Suzuka Ep 14: Shukufuku (Blessings)

Yamato starts to see Honoka in a different light after she kissed him at the stadium and even takes the initiative to kiss her by the koi pond. Honoka asks Yamato if it is right for them to kiss where he suddenly asks her to be his girlfriend. This surprises Honoka who is so elated that she cries. Miki happens to see this and wishes that she should not have come to look for Yamato in the first place.

Later that night, Miki and Asahina are at the women's bath and Miki is pondering over whether to tell Asahina about Yamato and Honoka being an item. Just then, they overhear Yamato creating a din in the men's bath next door and Asahina is happy to hear that Yamato seems to have recovered from his depression. Seeing Asahina's expression, Miki gets more undecided about whether to reveal the truth.

The next morning, the 3rd year students return to Tokyo while the rest of the team members remain behind in Hiroshima for the training. Yamato asks Hattori why he has chosen to stay on which the latter says that he won't go back empty-handed after failing to know any girls here. Asahina comes to Yamato and asks him to go with her for some souvenir shopping. Unexpectedly, Yamato rejects her offer which makes Hattori very surprised and Asahina angry at his response. Hattori then realises that the relationship between Yamato and Honoka has changed so that's the reason why Yamato had kept Asahina at arm's length.

Asahina goes out shopping with Miki and sees some T-shirts which suit Yamato but she insists that she won't buy them for him. Miki decides that it's time to tell Asahina about Yamato's relationship with Honoka. Although Asahina remains unaffected by the news, Miki can see that Asahina is just putting on a pretence.

During the afternoon training, Honoka passes a note to Yamato, asking him to meet her alone after dinner tonight. Unknown to Yamato, Asahina has been observing their lovey-dovey gestures.

Yamato and Honoka sit by the koi pond where she reveals that she just wanted to spend some time alone with him. Honoka also says that she has been in love with him for a long time and the extent she went to in order to be with him. This surprises Yamato who has never been aware of how Honoka feels but he feels happy to have realised it now.

The next morning, Miki comes to look for Hattori where she finds out that he knows about Yamato dating Honoka. Miki questions Hattori why he didn't stop Yamato from doing this since he had always said that he liked Asahina. However, Hattori says that this will also be unfair to Honoka who has always like Yamato. Thus, it will be best for them to be onlookers instead of interfering in their affairs since there's no right or wrong in love.

Yamato stays behind for additional training where Asahina reprimands him for not taking training seriously. Suddenly, Asahina asks Yamato if he is really dating Honoka so he admits to it despite not knowing how Asahina could have realised this. Asahina remarks that it is a surprise that Yamato can get a girlfriend and even offers to help him with the stretching exercises. Yamato thinks to himself that Asahina's attitude towards him has remained unchanged despite knowing that he is dating Honoka.

At night, Asahina is gazing at the sky in a daze. Miki reminds her to sleep early since they are returning to Tokyo tomorrow. However, Asahina says that she's not sleepy and looks like she's troubled over something.

Yamato brings his friends out to look for an okonomiyaki restaurant but they cannot find the place. Everyone is grumbling about it but Honoka tries to reassure Yamato so as to lift his spirits up. Actually, they had invited Asahina and Miki too but Asahina refused to go along with them.

In the end, the group fails to find what they want and ends up eating ramen instead. On the way to the train station, Honoka gives Yamato a handphone strap which is the same as hers while Hattori watches them from behind.

At the train station where the team is taking the last train back to Tokyo, Asahina goes to the toilet while Yamato has gone to buy some drinks. When he returns, he accidentally drops the cans on the floor and Asahina goes out of the carriage to help him pick up the stuff. Just then, the train door closes and they are left behind while the train pulls away.

Miki sees Asahina and Yamato at the train station and realises that they did not board the train. The captain tells Miki to call Asahina's mobile phone to find out their situation. When Honoka hears about it, she tries to call Yamato but his mobile phone is left on the train. Meanwhile, Yamato and Asahina find out that they have no way of returning to Tokyo and would have to spend the night at Hiroshima...

Finally, there is some reaction from Asahina with regards to Yamato's matters. Although she may seem icy-cold on the surface, her subtle gestures which show her concern for him are giving her true feelings away. However, she chooses to hide her true self under her pretence even though Yamato and Honoka are now dating. I think there will come a point where she cannot tolerate seeing them together and may break down or do something to change the situation. The issue is when she will do this.

As for Yamato, I don't feel that he really likes Honoka. It's just that he was prompted to think what Honoka meant to him after their kiss. Once that happened, it made him assume that he liked her enough to start a relationship when he was just admiring her as a nice girl. If not for that, I doubt he would have started to see her in the romantic sense. In actual fact, if that kiss had happened slightly later, I guess Asahina would be able to show her feelings for Yamato in one way or another which would have changed the state of things.