Real: Volume 8

by Takehiko Inoue, 210 pages

The Tigers discuss their next move as they drown their sorrows and celebrate their future with beer and karaoke and just about tackle Togawa when he admits to having made a promise to, and then gotten a reprieve from, the coach of the Dreams, a rival team, who very much wants to recruit him. Nomiya hangs with the guys but feels unmoored since he lost his job due to his boss going out of business, so he drives back up to Nagano to visit the girl whose mobility he took and whom he considers a friend, much to her amazement (and the fact that she seems to be starting to see him that way, too, probably amazes her more than anything else). And Takahashi pushes forward and renews his painful but necessary rehabilitation while his father navigates unfamiliar waters by buying a cell phone and sending (and accidentally resending, multiple times) his first ever text message--words of love and encouragement to his son.

Ack, this series makes me want to cry, it is so good.