San was good. I knew that. I haven't seen him since he started swimming. I grew up with him and watched as the rack in his room filled one by one with each medal, sometimes gold, sometimes silver, and a few bronzes.
I even attended a few of his competitions in the past. I have seen him focused on his sport but seeing him like this, in this game, head focused on the competition is me seeing him in a new light.
He has won 2 races till now and every time he gets up, he rewards the crowd with a smirk that is so unlikely of him while he takes off his cap and puts his goggles on his head. He looks calm and composed from start to finish.
He saw me after his first round and waved at me with a smile. He notices the people sitting beside me and his smile diminishes to a slight frown before he has to go talk to his coach.
I think I heard a few girls behind me swoon at his smile.
I almost think he is cool.
Almost.
Royals High was the host of this inter-school competition. 6 other schools were participating here and the bleachers around the swimming pool were filled with groups of students in different school uniforms.
I couldn't see a single public school. All the schools participating were elite private schools but it was no doubt that Royals High stood out amongst all.
Kai, Bihyiy, Beomgyu, Me, and Soobin were sitting in this order in the front row. We had a clear view of the pool and the contestants.
Thankfully the first seats were far enough not to get splashed at.
Since I entered with Soobin, he insisted that we sit together. I didn't want to sit with him only because I knew how much attention it would drive towards me.
But I was kind of swayed by his confession outside the building.
I didn't know what he meant by that and I don't think he meant to slip it out of his lips either.
Even though I wanted to try to understand him and ask him more questions about why he said what he said exactly how much of the gossip he knew and what fraction of it was true
However, first of all, I understood that the less I knew, the better.
The more I get involved with them - whether the Royals are nice or not - it is not going to help me but rather put me under the scrutiny of others, and secondly, the more sympathetic side of me did not want him to feel uncomfortable.
Beomgyu was very excited when he saw me follow Soobin to their seat and instantly made space for me beside him. Bihyiy wanted me to sit beside her but Soobin directed me toward the corner so I sat beside him. It was a win for Beomgyu either way.
Kai just acknowledged my presence with a nod of his head and raised an eyebrow at Soobin.
Soobin and Kai had a full-on eye conversation in front of me and when I looked at Beomgyu for clarification, he just shrugged his shoulder but there was a glint in his eyes like he knew but wouldn't tell.
I focused on cheering for San and directed my attention to the competition ahead of me.
There was a big crowd cheering for him but that was just the beginning. The first qualification round ended and to no one's shock, San qualified.
I hooted and cheered him on he smiled in my direction and Bihyiy competed with me for the loudest cheer. I couldn't beat her but I was happy that he was getting so much support from his peers.
I was proud of him.
"You haven't even seen the star yet. If you're impressed by San, you're going to be baffled with Taehyun" Beomgyu says amidst his cheers.
Taehyun's name involuntarily has me scrunching my nose and looking speculatively at Gyu. He just laughs and pats my head.
"I know he does not give the greatest first impression but he is a good human. Just a little cautious of people and a whole lot protective of us" Soobin says from my other side.
"I didn't mean -" Soobin's face is close to mine, maybe because he wants to hear what I am saying clearly, and the crowd cheers are just increasing but I fall mute with him this close.
What about my personal bubble of space? And with our conversation before, I feel awkward being this close to him.
"It's okay. I have known him since we were children. He is younger than me but more mature than I can imagine. He is just a little weary of people. I guess we all are" Soobin says quietly, just loud enough for me to hear.
There is an announcement and Soobin's attention is back to the pool.
I slowly turn my head back to the game, half dazed and half focused.
Soobin says these lines with such casualness that I am not sure whether he is being serious or not. And I am not sure I welcome his openness.
When he is opening up to me, I should reciprocate and tell him about me but I don't think I can do that.
My thoughts of Soobin soon dissipate when I see Taehyun in action.
San was winning right but when Taehyun is in the water, it is like he is a fish, gliding through with such ease that it is no competition at all.
Taehyun won the 3 qualifying races by a landslide. "He is very good right?" Beomgyu elbows me and even though I might not think very highly of Taehyun, I do have to appreciate his talent.
"He really is. Wow. He is even better than San" Beomgyu and I look at each other and he raises an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Do not tell San that I said that. Or Taehyun for that matter. It just slipped out" I shake my head.
"It's okay. I won't tell. But don't you blabber this in front of San. He positively hates Taehyun" Beomgyu claps as Taehyun gets out of the water along with the entire crowd of Royals High. I see girls from even other schools cheering him on.
Taehyun is ultra cool in how he rubs the towel over his head and walks away with a single nod to the judges. This nonchalant way that he has always irks me.
I don't know why.
Maybe because I have never been nonchalant regarding anything in my life.
He is brilliant in his studies and I have to work really hard to keep up with him. Not to complain but he is my partner in Maths and Physics and his know-it-all attitude is not appreciated, no matter how intelligent he might be.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" I turn towards Beomgyu.
"Anything. As long as it is not weird but that is kind of on brand for you" he shrugs and I shove him hard enough to generate an 'oof' from him.
"Nevermind. I'll ask you later" I shake my head. I was about to ask him about San and Taehyun but I refrained.
The way San is weary of Taehyun tells me that it is a sensitive topic for San.
If it involved Taehyun and given how close he is to Beomgyu and Soobin, asking either of them would lead to a very biased answer.
I should wait for San to tell me.
I continue to watch the race and cheer along with the crowd.
In the midst, Soobin gets a call and he apologizes and walks away from the bleachers to a probably quieter place to take his call.
After the competition is over, 4 schools and 8 students qualify - out of which 3 are from Royals High. San and Taehyun are both in the qualifiers.
I am happy for him, and I clap as hard as I can. After everything is over, Beomgyu tells me why are going to the back to congratulate Taehyun and asks me to join but I decline. Instead, I text San that I'll be waiting for him outside and he can come out after he is ready.
I thought we could go back together. It would also give us some time to catch up.
I feel like even Woojin feels like we have been ignoring him. We definitely are not.
Maybe, if San is not too tired, we can hike up the hill with ice cream and call Woojin as well. It will be like old times. I quickly text San about my plan but he has yet to see any of my messages.
"Ooo, aren't you the girl who was sitting with Soobin? Wow, looks like he moved onto a new girl already" I hear a cackle and when I turn, I am met with two boys and one girl. All three are wearing the same uniform but it isn't Royals.
They look unfamiliar but something about the girl rings of familiarity.
"Shut up. Soobin will come crawling back to me. He's not going to waste his time on someone as pathetic looking as her" The girl bites out and I am taken aback a little by her rude words. Whatever the hell I ever did to her!
Then Realization dawned on me as I kept staring at her face. She was the girl who was with Soobin the night of the party.
My first instinct is to apologize to her but then I remember that she just insulted me right now and as per Soobin, she's not his girlfriend. So whatever crawled up her back, she can take care of it on her own.
I decide to ignore them and turn my back but one of the boys slides in front of me. "What? Students of Royals High are too good to be talking to us? Or is it only because you think you have Choi Soobin's attention?"
The boy is too close to my face and reeks of cigarettes. I involuntarily took a step back, only so that I didn't have to breathe the same nicotine-filled air he was breathing out.
He and the other two mistake it for me being scared. I was not scared. I was in the school premises and there were CCTV cameras and guards all around. These people wouldn't be so stupid as to pull a stunt here.
"I am done with this conversation. I don't know what you guys want but I am not interested in having a discussion with either of you right now" I turned again hoping I'll be able to walk away from them but no such luck.
"Where do you think you're going bitch?" I felt the girl pull my hair back painfully and I yelped. She pulled me back by force and trusted my hands at her trying to get my hair out of her grasp.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I heard him before I saw him.
He stood a couple of feet away from me. Black boots, school trousers, a white shirt, a maroon leather jacket and light pink hair.
I feel the girl behind me freeze and I can cry tears of joy.
I have never been so happy to see him.