Stealing Spree

Chapter 2911: Archery Specialty Store

"Heh. So, you are curious? Should I tell you?" With a haughty smile, Suzuki Yumika crossed her arms, finally regaining her composure as a senior. "It was a feature in a specialized sports magazine. They did a piece on the ’Rising Stars of High School Archery,’ and because of my consistent ranking in the regionals, they asked for an interview and a photo shoot. It’s quite a deal, you know? Not just anyone gets recognized by those editors."

She spoke with a level of confidence that bordered on arrogance, but it was a warm, genuine kind of pride. No wonder she even tried to center their booth around herself. If not for me suggesting that she should also let her club members participate, the Archery Club might truly follow her plan.

Of course, there is a possibility that her original idea can work. She’s attractive enough to lure in many boys to come and try their booth for the chance to take a photo with her. Just that, no matter how much she wants to shoulder everything, doing their booth that way may build resentment from her club members.

"Mhm. You’re amazing, senpai. Too bad I didn’t get a copy of it." I gave her a playful wink, keeping my pace slow as we navigated through the thinning crowd of the shopping district.

Yumika’s chest puffed out slightly, a triumphant glint in her eyes. "Hmph! You’re lucky I’m so generous. If you’re a good boy for the rest of the day, maybe I’ll dig it out of my archives and show it to you. But only once! Don’t think you can just keep staring at my face in a magazine for free."

"Is that so? I guess I’ll have to be on my best behavior then," I replied, though my tone suggested exactly the opposite.

It didn’t take long before we reached our destination.

The Archery Specialty Store was a quiet, traditional-looking building tucked in a quiet alley away from the most bustling establishments. It lacked the flashy neon signs of the modern shopping district, opting instead for a wooden sign carved with the image of a bow and arrow.

As we stepped inside, the scent of cured wood and beeswax filled the air.

The store was organized that matched Yumika’s approach to her sport. Racks of bows of various materials lined the walls, and the ceiling was adorned with hanging targets of varying grades.

"Alright, Onoda-kun, stay close," Yumika commanded, her voice shifting back into that of a strict captain. "The owner here is a bit of a stickler for etiquette. Don’t go touching things without permission, or he’ll kick us out before we even get the target boards."

I readily nodded. I used to accompany Otoha to a Kendo Specialty Store so I understood how these shopkeepers who insisted on ’tradition’ usually operated. They were usually just old men who liked to feel like the gatekeepers of their respective crafts.

"I’ll be a good boy, senpai. Just lead the way," I replied, sliding a bit closer to her.

Yumika smiled in satisfaction.

The shop owner, a man who looked as though he had been carved from the same seasoned cedar as his store, didn’t even look up from his ledger as we entered.

He simply grunted, a sound that served as both a greeting and a warning.

Suzuki Yumika stepped forward bearing all the grace of someone who was passionate about archery, her voice shifting into a formal, respectful tone that completely erased the flustered girl from the gelato shop.

"Good afternoon, Master Sato. It’s been a while," She said, bowing at a precise angle.

The old man finally looked up, his eyes scanning Yumika before landing on me. He lingered on my face for a moment, likely wondering why a guy who’s clearly not an archer was accompanying her this time. "Suzuki. I heard from my granddaughter. You finally changed your mind about that pointless booth, huh?"

Granddaughter? Oh, it must be one of her club members. So, she told him about her previous plan. And now that Yumika visited his shop, he took the time to berate her.

Yumika’s posture stiffened, her expression twisting into a slight pout. "It’s not pointless, Master Sato! It may be selfish of me but... I’ve been thinking of the club!"

"Hmph. You mean you thought your prestige for being featured in a magazine is higher than showcasing the beauty of archery," Master Sato countered, his voice like grinding gravel. He didn’t look at me again, treating me as if I were a piece of furniture. "You’ve always been too focused on the spotlight, Suzuki. That’s why your form has been stiff lately. How can you reach the national stage like that?"

Yumika flinched, her shoulders drooping slightly under the weight of the critique. The gap between her haughty ’senpai’ persona and the girl who had been flustered by a vanilla gelato was suddenly visible. Master Sato didn’t care about her popularity or her magazine features; he only cared about the trajectory of the arrow and the stillness of the heart.

He’s an expert, alright. But isn’t he a little too harsh? Should I help out this adorable senior?

Ah no. I should wait a bit. Knowing this girl, even if flustered, she wouldn’t simply back down.

"My form isn’t stiff!" She protested. But a second later, she stole a quick glance at me, as if checking if I had witnessed her being scolded like a child.

I simply smiled at her, neither mocking nor pitying, but giving her a supportive nod that told her I was still in her corner. That small gesture seemed to touch her.

Suzuki Yumika took a deep breath, her expression shifting from a pout to one of determined focus. She didn’t argue further with Master Sato, knowing that in this sanctuary of wood and string, his word was law.

"Fine. My form might be lacking but I wasn’t slacking off. I’ve always been diligent in my practice. And I believe... I can eventually reach that stage!"

The old man didn’t say anything for a while, just staring at her, most likely gauging her resolve. Then, with a huff that sounded like deflating bellows, he turned back to his ledger. "The target boards are in the back. Pick your needed supplies for that booth. Be careful not to damage anything."

Yumika let out a soft, audible sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing as she turned back to me.

The intensity of the moment vanished, replaced by a small, grateful smile that she quickly tried to mask with a cough as she brought me away from the old man.

"Well, as you can see, Master Sato is just like that. He’s a grumpy old man, but he’s the best in the city. Come on, let’s get the equipment before he changes his mind and kicks us out."

"You’re amazing, senpai. Now, I’m more interested in seeing you during practice."

"Shut it. You’ll distract me with your presence if you come."

"Why? Is it because my face reminds you of something?"

"Yes. I won’t be able to focus and keep thinking about your... your..." Her voice trailed off there as her face turned red again.

I couldn’t help but inwardly chuckle. Even with her bold honesty, she couldn’t say it directly.

"My what, senpai?" I leaned in, my voice barely a whisper. "Don’t leave me hanging. What exactly would distract you?"

Yumika huffed, her chest heaving as she steered me toward the back of the shop. "Your... your smug face! That’s all! Now stop talking and let’s go check out the goods! You promised you’d be my pack mule!"

"Why does it feel like that’s not what you really mean?" I continued with a teasing smirk, though I didn’t hesitate to follow her.

"Onoda-kun, you meanie."

As we walked toward the back of the store, the atmosphere shifted. The front was a showroom of prestige, but the back was a workshop of utility. Large, straw-woven target boards were stacked against the wall.

Yumika began inspecting the boards with a professional eye, checking the density of the weave to ensure the arrows wouldn’t bounce off or get stuck too deeply.

I stood by her side, observing the way she focused. When she was in her element, Yumika had a magnetic quality to her. Gone was the trace of a girl who liked the attention, she genuinely loved the discipline of the craft.

I watched the way her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she pointed out a flaw in one of the boards.

"This one is perfect," Yumika murmured, patting a thick, straw-bound target with a level of affection she would give her bow. She turned to me, her eyes sparkling with a mix of professional satisfaction and lingering mischief. "Since you’re the financier, you can start loading these onto the cart, Onoda-kun. Don’t just stand there admiring my expertise."

I chuckled and stepped in, lifting the heavy target boards one by one. They were surprisingly cumbersome but manageable. If I let her carry these, I wouldn’t be a man.