田 Woah, that coach quit? That's what's his face...
 田 Because the acting principal who hired him is gone now.
There are rumors that he went to some other school.
Does that mean Ko and the others are now the first-string team?
Ball.
Hmm?
What happened to the transfer students who came here just for the baseball team?
They all transferred out.
Some of them went with that coach, some transferred to another school.
Sounds like quite a mess.
Oh.
There was one exception.
It's open.
Do you know where my towel in the bathroom went?
My mom was doing the laundry earlier. She probably washed it.
Just take one.
Okay.
Kitamura-kun, you're my savior.
Since everyone is gone, my brother can't stay in the dorm anymore.
It's just for a little while.
Until we find a good place in the area.
I'm really sorry about this.
I leave him in your care.
That "little while" has turned into two months already, big bro.
I said, it's open.
Let's go practice.
It's still early.
Didn't we say we'd take it easy today?
It'll be enough if we run to the school.
You don't have stamina.
We lost badly in the fall tournament because you couldn't pitch well in consecutive games.
Going out with your friend?
We aren't friends!
I'll carry your bag.
Oh, thanks.
See ya.
Hey!
Aren't you going to run?
Do you expect me to run while carrying two bags?
I'll go by train.
Come on. Get moving.
T-That bastard...
He really says silly things, huh?
So funny, isn't it?
Damn you...
Get off your ass and start looking for a place already!
Isn't Tsukishima Aoba cute?
Does she have a boyfriend?
You're her childhood friend, aren't you?
Hey, introduce me to her.
Congratulations!
You're the hundredth person to ask me to introduce you to her.
And the counter is still increasing...
It's a bit late for saying this, but I'm really glad you stayed, Azuma.
Yeah. Thanks to you I've been pushed back to third.
I'm  田 totally 田  happy.
It would be better for you to move a bit.
It will help as a diet, also.
What?!
Hey, hey.
Here I go, Akaishi.
O-Okay.
Hey, why are you spacing out?!
Hurry up and clean it up.  田
Hey, you!
Don't get full of yourself just because you're the granddaughter of the chairman!
Yes, ma'am.
Listen up, you trash!
Ah right, she stayed behind, also.
I won't forgive you for not going to Koshien!
Instead of following the former Acting Principal,
she stayed with her mom, who runs a boutique.
What's up with them?
It's not just for Azuma.
Cut it out already!
Stop interrupting our training!
It's open.
Let me leave this stuff here.
My room is too small, I can't even lay out the bed.
You sure complain a lot for a freeloader.
So you two are dating, after all.
The girl from the batting center.
No, silly.
That's Tsukishima Aoba's older sister.
The one staying at the counter?
Of course not.
Unlike Aoba, if she was still alive, she would be the same age as us.
She died?
You don't really have to believe me.
But she was really in love with me.
You also?
Yeah.
I see.
You guys have it hard.
Sorry for the bother.
"You guys"?
Well then.
Ao, where are you going?
To the amusement park for a little while.
I want to go also!
You can't. I'm going on a date.
'Sup.
It's not Ko...
Huh?
Ramen is ready.
Not him either.
What are you talking about?
Oh? Aoba is on a date, eh...
That spiky hair guy?
Peace!
Nope, nope.
Well, she always gets calls from guys asking her out,
but she turned them all down until now.
That's even stranger no?
She should've gone on a couple of dates.
Seems like she really liked that guy.
I guess.
That's a weird way to eat.
What?
When are you going to put the sauce in?  田
Obviously, after tasting the noodles.
But I really wonder what kind of guy Ao prefers.
Don't know. I've no idea at all.
About her tastes in men...
Sorry for the wait.
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.
So, let's head to the amusement park.
Hey, what's the meaning of this, Aoba?
Well, you guys were so persistent...
So I thought you'd all be satisfied if I went out with you guys once.
Isn't the amusement park more fun with more people?
The more, the merrier.
Merrier?
You...
All right. Let's go, we're on a date!
Come on, get moving, boys.
We're riding that next.
We're on a date!
I got that.
That's unfair! Stop that!
Don't play on the stairs!
You didn't have to go so far as to make them cry.
All energetic kids fall down the stairs a couple of times.
It's not a problem. They have softer bodies.
When I was in the second grade, I fell down the stairs of the school-
I don't care.
If they hurt only themselves.
Why did Azuma stay here?
Dunno.
But thanks to him, I'm playing third now.
So what?
It'll work out for you as a diet.
Wha?!
Hey, Nakanishi!
Glad I found you.
Come to a concert with me after the training this Saturday.
Where did that come from?
What? I'm obviously asking you out.
Oh, gee.
I'm eating hot pot with my family Saturday night.
Stop it.
If you get any fatter, you won't be able to move.
Leave me alone!
Ko, want to go to a concert?
Idiot. Why would Kitamura go with me?
I'm no match for Aoba Tsukishima.
Hey, I'm even paying for the tickets.
If you want to thank me, help me carry this to the storage room.
Later, Kitamura.
Give my regards to Aoba.
Hey, move a bit faster.
Come on.
One, two. One, two.
Hey...
Those two seem like a good match.
Nakagawa Kyouko from the track and field club, eh?
Are you going out?
With Aoba Tsukishima.
Of course not.
Who on Earth is spreading that rumor?
The guy in front of you.
There are quite a few girls in my class asking me to introduce them to you.
It's a pain to refuse every single one of them,
so I told them you're going out with Tsukishima.
Why did you do that?
Everyone backs off when they hear her name.
Besides,
you never planned on dating anyone anyway, correct?
Don't decide that on your own!
I won't forgive you if you fall for some boring girl.
Who do you think you are?
Don't you know that best?
Just a bully.
For those who would make Tsukishima Wakaba sad, that is.
I won't believe it! I won't, Tsukishima!
Narita-san is pretty desperate...
You'd better stay away from him.
I... I...  田
What's up with you guys?
Tsukishima, is that rumor true?!
Are you going out with Kitamura-senpai?
W-Who said that?!
This guy.
What did Wakaba like about me?
Don't take him from me, okay?
What?!
So it says.
Where's Azuma-kun?
After-meal practice.
Aoba, take care of the rest, will you?
Sure.
She's going to stay at the counter?
Yes.
I have to go to a club meeting at the university.
Thank goodness I ate already.
Close call.
What's a close call?
Nothing.
So, how did your first date go?
What?
Never mind.
It was fun.
All merry.
Merry?
Yo.
Huh?
"Huh" what?
Where's Ichiyo?
She just went to a club meeting at her university.
Hey, Ko. Fancy seeing you here.
Ko-chan?
I saw the videos I got from Yuuhei.
Your pitching is great!
Fabulous!
Nothing less was expected from the pitcher who stopped Yuuhei from transferring.
Why, thank you.
Your form was great!
Ah, you could really see power flowing through.
Marvelous, really.
Why, thank you.
Did you base your form on anyone?
I wonder.
Just the form. That's all I copied.
As for the person's character....
What would you like to order?
No, it's okay.
I'm about to leave.
Oh boy, I'm so busy...
See you, Ko.
Were you able to find a room?
Room?
Ah, room. Yeah, for Yuuhei.
Yep, I'm on it.
I'm doing my very best.
Say hi to Ichiyo-san for me.
Ah, Ko-chan.
You better be grateful to that pitcher that you took the form from.
That form puts minimal pressure on your arm.
Really.
Bye.
The ideal form, he said.
You have to take his words with a grain of salt.
Azuma Junpei.
Former Takao Vocational High School baseball club's ace and cleanup hitter.
They ranked second in the summer regional tournament during his sophomore year.
They couldn't play in the invitational tournament because of a tragic incident.
When he was a senior, professional coaches were scouting him throughout the summer,
and everyone believed he'd make it to Koshien because of his overwhelming skills.
On the day of the finals...
he tore a foot ligament and had to give up on not just Koshien, but being a baseball player as well, like a tragic hero.
Apparently this was quite the big news back then.
How did he get injured?
According to the article my dad read in the newspaper,
the morning of the finals, he fell down the stairs at home.
Fell down the stairs?
The younger brother will realize the dream his older brother couldn't.
It isn't really that uncommon.
That's not the only reason.
I don't care.
If they hurt only themselves.
Probably...
So, are you seriously aiming for Koshien?
What's that supposed to mean?
Nothing in particular.
Just a question.
I will. Definitely.
That's unexpected.
You sticking with something to the end.
Me as the pitcher, and Akaishi as the catcher.
The stage is the sold out Koshien.
It was Wakaba's last dream.
Who's in center?
Who was playing center field in her dream?
Who knows.
Seems like he got faster compared to the autumn tournament.
Yes.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how much he'll improve over the summer.
But we can't practice like that.
You get to see that pitching every day.
There's no better training than that.
I suppose, but...
Pitch it seriously.
Okay.
I said seriously.
You...
Guess I'll do some swings.
Me also.
Me three.
This team is going to be very strong.
Nice batting!
You're doing great, Yashiro.
I'm inspired to do my best when you pitch.
Here I go.
Four months until she graduates, eh?
The high school team next year is going to be really strong.
Say, why did you stay at Seishu, Azuma?
Isn't that obvious? Because you're here.
I'm back, Tsukishima Aoba.
Have a match with me.
Koganezawa?
You're interrupting our training.
Please leave.
I can't do that.
If I win, you'll have to transfer to my school.
What do you want, Shidou?
You're the ace of the baseball club, aren't you?
Teach me how to pitch.
Huh?
Why me?
Next time, on Cross Game Episode Eighteen:
Audition?
I love you.