Episode 9

**Hurry Up and "Switch Sides"** (さっさと"寝返り"しろよ, *Sassa to "Negaeri" Shiro yo*) is the 9th episode of Tomodachi Game anime series.

## Synopsis

Yuuichi, who hasn't left the starting point in the two days since the game began, suddenly announces his desire to switch to Group K. The Group K members, puzzled by Yuuichi's apparent intention to abandon his hiding teammate, ask their Captain to decide whether or not to let Yuuichi in. Meanwhile, Tenji, who has stayed in hiding and trusted Yuuichi all along, is finally reaching his physical breaking point.

## Summary

Reiko can't believe that Yuuichi wants to switch sides and thinks he is bluffing. Tsukino states its actually plausible for Yuuichi to do it, so that he can achieve his goals. She wonders if Reiko would agree if he switches and Reiko confirms, as normally that will mean they will win for sure. Tsukino believes that the game will really move if they decide to accept Yuuichi's switch or not.

Yuuichi tells Group K, that he wishes to switch in order to make Tenji suffer even more for betraying them. According to the rules, the switch can only happen at the middle of the forest where the food station is and it requires only one member of the group to accept the switch. However, once you switch, you can't switch again and go back to your team. Most of the Group K agree, but Kei states that until now they always asked their captain to decide and suggest they ask him again. As they agree to call him, Yuuichi starts laughing and apologizes, but finds it ridiculous that they can't make a simple decision like this by themselves. He proceeds to mock them and their captain, wondering what kind of control freak he is. Hyakutarou gets angry, stating that their captain isn't like that and attempts to punch Yuuichi, but his friends stop him. Kei goes to call their captain. Reiko is glad that the game didn't end due to an accident, but Tsukino wonders if it really was just an accident. Kei returns and states that their captain is not allowing Yuuichi to switch sides. Reiko is surprised, but Tsukino believes its the right decision. Juuzou believes in his strategy and that they will win either way, so he asks his friends to keep trusting him and proceed with his plan. Juuzou told Kei that if Yuuichi keeps insisting to switch sides, they should make the girl switch too, as that way they can't pull any tricks. Juuzou believes that if they let Yuuichi, he may end up tricking them into revealing where he is and he can contact the girl and tells her where he is. Maria comments to herself that the plan was too easy to read, but unfortunately, all this is still part of Yuuichi's plan.

Two days ago, few hours after the game started, Maria asks Yuuichi what they will do. Yuuichi explains that they will do nothing for two days and give the impression that he has no intention of fighting. Then on the third day, he will want to switch. If he is able to switch, he will try getting their hiding spot and tell Maria about it. However, Yuuichi feels there is 10 to 1 chance the plan to fail and he thinks they figured the only sure way to find the hider and that is to follow the other team when they deliver food. If this was normal hide and seek, you will normally pick the smallest guy to hide. However as they picked the largest guy, it means they have already figured its not a normal hide-and-seek, and picked the guy that will be the most patient over a long fight. Maria wonders what he will do if they deny his switch. Before telling her, Yuuichi wants to know if she will swear her absolute obedience to him. As she confirms, Yuuichi tells her his plan and she realizes why he asked if she was a girl earlier before accepting her to his team.

Yuuichi tells Group K, he changed his mind and don't want to switch. They wonder if its because their captain saw through his plan, but he denies it, stating that after watching them, he now believes they will win easily. Maria recalls Yuuichi plan. He intends to do small talk for two days with the other group and try to provoke them sometimes, while looking for something. Once he finds it, he will move to the next step.

At the morning of the four day, Kei and Banri go to deliver food to their captain. Chisato goes to look after Maria, while Hyakutarou remains with Yuuichi, who asks him if he has been in basketball for a while. Yuuichi compliments them, stating they are really good team and their captain is great and super sharp. Hyakutarou is glad that Yuuichi finally sees that. However, he reveals that he kept making crappy shots and Juuzou ended up injured, so he trained hard to make his captain shine. Yuuichi comments that Hyakutarou is a wholesome, honest man, but wonders then why he ended up playing the Tomodachi Game, and wonders who in their team is in debt. Chisato returns and stop Hyakutarou, telling him that they will switch spots and he will go to Maria. Hyakutarou goes to Maria, but sees she is gone. He starts looking for her and ends up finding her washing herself. Realizing he will be called a "pervert", he runs back to the camp screaming. Chisato wonders about Maria and decides to go watch her, but Hyakutarou stops him, stating that he will be a pervert if he does. Yuuichi then yells to Maria that he found it. Yuuichi then grabs a bag and starts running. Chisato tells Hyakutarou to go after Yuuichi, while he will go after Maria. As they chase them, Yuuichi and Maria end up together again. They run next to a cliff and Chisato comments that he probably said "found" as was a signal for a chance to split them and run. Yuuichi explains this is what he intended and what he "found" was something else. He then acts like his hand "slipped" and pushes Maria off the cliff.

Meanwhile, Tenji is at his limit. He is ready to push the give up button, but recalls that even if he escapes his current pain, he will have to return to his empty life. Tenji decides to keep trusting Yuuichi and bet his life on him. He is sorry that he couldn't apologize to everyone, but at least he didn't betray anyone else. He then feels water on his lips and as he opens his eyes, he sees Yuuichi giving him water. While he eats and drinks, Yuuichi tells him that they could follow him if he brought him food earlier. Tenji tells him he should have told him that on the first day, so he doesn't suffer, but Yuuichi states he wanted to test him and see if he would push the give up button. And if he didn't push it, he would start trusting him again. Yuuichi explains that this doesn't mean he now distrust Shiho, but once they are back, they will get to the bottom of it. Tenji wonders how he manage to loose Group K and Yuuichi guess they are probably trash talking him right now. Hyakutarou managed to save Maria from the fall. Chisato wanted to continue after Yuuichi, but Hyakutarou tells him he needs his help to pull Maria up. Chisato states he won't get hurt if she falls, but Hyakutarou yells at him for not wanting to help a girl and let her get hurt, which forced Chisato to come and help. Maria is a bit shaken. She recalls that Yuuichi states he will use her as distraction, but she didn't expect this.

Yuuichi tells Tenji how he used Maria and he knew that if he slows one, he would slow the two of them. Yuuichi explains that he was observing the personalities and relationships in Group K. He sometimes spilled some info, to get them talking, and other times he just provoked them. He eventually was able to find Hyakutarou, who at first looks short-tempered and impulsive jerk, but is more compassionate than the others and self-conscious about past mistakes. He is also naive and kind to girls, and Yuuichi was looking for the kindest person in Group K. The other guy, Chisato, always pays attention to Hyakutarou and reacts to almost everything Hyakutarou says or do. Chisato personality is dilettante, jack of all trades, but master of none. When such personality meets sincere person, deep inside, he is really jealous to him. And when Hyakutarou really asks for help, it would be hard for Chisato to turn him down. As he managed to prove his analyse, all he needs left to do is to destroy all the relationships in Group K. In the last three days, Yuuichi states he planted all sorts of traps, and the first will be set in motion any minute now. Meanwhile, Maria grabs Chisato's arm and thanks him for saving her, which surprised both Chisato and Hyakutarou. Yuuichi returns to the food camp. Hyakutarou and Chisato are arguing and Hyakutarou tells Manabu that he is joining Group C.

## Characters

* Reiko Tamai
* Tsukino
* Yuuichi Katagiri
* Maria Mizuse
* Kei Shinomiya
* Banri Niwa
* Hyakutarou Onigawara
* Manabu
* Chisato Hashiratani
* Tenji Mikasa
* Juuzou Kadokura