PERIOD 9

The Blue Scorpions team are at the hospital.  Yamato's operation was a success and the whole team heave sighs of relief. Halu says that he will be staying with Yamato for a while and ask the rest to go back first.  As Halu looks at Yamato lying on the bed, Halu thinks of what to tell him when he wakes up.  The doctor had told them that it was not likely that Yamato could return to the game even upon recovery.

Aki is leaving her apartment when she sees Halu's car. Halu is in Yamato's house and packing some clothes for him. Aki asks how Yamato is as she had received a mail from Chika the night before. Halu says Yamato is fine. There is an uncomfortable tension in the air between them and just as Aki is leaving, Halu tells her that her boyfriend came to look for him and had asked about their relationship. Halu says he had told Natsukawa the truth about them and apologizes and tells her to tell Natsukawa that he was lying or something. Aki says it is ok, tells him to worry about Yamato and she leaves.

Aki and Chika tries to get Yuri to visit Yamato but Yuri rejects the idea, saying that they have already broken up.  Aki becomes angry with Yuri's attitude. Halu, Makoto, Tomo and Sayako, the team manager, are in Yamato's ward. Halu gets the rest to go pick up Yamato's mom and sensing that Halu has something to say to Yamato, Tomo gets everyone out of the way. Yamato asks why Halu became a hockey player. As Halu tells Yamato of how Anzai-coach used to call them "nameless warriors", Yamato asks "I'm one, too?  But one that got stopped halfway".  Halu asked if he already knew about his own condition. Yamato says since it is his own body, he knows it best and he can't feel much of his leg.  Halu says' "You will be able to after physiotherapy." Yamato asks, "but I will never become an iceman again, right?" Halu swallows deeply and says "Um."  Yamato then thanks Halu for being there for him all this while, and that it was because of Halu that he could have come this far. Yamato says that he will be Halu's number 1 fan from now on. Halu acknowledges Yamato and a tear slides down Halu's face. As Halu leaves, Chika and Aki is standing outside the ward and they heard everything.

After training, Makoto requests Halu to stay back and train with him as he wants to train to become a goalkeeper. The whole team stays back, but Makoto couldn't seem to handle the role.

At the same time, Aki visits Yamato sees Youko there instead. After learning that she is Aki, Youko has a chat with Aki, telling Aki that she had wanted to meet her for a long time. Aki says that she had heard a lot about Youko from Halu too. Youko tells Aki how she feels about their relationship, and Aki says that it was just a game. Youko says "isn't life a game in itself? Although it was a game, both of you have become serious about each other."  Aki then tells Youko that Halu has told her boyfriend about them, but that it's ok.  Youko asks, "so he will forgive you?" Aki replies, "No, but I had intended to tell him about me and Halu anyway." Youko then realizes that Aki had intended to break off with Natsukawa even before meeting up with him again. The reason Aki didn't choose Halu also is because she feels that Halu wants someone who would continue waiting for her boyfriend to come back, but she wasn't such a girl because she had fallen in love with him instead.

In the locker room, the other members have gone to Face Off bar and Halu is alone. Tomo comes in and tries to get his spirit up, telling Halu that he is the captain thus he needs to get his act going. Halu suddenly asks Tomo if he believes in god. Halu says if god really exists, I hate him because he takes away all the people I love. Tomo asks "starting from your mom?" Halu says, "and Anzai-san .. and now Yamato." Tomo adds in, "and Aki-chan too?"  Halu says "Maybe." Tomo really knows how to cheer Halu up as he tells Halu that maybe the ice goddess is jealous of him.  Halu is shocked that even Tomo has heard about this and Tomo says, "maybe you are the one who can see her".  Halu says he doesn't know about that, and Tomo says, "when you do, please take a picture and send it to my handphone", and Halu finally laughs. At Face Off bar, everyone looks depressed until Halu and Tomo appear. The two of them try to do a stand-up comedian duo act and finally gets the spirit of the whole team up. (And Halu takes off his shirt ..... Oooooooooh ....)

In Aki's apartment, Natsukawa says that he had came back as promised and takes out a ring and asks Aki to marry him. Aki says that she can't marry him and she had wanted to tell him that earlier. Natsukawa says that he had met up with Halu and Halu had said some unpleasant things about Aki. But he had thought about it after that and felt that he should have trusted Aki and that he will report to the police if Halu harasses her anymore. Aki tries to defend Halu and suddenly Natsukawa got agitated and and asked her what had Halu done to her.  "Touch those lips of yours? This body too?"  Aki had no reply to that and Natsukawa strikes out at her and hurts her. Natsukawa then apologizes profusely and tries to kiss her and Aki tries to escape but he holds on tight to her and refuses to let go telling her that he will make her happy.

At a restaurant, Halu bumps into Aki eating alone there and asks her why she is wearing her hat so low and why isn't she at work. Halu makes small talk with her and then asks her how are things with Natsukawa, after what he had told him. Aki says, "I told him everything", and Halu says, "you must be joking." Aki says, "I can't go on lying to him, and anyway he has forgiven me." As Halu moves to sit with Aki, he snatches off her hat and she refuses to look up. Halu forces her to raise her face and sees the wound beneath her eyebrow. Halu fingers her brow gently and asks if Natsukawa hit her and she says, "No, I accidentally hurt myself."  Halu obviously doesn't believe her but doesn't press on.

At the coin laundry, Aki tells Chika that some people will show their best behaviour when they start a relationship. But some will show all their bad points right from the start, but then one would think, "Oh that is cute and makes you want to love and cherish them." Chika then asks her, "Isn't that love then?" As Aki is pondering her comment, thoughts of Halu flood her mind.

Halu is training alone at the rink again. He looks angry at something. He then looks Natsukawa up at his workplace and barges into his office. Halu walks right up to him and gives him a right curl. And then Halu is all over Natsukawa as the receptionist calls for security.

Halu is detained in the police station and Hyoudou-coach and Youko visit him. Hyoudou-coach comes straight to the point and tells Halu that he is finished and that he won't be able to return to the rink. Halu says "this can't be helped." Hyoudou-coach then tells him that Anzai was the one who sent him Halu's video and a letter. As Anzai knew that he had not much time left, he had requested Hyoudou to take Halu under his wing. Even with Anzai's pride, he was willing to lower himself and ask Hyoudou for a favor. He had wanted the best for Halu and they are well aware of Halu's talents. But even then, it might not be enough for him to go against the bigger built foreigners. And that was why Anzai entrusted Halu to Hyoudou. Halu was the dream and future of Anzai, as well as all other hockey players. "The dream was for you to enter NHL (National Hockey League in the USA), to stand in the center of Madison Square, to become a superstar there, for the sakes of all those nameless warriors in the history of ice hockey here. But all this is finished. Because of one woman, you have thrown all this away. And now all you can say is 'this can't be helped?' I shouldn't have come back for you. Anzai shouldn't have lowered his pride for you, died for you and now all your team-mates have no direction because of you." Youko tries to stop Hyoudou from saying more but he ends with telling Halu, "You are not an iceman. Without your pride (ice hockey), you are just rubbish."

Yuri finally visits Yamato and finds Yamato fallen on the floor. He is trying to get up and go to Halu.

In his detention cell, Halu squats in one corner and is digesting all that Hyoudou just told him.

Outside the police station, Youko finds Aki standing alone out in the rain and rushes to Aki's side with an umbrella.  Aki tells Youko that Halu is crying. Youko says "what?" and back in his detention cell, Halu wipes away a tear. Hyoudou's words replays in his ears and Anzai's face  and his team-members' faces come to mind. He starts to sobs uncontrollably as he realizes the folly of his action.  Aki stands outside in the rain and looks helpless as she repeats "Halu is crying" and although she didn't say the words, she seems to be saying "but I'm not there to help him and comfort him as I told him I would."

Surf, Mar 11, 2004.