H2
	 Volume 15
	  Chapter 9 (148)
	   Straight Fork

 - Page 149 -

(Ch. 9) Straight Fork

 - Page 150 -

Dad: Is this seat open?

Girls: Uh...
	Um,
	yes,
	those two are.

Dad: Boss!

Haruka: Whew, it's hot.

Girls: Ah,
	welcome back.

Dad: This way, sir.
	Please, come in.

 - Page 151 -

Haruka: Father?!

Guy: Quit standin' in the way, old man!
	I can't see jack!

Koga: What?

Dad: Leave this to me, sir.
	Oh, I'm SO sorry.
	I'll have him seated right away.
	Yes, thank you for your understanding.

 - Page 152 -

PA: Batting fourth, the pitcher, Hirota-kun.

Announcers: Eikyo starts off the bottom of the second with their cleanup hitter, Hirota-kun.
	This should be an interesting showdown.
	Hirota-kun is prized,
	not only for his excellent pitching, but for his great bat, as well.

 - Page 153 -

 - Page 154 -

Koga: Hey, c'mon.

Announcer: Ball two!

 - Page 155 -

Announcers: Is Kunimi trying too hard, now that he's facing Hirota?
	He's too nervous.
	I guess this is one place where Kunimi clearly falls short of Hirota.
	But he can't just throw a perfect strike.
	Isn't that pitch heading right down the middle?!

 - Page 156 -

Announcer: A swing and a miss?!

 - Page 157 -

Announcers: Did that just sink?!
	Nothing aside from a fastball can go that fast.
	It looked like a high, fat pitch
	that Hirota-kun simply fouled off.

 - Page 158 -

 - Page 159 -

Announcers: That one sunk, Kuruma-san!
	I saw it!
	Ha ha ha.
	There there,
	let's take a look on the slow-motion replay.
	See?  It's a straight...
	...forkball.

 - Page 160 -

Announcers: Straight fork?
	Why yes.
	We in the know call it an SF.
	Sounds like a fighting game.
	No no,
	that was just one fine SF.
	Right.

Haruka: Wasn't that amazing?
	It dropped at such a high speed!

Koga: Not as fast as his father's salary.

Dad: Ha ha ha!
	Good one, sir!

 - Page 161 -

Dad: That was a joke,
	right?

Announcer: Another bounder off the plate!
	Full count!

 - Page 162 -

 - Page 163 -

Ump: Ball four!

Hiro: Aaargh!

Noda: That one sunk perfectly,
	right out of the strike zone.

PA: Batting fifth, thirdbaseman Kokubu-kun.

 - Page 164 -

Announcer: Uh-oh!
	Hirota takes off on the first pitch!

 - Page 165 -

Ump: Out!

Shuji: I can see you still like to keep those spikes of yours
	nice and sharp.

Hirota: And I can see you like to play as clean as ever.

 - Page 166 -

Ogura: Was that stolen base attempt
	all Hirota's judgment?
	How rare.
	Usually he doesn't look for runs this early.

Shiroyama: Sounds like you need something to do, Ogura.
	Why don't you handle the scorebook?

 - Chapter 9 End -