- THERESA! GET YOUR ASS UP RIGHT NOW!
Damn! Someone woke up in the wrong side of the bed! Maybe I should get up before Anna comes to murder me. She doesn't like play around.
I don't understand how these people don't realize that waking up before 10 in the morning (and I'm already being too nice, the ideal time would be midday) is practically impossible. It's a crime! Period. I cannot function well if I wake up too early (before (12) 10 am).
You must be wondering why I am being forced to get up so early? Today is the day of the regional swimming competition that Chan and Hyunjin will participate in. In fact, it's two days. Today are the qualifiers and tomorrow the finals.
What are these competitions like? I have no idea (but that's just me when it comes to life in general). One thing is right. I will never understand this obsession with people being masochistic and voluntarily putting themselves in pain by doing sport. Completely stupid.
What I know about this is that Chan will compete in two separate races, both using the butterfly technique but for different distances, Hyunjin will do freestyle and the other two athletes who are part of the club team will do the other two ways of swimming, backstroke and breaststroke (as you can see, I know a lot about this matter). There is also the women competition and I think there is something that mixes different type of swimming, but halfway through Seungmin's explanation I just got distracted by thinking of other things (don't judge me).
Supposedly it's very important for them to get good times, especially tomorrow. They have to win today to be able to participate in an international competition and have a secure place in the national championship.
They must be feeling so much pressure. Especial Hyunjin, who, unlike Chan, never had the opportunity to participate in the international and national competition because he got injured.
As fantastic friends as we are, we have to support them, right? That's why I'm getting up early today. It's nine in the morning, which is very very early. The competition starts at ten. If it weren't for Anna always shouting to get me ready, I would probably only get up ten minutes before ten o'clock: five minutes to get dressed and the other five to do a sprint to the pools and, when I get there and everyone starts coming at me for arriving twenty minutes late, I blame the number of people who were walking and blocking the sidewalks (which is not true), the delay of the bus (I don't even need to take the bus to get here, but whatever) and my lack of physical capacity . Done.
However, I live with two other people, meaning I can't always do what I want. Sad.
Honestly, the only thing that's giving me the motivation to get up is the fact that I'll be able to see Seungmin.
You know you're down bad when your only motivation in life is a boy. Do not judge me. If you saw him, you would be the same.
Now that I'm going to Germany in about two months, we've been inseparable. Seungmin wants to make the best possible use of all the time we have available together. This leads to certain people (Bea) feeling envious. Seriously. She and Seungmin are literally at war over me.
I get dressed and the three of us (me, Anna and Iris) go to the city's pools building.
One thing I'm certain of is that many people came to see the competition. The only reason we were able to sit on the bench is due to the others being already there and saving us a seat. I'm in shock. I never thought so many people would like this. But in a way I understand. Watching half-naked people is interesting.
The amount of people watching, the stuffy air inside the venue, the murmurs of conversations taking place, it's all making me nervous and I'm not even the one who's going to compete. Poor Chan and Hyunjin.
- Jump – I look to the side and see Sofia pointing at the pool with a serious face while she looks at Minho.
Who let them sit together? From one moment to the next, I see Minho trying to lift Sofia and pull her into the pool while she kicks him. Obviously, he would never actually push her. Right?
Changbin forcibly separates them and sits between them. Honestly, they're literally acting like children!
My session of judgement is interrupted by a head landing on my shoulder. I was about to shoo away the person who thought she could use me as a pillow without asking for permission, but then I saw his disheveled dark brown hair and I didn't have the courage.
- Are you sleepy?
- Hmmm. Yesterday I stayed up late playing with Felix, Jeongin, Jaden and Elliot - he says as he intertwines one of our hands and places them on my lap, still with his eyes closed. I look around and see Jeongin sleeping with his head resting on Felix's lap and the latter almost sleeping against Bea. Sayed up late? They must have not sleep at all, to be looking like zombies. Men! Anyway!
Speaking of men....
- Where's Han? He is not here.
-He's over there trying to hit on some girls – Changbin answers me, pointing to the entrance door.
And, surprisingly, I do find him leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets, surrounded by three beautiful girls. They all start laughing at something he just said. Omg! One just griped to his arm (I think I saw her squeeze his bicep and ... same, girl) while she laughed.
- Dude, come sit down. It's almost starting! – Changbin calls and at that moment the presenter announces the entry of the kids athletes.
I see Han exchanging cell phones with the girls and winking at them as he starts walking towards us with his back turned. When he passes Changbin, he slaps him in the head.
- You liar! It's the "starting" here in the room with us? First are children and juniors. There are still two hours until it's their turn. You were just jealous that I got three straight away and you didn't even get one.
Boys. Anyway.
As Han predicted, the seniors only started competing two hours later. Chan was the first to compete and when I tell you that I was deafened by the shouting that occurred when he took off his training suit and was just in his swimming shorts. It's understandable. The gym is showing some effects.
Like the Ace that he is, he came first, qualifying for tomorrow's final. From the other two teammates, only one managed to pass.
When it's time for freestyle, Hyunjin leaves the changing rooms and I go deaf again. Damn! I know! He's beautiful! I didn't know they had so many fans!
- They scream louder than me – comments Bea.
I give her a side eye. As if that were possible. She sounds like a freaking siren.
Hyunjin starts to undress and just like with Chan, the crowd goes wild. Seungmin seems to become more awake and covers my eyes. I slap his hand away, of course. Works of art must be observed.
- Not bad, Hwang – I look at Bea with wide eyes. Obviously, she had to commit his physique. I was already expecting Chan to be the way he is, with the amount of times I hear him say that he goes to the gym with Changbin. But Hyunjin? I've never heard him say nor I think he as ever pronounce the word "gym" in his life. But, I guess, when you train like he does, it's no surprise that he would have some muscle, but not as defined as the ones I'm seeing at the moment. I'm shocked.
He and the other athletes get into their positions, and you can see the nerves that everyone is feeling. I'm even starting to pray that it goes well.
Before the whistle could be heard, one of the swimmers dived and was immediately eliminated. Then they actually blow the whistle and the competition begins.
Hyunjin looked like a flash, in my opinion, but, according to Felix, he was being slower than usual, especially at the beginning. He ended up placing third, still going through to the final. For me, third place is fantastic, however, given the way Hyunjin leaves discouraged, it didn't go the way he wanted.
A break is announced shortly afterwards, with competitions continuing throughout the afternoon.
Before going finding some place to eat, we decided to talk to our two champions. Chan tries to cheer Hyunjin up, and it seems to be working a little.
- Don't worry, T. He will do better in the competition he has in the afternoon. And tomorrow, that's where you will see. He just needs to have a little more confidence in himself – Seungmin tries to assure me.
I hope so. Hyunjin really deserves to make the national team. He's been acting like a robot in the last few weeks. Training before and after going to school and then going home straight away and, from what they told me, he has been going to bed very early and eating only healthy food (what a nightmare).
After talking to them, we start to leave the building, but before I notice Bea stays behind and I see her giving Hyunjin a hug.
Next chapter...