Blue Box — Chapter 1

MY SPRING

HAPPENED INSIDE THIS BOX.

HAH! HAH!

HAH!

YOU'RE EARLIER THAN USUAL TODAY.

GOOD MORNING, SIR!

YEAH, WITH THE TOURNAMENT COMING UP, I'LL NEED AS MUCH PRACTICE AS I CAN GET!

MORNING.

Good luck, young man! SUCH SPIRIT...

I WON'T LOSE AGAIN TODAY!

THERE'S SOME- ONE I WANT TO BEAT HERE!

る

WILL BE THE DAY...

F I R S T !!

AH.

EH?

I SAW IT!! I SAW IT...

IT WAS BLUE ...!

I'M SO SORRY!

I FORGOT TO KNOCK!

IT'S MY FAULT, REALLY.

I THOUGHT IT'D BE SAFE TO CHANGE HERE, SINCE IT'S STILL EARLY.

SORRY.

GUESS ... I LOST AGAIN...

Tch! I COULD HAVE COME UP WITH A BETTER RE- SPONSE THAN THAT.

IT'S NOTHING.

THE NUMBER OF CULTURE CLUBS AND SPORTS CLUBS COMBINED

AT OUR SCHOOL,

MAKES 12 CLUBS IN TOTAL.

BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, BADMINTON, GYMNASTICS AND THEATER.

WE HAVE OUR VOLUN- TARILY MORNING PRACTICE AT THE GYM

THOSE ARE THE 5 CLUBS THAT USE THE GYM.

UNTIL 8:30 EVERY MORNING.

AND AMONG THE EARLIEST TO APPEAR EVERY MORNING ...

THERE'S ME, INOMATA TAIKI,

WHAT TIME DID SHE ARRIVE...?

AND A MEMBER FROM THE GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM,

KANO CHINATSU- SENPAI.

WE'RE BOTH IN DIFFERENT YEARS,

WE ONLY GIVE EACH OTHER A SHORT "HELLO" DURING OUR MORNING PRACTICE, BUT EVEN SO...

BELONG TO DIFFERENT CLUBS AND COMMITTEES.

I'M IN LOVE

WITH KANO CHINATSU- SENPAI.

I THINK...

I'M GOING TO CONFESS TO SENPAI!

I KNOW YOU HAVE A HABIT OF CHARGING HEADLONG INTO THINGS,

BUT I DON'T THINK IT'LL WORK OUT FOR YOU THIS TIME.

TOO FAST!!

GIVE IT UP.

IT'S CHINATSU- SENPAI WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW?

NOT TO MENTION SHE'S ALSO PRETTY AND HAS MODEL- LIKE FIGURE.

SHE'S THE LEADER OF THE GIRLS' BASKET- BALL TEAM, HAS SUPERB MOTOR NERVES AND A LIKABLE PERSONALITY.

SHE'S ONE OF THE TOP MOST POPULAR PEOPLE IN SCHOOL.

I DOUBT SHE EVEN KNOWS YOUR NAME...

LOOK, MAN. SHE'S AIMING FOR A PREP SCHOOL.

SHE DOES KNOW MY NAME ...!

It's like heaven and earth between the two of you.

WHILE YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA FAIL YOUR FIRST CHOICE.

BUT I DON'T LIKE TO ADMIT DEFEAT

I KNOW THAT...

BEFORE THE BATTLE EVEN STARTED.

WHAT "BATTLE" ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

VOLLEY- BALL? LOVE?

GET HER TO REMEM- BER YOU.

DO SOME- THING TO MAKE HER NOTICE YOU.

AT LEAST,

I MEAN, WOULD YOU ACCEPT A CONFESSION FROM A TOTAL STRANGER ...?

THAT'S THE SHOGI CLUB FOR YA! YOU GUYS ARE SUPER SMART!

TRY TO GET INTO YOUR SECOND CHOICE.

TAIKI'S PRETTY MOTIVATED TODAY.

HE MUST BE AIMING TO BECOME A REGULAR.

HIT ME AGAIN!

OUR TWO CLUBS ARE FINALLY HAVING CLUB ACTIVITIES AT THE SAME TIME!!

I'M GONNA GIVE IT MY ALL AND SHOW HER MY TOP FORM!!

SO HE WAS TALKING ABOUT VOLLEY- BALL.

AH WELL.

SHE'S SO COOL...

YOU OKAY THERE?

YEAH...

TAKE TEN, EVERY- ONE!!

BUT WELL, NOT LIKE SENPAI'S HERE TO SEE ME THOUGH... I'll show her my hard- working side!

EVEN IF IT'S JUST CHORES, I'M GONNA GIVE IT MY ALL!

Top CAPCE

CAUSE I'M COOL!!

SHOULD I START A CONVER- SATION!? HOLY COINCI- DENCE!! WHAT NOW!?

WAIT NO, SHOULD I INTRODUCE MYSELF FIRST!?

EH? SENPAI'S STRUG- GLING TO OPEN THAT PACK! ISN'T THAT JUST SUPER CUTE!?

IS THAT OKAY?

NEED ME TO OPEN THAT FOR YOU?

SURE, JUST LEAVE IT TO ME.

THII- ING!!

THIS IS NO...

Ah! IT'S OPEN.

排 球 部

A ha ha ha!

AND AFTER YOU WERE ACTING SO TOUGH ...

SHE'S LAUGHING...

Haha! RIGHT!?

KINDA SWEET, TO BE HONEST.

ARE YOU OKAY?

OH NO! I SHOULD BE SAYING SORRY INSTEAD. FOR LAUGH- ING AT YOU...

YOU REALLY ARE

A KLUTZ, AREN'T YOU?

YOU SAW THAT!?

YOU ALSO TOOK A BALL RIGHT IN THE FACE BACK THERE TOO.

IT WAS A RIOT.

BUT ALL I ENDED UP DOING IS TAKING A BALL TO THE FACE AND RUINING HER SPORTS DRINK PACK!

ARGH! I WAS TRYING TO SHOW HER MY COOL SIDE!

I'M SO FREAKING LAME...

YOU SHOULD CLEAN THIS OFF.

CAN'T GO BACK TO YOUR CLUB ACTIVITIES LOOKING LIKE THIS, RIGHT?

UWAH!

THIS...

WHY...

WHY IS THIS REMINDING ME OF WHAT I SAW THIS MORNING!?

WOW. HOW MANLY OF YOU.

I'M OKAY !!

Chinatsu, we're starting again.

I WAS JUST THINKING OF COOLING MY HEAD A BIT MYSELF!!

SEE YOU AROUND,

I'M HEADING BACK FIRST THEN.

TAIKI- KUN.

H-HOW DID YOU KNOW MY NAME!?

You sure you're fine?

OF COURSE I KNEW.

WE SEE EACH OTHER EVERY DAY, RIGHT?

PREP SCHOOL ...

IS SO STRONG...

AT LEAST

SHE RE- MEMBERS MY NAME NOW.

THAT'S MY SECOND GOAL CLEARED.

NOW FOR MY 3RD GOAL...

THE 3RD STEP TO VIC- TORY!!

GOOD MORNING!

ASK FOR HER NUMBER ...!

EH?

Did she oversleep...?

SHE'S NOT HERE...

WHATCHA UP TO THERE?

I THOUGHT IT WAS LOOKING KINDA MESSY.

JUST TIDYING UP THE EQUIPMENT.

I JUST SUDDENLY FELT LIKE DOING THIS MYSELF.

LEMME HELP!

HM? IT'S FINE.

SO I FIGURED I MIGHT AS WELL MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF MY SPARE TIME.

I'M ALWAYS HERE EARLY, AFTER ALL.

I'M GOING TO HELP YOU.

IT'S GONNA HURT MY SELF- ESTEEM IF I DON'T.

I GUESS... IF YOU INSIST.

LIKE MY GRANDPA ALWAYS SAYS,

IS YOUR GRANDPA A KID?

DOES HE?

HE SOUNDS CHILDISH.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS SERIOUS.

"THAT'S A BIG NO-NO TO MY PRIDE!"

SO, SENPAI!

ANY BROTHERS OR SISTERS ...?

WHAT'S YOUR FAMILY LIKE?

I HAVE BROTHERS.

I BET THEY'RE GOOD LOOKING TOO, LIKE HER.

NO, I MEAN IT. YOU JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, DIDN'T YOU?

THAT'S COOL!

NO WAY!

PEOPLE OFTEN SAY I'M TOO LAID BACK. I'M NOT COOL AT ALL.

-ISH.

That's what makes you cool.

BUT SENPAI,

YOU HATE TO LOSE, RIGHT?

EH? YOU THINK SO?

YOU'RE ALWAYS THE FIRST TO APPEAR FOR MORNING PRACTICE.

YOU ALWAYS SHOWED UP EVEN EARLIER THAN ME.

MY MOTTO IS "TO PRACTICE MORE THAN EVERYONE ELSE".

WHAT'S THAT MEAN!?

BUT!

SEE? NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO ARGUE WITH ME.

I MEAN, HAVING A GOAL LIKE THAT

ALREADY MEANS THAT YOU'RE THE KIND WHO HATES TO LOSE.

molten

I ALREADY SAW YOU IN THAT MOMENT.

THAT MOMENT?

IT WAS LAST YEAR,

FOR YOUR BASKET- BALL TEAM SENPAI.

THE DAY AFTER THE RETIREMENT MATCH

MY HEAD WAS ONLY FILLED WITH THOUGHTS

I WAS ALSO HEADING FOR THE GYM THAT DAY.

OF WHAT THE SENPAI WERE GONNA DO AFTER THE RETIREMENT MATCH.

AND WHEN I CAME IN,

TO DO MY USUAL MORNING PRACTICE...

LATER ON, I FOUND OUT THAT YOU ALSO ENTERED THE MATCH, CHINATSU- SENPAI...

AND THAT YOU JUST LOST BY A HAIR...

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAW ME IN SUCH AN EMBAR- RASSING MOMENT ...

THIS IS THE WORST ...

SEEING YOU PRACTICING YOUR SHOOTS WITH TEARS IN YOUR EYES...

IT REALLY IMPRESSED ME.

NO!

TO ME

YOU WERE AWE- SOME!!

ONLY SOMEONE WITH REAL DEDICATION COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

CHINATSU- SENPAI...

CHINATSU.

THE LEADER OF THE MALE BASKETBALL TEAM!

SEKI- KUN.

WHY IS HE LOOKING FOR CHINATSU- SENPAI?

YOU WERE HERE?

WAIT, NO, IT'S PROBABLY JUST FOR SOME BUSINESS.

BUT HEY, AREN'T THEY STANDING A BIT TOO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER?

LIKE A REAL LIFE PICTURE OF A PERFECT COUPLE...

BUT WAIT, I HEARD HE WAS GOING OUT WITH THE TENNIS TEAM LEADER, RIGHT...?

THEY LOOK GOOD TOGETHER TOO...

DON'T TELL ME

RUMORS SAY IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THEY DATE.

2-B

FOR REAL!?

LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST RUMORS.

BE- SIDES,

BUT CONSIDERING THE BOTH OF THEM ARE LEADERS OF A BASKET- BALL TEAM,

THE GUY IS TALL, HAND- SOME,

THEY PROBABLY HAVE A LOT IN COMMON.

AND GOOD AT BASKET- BALL.

YOU HAVE A REAL POWER- HOUSE OF A RIVAL HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

I'M GONNA FIGHT UNTIL THE BITTER END!!

I'VE COME THIS FAR!

IT'S FINE. SORRY FOR CALLING YOU OUT HERE SO SUDDENLY.

WAIT!? DON'T TELL ME!?

WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME?

IS HE CONFES- SING!?

Thump MAN, THIS IS MAKING ME NERVOUS...

SHOULD I BE LISTENING TO THIS!? Thump

OF COURSE NOT...!

I'M SORRY.

I'M NOT INTE- RESTED IN DATING ANYONE AT THE MOMENT.

I WANT TO FOCUS ONLY ON BASKET- BALL.

I SEE ...

THIS...

WHAT THE...

FORGET I ASKED, THEN.

I GET THAT.

I MEAN...

I'M GLAD SHE TURNED DOWN THAT GUY, BUT...

"I WANT TO FOCUS ONLY ON BASKET- BALL"?

THAT'S UNFAIR.

SHE'S BEEN PRACTICING EVERY MORNING...

EVERY AFTER- NOON...

AND IN ALL THOSE TIMES, I HAVE WATCHED HER...

WATCHED HOW HARD SHE HAS WORKED...

A A A R G H ...

EVEN IF I LOSE TO HER WHEN IT COMES TO CLUB ACTIVITIES...

IT'S NOT JUST SEKI- SENPAI.

IT'LL BE JUST A MATTER OF COURSE...

I GUESS...

I WON'T BEAT HER ANYTIME SOON.

MAYBE I SHOULD GO TO THE TRAINING HALL FOR MY MORNING PRACTICE FROM NOW ON.

Unrequited love

WE ALWAYS SEE EACH OTHER AT THE GYM, RIGHT?

THINK- ING ABOUT IT...

It'll be awkward seeing her now...

GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM, GATHER UP!

HUH?

DID SHE TAKE A DAY OFF?

DID SHE CATCH A COLD?

BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE

WHY DIDN'T SHE SHOW UP FOR MORNING PRACTICE...!?

FINALLY BREAK TIME...

THE GIRLS FROM THE BASKET- BALL TEAM...

SO YEAH,

THAT WAS SO ANNOYING, AM I RIGHT?

SO, CHINATSU.

SHE GOT CONFESSED TO BY SEKI, RIGHT?

WOW, SOMEONE GOT A HIGH OPINION OF THEM- SELVES.

WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT? HIM?

YEAH! YEAH!

I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THE TEAM LEADER DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE ALL THAT GREAT, AM I RIGHT?

YEAH, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A LITTLE GOOD LOOKING,

YEAH, TALK ABOUT DELUSIONAL.

I KNOW!

IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T HAVE TALENT.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK.

YOU'RE FROM THE VOLLEYBALL CLUB, RIGHT?

SHE'S ALWAYS THE ONE TO SHOW UP FIRST FOR PRACTICE!

I MAY BE,

IN CLUB ACTIVITIES, SHE DOES MORE WORK, RUNS MORE ROUNDS THAN ANY OTHER MEMBER!

ALWAYS THE ONE WHO TAKES THE INITIATIVE FOR CHORES!

BUT I KNOW CHINATSU- SENPAI!!

SHE'S MODEST, AND A HARD WORKER.

SHE CAN BE SHY OCCASION- ALLY,

SHE CAN BE A BIT DENSE ABOUT HERSELF AT TIMES.

AND SHE HATES TO LOSE.

CHINATSU- SENPAI LOVES BASKET- BALL,

SHE LOVES THE BASKET- BALL TEAM! THAT'S WHY...

MORE THAN ANYONE!

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THE FELLOW TEAM MEMBERS THAT SHE LOVES SO MUCH,

SPEAKING HURTFUL WORDS ABOUT HER BEHIND HER BACK!

WE KNOW.

BE- SIDES,

WE WERE

TALKING ABOUT SEKI.

PEOPLE FROM OTHER GRADES DON'T KNOW, BUT...

THAT GUY'S SO ANNOYING.

SEKI'S ACTUALLY A MASSIVE NARCISSIST.

HE THOUGHT HE HAD A CHANCE WITH OUR CHINATSU.

THINKS HE'S HOT STUFF.

WAIT A MINUTE?!

TO KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMEONE THAT UNDERSTAND HER SO WELL BESIDES US,

BESIDES

CHINATSU WOULD PROBABLY BE GLAD

CHINATSU.

LOOKS LIKE SHE'S BACK FROM HER CAREER INTERVIEW.

TAKE YOUR TIME~

WE'LL HEAD BACK TO THE GYM FIRST.

HMM.

CAN'T TELL IF

YOU'RE JUST THE SERIOUS TYPE,

OR THE TYPE THAT ALWAYS RUNS HEAD- LONG INTO THINGS.

NO, I THOUGHT THOSE WERE SOME NICE COMPLI- MENTS.

I ANY- SHOULD WAY! GET BACK TO-

SORRY FOR ALL THAT.

WAIT!

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE BADMOUTH- ING HER. SORRY FOR MISUNDER- STANDING."

PLEASE TELL THOSE GIRLS THAT.

TAIKI- KUN.

OKAY...

ASIDE FROM THAT...

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY TO ME?

I DON'T WANT TO PREVENT YOU

FROM FOCUSING ONLY ON BASKET- BALL.

YOU WERE SO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT TOO!

WAIT, DID YOU OVERHEAR OUR TALK!?

IT'S NOT LIKE I WANTED TO!!

YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP ON THE TOURNAMENT JUST FOR SOME SILLY ROMANCE STUFF, RIGHT!?

THAT'S ONLY AN EXCUSE... I USED TO TURN DOWN PEOPLE WHO MAKE ADVANCES AT ME.... UNTIL NOW.

I'VE BEEN THINKING, THAT MAYBE IF I CAN MEET THE ONE,

UNTIL NOW?

WAKING UP IN THE MORNING WOULDN'T BE SUCH A CHORE ANYMORE.

THE ONE WHO WILL BE THERE FOR ME...

THE ONE WHO WOULD CHEER FOR ME DURING MY CLUB ACTIVI- TIES...

WHEN I START CRYING AFTER LOSING A MATCH...

IF ONLY...

AND I, IN TURN, WOULD CHEER FOR HIM...

THAT PERSON WOULD SHOW UP BEFORE ME...

I LIKE YOU.

PLEASE, GO OUT WITH ME.

CHINATSU- SENPAI.

MY FIRST KISS...

WHA!?

WOULD TASTE LIKE ENERGY DRINK.

PREP SCHOOL SURE IS STRONG... I KNEW IT...

OUR SPRING...

HAPPENED INSIDE THIS BOX.

THEIRS TOO, WILL COME...

ONE DAY...