Effect [✔️]

◃◃175▹▹

◃◃ New Memory #2 pt. 1 ▹▹

Lee Donghyuck

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"Let's go hyung~! Me and you, one on one~!"

"I'm ready when you are Hyuckie~"

Donghyuck and I are about to finally have our swimming race against each other in our indoor pool.

"What're the rules gonna be~?"

"Nothing special really~. The only rule is that we can't use our powers~. We have to use only our pure strength in this race~. Whoever swims from this end to the other and back here first wins~"

"I accept those terms~"

We stood at the edge of the pool, and prepared ourselves to dive in.

"Ready... Set..."

We braced ourselves for the queue.

"Go~!"

We both jumped in at the same time, and swam our way across the pool.

Though we took off at the same time, I took off with more power. Because of that, I was able to make it to the other end before he did, as well as flip to turn around first.

However, even though I turned around first, when I got halfway to the other side of the pool, Hyuck started catching up.

We both added more power to our strokes, and started swimming faster. But even though he caught up with me, I still made it to the other side first and I won the race.

"I won Hyuck~"

I cheered, as we emerged from the water.

But he didn't respond. He looked like he was trying to catch his breath, but there was something else off about his demeanor now.

His expression was blank, but also irritated and angered. To make matters worse, a fiery aura suddenly appeared around him.

But it wasn't just his fire. It felt completely different.

Could this be his Stand's doing??

"Hyuck? Are you alright?"

I quietly asked, but he still didn't respond.

I turned him around to face me, but he still didn't snap out of it. His gaze was still fixated on the water in the pool.

What really made me worry was when I heard him quietly mumble, "I'll kill you...".

At this point, I'll have to use force to get his attention.

"Donghyuck! Snap out of it!"

I'm sorry that I had to do it, but I slapped him hard enough for him to finally blink.

"Ow!"

He finally spoke up, holding his cheek.

"Hyuck! What happened just now?!"

"What do you mean??? And..., when did we get back to the start?"

"We just did. But I made it here first by a smidge. How do you not remember that??"

"I don't know... I must've blacked out or something, but I can't imagine why..."

He looked confused, but I think I have a feeling of what it might be.

The last time I witnessed this demeanor from him was a few years back, when I didn't have my powers. Back then, Donghyuck was very competitive, not just in fighting.

He and Jeno were the strongest on our team, and Donghyuck always believed that he was the strongest. Besides fighting, he was the most competitive in video games.

One day, we were all playing Injustice 2 together. We played matches against each other, kind of like a little tournament. Donghyuck and Jeno went up against each other in the final match.

Donghyuck was in his usual happy mood, until he fought against Jeno. Each round, it seemed as if he was only getting angrier and angrier. In the end, Jeno won the tournament, but that made Donghyuck snap.

He just suddenly burst into a blind rage and attacked Jeno. Though Jeno was easily able to overpower him, he still kept pursuing him. It wasn't until Taeyong interfered and knocked him unconscious that he finally stopped.

But when he finally woke up, he had no memory of the match or of when he attacked Jeno. He had blacked out because his competitiveness and rage took over, all for the reason of wanting to be the strongest and remain the strongest.

He couldn't stand the thought of someone being able to beat him in anything, and that caused him to spiral into a rage so easily on many occasions.

But that hasn't happened for years. If that's truly what's resurfacing after all this time, then it could be because of me this time.

I became the strongest out of everyone on our team, quite possibly the strongest in our universe as well. He might not be able to accept that fact. Or, maybe he's accepted it already, and he's having trouble believing it.

He might be thinking that he's less than he was before, because of how much stronger I've gotten. He could be trying to prove to us, and himself, that he's still strong, and stronger than he was before.

I'll know for sure with a little test.

If this happens again while we're competing against each other in any way, then I'll definitely know for sure.

I'll do whatever it takes to help him after that.

"...Congratulations on winning though hyung~"

Donghyuck softly smiled and hugged me.

Even though it burned a little, I still hugged him back. I'm glad to see that he's back to normal now, but I have to help him, and fast.

"Thank you Hyuck. I had fun swimming with you"