The second frame begins and Chifuyu locks in.
'Remember, Chifuyu. Your origins!'
The young lad thinks back to his first bowling game when he was 12 years old, and the frustration of barely hitting any pins. He practiced, and practiced, and practiced, until the fruits of labor had at last been realized. He got his first strike during his 8th game, and the thrill of that was unmatched. He played basketball much more, but enjoyed bowling even more than that. By the time he was 14, he won his first championship in a junior league with a score of 270. He must remember that thrill once more.
"Raah!"
He put his all into that throw, but it wasn't enough. The ball was able to hook, but it did so too late.
"Tch. 6 pins. Well, it's a start."
"There you go, Chifuyu."
"Ah, so close sensei."
"Give me one more frame. After that, I won't miss."
"So cool!"
Chifuyu gets 3 pins on his second chance. Following him is another strike from Diego and 9 pins from Ariel.
"Huh?! How is that pin still standing?!" Ariel shouts in disbelief.
"You can have a throw at 30 mph, and sometimes there'll still be a pin standing."
"That's not fair!"
The second frame goes by with Diego maintaining his lead. Iris got a double gutter though which killed her confidence completely. Starting the third frame off, Chifuyu knicks 9 pins and gets the spare. He's looking fired up. But Diego easily gets another strike.
"Easy turkey!"
"Turkey?"
"That's what it's called when you get 3 strikes in a row."
"Why?"
"I don't know, I like it though."
"Guys, be quiet... Chifuyu's up next."
Standing there, Chifuyu can feel everything going on in the bowling alley. He's tapped into the zone. When this man says he'll get something done, he means it. The wind is so powerful everyone gets hit with a gust of wind, and the throw itself leaves impact frames in its dust.
"Perfect."
Chifuyu had absolute certainty in his throw the moment he released it from his fingers. Watching its arch from the seats, the others could only admire it, even an amateur knew this was the ideal form. To no one's surprise, it strikes.
Diego looks on with a grin, "Welcome back, King." But his grin twists into a wicked one, "I'll be going all out from here on."
After Diego and Ariel get consecutive strikes, Iris makes her stand with zero confidence. As she gets ready to throw another gutter ball, Chifuyu steps behind her.
"Iris, you may only have one arm at the moment. But in no way is that a handicap."
'I think it is,' everyone else thinks.
"If you can't believe in yourself right now. Then, believe in me."
"Eh?"
"Believe in the me that believes in you!"
"Chifuyu…"
'That made no sense,' everyone simultaneously thinks to themselves again.
'I have to live up to his expectations.'
With the boost she needed, Iris throws the bowling ball. This whole time, she'd been observing Chifuyu and Diego's form. Even though she can't use both arms, that doesn't mean she can't hook it if she believes. And thus, the ball curved. It was just a centimeter from falling into the pits of hell, but it persevered. Iris landed a strike. The crowd goes wild.
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
"No way!"
"Iris, you're insane!"
"Nice job!"
"That's my rival."
High-fiving everyone, she walks up to Chifuyu.
"What'd I tell you?"
"Hehe. Thanks, my best friend."
They high-five which resounds across the whole building.
"This sure is fun, isn't it?" Nicholas asks.
"Yeah. It's not bad at all."
Beatrice replied with a smile, the first smile she's ever shown since joining Odd Jobs. Nicholas thinks he was the only one who saw, looking around frantically to see if anybody was looking. But there was one other person who saw that chose not to say anything, it was Caesar.
The rest of the frames in the first game go by in a flash and the winner was Diego with the highest score you can get, a 300. It's such a feat that the staff has to announce it for all to hear.
The first few games of the second frame start off hot, with Chifuyu and Diego going strike for strike.
"Now we're talkin. He's not making it easy, I'll give him that," Diego says to himself.
On Iris's next turn, Chifuyi decides to give her another boost.
"Go! Iris Platinum!"
"Ora!"
She gets 9 pins.
"Ahh, so close."
"I haven't been able to get a strike since then."
"Don't worry about it. Slowly but surely, your effort will pay off."
"Outta the way, it's my turn."
"Shinatsu, big talk for someone who hasn't gotten a strike yet."
"Oh yeah? Watch this."
With the ego of a striker, she throws her best shot yet that knocks down all 10 pins.
"Hmph." Shinatsu scoffs as she brushes one of her twin tails back.
"Ugh.. She just made me eat my words."
"I-It's okay, she'll never catch up to you with those lukewarm throws."
"Oi, Iris! You talkin smack?!"
"No fair guys. Let me in on the fun!"
"Woah!"
Kagura gets her first strike of the night as well.
"Let's go!"
"Nice one!"
Odd Jobs is doing so well, that even the people watching can't help but watch.
"Look at those guys."
"They're going all out."
"That guy with the brown hair's a stud."
***
It's now the 9th frame, Chifuyu and Diego are on a striking spree.
"Dear God, if you love me, make Chifuyu miss."
"Don't pray for that!… Crap!"
Chifuyu's throw looks like it might be off, but Lady Luck blessed him this frame.
"Phew."
"Tsk."
"Your distraction isn't enough to throw me off my stride. But make sure you can get this next one, karma's gonna bite you in the ass."
"Ha. There's no such thing as karma."
Diego strikes.
"Coming from the guy who was just praying to God…"
"Oi. Don't forget about me, you two."
"Ariel."
"What the, she's been getting strikes this whole game?!"
"You may not have noticed, but I switched up my play."
"What?"
"Instead of the straight ultra fastballs I did in the first game, I started throwing it more from an angle, and it's been working out splendidly."
"Crap. Chifuyu wasn't the only one I had to worry about."
"This game is mine boys!"
Ariel did not get a strike.
"Nice try, Ariel."
"Nice try."
"Nice try."
"Nice try."
"Nice try, Ariel."
"Nice try."
That was the only thing the others could say.
"Haha. After all that bravado she only got 7 pins."
"Embarrassing."
"I'm done. I'll wait for you guys in the car."
"We have a quitter!"
"Hey, your shoes! Gah!" She threw her bowling shoes at Chifuyu and walked out with just socks on.
After everyone else goes, it's time for the final frame. THE AWAITED FINAL FRAME EVERYONE HAS BEEN ANTICIPATING, EVEN THE STRANGERS WHO STOPPED THEIR GAME TO WATCH. AND, Chifuyu doesn't get the strike.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
"Ahh!" The whole building gasps in unison.
Chifuyu gets the spare, but if Diego strikes then it doesn't mean anything. And that's exactly what he did.
"You were magnificent Chifuyu. I shall never forget you for as long as I live."
Diego's flawless victory grants him the title of the new King of Bowling.