Perfect Crown in Royal Academy of Korea - Chapter 7
Chapter Seven: The One Who Cannot Be Beaten
On the day of the friendly match, Heejoo woke up from sleep without an alarm. A heart fluttering like a child's could not be hidden. Originally, when preparation was perfect, fluttering excitement rather than tension was bound to soar.
The last few days had been days no different from an athlete's. In the mornings and evenings, she reduced her meal times to do practical practice with Jungwoo, and when moving between lecture buildings, she ran around without dignity. It was for physical strength that would not tire even when pulling the bowstring for an hour straight.
One day, Sung Taejoo, who witnessed that sight, mocked her asking, 'Is your dream to be a national representative?' but she did not hope for the understanding of an older brother bastard who didn't know a speck of a competitive spirit. At any rate, whether Sung Taejoo or Ryu Minseok, the bastards she didn't like were all of Azure Dragon Palace. Ah, Grand Prince Leean too.
While she was pulling out a red cheolik while clicking her tongue, a knocking sound was heard. The one who welcomed Heejoo, who went out into the hallway, was none other than Dayoung.
"What is it?"
"I came to cheer. Since I am the Vermilion Bird Palace cheering squad captain."
On both cheeks of Dayoung, who spoke innocently, a Vermilion Bird was drawn.
"Ah."
"How is it. Do you think you'll win?"
"Well, since everyone besides Jungwoo Oppa does well...."
Heejoo, who murmured small, let out a sigh. Surely she had heard a rumor that he had a talent for traditional archery, but Jungwoo's skill seen at the first joint practice was not magnificent.
'By any chance, did the 12th grade pick players by a popularity vote?'
When she asked, tired of adjusting his posture, Jungwoo burst into a cackle and made excuses. Saying, 'The 12th grade has no time to practice due to entrance exam preparation.'
If there was a relief, it was that his learning ability was fast. The more training was repeated, the more his arrow advanced to the center of the target.
"Why Jungwoo? He shoots the bow well."
Dayoung asked with a puzzled expression. It seemed she believed that nonsense rumor that Min Jungwoo couldn't do what he couldn't do just as it was.
"Well... it's not bad."
Heejoo answered readily. She didn't particularly wish to disgrace him, who was the pride of Vermilion Bird Palace.
Everything about the Royal Academy was so, but the friendly match particularly held a close relationship with the Royal Family. Every year, His Majesty the King visited the school to look directly at the match, and personally bestowed an Eosahwa flower upon the winner. Also, it was a tradition for students who received the Eosahwa flower to be selected as scholarship students the following year.
The reason students who had no shortage of money wanted to possess the scholarship student title was solely because of honor. A scholarship student selected by the Royal Family. Solely for that reputation.
Today was the same. His Majesty the King, who revealed his appearance at the seat of honor of the archery range, slowly took the appearance of the vigorous students into his eyes. The students, who maintained silence as if handling that quiet gaze, let out a thunderous roar only after the flag bearers holding the flags of the Gods of the Four Directions ran in front of the cheering seats.
"Isn't the enthusiasm of the students truly grand. How hard they worked because Your Majesty is coming forth...."
The school principal, who took the seat next to His Majesty the King and sat down, spoke proudly.
"I have heard of it thoroughly. That you opened the archery range 24 hours."
"Yes, Your Majesty. It was a matter Grand Prince Leean directly requested."
"......"
The King, who nodded his head instead of an answer, looked at his son standing below the seat of honor. The bearing of him standing clad in a blue cheolik was gallant. His son, who boasted a exceptionally tall stature and broad shoulders, had gazes pierce him even when standing in a crowd.
Whether he felt that gaze, the son who stepped onto the shooting stand lifted his head. The King, who was looking into his son's eyes, showed a stern expression on purpose. Along with a wordless command telling him to be neither too magnificent nor too lacking.
The son, who cut off his gaze coldly, pulled the string. Around the time the bow back bent into a half-moon shape and the wind grew quiet, the son who stopped his breathing—
"A hit!"
Hitting the exact center of the target, he obtained 10 points. The cheers of the Azure Dragon Palace students enveloped the entire archery range.
"It seems this year is Azure Dragon Palace's victory."
"I wonder."
The King, who answered dryly, looked down at his son. Although he was wearing childish eyes, he knew he wouldn't be able to advance beyond that.
"Until it's over, it's not over, is it not."
The tender heart of his son, which sank like water even while burning like fire, his father, himself, knew best.
The last players of Hyunmoo Palace and White Tiger Palace recorded 9 points and 8 points respectively and came down. Heejoo, who was the last player of Vermilion Bird Palace, regulated her breathing.
"Since it's alright, do as you used to do."
Jungwoo, who lightly gripped Heejoo's wrist, said. Because of the Azure Dragon Palace players who were fighting better than expected, it was becoming a difficult match.
Heejoo, who nodded her head, advanced to the shooting stand. Heejoo, who chose her breathing and read the direction of the wind, glared at the target while pulling the string.
"That is not a target. It is the philtrum of Ryu Minseok."
Heejoo, who murmured, concentrated her mind. The moment she let go of the tight tension felt at her fingertips, the arrow that flew rapidly pierced into the target. The page boy standing in front of the target shouted while waving a flag.
"9 points!!!"
Over Heejoo's face, disappointment gathered. Since they were recording a tie with Azure Dragon Palace, if the last player of Azure Dragon Palace shot 10 points, they could not win.
Heejoo, who came down from the shooting stand while hiding her resentful feeling, stared at the last player of Azure Dragon Palace. It was Grand Prince Leean, who was shooting 10 points without a single mistake until now.
Grand Prince Leean, who had a peaceful face unlike a person who held the key to the victory or defeat, quietly stepped onto the shooting stand. He, who held his breath while looking at the Azure Dragon drawn on the target, pulled the bowstring with a flawless posture just as he had done until now. At the very brief moment she was thinking, 'This time too, it will be an unmistakable 10 points,' his fingers subtly twisted.
The result was 7 points.
"What..."
Every person who was inside the archery range stared at Grand Prince Leean. It was a look of being unable to believe it. Compared to that, Grand Prince Leean, who was the party to the clamor, came down from the shooting stand without even a bit of expression change.
"Vermilion Bird of the South!!!"
Like that, the victory became Vermilion Bird Palace's share. Even Jungwoo, who rarely had cases of becoming excited, rejoiced while brightening up, but Heejoo's mind sank. Even in the midst of stepping onto the platform and receiving the Eosahwa flower, her sunken mind did not improve at all.
"Sung Heejoo, congratulations!"
It was the same even when students who were usually distant tapped her shoulder.
Heejoo, who returned to the dormitory with a stiff face, threw off her sweat-soaked cheolik and fell into thought. The moment Grand Prince Leean's long fingers twisted, the trajectory that the flown arrow drew, and the face that relieved only after confirming the defeat in the end could not be forgotten.
Perhaps because of that, Heejoo was not proud of the Eosahwa flower she received. It was not honorable either. The exhilaration that can only be felt when beating an opponent who did their best was not felt. If it were an opponent who faced her without choosing means and methods instead, if it were an opponent who wanted to win even dirtily, her feeling wouldn't be this dirty.
"So annoying...."
Heejoo, who could not endure the boiling anger, ended up kicking open her dormitory room and leaving. She felt like her dissatisfaction would be soothed only if she ran the playground or beat Sung Taejoo. Of course, it was a time when she must not leave the dormitory, but it was alright. Because today, everyone would be out of their minds with the friendly match after-party.
Heejoo, who ran a few laps from the dormitory building to the lecture building like that, was able to adjust her panting breath only after reaching the front of the archery range.
At that moment she was organizing her breathing while spitting out a hurried breath, a sound cutting through the wind was heard regularly. It was a sound heard from inside the archery range.
"......"
Heejoo, who entered inside as if drawn, was at a loss for words at the sight before her eyes. Wan, clad in a blue cheolik, was repeating bow shooting with a straight posture. Exactly how long he had been shooting, he was thoroughly soaked with sweat, and countless arrows were pierced in the target where the Azure Dragon was drawn.
Only after seeing that did Heejoo have no choice but to admit. That he did not wish to lose. That just like other people, he wanted to win. That despite that, because he had no choice but to lose, he was feeling very resentful.
The 64th Friendly Match Results
October 2009
Traditional Archery - Vermilion Bird Palace Representatives: Min Jungwoo, Kim Dahye, Lee Daeyong, Sung Heejoo
Horse Riding - White Tiger Palace Representative: Yoon Irang
Calligraphy - Vermilion Bird Palace Representative: Han Dayoung