Chapter 50: Where are the heroes?
The chapter begins with Kyou at the Batting Center, curled up at the counter with a pillow. Reflecting on what happened with Saeka in the last chapter, he thinks that it was bad that he ended up crying. With the understanding that Saeka chose Yanaidu, he should have been able to see her off with a smile and put her at ease. But, he was too pathetic, and ended up failing. Kuni calls over to him, reminding him that [the counter] isn't his bed. Kyou responds, “Kuni-san, after you pass away... how about I take over the Batting Center?” Kuni asks that Kyou not go killing him off, as Kyou figures that he could while away his empty, ordinary days there. (Kuni asks if he's trying to start a fight.) Kyou looks over at the Christmas decorations, and points out that this will be his first Christmas without a girlfriend since fourth grade. (Kuni: “Seriously, are you picking a fight?”) Kyou picks up an ornament, and remembers it from last year. Kuni seems a little amused, and tells Kyou that all of them have equally overreacted to the decorations. Kyou smiles wistfully, and says, “Last year... somehow, it seems like that's already far in the past.”
Before Kuni can respond, Nori bursts in, and yells, “Kyou-chan, I found you!” She complains that he needs to check his email regularly (and greets Kuni). Kyou apologizes, and Nori asks if he's aware that the guy from his middle school basketball team is back in town. The one he didn't get along with... Ah, he sees; Tsujigane... Kyou thinks back to the letter he received, and recalls that the guy's name is “Tsujigane Junya.” If he's around, that's probably the “J” from the letter. What's the “precious thing” he plans to steal? Moron... Kyou turns back to Nori, and asks, “You mean that guy I beat black and blue back in middle school, then?” Nori replies that it's been a while since she's heard the phrase “black and blue,” and Kuni cuts in. Isn't Tsujigane some rich kid like Kyou? Fired up, Kyou corrects him, “We are NOTHING alike!” Kyou explains that, while he is from a respectable lineage, Tsujigane is from some minor nouveau riche clan!! Kyou is completely different from that spoiled brat! Kuni leans in and asks Nori what happened, and she explains, “Well... Kyou-chan knocked up his girlfriend.” Kyou promptly corrects her that no, he did not!! She continues, “... according to the rumor that went around. Actually, it seems that Kyou-chan stole that girlfriend...” Kyou cuts in again, saying he didn't even do that. She was the one who was hitting on him. Kuni whispers to Nori about how Kyou was pretty slimy in middle school, and Nori agrees. Kyou tells them that aren't paying attention; the point is, he was not involved with that girl. Looking more serious, Nori points out that something has to have caused that fight between them. Kyou doesn't really respond, thinking that yes, there was more to it. Kuni comments that those were the sorts of things that Saeka hated, and that reminds Nori to check her phone. She sees that she still hasn't heard from her, and it seems like Saeka's phone is turned off. Kuni asks how long it's been, and Nori replies that she hasn't heard anything from her since school ended. Hearing that, Kyou thinks about Tsujigane's letter. That bastard... He jumps up, knocking over the stool he'd been sitting on, and tells Nori to let him know if she hears from Saeka. Nori asks him where he's going, and he tells her he isn't sure. Running down the sidewalk, Kyou considers that he may be over-thinking this, but... As he wonders where to look, a car pulls up next to him, and the driver asks, “Murakami-kun, is it?”
Elsewhere, Haruna and Kubo are hiding behind some bushes. Kubo explains that those people [Tsujigane and his friends] are definitely planning something. After they beat him up last night, he tracked them for a bit. That warehouse over there is the enemy's base! (Haruna repeats in his head: “'Enemy base'...?”) Haruna asks if they're going, and Kubo tells him that he's sorry; he dragged him into this scouting mission. Haruna replies, “I can't let you go alone, can I?” Kubo is moved, though Haruna points out that he meant Kubo was clinging to him. (An arrow points out the Kubo is holding onto Haruna's sleeve as they approach the warehouse.) Meanwhile, Kyou is in the car between two guys, thinking that it might have been dangerous to get in with them. He asks if they're really going to see Tsujigane, and the driver tells him to be quiet. Kyou leans back, and thinks back on the fight between them.
The chapter flashes back to his second year in middle school. After he joined the basketball club, Kyou recalls that Tsujigane seemed to look on him as an enemy and to bare his teeth at any opportunity. Because of that, the atmosphere between them continued to grow more turbulent. The scene switches from showing a younger Kyou and Tsujigane on the basketball court to Saeka confronting him in the hall, asking Kyou how big of an idiot he could be. Kyou explains that he didn't do anything; that girl was the one who approached him... Saeka tells him that [these things happen] because he's always wavering between girls, and Kyou tells her that he can't help it. He tells her, apparently seriously, “It's because I'm so cool!” Saeka responds by kicking him in the stomach, and giving him a disappointed look. With how hard he'd been working at basketball, she thought he was taking something seriously for a change... Saeka leaves, and Kyou sighs. He picks up a basketball and thinks that, for the sake of the team, he should probably apologize. He spots Tsujigane and some of the other guys sitting outside, and listens in a little as they talk about him. (Kyou also wonders if he's going to be beaten up.) Tsujigane says that he's already over that bitch; what pisses him off is that it was with Murakami. He pauses a moment, and then says, “There's that girl who used to be fat, right? In the Murakami group.” (Kyou thinks: “Murakami group?”) She's annoying, right? Hearing him start to talk about Saeka, Kyou steps in and says, “Saeka doesn't have anything to do with this, does she?” The other guys seem surprised to see him there, and Kyou explains that she's just a distant relative he's known for a while. Tsujigane seems amused, and asks why Kyou is so interested in coming to her defense. Isn't she always putting Kyou down? (In the background, Kubo sees them talking.) Kyou agrees that's true; Saeka is an annoying girl who constantly finds fault with him. But, putting Saeka down isn't a way of striking a blow at him. Kyou gets in his face and tells him that, rather than doing something like that, he should take on Kyou directly. Tsujigane grabs him by the collar, and Kyou tells him to let go. He shoves Tsujigane away, causing him to hit the wall behind him. Tsujigane notices Kubo watching, and cries out in pain, grabbing his wrist. (The panel of Tsujigane glancing up before he cries out suggests that he's exaggerating for the audience.) Kyou thinks that even tough he came to apologize, it turned into a fight. Because of the assault, Kyou ended up quitting the basketball club. As he's cleaning out his locker, he smiles and tells a very sad Kubo (who is, of course, calling him “Prince-senpai”) to do his best out there. Kyou thinks that, while he liked basketball, he didn't really have any lingering attachment to it or regrets over leaving. Was Tsujigane satisfied that Kyou quit? He thought that he had let it drop, and soon after that, Tsujigane went to study abroad...
The car arrives at its destination, and Kyou enters the “enemy base” to find Tsujigane lounging on a sofa. He smiles and calls out, “Muuu-rakami, hello.” Kyou immediately asks where Saeka is, and Tsujigane scrunches up his face in mock offense. They're finally having their long-awaited reunion, and the first thing Kyou says is that? Isn't he accusing him of a crime? Saeka is just taking a nap somewhere, right? Kyou puts his head down and tells him, “Your grudge is against me, right? So you can beat me up, but let Saeka go. I'm begging you.” Tsujigane leans forward and taunts him; is he mistaken, or didn't Kyou tell him that Saeka was just a distant relative? Kyou responds that Saeka rejected him, and Tsujigane seems genuinely surprised. The two guys who brought Kyou to the warehouse laugh – Kyou sure is doing a lot for a girl who turned him down. How pathetic! Tsujigane's face darkens, and he declares this to be boring. Shouldn't Kyou be down on the ground? Like in the old days, he should kneel down on the floor to beg. Kyou actually follows his direction and drops down on his knees. Seeing that he's seriously going to do it, Tsujigane is dumbfounded. As Kyou starts to say, “Please...” Saeka bursts into the room with Kubo and Haruna, yelling, “Idiot!” Kyou is a bit confused to see them, as Kubo and Haruna give him a thumbs-up. (A note in the background says that they will explain later.) Saeka asks Kyou what he's doing, and Tsujigane starts to speak. Saeka cuts him off, saying, “Shut up for a minute! I didn't reject Kyou-chan. Don't back down and accept defeat. I like you, Kyou-chan, more than anyone!” Kyou looks at her wide-eyed, and the chapter ends with a shot of the back of Kyou's head as Haruna and Kubo look on (and Kubo blushes furiously).
The chapter begins with Kyou at the Batting Center, curled up at the counter with a pillow. Reflecting on what happened with Saeka in the last chapter, he thinks that it was bad that he ended up crying. With the understanding that Saeka chose Yanaidu, he should have been able to see her off with a smile and put her at ease. But, he was too pathetic, and ended up failing. Kuni calls over to him, reminding him that [the counter] isn't his bed. Kyou responds, “Kuni-san, after you pass away... how about I take over the Batting Center?” Kuni asks that Kyou not go killing him off, as Kyou figures that he could while away his empty, ordinary days there. (Kuni asks if he's trying to start a fight.) Kyou looks over at the Christmas decorations, and points out that this will be his first Christmas without a girlfriend since fourth grade. (Kuni: “Seriously, are you picking a fight?”) Kyou picks up an ornament, and remembers it from last year. Kuni seems a little amused, and tells Kyou that all of them have equally overreacted to the decorations. Kyou smiles wistfully, and says, “Last year... somehow, it seems like that's already far in the past.”
Before Kuni can respond, Nori bursts in, and yells, “Kyou-chan, I found you!” She complains that he needs to check his email regularly (and greets Kuni). Kyou apologizes, and Nori asks if he's aware that the guy from his middle school basketball team is back in town. The one he didn't get along with... Ah, he sees; Tsujigane... Kyou thinks back to the letter he received, and recalls that the guy's name is “Tsujigane Junya.” If he's around, that's probably the “J” from the letter. What's the “precious thing” he plans to steal? Moron... Kyou turns back to Nori, and asks, “You mean that guy I beat black and blue back in middle school, then?” Nori replies that it's been a while since she's heard the phrase “black and blue,” and Kuni cuts in. Isn't Tsujigane some rich kid like Kyou? Fired up, Kyou corrects him, “We are NOTHING alike!” Kyou explains that, while he is from a respectable lineage, Tsujigane is from some minor nouveau riche clan!! Kyou is completely different from that spoiled brat! Kuni leans in and asks Nori what happened, and she explains, “Well... Kyou-chan knocked up his girlfriend.” Kyou promptly corrects her that no, he did not!! She continues, “... according to the rumor that went around. Actually, it seems that Kyou-chan stole that girlfriend...” Kyou cuts in again, saying he didn't even do that. She was the one who was hitting on him. Kuni whispers to Nori about how Kyou was pretty slimy in middle school, and Nori agrees. Kyou tells them that aren't paying attention; the point is, he was not involved with that girl. Looking more serious, Nori points out that something has to have caused that fight between them. Kyou doesn't really respond, thinking that yes, there was more to it. Kuni comments that those were the sorts of things that Saeka hated, and that reminds Nori to check her phone. She sees that she still hasn't heard from her, and it seems like Saeka's phone is turned off. Kuni asks how long it's been, and Nori replies that she hasn't heard anything from her since school ended. Hearing that, Kyou thinks about Tsujigane's letter. That bastard... He jumps up, knocking over the stool he'd been sitting on, and tells Nori to let him know if she hears from Saeka. Nori asks him where he's going, and he tells her he isn't sure. Running down the sidewalk, Kyou considers that he may be over-thinking this, but... As he wonders where to look, a car pulls up next to him, and the driver asks, “Murakami-kun, is it?”
Elsewhere, Haruna and Kubo are hiding behind some bushes. Kubo explains that those people [Tsujigane and his friends] are definitely planning something. After they beat him up last night, he tracked them for a bit. That warehouse over there is the enemy's base! (Haruna repeats in his head: “'Enemy base'...?”) Haruna asks if they're going, and Kubo tells him that he's sorry; he dragged him into this scouting mission. Haruna replies, “I can't let you go alone, can I?” Kubo is moved, though Haruna points out that he meant Kubo was clinging to him. (An arrow points out the Kubo is holding onto Haruna's sleeve as they approach the warehouse.) Meanwhile, Kyou is in the car between two guys, thinking that it might have been dangerous to get in with them. He asks if they're really going to see Tsujigane, and the driver tells him to be quiet. Kyou leans back, and thinks back on the fight between them.
The chapter flashes back to his second year in middle school. After he joined the basketball club, Kyou recalls that Tsujigane seemed to look on him as an enemy and to bare his teeth at any opportunity. Because of that, the atmosphere between them continued to grow more turbulent. The scene switches from showing a younger Kyou and Tsujigane on the basketball court to Saeka confronting him in the hall, asking Kyou how big of an idiot he could be. Kyou explains that he didn't do anything; that girl was the one who approached him... Saeka tells him that [these things happen] because he's always wavering between girls, and Kyou tells her that he can't help it. He tells her, apparently seriously, “It's because I'm so cool!” Saeka responds by kicking him in the stomach, and giving him a disappointed look. With how hard he'd been working at basketball, she thought he was taking something seriously for a change... Saeka leaves, and Kyou sighs. He picks up a basketball and thinks that, for the sake of the team, he should probably apologize. He spots Tsujigane and some of the other guys sitting outside, and listens in a little as they talk about him. (Kyou also wonders if he's going to be beaten up.) Tsujigane says that he's already over that bitch; what pisses him off is that it was with Murakami. He pauses a moment, and then says, “There's that girl who used to be fat, right? In the Murakami group.” (Kyou thinks: “Murakami group?”) She's annoying, right? Hearing him start to talk about Saeka, Kyou steps in and says, “Saeka doesn't have anything to do with this, does she?” The other guys seem surprised to see him there, and Kyou explains that she's just a distant relative he's known for a while. Tsujigane seems amused, and asks why Kyou is so interested in coming to her defense. Isn't she always putting Kyou down? (In the background, Kubo sees them talking.) Kyou agrees that's true; Saeka is an annoying girl who constantly finds fault with him. But, putting Saeka down isn't a way of striking a blow at him. Kyou gets in his face and tells him that, rather than doing something like that, he should take on Kyou directly. Tsujigane grabs him by the collar, and Kyou tells him to let go. He shoves Tsujigane away, causing him to hit the wall behind him. Tsujigane notices Kubo watching, and cries out in pain, grabbing his wrist. (The panel of Tsujigane glancing up before he cries out suggests that he's exaggerating for the audience.) Kyou thinks that even tough he came to apologize, it turned into a fight. Because of the assault, Kyou ended up quitting the basketball club. As he's cleaning out his locker, he smiles and tells a very sad Kubo (who is, of course, calling him “Prince-senpai”) to do his best out there. Kyou thinks that, while he liked basketball, he didn't really have any lingering attachment to it or regrets over leaving. Was Tsujigane satisfied that Kyou quit? He thought that he had let it drop, and soon after that, Tsujigane went to study abroad...
The car arrives at its destination, and Kyou enters the “enemy base” to find Tsujigane lounging on a sofa. He smiles and calls out, “Muuu-rakami, hello.” Kyou immediately asks where Saeka is, and Tsujigane scrunches up his face in mock offense. They're finally having their long-awaited reunion, and the first thing Kyou says is that? Isn't he accusing him of a crime? Saeka is just taking a nap somewhere, right? Kyou puts his head down and tells him, “Your grudge is against me, right? So you can beat me up, but let Saeka go. I'm begging you.” Tsujigane leans forward and taunts him; is he mistaken, or didn't Kyou tell him that Saeka was just a distant relative? Kyou responds that Saeka rejected him, and Tsujigane seems genuinely surprised. The two guys who brought Kyou to the warehouse laugh – Kyou sure is doing a lot for a girl who turned him down. How pathetic! Tsujigane's face darkens, and he declares this to be boring. Shouldn't Kyou be down on the ground? Like in the old days, he should kneel down on the floor to beg. Kyou actually follows his direction and drops down on his knees. Seeing that he's seriously going to do it, Tsujigane is dumbfounded. As Kyou starts to say, “Please...” Saeka bursts into the room with Kubo and Haruna, yelling, “Idiot!” Kyou is a bit confused to see them, as Kubo and Haruna give him a thumbs-up. (A note in the background says that they will explain later.) Saeka asks Kyou what he's doing, and Tsujigane starts to speak. Saeka cuts him off, saying, “Shut up for a minute! I didn't reject Kyou-chan. Don't back down and accept defeat. I like you, Kyou-chan, more than anyone!” Kyou looks at her wide-eyed, and the chapter ends with a shot of the back of Kyou's head as Haruna and Kubo look on (and Kubo blushes furiously).