Stove

[Titile page: the gang of four in baseball uniforms.]

(*)

[Mitsuru looks surprised.]

Shinji: [Also looking surprised] Huh?

[Mitsuru and Hasukawa have run into Shinji and his friend in front of a bookstore.]

Shinji: Mitsuru?!

Mitsuru: Shinji?!

Shinji: It's been a while!

Mitsuru: What are you doing here?

(*)

Mitsuru: Eh – you moved to this area?

Shinji: Yeah. I heard your school was around here, Mitsuru, but –

Mitsuru: [Jerking his thumb in Shinji's direction] This is Shinji. He went to middle school with me.

Mitsuru: This is Suka – he's a first year in the dorm room next to mine.

Hasukawa: N– Nice to meet you.

Shinji: Yo.

Mitsuru: Anyway, what's with the uniform?

Shinji: This?

[Shinji unzips his jacket, revealing a baseball uniform that says "Sixteens" on it.]

Shinji: I started a sandlot baseball team. We're going to practice.

Shinji: [Laughing] I joined the school baseball club, but the coach kicked me out.

Mitsuru: [Laughing] You'll never change when it comes to baseball!

Laughing FX: A ha ha ha!

(*)

[Lightning strikes.]

Lightning FX: ME KI

Mitsuru: . . . ha?

Shinji: That reminds me. . .

Shinji: The decision made *that* *time*. . .

Mitsuru: [Sweatdrop] You still haven't forgotten?

Shinji: Of course not!

Shinji: Thanks to that affair I became an enemy in the eyes of your female groupies! And I was dumped by
Mayumi!

Shinji: I tasted only bitterness!

Mitsuru: All because you were a sore loser!

Shinji: *Who* was the sore loser?! And another thing: that was a dirty trick you pulled – using the girls like
that!

Mitsuru: Who did what, when?! Name the hour, minute and second!

Shinji: You did! Don't play dumb!

(*)

Shinji: That's right. The team we were supposed to play tomorrow cancelled but we still have the field.

Shinji: It can't be that you intend to run away?

[Mitsuru stares at Shinji.]

Shun's voice: And then?

[Shun and Hasukawa are in their room sitting at the kotatsu.]

Shun: He set up a game for tomorrow even though we don't have a team? What an idiot.

Shun: And what's this about a "decision"?

Hasukawa: Well, during middle school there was a class rivalry baseball match. . .

Hasukawa: Mitsuru-sempai was the runner and Shinji-san was the pitcher going to cover home plate in a
close play. The umpire backed Mitsuru-sempai's assertion and his class won, but –

(*)

Hasukawa: Shinji-san says the umpire was swayed by the voices of Mitsuru-sempai's girl fans.

[Pic of screaming girls chanting "Mi-tsu-ru! Mi-tsu-ru!"]

Hasukawa: From then on the girls called Shinji-san Mitsuru-sempai's enemy and were mean to him. And the
girl he was dating became disgusted with him. . .

Shun: I'm sorry to hear that.

Shun: Anyway, where's Mitsuru-sempai?

Hasukawa: He's going to get the baseball club members.

Mitsuru's voice: I'm serious!

Baseball jock's voice: "A sandlot baseball game"? You must be joking!

Baseball jock: Spring selection is over and we need to prepare for the summer championships. What will I do
if I get injured playing *sandlot* baseball during this critical time period?

Mitsuru: What could *our* school's baseball club and the summer championships *possibly* have to do with
each other?!

(*)

Baseball jock: [Being held back by his roommate] What did you say, you bastard?

Baseball jock: I'm not letting you have a single member of the baseball club – got it?!

Mitsuru: [Sweatdrop] Crap.

Mitsuru: Sure enough, I'll have to make do with amateurs.

Mitsuru: Anyway, here are two volunteers.

Hasukawa: [Sweatdrop] You didn't say anything until now. . .

Shun: Eh?! Me too?!

Shun: I don't wanna! It's cold outside! Plus, I'd have to get up early!

Mitsuru: You *do* realize that you're my kouhai.

Shun: [Defeated] Deciding by yourself is fine, I guess.

Shun: What about Shinobu-sempai?

Shinobu: I don't mind helping out.

(*)

Shinobu: This "baseball" takes how many people again?

Mitsuru: You really *don't* play team sports, do you?

Mitsuru: Can't be helped. I'm going scouting.

Pug-nosed kid's voice: Baseball?! When?

Okazaki's voice: Tomorrow?!

Pug-nosed kid: How come you're telling us now?

Okazaki: I mean, if it were soccer or rugby – anyway, isn't it the off season?

Mitsuru: Well, for one thing, the author doesn't know the rules for soccer or rugby.

Mini Nasu Yukie: Soccer has eleven players and rugby has *fifteen* that I'd have to draw!

Pug nosed kid: It can't be helped.

Sakaguchi: How about one game for 1000 yen?

Mitsuru: Can you give me a 40% discount?

Tochizawa: It's fine if I just say I'll go, but I'm not saying I'm good at it! Is that okay?

(*)

Furusawa: I'm free, so I can play.

Mitsuru FX: Yay!

Mitsuru: Eight people. . . I'd like to have at least two more people. . .

Lineup: Ikeda (5), Hasukawa (6), Shun (4), Morinaga (8), Okazaki (9), Tochizawa (7), Furusawa (2), Kamegaki
(3).

[Back in room 211.]

Shun: And furthermore, Sempai, do you have someone who can pitch?

Mitsuru: No. And pitching power is indispensable.

Door knocking FX: Kon kon

Voice: Ummm. . .

[Yoshiki stands in the doorway.]

Yoshiki: Is it true you're going to have a baseball game tomorrow?

Mitsuru: Yeah.

Yoshiki: Is it okay if I play?

All: Eh?

(*)

Yoshiki: I played on the boys' team until I was a second year in middle school.

Shun: Eh?! Really?

Mitsuru: What position?

Yoshiki: I was second string, but – pitcher.

Shun: That's unexpected!

Yoshiki: I was sickly as a kid, so it was supposed to make me strong. In the winter I played ice hockey, too!

Mitsuru: Right. Our selection is set. Fujikake, you'll come of course?

Fujikake: [Reluctantly] Yeah.

Mitsuru: I'm somewhat uneasy, but for the time being our roster is set.

Mitsuru: (Just you wait, Shinji!)

[Mitsuru walks off, chuckling evilly.]

Evil laugh FX: Fu fu fu

(*)

Hasukawa: [Watching Mitsuru] I guess it's okay.

Shun: It's been a while since I've played baseball!

Shun: Well, if everything's decided I'd better go borrow a glove!

TV in Room 211: And next is the weather report. ...Good weather throughout Japan. However, a cold front
will be coming in from the north. On the Sea of Japan side there will be snow, and it seems that on the Pacific
Ocean side also it'll be cooling down and be bitterly cold all day.

(*)

[The next morning dawns cold. The river has ice on it.]

Shun: . . . it's freezing. . .

Shun: I wonder if I should go home.

Tochizawa: Shinobu-sempai never fails at life, does he? [Imo-girl: I think he's implying that Shinobu made the
right decision by not coming.]

Mitsuru: Stop chattering! If you move around you'll warm up!

Chattering FX: Gata gata

Shun: [Indicating what's chattering] It's my teeth. [heart]

Yoshiki: My knees. [heart]

Shinji: Sou iu kotta!

(*)

Shinji: We've been waiting! Well then, shall we start?

Mitsuru: Don't regret this.

Shinji: Heh! That's my line! There's no noisy gallery today so we'll have a fair outcome!

Shinji laughing FX: Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!

Mitsuru: (He's making a big deal out of this.)

Sixteens player: [Warming his hands in Shinji's aura] (Ah – warm. . .)

Tochizawa: Sorry, I lost.

Mitsuru: Okay, okay.

Sixteens: Seegozee!

Nasu Yukie: They're saying "Let's go!"[Saa, ikou ze!] The other team often yells "Seegooee," which means
"Come on, then!" [Saa, koi!]

(*)

Mitsuru: [To Yoshiki] Stay calm and relaxed.

Yoshiki: Okay!

Umpire: Play ball!

Yoshiki: [On the pitcher's mound] Please prepare yourself!

Sixteens lead hitter: Uh, okay.

[Yoshiki winds up and throws straight into Furusawa's glove.]

Umpire: Strike!

Sixteens player sitting on the bench: [Mockingly] Hey! Pretty good pitcher!

(*)

[Yoshiki winds up. The first batter strikes out.]

Umpire: Strike! Batter out!

[As does the second batter.]

Umpire: Batter out!

[The third batter hits the ball to the pug-nosed kid (Morinaga?), who catches it.]

Umpire: Three outs! Change!

Shun: Watanabe, you're awesome! Nice pitching!

Morinaga: If you keep pitching like that, the rest of us'll freeze to death!

Mitsuru: [Pointing to Yoshiki] Fujikake, while we're up keep the ace warm so he doesn't cool off! . . . just don't
let anyone see you.

Fujikake: [Blushing] O- Okay!

Shinji: Shit.

[Hasukawa is first up.]

Okazaki: Go for it, top batter!

Kamegaki: Outta the park!

(*)

[Hasukawa swings and misses. The ball hits him in the back.]

Ball FX: GO KI

Umpire: Take one base!

[Okazaki and Tochizawa clap politely.]

Clapping FX: Pachi pachi pachi

Mitsuru: Right. Right.

Shun: [Smiling] I'm second up!

[The sixteens confer on the mound.]

Sixteens player: What's up with this? They have a *girl*?

Shinji: They must've just thrown this team together.

Sixteens catcher: No! If she plays softball or something she may be a good hitter. Don't let your guard down!

Mitsuru: [Making hand signals] Good. Until the other side figures out that Shun's a guy, don't say anything.

Tochizawa: [Sweatdrop] Isn't that being tricky?

Mitsuru: Baseball is a tricky sport.

Shinji: [Winding up] (It's fine to say that, but pitching seriously is mean.)

(*)

Shinji: (I'll use the first pitch to assess the situation.)

[Shun hits deep into right field.]

Sixteens outfielder: Second!

Sixteens second baseman: Third! Third!

Sixteens outfielder: Eh?!

[Hasukawa is rounding second base. Shun is on first.]

(*)

Shinji: Hit-and-run?!

Tochizawa: Great!

Shinji: Don't get cocky!

[Mitsuru hits the ball. Furusawa hits a home run into the river and Greenwood is up four to nothing.]

(*)

Narr: In the first inning, the Greenwood team got four runs in one fell swoop.

Shinji: Shit.

Narr: But after that, Shinji, the Sixteens pitcher, rallied his team and stopped Greenwood from scoring again.
The lineup also took advantage of Greenwood's inexperienced defense and scored solidly, until, in the sixth
inning, the score was four to three.

Mitsuru: [To Yoshiki] Are you okay?

Yoshiki: Yes.

[A Sixteens player hits the ball directly at Shun.]

(*)

[Judging from the look on Shun's face, the ball hit him in a sensitive spot. o_O;; Shun crumples.]

Okazaki: Wah!

Mitsuru: Are you okay?

[Hasukawa and Okazaki carry Shun off the field.]

Sixteens player: [Whispering] Maybe that really *is* a guy?

Sixteens player 2: [Whispering] No, it can't be!

Whispering FX: Hiso hiso hiso hiso

Mitsuru: Tochizawa, take Shun's place at second base!

Tochizawa: Eh? Me?!

Batting FX: Kaki-n!

[Okazaki dives for the ball.]

Okazaki: Wah!

(*)

[Okazaki is lying on the ground, but he has the ball.]

Umpire: Out!

[Mitsuru tags a player.]

Umpire: Out! Change!

Sixteens player: Ow ow ow.

Sixteens player 2: What is it?

Sixteens player: I think I sprained something.

Mitsuru: Are you okay, Okazaki?

Okazaki: [Looking at a scrape on his arm.] Yeah. Oww.

Tochizawa: It looks like the other team is substituting.

Mitsuru: (That's right. Because of the cold, everyone's getting stiff. It's the bottom of the sixth inning and the
game's coming to an end. We don't have any subs left and they have one. That means. . .)

(*)

Mitsuru and Shinji: (The team without enough players loses!)

[Hasukawa gets hit by another pitch. Two Sixteens players collide. Tochizawa commits an error. Morinaga
gets hit in the face by the ball.]

Shinji: [Yelling at a down player] You can still play!

Sixteens player: Idiot! My leg is cramping!

Mitsuru: Right. Just one more player to go.

Mitsuru evil chuckle FX: Fu fu fu

Mitsuru: [To Yoshiki] It's fine. Why don't you try to hit one of them with a pitch?

Yoshiki: [Startled] Eh?

Fujikake: [Outraged] Sempai!

Tochizawa: If this isn't over soon. . .

Hasukawa: . . .someone's gonna die.

(*)

[A Sixteens player collides with Furusawa at home plate and knocks himself unconscious.]

Umpire: Down! No, out! One! Two! Three!. . .

Umpire: [Holding up Furusawa's hand] . . .Ten!

Boxing ring bell FX: Kan kan kan!

[Shinji bows his head in defeat.]

Umpire: Since the Sixteens no longer have nine players. . .

Umpire: Greenwood wins four to three!

Greenwood players: Yatta!

Tochizawa: I'm so glad it's over.

Shinji: Dammit.

Shinji crying FX: U u u

Sixteens players dispersing FX: Zoro zoro

Voice: So then. . .

(*)

[A pretty blonde girl stands looking st Shinji.]

Girl: Are you satisfied now?

Shinji: Mayumi!

[Mitsuru and Hasukawa goggle at Mayumi.]

Mitsuru: [Goggling] O–

Mayumi: Let's make up quickly.

Mitsuru: Didn't you guys break up?

Mayumi: [Surprised] Eh?

Shinji: Who said we had to break up?

Mayumi: We had a fight, but I apologized to him the next day.

Mayumi: I'm still Mitsuru's fan, but I love Shinji. . .

Shinji: Mayumi. . .

[Shinji and Mayumi wander off together.]

Mayumi: Hey, where do you want to go?

Mitsuru: [Reaching for the bat Tochizawa's holding] Hey. Give me that for a sec.

Tochizawa: Here.

KIKEN na SUTOOBURIIGU/Owari