Welcome, this is your first time being rude

A series of short stories that make you want to write when you watch the Olympics (2) [Seokjin]

The last game, the last gold medal, the last confession

A deserted pool. Seokjin, who had been swimming alone, back and forth between the ends of the rail, looked at the large clock on the pool wall and emerged from the water. It was already around 9 p.m. He had left his goggles and swimming cap on the floor, and was probably drying his dripping hair with a towel.

"Seokjin-"

"Yeah, sis."

Seokjin turned toward the sound, hearing someone call his name in a gentle voice. Even before he turned, he had a vague sense of who it was. He smiled faintly at the person who approached him without saying a word.

"Have you eaten?"

"Not yet. Where's your sister?"

"Me too. Wash up and come out. Let's eat together."

"Isn't it too much today?" The woman in casual clothes that don't suit the pool is Lee Yeo-ju. Yeo-ju asks Seok-jin. Then Seok-jin, who says it's not like that, packs his bags and heads into the locker room. "Coach, what are we going to eat?"

Well, I haven't thought about it yet. Judging by their conversation, their relationship seems more like that of a coach and a player. They've been working together for quite some time, even speaking to each other.

As Seokjin walked to the locker room, saying he would think about it, Yeoju headed out of the pool only after confirming that nothing had been left behind.

···

"Sister."

A few minutes later, Seokjin packed his bags and walked out of the cultural center. He called out Yeoju's name, who was waiting in front, and came over to her side. Yeoju, who was looking at her phone, said in surprise, "You came sooner than I expected?"

"I wonder if you're hungry, sister." Seokjin answered without a moment's hesitation, walking shoulder to shoulder with Yeoju. Yeoju smiled at Seokjin's always considerate tone.

He must have come in such a hurry that even his hair was wet. Yeoju gently brushed Seokjin's bangs and said, "So, what should we eat?"

"There's a meat restaurant nearby. Should we go there?"

"Have you been there?"

"Yeah. It's pretty good."

"Okay, let's go there then."

Our player has a game coming up soon, so we need to feed him well. I'll take care of him today." Yeoju accepted Seokjin's offer immediately and lowered her hand from his head. She motioned for him to take the lead, and followed him with excited steps.

···

As the juicy meat sizzled on the grill, slowly cooking, the two men clinked their clear soju glasses over it. As the two glasses clashed, the liquid in each glass rippled. Some of the liquid overflowed, dripping onto the grill.

The two men, who had brought their glasses toward them, carefully raised them to their lips and downed them in one gulp. While they both drank the same clear liquid, Yeoju smiled, while Seokjin wore a look of disappointment.

"Are you trying to show off your feelings? LOL"

“···I have to do this to feel stronger.”

Seokjin grabbed a green bottle of cider and poured it into his empty soju glass. Yeoju watched him for a while, laughing, before finally grabbing the green bottle of soju herself. Immediately after, she heard Seokjin nagging her to drink only in moderation.

Their glasses clinked again. Yeoju, finally seeing the meat cooking, put her glass down and used tongs to place the meat on Seokjin's plate. "Eat well, player!"

"···How many days are left until the preliminary matches?"

"Next Tuesday. Only seven days left."

"I have to run until then, you know?" Seokjin's smile widened as he answered the female lead's question with a wry smile. The corners of his lips were trembling, whether he knew it or not.

The woman poured a shot of soju into a glass without saying a word, then poured it into her mouth. She frowned, saying it tasted particularly bitter today, but then opened her mouth, as if something had occurred to her.

"This is... the last time, you."

"······yes."

Liberation is coming soon, so let's finish this safely. Once it's over, you don't have to see me anymore. The female protagonist, with a bittersweet expression, smiled brightly at Seokjin. Meanwhile, Seokjin, who had been quietly watching her, hesitated before speaking. "When I retire after this Olympics,

"······I guess I won't be able to see you anymore, sister."

Seokjin's eyes were blank and empty, his gaze not focused on Yeoju. He couldn't bear to meet her gaze, afraid that she might be the answer he was expecting.

As if anticipating Seokjin's reaction, Yeoju simply smiled bitterly without replying. Yeoju, too, was fixated on the corner of the table.

"···Perhaps, that's right?"

"It's a bit... right? Since you're not a player, I'm not a coach either." The female protagonist spoke in a soft, almost whispered tone. Only then did she avert her gaze and turn to Seokjin. "Of course, I'll see you sometimes."

Seokjin even resents the soda in the glass in front of him. After the Olympics, if we finish the preliminaries and make it to the finals, if we win a medal, I wonder if our relationship is over for good.

·

·

·

okay. Seokjin likes Yeoju alone.

···

The next day,

Seokjin, as always, stamped his attendance at the pool early in the morning. He's in his swimsuit, busy warming up before entering the water. Beside him, several other athletes are also busy practicing.

I searched for Yeoju in this vast space, but since I couldn't find her, I figured she must be a little late today. Soon, Seokjin carelessly dropped the windbreaker he was wearing, straightened up, and fell into the water.

·

·

·

Seokjin, who was leisurely going back and forth between the ends of the rail, must have been swimming freestyle for about five round trips. When he reached the point opposite the starting point, he saw a familiar silhouette beyond the dark-filtered goggles.

"You're a little late today, when did you get here?"

Seokjin, who had just taken off his glasses, smiled at Yeoju. "It hasn't been long since I got here," Yeoju said, glad she was going to change clothes. Then, a joke struck Seokjin and he grabbed Yeoju's wrist.

The heroine was wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt and short black shorts. In short, she was in a fluffy, casual outfit. Seokjin, still in the water, grabbed her wrist, and she sensed it. "Hey, you're not."

"···Don't do it? Seriously, don't do it···ㅋㅋㅋ"

Still holding onto Yeo-ju's wrist, I felt Seok-jin subtly pulling me towards him, so I struggled as best I could... but how could I overcome Seok-jin's strength? And other people were watching, so I couldn't scream.

"I'll change into my swimsuit quickly, so..."

"I never told you not to go."

"···Hey, you're me right now···!"

Despite Seokjin's lack of force, Yeoju fell into the water due to the slippery floor. Just as she was about to fall, Seokjin, worried she might get hurt, quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and checked on her condition.

Of course, since Yeoju is a swimming coach, she won't drown.

"Are you okay? LOL"

"···Ah really Kim Seokjin···ㅋㅋㅋ"

Seokjin had no intention of letting her fall in the first place, but when Yeoju tripped and really fell in, he was flustered along with her, but the situation was also funny.

The situation of suddenly falling into water and feeling awkward is infuriating, but it's so absurd that no one can get angry. The female lead, who was just laughing, is pushed by Seokjin's shoulder and he runs his hand through her wet hair. "I don't have any clothes to wear home later..."

"I'll give you my clothes, wear mine and go."

"Then you."

"I have to take it off and go."

You must be crazy. How can you say something like that so casually? As soon as Seokjin finished speaking, the female lead walked away from him and ran out of the water. Seokjin, who followed her out of the water, stopped her and stood facing her, wrapping his towel around her.

And... the female lead is embarrassed for no reason, but her gaze is wandering. Seokjin just got out of the pool and isn't wearing a top... She's wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, so Seokjin wraps a towel around her...

"Change your clothes quickly and come back."

...I really didn't mean to miss it. The female lead nodded in agreement when Seokjin said so. It's true that I volunteered to miss it. I slipped... The female lead gave an awkward smile and then hurried into the locker room.

···

Exactly one week later, the Olympic opening ceremony. And then, the 200m freestyle preliminaries. Seokjin successfully completed them. And of course, the semifinals. This was Seokjin's last chance and competition, so he gave it his all, his lungs practically crippled.

Perhaps that's why he even set a world record. He would have competed in the 100m and 50m events, but this was also Seokjin's choice. He wanted to focus on just one thing.

And today is the long-awaited final.

I know full well that after today, Seokjin will have no more chances. Yeoju knows this as well. This morning, Yeoju said to Seokjin.

"Let's just make sure no one gets hurt today."

Seokjin kept repeating those words in his head. He had a goal for today. Even as he prepared, even as he walked into the pool, even as his sight was broadcast live around the world, he resolved to achieve it again and again.

Today, he wants to wear the medal around his neck and tell the heroine his true feelings.

···

"······."

Seokjin stood in front of the second lane, where he was supposed to play. He glanced at his name and appearance, displayed in large letters on the scoreboard, but then turned his gaze to Yeoju, who was probably watching him from the stands.

Seokjin finally met the gaze of the female protagonist, who had been looking down at him from above. Seeing her tense, frozen expression, he flashed a bright smile, as if to encourage her to relax.

After seeing Seokjin's smile like that, the female protagonist was able to smile, even if only for a moment.

Seokjin took a ready stance at the same time. The players standing next to him did the same. While he bent down and prepared, Seokjin closed his eyes tightly. It seemed like he was trying to clear his mind of distracting thoughts.

A little while later, the signal flare filled the pool, and eight players simultaneously plunged into the water. The spectators watching the match, the citizens cheering from the front row of their respective home theaters, and the commentators broadcasting the event all united in their hope for victory.

"Player Kim Seok-jin...! You're doing well right now."

"Yes, that's right. 100M...! I'll take the second shot and continue the game."

"If we can maintain this level, there's a good chance we'll win a medal."

"Just now...!! First time passing the 150M mark!!!"

The broadcast site, the stadium, and the excitement permeated the air. As the commentator had predicted, Seokjin was the first to strike, but the players next to him were neck and neck, leaving the onlookers on the edge of their seats.

Yeoju couldn't bear to open her eyes and watch the game unfold. Sitting with Seokjin's friends who had come to cheer him on...

The match was over. Cheers could be heard from around Yeoju. Still with her eyes tightly shut, Yeoju thought to herself, "Heard cheers right next to me right now..."

The first thing that entered the heroine's field of vision when she opened her eyes was...The scoreboard displays the first place record, announcing Seokjin's gold medal.Only then did the female protagonist feel relieved and she pushed past the cheering people in the stands and went down to where Seokjin was.

Yeo-ju, who had no other thoughts, ran to Seok-jin, who had just finished the game, feeling relieved. She almost fell again on the slippery floor, but managed to regain her balance and run.

So when Seokjin finally came into my sight...

"Sister, did you see me..."

Fresh off the game, Seokjin greeted Yeoju without even wiping himself dry. Without hesitation, Yeoju embraced him. The entire world was watching this moment unfold on screen.

Seokjin, in a fit of impulsive action, forgot what he was about to say. He was a little flustered by the woman who hugged him around the waist and seemed unwilling to let him go. She even shed tears. She held Seokjin, oblivious to the fact that her clothes were getting soaked.

"······You worked hard. You really worked hard."

"······."

"You did really well, you..."

The heroine's sudden tears, and even her compliments. Seokjin felt a lump in his throat as old memories flashed before his eyes. He, too, carefully hugged her, and she looked up at him.

"···Don't cry, it hurts."

"······Seokjin."

The female protagonist, who had been hesitating for a while, spoke.I hope this isn't the end for us. So, what this means is...

As the female lead whispered in a tearful, wet voice, and even while trembling, Seokjin, as if he knew without her saying anything, put strength into his arms and hugged her again.

"I like you, sis."

"······uh?"

I liked you first. We're not through.It was Seokjin who whispered this into the ear of the woman who was in his arms.

···

Epilogue

"I have one last question. Many people are expressing regret that this Olympics will be the last. Do you have any thoughts on this?"

"Yes, it's unfortunate, but... I don't think that will happen."

"···Okay. Then, finally, a word to those who have supported me."

I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has given me their unwavering support... and simply express my unconditional gratitude. Thanks to you, the people, I was able to achieve such great results. And...

"Thank you, Coach, whom I love so much."

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Kim Seok-jin, national swimming team member,,, 🏊 I like it