.
Stop laughing.
We ran into each other on the street.
Really?
You're Haiji's long-awaited tenth man.
We were worried about who'd show up.
We figured he'd bring someone ridiculous.
I'm glad you seem decent.
What are you discussing with the newbie?
Let us join in.
What?
We're discussing how to tell you two apart.
What?
Which one am I?
Who am I, newbie?
What?
Get this question right, and you'll win a can of beer.
But I'm underage.
I know! Jota!
Why'd you answer the question?
You think I wouldn't answer a quiz question?
What's this?
Why'd you have to find that, Shindo?
I knew I felt a breeze.
Haiji, they made a hole in the floor.
Hush! It's a secret!
It's only been ten days since they moved in.
It's fine. Just cover it up with a magazine.
Don't let the landlord find out.
All right!
Hey, wait! You can't use that issue!
I'm saving it forever!
You scared me.
What was that for?
I know the party's in full swing, but lend me your ears.
It's important.
Is it a girl?
You finally got a girlfriend?
We're all ears, Haiji.
It's not that.
Since Kurahara moved in, there are finally ten of us.
What? I haven't decided to move in yet.
What?
There are exactly ten of us.
You've been saying that ever since the twins moved in.
"Just one more, just one more..."
Those cursed words.
You must be glad we filled the last room surprisingly quickly.
Yeah. It's not enough to just think about it.
You should always state your wishes out loud.
You've got to seize your own destiny.
I don't know what you're talking about,
but why don't we take a trip somewhere to celebrate reaching ten?
Good idea.
We can stay at an inn and drink sake.
That's not any different from right now.
Take a trip together... Sounds nice.
Right? Where should we go?
I know the perfect place.
Where?
Hakone.
Well, yeah, I guess.
They've got hot springs, and it's easy to get there.
Nice idea, Haiji.
Should we take the train or rent a car?
We won't take a vehicle.
We'll use our legs to get around.
Huh? What?
Let's aim for the top together.
Everyone's seen it at least once on New Year's while eating rice-cake soup.
Let's run it together.
The Hakone Ekiden.
You still only get in for a second, Haiji.
It's been three years, but I still can't get used to the heat.
So you're a fourth-year now, huh?
Time flies.
How's the Chikusei-so?
What do you mean?
Isn't it obvious?
"Just one more."
Your first and final chance must've arrived, right?
Not yet.
Well, the new students will be coming soon.
I'm sure you'll find someone.
Public Bath
Your first and final chance must've arrived, right?
Just one more.
Hey, wait!
Wait!
Thief!
Someone help...
Hey!
You like running?
Huh?
Do you like running?
What?
Don't suddenly stop like that.
Let's have a chat.
What?
Why did you shoplift?
Tea
I won't call the cops. I promise.
I just want to know who you are.
I'm Kiyose Haiji, a fourth-year literature student at Kansei University.
Who are you?
Kurahara Kakeru.
Kurahara...
Where's your home? Do you live around here?
No, uh... I'm at Kansei University.
You're a Kansei University student?
Which department?
Seriously, I—
I definitely can't ignore you if you're an underclassman!
Which department are you in?
Sociology.
Can I go now?
Wait.
What?
Are you broke? What about your allowance?
I lost my entire apartment deposit at a mah-jong parlor.
Come to my place.
What?
I'll show you the apartment where I live.
There's an empty room.
But I don't have any money.
You can pay when you can.
Trust me. I'll make it work.
We'll start with the convenience store.
Let's go apologize.
This is it.
The Chikusei-so. We call it Aotake.
That's the landlord's house. We'll go see him later.
103
Room 103. This is your room.
There's no curfew.
I'll get you a futon tomorrow, so you'll have to make do with my blanket tonight.
I'll introduce you to the guys.
Let's run it together.
The Hakone Ekiden.
But, uh... what?
What are you talking about?
Chikusei-so
That's the sign out front.
Kansei University Track and Field Club
Kansei University
"Kansei University Track and Field Club...
Track and Field Club
Training Camp
...Training Camp?!"
What?!
When did you add that?
Does this degradation look recent to you?
It was so dirty, we couldn't read it.
Hold on, Haiji.
The Ekiden?
The marathon?
Isn't it a relay race?
This is the Kansei University Track and Field Club member dorm.
In other words,
you're now members of the Kansei University Track and Field Club.
What?!
I never signed up for that!
Moving in here signs you up for the club.
Didn't you find it strange that in this day and age
the rent's 30,000 yen, and we serve breakfast and dinner?
Isn't this a scam?
How did you not know about this?
What?
Haven't you been living here longer than Haiji?
But the old man never told me anything.
I can't believe my first job after passing the bar will be my own civil trial.
Don't bother trying to sue me.
Your rental application is your club application.
Are we registered?
Are we registered with the Inter-University Athletic Union of Kanto?
Of course we are.
Who's the coach?
Our landlord, Tazaki Genichiro.
What?!
What?
The old man?
Seriously?
But he's so decrepit.
Don't be rude.
The landlord was known as the treasure of the Japan Association of Athletics.
By the time Tsuburaya Kokichi wrote his food-based suicide note and died,
the landlord was already considered Kansei University's great coach.
There's no trace of his incredible nature left.
You sure know a lot about him, newbie.
What's the Inter-University Athletic...
I see.
He must mean the Kanto Gogakuren from Otokojuku.
With over a thousand members, they're led by Date Omito.
I don't think that's right.
We can't.
Not Hakone.
There's no way.
No one knows that for sure.
Hey.
Do you run every day?
So do I, while taking Nira for his walk.
For your health?
No.
Before you ask, I'll tell you.
I ran in high school.
I'm almost back at full speed.
In six months, I'll be able to match your pace.
What are you talking about?
I'm serious.
I'm going to run in the Hakone Ekiden.
Starting today, I'm going to win over all the guys.
That includes you,
Sendai Josei High School graduate
Kurahara Kakeru.
Next time: "The Ogre's Arrival."
Next Time: The Ogre's Arrival