Episode 5

**Regression Is Also Evolution.** is the 5th episode of Number24 anime series.

## Characters

* Ibuki Ueoka
* Ethan Taylor
* Fuuga Saitou
* Taisei Uchinashi
* Yuu Mashiro
* Natsusa Yuzuki
* Madoka Hongou
* Kazutaka Hongou
* Seiichirou Shingyouji
* Yasunari Tsuru
* Gakuto Zaitsu
* Yayoi Tsudura
* Kotori Kureha
* Ikuto Yufu
* Syouta U
* Sousuke Yamada

## Summary

After Isui game, Madoka went to greet Natsusa, while Kazutaka went behind Ibuki, but Ibuki realized and stopped him. Kazutaka asked Ibuki if there was something he needs to apologize for and Ibuki wondered if its how he made fun of his "forward god of destruction" nickname. Ibuki and Kazutaka then started wrestling with Madoka commenting they still doesn't understand each other. Madoka told Natsusa that Doshisha will drop from the Kansai league as they have game against them and with one more loss they will drop. Natsusa wondered why he's so sure they will lose to them and Madoka explained that they lost against them the last two years. Natsusa told him that those players had graduated and with Madoka now the captain, they may win. Hearing that Madoka told Natsusa he used to be cute, now he got quite cocky and pinched his cheek. Madoka then called out to Kazutaka wanting to leave, but before leaving Kazutaka told Ibuki he will make him regret that he gave up on rugby without his permission and then they left.

Yasunari was taking a shower annoyed at himself and recalling what Gakuto told him, that he will remove him from the startup line if he doesn't recover next week. Returning to the dressing room, he overheard some members saying how many balls Yasunari had lost and that he is lucky that Natsusa was injured otherwise he would have been regular. Yasunari then entered the room angry and wanted to fight, but was stopped by Fuuga. Natsusa then came wondering what happened, Kotori tried to explain, but Yasunari pushed Natsusa and he fell. Seeing that, Fuuga got angry and went to punch Yasunari, but Natsusa called Ikuto, who came running and tried telling him to not yell as they were the guest team. Ikuto saw the unusual situation and he realized something had happened between Yasunari and Natsusa. Natsusa explained he doesn't get angry at his juniors as he quickly snitches them out to his seniors.

Back at the dorm, Natsusa told Yasunari that he must not fight his teammates, but Yasunari told him that he was thinking the same things as the rest of them. That Yasunari he got his position from Natsusa being injured and Natsusa agreed. Natsusa told him he knows why he is no good right now and that at this rate he will be removed from the starting lineup. Seeing Yasunari's reaction, Natsausa realized that he was already warned about this and started teasing him asking if he wants to know. Yasunari begged him, but Natsusa kept teasing him as he had acted awful around him and made him promise he will do anything Natsusa says in the next two weeks before their next game and made him promise he won't fight his teammates.

On the next day, Natsusa made Yasunari carry him while running and then drink his special protein drink, which Yasunari was refusing to even look at before. Natsusa managed to beg Gakuto to let Yasunari have personal training with him and Gakuto agreed. Natsusa then drew a box on the ground and told Yasunari he needs to pass him, but if he touches him, it means he was tacked down. Yasunari was a bit hesitant as Natsusa was injured, but Natsusa assured him, he doesn't need to push himself much to stop him. Yasunari got annoyed and tried, but he didn't managed to pass Natsusa. Natsusa kept teasing him,saying that he will be removed from the starting lineup and Yasunari kept trying but didn't managed to pass him. Natsusa wondered what happened to him, as he was able to pass him in high school. Yasunari had no explanation, but Natsusa told him he just got worse. Yasunari explained he researched a lot of playstyles and practiced a lot, but Natsusa told him he used to be better and needs to drop what he learned and return to his own style. Natsusa told him he believes he had the skills to be a starting member, but if he doesn't believe himself, then he can't do anything for him. Natsusa then took Yasunari;s phone and deleted his rugby folder, telling him to only watch his own plays. As Yasunari didn't had videos of his plays, Natsusa told him he will take him to his special place.

Natsusa took Yasunari to Yuu, who had videos for almost everyone. There they saw one of Yasunari's video and Yuu started explaining how his steps were much better back then, but now he was quite different. As they kept talking, Yuu said he became quite a fan of Yasunari and in the end Yasunari started blushing and had to stop Yuu from talking. Natsusa then left Yasunari to Yuu, so he can keep watching his videos and analyze his own style.

On the next day, Natsusa started putting ribbons on Yasunari hair each time he fails. He then saw a group of people and made Yasunari try passing them, which he did. Natsusa then tricked Yasunari in a high five, but as he touched him, he had to put another ribbon in his hair. Back at their room, Yasunari wondered if Natsusa felt anxious when he entered college. Natsusa explained he did and it was normal that if Yasunari felt too, as he entered Doshisha to beat him, but Natsusa was gone, but as there were people like Ibuki and other strong like him, he wondered if he could make it. Natsusa told him he needs to drop those feelings and focus on his qualities.

At their game with Hainokikan, Yasunari was feeling nervous. Natsusa told him he can calm him down and told him he doesn't need to worry as he was traded for his replacement, so its natural for him to be weaker, which pissed of Yasunari. In the game, Yasunari did great and they managed to crush their opponents. After the game, Yasunari was called by Gakuto. Ibuki came to Natsusa, who threw the ball at him, thanking him for giving some good balls at Yasunari. Ibuki said that he knew what it was to be bullied by Natsusa, so he wanted to help him and make him feel better.

Later that night, Natsusa was struggling in pain and woke Yasunari, asking him to call Seiichirou as he wasn't able to move.