1. Three minutes...
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2. Just 180 seconds...
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3. We have to take everything we've learned
and pour it into that brief little window.
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4. And that is what it means
to be a figure skater.
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5. We practice everything tens,
hundreds, thousands of times over.
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6. The jumps, the spins, the steps...
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7. We spend weeks and months
on the same tiny movements.
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8. Learning to execute them flawlessly,
to ensure success.
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9. And yet,
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10. cruel reality can still
come crashing down around us.
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11. A single moment of doubt
or the slightest hesitation
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12. can cause mistakes like that one.
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13. But, there's no time to dwell on it.
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14. No time for regret.
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15. In the little time remaining,
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16. you have to rise once again,
lift yourself up and affirm
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17. that you belong there in the spotlight.
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18. And here, within our sphere
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19. there shines a star
whose heart never wavers,
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20. whose pull seems to make the whole
figure skating galaxy revolve around her.
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21. She shines more brilliantly,
more radiantly
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22. and more powerfully than anyone else.
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23. It's the kind of brilliance that
stops you dead in your tracks,
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24. makes you hesitant to
even reach out towards it.
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25. But that's precisely what I'm here to do.
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26. To prove I can become
the brightest star of all.
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27. THE ATHLETE'S PLEDGE
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28. Shoot. Okay.
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29. Maybe just one more time
from the top. Let's see.
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30. Oh, uh, Tsukasa,
what are you still doing awake?
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31. Uh, I'm just working.
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32. Yikes! You're looking a little bloodshot.
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33. I'm fine.
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34. I'm doing one more look
over the current routine
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35. to see if there's any way
we can get Inori a higher score.
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36. Oh, dear.
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37. That's a bit obsessive.
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38. Of course, I don't know
much about skating,
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39. but when you're over-prepared,
even small mistakes can make you panic.
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40. Maybe it's about time
you took a little break from all this?
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41. I know, but I can't help it.
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42. The data from previous meets
is just so fascinating.
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43. All of the big clubs have their own style,
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44. and different strategies
for earning high scores.
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45. It gets me all fired up.
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46. You did so much for me, Mrs. Kago.
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47. I'm sorry I couldn't make it work.
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48. I'm sorry I couldn't give anything back.
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49. I remember this program.
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50. She was amazing.
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51. This jump alone gave her so many points,
and her step sequence was fantastic.
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52. All right. Well, some of us
are off tomorrow,
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53. and those folks are going to bed.
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54. Good luck out there.
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55. Yeah! Thank you, Mr. Kago.
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56. Have a good night.
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57. - Huh? Oh, good. You're here!
- Huh?
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58. Good morning, Coaches.
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59. - Good morning to you too.
- Good morning to you too.
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60. - Coach Tsukasa, Coach Hitomi.
- Huh?
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61. I think today is gonna be a great day.
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62. I think so too.
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63. You're gonna crush it.
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64. Yes, let's make sure she wins today,
okay, Coach?
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65. We're all counting on you
to lead her to victory, hmm?
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66. - Honey, leave him alone!
- Dad, leave him alone!
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67. You can't bother Coach Tsukasa like that!
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68. Exciting that Inori made it all the way
to the Chubu Block Tournament, isn't it?
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69. Yeah, but we can't rest easy yet.
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70. For a lot of the elite clubs,
making it here is like the bare minimum.
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71. Today we're competing against athletes
who are totally at home here,
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72. who see this as a given.
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73. We've got 15 people
hoping to advance to
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74. the Novice division at the All-Japans,
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75. and there are only five available spots.
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76. Inori's got her work cut out for her
trying to break into the Novice ranks.
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77. Keeping our spirits up
is gonna be a real challenge.
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78. This is the kind of thing
that really tests a coach.
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79. Gotta lock in.
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80. Hard to believe he used to be so hesitant.
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81. He's grown into a wonderful teacher.
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82. - But, you know, I think my biggest regret...
- Hmm?
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83. is not getting to see Inori at
the opening ceremony!
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84. I wanna be there!
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85. COACHES DON'T USUALLY ATTEND
THE OPENING CEREMONY
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86. FIGURE SKATING
CHUBU BLOCK TOURNAMENT
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87. JAPAN SKATING FEDERATION
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88. Here it is.
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89. CHUBU BLOCK TOURNAMENT
OPENING CEREMONY
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90. The Chubu Block Tournament...
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91. I always dreamed I'd make it
to a place like this!
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92. Thank you, Coach Tsukasa!
Thank you, Coach Hitomi!
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93. Thank you, Mom and Dad!
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94. I wonder if Hikaru's here!
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95. I haven't seen anyone I know yet,
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96. but I'm pretty sure Sota and Rioh
are supposed to be here too.
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97. I think those are
the other Novice A skaters.
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98. I guess I should go sit with them.
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99. You gotta watch that one.
It's super funny.
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100. - Really?
- But I feel kinda awkward butting in.
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101. Wait. No!
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102. I can't stand here shaking in my boots!
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103. I'm a Novice now too, just like them!
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104. I gotta pep up! Cheery and bright! Yeah!
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105. You got this!
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106. Just like Coach Tsukasa!
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107. - Listen up, all you shiny-sparkly girls!
- Huh?
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108. I am Novice A Inori Yuitsuka!
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109. I'm here now and I'm ready to flex it!
Where's my seat?
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110. Flex it!
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111. I have no clue what this girl is on about.
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112. Flex!
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113. Um, we don't actually have
assigned seats or anything,
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114. so you can sit wherever you want to.
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115. - That's perfect!
- Uh...
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116. And I love your ribbons!
Ten billion flex points!
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117. Super cute, well done!
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118. EEK...
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119. Oh, geez, um... Thanks, I guess.
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120. I sense some kind of kindred spirit
in this place.
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121. A kindred what now?
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122. This is your fourth time competing?
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123. That's right.
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124. We all started out at different clubs,
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125. but we became friends after we
did the Nagano camp together.
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126. That girl is from Toyohashi.
She can jump a ton of triples.
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127. She's from Ishikawa.
She came second in the last Meikoh Cup.
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128. Last year's Chubu Block winner
is somewhere around here too.
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129. I see...
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130. I had convinced myself that
just becoming a Novice
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131. meant I would be
on the same level as you girls.
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132. But nope...
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133. Way to flex those amazing careers, ladies!
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134. She's gonna have an aneurysm.
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135. Try not to let all the experience
in the room fool you though.
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136. We're no match for Hikaru.
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137. - Hey.
- Huh?
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138. Can you not?
At least, not before the event starts.
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139. Sorry, Yuna...
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140. - Whoa.
- Huh?
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141. Have any of you
looked at the entry list?
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142. Hikaru's not on it.
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143. Huh?
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144. Good! Passed with flying colors.
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145. I would expect nothing less
from a student of Jun's.
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146. Thank you very much.
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147. Well, you're already a Cinderella.
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148. What further magic could you and
your coach possibly expect from me?
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149. Why come all the way to Russia?
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150. I'm a skater who's pretty good at ballet,
but I don't want that to be the ceiling.
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151. Instead...
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152. I want to experience the world's
highest standards of ballet.
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153. Oh...
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154. From now on, I don't wanna be Cinderella.
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155. I want to cast the magic.
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156. Hikaru was once an orphan,
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157. but she was adopted into our family
by a remarkable twist of fate.
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158. She possesses a keen ability
to draw people in
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159. and seize hold of good fortune.
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160. Well, that's something
I'll have to decide for myself.
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161. All right. Where is she?
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162. Well, she's right behind you, sir.
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163. Her eyes flickered and shone
like she was some kind of wild beast.
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164. And I knew in that moment,
no matter what I did,
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165. it was only a matter of time before
the world found this little girl
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166. and dragged her out into the light.
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167. And then she'd walk the same path I took.
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168. - Wait. Really?
- Yeah.
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169. I heard that Hikaru was
chosen as a seeded skater
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170. back during the Nagano summer camp.
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171. So her spot at the All-Japans
is guaranteed,
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172. even if she doesn't compete here at all!
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173. That's amazing!
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174. Though, seeded skaters usually
come to the Chubu Block anyway,
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175. just to get the extra experience.
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176. Skipping it is actually pretty rare.
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177. Now I think about it...
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178. Yeah, at the All-Japans!
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179. And that's a promise, Inori!
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180. Not the Block meet, the All-Japans.
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181. So, Hikaru already believed that
I'd qualify at this event.
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182. Aw.
What's with the elementary kids?
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183. Huh?
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184. They're normally way more excited.
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185. Oh, wow. I've seen them on TV.
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186. They're the designated skaters
of the Chubu region!
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187. The figure skating federation selects
around 20 athletes every year to develop.
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188. They become the backbone of
Japan's powerhouse skating scene.
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189. They're divided into three rankings.
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190. There's Junior Skater A, Junior Skater B...
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191. SKATER A - IRUKA OKAZAKI
SKATER B - MARIKA KURIONE
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192. and at the very peak,
standing head and shoulders above the rest
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193. are the Top Skaters.
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194. That's Riina Kojoh!
She was at the last Olympics!
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195. - Um, Riina...
- Yuna, Yotsuha, what's up?
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196. Why do you girls look so glum?
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197. Huh?
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198. How do I get
into the Olympics, Miss Kojoh?
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199. Uh...
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200. Inori, watch it! You can't just ask that!
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201. Huh?
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202. What? Huh?
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203. You brat.
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204. Do you have any idea
who you're speaking to?
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205. Or are you trolling?
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206. You think someone is just gonna tell you
how to make the Olympics?
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207. You've gotta be kidding me.
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208. Ugh... After all the work we put in...
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209. Iruka...
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210. It's not my fault no one ever teaches
little twerps like this their place.
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211. Iruka.
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212. Whatever.
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213. Of course.
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214. We're in an Olympic year.
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215. And this is the first event to help decide
who skates for Team Japan.
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216. That was so thoughtless of me.
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217. I'm so sorry!
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218. - Oh, goodness! You're sweating.
- Huh?
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219. If you're feeling unwell, you're welcome
to come sit on my lap and recover!
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220. Huh? Um...
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221. That's okay. I'm fine! I promise!
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222. Sorry she gave you such a hard time.
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223. Let's rewind a little.
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224. I suppose you're asking
what kind of training is necessary
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225. to get to the Olympics, right?
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226. Huh? Um, yes.
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227. That's a hard question to answer.
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228. No one really knows for sure
if their training is going to pay off
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229. until they actually get up there
to compete.
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230. Understood!
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231. But...
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232. There is at least one surefire way to
make sure you get chosen for Team Japan.
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233. Huh?
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234. And that is to wait for an Olympic year
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235. and take home the gold medal
at the All-Japans Championship!
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236. Four years ago,
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237. I had only just worked my way
into the Seniors.
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238. I had no real record to speak of.
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239. And yet, with that gold medal
from the All-Japans,
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240. I proved it wasn't too early for me,
and I got to make my Olympic debut!
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241. So this year, I hereby vow
I, Riina Kojoh, will take the gold again,
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242. and skate for Team Japan in the Olympic
games for the second time in my career!
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243. Then so will I.
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244. If that's how I gotta do it,
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245. then I'll become a gold medalist
at the All-Japans too!
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246. Someday, I'm sure!
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247. It's so exciting, isn't it?
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248. The moment you commit yourself to a goal.
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249. But don't wait for "someday".
That's not good enough.
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250. I think you'll have to prove it today.
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251. In fact...
Actually, does everyone know this?
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252. The elements required for Novice A
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253. are tougher than what they ask of us
in the Junior and Senior divisions.
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254. A loop, a flip, and a Lutz
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255. are all 100% mandatory
to include in your programs.
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256. And those are hard!
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257. And that's a special rule
that only exists for Novice A.
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258. They instituted that rule in order to help
foster young skaters to compete overseas.
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259. Meaning, every Novice in this room
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260. has the potential to be
a national team member in a few years.
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261. Your talent and skill are already
being analyzed and developed.
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262. So if you really are serious about
competing in the Olympics soon,
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263. then you gotta prove it
right here, right now.
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264. Show everyone at this tournament
that you've already got it in you.
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265. Show them that you're worthy, that
you can shine the brightest of us all.
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266. She's right.
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267. Just by being here,
I'm already on the road to the Olympics.
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268. Got it!
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269. We swear!
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270. The skaters of Japan are grateful.
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271. Grateful to devote ourselves every day
to the sport we love.
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272. We are grateful for the opportunity
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273. to reach new heights every day.
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274. And to our coaches,
and all those who support us...
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275. We pledge to deliver
only our very best performance.
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276. I gotta win here. I gotta make it through!
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277. Hikaru is out there waiting for me.
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278. Wow! So this is the ice rink, huh?
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279. It's cold in here.
Feels like the vegetable drawer.
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280. Where's Tsukasa? I don't see him.
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281. And now, we'll decide the skating order.
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282. When your name is called,
please step up to the front.
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283. First up, Inori Yuitsuka.
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284. Present!
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285. Step forward.
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286. I really don't wanna go first.
I want time to prepare.
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287. Come on, group 2. Come on, group 2.
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288. Inori Yuitsuka, number 14. Group 2.
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289. Thank goodness!
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290. Rinna Sarukawa...
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291. number 1. Group 1.
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292. No way. First again?
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293. And so,
the order for the Chubu Block Novice A
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294. was decided.
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295. I haven't seen that boy anywhere at all.
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296. You really think we're going to?
He's gonna be busy coaching, right?
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297. Maybe.
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298. Should you have asked him before we came?
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299. Nah. This place ain't that big.
We're sure to bump into him.
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300. Really? Learn to think ahead.
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301. Ah!
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302. I told you I'd hold that
while you weren't drinking.
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303. Oh, goodness.
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304. I'll get this cleaned up, okay?
You go and clean your skirt.
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305. Okay.
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306. Where's that pack of tissues?
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307. Gotta hurry!
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308. Huh?
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309. Ah.
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310. I'm so sorry, sir!
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311. Round and round and round she goes,
where she stops, nobody knows!
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312. You came sailing in so fast,
I thought you were a carousel horse.
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313. Sorry, kiddo.
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314. Huh?
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315. You didn't twist your ankle on the steps,
did you?
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316. Nope! I'm okay!
And you caught me just perfectly!
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317. - Good. Are you competing today?
- Uh, yeah.
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318. Actually, you might be able to
help me find somebody.
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319. Do you know a young man
by the name of Mr. Akeuraji?
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320. Coach Tsukasa?
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321. He used to ice dance,
although I'm not sure if that's helpful.
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322. I don't know what club he's with.
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323. He even knows
about his ice dancing background.
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324. Could this old man... Could he be...
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325. A Coach Tsukasa fanboy?
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326. Guess I'll take that as a no.
His name is pretty hard to remember.
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327. - Wait. No, I do know him.
- Oh?
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328. Coach Ak... Aki...
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329. Well, we all call him Coach Tsukasa,
but he works at Lux Higashiyama!
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330. In fact, he's my coach!
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331. - Uh...
- I guess
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332. that makes you Inori, doesn't it?
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333. Huh? Uh, yeah! Inori Yuitsuka!
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334. - Well, how about that? You don't say.
- Huh?
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335. You know what?
I was actually really hoping to meet you.
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336. I'm really glad to have the chance.
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337. Thanks.
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338. - Uh...
- Hmm?
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339. - Ah. Hey there, Tsukasa.
- Huh?
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340. Hello?
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341. It's really you!
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342. That's a good reaction.
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343. No offense or anything,
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344. but seeing your face out of context
feels wrong.
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345. I'm so nervous,
I thought my brain was malfunctioning.
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346. You look like you just saw someone famous.
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347. Are you really that stunned that I'm here?
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348. Coach Tsukasa, he was looking for you.
Is this nice man your dad?
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349. Got it in one.
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350. No, he's not!
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351. Please don't lie to my students.
They'll believe you!
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352. So, what are you doing here?
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353. I didn't realize that you were
interested in watching skating stuff.
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354. Well, I just wanted to see you
on the job, Tsukasa.
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355. Since, you know?
I never did get to see you skate.
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356. I figured that this might be
the next best thing.
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357. Ah! Shoot, the time!
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358. Inori, you gotta change!
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359. Okay!
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360. I've wanted to watch live skating
for a long time.
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361. Huh?
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362. Even though I don't understand
anything about the rules.
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363. I'd watch with Meiko
whenever it was on TV,
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364. and she would try to explain it to me.
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365. But once she passed, you know...
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366. I was just lost without her.
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367. But then last night,
I saw much this lights you up.
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368. You're pursuing a new dream.
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369. And I thought, "How great!"
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370. Like, "Maybe it's time for me to
shift gears too.
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371. I can still learn!"
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372. I'm glad you're so passionate, Tsukasa.
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373. It helped me move forward.
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374. Huh?
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375. Hey, come on, Coach.
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376. Save those tears for when your girl's
up there on the podium later, all right?
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377. Yeah, sorry.
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378. Thank you very much.
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379. Just so you know,
even though you can't see me at work,
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380. everything I do is for Inori.
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381. And it all comes down to her performance.
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382. So please watch her out there,
and give her your support.
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383. Just like you've always supported me.
All right?
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384. Yep. Can do.
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385. Also, hey. You wanna finish this Danish?
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386. I mean, yeah.
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387. Here we go.
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388. Our day of battling over the
five qualifying seats for the All-Japans.
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389. This high-stakes game of musical chairs
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390. is about to begin.
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