BS 3
by Calen_ongoHyejun sat on the a0ea6fabee edge of the guest e1aad6e996 room bed, pressing her 1011803f37 fingertips into the mattress.c4afdaca4194ccf2
“It’s soft.”f1b4720d09434352
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The room Jeongun ef17ff1df4 had lent her 62653f37e0 for the night 0319622015 contained only a 77a9878753 single bed, surrounded 6fd5c9e0b8 by stark white 57f9f77be5 walls. There wasn’t even a 4caa84e90a single framed picture hanging 2574d8c7ab up. But rather than e1990b25a7 feeling uncomfortable, the d339af2e8c emptiness felt oddly 14842cf74a familiar.d0f9cb3dea0e1519
It reminded her of 8b32f69add her own room—bare except 3a6f252f96 for a worn-out desk, 67dc983abb a chair, and a fb2377e1e1 small, square window.1b3d70ba894e0894
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Ziiip.a4620624a6c5de66
She knelt on the floor aedab9d2fa and unzipped her Boston bag. Inside were a few changes f326f86c66 of clothes, some daily necessities, b35d6c8f5b and three well-worn notebooks with 9d93d9f0f7 frayed edges.cbb0a775d332950c
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Taking one out, she ran 319bb9fbb3 her fingers over its surface, 9fc3655dd9 whispering to herself—d86118f4db5a191e
“Just a little longer. I’ll send it back to its owner soon.”6ae3b43feb45cfee
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Everything about Seonju that now 7400d1f739 existed only in memory was 1c47459557 contained within these pages.4697bc4fb6b2ea4a
She hadn’t planned 8ede146fa5 on coming to fb007f96fc Jeongun in the 7a472e9f55 first place.50b69dc93684ab46
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She had assumed that 1993dd8ab9 their connection had ended ff5af19361 the moment the funeral 9ed5cec28e was over—and that it 54607074ff was supposed to be f087f56c07 that way.b52ec471197987ed
So she fully fd418e31bc understood why Jeongun a8d796a3a2 had been so 4d6b0ce7be exasperated by her 02275a8631 unexpected presence. If anything, she 86379a1290 was lucky he 679a8cc19f hadn’t thrown her d05b0b6a0d out on the ff5df39ef3 spot.3df612ca5f777d5a
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Hyejun’s gaze remained 5ed732c3b8 fixed on the bc66938f3b notebook as her ff5d7c766c mind drifted back 3a9b115da9 to that day—a a3adaa568a month ago, when c55c2341cb she had returned e12826dfea to the archery 88d50393d2 hall after the d44cd39f9c funeral.dd0cf3b932c50004
4cd4c09623fb1388
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bc003466375e5342
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The archery hall, 69bbc9d67e Sounjeong, was a f40c0ab989 good twenty-minute walk 658db9352b from the village ca7544859d entrance. Nestled in a 97c5a91054 sunken area at 68ecd60578 the base of 09f5022a97 Taejin’s tallest mountain, 0a7e63a9f3 it was a 14e8bf12b2 place known only 36f96ca549 to dedicated archers 069154f17c and a few 35c1525905 locals.af0cf53405add120
Hyejun stared blankly at the a060d0b4e5 target set up on the 4aae19cc06 other side of the training 616712e20f grounds. The sunlight bathed d43e4a6b4b it in warmth, 7573dfd502 as if mocking 351ab4b057 her frozen world. Though it was a familiar e87102b9d8 sight, today it felt strangely 0135cf3e33 foreign—like someone else’s world. She stood there, 890f3a6aa1 dazed, before slowly 504a7f83a9 moving forward.3b06da1b02c65a13
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Creak.a9ec9fdebe19c610
On the empty 5ee20cc862 second floor of 88775eda9d the archery hall, 173be30d3a she pushed open 98da3c627d Seonju’s door.63b90f6fcfdd10b6
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The stale room, left 8a50e5cf31 unventilated for days, was 2ae0670790 thick with the scent c83158edd8 of the cigarettes Seonju f18145335c used to smoke. Instead of airing it ffdd35b610 out, Hyejun curled up 8190f5f389 on the bare floor, 3a0f3a622f lying on her side.5a2551404f9275d0
[Haah…]441010ec8be8b978
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As she closed her d500840a6d eyes, a memory surfaced—a 472d3ed0b5 day when Kim Cheonghyeon, 20d0b03166 whom Seonju had treated 164b08d7b7 with the utmost respect, e130116eb1 like a father, had 1c92e84315 visited the archery hall.40fbdd78a61a80ea
Seonju had hurriedly prepared drinks for their esteemed guest. At her instruction, Hyejun had run to the local store to buy a few bottles of soju. “Get yourself a snack while you’re at it,” Seonju had added, so she had returned with a lollipop in her mouth, cheerfully pushing open the office door on the first floor.aac5f8b5a5589069
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[“Saem… Sometimes, that kid really scares me.”]850ef01de4e05425
The tremble in fb7270e125 Seonju’s voice, thick 85790c7490 with alcohol and 107f16f614 the verge of 2c727f449d tears, made Hyejun’s bac1eab34f hand tighten around 77378c5553 the doorknob. She didn’t need d707963828 to ask whothat kidreferred to—her instincts already knew.72f9f448ffd4c8f4
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[“She never smiles, always staring at people with those eyes, just like her father’s. And when she does… I 85e09438a8 wonder what’s really inside her.”]a8af76d6c8067ce5
Was she saying 2c5e11ef02 she was afraid 7a1e9aeea0 of her father’s e03902fa2e killer eyes?e2d1cded5c63edd9
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The lollipop slipped 49e99b5154 from Hyejun’s lips, 5fa427c110 hitting the floor a9771e60c2 with a softthud.bcb9ffbfe69576fa
Then came Cheonghyeon’s stern voice.cb9154894e541f06
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[“Now, now, Seonju. What are you thinking, saying 6c56bac2b3 something like that about a 84b73366d4 ten-year-old child? Didn’t you say it yourself? The sins belong to 24936a8423 the father, not the 3ff497fb5c child. You were the one who f05d3aada6 insisted you couldn’t bear to 4a23e06058 send her to an orphanage.”]9ac01dfd1824b9f9
With a shaky hand, Seonju 8b3e7076e0 downed another glass of soju fd627628cf before letting out a bitter 3d15a23b36 sigh.3a2a51c0e493ea7e
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[“Back then, I had a younger sister, right? She told me to know 628e719097 my place. Said, ‘You couldn’t c4e10c63aa even protect your f3e31842f0 own kid—how could d1df98b76f you possibly take 64f09922bc care of someone e7d69fdb62 else’s?’ I told e3cf2f8ffb her to worry 64184e27c7 about herself instead 85d98c7bf7 of me. But these days, 43e520254e her words keep 231a9afac2 coming back to 8db73f1aa9 me.”]494eab5724530b20
She sniffled, wiping away d5fcbc518d tears with a rough cd4428d16e palm.aac871159740d166
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[“She was right. Who was I to take 08cb432c10 anyone in? I knew it 9302b7b68a was wrong, but… 970cebd2b2 I just couldn’t 52331a3718 help it. Maybe it would’ve ab804ce68d been better if 8b5fb0d20b I had sent 10d022b155 her to the 0b8d5427f7 orphanage back then. Don’t you think 9f3fd38211 that would’ve been e422e5c580 better for Hyejun 36ef69b40f too?”]359bab317519e3b2
Hyejun’s head dropped, her 56c78b9b89 gaze sinking to the 131e865b0a floor.178ae592b941646d
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It was the 043075ac3a first time she 2f98de43b6 truly understood Seonju’s d7f0d2335b feelings.4b5fa3acb15e3005
She had been seven when 4ddf626df2 Seonju took her in—fully aware 6bf88de807 of who she was and b5c2179e07 what her circumstances were. Hyejun had always believed Seonju c0374fa5cf had taken pity on her. That even if f8ab1759c4 she despised her 1098c4b7bb father, she had b82214bc74 at least found 209b9b203f her, the child, 8f92d78302 pitiful enough to 45265fe2e0 give her a 8ea712cf3e place to stay.27f2478bec287a51
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She had been grateful for 1887dd5abe that.8436d11e85dedaf1
For years, she had convinced c712df6042 herself that the coldness, the 87729760c2 sharp stares, and the lack 237ba60889 of affectionate words were just 3847aca514 part of Seonju’s personality.8263df5e37671deb
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But she had been wrong.9d17fece517f580f
That night, ten-year-old Hyejun turned around and walked away without a word. She couldn’t face Seonju after hearing those words.7d7984d6034428bf
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She dumped the soju onto 71c44cebe6 the pavement, wandering the village 3a665d06ff aimlessly until late at night 98204b32b2 before returning empty-handed.2abaab3fd54cc117
As expected, a slap 3fce260284 greeted her the moment 5b49b0b786 she walked through the aae3d28af1 door.c5b87ffadac7d542
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But strangely enough, she felt af1b5294d0 relieved.4c4c218a27af5d6c
She would rather 001359dc56 Seonju scold her, 122da77a11 revealing her emotions, 8af665ee63 than continue to d467b880b4 be met with c7aae20f95 those cold, indifferent c65f6e326b eyes disguised as bab8441192 mere detachment.add71783d9078b2f
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ccb22d849e98d187
Hyejun shifted from 22f7dab6b3 lying on her a1da849cc6 side to lying 3edee5be26 flat on her f8cc84cb90 back. The yellowed ceiling bfcb35f26b wallpaper filled her d940ea8c38 vision.c83a84955e6ad2a4
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Seonju had taken her bae177912c in and lived with 9532a7572b her, but she had e0ecee5953 never truly raised her. To outsiders, they might 3c665a7ba6 have appeared as mother f89eef90fe and daughter, but not 560de9d158 once had Seonju ever 9c8baa4461 opened her heart to 351361d3fb Hyejun.8026cdc3edf85620
So she had lived 3315da2a58 believing that Seonju had 5524ded311 no affection for her 9cccecc290 whatsoever. She had resented her, hated f4503148ca her, throughout their time together. But what did these f91d828cb9 falling tears mean now? Was it that even 73b9622bfc resentment could turn into 0f650e9eed attachment?642dfdf5c81d0a65
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Leaving the tears to e2e2a784cd stream unchecked, Hyejun closed 56595544eb her eyes. She just wanted to rest. If possible, she aaae4049aa wanted to sink 590a06b50b into a deep, b51618260f endless sleep like 9e9d3ef7f2 Seonju.0ce817145aea4f42
It was about a f2f8fb2675 week later when it 0b044c0f21 happened.fa1e1c0d645f8cb0
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Hyejun received a 04a404e8d6 call from one ade7f956aa of the archers 18d21b87e5 who used to 76d2cc0da8 frequent the archery b8c3bf41de range.fed6ea7995162f5f
— “I heard about Kang Gungjang’s daughter. Yeah… It must be tough for you too, huh?”a4e466c68bda1c7b
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About sixteen years ef2aaede8d ago, Jungun’s late 810a87b33a grandfather, Kang Hansu, a7a094ea0b had been a 47e3e8ba84 renownedgungjang1, a master bow maker. Among those who occasionally 0220035f0a visited the archery range, 963e9331d9 many would praise him, 0e77b642ac saying no one in 2fb58ba5ff the area could craft 77c54235fb bows as well as c16d100cfd he did. The caller was b83ce9064d one of those 4a9b5d3695 admirers.116af538a8897e19
— “But how long are you going to sit around like this? The archery range needs to open again.”77a22eeef32a7623
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“I appreciate your concern, but I’m not in a position to do that right now.”b58d4d9f1ed0227d
She vaguely explained that 40015c1a2e there was no head 1354be2a39 instructor to run the 80ce63db93 range, so she had 66e6cf85f1 to be cautious, then 9b6f8a99d0 ended the call.82a84879e388dc4e
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There was no way she a185b19dea would reopen the range. She had once 1d5d4853e0 thought it was 08ab6799de her hope, but a5f35b6c7c in the end, f830ea42af it had only d2a47637d0 pushed her further c3aa4a6bd1 into despair. This place had made b45117ad75 her painfully realize that 09b360f5a8 no matter how much a7906e2626 she strived and longed dc519497b4 for it, she could 687d344800 never grasp even the 037d43fc9e faintest trace of affection. Reopening the archery range would 0ca5b22959 mean reliving all those years 2eaad4a477 of disappointment and resignation.1e81e8c40c753ae2
Yet, she had no 8e6d290078 alternative path in mind dcb1b1dc8c either. Her life had f35d675080 been too barren 1414be3a8f for even the 47af006167 smallest wishes, let 15f38b2dc2 alone dreams.f99e5ce7943d2b07
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And so, one day passed, ee38089b18 then another, then three, as 8ddab249e5 she let time slip away 5f404b533e meaninglessly.17ef189f34b288ae
On one of 2d353f5954 those days, Hyejun 067527a62c sat on a 95032c0529 sunken couch in 5e3ca49d0a the far-right corner c8c4eae9eb of the shooting ddddd5e8d5 platform, staring at 75588c21b7 the empty targets c6b9109182 in the distance. It was the 0a2b78b133 same spot where ef0d31f4ed Seonju used to f966291045 sit, often smoking d020b15de0 as she gazed 62c279ecfd at the targets.121d04806c851eb5
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She pulled out c4356e420f a cigarette from b3161cd049 the pack left 1699a6257a on the side cfa745e029 table next to 5456f511ae the couch. She had no bc10b066d8 intention of lighting debe8aa9ce it—she was just 72fe703a45 curious. Sitting here, staring 939d27f3b9 at the targets 72f0d3ab9c and smoking… what a8ec0d5ef3 had Seonju felt 083e11a4b9 in those moments? The weary expression she 7ac69a8ada wore—was it grief for 5341321acf the son she had 6de88ad85a lost?9d0ef5f85047b34f
Rustle. Rustle.67e3007d0cad2e79
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The soft crunch bb85140a03 of footsteps on 85fce29816 grass broke through 876c9bece9 her thoughts. The cigarette in her ab866c1f07 mouth dropped to the 0bbd7e064b ground.c4c65434422154a8
— “Hyejun.”3c42032abcee0d48
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The voice belonged to Gwangho, 1bf092d275 the son of the owner 71865bb36b of Sunflower Restaurant at the 1303a0e92e entrance of town. A confirmed bachelor in his 6aea89c4fd forties, Gwangho had always been 5e73f90b9b distant, even at the restaurant. The fact that he had 6e2eb0cb00 sought her out like this 77850b7af5 was unsettling in itself.2ce8dd5f4915e303
The restaurant was where 291c15c125 Hyejun had worked every 1a417e228a evening since graduating high 47e433c4ef school. Living off the archery range’s af304a7254 earnings alone had not been c444fd765e feasible, especially with the lingering 1a2310f388 debts from its reconstruction years 098975417a ago, so she had taken 4ce630849d the job to help cover 0862adbd04 the payments.f2a9054bd549dafa
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Come to think of it… 5374d55f4d I still have unpaid loans, e4a771645b don’t I?0637fa198b8b981c
She had been so overwhelmed 2c1add571b that she hadn’t even considered 1985501fcb that yet. Her shoulders slumped under the 8b37bc90d2 weight of another burden.8e2eec42daff3aae
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— “Are you… okay?”fcceaae6458a7a60
Hesitantly, Gwangho approached, wiping his 0088251107 palms against his pants. A sour stench 9ea6f368df of makgeolli lingered 5d96f33d80 on his breath. Hyejun wrinkled her brow 46a17934c9 and stood up from d0dff243f6 the couch.d111d5aea1471bdc
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Footnotes
- *Gungjang* (궁장, 弓匠) refers to a traditional Korean bow maker, an artisan skilled in crafting *gakgung* (각궁), the traditional Korean horn bow. These craftsmen are highly respected for their expertise in making durable and powerful bows, often using materials like wood, bamboo, sinew, and horn. The title *gungjang* signifies mastery in this specialized craft.