The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 11: Swimming Lesson 8/9

'Remember to wear your swimming shorts so we don't have to change when we get there* - Sunghoon read the message on his phone through tired eyes. It was over an hour before he usually would get up. The excitement he felt however propelled him to get out of bed quickly.  He turned on his bedroom light, which at this hour was more jarring than he was used to without the supplementary day light that would come through the gaps in the curtains.

 Blinking heavily to wake his eyes he got out of his pyjamas and went to find his new swimming gear. It was weird not to pull on boxer shorts, weirder still to then pull his school clothes on over it. Jaeyun reminded him to pack a tooth brush and toothpaste along with underwear wrapped in a towel. He put the assembled items into his rucksack, before grabbing a couple of cereal bars and a bottle of water from the kitchen.

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Jake opened the door of his apartment to find Sunghoon already waiting for him. "Morning" he said to his friend who returned his greeting. The pair walked outside into the predawn light, the moon was still shining brightly above them. "Nervous?" Jake asked his friend.

"I don't think so" Sunghoon replied.

"What is it with you and always thinking? You're so apprehensive" Jake quipped.

"I dunno,  I just lack confidence" Perhaps it was the time of morning but Sunghoon was caught himself by surprise with his candor. 'I need to be careful about what he just blurt out' he thought to himself. 

"Hey man, it's okay - I'm just teasing. You can talk to me about stuff like that you know?

"Like what?" Sunghoon asked.

"Oh you know, I've seen the way you've reacted to the stuff about Yun"

Sunghoon scratched his head, his nerves got the better of him, "not right now, but thanks man - I'll  probably take you up on that. Now though, you're going to teach me how to swim"

Upon reaching the school's sports centre Jake and Sunghoon had to sign in. The member of the centre's staff who they met at the reception informed them that they were the only people who would be using the pool. From there they were directed to the changing rooms. En-route they passed by the changing rooms for the gym and the weights rooms that were far more lively. 

Jake opened the door to the changing room leading Sunghoon in - they were both hit by the smell of the pool's chlorine. The room itself was built to accommodate around 30 people changing simultaneously so it felt empty and tranquil with just the two of them. "Did you remember to wear your shorts?" Jake asked Sunghoon who nodded, tapping his thigh to show where his trousers were abnormally bulbous.

Hanging up their blazers on coat hooks the pair proceeded to take off their outer clothes. Jake was more carefree and unbuttoned just about enough of his shirt before pulling it over his head. Sunghoon was more careful, unbuttoning his shirt completely so that he was able to slip his arms free before hanging it with his blazer. The two caught glances at one another, trying to avoid each other's eyes as they admired and judged the bodies on display. Neither could work out why they were looking at the other in such a way, both envy or attraction were plausible answers. 

"Ah, it's cold", Sunghoon said, yelping after he had dipped his big toe into the water. Jake was already treading water, he hand dived into the deep end to acclimatise to the water before swimming to the shallow end of the pool where he had instructed Sunghoon to meet him. 

"You've got to get in quickly, or your body won't be able to adjust." Jake tried ordering his friend but it was hard to muffle his laughs at Sunghoon's cowardliness.