H2
	 Volume 19
	  Chapter 5 (184)
	   To Win Three Games

 - Page 79 -

(Ch. 5) To Win Three Games

 - Page 80 -

[August 5th,]
[The drawing of the lots...]

No. 15: Iwazakura
No. 16: Meiwa Ichi
No. 12: Senkawa
No. 11: Gonan Jitsugyo

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(Editor Note: For each bracket, replace the kanji with [Day #] where the # is the number in the middle.)

No. 9: Tanishino
No. 11: Gonan Jitsugyo
No. 12: Senkawa
No. 13: Ibasho
No. 14: Kendaikita
No. 15: Iwazakura
No. 16: Meiwa Ichi
No. 17: Assho Gakuen

Hiro: Which means?

Noda: If we win two...

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Reporter: What is your goal for this tournament, Tachibana-kun?

Hideo: To win three games.

Reporter: Right,
	you want to win three to put your team in the quarterfinals.

Hiro: To win three games.

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Minatogawa: Hello, hello.
	I am Minatogawa, head coach for Gonan Jitsugyo.

Koga: Oh,
	I'm Senkawa's coach, Koga.

Minatogawa: Well, what a surprise.
	My boys were disappointed that we had to face such a strong opponent in the first round.

Hiro: That old fool...

Minatogawa: As coach, I say with complete honesty that it is an honor to play such a legendary school as yours.

Koga: We're not legendary.

Minatogawa: Oh, please.

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Minatogawa: This is our first time to the Koshien in 20 years.
	We just don't have the luck, I'm afraid.
	No doubt this must be Senkawa's...

Koga: First time.

Minatogawa: Oh,
	allow me to introduce our ace, Kurimaru.

Kurimaru: Kurimaru Tamotsu, a pleasure to meet you.

Hiro: Huh?

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Koga: Hey,
	Kunimi, c'mere.
	This is our ace, Kunimi.
	Gonan's coach and ace, Kurimaru-kun.

Hiro: Hello.

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Minatogawa: Well, well.
	Maybe I've gotten too used to seeing your face in the magazines.
	I could have sworn we'd met before.

Hiro: Yeah...  me too.

Noda: Kurimaru-san?

Kurimaru: Huh?

Noda: Kurimaru-san?

Kurimaru: Oh.
	Yes, I'm Kurimaru.

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Kurimaru: That's my little brother.

Hiro: Brother?

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 - Page 89 -

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Haruka: Kurimaru Tamotsu.
	Gonan Jitsugyo's first-year pitcher.
	He only pitched 8 innings total in the preliminaries.
	The first was a 5-inning called game,
	but he split a nail in the process,
	so he only appeared once again in the final matchup for 3 innings.
	Three walks and one run allowed.
	But no hits.

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Haruka: They used three pitchers in the other games, winning 7-5, 5-4, 3-2, 6-4, 8-6.
	All close victories.
	One of those three pitchers
	was his brother Kurimaru Isamu, third-year.

Hiro: It all makes sense now.

Noda: Doesn't he look familiar?

Hiro: Huh?

Noda: Just like you used to...

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Noda: A small guy who uses his entire body to whip his arm around.

Hiro: I wasn't that chubby.

Noda: Right.
	So let's say he doesn't resemble you.
	If he did, we wouldn't be able to hit him.

Minatogawa: Whose students are you?

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Hiro: Senkawa High School.

Minatogawa: Here to observe the Koshien?

Hiro: Oh, come ON...

Sign: Coffeehouse
	OnOn

Server: Welcome.

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Hiro: Huh?

Hikari: Oh.

Hiro: What are you doing,
	all by yourself?

Hikari: Waiting.
	Osanai-san said she wanted to talk.

Hiro: Osanai?
	Oh, that younger manager.

Hikari: And you?

Hiro: I beat Kine at cards last night, so he's supposed to buy me a chocolate parfait.
	But I don't see him yet.

Hikari: Well, you might as well
	take a seat.

Hiro: Right.

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Miho: Senpai, would you like a chocolate parfait?  I'll buy.
	Let's go to that coffeehouse right there...

Hideo: It's almost dinnertime.

Miho: OK, then how about a cold drink?

Hideo: Isn't that what vending machines are for?  We don't need to leave.

Miho: But then it will all be for nothing!

Hideo: Huh?

Miho: Uh, I mean,
	gee, I haven't seen Amamiya-san around.

Hideo: Don't worry, she's not a kid.

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Haruka: Inoue-kun, did you buy the plaster?

Inoue: Yes.

Haruka: Good,
	then we're not forgetting anything.

Inoue: What's wrong?
	The light's going to change.

Haruka: Sorry,
	I'm coming.

 - Chapter 5 End -