"Is... is... is that something a tennis ball can really do..."
"Sniff... so pitiful... Haruna-chan is so pitiful..."
"Demon! Demon!! Stop bullying our Haruna-chan!!!"
...
Cries of alarm, sympathy, and anger. Although it was long past the end of school, not a single one of the spectating students had left. On the contrary, more and more people from other classes and grades kept gathering to watch.
The match between Sora and Haruna was still going on, but it wasn't a fierce competition. It was simply a slaughter. Sora's complete and utter domination of Haruna!
Rito, squeezed in the crowd, stood with his mouth wide open, speechless. He could no longer believe he was watching a real tennis match.
A ball that had already been hit out of bounds would curve back in. A ball that had been hit so high it disappeared from sight would land perfectly on the line. A ball that had...
Oh god, Sora-san, please stop showing off your special moves! Please spare Haruna-chan! Please spare Haruna-chan!!!
Previously, Rito had felt quite dejected after being crushed by Haruna-chan, losing three straight games. But compared to what she was going through now, he felt his own dejection was nothing. He had been incredibly lucky!
So far, how many points had Haruna-chan lost? Ten, twenty, or thirty?
The girl acting as referee had initially announced Sora's points—15-love, 30-love, 40-love... but eventually, she too was left dumbfounded and speechless. Announcing the score had become completely meaningless...
"Hah... hah... hah..."
Leaning on her racket and panting heavily, Haruna was drenched in sweat, her clothes soaked through. Her once beautiful and cute face was now pale, making her look incredibly pitiful and worrying.
"Sairenji-san, you still won't give up? You can see it yourself, you're no match for me at all. I really don't want to bully you anymore."
Without even breaking a sweat, Sora looked at the girl opposite him and spoke with a grin.
His voice immediately drew angry shouts and accusations from a host of boys. That wicked Kusanagi Sora, what's so great about being good at tennis? What's so great about knowing a few tricks? How dare you bully our Haruna-chan like this? You damn bAstarrd, why don't you just go and die?!!!
The girls, however, were silent. On one hand, they were completely mesmerized by the sight of Sora swinging his racket. On the other, they felt he was being too cruel in his bullying of Haruna-chan.
Sniff... Sora-kun, even though we're completely smitten with you and know you're amazing, please stop bullying Haruna-chan. Even if you do, please go a little easier on her...
Indifferent to the boys' angry accusations and the girls' infatuated pleas, Sora stared unblinkingly at the girl across from him, waiting for her answer.
Under his gaze, finally, the girl, having recovered a little, spoke:
"Sora-kun, I know I'm no match for you at all, but—"
"I want to continue! I still want to continue! Please!"
Endlessly emotional yet firm, Haruna had never been a competitive girl, but to give up now, she couldn't accept it. She absolutely could not!
Even though the arms holding her racket were trembling, and the slightest movement was agonizingly difficult, she still wanted to go on.
Just one point. Even if it was just winning back one point, she wanted to continue!
Looking at this girl who was so gentle yet so resilient and stubborn, not only Sora but all the other students were deeply moved. After a brief silence, the entire area erupted with earth-shaking cheers:
"Go, Haruna-chan! Go, Haruna-chan!"
"Haruna-chan, we'll always support you!"
"Take down Kusanagi Sora! Take down Kusanagi Sora! Hooray!!! Hooray!!!"
...
Both boys and girls were now cheering for Haruna, their inspiring voices echoing throughout the school.
"Hah... really now. No matter how you look at it, this makes me seem like a terrible bAstarrd who bullies a helpless girl..."
Covering his forehead, speechless, Sora felt like a demonic bAstarrd himself, seeing everyone abandon him to cheer for Haruna.
Well, it's not like he wasn't one to begin with...
Across the court, Haruna gave him an apologetic look, but her expression remained firm. And because of everyone's cheers, the girl felt she was filled with strength once again.
"Sora-kun, please!"
With a serious expression, Haruna controlled her exhausted body and got into position.
"Well... since you've said so, I'll play one more ball with you. But this will be the last one."
"And like I said before, Sairenji-san, even now, I won't go easy on you!"
Lowering his hand, Sora wore a devilishly charming expression.
"Ah... if Sora-kun went easy on me, it would all be meaningless..."
His words once again drew accusations and curses from the boys, but a knowing smile appeared on Haruna's face.
Men going easy on women to show their gentlemanly grace has been a natural, unwritten rule since ancient times. Their consideration can indeed be seen as a form of care and protection for women, but isn't it also a way of asserting their own greatness while deeming the other party weak?
Although Sora-kun kept saying he wouldn't go easy on her, and he had indeed done so, mercilessly crushing her in their match.
However, in her heart, Haruna felt no resentment or anger. Instead, she felt an incredible joy at being acknowledged!
Unlike everyone else, in Sora-kun's eyes, she wasn't a weak, incompetent girl who needed to be handled with care. She was no less capable than any so-called boy!
To respond to Sora-kun's acknowledgment, she had to persevere. Even if her body was incredibly tired and sore, she had to keep going!
Looking at the determined girl across from him, a unique curve formed on Sora's lips.
Bullying her so badly wasn't just to show off how amazing he was. Sora had another purpose. But seeing the look on her face now, he knew his goal had been achieved. All that was left was to complete the final step...
The atmosphere became strangely quiet. Everyone held their breath. Under the watchful gaze of countless eyes, Sora tossed the ball into the air and hit it towards the other side.
Spinning rapidly, the tennis ball whistled towards her, leaving a long afterimage. Haruna gripped her racket tightly, every nerve in her body stretched to its limit.
"Sora-kun's serve doesn't bounce like a normal ball. It could go left, right, or even backwards. This time, which way will it go...?"
Her mind felt blank. She had already tried many times before, but his serves were almost completely unpredictable. If she couldn't know which way the ball would bounce, she could never return his serve.
She had failed again and again, and this was her last chance. She absolutely could not fail again!
Perhaps as expected of one of this world's heroines, a child of destiny, at this most critical and tense moment, Haruna calmed down. She closed her eyes and felt her entire being become ethereal.
At that moment, it was as if time itself had slowed down. Even with her eyes closed, she felt she could perceive everything around her—
The trajectory of the tennis ball, the sound of its friction with the air as it spun, the point where it would land, and then...
"It's this way!"
Her eyes snapped open. Haruna took a step forward and, with all her might, swung her racket!
THWACK!!!!!
It was as if she hadn't hit a tennis ball, but the hearts of everyone watching. The ball, which had bounced and shot off in the opposite direction, was hit squarely by the girl and sent flying back.
Across the court, Sora's expression froze, as if he never expected her to return his serve. All he could do was watch as the ball flew past him, his body unable to react...
"Hah... I did it..."
Watching the tennis ball bounce once before hitting the fence behind Sora, the entire area was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Haruna's eyes widened with a look of endless excitement and joy.
I did it! I finally did it!!!
If not for her girlish reserve, at that moment, she truly felt the urge to have a good cry!
Sniffle... I was bullied and crushed by Sora-kun like a puppy, but I finally succeeded and won back a point...
Whoosh...
"HARUNA-CHAN!!! HARUNA-CHAN!!! HARUNA-CHAN!!!"
After a brief silence, the entire scene erupted, with shout after shout breaking out. Every student was endlessly excited.
Although Sora was ahead by who-knows-how-many points, at this moment, who even remembered that pathetic guy who only knew how to bully girls?
She won! Their Haruna-chan won!
"Hahaha... I can't believe Sairenji-san actually returned my serve. I was too careless..."
At this point, Sora also seemed to snap back to reality, slapping his forehead with a look of regret and annoyance.
His reaction confirmed for Haruna once again that she had truly won the last point. Instantly, all the tension left her body. Feeling as if she couldn't muster another ounce of strength, she started to fall towards the ground...
She didn't feel the expected pain of hitting the ground, but rather the sensation of being caught in someone's arms. Slowly opening her eyes, Sora's face came into view.
"Sora-kun, I did it... I did it..."
Having completely forgotten her shyness, Haruna had a smile of pure, heartfelt joy, murmuring over and over.
"Ah... Sairenji-san, you did it. It was really, really amazing..."
Gently stroking her forehead, Sora replied with an appreciative smile.
Hearing Sora's personal acknowledgment, an even more brilliant smile bloomed on her face. Finally unable to hold on any longer, she fainted.
The "battle" earlier had already exhausted her physical strength. In the end, she was running on pure willpower. It was truly remarkable that she had lasted this long...
Seeing Haruna-chan collapse and faint, the others cried out in alarm and finally snapped back to their senses. Risa, Mio, and Rito rushed over anxiously.
However, Sora seemed completely unconcerned. He stood up, holding Haruna. Looking at the beautiful, cute, yet resilient and determined girl in his arms, who still had a knowing smile on her face even in unconsciousness, a unique curve formed on his lips.
"Sairenji-san, it wasn't just you who succeeded. I succeeded too..."