Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (Run with the Wind)

E-Excuse me.

Club Application

We saw your article in the paper and your website!

You guys are the best! Please let us join you!

Oh, uh... You want to join the team?

Wait. Why are you asking me?

Aren't you the coach?

What?

Run with the Wind

You can clear away all the ash you want,

but the road to anti-aging is long. Right?

Shut up.

I appreciate their enthusiasm, though.

I put up a note.

To individuals wishing to join the Kansei University Long Distance Track and Field Team The Kansei University Long Distance Track and Field Team is not currently recruiting new members. Please accept our apologies. We appreciate your understanding.

We'll continue rejecting applicants.

Aotake is full right now,

and I don't want to be influenced by any passing fads.

I don't have time to look after new members,

and I want to focus on the ten of us.

If anyone approaches you at school, politely turn them down.

Okay.

We're drowning in interview requests, too.

Choose carefully from the offers and reject as many as you can.

What? But we could be famous.

Shouldn't you be looking for a job?

I can only assume he's trying not to think about it.

What about Nippon TV?

We'll continue doing whatever we started before the qualifier.

Got it. Oh, right.

Can we discuss water station staff and volunteers later?

Of course.

I'm also thinking about checking out the course next weekend.

We can't run it, but it's worth just looking at it.

Keep your schedules open.

Let's go to the hot springs on the way back.

What?

Question.

We can't. We have plans that day.

We're playing soccer with some friends from language class.

Cancel your plans.

What? But they won't have enough players.

We'd be inconveniencing them.

There's still time. Find some substitutes.

Not even professionals can afford to run unprepared.

Besides, soccer? What if you got injured?

Hakone comes first. Don't forget that.

Hey, listen.

Is there any point in obsessing over it?

You've been tricking us, haven't you?

When you recruited us, you said we'd aim for the top!

That's impossible!

Just look at our time! It's clear as day!

Shinsei University 10:15:21 Kanagawa International University 10:16:03 Kansei University 10:16:43 Oka University 10:17:44 Yakuo University 10:19:52

No matter how hard we try, we're not strong enough to beat the seeded teams!

It's impossible for us to win!

You knew that and wheedled us anyway, didn't you?

You're right that I said we'd aim for the top.

But—

See? See?

Wait. Calm down.

Is it really impossible for us to win no matter how hard we try?

It's impossible.

The twins are right. Our time proves it.

Especially in long distance, it's rare to see an upset.

Even Rikudo's second team is way better than us.

You guys knew.

That's not fair!

But, depending on how you look at it, we're lucky.

No matter how fast you are, only a handful of runners get to run at Hakone.

But we made it through the qualifier.

We get to run at Hakone, just like we wanted.

There are plenty of people who'd be jealous of that alone.

You're not wrong, but...

There's no point if we can't win!

Yeah! There's no point in competing when you already know the outcome!

Then you shouldn't be playing soccer.

If you want to win, you should be training.

You think you're so great.

We're saying we can't find the motivation to do that!

Yeah! How can you say that after you couldn't respond the other day?

Enough, guys.

If you guys can't run because you can't win,

will you quit living because you'll die someday?

Is that how it is? It is, isn't it?

What are you trying to say?

Here he goes again.

Kakeru's making ridiculous arguments again.

I'll never die. Never.

Quibble, quibble. Here comes the quibbler.

To be or not to be? That's the question.

But I'll never die.

Listen to me! What are you doing?

Kakeru the quibbler will never die.

What are we doing right now?

I thought you had a question for me.

You're right that I mentioned the top, but I didn't mean we'd win.

What did you mean, then?

I'm searching for that answer, too.

I'm searching for the destination.

What it means to run.

This is stupid.

Hey, wait.

Kakeru, it's your turn to do the dishes.

Why?

Just because. Learn to keep your cool.

Searching for the Answer

Haiji.

Chikusei-so

The twins aren't here.

They actually blew us off.

I'm sorry.

It's because I couldn't answer them.

On the way home from the qualifier, they asked me why we're running.

Yeah, but it's like not being able to tell someone what the meaning of life is.

Nice quibble.

We made it through the qualifier. We're running at Hakone together.

Maybe we've already achieved the first goal we set for ourselves.

But that wasn't the real top.

I knew that, too.

After all, I wanted to aim even higher with you guys.

But I hesitated to answer them.

Kakeru...

We haven't played soccer in forever.

Yeah.

We've just been running this whole time.

Yeah.

Do you regret it?

Choosing this.

Nah.

We made these plans first.

You're right. We're running at Hakone.

Now we just have to practice enough that they won't complain.

Complain?

Huh?

So who won't complain? Haiji?

The guys who didn't qualify?

Oh...

I hope everyone shows up soon.

We got in the habit of waking up early.

Joji! Jota!

Let's go!

Who is that?

Hakone!

Everyone's waiting!

What's he doing?

Who crashes a soccer game?

Let's go to Hakone!

Crap! Let's run!

But he's one of the best in the country!

He's running at us while smiling!

Stay away!

It's no use! He's catching up!

Jota! Don't give up!

Nicely done.

There's no way you were outrunning him.

I can't run anymore...

I don't consent to this...

Section 1 Starting Line Yomiuri Shimbun Tokyo Office

This is the starting line.

The day of the race, the crowds on the sidewalk will be a hundred deep.

They'll build a huge stage out front, and cameras will be pointed at the runners.

It's a truly grand occasion.

Will we have time to think about that?

It's not for the sensitive.

The wind between the buildings is fierce.

Our bodies will get cold quickly.

Twenty-one runners will begin running amidst the crowd,

thinking only of delivering their sash to their teammate waiting far ahead.

Let's keep moving.

Section 2 (Section 10) Tsurumi Relay Station

Don't they stop all the traffic here and turn this into part of the course?

That's amazing.

It's way too much pageantry for a bunch of college students.

It means it's worth just that much.

Our running should be worthy of that.