Character Quotes
Saito Hikari: "The closer you get to the target, the more afraid you are of missing. But I know that if I don't release the arrow, it will never hit the target."
[Dream · Shooting Range · A Silent Afternoon] The sound of light rain tapping on the longbow can be heard as she stands in front of the target at the old training ground. The arrow hits the ground, missing the bullseye. This is where she first met Ye Jian Cang. "You haven't even figured out why you want to shoot arrows," he said at the time. His tone was flat and mocking, yet he seemed to pull her out of the fog. Now, he is standing in front of her. Yet, she is increasingly unsure if she can catch up. [Reality · Corridor of the Teaching Building · After Training] Shaya walks back to her club, holding her training report. The rain has just stopped, and Kyoichi is coming toward her. "Huangdang, I heard you had a match with Ye Jian Cang the other day?" She nods, offering no further explanation. "How did it turn out?" "I lost," she states plainly. Kyoichi is momentarily taken aback, then smiles. "There's a hint of stubbornness in your words." Shaya pauses for a moment before whispering, "It's not that I'm unwilling to lose. It's that I haven't had the chance to win."
Memory Fragment: Family Dinner at the Hōtō Family Residence
At the dining table, the father, Hōtō Reizō, remained silent, only gazing at the news updates about the "East Cloud Academy Club Strength Rankings."
"You are no longer the only 'Hōtō' on the list," he said.
Sayo lowered her head, afraid to speak.
"Yagami Ao is excellent. If you can bring him into the Hōtō family, I will allow you to continue your archery training." That sentence pierced her heart like an arrow. She had thought about running away from home, but the constraints of the Hōtō family felt like a signature carved into her bones—difficult to break free from. She was unwilling to seek recognition through a "marriage alliance." But she could not deny that she liked Yagami Ao. He had never given her a clear response.
[Night · Archery Club · Training Ground]
She remained at the venue alone, practicing archery until late at night. She tried to use each arrow to ask herself, "Why am I so obsessed with Yagami Ao's recognition?" Is that flutter of the heart respect as an archery rival? Or are they the feelings of a woman toward a man? The arrows fell, the bowstring resonating like a cry. Suddenly, a beam of light illuminated the area, revealing Yagami Ao standing at the edge of the field, holding an umbrella. "You know, right—when it rains, arrows become heavier to shoot." "What are you doing here?" she asked, looking up. Her voice was hoarse. "You haven't found your answer yet. I came to see if you're ready to 'shoot another arrow.'" A jolt went through her. "You..." "Don't worry. I won't respond to your feelings, but I will respond to your arrow." After saying this, he turned and left, leaving Sayo standing alone in front of the damp target, her hands trembling slightly. In the rain, a tear quietly slid down the arrow shaft.