The Gimbap Project

Chapter 26 Sink or Swim?

"We're in the shallow end, see? You don't have to be afraid," Hyun Woo encouraged Hae-in, his voice as steady as his grip on her arms.

They were currently standing in the pool with the water barely lapping at their waists. Yet, Hae-in's knuckles were white as she clung to Hyun Woo's forearms, her heart racing uncomfortably in her chest as her eyes flitted nervously.

When Hyun Woo volunteered to teach her to swim, she had expected learning it to be difficult, but she hadn't anticipated it to be this difficult.

Already, a flood of memories surfaced in her mind.

The sensation of sinking.

Those murky, cerulean waters which seemed to swallow her whole.

The frigid water that seeped into her lungs, and left them burning for oxygen.

The icy tendrils that froze her veins.

And above all, the overwhelming panic as the darkness encroached on the edges of her vision.

Hae-in remembered it all. Vividly.

Now, that visceral fear gripped her just as it did that fateful day when Death claimed her brother. She may be standing in the pool with her head above the waters, but she felt oddly suffocated.  Her chest was tight, and she could feel herself edging toward panic. The only thing keeping her grounded was the warmth of Hyun Woo's hands as he watched her carefully, his gaze calm, determined and unwavering.

"Hae-in ah, you're doing great," Hyun Woo said softly. "We'll take this one step at a time."

Hae-in nodded, inhaling deeply, letting his presence soothe her frayed nerves.

Baek Hyun Woo was the best swimmer in Hanil, surely he knew what he was doing.

She could do this.

She was Hong Hae-in. When has Hong Hae-in ever backed down without a fight?

"Let's do this," she finally murmured, her voice a mix of resolve and trepidation.

"Alright," Hyun Woo puffed out his cheeks contemplatively. "We'll start with a simple back float. Don't worry, I'll be supporting you. All you need to do is lean back, relax, and let yourself float. Oh, and try to move your arms and legs gently, like a jellyfish."

"A jellyfish?" Hae-in raised an eyebrow at him.

"Like this," Hyun Woo demonstrated the idea to Hae-in. "Your head will always be above water. I just want to get you accustomed to how it feels to move in the water."

"I see," Hae-in nodded, her confidence only slightly bolstered by his gentle encouragement. "How do you want me?"

Hyun Woo's reassuring smile never faltered as he moved beside her. "Lean back slowly," he instructed, his hands ready to support her.

With her heart pounding, Hae-in took a shaky breath, before she willed herself to lean back, relying on nothing but her trust in her boyfriend to do as he instructed. She mirrored the movements he had shown her, letting her arms and legs sway gently with the water around her.

All was good...

...until it wasn't anymore.

The second her ears dipped beneath the surface, panic seized her veins. In a flash, her form collapsed, and she involuntarily jerked away from Hyun Woo. Without his arms beneath her, her head inevitably went under and before she knew it, she was flailing, arms reaching out desperately for anything to hold on to.

A second later, she felt a pair of strong, muscular arms wrap around her before she was pulled out of the water. The moment she surfaced, she sputtered, coughing as the sting of chlorine burned her eyes. Frantically, she clutched onto Hyun Woo like a lifeline, her lips pale as she trembled violently like a leaf in a storm.