H2
	 Volume 20
	  Chapter 2 (191)
	   It's My Fault

 - Page 23 -

(Ch. 2) It's My Fault

 - Page 24 -

Announcer: No outs, runners on first and second!
	Kurimaru plays a fielder's choice!
	This is the first time either team has had a runner in scoring position.
	Senkawa High School, in the top of the 10th!

 - Page 25 -

Minatogawa: Kurimaru won't let up a hit past the outfielders!
	All fielders move in!  Don't let them score!

Kurimaru: Coach!
	Let me go deliver the message.

Minatogawa: Shut up!  You stay here.

 - Page 26 -

Announcer: A wild pitch!
	Both runners advance.
	Second and third with no outs!

Koga: What's going on?

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Kurimaru: It's my fault.
	Ever since we were kids, he's been afraid of people scaring him from behind.
	He would jump twice his height into the air, I swear.
	It was so funny, I'd do it every chance I got.
	One time I scared him right when he had a dumpling in his mouth, and it got stuck in his throat.
	If worst had come to worst...

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Kurimaru: He's left-handed, so he can't see the runner on second.
	There's already enough pressure when a hit can score a runner,
	but when that runner is hiding behind his back where he can't see, it makes him even more scared.
	All because of me...
	And this tense situation is only making it worse.

Minatogawa: And that feeling of guilt made you into the kind and trustworthy older brother you are today.

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Minatogawa: Strictly speaking, you're not a very talented pitcher,
	but you've got a tenacity that keeps you together when the game is on the line.
	Because of that, we could have won the regional tournament even without your genius brother.
	If you start warming up in the bullpen, he'll probably be relieved and calm down a bit.
	But that will be nothing more than relying on his brother in a tough situation.
	It will amount to half-hearted, self-assured pitching.
	He has next year, and the year after that to consider.
	Two years without you.
	He must realize on his own.

 - Page 30 -

 - Page 31 -

Minatogawa: That he has more friends behind his back than enemies.

Announcer: The secondbaseman makes an incredible leap to snag Kunimi's laser beam line drive!
	All runners quickly return to their bases!

 - Page 32 -

Announcer: A grounder between third and short!
	The fielder stops the ball!
	He throws home!
	The tag!

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Announcer: Out!  He's out!
	Two outs!

Hiro: Oh dear.

Announcer: But Senkawa still has runners on first and third.

 - Page 34 -

Hiro: This is bad.

 - Page 35 -

Minatogawa: That's right, Kurimaru.
	Defeat the enemy before your eyes, and the enemies behind you disappear.

Announcer: He chokes the ball!
	The catcher jumps out!

Arikawa: Eeep!

 - Page 36 -

Announcer: To first!

Arikawa: Head-first slide!

Hiro: You're not going to reach the base from that spot, Captain.

 - Page 37 -

 - Page 38 -

Hiro: Sorry, Kurimaru...
	God really does want to see me and Hideo face off.

Minatogawa: You never know what might happen.
	This is what makes high school baseball exciting.

 - Page 39 -

 - Page 40 -

Announcer: It's a pop-up!
	Secondbaseman Yanagi raises his hands to call the others off...
	And he's got the winning ball firmly in his glove.
	Game over!

 - Chapter 2 End -