Episode title

"First kiss! Minami yori aiwo komete!?

[First kiss! From Minami with love!?]

• Summary by Hitoshi Doi, 1990.12.03
• Version 2 by Hitoshi Doi, 1992.03.28

Tatsuya was chosen by the captain of the boxing team to fight in the match the next day because the regular boxer was injured when he slipped and fell in the rain. Tatsuya was surprised because he was only a freshman. But all of the other replacement boxers were injured, so there was nobody else left.

At the library, Tatsuya was looking through some boxing books. Minami came up to him and asked him about the match. Minami said that it was great that Tatsuya was chosen although he was only a freshman. She said that she will go cheer for him. But Tatsuya said, "No you don't have to. You're not interested in boxing anyways."

Minami answered, "I'm not going to see boxing. I'm going to see Tatsuya trying his best.." Tatsuya then told Minami that his boxing match was on the same day that Kazuya and the Meisei High School baseball team had their first game in the preliminary tournament for the Koushien Tournament. Minami was a little upset. Tatsuya told Minami to go cheer for Kazuya.

The baseball team had indoor practice because it was raining outside. Minami was thinking that if it kept raining, the baseball game would be postponed.

Tatsuya was practicing with Harada. Harada noticed that when Tatsuya was very intense, he was just like his brother.

On the way home from school, Minami asked Kazuya if his condition and pitching rhythm would get screwed up if the baseball game was postponed because of rain. Kazuya replied that he couldn't let little things like that mess him up if he wants to go all the way to the Koushien. Then Minami mentioned that Tatsuya was going to fight in a boxing match. But she didn't tell him that it was the same day as the baseball game.

Tatsuya was doing pushups in the study room when Minami came in. Minami smiled in approval because Tatsuya had become much stronger. Tatsuya noticed that it was raining harder outside. When Tatsuya asked Minami if she wasn't worried about the rain for the next day's game, she said that nothing can be done against nature. She also added that if the game was rained out, she can go cheer for Tatsuya in the boxing match. Then Tatsuya said that it was just a practice match and it didn't matter if he won or lost. Minami got mad at Tatsuya's attitude and made him promise her that he would win. Tatsuya said that he wasn't like Kazuya, but he promised her anyways.

The next day was a very bright and sunny day. The baseball game started as scheduled in the afternoon. So did the boxing match. As Kazuya threw the first pitch of the game, Minami was in the stands thinking about Tatsuya. The opposing batter swung at the pitch and hit a homerun.

Meanwhile Tatsuya's boxing match had started. He surprised his opponent, and everyone else, with his quick punches and knocked down his opponent.

After Kazuya's teammates calmed him down, Kazuya settled down to strike out the next three batters.

Tatsuya was fighting a very good match, although most of his big, wild swings were missing his opponent. Tatsuya took some direct hits too. During the break between rounds, Harada told Tatsuya to not try too hard since this was his first match, and not to worry about winning. But Tatsuya said that he had to win because he had promised Minami. Tatsuya continued to fight a good match.

After Kazuya struck out the last batter of the last inning to win the game for Meisei High School, Minami ran to the gym to find out what had happened to Tatsuya in the boxing match. Minami saw Harada and asked where Tatsuya was. Harada said that Tatsuya was probably crying by himself somewhere. When Minami asked if Tatsuya had lost, Harada replied, "Yeah.. But he tried very hard to win. He was saying that he didn't want you to think that he lost because you weren't there."

Tatsuya was sitting by himself on a park bench. Kazuya came up to him. When Tatsuya asked if he had won, Kazuya said that they did. Then Kazuya asked, "What happened to your face? The boxing match wasn't today.."
"No, I was saving a princess from some evil villains!"

That night at home, Minami was telling everyone how good Kazuya had performed in his first high school game. After giving up the homerun, Kazuya threw a perfect game, striking out 16 and allowing only three balls into the outfield. Then Minami's father said that he will treat everyone in celebration of Kazuya's first win. He said that he will order five special plates of sushi. But Minami reminded him that Tatsuya was upstairs. After Minami ordered six special plates of sushi, she went up to get Tatsuya, who was alone in his room.

Tatsuya was lying down in his bed, the upper bed of the bunk bed, with the lights off, the door closed, and all of the windows closed. Minami went into the room to tell Tatsuya that her father was going to treat them to sushi. Minami opened the window to let some fresh air in, and climbed partly up the ladder of the bed. Then she said, "Hey wake up! Are you alive!"
Without turning, Tatsuya replied, "Are you trying to be nice?"
Minami said, "Huh?"
Tatsuya, still looking the other way, said, "Aren't you going to ask about the boxing match?"
"That was too bad.." Minami said, "I heard from Harada-kun. He said that you tried very hard to win."
"That big mouth!" Tatsuya got up on his bed to face Minami.
Minami said, "Although he doesn't look it, Harada-kun is very nice. He was very worried about you."
"I'll feel even worse if he does something like that!"
Minami said, "It was only a practice match anyways. You said so yourself."
"Yeah. It was a match that didn't matter at all." Tatsuya was staring at the wall. "But since you told me to win.."
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize. It'll only make me feel worse!" Tatsuya faced Minami.
Minami asked, "Then what should I do?"
Tatsuya pondered for a moment and said, "Well, at a time like this, a kind girl would.." Tatsuya turned toward Minami. "Probably just give a kiss gently without saying anything."

Then Minami closed her eyes, leaned toward Tatsuya, and kissed him. Minami then climbed down from the ladder and told Tatsuya to come down for dinner.

The Uesugi and Asakura families enjoyed their celebration dinner. Minami's father bought the sushi, and Kazuya's father bought the beer.

That night Tatsuya couldn't sleep because he was still thinking about what Minami had done.

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