Chapter 7
"Let me see if I understood it right," Momo said, dubiously staring at me. "You want me to teach you how to use a bow?"
"Yes, that's right," I firmly asserted. "I felt so useless when that snake attacked us... I want to be able to help too."
If I knew how to defend myself in the first place, Mina wouldn't have needed to save me. She got hurt because of me, and even if her health seemed to be progressing, I still felt guilty. I couldn't endure being weak any longer. Next time, I'd be the one to protect her.
"You do realize it's not that easy to learn how to shoot arrows, right?" The priestess replied, giving me a doubtful look with one eyebrow raised.
I shrugged, growing a bit impatient, and answered, "I learned archery when I was younger. How hard can it be? Hopefully, it's like riding a bicycle, and you never quite forget how to do it."
"I've no idea what a bicycle is, but let's hope you still have a knack for it," Momo spoke, finally smiling at me as she crossed her arms. "I also have something in mind... we could try putting all that spiritual energy of yours to use."
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
"You still don't realize it, do you?" Momo shot back, approaching. "There's something special about you. Your spiritual energy is far stronger than mine, and I'm a priestess. You were the one who destroyed that snake."
"Really?" I replied, frowning my eyebrows as I placed my hand on my chin. "That's weird... but if it helps me fight along with you guys, I'm down for it."
"Yes... but first of all, let's see how your aim is doing," she replied, handing me a bow and an arrow. She pointed at a tree. "I want you to try hitting the middle of that tree."
I took a deep breath, trying to remember the accurate way to do this. Raising the bow and positioning the arrow, I slowly pulled the string, placing it near my face to try aiming correctly. When I finally released it, I watched as it hit the edge of the tree.
"Not quite the center, but I wouldn't say it was too bad for the first time," I spoke, smirking at the priestess.
"Not bad indeed," she answered, returning the smile as she observed the tree. "However, hitting a stagnant tree is one thing. You'll find that aiming against moving targets is far more difficult."
"Geez, Momo, don't ruin the fun," I complained, moping at the girl and making her chuckle. "Give me another arrow and run around the grounds so I can shoot you then."
"Getting funny, are we?" She retorted, shaking her head at me. "But you're right, it's better to practice against moving targets." When she saw my mischievous grin, she frowned and added, "Not me, of course."
"At least it seems you trust my ability to hit you," I returned. "So, what should me my target instead?"
Momo bent to the ground and picked up a stone. She smiled at me, bouncing it in her hand before standing again. "How about this?" She asked.
"Uh, sounds very difficult," I replied honestly, staring at the small size of the rock I'd have to blast in midair.
"If you master this, you'll be able to shoot any target," she argued. "Before that, though, I'd like to teach you how to use your spiritual energy. That way, you can try practicing both at the same time."
"Sure, because shooting flying rocks isn't complicated enough already," I replied sarcastically, and Momo rolled her eyes me.
"You're the one who asked for this, so now bear with it," Momo reminded me.
"You're right," I answered, nodding once. "I can do this... I have to."
"First, every human being holds spiritual energy within. It is powered by our very souls," Momo began explaining. "Priestesses like me are trained from a young age to control this energy, and it is especially effective against yokai. It's what you used to defeat the serpent who attacked us."
"I have no idea how I did it, though," I said, feeling like I've repeated this countless times already.
"It was probably the despair you felt at that time, but it's still unusual," Momo stated, seeming lost in thought as she analyzed it. "No matter how desperate, untrained humans aren't able to use spiritual power," she extended her hand until it became surrounded by a light blue aura. "See this? Our spiritual energy is blue... but the one you used was white. My guess is that something about yours is different, and it's so powerful that it can manifest whenever you're in trouble."
Her explanation sent my brain spinning in circles. But, honestly, I didn't care much. I just wanted to learn how to use it, so I could be useful to everyone else.
"Okay, okay, I think I get it," I answered anxiously. "But how do I use it?"
"I want you to empty your mind, and visualize only the reason of why you want to use that power... try seeking it from the inside," she said. "Then, try applying that energy to your hand."
"How am I supposed to do that?" I asked, thoroughly confused by her explanation.
Momo sighed. "Close your eyes," she stated, and I immediately obeyed. "You need to concentrate. Forget about everything else, and try connecting with your soul. Think about why you want to use your spiritual energy."
I tried to erase everything around me, and the only thought I had was how I wanted to protect everyone with this power. Suddenly, I felt an energy flowing throughout all of me that gave an unexpected sensation of vitality.
"Open your eyes," Momo commanded.
I did as she asked, and there was a white aura surrounding my body. I got so excited that I begin laughing, happy about being able to do it, but the energy disappeared immediately afterward.
"That's what happens when you lose your concentration," Momo replied, sighing and crossing her arms.
"Well, at least I managed to do something!" I exclaimed, feeling optimistic, and patting Momo's shoulder.
"I suppose so," Momo answered, not seeming to contaminated by my excitement. "Try doing the same thing, but applying all of that energy to a specific place." She suddenly grabbed my hand and turned it around, so my palm was facing upwards. "For instance, your hand."
I followed all of the steps she instructed before. Clearing my mind and visualizing the reason why I wanted to use my spiritual energy. Once I could feel it flowing again, I tried channeling all of that to my hands. After opening my eyes, I could see a white glow surrounding it.
"That's it!" Momo exclaimed, beaming widely at me.
Soft drizzle was pouring, as daylight was almost gone, and the moon was starting to illuminate everything. The sound of raindrops lightly hitting the roof made me relaxed. I let myself feel the water sliding down my hand, extending it.
After an entire afternoon of training, it was all I needed to feel refreshed. I certainly wouldn't say I'm anywhere near an expert, both in archery or using spiritual power. But I wasn't useless anymore either, and there was a positive reassurance about that.
"You're going to get sick," I heard Mina's voice say, and turned around to see the black-haired girl looking at me. "Get under the roof so you won't be soaked by the rain."
I smiled at her and shook my head. "Don't worry, I don't mind the rain," I answered. "Besides, the rain is so light that I'm not even near to being soaked."
"If you say so," Mina replied, before looking around. "Where are Momo and Sana?"
"They went to the village to restock on supplies," I explained.
"Good, when they're back, tell them that we're leaving," she stated, shifting her body to turn around.
"What?" I asked in disbelief, getting up and following the girl. "Mina, you're still too weak... you have to rest more. You know how dangerous the road is, we could be attacked at any moment. You're in no condition to defend yourself."
"I'm fine already," she argued impatiently. "We've already lost too much time here."
"Really? You're fine already?" I questioned, delicately grabbing her wounded arm by the wrist and showing it to her. It bled again, and the red color was showing through the bandages. "Then what's this?"
Her eyes widened when she saw the blood. "I... I didn't even notice it was bleeding," she admitted.
"Stop being so reckless, Mina," I pleaded, my eyes filled with concern as I gazed at her. "I don't want you to get hurt again."
The samurai didn't say a word and looked away, but I could tell I was able to convince her.
"Let's go inside, I'll replace the bandages on your arm," I said, pulling her into the room. She laid in the bed with only her torso upheld, and I began unwrapping the bandages.
I witnessed that her wound hadn't completely closed yet, and her skin was acquiring a purple tone. I inhaled sharply, starting to fold a clean bandage around her arm. I tried my best, but I couldn't hold back the tears anymore.
"Why are you crying?" Mina softly asked, her eyes watching me pitifully. She shifted the arm I was holding to grasp my hand and lightly stroked it.
"I'm s-sorry, Mina," I slowly responded, trying to muster my voice. "This is all my fault... if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be hurt now. All I've done since we met is cause y-you trouble.
"That's not true," she whispered, cupping my face and wiping the tears with her thumb. "You may see it like that... but the reality is that you brought a lot of joy into my life, Nayeon."
Her words widened my eyes, and when they met hers, the only thing they saw was sincerity. And maybe even something more? There was a hint of tenderness in her gaze that was enough to send my heart racing, and I could hear it over the sound of rain hitting the ground outside.
She put her hands on my waist and gently pulled me towards her, prompting the world to fade away, for all I could see were her eyes. The small moles placed all over her face. And then, finally, her delicately shaped lips.
Placing my arms around her neck, I drifted even closer, and her luscious scent invaded my senses. She quickly gazed at my mouth before closing her eyes, and finally, our lips met.
Her kiss sent little sparks of euphoria rushing through my whole body, and I never had experienced something like that. It was passionate yet soft, just like her. Unspoken words in silent devotion, like she was seeking to convey how much she cared about me.
But it came to an end, and once we were apart, it felt like I had been punched in the face by reality. I couldn't quite decipher the look on Mina's face, but before even trying, I ran off and shut the door behind her.
I tried to catch my breath as I leaned against the door. I've never felt so confused. It was so intoxicating to want someone this much while knowing you can't have them. Letting myself slide to the floor, I hugged my legs and cried my heart out. It seemed like that's all I've been able to do these past days, and even though I was becoming sick of it, I couldn't stop myself.
I heard footsteps approaching the other side of the door and immediately stood, hurrying away before Mina could see me in that state. Where I ended up didn't matter, for all I wanted was to avoid the other girl.
As soon enough as I was leaving the mansion's grounds, my body collided against someone, and I saw bags falling to the ground. When I looked up, Momo stared at me with a weird face, holding a red umbrella in her hand.
"For goodness' sake, Nayeon, where are you going in this state?!" She questioned, frowning at me. "Did something happen to Mina?"
"W-What? No, Mina is fine," I answered, out of breath. "Where's Sana?"
"I'm right here!" I heard her voice and looked around for the fox girl, but there was no luck finding her. My eyes then stopped at the umbrella. "Don't tell me..."
"Yeah, she transformed into this umbrella," Momo said, guessing what I imagined.
"I didn't know kitsune could transform into umbrellas," I answered, frowning in confusion.
"They can transform into anything, it's part of their abilities," the priestess stated. "I made her do it since I didn't want our supplies to get wet. But it seems like that was in vain," she added, gesturing to the bags in the muddy ground.
"I'm sorry, Momo, I really should have looked where I was going," I timidly said, looking at her apologetically.
"It's fine," she replied, shaking her head and waving her hands dismissively. "We can restock tomorrow... besides, Yuta's family gifted us with plenty of supplies and a cart already, so we only went out to buy a few things we didn't already have."
"More importantly," Sana said, and I stared at the umbrella, still in disbelief that it was my friend. "What happened to you, Nayeon?"
Momo grabbed my arm and dragged me underneath the mansion's roof, where the rain wouldn't hit us. I sighed, sitting down on the wooden porch, and Momo repeated my actions.
Sana transformed back into her human form, joining us on the porch. She was wet from the rain, but it didn't seem to bother her, as it looked like she was mostly worried about me.
"I kissed Mina," I blurted out, figuring it would be better than to drag the explanation, and the eyes of both girls widened at my revelation.
"What?!" Momo asked in disbelief, her mouth agape.
"I knew something was going on between you two," Sana smirked, but then her face fell. "But what's the problem? Did she not like the kiss?"
"What? No, I'm sure she liked it!" I retorted, blushing, and feeling a bit offended. "The problem is we can't be together... this can't happen between us."
"Nayeon's right," Momo answered, and it caused a weird sensation in my stomach. I didn't know if I should be relieved or upset. "I don't think you should get involved with her..."
"But why?" Sana asked, gaping sadly at me. "If they like each other, then they should be together, no?"
"It's not that simple," I replied, frowning as I stared at the floor. "I'm going back to the 21st century, remember?"
"Oh," Sana replied, dejected as if suddenly realizing how complicated the situation was. "I nearly forgot you're going to leave after all of this."
"And not only that," Momo replied, biting her lips and glancing away. "There's another reason Mina can't get romantically involved with someone."
"What do you mean?" I asked, clutching the fabric of my hakama and growing anxious about how mysterious Momo was being.
"It's not my place to tell you," she replied, crossing her arms. Upon looking at my desolated eyes, her expression softened, and she put her hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Nayeon, but this is for your own good... don't get too involved with her if you don't want to have your heart broken."
It was too late for that. I was already shattered into a million pieces.