Chapter 8

The day was so bright and clear that the sight alone made the heart flutter. Cherry blossom petals danced through the air, turning lazily as they drifted toward the ground.

“Yu-su, I’m going to register the list of names and pick up the order sheet. Wait for me in the changing room.”

“Yes.”

Thirteen-year-old Yu-su stood with a sports bag slung over one shoulder and nodded obediently. His teacher gave him a light pat on the shoulder before walking away.

A mild spring breeze stirred Yu-su’s light brown bangs and left a single pink cherry blossom petal caught there like a gift. He carefully plucked it free, twirling it between his fingertips as he looked around.

“Did I get here too early…?”

A banner fluttered in the wind outside the swimming pool building.

Youth Diving Competition, Hosted by Cheonsan

How long had he waited for this day?

He had barely managed to sleep the night before, not because he was nervous, but because excitement had kept his heart racing. If he won this competition, he would qualify for the Junior World Championships. His parents had already given their permission, and more than anything, Yu-su was confident he could win.

Jeong Yu-su stretched his arms wide, savoring the satisfying pops that ran through his joints, then tapped his toes twice against the floor. With a light spring in his step, he turned toward the locker room, only for something distinctly out of place to catch his eye.

“Hmm…?”

The venue bustled with people making their final preparations for the competition, yet Yu-su noticed a lone figure floating idly in one corner of the pool. The boy was tall, though he did not appear fully grown, and he did not seem to be swimming. He lay facedown in the water, with only the faint outline of his back rising and falling beneath the ripples. Most troubling of all, he had not moved once since Yu-su noticed him.

Did something happen?

It should have been nearly impossible for anyone to drown at a venue hosting a diving competition, but Yu-su was far too keyed up to stop and consider how strange the situation was. Without a second thought, he hurled his bag to the ground and plunged straight into the pool.

Splash!

Yu-su sliced through the surface in a burst of spray and reached for the drowning figure. His hand had barely found purchase when the other boy, a fierce-faced kid with a buzz cut who had not moved so much as a finger, suddenly twisted around, seized Yu-su’s outstretched hand, and yanked him hard.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“…!”

Blub, blub, blub!

Two frantic streams of bubbles erupted across the surface. Both boys flailed like drowned rats, but since they were accomplished swimmers, they quickly regained their bearings and scrambled out of the pool.

Puhah!

Haa… huff.

Water dripped steadily from their hair and soaked clothing. The buzz-cut boy was already on his feet, his arms folded across his chest as he glared down at Yu-su.

“Seriously, what is your problem?”

“I thought you were drowning, so I was trying to help you…”

“You thought I was drowning? Are you blind?”

“What?”

Before Yu-su could snap back, a cluster of men in suits rushed over and shoved him aside.

“Young Master! Young Master, are you all right?”

Crowded out of the commotion, Yu-su had no choice but to head to the locker room alone.

Blind? What kind of asshole says that to someone who tried to save him?

The brief flare of irritation did nothing to hinder Yu-su’s performance. He launched himself into the air and descended with graceful, flawless precision. In the end, that day became the best day of his life for two reasons.

The first was victory.

“Jeong Yu-su, a first-year student from Jinso Middle School, please step forward to receive the first-place trophy.”

“Hey. Your name was Jeong Yu-su, right?”

“…Do you have something to say to me?”

Yu-su had just finished changing and was about to leave the locker room when the fierce-looking boy from the pool, apparently resurrected after his three-second death, approached him. It was Do Muwon.

Yu-su’s mood soured the instant he saw that face, but Muwon merely flashed him a grin, revealing one sharp canine tooth.

“You were incredible out there. That was the real deal.”

“…”

Yu-su’s large, round eyes curved into slender crescents.

The two drowned rats looked at each other and laughed.

“So, I guess you aren’t blind after all.”

“My standards are high. Yours, on the other hand, seem a little warped.”

“What did you say?”

The second reason was meeting Do Muwon.

***