Taesan Fanfic | You met me in the prologue of youth - 06. Don't catch a cold

김여주

I’m not saying I won’t teach you everything! I can kind of swim now, you know .. ?

Yeoju deliberately pouted and lightly bumped Taesan’s shoulder, as if to hide her flushed face. But her hands had gone weak in the water, so it wasn’t threatening at all; if anything, it just bumped softly against Taesan’s solid chest.

The more Yeoju thrashed around in Taesan’s arms, the more he tightened his arm around her waist just a little.

한태산

Who was it that was flailing around because they still couldn’t even do the frog stroke properly? It’ll take at least a week just to fix something taught wrong.

김여주

……Who are you calling wrong! I did try my best, you know?

한태산

Admit what you can just admit it, Kim Yeoju.

Taesan’s low voice tickled her ear. His breath brushing her earlobe was so close that Yeoju could no longer even answer and just clamped her mouth shut. The two shadows overlapped and stretched long over the white ripples breaking on the pool surface.

For a moment, only the booming machine noise of the pool filter and the sound of water lapping filled the space between them.

김여주

' So unfair ㅡ '

He was a wall of a man who never even spared a glance for other people, and she couldn’t figure out why he made her heart pound like this only in front of her. Yeoju slowly lifted her gaze and looked up at Taesan’s face. What caught her eye was the gently curved corners of his mouth, contrasting with his cool eyes.

As if he’d felt her gaze, Taesan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

한태산

Why are you staring so hard?

김여주

… I’m looking because you’re ugly. Why?

한태산

Don’t talk nonsense. I’m serious.

At Taesan’s serious tone, Yeoju felt her heart sink again. She wanted to ask what he meant, but all she could do was swallow hard; no words came out.

Then the timer alarm in the corner of the pool blared loudly. As the kids hurried out of the pool area, Yeoju took the chance to slip out of Taesan’s arms too.

김여주

H-hey, the alarm’s going off! I guess training time’s over! I, I’m really gonna head out now!

Yeoju hurriedly tried to walk out of the water, but her foot slipped on the wet floor and she staggered.

김여주

Huh .. ?

Just as Yeoju’s body started to tip backward, Taesan’s large hand shot out like lightning and grabbed her wrist tightly.

한태산

Watch it.

Even while scolding her, Taesan kept hold of her hand and supported her all the way so Yeoju could safely get out of the water. Once she was out, she was soaked head to toe and shivering, her face flushed even redder than the pool water.

Taesan soon sprang out of the water after her. On his trademark solid, broad shoulders and the collarbones with droplets of water still falling from them, the red glow of the sky as the sun began to set settled beautifully.

Taesan took a towel out of his bag and, without hesitation, dropped it onto Yeoju’s head.

한태산

Don’t catch a cold, and at least wipe yourself off a little.

김여주

Ah .. thanks, Taesan ..

Yeoju rubbed her head hard with the towel and stole a glance at Taesan. Grumbling as always, he used his own towel to pat Yeoju’s wet shoulder and brush the water off.

The air at the outdoor pool had turned a little chilly as the sun dipped lower, but the air between the two of them was still hot and full of a strange, fluttery excitement.