-What do you mean with you mom?
-I need an easy recipe no one else knows, and I bet my mother knows what to do.
-Why's that?
Kojiro used his little patience to tell the guys about the school contest.
-… and if I don't find the perfect recipe, I won't be able to beat Kousuke.
-A recipe that takes less than forty-five minutes, in front of the judges and must be something totally new. This is really complicated –Takeshi admitted, confused.
-And now that you mention it, how do you think your mother's going to help you out of this?
-Oi, I trust her, dude –Kojiro replied, but Maya entered the place, down in the dumps.
-What happened, Maya-san?
-Hyuga-san… I'm very sorry; your camera's broken –she said, carrying the camera in her hands. It hadn't shattered to pieces, but it was obviously useless now.
And sorry if this sounds tawdry and weird, but Hyuga Kojiro, the fearsome, tanned Toho soccer captain's heart and soul broke.
-Masaka (It can't be) … Not the camera –said the youngest of the people there.
-That's got to hurt a lot –Ken replied, unable to believe it.
-I found it on the floor, and I immediately knew it was broken. However, I think the film must be OK.
But Hyuga was startlingly quiet… Until a tear, a single tear fell down the soccer player's cheek.
-Hyuga-san! –the other transfer students said, astonished.
-That camera was my dad's… He taught me to love soccer, I know, but he also was an amateur photographer… He gave me that camera before dying.
-What did you say? –Maya asked, amazed.
-Hyuga-kun's father died when Kojiro was about ten or eleven years old –Ken said solemnly.
-I, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked.
-No… Don't worry, Maya.
Hyuga hadn't realized he had called the girl by her name.
-Hyuga-san… Did you realize what you just said? –Takeshi said, his big black eyes even bigger out of sheer astonishment.
-No… What was it?
-You called me… By my name –Maya said, surprised and redder than the blood Hyuga had spit minutes before (gross contrast, but it's an effective one)
-Gee whiz… For the first time in fifteen years of your life you call a girl by her name and she's not part of your family –Ken jeered.
-Hey, I wasn't aware of what I said, so it doesn't count, dude.
-It does.
-It won't happen again.
-Well, it doesn't matter.
-At any rate, Kousuke has caused so many problems I don't know which I can name first. He could be expelled from here because of this and what he did to Hyuga-san –Maya said, her temper flaring up.
-Yeah, but if Hyuga-san and Baru fought each other, the others would believe that the captain began the fight.
-I pretty much doubt it –the nurse said, returning to the infirmary. –I just saw Baru Kousuke leave the school, and though he seemed to be lightly injured, he's nowhere as hurt as Hyuga.
-Really?
-He had a slight limp as he left, but since the school exit always has a good lighting system, I saw he was almost A-OK. What he did have was a smug smirk on his face.
-He must think he beat me –Kojiro said, clenching his fists.
And when you least expect it, a light bulb goes off in a room of your mind.
-Takenouchi, give me the camera.
-What? But it's useless now!
-Just give it to me.
Maya gave the gadget to Hyuga and he checked how many shots had remained before the ambush.
-No way! There aren't any shots left! –he exclaimed, incredulous. He immediately rewound the film and took it out. By some miracle, it was completely OK.
-Why do you say there aren't any shots left? Weren't you taking pictures? –Ken asked.
-I didn't take the last picture.
-If what Hyuga-san says is right, then when was the last picture taken? –Maya asked.
-Probably when Kousuke beat me up. I can't remember it very well, but probably the camera fell to the floor, since he caught me by surprise.
-That means we have the perfect evidence that Baru attacked the captain! –Takeshi said, realizing it all. –We only need to reveal the pictures… But it's too late now.
-And to finish it off, we transfer students won't be able to go out tomorrow if the principal hears what happened.
-Excuse me, nurse. Would you do us a favor? –Ken asked.
-Reveal the pictures? Of course.
-Domo arigato gozaimasu.
-I'll do it tomorrow. And by the way, if I see something bad in the pictures…
-I can assure you I haven't done anything wrong. I'm pretty much a decent man –Kojiro said, pretending to be offended.
The nurse nodded and took the camera film, while Takeshi, Maya, Ken and Kojiro (the last one helped by the Toho's Karate Keeper) went to their bedrooms.
Once they entered their bedroom, the elder ones (you know who I mean) changed clothes, but Ken was shocked of seeing the bandages Kojiro had on his side.
-Baru's a monster. He clobbered you!
-Saw the bandages, didn't you? At least you don't have to see the bruises. I'm surprised he didn't break one of my bones.
-Consider yourself a lucky dog, dude.
However, Ken noticed a bruise the nurse hadn't seen. It was just on the place over the kidneys.
-Oi, you have another bruise, Hyuga-kun. Does it hurt?
-Where?
-Just over your kidneys.
Kojiro felt around the place Ken had said with his hand, and there was the contusion. He winced at the pain.
-Well, it's been a long day… Heck, I don't even want to think about it.
-Yeah… And what's worse, there've been more bad things happening than the usual –Ken replied, stretching his arms lazily.
-I hope tomorrow's better.
-Me too.
Both guys went to sleep, although Hyuga took a considerably long time because of his injuries.
"Ouch… I'm in for a rough night… But we'll see what happens when the nurse brings the pictures."
At last he was comfortable, and though he didn't sleep deeply, he did sleep all night.
The next day, when they went into the classroom…
-Hyuga-san! What happened? –asked the people in the classroom, terrified at seeing Kojiro's beaten look.
-Some guy clobbered me, and mind you, I didn't begin the fight –said the Toho captain, who had lots of trouble sitting down in his place.
-It was Baru Kousuke, right? –Eri asked in a whisper, going near him. –I bet my best picture he did.
-No bet. I was just taking some pictures with my camera, when Kousuke came near and used me as a sandbag. I'm alive for some miracle, but I can't say the same for my camera.
-So it was Baru –Kazuki intervened, angry. –Hyuga-san, you have to tell the principal about this.
-I can't tell him until I have the evidence.
-Evidence? EVIDENCE? You have all the evidence you need on your face and body, captain. What other evidence do you want if you were almost killed by that no-good…?
-Kazuki-san, mind your language –Eri interrupted before Kazuki could say a very foul swearword, annoyed.
-Sorry, Eri-san nnU.
-It figures that Hyuga-kun believes he has the perfect evidence in the camera film he had in his camera –Ken said. –Although I personally don't believe it.
-Why?
-Yesterday, when Kousuke got me, my camera fell to the floor and broke –it was very hard for Hyuga to keep his ideas and feelings for the camera in check. –However, the film was completely OK.
Eri gasped in surprise, and Kazuki's eyes grew larger than Takeshi's, although in a way it was an advantage for him.
-Don't give me that look you two, OK?
-Er, wasuretekudasai, captain.
And yet, Eri had an idea.
-Yikes! I had forgotten all about it… Guys, Kitadzume told me tomorrow's the friendly match against Musashi. It'll be the School Festival's closing event. But, judging by the looks of it…
-What are you suspecting, Kooda-san? –Ken inquired, frowning.
-Judging by the looks of it, there's a high probability that Hyuga-san won't play.
-NANI? I have to play in that game! –Kojiro said, incensed.
-I doubt Kitadzume will let you play with the injuries you have. Besides, I saw with my very own bespectacled eyes how hard it is for you to sit down now, Hyuga-san –Eri said, dead serious. –Just wait and see what Kitadzume tells you, and we'll see who's right.
-Now it figures you're a witch that can foretell the future –Ken jeered, winning an angry knock on his head (unexpectedly) from Kazuki.
-I'm not.
-But if I can't play, then what can I do? We've trained too much for this game; I really wanted to play against Misugi again… Heck, I hate my life.
-I know what you can do –Kazuki said. –Stay in the bench, heal your injuries and get ready for the next match.
-It's the only thing he can do, anyway –Eri said, shrugging.
-Thanks for the support –Kojiro blurted, annoyed ¬¬.
-I'd better say that… -Ken told something to Hyuga and Eri in whispers, leaving Kazuki intrigued. -…that way you'd get your goal, dude.
-Well, it seems there's no other choice, right?
-I get it… Bingo! Hyuga-san, can you come to my house today? –Eri asked, as she had just had an idea. Kazuki looked at Eri, his eyes as large as soup dishes.
-Sure can… Why?
-I just had an awesome idea. Kazuki-san, don't give me that look. Nothing wrong's gonna happen.
-Oooookay… Can I go too?
-Sorry, no can do. This business is between Hyuga-san, Wakashimadzu-san and me.
-I'm already curious. Tell me!
-Curiosity killed the… -Ken, Hyuga and Eri said three different animals, so Kazuki didn't understand a thing (But I'm sure no one said cat.)
-OK, OK… -and Kazuki left, grumbling, making the others laugh.
-You know what? I actually feel sorry that Sorimachi doesn't help us in this. He's our friend after all –Ken said.
-Yeah… Besides, it hurts me to hide this from him and not letting him help us.
-Well, if that's what you want… Sorimachi! –Kojiro said, using his famous leader's voice.
-Yeah?
-Come here a sec; we have to tell you something.
-And what the heck got them, just like the captain says? OoU… -Kazuki asked himself, surprised with his friends' change of mind.
