Sticks And Stones

Day 5

[Day 5]

Thud.

A moment of silence rang heavy in our ears, and the whispers began once again. I sat on the stands, watching as my brother finally relaxed his shoulders, slowly reaching for his next arrow.

Across the archery range, at the other side of the fence marking the boundaries of our school, a group of girls stood pressed against the fence, eyes feasting on the majestic figure that was my brother. Even as a sister, I would admit that Ronin looked the most mesmerizing when he was serious at archery. The figure of Adonis shooting could be likened to Ronin whenever he stepped on the range.

Even though I'd tagged along in support during my brother's National competitions, I never failed to wonder at how different Ronin on the range, and Ronin in real life was. Ronin in real life was a nobody, someone that people avoided for fear of his wrath. Some guys might want his mysterious air, might want his looks and physical figure, but no one wanted his life.

Ronin on the range was different entirely. Anyone who saw Ronin right now would agree with me.

Again, I watched as he calmly fixed the arrow on the string, then looked on with a serious expression at his target far away. Muscles flexed as he raised his bow and pulled the string back. Tension leaked back into the air as I held my breath.

This Ronin wasn't the same guy who punched people who tried to attack me. This Ronin wasn't the same one who rasped me continuously on the head, and called me Stupid whenever he felt like it. Ronin on the range was an entirely different person.

Ronin let the taut string go, and I watched as the arrow travel the distance at a speed that almost could not be tracked by the naked eye.

Thud.

Once more, bulls eye. It was Ronin's usual performance. It was harder to ask Ronin to hit out of the range than to have him shooting bulls eyes.

The calm manner at which Ronin did everything must be the reason why everyone was so mesmerized by him. The rest of the Archery Club, hanging around behind my brother at the range, already dismantling their bows and cleaning their equipment, whispered things to one another, watching my brother. There were a mixture of admiration and irritancy in those eyes.

Still, it was nothing I could help with. Ronin's love was Archery, and no one would ever dare to say anything against his skills. I sighed softly and returned back to the book on my laps. Basketball competition had been on the same day of my history test, and so the entire team had been scheduled for a retest the afternoon.

"Studying hard?" A voice surprised me, and I looked up to find Katsu's anime-eyes watching me with interest. "The test we had was murder. You need a lot of luck."

I grinned at the new company I had, then looked out back at the range.

"The Club's gone." I commented with slight shock. I had been studying for so long that I lost the time. Ronin was still shooting by himself; as per usual.

"The Archery Club? Yeah. I passed by them in the hallway. Ashiya's still shooting?" Katsu asked the obvious, turning his interested gaze over and watching my brother let another arrow sing through the air.

Thud.

My brother must have changed the target sheet, for a new mark appeared on the empty bulls eye.

"Whoa!" Katsu jumped up with shock, clapping loudly. The sound of lone claps was awkward in the tense atmosphere, but Osaka Boy was oblivious to it all until I tugged him down to the seats beside me.