I'm the one with the problem.
I think Mizushima can do better if he teams up with someone else.
Why would you say that now?
Mizushima, are you saying you want to play doubles with me, no matter what?
Yeah.
Don't lie to me!
Fireworks
Episode 11
Sakaki...
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Mizushima Ryo
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
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Sakaki Shohei
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
My bad, my bad.
Sorry for making things awkward.
We'll try talking things over. Right?
Huh? Uh, yeah.
What was that about?
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Higashiyama Taichi
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
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Higashiyama Yoji
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
Just quit if you want to.
Sorry about the commotion.
We're finished.
Our four-day training camp ends today.
Make sure you get plenty of rest tomorrow.
You're dismissed.
Thank you!
Let's go out for an afterparty.
My parents have been telling me to invite you all over sometime.
Would you like to come?
Today? Right now?
If you're coming, they said they'd do a barbecue.
A barbecue? You mean grilling sizzling meats over direct heat?
Meat dripping with juices.
Animal protein.
And iron.
I think this might be my first barbecue.
All right, everyone.
Tell your parents you're getting something to eat before coming home.
You're coming, too, Matsuda.
Quit it.
I'll pass.
What are you talking about?
Do you want us to imagine you eating a convenience store lunch alone?
Akira's parents want to see our faces.
You understand that, don't you?
And it's a chance to eat meat.
You're going to eat meat, huh? Sounds good.
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Yusa Kento
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Yokohama Minato High School 2nd Year
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Yokokawa Yusuke
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New Yokohama Minato Badminton Team Captain
Maybe we'll come with you.
Sure. We're eating at my place, so you're welcome to come.
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Uchida Akira
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
My family's jingisukan grill is huge, so it'll be fine.
Jingisukan?
Actually, never mind.
I wouldn't want to bother anyone.
I thought he was going to pick a fight with us.
But he turned around and left.
Akira, are we having jingisukan today?
Oh, no. Yusa-san just really hates mutton.
Really?
His family took a vacation to a ranch
Restaurant
where they had jingisukan for lunch.
Here's the sheep you saw earlier.
Apparently that was his experience.
Scarred...
For life!
The sheep's dead, though.
I'm surprised you know about that.
When I asked Yokokawa-san if Yusa-san had any other weaknesses, he told me about it.
What?
He seemed so happy to tell me about it.
Yokokawa-san's surprisingly loose-lipped, isn't he?
Akira-kun.
Let's be friends forever.
Sure, of course.
Don't be shy. Eat up.
That looks so good!
Have as much as you'd like.
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Uchida Mitsuru
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Akira's Dad
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Uchida Rei
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Akira's Mom
I can't believe Akira brought friends over.
Five of them, too.
How does it taste?
Great.
It's great.
It's delicious.
It's so good.
There's plenty more to grill.
Gimme!
I'm stuffed.
My stomach feels heavy.
I'm glad you boys ate so much.
Feel free to invite us over anytime.
Hey.
I'm glad to hear you say that, Sakaki-kun.
Yes, sir. You remembered my name after hearing it once.
We've known about you for a while.
Matsuda-kun.
Mizushima-kun.
Telling the Higashiyama twins apart is as difficult as you'd expect.
Mom, you don't need to do this right now.
Akira's been talking about us at home, huh?
Having people talk about me when I'm not around...
Makes me feel like a star.
We feel like we got to meet some stars, too.
You're all even better than we were told.
You betcha.
Come on, now.
I'm even more handsome than you expected, right?
I wonder what that was about.
Don't lie to me!
Don't get ahead of yourself.
Aw, come on.
It doesn't seem like he cares about it that much, so maybe it doesn't matter.
Ayumi
Will you come watch the fireworks with me tonight?
"Will you come watch the fireworks with me tonight?"
A girl asked Matsuda out on a date.
What? Someone's broken off from the girlfriendless alliance.
You little...
He must be purged.
Take this, Matsuda-kun.
Let go of me.
Huh?
You going? You gonna go?
No, no, no!
Are you gonna leave us behind to see some girl?
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Matsuda Kouki
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
I'll tell her I'll come as long as you guys can come, too.
Everyone's going, right?
Us, too?
What?
Huh?
I don't want to go alone and have you guys imagine stupid things about me.
Do you need a ride home?
We'll be fine.
Be careful.
Thank you!
I'm so nervous.
You'll be fine.
Hey, they're here.
Hey.
Thanks for waiting.
You're late.
Matsuda-sama and his tagalongs have arrived.
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Sakurai Hana
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
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Fujiwara Saori
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
Come on, Ayumi. Matsuda-kun's here.
Now, let's wander towards the festival and do festival things.
Yes!
Come on, move it.
Let's go!
Wait for me.
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Kamishiro Ayumi
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Yokohama Minato High School 1st Year
Sorry for crashing your date, Kamishiro-san.
It's okay, Mizushima. Honestly, I appreciate it.
After all...
I wouldn't know what to do if we were alone together.
Now, now.
Hey, wait. What?
Is that how it works?
Takoyaki
Cotton Candy
Matsuda-ku—
Why do you guys play badminton?
Why?
That's a difficult question to answer.
I'm curious, too. Why don't you play tennis?
I used to play ping pong, and the twins used to play baseball.
But now we love badminton.
I don't think there's really a reason for it.
I tried it and enjoyed it.
And I keep doing it because I enjoy it.
I don't play sports, so I don't understand how people choose what to play.
I don't think anyone's making a choice.
It's not the athletes who choose.
Badminton chooses them.
That's kind of cool.
That might be true in our case.
Yeah.
Matsuda-kun, can't you be any friendlier?
I'm not the star today.
Sorry. Could you help me with something?
Huh? Sure.
Let's do this.
Balloon Fishing
Where did everyone go?
Huh?
Did we get separated?
I see. So that's how it is.
Is there something going on between those two?
Yes.
Where did everyone go?
Well, I'm sure they'll catch up eventually.
Sakaki...
Huh?
What was that about?
Takoyaki
What do you mean?
Doubles.
Oh, right.
We can try a bunch of stuff next time we practice and make a decision then.
I realized then that Sakaki intended to dissolve our doubles team.
Just by letting things take their course...
Then why did you invite me to play with you?
You chose me, didn't you?
Let's talk about this another time.
Hey, it's Matsuda.
Huh?
Later.
What?
Jeez.
That looks tasty.
Aw, man.
We'll have to stand and watch.
Are you okay, Ayumi?
Hey, I know a nice place. Come with me.
Natural Hot Springs
Here?
We can come in.
What a great hidden spot.
This place is open to the public on days when they launch fireworks.
But everyone heads to the observation bath instead.
How'd you find out about this place?
I've been here before.
I let Mizushima-kun and Sakaki-kun know we're here.
Do you think they'll be able to find it?
What is this place?
This is a great place to watch the fireworks.
Did you talk to Sakaki?
Huh? No, he ran away.
He ran away?
Did you guys get separated from us on purpose?
Yeah. He's hopeless.
Sounds like you're having a rough time. Are you okay?
Oh, that's between us. You don't need to know about it.
Sakaki Shohei
Calling...
Matsuda-kun, that was a little harsh.
He's not answering.
I think I just heard a phone ring.
It's coming from around here.
Doesn't it sound...
...like it's above us?
Is he up there?
Let's go, too.
Yeah.
Wait there.
Sakaki.
What? Why?
We were below you.
Wow, we're connected by the red thread of fate.
Sakaki, you're more of a coward than I thought.
Huh?
Stop ignoring the problem by changing the subject.
Have a proper conversation with Mizushima.
Sakaki, do you want to dissolve our doubles team?
I don't know.
But it hurts me.
I knew you'd get better.
I planned to improve just as much.
But it didn't happen.
You've moved so far past me.
I'm a burden to you.
I can't fake it anymore.
That's not true.
It's true.
Yeah, he's right.
When I think you might not get to participate
in the newbie tournament because of me,
I figure it'd better for you to team up with someone like Matsuda.
You don't need to worry about that.
Let's keep working on it a little longer.
Remember what you said? All we can do is try our best.
Yeah, but Sakaki isn't Team Mizukaki's only problem.
Yeah.
Honestly, I think you've got a pretty serious issue, too, Mizushima.
What?
I mean, I do have a lot to work on...
Not a lot. Just one thing.
You don't trust Sakaki at all.
He's right.
I don't trust him?
You probably think you're helping him out.
But sometimes you seem more like his babysitter.
You need to stop assuming Sakaki won't return certain shots.
Instead you need to think Sakaki will return that shot. Sakaki will move here.
At the very least, that's how we think when we play.
Not that we do it consciously.
Crap. I...
My partner isn't a weak link!
It was so cool the way Yusa-san protected Yokokawa-san when he was injured.
I might've thought that's what I was supposed to do.
Sorry, Sakaki. I was arrogant.
Nah, I'm sorry, too.
Huh?
I think I'm playing badminton because I wanted to be selfish.
My family runs a restaurant. I've got younger siblings.
There's a lot I have to do to make things work.
It's not that I don't like it, but I got in the habit of being a good boy.
But when I'm playing badminton, I can be free.
So I didn't want to compromise on my style.
I thought you'd make an incredibly convenient partner for me.
With a skilled and tenacious partner,
I thought I'd get to play doubles without changing who I was.
But it probably doesn't work that way.
I don't know what to say, but I want to play doubles with you playing your way.
Sakaki, will you play doubles with me?
Aw, man. What is this?
Jeez, this is embarrassing.
What's the matter, Akira?
I... I love you guys!
Matsuda, I've got something to say to you, too.
What is it?
If you've got a heart at all, then remember these words.
Come here.
It ran away.
I wonder why.
Go on.
That looks good on you.
Huh?
What?
Good morning.
It's a new semester and you're already practicing.
Yes.
Yup. We need to polish our teamwork before the ranking matches start.
We're training hard.
Hurry up and switch.
Matsuda-kun, too? You're not playing doubles, right?
If I'm the only one who's not doing anything, I'll be left behind.
Matsuda-kun, good luck!
We continued training until the end of October,
Ranking Matches – Doubles Ranking
1st Higashiyama Taichi – Higashiyama Yoji
2nd Sakaki Shohei – Mizushima Ryo
3rd Kobayashi Masakazu – Tamura Minoru
Ranking Matches – Singles Ranking
1st Matsuda Akira
2nd Mizushima Ryo
3rd Tamura Minoru
4th Sakaki Shohei
5th Higashiyama Taichi
6th Higashiyama Yoji
7th Kobayashi Masakazu
8th Tsutsui Tasuku
9th Uchida Akira
and the first-years claimed all the doubles spots at the newbie tournament.
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Next Time
Those guys better do a good job.
Let's see how far they can go without us.
Hey, the individual event finals are starting.
Who from our team made it to the finals? Mizushima or Matsuda?
Uh huh. So that's how it is.
Episode 12
Gale
Next time on LOVE ALL PLAY Episode 12, "Gale."
I wasn't expecting a match between Mizushima and Matsuda.
I'm excited to see how this turns out.