Raise Your Bow in a Snow-White World - 3: For This One Moment

A few months later

Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy - Archery Range

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Shizuku

Listen

...!

Second Years

Wow! Again, no misses!
You're a total pro now, Asahina!

Mafuyu

Listen

I have you and the others to thank.
Hehe. I never realized how good it'd feel when your arrow goes where you want it to.

Second Years

I know, right?!
I think all of us remember the first time we hit the target.

Shizuku

Listen

(Asahina's so incredible...
That means I also need to...!)

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Shizuku

Listen

H-Huh?
My arrow fell...

Archery Club Captain

Oh, you dropped your arrow.
Don't worry. That happened to me a lot when I was first starting out.

Archery Club Captain

Try relaxing a bit.
It tends to happen when you grip your draw hand a little too tightly.

Shizuku

Listen

O-Okay!

Shizuku

Listen

My draw hand... That's my right hand... Relax a bit and...

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Shizuku

Listen

Oh no. It happened again...

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First Years

Hey, I hit it!

First Years

Me too!
It's my first ever!

Shizuku

Listen

(Oh...
The other first years are starting to show signs of improvement...)

Archery Club Captain

Hehe. It's normal to feel a little anxious with the newcomer tournament coming up and all, but it's okay. These things happen when you're just starting to learn.

Archery Club Captain

I know you're also busy as an idol, Hinomori, so let's just take it one step at a time!

Shizuku

Listen

Okay...

Shizuku

Listen

What?
You're changing agencies?

Airi

Listen

Yup! So, a lot happened and I put in my papers yesterday...

Shizuku

Listen

B-But why...?!
As far as I could tell, things have been going very well for you recently.

Airi

Listen

Yeah...
It was nice to hear that our viewers liked seeing me...

Airi

Listen

But it's not the kind of success I was looking for... As a result, I got into a big argument with my manager and the agency CEO...

Shizuku

Listen

What do you mean? Not the kind of success you were looking for...?

Airi

Listen

Oh, don't worry about that. I should be fine from here on out...!

Airi

Listen

I put a lot of thought into it and decided that I need to change agencies in order to succeed in the way I actually want. So, again, I'll be fine.

Shizuku

Listen

I see...

Shizuku

Listen

I still have some questions, but you have my support, Airi. I agree that you should do as your heart says...

Shizuku

Listen

However, it is sad to see you leave our agency...

Airi

Listen

Hehe. That makes us rivals now. Watch out cause I'm not pulling any punches!

Shizuku

Listen

Right...
Let's both do our best.

???

...zuku! Shizuku...!

Shizuku

Listen

Huh? Y-Yes!
What is it?

Leader

You're the only one who still hasn't put on their outfit, right? Is everything okay? You seem preoccupied.

Shizuku

Listen

Uh, no!
I'm okay!

Leader

Well, if you say so...
The show's about to start, so I need to get going...

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Shizuku

Listen

(What am I doing...?)

Shizuku

Listen

(I made the decision to do my best as an idol, at school and at club.)

Shizuku

Listen

(But I've been having so much trouble that I've needed to rely on others just to get by...)

Shizuku

Listen

(And worst of all... I couldn't see what Airi was going through...)

Shizuku

Listen

I need to do better...

Shizuku

Listen

For the sake of our fans, I need to be perfect. I have to do my absolute best...

One month later

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Shizuku

Listen

Another miss...

Shizuku

Listen

(I've learned to actually shoot arrows, but I'm yet to hit the target...)

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Shizuku

Listen

(At this rate, I won't be able to do anything meaningful during the newcomer tournament...)

Shizuku

Listen

(The other girls from my year are showing clear signs of improvement, while I...)

Shizuku

Listen

(It's only natural for a skill gap to develop since I can't attend every day...)

Shizuku

Listen

(But I'm also having trouble as an idol.)

Shizuku

Listen

(Nothing has been going well despite how hard I've been trying... I couldn't even help Airi...)

Shizuku

Listen

Wh-What am I doing...?

Shizuku

Listen

(I know it was recommended to me, but continuing with archery isn't a good idea...)

Shizuku

Listen

(In this state, I'm only going to become a burden to the other club members.)

Shizuku

Listen

(Once the tournament is over, I'll...)

???

Listen

Hm? Hinomori...?

Shizuku

Listen

Huh? A-Asahina...!

Mafuyu

Listen

Hello.
Were you practicing by yourself?

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Shizuku

Listen

Y-Yes.
Are you here to do the same...?

Mafuyu

Listen

Yes, since we have that tournament coming up. I've been coming to practice in the morning for about a month now.

Mafuyu

Listen

Still, Hinomori, I'm impressed by how you've been balancing being both an idol and a member of this club.

Shizuku

Listen

No, you give me too much credit...

Shizuku

Listen

I've yet to hit the target even once, so I'd like to learn how to at least hit it before the tournament...

Mafuyu

Listen

Hehe. That's exactly why I'm so impressed by you.

Mafuyu

Listen

You're doing your very best to overcome the obstacle that's in front of you.

Shizuku

Listen

I am...?

Shizuku

Listen

(Yes, I suppose she's right...)

Shizuku

Listen

(But Asahina's been practicing when no one else is around...)

Shizuku

Listen

(Compared to me, she's much more...)

Mafuyu

Listen

Is something the matter, Hinomori...?

Shizuku

Listen

Oh, uh... N-No...
It's just...

Shizuku

Listen

You're such an incredible person, Asahina...

Mafuyu

Listen

Huh?

Shizuku

Listen

You're such a good archer and a wonderful person... I am trying my best like you said, but I'm struggling to produce results.

Shizuku

Listen

Because of that...
I've been causing everyone around me so much trouble.

Shizuku

Listen

Why...? Why can't I be more perfect like you, Asahina...?

Mafuyu

Listen

I'm not perfect...

Mafuyu

Listen

Far from it. That's why I'm here.

Shizuku

Listen

What?

Mafuyu

Listen

Taking up archery made me realize something. This place... It calms me.

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Shizuku

Listen

It calms you...?

Mafuyu

Listen

Yes.

Mafuyu

Listen

I believe this is a place where you have no choice but to clear your mind of all other thoughts.

Mafuyu

Listen

If your mind wanders at all... If you're not fully focused on your arrow... It won't hit the target.

Mafuyu

Listen

So, I set everything aside when I'm here... School, my friends, all of it...

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Mafuyu

Listen

Focusing only on shooting has this way of calming me...

Mafuyu

Listen

I have a feeling that you'll be able to move forward if you learn to do that...

Shizuku

Listen

(Set everything aside...and calm my mind...)

Shizuku

Listen

(Yes, she may be right...)

Shizuku

Listen

(I've been so focused on “being perfect” that I let it get to me.)

Shizuku

Listen

(I need to simplify things...
I need to temporarily set all of my worries aside...)

Shizuku

Listen

(Then, I might just be able to move forward...)

Mafuyu

Listen

Would you like to join me, Hinomori? We can try attaining that calmness together.

Shizuku

Listen

Together...?
Are you sure?

Mafuyu

Listen

Yes, of course.
Let's try together.

Shizuku

Listen

Thank you, Asahina...

Shizuku

Listen

Okay, I'll give it a try...

Shizuku

Listen

(First, establish your stance.
Correct your posture...)

Shizuku

Listen

(Nock your arrow. Grasp the string. Maintain your posture. Raise your bow and arms...)

Shizuku

Listen

(Stay focused. No mistakes...!)

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Shizuku

Listen

...

Shizuku

Listen

(I need to get it right...!)

100

Mafuyu

Listen

Don't worry, Hinomori.

101

Shizuku

Listen

What...?

102

Mafuyu

Listen

Take a deep breath.
And focus on just that.

103

Mafuyu

Listen

This shot is all you care about right now.

104

Shizuku

Listen

This shot...

105

Shizuku

Listen

(Right. I can't let anything else into my head...)

106

Shizuku

Listen

(You don't need to be perfect.
Just focus. Calm yourself...)

107

Shizuku

Listen

(This shot is all that matters right now. Focus only on that...!)

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108

Shizuku

Listen

*Gasp*

109

Shizuku

Listen

I-It hit...!
Asahina, my arrow hit...!

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110

Mafuyu

Listen

Yes...!
Congratulations, Hinomori!

111

Mafuyu

Listen

If you learn to repeat that, I'm sure you'll do just fine during the newcomer tournament.

112

Shizuku

Listen

...

113

Shizuku

Listen

Thank you very much, Asahina.
I'm... I'm overcome with joy...

114

Shizuku

Listen

I was so worried that nothing would go right for me... I really didn't know what to do...

115

Mafuyu

Listen

Hehe. You're a hardworking person, Hinomori, so I suspected that you were overthinking things a little.

116

Mafuyu

Listen

Whenever that happens, it can feel like the walls are closing in on you, and you hate everything...

117

Mafuyu

Listen

However, I think you'll be fine now that you've learned to calm your mind.

118

Mafuyu

Listen

I have a feeling that you'll be able to push much further ahead now.

119

Shizuku

Listen

Yes...
So do I.

120

Shizuku

Listen

Again, Asahina, thank you very much!

Next Chapter: At The Archery Range In Winter