H2
	 Volume 20
	  Chapter 8 (197)
	   I'm Serious

 - Page 131 -

(Ch. 8) I'm Serious

 - Page 132 -

 - Page 133 -

Hideo: What's wrong?

Hikari: You broke the rules.
	I said nothing sudden, remember?

Hideo: We're at the Koshien.
	I can have one little pick-me-up in the middle of the tournament, can't I?
	And I'm still being very patient, in my opinion.

Hikari: Stop standing there; take down that laundry.

 - Page 134 -

Hideo: Sure thing.

Announcer: 3rd-hitting Asaoka clears the bases with a double.
	And then Nakayama follows that for the 4th run this inning!
	Kanagawa's Hama High has completely turned the game around!

Haruka: Were the towels dry?

 - Page 135 -

Hiro: Indeed.
	Positively parched.

Shima: Shall we continue yesterday's game of blackjack, Senpai?

Hiro: What, you haven't had your fill of losing yet?
	I don't want to hear any more complaining afterward.

Ohtake: We'll be sure to regain our losses today.

Haruka: Wait a minute,
	you aren't using money, are you?

Hiro: High school baseball players would never do such a thing.
	This is just a game, nothing more.
	Right?

Ohtake: Really?!
	So,
	does that mean we get our...

Hiro: Move it!

 - Page 136 -

Bugs: (bzz)(bzz)
	(bzz)(bzz)

Sign: Coffeehouse
	On-on

Kine: Maybe breaking them apart
	is literally impossible...

 - Page 137 -

Kine: Kunimi and Koga-chan are just barely more than friends,
	but those other two have been together for a long time.

Miho: If that was true, I'd give up.
	But my female intuition say,
	there must be some kind of gap that we can sneak into, between them.

Kine: And my male intuition says,
	you don't suit Tachibana at all.

Miho: Why not?!

Kine: Intuition doesn't need reasons.

 - Page 138 -

Miho: Koga-san doesn't suit you, either.
	Neither does that shirt, for that matter.
	And especially not your hair!

Kine: Shut up.

Miho: Forget it!  I wasn't expecting much from you anyway.
	And we're splitting the bill,
	got it?
	Here's my half.

Kine: Half?

[Sundae, 550 yen]
[Cake, 380 yen]
[Coffee, 250 yen]

Kine: Hey,
	wait a minute!

 - Page 139 -

Hiro: Hit me again.

Shima: You're sure out of luck today,
	senpai.

Ohtake: (kaboom)

Hiro: That's not true.

 - Page 140 -

Tsukigata: Good!

 - Page 141 -

Tsukigata: Dammit!
	Shit!

Shimizu: Did you lose?

Tsukigata: Yeah.
	Kunimi-kun's really good.

Coach: Huh?

 - Page 142 -

Shimizu: It's a simulation.
	He's playing Senkawa inside his head.
	He's always liked to do this kind of thing,
	before important games.

Tsukigata: And mysteriously enough, they often turn out quite similar
	to the real game...

Coach: And,
	you just lost?

Tsukigata: Yes,
	it was 1-0.

Coach: I...
	see.

Tsukigata: Don't worry, we won yesterday's game.
	That was 1-0 too.

Coach: Yesterday?

Tsukigata: This was my 2nd game against Senkawa.

 - Page 143 -

Coach: I...
	see.

 - Page 144 -

Scoreboard: Today's Results
	Game 2
	Tomizawako 2
	Tatehashi

Hiro: Our parents came all the way out here again.
	By shinkansen.

 - Page 145 -

Hiro: I just got a call from a karaoke place in Osaka.

Hikari: Well, you've got the first game tomorrow.

Hiro: They could have just taken the early morning cheering party bus.
	It wouldn't waste so money then.

Hikari: They want to get excited on the night before.

Hiro: If we go all the way to the final, we'll spend a fortune.

Hikari: If the family budget is such a concern, why don't you just lose?

 - Page 146 -

Hiro: You're kidding.

Hikari: I'm serious.

Hiro: You're serious...
	Yeah.
	Well then.

 - Page 147 -

Hiro: Hideo and I are gonna give you one hell of a birthday tomorrow.
	Goodnight!

 - Page 148 -

Scoreboard: Senkawa
	Ibasho

 - Chapter 8 End -