H2 Volume 8 Chapter 7 (76) Thanks - Page 113 - (Ch. 7) Thanks - Page 114 - Sign: MEIWA DAIICHI HIGH SCHOOL SELECTED FOR KOSHIEN - Page 115 - - Page 116 - Hikari: Manager for the baseball team? Hideo: Yeah. - Page 117 - Hideo: There are going to be a lot more girls who want to do it, now that we're in the tournament, but if I ask the coach myself, I'm sure he'll be fine with it. Don't worry. Hikari: Hold on a sec. Aren't managers just for decoration? (Note: In case I hadn't explained already, in Japan the word "manager" in high school sports refers to girls whose job it is to keep track of the players, help them wash uniforms and do other miscellaneous chores. In English, the "manager" would be the coach who calls all the shots, but since Japanese uses another word (kantoku) for the manager, I've decided to always translate it as "coach" and refer to the female assistants as "managers.") Hideo: Well, yeah, but we've got multiple managers, so the individual work isn't that much... Hikari: Then there's no need for me to... Hideo: Why not? - Page 118 - Hikari: Why not? Well... Hideo: Aren't you going to root me on? Hikari: Of course I will. I'll be at the Koshien to watch the games. Hideo: If you're a manager, not only will you get to see the Koshien games, you'll always be nearby, even at practice camps. Hikari: That's too selfish of a reason to butt in like that. And besides, I don't think that a manager is a job you can just ask someone to do. Are you mad? Hideo: Uh, no... Not at all... - Page 119 - Hikari: Really? Hideo: I swear. Hiro: So? Hideo: What? - Page 120 - Hiro: Are you mad? Hideo: Nah. Just a little surprised. I didn't think she'd refuse... Hiro: (vwooom!) Hideo: When you're just taking swings at the air, you don't look like a very good batter. Hiro: Shut up. - Page 121 - Hiro: Why were you surprised? Hideo: Think about it. She was a pretty good long distance runner in middle school, but she decided she liked wearing that archery hakama and hitting the target, which were the only reasons she joined the archery team. I didn't think she'd feel that connected to it. (Note: A hakama is the formal wear that you see Hikari and the archery team members wearing.) Hiro: (vwooom!) Hideo: Your left side's weak. The head of the bat is dropping. Hiro: Shut up. Hideo: I would have liked for us to follow the same dream during high school. ...and I thought that she would, too. - Page 122 - Hideo: I wonder if she really loves me. Hold onto the bat. Hiro: If you were a pitiful loser who couldn't use half your power without her, she'd help whether you asked her or not. But she knows she doesn't have to worry about you. - Page 123 - Hideo: So I'm supposed to become a pitiful loser? <