Show of Skill

"Sometimes there's a secret that must be kept and not overstepping."

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After the introduction session, Mr. Handoko asked Jae-Hwo to show his skills. He looked happy and calm as he stood up while his gaze locked onto the face board. It's the first time I've seen Jae-Hwo seriously like this.

It was as if he was preparing to shoot that arrow at the heart of someone he hated so much. His eyes gleamed and the arrow shot straight at ten. He exhaled and moved his right arm making a creaking sound.

All the archery members watched Jae-Hwo's play and I'm sure they gave their hearts to this Jae-Hwo's play. Especially, him. Athletes shoot the male idols of the teacher council and several students. His name is Arthur, he pays so much attention to Jae-Hwo as if learning Jae-Hwo's playing techniques. It is very difficult to keep up with Arthur's game and it seems impossible to follow in Arthur's footsteps as a national team player.

The second arrow hit ten again and I'm not surprised at Jae-Hwo's ability because he was used to practicing archery for ten hours at school. Yes, So Young told me because the guy never texted about his life but asked about mine. It was as if my life was important to him.

"One more arrow," Mr. Handoko shouted excitedly while clapping our hands and we also clapped. Jae-Hwo made Mr. Handoko applaud loudly after the third arrow hit the number ten.

The sound of my applause as well as the others followed, including Arthur. The guy smiled and I didn't know what that smile meant because it looked different.

"Great, Song Jae-Hwo." Mr. Handoko approached Jae-Hwo by patting Jae-Hwo's shoulder proudly while Jae-Hwo smiled and said thank you.

"Since when did you start practicing archery," asked Mr. Handoko and I'm sure the other friends were also curious.

"For a week I live in Seoul," he answered and I saw his eyes gleam with sadness. Sadness for something that he had been keeping to himself for so long. Why do I like to guess like this?

"How old were you then," Mr. Handoko asked him why am I even interested in answering it.

"Twelve years," I answered because I still remember my parting with Jae-Hwo and So Young at that time. It made me feel sad and relieved at the same time. It felt the same as what I was feeling right now, only more annoyed.

"Ah, you guys are really good neighbors." I looked at Mr. Handoko with a strange smile then I turned to look at Jae-Hwo who looked at me happily.

I think he is starting to believe in himself again now about our closeness as neighbors even though, we are not very close and close because we have limits on our friendship. Not friendship but conflict I mean.

"Then the ones who have known sculpture since the age of under ten are Roosevelt and Arthur." Mr. Handoko said then he continued his words.

"It's just, Roosevelt has a lack of morale and his ability to slow down to grow. You should," Mr. Handoko pointed at me. "Full of enthusiasm like Arthur to be able to accompany Arthur in the national team. Your abilities can grow like the others. I hope that Jae-Hwo's presence will help you to be excited!"

Now Mr. Handoko saw Arthur. "Don't be too proud Arthur. Even though you're a national team player and rarely train here anymore, don't think I don't know if your progress is slowing down."

For an athlete to be scolded in front of other athletes is a normal thing to train mentally and grow the strength in yourself to try harder again. Even so, the heart hurts but it's okay because this pain is only temporary. Sometimes, archery athletes talk about me, which seems to get special attention from Mr. Handoko and Mr. Handoko has more expectations of me.

At the archery tournament, Mr. Handoko was like Arthur and I's a personal trainer. His special treatment is very obvious and raises questions in the eyes of parents and teachers. However, Mr. Handoko was able to handle it because Arthur and I were more competent than the others. Every time we practice, Mr. Handoko always judges that Arthur and I are difficult to grow for the better. So, Arthur and I had to try hard again.

*.*.*.*

In my opinion, archery is a sport that can cure all heart ailments but it creates anxiety in the brain and makes me anxious about all possibilities. This time, I shot arrows toward the face board and already twenty arrows hit but none of them hit the number ten. I realized that my abilities had decreased and my enthusiasm began to fade because other things caught my heart apart from archery. I want to dance like an ornamental fish swimming in water but it looks like dancing in the water.

My concentration broke and Mr. Handoko approached me and cleared his throat. "Focus, focus Roosevelt!"

I took a deep breath and apologized to Mr. Handoko. "I don't need an apology, I just need you to concentrate and get excited!"

I nodded then practiced again and before focusing on the face board, I accidentally turned to Arthur who was looking at me. He smiled and said cheers for me and I smiled back at him. My relationship with Arthur is very good because we have known each other since the first time I joined the school's archery team.

Previously, I took archery extracurriculars while Arthur immediately entered the school's archery team because of being an archery athlete. When the seniors and other athletes didn't like me because I got more attention from Mr. Handoko, Arthur was by my side as a friend. But I lost him when he was a national team player and was rarely in school because he lived in the archery team's training camp.

"Roosevelt, let's take a break first," asked Arthur and I nodded.

My throat feels so dry that the mineral water I drink can make my mood improve. Arthur and I sat on the floor with our legs outstretched. This is our habit during break time while drinking mineral water and chatting.

"How was the training there," ask me first and this is a constant question I always ask him.

"As always, full of enthusiasm and medal target," the answer is always that. The same question will be answered with the same answer.

"It seems that Jae-Hwo will participate in the selection of national team players because he is an Indonesian citizen." Why didn't I think as far as Arthur thought just now huh?

Maybe, Jae-Hwo came back here because he wanted to join the archery team. It's quite interesting if that's the case because Jae-Hwo's ability isn't bad. But, yesterday Jae-Hwo said that he came back here because of inheritance. "I don't know." My response was that I couldn't possibly tell Arthur what I was thinking just now.

"I'm looking forward to us being in the national team together." Arthur always said it and I knew it was his way of comforting me.

I looked at Arthur. "Every time we chat, we always say the same sentence as if our vocabulary is just this and that."

Arthur turned to me and he laughed. "Is it because we're athletes," he asked between laughs. "Don't use an athlete as an excuse." This is a sentence our Indonesian teacher once said when we were late in submitting our Indonesian assignment.

We are in different classes but our Indonesian teacher is the same and our duties are also the same.

"Jae-Hwo, your attendance name is Jae-Hwo Tamawijaya, not Song Jae-Hwo!" My eyes and Arthur turned to Mr. Handoko who was holding a personal data sheet.

Let me explain, the real name and according to Jae-Hwo's birth certificate is Jae-Hwo Tamawijaya while Song Jae-Hwo is his second name and he prefers to use the name Song instead of Tamawijaya for a reason that I can't tell right now.

"Are you the grandson of Brotoseno Tamawijaya," asked Mr. Handoko and this would made Jae-Hwo feel revised. Jae-Hwo nodded and I hope Mr. Handoko doesn't ask more about the reason Jae-Hwo uses the name Song Jae-Hwo more than Jae-Hwo Tamawijaya.

"Okay, in the test later you are Song Jae-Hwo, just like your name when you took part in the Olympics in Seoul first!"

I breathed a sigh of relief because Mr. Handoko knew his limits and didn't ask any more questions. But I can see the curious looks of my friends about who Brotoseno Tamawijaya is. Ah, why am I getting excited and can't focus even more?

"Mr. Handoko knows the boundaries with Jae-Hwo but not with the two of us!" Arthur complained and I responded with a sly smile because Mr. Handoko was like that.

"You both, don't be lazy," Mr. Handoko shouted at us and we immediately got up and started practicing again.

To be countinued.