Wonderwall

Well Played - part 2

I freeze. He asks, where is my boyfriend. The imaginary one. Boy, you have no idea that I've been picturing you there.

"Is he late?" he asks again.

There is no use to sugarcoat it. I can only think about him and unable to compose my answer firmly. I shake my head, "he is.."

Jin Woo takes off his coat and throws it at me. Surprised but my reflection is fast enough to catch it. "How could you get out of the house without a coat?"

"I forgot. And what's this about?"

I smell light cologne on it, mixed with the scent of cigarettes. He rolls his eyes sarcastically, "fold it please."

I can feel my mouth is opened but unable to punch back.

"Wear it. Until your boyfriend comes, at least. I was kidding."

He is here. You are.

Oh, come on, Yoon Jin Ah!!

He steps on a half-used cigarette and crushes it off. "I thought swimmers don't smoke," I say.

"Not when they about to join a competition. Especially relays. It would drag the team down. I was in a party," he defenses himself.

I shut my mouth and start wearing his coat on. It feels so right. So comfortable. This is our first time having a conversation alone and I don't want to ruin it by judging him.

I dare to start a positive topic by congratulating him. "Congratulations on your winning. The last region relays competition. Your team is solid, you did great!"

Relay is a swimming race competition involving four competitors swimming equal distances after one another at the same time. Jin Woo's team was doing an open water relay, where six members of his team were taking turns to be in the water after one complete a set length of time, from one side heading to the other side of the finish line. It's like a running relay race but in the water.

Being one of the strongest swimmers, he was set to be the last swimmer to secure the team's winning. Not once I ever skipped his race whenever I know he joins one. I bet he never notices me, I always take the last row corner at the spectator's tribune.

"Thanks. I didn't know that the synchro team was watching," a bit blushing I spot on his face.

"We did. We always did."

"You did great too. I mean, your team. Synchro swim is underrated, but I've watched you all practicing. You even had to practice gymnastics in the studio. A sweet winning for your team too."

I smile, not knowing that he even notices what my team was doing to prepare for a competition that is usually being held along with a regular swimming one. "You knew."

"Yeah, kinda," casually he puts his hands in the pocket of his jeans.

My heart flutters. Though I don't know between my team, for who was he watching. But right this moment, I just want to live it. He was watching and all for me.

There's a full one-minute silence before he shrugs, "when will he arrive? have you called him again? where you guys are suppose to meet? That you have to walk this far from Dan's house. What kind of boyfriend asking his girl to walk alone in this hour?"

Not knowing what to say, defensively I ask him back, "Why are you here anyway? Are you following me?"

His lips tighten together, not answering my question either. I ask him again, "did Jeong Hyeok ask you to?"

Then he sighs, "I thought he's dating your twin."

"Couldn't he care about my safety as well? Probably I'm his future sister-in-law."