Sakayanagi Arisu soon got the sight she had been waiting for.
Matsushita Chiaki's first arrow missed the bull's-eye and landed in the outer rings.
Yes, that was how a beginner ought to perform.
Sakayanagi Arisu felt a little reassured. She was about to look away when Chiaki lowered her head slightly, adjusted her grip and the way she applied her strength, then narrowed her eyes and raised her bow again!
Whoosh!
Six points!
Whoosh!
Eight points!
The smile on Sakayanagi Arisu's face froze.
What was going on?
Had they all been secretly grinding away behind her back since the Sports Festival?
Was she improving too slowly, or had they always been this good?
She silently tightened her grip on her bow, determination gradually filling her eyes.
The girl who wanted to win was no longer smiling.
Kitagawa Kai looked at his sulking girlfriend and comforted her gently. "Arisu, it's all right. I can guide you through it hands-on."
With that,
he walked over to her and, before she could nock an arrow, supported her elbow and adjusted her grip on the bow.
Sakayanagi Arisu had wanted to stubbornly insist that she already understood all the theory, but after a few attempts under his guidance, she swallowed those words.
This feeling... really was completely different.
Her shoulders had felt stiff, and she hadn't been able to put any strength into her hands. Yet his slight adjustments made everything much easier.
Kitagawa Kai had long since mastered how to apply his body's strength. After watching a few attempts, he could identify her problems and guide her through correcting them one by one.
The movements she understood but could never quite execute finally began to feel right.
Sakayanagi Arisu nocked another arrow and tried on her own.
Whoosh!
Seven points!
Whoosh!
Eight points!