episode_0113

Perhaps it was because I realized my heart had evolved into a massive furnace. The heat that started to engulf my entire body felt stronger than before.

Even though I was just wearing a swimsuit with a robe draped over me, the heat was rising rapidly.

I was nervous. I was so tense because I was about to show this to Siwoo.

“Calm down…”

I had been standing in front of the dressing room mirror for several minutes now, trying to control my breathing.

Siwoo was waiting outside, but I couldn’t bring myself to take a step out.

“Just calm down. You’re just showing it to him, right…?”

I remember not having any thoughts when I bought the swimsuit. I never expected my heart to race like this over a small gift from Siwoo.

I really am hopeless. No matter what grand plan I have, I crumble helplessly in front of Siwoo.

Am I really such a woman without a plan? How far had I strayed in my past life to be faced with a woman like this?

Instead of being swayed by Yoon Jiyu for almost half a year, if I had just met Chaewon in person and talked about playing together, I wouldn’t have had to die and be reborn.

“….”

I looked back at my reflection in the mirror.

The girl in the mirror stood there blushing, wearing a white bikini.

Her hands were neatly placed in front of her chest, and her knees were about to touch, as if representing her determination.

But she looked so beautiful, contrasting with her expression and actions, almost like an idol playing a shy girl.

“I should go out…”

Time was ticking away. I couldn’t keep Siwoo waiting any longer. He had been looking forward to swimming with me since before the exam.

I had to live up to his expectations. Especially since I received a gift.

“Am I… a bit more mature now?”

I slightly loosened the hair tie Siwoo had tied earlier, making me look a bit more mature.

Maybe that’s why I felt a little less guilty. I don’t understand why being a minor makes me worry so much.

“There are things you can only feel when you’re slow.”

I am an adult, and I know very well what awaits at the end of an adult’s love. That’s why I have to endure it. Being fast is not always a good thing.

It’s obvious that if I lose to my instincts, I will lose many memories that can only be experienced through a fresh romance.

So, I have to endure it. And I have to handle Siwoo carefully so he doesn’t go overboard.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

I’m going, Jung Siwoo. I’m going to share this sight that’s too precious to keep to myself with you too.

“Jung Siwoo!!”

Bang!

I confidently pushed open the dressing room door and stepped out, placing my hand on my waist, ready to show myself to Siwoo.

“Look!!”

But Siwoo, who should have been exclaiming in admiration, was nowhere in sight.

Where did he go?

“Ah…”

I heard a groan coming from somewhere, and when I turned my head, I saw the door closing slowly. And behind it was Siwoo.

His forehead was furrowed.

“Why is your forehead like that?”

“You shouldn’t… slam the door open like that…”

It was because I had opened the door so forcefully that his forehead ended up like that.

It was an action I took to try and ease my nervousness, but it resulted in Siwoo getting a bump on his forehead.

I approached him and gently touched his forehead with my hand, asking, “Are you okay?”

In a short moment, Siwoo’s gaze shifted. It started to move towards my chest, then quickly turned away to look at nothing.

“Are you okay?”

“It didn’t hit that hard. You’re not a gorilla.”

There was only one person who described us as gorillas, so it was a roundabout way of saying that she was weaker than her in terms of door-opening strength.

I chuckled and blew some air on his forehead.

“Does it hurt less now?”

Silent and only nodding his head, Siwoo. His gaze kept coming towards me and then moving away. It felt like he was being pulled towards me by a magnet and then forcibly pushed away.

Siwoo’s body seemed to have moved back a little from where it was earlier. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

“Come on, get up. Let’s go swimming!”

Taking my hand, Siwoo got up and his gaze once again moved close to my face.

And then moved away again.

Hmm. Was my destructive power too strong?

‘He can’t even look at me properly…’

But we couldn’t go swimming as planned outside, and Siwoo, who had been sulking because of that, seemed to be happy now.

Maybe it was because of the swimsuit I was wearing, but Siwoo had a happier expression compared to earlier.

There was a sense of tension underlying his happiness, mixed with a complex emotion.

What reaction should I show now? Why is my heart beating so fast? I know, but I shouldn’t know. I should say it, but I have to choose my words carefully.

So, I couldn’t say anything and just stood there like that.

Silently conveying the words “You are so beautiful that words cannot express it.”

If it were an ordinary girl, she would have pouted her lips here.

But I knew Siwoo too well.

I didn’t praise him. I didn’t tell him he was pretty.

I didn’t demand anything. I didn’t act flatteringly. I didn’t stare at him as if expecting something.

I just waited.

Until he was ready to express his feelings genuinely.

“Come here. Let’s splash some water. Or else we’ll catch a cold.”

I took Siwoo’s wrist and led him to the pool.

To prevent him from slipping on the slippery floor, I gently pulled him.

Sitting on the edge of the pool, I dipped my feet in the water.

“The water is just right, not too cold.”

“Yeah… that’s true.”

Then I splashed water with my feet. Splish splash. The water splashed on our faces and bodies.

Siwoo had quietly sat down next to me and started splashing water on himself. His gaze still wandered between me and a distant place.

I waited. I waited for him to calm down. And then, I jumped into the water first.

‘I need to help him relax.’

I hope he doesn’t make a mistake. I want to leave only good memories. It’s our first pension trip together, after all.

I said I would lead, but I’m three years older. I need to create an atmosphere where he can lead here.

So, take this.

The baptism by water.

“Oops.”

I grabbed the corners of my mouth and splashed water excitedly on Siwoo, who was sitting on the pool edge.

His curly hair, which was usually puffy, got wet and flattened in the water.

Seeming a bit annoyed, Siwoo bit his lip and pushed his hair back.

Now, his face, which looked a bit awkward because of his hair, was finally visible.

Yeah. This is Jung Siwoo.

If you comb his bangs, there’s a handsome man in the mirror. This is Jung Siwoo, and I can prove it.

“Let’s try this?”

Siwoo smiled mischievously and jumped into the water.

Splash!

A big wave of water covered me.

After shaking my head to fix my hair, I suddenly found Siwoo in front of my nose.

“Oops.”

Before I could react, I was splashed with water.

The water splashed from both sides hit my nose.

“Cough.”

I struggled and fell back. It was a shallow pool, so I could easily get up, but water went up my nose again.

“Ugh.”

Making a strange noise, I covered my face, and Siwoo came over in surprise.

“Hey, are you okay? Did I splash too much?”

Innocent, Jung Siwoo.

I repaid him exactly as I had received a while ago. The flying water storm hit Siwoo’s face refreshingly and passed by. The sound was so loud that anyone would think he had been slapped.

“Ah, puhuhu.”

This time, Siwoo took a step back and slipped on his butt.

His height was such that his head didn’t even get submerged. Well, I should make sure it does.

I raised the water with all my might using both hands. Siwoo, trying to get up again, had his face defenseless as he leaned on the ground with both hands.

Splash, splash.

Siwoo, who received a refreshing baptism of water, shouted loudly.

“Wait. Waiiiit.”

I chuckled and stopped my hands. Is he trying to declare surrender?

“Phew.”

Siwoo slowly got up and wiped the water off his face with his hands.

Then he looked at me intently and said this.

“I didn’t say it earlier, but… your swimsuit is pretty.”

A huge furnace in my heart spewed flames. With the heat spreading throughout my body, I stood still for a moment, unable to move.

“Is it… really?”

Looking at myself in the mirror, I repeated ‘you look really pretty today’ in my mind several times.

Was I preparing for a mental victory in case Siwoo didn’t compliment my swimsuit?

But now that I actually heard it, it felt completely different.

What? You don’t have to say it?

The furnace output had already exceeded the rated output, so where did that lie come from?

“You’re so pretty. So….”

*Splash.*

A water storm created by Siwoo’s large hand engulfed me.

“I want to tease you!!”

“Waaaah.”

Splish splash splish splash.

Siwoo’s relentless pump forcefully pushed water into my nose.

“Stop. Stop!”

“You say that and then try to splash water again? Don’t fool me.”

I momentarily struggled to breathe.

And a bad memory vaguely came to mind.

The falling bus. The cold Han River water crashing in. My dying body.

“Ah… Aaah……!!!”

In the face of the approaching terror, I stopped screaming and lunged forward.

Soon, Siwoo and I collided.

Splash. We both fell into the water at the same time, but….

In a strange position as if carrying a large adult on an airplane, Siwoo was submerged in the water.

With his eyes wide open under the water, he held onto my waist to prevent me from sinking.

The unpleasant memory cut through my throat like a well-sharpened knife.

Unable to bear the eerie feeling, I struggled to pull Siwoo out of the water.

“Hey, hey! Come out. Come out! Jung Siwoo!”