immersed in love | nam joohyuk

- 04

— 04

[ 이혜리 lee hye ri ]

The try-outs are finally here, and I know I prepared as much as I could, but I'm torn between feeling anxious and feeling excited. I have a mixture of both at the same time. Hopefully, I can let my thoughts and feelings go so I can focus on getting in the varsity.

I look around the pool and see the crowd sitting on the bleachers. This may just be try-outs, but some people are making it seem like it's a national competition.

In a while, the try-outs begin and I'm in my starting position. As the whistle blows, I make my dive and immerse into the cold water of chlorine (it sounds strange, but I like it).

I have a good start and fasten up my pace as I feel it being necessary. I do my best and exert more and more effort in my strokes as my momentum becomes better. I make sure not to waste any time and go into my full beast mode.

After several meters and laps, I finally reach the last end and breathe out in the air. I make a fist pump out of joy and smile because I did it. It's over now.

I look over at the results and I'm shocked to be first place. In addition to my shock, I notice something quite unbelievable: I'm tied with someone in first place.

I notice a lot of people having the same thoughts as me. This isn't something ordinary; it's something quite uncommon, so of course it's inevitable for there to be a ruckus.

Coach Choi makes an announcement to everyone stating that there's no need to make a fuss over the tie and that the two winners are surely going to be part of the swim team. He also congratulates the rest of the participants and applauds them for working hard until the end.

I beam in delight as I go out of the pool and I shake hands with the others. The four of us hug each other and laugh. Unfortunately, only half of us, 2/4, got into the legit swim team.

The girl I tied with gives me a soft smile, yet I feel a sinister aura from her. I don't mind though, since I know I shouldn't be quick to judge nor slow to understand.

After the crowd's number decreases, Joohyuk comes over to me. Although a flashback of what occurred during lunch the other day appears in my mind right after I lock eyes with him, I try to brush it off and pretend nothing happened.

"Hi," he says with his usual grin that somehow makes me feel like I have no problems in my life.

"Hey," I say back to him.

"Congratulations on getting into the team. I told you you'd get in for certain," he says and pulls me into an embrace. I can smell his clothes and as I can expect, his scent is partly responsible for his irresistible attractiveness.

My heart beats a little faster than usual. Each thump speeds up after the other, making me worried he notices. The hug lasts only for a short while, yet in that period of time, so many things go through my mind.

He pulls out a bouquet of assorted flowers out of nowhere, leaving me in disbelief.

"Are those flowers for me?" I ask, sounding a little bit too arrogant.

"No," he says, and I roll my eyes, trying to hide my embarrassment by acting mighty.

"Actually, yes, this bouquet is for you," he says as he hands it over to me.

"Thanks."

I smell the fragrance of the bunch, and I'm in awe because of the goodness. I smile at them and look up to him, showing my cheerfulness.

I look at a figure behind him and notice the girl from a while ago, the one who tied with me. She has a glare on me, but she eventually changes her facial expression into a gleeful one.

I can semi-see her mutter something, but she's too far away for me to decipher her words.

Strange.

-

PUBLISHED ON:
8 may 2017

REWRITTEN ON:
13 aug 2017

fabjules ♡