# Chapter 100
Goosebumps rose on my skin from the cold sensation of water touching it. With a loud splashing sound echoing around, my body sank below the water’s surface.
I wasn’t afraid of water. I had confidence in enjoying water activities enthusiastically if told to play in water. Of course, I needed a tube. I couldn’t swim alone without anything. No matter how much I’d learned to swim, I never improved—I was essentially a beer bottle.
I was already anxious trying to float in water, and suddenly falling in made me lose balance and thrash about in panic.
As I flailed my arms while making “glub glub” sounds, the others finally seemed to realize something was wrong. My ears were clogged, so I couldn’t hear clearly, but there was a vague noise of commotion.
“Ugh! *cough* *cough* *hack*!”
Someone placed both hands under my armpits and embraced me. Their firm hands lifted me up as I struggled and patted my back as if telling me to calm down.
Only then did I realize my face had risen above the water’s surface. Immediately, rough coughing erupted continuously as if my blocked breath had suddenly cleared. I must have swallowed quite a bit of water because my stomach felt queasy. I took a deep breath in and out to steady my breathing, and the supporting arms stroked my back as if to help.
I stayed still until my trembling body calmed down. As my consciousness gradually returned, I began to gauge my current state. I was pressed against whoever had rescued me without even room for a finger between us. Moreover, I had my head buried in their shoulder with my legs tightly wrapped around their waist.
It was just a brief moment, but I felt a soft sensation between our brushing cheeks. My mind, which had gone blank, cleared with the force pulling me closer, and soon my heart calmed down.
I could feel rock-hard muscles under my fingertips. My clothes were stuck to my body, and water kept flowing down from my soaking wet hair, making it difficult to open my eyes. It had been an instinctive struggle to survive, but I must have looked ridiculous.
“Are you okay, sunbae?!”
“Taeho, snap out of it! Lift your head up, okay?”
The voices that had been muffled now came through clearly. For a moment, embarrassment washed over me, but irritation overwhelmed it, making my insides boil.
The culprits who caused this, Kwak Junhee and Maeng Moa, had worry and guilt in their voices as they shouted toward me, as if they were the most surprised.
Slowly lifting my tightly shut eyelids, I saw Jung Hyoin’s bewildered face. Thinking he was the one holding me, I started to move my lips but firmly closed them when I saw his two free arms.
Soon after, Kwak Junhee and Maeng Moa, standing on either side of Jung Hyoin, turned their heads this way and that as if examining me. When my eyes met their shocked faces, my rising anger subsided. Just as I was about to say I was fine, I felt a large palm supporting my back and looked behind.
Byeon Seungha was staring intently at me with a frown and his mouth slightly open. His expression seemed displeased and cold, but it also faintly revealed the same surprise as the others.
After blinking a couple of times and straightening my turned head, my two hands resting on a hard chest came into view. I naturally tilted my head slightly and saw a sharp jawline. Following my gaze upward, I could identify who was strongly embracing my waist.
His hair, soaking wet just like mine, was plastered to his face, but as if refusing to allow any ugliness, it showed no sign of unsightliness at all.
Moon Seoheon rolled his eyes, examining my face. He must have been quite startled too, as his brown eyes, darker than usual, were trembling slightly. Water splashed every time his wet, long eyelashes fluttered.
“Haa… th-thank…”
The words I tried to convey in gratitude didn’t come out properly. Rather, my body trembled as the tension released, and my lips wouldn’t function properly.
Confirming my condition, Kwak Junhee grabbed my shoulder, saying I must have been really shocked. As my mind cleared, I looked around to see the guys standing in all directions with Moon Seoheon and me at the center.
“Let go.”
Moon Seoheon softly murmured to Kwak Junhee, who was holding my shoulder. Blinking, Kwak Junhee unconsciously removed his hand.
Turning his body, Moon Seoheon carried me forward through the water while still embracing me. Jung Hyoin naturally stepped back, creating a passage.
Approaching the edge of the pool, Moon Seoheon lifted me up to sit on the edge. Unlike the cold water, the floor warmed by sunlight made my buttocks warm.
I placed both hands behind me to support my swaying upper body and exhaled deeply, finally feeling somewhat better.
Similarly, Moon Seoheon placed his hands on the floor and lightly pulled himself up. He reached out his hand to me. When I just stared blankly at it, not having the strength to grab it despite his gesture to hold on, he clicked his tongue and lowered his upper body.
Then, extending his arm under my knees and supporting my back with his other hand, he lifted me up. It was what’s commonly called a “princess carry.” Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around Moon Seoheon’s neck, but then remembered being carried like this when I collapsed before, and became greatly flustered.
“Huh? Hey!”
When I shouted in surprise, Moon Seoheon gave me a look to be quiet.
“Seoheon. Let me do it.”
Kwak Junhee, who had followed us out of the water, said to Moon Seoheon. As I turned my head, I saw his indifferent face. What did he see that made him offer to take over? In the midst of my bewilderment, Moon Seoheon threw out a casual reply.
“It’s fine.”
Somehow the already quiet interior became even more silent. As even the sound of water sloshing disappeared, I unconsciously gulped.
Why did the atmosphere suddenly change like this? Weren’t you all getting along well until yesterday? Recalling how they had come together to the faculty office to help, I felt the urge to ask why they were fighting.
But before I could say anything, Moon Seoheon turned and headed for the entrance. Glancing back, I saw Kwak Junhee roughly pushing his hair back with drooping eyebrows. He looked somehow frustrated.
My wandering eyes met the gazes of The Four standing there. Maeng Moa and Jung Hyoin’s lips moved slightly as they buried their faces in their hands as if shaking off water. Byeon Seungha also vigorously shook the water from his hair before holding his forehead.
Moon Seoheon, who had entered a different space through the folding door, quietly said:
“I’ll bring your shoes separately.”
“Huh? What are you saying? Just put me down. I’ll put them on myself.”
As I twisted my body in a fluster, looking at the receding lockers, Moon Seoheon tightened his arms around me.
As if my words weren’t worth listening to, he ignored me and continued across the lobby we had entered through. The funny thing was that he had properly put on his slippers, which he had kicked out of his locker with his foot.
Resigned, I quietly remained in Moon Seoheon’s arms as we re-entered the room. When he tried to lay me on the bed, I was horrified and stopped him.
“I’m all wet right now! Just put me down on the floor.”
“We can ask for the sheets to be changed.”
“Are you kidding? I feel uncomfortable.”
I protested, but again, Moon Seoheon didn’t listen and knelt on the bed, attempting to lay me down. When I yelled loudly and clung to Moon Seoheon, he started to bend his waist but stopped.
“Then put me down on the sofa over there.”
Since struggling would not free me from Moon Seoheon with my strength, I eventually decided to back down. If he was willing to lay me down somewhere, I was asking him to do it on the spacious sofa rather than the bed.
Moon Seoheon, looking back and forth between the sofa and me, soon smiled silently. I was dumbfounded by his gentle smile. Is this bastard deliberately playing a joke?
Just as a small suspicion arose, Moon Seoheon obediently carried me to the sofa and laid me down. He even silently placed a cushion behind my head. His expression was so serious that my voice of protest went back down.
Instead, I frowned as I felt the abundant moisture from my body being absorbed into the sofa cover. I felt sorry for whoever would have to clean it.
“I’ll bring your shoes, so wait.”
Anyone listening would think I was seriously injured and had to be laid down. Although my energy was completely drained, I wasn’t so weak that I couldn’t support my body, but he was being extremely attentive. Swallowing a sigh, I nodded, and Moon Seoheon soon went outside.
* * *
In the late afternoon, I felt awkward during the gathering for a meal because of the strange feeling that persisted.
At the suggestion to go downstairs to eat, I, Moon Seoheon, and The Four all sat at the central table on the first floor. It was the same place we had sat when it had transformed into a restaurant.
Since it was now operating as a cafe, there wasn’t much suitable for a proper meal. At most, there were sandwiches, but having eaten bread for breakfast, I wasn’t in the mood for it.
Fortunately, Kwak Junhee ordered delivery after confirming that outside food was allowed.
Various types of food were arranged on the table as if hosting a small party. It seemed like he had ordered from the restaurant itself, as there was thinly sliced meat, rich cream pasta, fried food, and salad—a wide variety.
As I was about to eat the salad as a palate cleanser, Kwak Junhee lightly grabbed my shoulder.
“Taeho, eat this.”
Kwak Junhee handed me a container that hadn’t been opened yet. Opening the lid, I found a salad boasting colorful vegetables with small chickpeas and finely chopped vegetables.
As I smiled slightly at how delicious it looked, Moon Seoheon took the container and examined it. While I looked at him with puzzled eyes, he soon returned it as if confirming it was okay.
“Checking if it had carrots in it.”
“Ah, I see.”
After answering awkwardly, I took a bite of the salad, and a nutty yet refreshing taste filled my mouth. Next, as I picked up a piece of fried food, Byeon Seungha snatched it away and threw it back where it was, as if discarding it.
“Don’t eat this.”
As I blinked blankly, he handed me a fork with a piece of meat, saying I should eat the meat instead. The fried food from earlier didn’t even have carrots in it, so why was he telling me not to eat it? Moreover, I was confused by Byeon Seungha’s behavior. Was he just picking a fight?
As I was about to move my lips to ask why, Maeng Moa answered instead:
“That’s right. It’s better to be careful in case someone might have put drugs in it.”
It was obviously a joke. But I couldn’t smile back at Maeng Moa, who burst into laughter as if he couldn’t hold it in after making what was supposed to be a joke. The others didn’t laugh either and quietly continued their meal, making the atmosphere feel awkward.
