/
I don’t really remember how many shots I had hit, but I finally got a break. It was enough exercise to work up a sweat, actually.
We were playing in doubles near the break. The ball hardly flew, so we were just watching most of the time.
I didn’t understand the rules, but I watched the game while guessing the technical terms I heard. I could tell what was going on, but somehow the server has trouble handling it. It’s an area that requires simultaneous interpreters.
Arina’s eyes are glued to the game and her arms folded. She’s taking it surprisingly serious.
When the game was over, I took a break as if nothing had happened.
Shirona came to us during our break.
“Tennis is hard.”
“Yeah. At first. But once you get used to it, it’s fun.”
Shirona seemed to be interested in Arina. While I was sitting there awkwardly, by my side, there was Arina stroking her glossy, white, bare feet. I felt a sense of superiority against her, who was curled up like a house cat. How about it, Arina? You’re a cat.
However, she gets angry when I stare at her too much.
“What.”
See! This beautiful girl became immediately angry. I’m sure her boiling point is about twenty-five degrees Celsius.
“Hm? Nothing, I was just thinking about how good you are at tennis. Have you ever played  before?”
“Just a little.”
“Is that so! That’s why it was so beautiful.”
I joined  the conversation between Shirona and Arina because it was becoming  awkward.
“Arina, you have a knack for it. You handle yourself like a pro even though you are an amateur. Why didn’t you join the club?”
Arina replied as she looked at the empty sky.
“Because I didn’t really understand.”
“What about club activities?”
“I didn’t know what to do in the club itself, and it seemed boring. What kind of answers do you want from me? Shut up, neanderthal.”
“I understand it all too well, I didn’t come in for a similar reason, either.”
“Is that so
”
Yeah. That’s how it was.
Shirona rounded her eyes though. It was probably because it was rare for Arina to speak properly. If my position was reversed with her, I would have been surprised as well.
The manager told me that the break was over and the match started again.
It seems that ball recovery is not necessary anymore.
Pakone pakone
And a refreshing sound echoes through the court. I love this sound. The sound of a train’s gatangotong resembles that sensation where the rattling sound of the train sounds somehow pleasant. Do you understand? It’s a nostalgic feeling. It would be great if this scene was streamed with Dvoƙák’s “New World” playing in the background.
(ED/N: IX symphony e-moll “New World”. Dvoƙák’s most popular and most played piece.)
I felt that it would be better to go home before Arina gets irritated because my duty as a ball boy was over. And it seems like she also wants to return too.
“Let’s go home, Arina.”
“That’s 
 “
“You’re not going home?”
“I’ll leave  when you slit  your wrist..”
What was that? Has the Earth’s magnetic field finally gone crazy? No, she had the option of not going home. I thought she was tired so

Respecting her intentions, she remained and watched the game.
It was past six o’clock. It is not good to stay any more than this..
I finally decided to go home at this time because the atmosphere of club activities was slowly coming to an end. Arina was also  preparing to organize and return with her luggage.
“Thank you, Arina! Thank you.”
“No. I had a good time here. Thanks.”
“Come anytime!”
“Oh, okay. I’ll tell you when I’ll participate again.”
“All right! Cya!”
Me and Arina left the tennis court.
We headed towards the school gate. Probably tomorrow there will be a rumor about us. That is because the scene of Arinagoing home alongside a man would be quite shocking. Actually I am also surprised. It’s  unbelievable that this venomous rose is walking shoulder-to-shoulder with someone like me.
I glance at Arina sideways.. I keep my eyes to the front, arch my back and move like a model striding on a fashion runway.. It seems that our man is fascinated by this figure and will fall in love with it.
“Don’t look at me. I’ll kill you.”
She threatened me with a death glare that showed no signs of amusement.. If you make a joke like that I will probably get wiped out of this world without any of my DNA left behind. I would have to let my younger sister continue my bloodline. No, I don’t want to think of a man who marries my little sister. The moment I witness it, I’ll  let loose a SAM missile.
(In the raws it said some kind of missile so ill used a specific kind of missile it was weird so sorry)
(ED/N: Surface-to-air missile, or ground-to-air missile. Specifically designed to destroy aircraft from the ground.)
But as I thought about it, I felt a  dark and menacing gaze next to me, so I changed the topic.
“Was it fun?”
“Decent.”
“That’s good.”
“Will you stop treating people like guinea pigs? The escaped chimpanzees aren’t doing well. Go back to the zoo as soon as possible.”
“You’re demoting me from neanderthal to chimpanzee?! Although, I’m not experimenting. It’s for the sake of your rehabilitation, so don’t worry. I’m doing it for you.”
“Haaaaa


”
She sighs and drops her shoulders. The reason why I didn’t break my promise was because this  person wants to change. Even today it was a great achievement. I was happy with it.
I arrived at the school gate, and the residential district spread out in front of me.
“See you tomorrow after school.”
“So be it.”
I like it. Isn’t it possible to live alone?
Arina turned her back to me and began to walk. She proceeded to disappear into the alley, as the trail of sound made by her leather shoes echoed behind her. As I watched, I hoped and prayed that a gust of wind would flip up her skirt  but instead just a breeze stroked my cheeks.
Life doesn’t always work out my way.