Kurahara?
Run with the Wind
Shirakaba Loop
Are you satisfied running with the friends you finally made?
Are you satisfied holding hands and running around with your little friends?!
Kakeru!
See? You haven't changed.
You're always ruining someone else's efforts.
You don't see your teammates!
Kakeru.
I don't know if you're just naturally talented,
but if you think you alone will manage somehow, you're wrong!
Kakeru.
Kakeru!
Don't forget that we're here.
What did he do?
Hey, what are you doing?
Get your stuff on the bus!
Yes, sir!
We'll show you just how serious we are at the qualifier.
Oh, right.
You first-years will be too busy with chores to watch the race.
Start by becoming regulars on your team.
Good luck.
And Then Start Running
Your time hasn't even improved by ten seconds!
What kind of training have you been doing?
Sorry!
Aren't you a scholarship student?
Your only option is to do well at running.
Go run ten more kilometers!
Yes, sir!
The same goes for the rest of you.
Results are everything for runners.
I won't allow any weakness!
Yes, sir!
Kurahara.
Hey, Kurahara.
These men are prefectural officials.
You won with a huge lead.
Thank you.
You must be a top runner nationally, as well.
You can really see the results of your coaching.
I'm just blessed with talented runners.
We're looking forward to this year's prefectural and national races.
I hope we can meet your expectations.
Apparently, they want me to speak at a party about fostering athletes.
I've asked the coaches to manage your training schedule, so don't worry.
Yes, sir.
It's all thanks to what you've achieved.
Hey, you! Don't walk so slowly!
Look sharp!
Don't damage Sendai Josei High School's dignity!
We'll be doing high-altitude training.
We'll be able to enjoy the scenery.
Seems gentle. Right?
What?
The ground seems like it'll be gentle on our knees.
Your leg hurts?
Can't you come up with a better excuse?
Everyone has an injury or two they're working through.
Runners improve their times despite them. Run!
Yes, sir!
I'll be cutting everyone who doesn't do well.
Prepare yourselves!
He doesn't get it.
It can't be helped. He's a first-year.
Tell him he only needs to try when he's watching.
You tell him.
He won't listen to me.
After all, he's a scholarship student.
If you can't do it,
I don't think you have to run.
Have you ever suffered an injury?
Didn't think so.
Hey!
Hey.
It's Hana.
Hey!
I see meat.
Those bags are full of meat.
I'll cook dinner tonight!
No, wait!
Wait, wait!
You're on bathroom duty tonight.
Use your head.
Quit surrounding Hana, you sweaty pigs!
What's wrong?
Isn't it a little soon for you to be tired?
Yes!
There's plenty more!
My special crunchy liver and leek stir fry contains tons of vegetables!
Thanks for the meal!
That's it. They're making me feel great.
Do you want to quit the team?
Look at all of you.
If you can't be useful here, you won't be useful anywhere.
Your life will be decided here.
Do you understand that? Do you?
Yes, sir!
I don't know how fast you were in the boonies,
but here we coach based on years of theory.
If you can't keep up, it's because you're not good enough.
Yes, sir.
I can't hear you!
You don't get it, do you?
Yes, sir!
Listen up. Imagine you're racing for your life!
Yes, sir!
Don't forget that you're representing a prestigious school!
Yes, sir!
Leave behind those who can't run!
We don't have time for them!
Yes, sir!
You can't handle it?
This year... This time, I don't think I'll be able to.
But by next year—
You can't close the gap that quickly.
Everyone's pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into practice
every day while you're resting.
Don't worry.
The team will manage without you.
Get yourself healed up and find a new path.
Please! I'm here on a track scholarship!
If I quit the team, I won't have anything!
Please let me run! Please!
Please!
Please! Please!
It's time. Let's get started.
Yes, sir. To the track!
Yes, sir!
Please! Please let me back on the team!
I'm sorry I got injured! Please!
Please!
I only have time for students who can run.
Good luck. You have my support.
Kurahara?
Kakeru.
Kakeru?
Um...
He asked you to lead Group B since we're splitting into two groups.
Quit spacing out.
Sorry.
You must be cold.
I heated up some milk.
Look at those stars.
It'd be a waste not to see this.
How much do you know?
About me.
How much?
You knew the morning after I first stayed at Aotake
that I was from Sendai Josei High School.
Yeah.
Which means...
A quick search online revealed just how good a runner you were.
That you were a nationally top-ranked runner by your second year,
and that your records suddenly stopped the spring of your third year.
But that's all I know.
There was no need for me to investigate any further.
I can't cause the team any more trouble than I have already.
I can't control my emotions.
When that reporter spoke to me, I felt like I had woken up from a dream.
I realized no matter how far I run, I'm still me.
Haiji, I—
Kakeru.
If you're going to talk, why not tell everyone?
It's okay.
No matter what happens, we're still us.
You're still awake.
Sorry you had to bathe last.
Was the bath dirty?
Not at all.
You cleaned it again for me, didn't you?
Well, yeah.
Really? You're that considerate?
Yuki told me to use my head.
Your seniors can teach you all kinds of things.
By the way...
Kakeru, do you have a girlfriend?
What?
Seriously? I wanna know!
O-Of course I don't. Where did that come from?
Well, the night sky was just so pretty.
What does that mean?
What?
The stars are mad pretty!
Right?
Yeah!
You'll wake the others!
Look, Hana. A shooting star.
Dad?
I hated my high school track team.
My coach's methods, the stuffy air of that club room...
I hated it so much, it made me want to puke.
I broke my coach's nose, lost my college recommendation,
and quit the club.
Since the school wanted to keep it quiet, they imposed restrictions on the team.
The summer of my third year,
none of my classmates were able to participate in meets.
Looking back on it,
what happened to that first-year was just an opportunity for me
to release all my pent-up anger and achieve some self-satisfaction.
It's no wonder they hate me.
Because of a moment's decision, I wasted three years of their effort.
Especially for Sakaki...
I see.
That's why he hates you so much.
It's no wonder he hates me.
I became unable to see anything but myself.
That's what I'm afraid of.
I'm worried I might do something similar again.
I was nearly unable to stop myself again.
You've been hesitant about running because you were worried about that?
But you had a reason, right?
A reason you had to do it.
It's not good to use violence against another person, though.
Yes. That's why...
That's why?
That's why...
Before I cause any more trouble for you guys...
Before that, I...
Hey.
We've already started running.
We won't let you bail on us now.
They're right.
If anything, I'm glad to know.
Thanks for telling us.
We more or less already knew that you tend to act before you speak.
If anything, I can't believe you were worried about that.
Yeah.
Kakeru, I really like you.
Don't the rest of you?
Yeah.
It's hard to say yes when you're asked face-to-face.
When we first met,
I was captivated by the way you ran.
I was moved.
I couldn't believe someone could have such pure running form.
I thought you might already know the answer I was seeking.
What it means to run. The answer to that question.
But I still haven't found the answer.
The more I run, the more difficult I realize it is.
Don't you feel the same way?
I have fun running with you!
Me, too. In fact, I have more fun than Jota!
You what?
I was just speaking my mind.
Don't ruin the moment!
Yeah, but...
Me, too.
I enjoy running with you guys, from the bottom of my heart.
Kakeru, the goal is still far ahead.
Let's go there together.
Hey!
Breakfast is getting cold!
We'll be right there!
All right, that concludes our meeting.
Sorry.
For what?
You don't need to apologize.
Thank you for believing in me.
You're welcome.
I want to run.
In the Hakone Ekiden with this team!
Let's aim for the top together.
Let's run it together.
The Hakone Ekiden.
I'm serious!
Starting now, I'm serious about it!
Huh?
I can't help it.
Hey, guys. Kakeru's finally ready to take things seriously.
He said he's serious about running at Hakone starting now.
What? Seriously?
I thought we already were.
Then what have we been doing until now?
No, I—
Let's go, Kakeru.
Yeah.
Next time: “You're Not Alone.”
Next time: You're Not Alone