Chapter 12

As I continued frequenting the Kyudo gym near the shrine, I finally had the pleasure of meeting Sawa Okita, the Kyudo sensei's daughter. She embodied the epitome of cuteness, and I couldn't help but appreciate why she had been kept hidden from me for so long – a futile attempt against the charm of William.

Sawa's proficiency with the bow was nothing short of impressive. Bullseyes seemed to be a mere formality for her, even when she wasn't putting in her full effort. The purple archer from legends would likely hang their bow in shame.

But our first meeting wasn't all the great to be honest.

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As I watched Sawa effortlessly hit bullseye after bullseye, my jaw practically dropped. It was like witnessing a modern-day Robin Hood, but cuter. Lost in admiration, I failed to notice her removing her headphones until a sudden slap brought me back to reality.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Sawa scolded, clearly unimpressed with my silent staring.

"I, uh, I was just marveling at your incredible archery skills," I stammered, rubbing my cheek where she had lightly slapped me.

She raised an eyebrow, "You could've just said something, you know, instead of gawking like that."

With a sheepish grin, I replied, "Well, you kind of left me speechless. Those bullseyes are no joke!"

Sawa chuckled, shaking her head, "Flattery won't save you from my arrows, you know."

Despite the playful threat, Sawa seemed to enjoy the attention.

The archery range was set, and Sawa looked at me with a smirk. "Now come to think of it dad said his student won the newcomers division. So you're the new Kyudo prodigy sensei was talking about."

I rubbed my head, chuckling awkwardly. "I didn't know Sensei was praising me that much."

"Since you're so good, how about an archery competition?" Sawa proposed.

I grinned, "Sure, just don't cry when you lose, miss."

"Don't call me miss, just call me Sawa."

"Alright, Sawa. Names Will."

Well, the archery competition with Sawa didn't exactly go as planned. In fact, it was a total disaster for yours truly. Every shot I took seemed to have a mind of its own, dancing far away from the elusive bullseye. Meanwhile, Sawa was hitting the mark with elegance and precision, making her arrows look like they were magnetically drawn to the center.

I scratched my head and laughed awkwardly. "You know, I must've mistaken this for a 'Shoot Everywhere Except the Bullseye' competition."

Sawa, with a smirk, removed her headphones and shot me a playful glare. "Looks like you need a bit more practice, Will."

"Practice, huh? I think I need a miracle," I replied, pretending to inspect my bow as if it held the secret to her impeccable aim.

She chuckled, "Maybe next time, Will. Keep practicing, and you might get a bullseye or two."

As we walked away from the range, I couldn't help but be mesmerized by her skill. I mean, who knew archery could look so graceful? It was like witnessing a dance, only with bows and arrows. I might've lost the competition, but I gained a newfound appreciation for Sawa's incredible talent.

I took a sip of water, and just as I was about to complement Sawa on her archery skills, she dropped a bombshell. "You know, Will, I don't want to pursue archery professionally. I've got my sights set on being a jockey."

I nearly sprayed my water all over the place, trying to contain my shock. "Wait, a jockey? Like, riding horses and everything?"

Sawa nodded with a playful smile, "Yep, that's the plan. I've always dreamed of racing horses."

I couldn't help but picture this petite, sweet girl atop a towering horse, speeding down a racetrack. "You sure about that? Horses can be pretty big, you know."

She shrugged, "Well, archery is fun, but there's something exhilarating about the idea of racing on horseback. Plus, I've got a connection with them."

"A connection, huh?" I raised an eyebrow, "Does that involve whispering sweet nothings into their ears?"

Sawa laughed, "Not exactly. But they do respond well to kindness. Maybe I'll show you sometime."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Sawa as a future jockey, defying expectations with her equestrian dreams.

I grinned, trying to be supportive, "Hey, Sawa, if being a jockey is your dream, then go for it! I'm sure you'll be the most stylish jockey out there, shooting arrows and riding horses at the same time."

Sawa playfully nudged me, "You really think so?"

"Absolutely," I replied, "I'll be your number one fan. And who knows, maybe you can teach those horses a thing or two about archery while you're at it."

We both burst into laughter, the idea of a horse-riding, arrow-shooting jockey seeming more and more entertaining by the minute. 

I grinned, trying to be supportive, "Hey, Sawa, if being a jockey is your dream, then go for it! I'm sure you'll be the most stylish jockey out there, shooting arrows and riding horses at the same time."

Sawa playfully nudged me, "You really think so?"

"Absolutely," I replied, "I'll be your number one fan. And who knows, maybe you can teach those horses a thing or two about archery while you're at it."

We both burst into laughter, the idea of a horse, shooting arrows seems more and more entertaining by the minute. 

Sawa laughed heartily as we strolled around her temple, reaching the stables where a majestic horse named Sabure awaited. It was one of those picturesque horses you'd expect to see in classical paintings, and Sawa seemed to share a special bond with it.

She patted Sabure affectionately. "This was my father's horse, and he eventually passed it on to me."

The revelation struck me. "Wait, your father is Sensei?"

Sawa nodded, leading Sabure outside. Panic set in as I recalled Sensei's warnings about staying away from his daughter. "He mentioned you a lot, you know, in a cute way," I blurted out nervously, realizing I might be in for trouble.

She then looked at me not noticing my internal struggle. "Want to take Sabure for a ride, Will?"

As I snapped out of my impending doom I look at Sawa. "But I don't know how to ride a horse."

"It's fine, just sit in the front. I'll teach you." As she pats Sabure.

With some hesitant steps, I mounted the horse, attempting to look nonchalant as if falling down was part of the plan. Sawa joined behind me, and I couldn't help but blush at the unexpected closeness.

She guided me on horseback, offering instructions. "Hold the reins like this, and lean slightly forward."

I tried my best to maintain composure, suppressing any signs of nervousness, especially with Sawa so close.

As we trotted around the temple grounds, Sawa continued her guidance, "Feel the rhythm of the horse's movement, Will. It's all about balance."

I nodded, doing my best to absorb her instructions. Sabure seemed to sense my rookie status, moving at a leisurely pace. 

Sawa teased, "You're a natural, Will. Soon you'll be racing alongside me in the equestrian Olympics."

I chuckled nervously, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'll stick to archery and leave the horse riding to the experts like you."

She laughed, "Fair enough, Will. But you're not doing too bad for a beginner."

As the sun began to set, we returned Sabure to his pen, ending our impromptu riding lesson. Sawa smiled, "Maybe next time, we'll try a gallop."

I couldn't help but think, 'What have I gotten myself into?' Yet, the experience left me with a mix of excitement and, surprisingly, a newfound appreciation for horseback riding.

After a few turns and stuff I went down the horse. As I went down I asked Sawa. "Hey Sawa you know those cool horse archery in movies do you think you can do it?" As I asked.

Sawa gracefully mounted Sabure, bow in hand, ready for a display of mounted archery. I watched in awe as she effortlessly guided the horse, smoothly drawing her bow and hitting the targets with precision. It was like witnessing a scene from a historical drama.

After her impressive display, she dismounted and walked over, a satisfied grin on her face. "What do you think, Will? It's not that flashy like in the movies."

I couldn't help but be impressed. "That was incredible! You make it look so easy."

She chuckled, "Practice makes perfect. Maybe one day, I'll teach you the art of mounted archery too."

I scratched my head, "I'd love to learn, but let's take it one step at a time. I'm still getting the hang of riding Sabure."

Sawa grinned, "Fair enough. We'll save mounted archery for another day. Thanks for hanging out, Will. See you at the Kyudo gym!"

As she left, I stood there, reflecting on the unexpected turn of events. 

Then a hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder. "Hello William" as his gripped harden.

Sensei's stern voice broke the moment, and I turned to face him with a nervous smile. "Hey, sensei! I was just... admiring the temple grounds."

His grip tightened, and he raised an eyebrow, "Admiring, huh? Keep your admiration away from my daughter, Will."

I chuckled nervously, "Of course, sensei. Just friendly admiration, I promise!"

He released his grip but gave me a stern look, "Remember, archery is the only thing you should be focusing on here."

"Absolutely, sensei. Just archery. Got it."

As he walked away, I let out a sigh of relief. Note to self: be more discreet with admiration, especially when it involves sensei's daughter.