Made for Min | SOPE

twenty seven | "the worst things i've done comes from me protecting you"

Bow and arrows had never been Seokjin's go-to weapon.

He found them outdated, slow, burdensome, and overall, inefficient. Yet, here he was, firing arrow after arrow into nothingness, the fowl he was aiming at disappearing into the wilderness. His hands trembled as he fumbled for another arrow, anger beginning to bubble inside him as he attempted to aim once more but failed, the arrow flying into the opposite direction he'd intended for it to go to.

"This is stupid."

He threw the bow on the floor and crossed his arms, glaring at the Huntress, Astraea, who was watching him, clearly amused.

"You're the first human male I've had contact with in centuries," Astraea said, ignoring Seokjin's remark. "It is a disappointment to see that men have not changed. Temper tantrums will bring you nothing but consequences. Now pick up that bow and begin aiming. You have infinite arrows left. The animals will not hunt themselves."

"Is that all you Huntresses know how to do?" Seokjin scoffed as he reluctantly picked the bow up. "If it's been centuries, why haven't you all advanced to better weapons? Bow and arrows aren't what you all make it out to be."

Astraea chuckled. "We are Hunters. What need do we have for swords and daggers? At least our bloodshed is honorable. But, if you continue to complain, I may just have to step down and put you in your place. You do not insult us Huntresses so brazenly without consequences."

Seokjin shook his head. "You and your consequences. Look I shot an arrow. Happy?"

"I could have my hands tied behind my back and I'd still aim better than you, Kim Seokjin," she responded, shaking her head. "Again. Stop looking so condescending while you're at it. You are not the hero you think you are. Do you think you'll be able to achieve your goal only by feigning superiority? You're a weakling, Kim."

Seokjin's fingers tightened around the grip harder at her words. Lips pressed into a thin line, Seokjin slowly grabbed another arrow, to which Astraea smiled, knowing that she'd struck a nerve.

"I do not care for your romantic affairs but I've heard whispers from the woods that it's been anything but pleasant," she continued, smirking as Seokjin failed once more. "Where's the damsel in distress right now? Locked up in a castle like Rapunzel, hoping that his knight in shining armor will come to whisk him away. We know who the damsel in distress is. But the knight? Now, that's a different story."

With every failed attempt, Astraea upped the comments. It was so predictable, Astraea could almost yawn. Men hadn't changed from the last time that she'd conversed with them. All she had to do was ridicule Seokjin, degrade him to the point where he'd see red. Dangling his motivations right in front of him, insinuating that there's a different end to the story he was trying to change, that was the only way to get Seokjin to do anything.

It was pitiful the amount of strength Kim Seokjin would get after being reminded of the Prince he'd sworn his life to from a young age. Astraea didn't know the details— Artemis only told her what she needed to know, and it wasn't like Astraea cared for human affairs, particularly male affairs, so she didn't know the full story. What she did now, however, was that Seokjin was trying to reclaim the character he had always played from someone Artemis deemed as unworthy. That was more than enough for Astraea to volunteer in helping Seokjin build his strength.

Though Astraea didn't see the need for Seokjin to be graced by Artemis, who was she to question her Goddess's intentions? Maybe it was just her repulse for men that left her in disdain and resentful that Seokjin would soon be blessed, but Astraea didn't view Seokjin as worthy. Not only had he been complaining about shooting a measly bow and arrow, but he carried himself as if he were better than her, and that was something she could not tolerate. He'd gone through all the other pieces of training just fine, but the bow and arrow was the thing that was stopping him?