Outside the sun was shining on the rows of seats facing the training ground. Feeling exhausted beyond words Bolearis walked down the rows of the center stairs and finally took a seat somewhere in one of the front rows, unable to go any further.

On the training grounds the second group of academy students were doing a track and field. Their teacher had put up a demanding course in front of them. Looking for familiar faces Bolearis saw Lanz and his friend Noah, climbing a tough looking wall, leading into a jump down into a muddy pit. They were both top of their class, better than Bolearis for sure, but still they could not reach Ethel, even though she was a girl. Somehow it made Bolearis feel proud.

"Hey, Bolearis, mind if I join you?"

A young man had walked up the aisle and stood next to Bolearis. They both looked at each other for a moment. The boy smiled and Bolearis got the feeling, he knew this guy, but…

"Joran", the young man said. "I am Joran."

"You… are?" Bolearis got up in surprise. "Sparks. I would not have recognized you if we had met outside the academy." Joran had left the academy in his second year. Him being a chubby little boy then, with no talent for fighting, a nice boy but very clumsy.

Bolearis looked him up and down. "I mean", he went on feeling embarrassed. "That was meant to be a compliment."

Indeed, the fat little kid had outgrown his chubby self. He was even a bit taler than Bolearis, well build, his longish hair put back into a braid much like Noah was wearing. He looked more like a scholar than an academy student. Bolearis was wondering…

"What are you doing these days?"

They both sat down.

"I am studying drama at Mymoma Art Academy."

"You are an artist?"

Joran blushed. "Well, yes I am."

Bolearis reconsidered. "Well… good for you, I guess."

They both sat on their seats looking at Noah and the others finishing their track and field.

"And", Bolearis finally went on, "what brings you here today?"

Joran smiled. "I will be acting as wingman for Lanz."

"Oh?"

"Don't tell anyone, but he will ask out Eunie for the homecoming today."

"Oh. So, you are…"

"Yes, I am going to make sure, it will work out", Joran nodded. "I mean they are not in love or anything like that but going to a homecoming ball all alone is no fun, and they get along pretty well."

"If you say so", Bolearis managed. To him it looked like Eunie and Lanz were always arguing when talking to each other. Eunie at least was mocking Lanz for being rather slow-witted time and time again. Or was that only friendly bantering in the end?

"What about you?", Joran asked.

"Me?" Bolearis closed his eyes in despair. 'Here we go again.'

"Yes, have you asked Ethel out, yet?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Why not?", Bolearis repeated. "Sparks. Because she would surely say no."

"What makes you think that?", Joran asked quizzically.

"She is not… interested in things like that."

"Ah. You are afraid then?"

"What? Sparks." Bolearis felt cornered. "It's not that. I simply… We are friends. That's all."

"Well, there is no-one else in this world she could go out with", Joran said.

His words rang somehow strange in Bolearis' ears. "What do you mean?"

"I mean it is just a homecoming ball and she has no boyfriend to ask her out. You can ask her as a friend, can't you?"

"I guess so", Bolearis said lamely. He felt uncomfortable.

"Well… then you should do so right away", Joran said. "Because here she comes."

Bolearis' heart skipped the beat, but Joran was right. Ethel was walking along their row of seats, rather pacing them.

"I don't know", Bolearis said, uncertain. "She looks pretty much angered."

"Well, I suppose that's no wonder", Joran said drily.

"What do you mean?" Bolearis asked.

But it wasn't the other boy answering his question but Ethel herself. Reaching the to boys she stood in front of Bolearis, hands on her hips, leaning dangerously close to him.

"So you told Dinzel to ask me out, didn't you?", she demanded to know.

"I…" Bolearis flinched.

"Sparks, what were you thinking?", Ethel rambled on.

"Well…" Bolearis was searching for words. "I mean. I didn't. Not like that. I just told him he could… if he wanted to… I mean."

Ethel glanced at him angrily. "What makes you think, I would go out with an idiot like him?"

"Hem." Bolearis was desperately looking for a way out, but safe escape route came to his mind. He was cornered. Finally, despair got the better of him. "I mean since you won't go out with me, why not let someone else ask you…"

"What?" Ethel's eyes sparkled dangerously. "Who said I would not go out with you to that stupid homecoming ball, hm?"

"I…" Again, Bolearis did not know what to say. He was wishing someone would just save him from her wrath. But it seemed like he would have to do the saving himself. Sparks. At least he should be reckless like her once in his life.

"Well then… would you go to the homecoming ball with me, Ethel?"

Silence hit. It felt like eternity to Bolearis. Then Ethel relaxed. She loosened her arms and leaned against the back of the chair in the row in front of Bolearis.

"Sure, I will", she said. "Really, why did you not aske me in the first place? You are my man in the first place. I would not go out with any other in this whole world. Really. Boys. You all are so stupid. This is just some ball. We will not get married there. We will have fun. That's all.

"Eh. All right." Bolearis felt relieved, somehow. "Then, that's settled." He got up. Somehow still he felt like it was not save being here for longer until Ethel's mood had cooled. "I am sorry", he excused himself, "but I must be off now. The boys want to have a drink at the canteen and…"

"Okay", Ethel said surprisingly calm. "Have fun."

"Hem. Thanks."

"And slap Dinzel for me in the face one more time, if you would."

"Most certainly not", Bolearis exclaimed.

Ethel laughed. Bolearis grunted. She had been making fun of him once more. But at least she seemed to be in a good mood now. Trying not to appear to be in a rush, he walked down the aisle as he left.