Ep. 2: Aoba resents Ko's dominance over her sister's memory while Senda's failed date and Ko's home runs fuel their rivalry.

2

Four years later, during the fall of her second year at Seishu Junior High School, Aoba serves as the baseball team's pitcher. She continues to harbor hatred toward Ko for monopolizing the time of her deceased sister. Keiichiro Senda, a starting pitcher who believes he is popular, asks Aoba on a date without waiting for an answer. When she fails to appear, Senda visits her home but is scared away by the family cat. Meanwhile, Ko, now in his third year at Seishu Junior High, delivers baseballs to the Tsukishima batting cages and hits four home runs. This performance irritates Aoba, particularly because she cannot replicate his success. A flashback reveals Wakaba once told Aoba about Ko's potential to throw 100-mile-per-hour (160 km/h) fastballs. Aoba had previously stated this was her ideal in a man but vowed she would not let anyone take him from her. Inspired by Aoba's pitching, Ko has been following Wakaba's instruction to adhere to her workout routine.