Chapter 3: A Flawless Archery Machine 2

A Flawless Archery Machine 2

“Phew…”

He leaned on the door and took a deep breath after leaving the director’s office. He lied about archery and everything else and he honestly knew that there was no way he could give up archery. He loves archery and there’s nothing else that he could even think of doing.

“Well…I guess I leave? Han Sooji…”

He went back after he recovered and everything he once knew disappeared like a mirage. His uncle took his parent’s insurance money while he was receiving treatment and he even sold his family house before he disappeared.

All of the scornful looks he got from everywhere disappeared. He started to see the light of praise…the compliments and that’s what he loved.

‘Do I really have to do this?’

He met her for the first time in an elementary school archery contest. She glanced at him all day and made him nervous to the point that his face will turn beet red due to the sheer embarrassment. That was the beautiful girl who stood behind her mother.

They met again when they both got into a middle school famous for its program for archery. Before, his head was always filled with thoughts about his beloved sport but now, he can’t stop thinking about her. He did not want to miss the chance to confess to her. The two of them were the prince and princesses of archery that brought home all the awards.

But after Jaehwang finished his recovery from his injuries, he went back only to find out that she has been transferred to another high school. His heart was torn to pieces realizing that he wasn’t able to do anything. Smartphones weren’t that handy from where and when he was recovering. There were no signals and you couldn’t even make a call even if you went to a different place around the area.

Without Sooji, he felt miserable and dejected.

And, one day throughout his year of recovery, he received just one text from that girl.

‘I want you out of my life.’

Those were just a few small and cold words but Jaehwang couldn’t understand where it came from. He had never received a text like this from her and it was already a text bidding her farewell.

He asked himself ‘what did he do wrong’, did he make a big mistake? Did she only pretend to like him on the outside and hated him on the inside? He was so confused.

He then remembers a question that he asked the director awhile ago.

‘Is it the Samjeon company?’

‘That’s the one.’

‘Don’t drop out of your competition and don’t stress about it.’

‘I’m sorry.’

He goes to school and used all of the equipment that was supplied to him. The company that generously annually donate was… The Samjeon company, it was owned by Han Soojii’s parents. Since Sooji suddenly left school, the recovery equipment he requested were never sent.

Jaehwang still didn’t understand why they did it.

Tap…

At that moment, someone placed their hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw someone taller than him standing there.

“Hey… What are you doing?”

“Oh… Hi Dongchul.”

He was 186 centimeters tall, he weighed 106 kilograms and it was easy to mistake him for a bodybuilder. He was friendly and outgoing but they don’t talk to each other that often but despite that, they shared the same brotherly bond. Jaehwang could tell that he also wanted to drop out of school and Dongchul could feel that something was bothering him as well.

“What did you and the director talk about? I can tell that something’s up with you.”

“I’ll tell you later. I’m busy thinking right now.” He waved his hand to move Dongchul away.

He spoke in a calm manner instead of replying in an angry tone that might start a fight like Dongchul used to do. When Jaehwang returned to the hospital after his treatment, Dongchul could tell something was bothering him better than anyone else.

“Just tell me now!”

Dongchul raised his voice and Jaehwang responded by taking a short breath. His voice was as loud as a train whistle and he’s the kind of person that will keep screaming if you don’t give him an answer. So to avoid that, Jaehwang told him what happened.

“She wants me to enter the national selection competition after a year of rest.”

“What?! Why is she talking nonsense?”

And of course, the sound of Dongchul’s voice echoed throughout the hallway and made Jaehwang regret his decision. He can’t bring himself to think straight at the moment because right now, all he wants to do was to just put his feelings and thoughts to rest.

Dongchul noticed how he’s feeling without even thinking for a second.

“What’s the matter?!”

“Shh. Let’s leave.”

“Hey! Am I not mad right now? I know you’re having a hard time! What is it!”

“Samjeon.”

Dongchul stopped talking as soon as he heard that one word.

“Samjeon… Is the director pressuring you? Is that why she said you rest for a whole year?”

Jaehwang shook his head at Dongchul’s question and answered, “No… I said that I’m stopping with archery and school… And I’m sorry to you. We won’t be able to graduate together.”

Dongchul began to explode after hearing those words. He clenched his hands into a fist, making his veins visible enough that it looked like there were earthworms inside his skin.

“Samjeon industry…Sooji…That year?”

“Dongchul…”

“She taught you archery throughout that entire year of middle school. I don’t understand what happened and what’s going on…Ugh!”

“I still don’t know either! Don’t talk so carelessly!.”

Dongchul looked up with a surprised look on his face. Jaehwang noticed and, in response, Jaehwang lifted his head to see what going on only to mirror his expression. He froze with that look on his face, his mood had boiled up and his compassion disappeared.

It’s been a really long time since he had seen Jaehwang look that way. It looks like the eye of a predator that caught its prey. He lost his sight on one eye and can only see blurred images. But, his other eye he can see fine.

“Ah right, your eye is hurt. I got it.”

“Thanks.”

Dongchul took a deep breath.

He remembered the day when they first met. It was the second year of middle school. But, at the same time, he wasn’t only lucky enough in the second year, he also had a group of friends in the third year.

When he thinks about it now, he wanted to fit in but he was tall than 99 percent of the middle school students… He was good at fights. And lastly, because of the fact that he was an orphan, the mean friends only made him lonelier.

And because of that, he had a hard time. That is until he one day bumped shoulders with Jaehwang while he was walking to school. He used that as an excuse to start an argument and they went into an empty alleyway to fight.

Since then, they eventually became friends after they continued to run into each other. Then they got into the same archery team and they even ended up going to the same high school.

“Damn it… I hear sunbae students whispering…”

Dongchul is kind of dumb but, there’s no one more strong-minded than him. He was the only person that could calm Jaehwang down when he’s angry.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay. It seems to be 6 of them… Let’s go eat and drink.”

“Not right now…”

Dongchul calmed down as Jaehwang tried to lead him back outside. It was much harder than it seems since it was a small hallway where it was difficult to breathe in… They then suddenly heard voices coming from down the hall.

“Hey!”

A Flawless Archery Machine 2, The end.