Makoto was slumped over my desk. He was dealing with his PTSD. He'll get over it eventually, so I didn't bother him and let it pass.
Next on the list is Miyazaki Shinji. He's the president of the art club, so let's go interview him.
Shinji was drawing his own hand. Given that he even uses his break to draw, he seems to be quite fond of drawing.
"Thanks for the other day."
"I appreciated Arina modeling for us."
"That's good. Then, without further ado, can I do an interview with the art club? The newspaper club waants to write an article about clubs for the new students…"
"Sure! I'd love to see that kind of thing since our club members are dwindling!"
It helped that Shinji was talkative. Earlier, I had experienced hell in the next class over, so it was a world of difference. It was heaven. It's wonderful!
Having finished the interview with Shinji, I decided to ask him what job he would like to have.
"Shinji, is there a job you want?"
"For now, I want to work with CG. After graduating from high school, I plan to study technology at a vocational school."
Huh. I don't understand this world at all. Is he going to be designing the objects and characters in a game? I don't understand even 1 millimeter. I'm sure that the drawings kill he cultivated in the art club will be used in some way like that.
It was almost the end of the lunch break, so I asked around some more for jobs people wanted since I didn't know any more club presidents. It seemed rude to ask a bunch of people, but I'm glad they answered me with a smile.
After school, I went to the concession stand first. And my ship sank. I can't win. It's impossible to move someone in the judo club unless you hit them with a tractor.
I then asked a member of the judo club what kind of job he wanted. He said he wanted to be a tax accountant, and the first thing he wanted to do was go to university. I realized that outside appearances don't tell you what's on the inside.
Arina was already sitting in the Rose Garden, and there were more flowers I hadn't seen before. This place is becoming a flower garden now.
"What are the results?"
"I have nothing."
"I see, good luck with being a future chick appraiser. All right, let's go around to some clubs."
"I'll make you into scrambled eggs."
"Yeah, yeah, my brain are scrambled eggs, to begin with."
Arina and I left the Rose Garden right away.
We decided to swing by the baseball club first. The sun was shining even though it was in the latter half of September, and Arina quickly put her hat on.
The field was filled with shouting and the sound of balls being hit. The dust and dirt-stained clothes look like the baseball club.
"Yup, this is a very active baseball team."
"It really is. It's too hot and stuffy for me."
"Don't say that. People are bad it different things. You're worse at socializing with people than extraterrestrial beings."
"Is that so."
Yes, that's right.
We walked up to the baseball coach and talked to him.
"Excuse me. Are you the baseball coach?"
"Yeah. What's up?"
"The newspaper club wants to advertise your activities in an article for next year's freshmen, but they're short on staff, so we came to ask on their behalf. Do you half any time to spare?"
"Oh, I see. If that's the case, can you give me another ten minutes? We'll have a short break soon, and you can ask the head of the team there."
"Thank you. I'll be waiting."
Arina and I sat on the grass for a while.
Feeling the breeze in a daze, this moment of time that was passing slowly wasn't bad.
Arina's swooping hair was pulled back into a ponytail. If she kept quiet, she's beautiful. It's such a waste."
"Just keep your eyes forward. Next time you look at me, I'll skewer you through the brain."
"Arina-san, does that mean I'm going to have to pull the stick out of my ass? Or is it the front? In front of me–"
"Please die."
Hell begins every time she starts talking. Honestly, I'm used to it. But a little bit or so doesn't push me over the edge. Most of the time, the guy who's depressed is the one who really fell in love with Arina. If you're rejected to the tips of your hair by someone you really love, it's hard to recover. It destroys the rational part of you, not your instincts. You try keeping up a front. You're just trying to keep a straight face.
"I told you I'm going to skewer you."
"In that case, will it stick out from the front or back?"
"All right, I'm gonna snap the lightning rod off the roof. It's best to try."
"Stop it, stop it."
We were talking about something stupid and then the whistle blew. Apparently, it was the break.
I got up and we walked up to where the baseball team was hanging out.
We had no idea who the captain of the team was, so we asked a freshman who was nearby. The freshman pointed to a stranger with a hot-blooded look. I walked up to him and spoke to him as soon as I could.
"Are you the head of the baseball team?"
"Hmm? Yeah, I am."
"The newspaper club is planning to have an introduction of each club's activities for the new students next year. We're here to do an interview on behalf of the newspaper club, is that okay?"
"Everything's fine, but–"
"What is it?"
The club president looked at Arina and was astonished.
Arina raised her eyebrows and cocked her head in an intimidating manner. She understood it as well as I did, and I didn't understand what was happening either.
"No, it's nothing."
"All right, then, let's continue."
The baseball club president, Nakatsu Hitaki, spoke while behaving suspiciously. He spoke with the occasional hand gesture while keeping his gaze fixed towards the lower right. The content of his speech could be described as quite exemplary.
The only things that were unnatural were Nakatsu's suspicious behavior and Arina crossing her arms and acting like a guy in a game's character select screen. I think I'm slowly figuring out their relationship.
"That's all, is this fine?"
"Okay, okay, give it to the newspaper club."
"All right, let's just…"
And when I was about to tell Arina 'Let's go' since we had finished our business,
"Wait, Stalker-san."
Arina said that in a mocking tone of voice.