Looking for the Runaway Heavenly Maiden - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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14.

What had my archery been like in my memories? I’d practiced quite a few times, but every shot I released missed the target. And not by a little—by a lot.
After that, I never touched a bow again. It wasn’t that I hated it, but I had no desire to do it.
And now I had to do archery again? In front of other people? In front of Cheonhaerang?
Just imagining it made me embarrassed. Besides, I didn’t want to show Cheonhaerang that I couldn’t do something.

‘I should have just said I’d join the Shooting Club instead….’

The homeroom teacher’s recommendation weighed on my mind, though.
Regret came flooding in too late. Then I searched my memory for the club organization status I’d seen at Sunhwa High School.
There were plenty of other clubs besides the Shooting Club. There was even a Kendo Club. I wasn’t great at wielding a sword, but it was better than archery.
I felt the urge to reverse my decision. But when I saw Cheonhaerang’s bright, sparkling eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
This was all because of my homeroom teacher.
If it weren’t for the homeroom teacher, I would have listened properly to what Cheonhaerang said, and I wouldn’t have ended up joining a club so haphazardly.
Jeonghyeon’s image, which had already become an unsettling presence in my mind, grew even worse.

“Jiho, is it… do you hate being in the same club as me?”

Cheonhaerang’s eyes drooped as he asked. At that sight, I couldn’t possibly say I hated it.

“…No, no. I don’t hate it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah….”
“Thank goodness. I was worried you might hate it.”

Cheonhaerang laughed brightly, as if wondering when he’d been so gloomy. I thought to myself.

‘Maybe I should practice beforehand….’

I glanced cautiously at Yerim. But our eyes met through the rearview mirror. Yerim’s gaze held a questioning look.

‘Your archery… it’s hopeless, isn’t it?’

That’s what her eyes were saying.
I avoided Yerim’s gaze and let out a small, quiet cough, then looked out the window. After what felt like both a long and short time, the apartment complex came into view.

* * *

I watched Cheonhaerang wave goodbye with that innocent, radiant smile, knowing nothing of what lay ahead, and returned home with Yerim.
Today was Tuesday. In two days, it would be Thursday. Thursday afternoon had two hours of regular classes replaced entirely with club time. That’s when I’d have to do Korean archery.
To be honest, I didn’t think two days of practice would improve my archery skills much.
Back then, even after practicing for days on end, I hadn’t improved noticeably.
If I told Cheonhaerang I couldn’t do it, he’d teach me with genuine sincerity.
But that meant I’d have to endure the embarrassment.

‘Should I just say I’ve never tried it before?’

If I said I’d never held a bow, that might actually be better. My hopeless skill level wouldn’t be exposed.
I made up my mind. From now on, I was someone who’d never even seen the letter ‘bow’ before. It would be less embarrassing.

“But why Korean archery of all things?”

Seeing Yerim ask with a slightly improved mood, I exhaled a sigh of relief internally. It seemed I wouldn’t have to read the atmosphere as carefully as I did in the car.
After a brief silence, I answered. For some reason, my face burned as soon as the words left my mouth.

“…Because Cheonhaerang is there.”
“….”

Yerim was momentarily at a loss for words.

Someone might find this sweet couple endearing, but all Yerim could think was that they were playing around.
It was because of someone from the past she’d suddenly remembered.
Even if they loved each other this much, there was no such thing as eternal feelings in this world. But memories were eternal.
Yerim decided she’d have to pray to the Queen Mother again today.

“…Right. You should learn well from Cheonhaerang then.”
“Yeah. I will. But unnie, did something happen today?”
“Something? What do you mean?”
“Well, I didn’t expect you to pick me up. Isn’t this your work time right now?”

The real reason I’d asked was because of Yerim’s subdued mood in the car, but she didn’t know that.

“I was planning to pick you up yesterday too, but I was too busy. I’ll be picking you up for a while from now on.”

Questions of ‘Really? Why?’ circled in my mind, but I didn’t ask. Instead, I asked something else.

“So Cheonhaerang can come with us too?”
“….”

Yerim found herself at a loss for words once again. It was utterly absurd, but she decided not to show it.
They’d been inseparable at school all day and walked home together. She couldn’t just whisk Jiho away alone. That would look far too petty for an adult.

“…Then yes, you can come along. You must be tired? You’ve worked hard today too. Go rest inside.”
“Huh? Yeah….”

Suddenly exhausted, Yerim hurried Jiho off to her room.
Finally alone, Yerim exhaled a deep sigh.
Life was truly not easy.

* * *

A faint smile escaped Cheonhaerang’s lips. From Jiho’s reaction, it was clear she couldn’t do archery.
For me, that was actually fortunate. If she couldn’t do it, I could stay right by her side and teach her.
I looked forward to the coming Thursday. But before waiting for Thursday, there was something important I had to do.
So this was why my sister had asked me to come to the Principal’s Office. I picked up my phone and checked Yeonhwa’s message again.

Gihyeongrang appeared last night.
We’re going to move forward in earnest now.

That creature had revealed itself yesterday. Not just to me and Jiho, but to my sister as well.
It had appeared at the school again.
No matter how I thought about it, I could only wonder—how was this possible?
That he might surpass my sister in power was, yes, something I could grudgingly accept.
But possessing enough strength to shatter a fifteen-hundred-year-old barrier? That was impossible.
My eldest sister maintained the barrier, but she hadn’t created it.
The Jade Emperor.
My father.

‘Surely not… No, he wouldn’t go that far.’

An absurd hypothesis flickered through my mind, but I deliberately pushed it away. I didn’t want to believe my father would go that far.
I set my phone down on the table and gazed quietly at my hand. Something lay there that I hadn’t noticed before.
The turquoise-gleaming object had eight protruding points, each tipped with a small bell. It resembled a symbol of the sun.
It was one of the treasures my father had given me.
I clutched it tightly and leaned deep into the sofa’s embrace.
Whenever I thought of my father, my heart grew complicated. I didn’t need this.
My father gave me things I didn’t need and spoke of what he desired.
All while never understanding what I truly wanted.
But my older sister’s feelings toward our father must be far more complex than mine.
Even a child’s ears had caught the old rumors. She was the one who had seen our father the longest. What feelings had sustained her as she maintained the barrier all this time?
All I could offer her was work like this. Even that would be difficult without her.
I closed my eyes in the silence. Childhood memories buried deep within suddenly surfaced, tormenting me.
And at the end of those memories, there was always someone.
Ryujiho.
I opened my eyes slowly. Somewhere along the way, dusk had fallen, and the crimson glow of sunset cast shadows beyond the window.
Checking the time on my phone, it was already nearly seven.
I considered eating dinner, but I wasn’t particularly hungry. Instead, I found myself missing Jiho.

‘Should I ask Jiho to go for a walk?’

Merely thinking of Jiho lifted my spirits instantly.
I was about to tap out a message to Jiho when I hesitated. The image of Yerim came to mind.
It seemed unlikely that Yerim would willingly let Jiho go. Moreover, with evening already upon us, she would certainly disapprove of me calling Jiho out.
In any case, Yerim was Jiho’s guardian in this place, so I needed to maintain good relations with her.
Besides, Yerim had connections with the Baekho Clan, so she might speak well of me even after I returned to the Heavenly Realm.
Harboring this small hope, I deleted the message and tapped the screen again. Soon, a soft buzzing sound began to emanate from my phone.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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