My Dearest You || Rosekook

☘CHAPTER 16

🍁THIRD PERSON'S POV

  Today is the day!! The Sports Fest! Everyone is now busy getting ready for competitions. This only happens once a year, so efforts were put in sincerely.

Chaeyoung, who's now very nervous, continuously drinks her water. She already emptied two bottles.

"Yah! In this state, you'll want to go to the restroom" Lisa warned her, shaking her head.

"Yah! Look at you! You're drinking soda" Chaeyoung said, raising an eyebrow. She was certain Lisa would be more likely to need the restroom during the events.

"Guys! Don’t be nervous! I know some of the contestants—they’ve got talent, but I’m sure you two will do great. You’ll make at least the Top 3!" Lilly cheered, her voice full of excitement. She had taken an absence from school just to support Chaeyoung and Lisa.

"There's Bella! Bella is coming!!" the students shouted, creating an electric atmosphere.

Chaeyoung’s eyes followed the sound, settling on Bella as she walked in with her team. Bella was beautiful, confident, and the center of attention. Her aura seemed calm, yet Chaeyoung couldn’t help but feel an icy grip of nerves. She couldn’t shake the thought that Bella was her biggest competition. The archery event loomed, and doubt started to creep into her mind.

The tension started to weigh on Chaeyoung as she glanced at Lisa, who seemed as calm as ever.

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Chaeyoung stood on the field, bow in hand, fingers trembling as she tried to grip the string properly. Lisa was beside her, equally focused but with her usual calm demeanor. Bella was at the far end of the field, standing tall, her bow raised as if she were already the victor.

The sun blazed overhead, sweat trickling down Chaeyoung’s forehead as she took her position. She tried to block out the noise of the crowd, ignoring all the other competitors and the excited whispers about Bella, and focused solely on the target in front of her.

The whistle blew.

Chaeyoung drew her arrow, her heart pounding in her chest. Her arms shook from the pressure, but she took a deep breath and released. The arrow soared through the air and landed just outside the bullseye. Not bad, but it wasn’t enough.

Bella stepped up next. With a swift, confident motion, she released her arrow. It hit the bullseye dead center! The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting Bella’s name. Chaeyoung felt a sinking feeling in her chest. Was she already out of the game?

Lisa took her shot next, her focus unwavering. Her arrow struck just shy of the bullseye—closer than Chaeyoung's, but not quite enough to match Bella. Lisa gave Chaeyoung a determined nod, silently telling her that they weren’t giving up yet. The other competitors shot their arrows and couldn't match Bella's shot.

Round after round passed, and Bella maintained her flawless performance. Chaeyoung was feeling the weight of it all, the crowd, the heat, the pressure of wanting to win. She looked over at Lisa, who was still holding her ground, keeping pace with the competition.

Finally, it was the final round. This was Chaeyoung’s last chance to make her mark. Her hands were sweaty, her arms aching from the tension of the bow, but she knew she had to push through.

"Come on, Chaeyoung! You’ve got this!" Lilly yelled from the sidelines, her voice breaking through the noise of the crowd.

Chaeyoung inhaled deeply, her vision narrowing on the target. This was it!! She pulled the bowstring back, closed her eyes for a brief second, and released.