H2
	 Volume 27
	  Chapter 8 (266)
	   He's a Child

 - Page 131 -

(Ch. 8) He's a Child

 - Page 132 -

 - Page 133 -

<<Hikari: He DID get sent to the hospital.
	Just for a quick scan and some treatment.
	The swelling around his eye was pretty bad, but he was fully conscious and his skull is just fine.

Hiro: I'm not going to believe what he tells you.
	He'd say anything to keep you from being worried.

Sign: Aim for the Koshien!  Tachibana Hideo

 - Page 134 -

 - Page 135 -

[The Spring Invitational Tournament.]
[Quarterfinals.]

 - Page 136 -

 - Page 137 -

Announcer: Three straight strikeouts!

Scoreboard: Hokai Roku
	Senkawa

 - Page 138 -

Announcer: Senkawa's ace Kunimi makes an impressive start!

Koga: Excellent!

Players: He looks really creepy.
	Like a bank robber or something.

 - Page 139 -

Mrs. Amamiya: Hikari.
	What are you doing?
	Hiro-chan's game is on.

Hikari: Huh?
	Oh,
	you're right.

 - Page 140 -

Miho: Is Tachibana-senpai taking today off,
	too, then?

 - Page 141 -

Coach: Yeah,
	I told him to take it easy.

Miho: Is it really just a cold?

Coach: What do you mean?

Miho: Well, you said yourself he's only ever rested because of injuries.
	Even when he was sick, he'd come and work out, then wake up fine.

Coach: Up until now.

 - Page 142 -

Coach: People push themselves when they're young.

Miho: He's still only 17.

Coach: Oh, he's plenty grown up.
	So,
	how's your boyfriend doing today?

Miho: Let's see,
	1-for-3, I think.
	Hey, wait!  He's not my boyfriend!
	(Kine)'s just my...

Coach: What about Kunimi?

 - Page 143 -

Radio: Strike three!  (pop)
	Another strikeout!
	That brings Kunimi's strikeout total to two digits...
	He poses on the mound!
	Uh-oh, what's wrong?
	He doesn't seem to have liked that particular pose.
	Now he's striking another one!

Coach: He's a child.
	They're unmanageable when they get carried away.

 - Page 144 -

 - Page 145 -

Radio: A good pitch!
	Kunimi's shown no signs of tiring yet.
	Hokai Dairoku High is a Koshien regular,
	now with nobody on, two out in the bottom of the 9th.  1-2 count.
	Clean-up hitter Shimojo is behind.

 - Page 146 -

Radio: Kunimi takes a big wind up,
	kicks his leg...
	And a called third strike!
	The game is over!

 - Page 147 -

Radio: 16 strikeouts!
	A two-hit shutout!
	The famous Hokai Dairoku lineup is shut down by the pure power of Senkawa's pitching!

 - Page 148 -

Hideo: Hey.

Radio: Cough!
	Cough!
	Cough!
	Cough!
	Cough!
	Cough!
	That was our interview with the winning coach.
	Now, back to the booth.

 - Chapter 8 End -