Spiderlove ~ Lee Know ✓

chapter 27 ://3

~sooyun's pov~

Everyone has just completed their swim tests. It was really dumb, we were forced to put on life jackets even though we're all almost adults with many of us having lifeguard certification. They made us jump in feet first, swim to the other side of the dock and back, and tread the water for thirty seconds. It's funny, because in a way I already did all of that today.

They announced that they were allocating time for us to swim, so now most of the life-jacketed students are playing in the water, either chasing each other in games of tag, jumping in one after the other in ridiculous dives, or racing each other to see who swims the fastest.

My friends are attempting to play a game of water polo with very limited space and a very deflated ball given to them by the camp staff, who probably fished it out of the back of a dusty warehouse somewhere. The game is looking very chaotic.

As for Yeona, she isn't really participating, as it would seem she would much rather lurk by the edge of the dock while talking to Minho, her very good friend. It seems she has recovered from her initial reaction to...um, him and is now acting relatively normal like the friend she is. Yeona is such a great friend to Minho. That's all I'm going to say.

Obviously, Minho isn't really playing with the others either—aside from occasionally tossing the ball at unannounced times, earning cheers from the others every time he makes a score. But other than that, he's also on the side talking to his very good friend Yeona.

I must say though, it was extremely entertaining seeing Hyunjin almost accidentally hit him in the face with the ball he threw. The look of sheer terror on his face was very amusing. Fortunately for him, Minho caught the ball just before it could hit his nose, giving a horrified Hyunjin a not-so-subtle "be grateful I didn't kill you" look. If it did hit him, who knows what would've happened. Probably something to do with air fryers. I have no context whatsoever to whatever (albeit playful) beef Minho has with Hyunjin, but it seems to go way back.

As for me? I don't feel like swimming.

I have already gotten my fair share of water activity today, and maybe I'm a bit worn out. But truthfully, it just feels wrong.

I glance at Jisung, who is sitting alone on a bench, shivering nonstop. You would think that after a while one would get used to the temperature change, but Jisung looks like he could solidify into an igloo right now.

He's watching his friends play water polo with longing eyes. He's trying to make it seem like he's okay and getting punished is not a big deal, but I know he really wants to play with them.

Or maybe he just doesn't want to be alone.

I take a deep breath, attempting to chase away my nerves. I don't know why I'm so timid, it's just Jisung. But no matter how hard I try, every time he approaches me and says something remotely flirty I just have the immensely strong urge to run away.

Maybe that's precisely why I'm shy: because it's Jisung.

But that's not happening right now. I'm not going to run away. This time, I'm going to approach him.

I start walking towards Jisung, fighting the uncomfortable feeling with each step. Finally, I arrive right next to the bench. My shadow casts over him, and he looks up at me.

The impulse to run away takes over again, but it's too late to turn back now.

Say something, Sooyun.

"Are you cold?" I ask.

Immediately after the words come out, I slap myself mentally. What a way to open a conversation! Of course he's cold!