CCS Ch 2
by soapa@Yuho_goldagain
Documenting the moments of national swim team athlete Hyun Yooho. This is a fan account 🙂
Semin sat bolt upright, phone in hand. He’d simply searched for “Hyun Yooho,” as he often did, but an SNS account filled with familiar photos popped up at the top of the results. Looking closer, most of the uploaded photos were ones Semin himself had taken.
“Oh…”
The account had quite a few followers. Each photo had numerous comments. It seemed like the account collected and posted every photo and news clipping of Hyun Yooho they could find.
@hills_agariii The photos are amazing!! I saw them on another site and wondered which talented person took them ㅠ_ㅠ I finally found you!
⤷ @Yuho_goldagain Oh, these aren’t my photos ^^; I reposted them because they’re so great.
However, perhaps due to the high proportion of Semin’s photos, many people seemed to be misunderstanding. After seeing similar comments appear a few times, a sentence was added to the main profile.
@Yuho_goldagain
Documenting the moments of national swim team athlete Hyun Yooho. This is a fan account 🙂
+) All photos are reposted. I do not take them myself ^^ The athlete’s privacy is my utmost priority.
When posting photos online, you have to consider the possibility of them spreading. As long as there were no malicious comments about the subject, Semin could usually ignore most online comments about his photos. But this situation was new and confusing. Semin held his head in his hands, pondering the added sentence.
I do not take them myself. The athlete’s privacy is my utmost priority… A giant question mark appeared above Semin’s head. Did taking photos during training mean he wasn’t respecting Hyun Yooho’s privacy?
“…….”
Is that it? His heart sank. Naturally, he’d never asked for Hyun Yooho’s permission before taking photos. He’d just assumed it was okay since reporters were always taking and publishing them.
Was it actually not okay? Reporters can take pictures because they’re reporters, but ordinary people like me can’t? He suddenly remembered the question Sungmin, his older sister, had asked him two weeks ago: Should I introduce you to Hyun Yooho?
“……Perhaps…”
Did she mean I should meet him and get his permission first? The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
Sungmin was generally polite and straightforward with everyone, but she was especially careful with Semin. For example, if he over-steeped tea, instead of saying, “The tea is bitter,” she would ask, “I’d like some milk tea next time. Would you like me to teach you how to make it?”
By watching her process, Semin would realize his mistake. Then, a few days later, while making tea on his own, he would suddenly understand. Ah, she meant the tea I made earlier was bad.
Semin’s gaze shifted to his wristwatch. It was a time of intense media coverage leading up to the Asian Games. As a strong medal contender, Hyun Yooho’s media exposure was high. There was even an open training session scheduled for today.
Should I skip today? Semin, staring at his perfectly packed bag, bit the skin around his fingernails.
‘But I want to see him train.’
Even if he couldn’t take pictures, wouldn’t it be okay just to watch? He’d be going as a regular spectator.
“…….”
Alright, I’ll ask Noona to introduce me to Hyun Yooho later. Then I’ll either get his permission properly or stop taking pictures. Until then, I’ll just watch. He steeled his resolve, reached for the doorknob, and hesitated.
…Should I just take it with me?
His deliberation was short-lived; time was ticking. In the end, Semin slung the camera bag over his shoulder and ran down the stairs.
“Dear, don’t run! You’ll get hurt!”
Mrs. Kim’s urgent voice came from behind. Semin replied, “Yes, ma’am,” but didn’t stop until he pressed the button for the elevator to the parking garage.
“Where are you rushing off to? You barely ate lunch… Are you off to take photos again?”
“Yes! … Uh, no. I’m not going to take photos.”
“No? Then why are you taking your camera?”
“…….”
As he stammered, the elevator arrived. Semin offered an awkward smile as a farewell and headed to the parking garage. He unplugged his i3, parked by the exit, got in, and let out a held-in sigh.
“I’m only going to watch today…”
He made the vow to no one in particular and stepped on the accelerator. The camera bag on the passenger seat rattled conspicuously.
Luckily, he found a parking spot close to the gym entrance. After quickly parking, Semin’s gaze lingered on the camera bag as he reached for the door handle. He hesitated, hand outstretched, but eventually got out of the car empty-handed. He felt he wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation if he brought it in.
“……?”
Semin stopped mid-stride. A large crowd had gathered at the gym entrance. The atmosphere seemed rather chaotic.
As he got closer, he saw colorful slogans and banners. Hyun Yooho’s photos and name were prominently displayed. It seemed like a group of fans had come to watch the training session.
“Why can’t we go in? Unless the team has completely booked the pool, regular citizens are allowed to enter, aren’t they?”
“As I explained, this gym has limited seating. There’s no space for everyone. There are already many reporters inside…”
“No, what right do you have to block the entrance? Does the team have the right to unilaterally close the doors? We all paid for admission!”
Semin instinctively cowered with each outburst of protest. He cautiously backed away, sensing the crowd’s lack of interest in him. From what he could gather, the fans couldn’t enter because the reporters were taking up most of the space.
He bit his lip in disappointment. While it was called an “open” training session, it only meant they didn’t restrict public access when using Olympic-sized pools or municipal pools. It was a way for athletes to train in various environments at a lower cost, but it naturally became difficult when an individual athlete’s popularity soared. Especially someone like Hyun Yooho. He could train abroad or move into the athlete’s village before the competition.
Will it be difficult to take photos from now on, too? He was already feeling a pang of regret as he stood there, trying to calm his disappointment, when someone approached him, saying, “Oh?”
“Um… excuse me. Aren’t you General Manager Kang’s younger brother?”
Startled, Semin turned to see a familiar man smiling brightly. He vaguely remembered the cheerful, clear voice.
‘Take Mr. Jeong’s car later and pick up Noona. Let’s have dinner together and go home.’
A week ago, he had gone to meet Sungmin without a second thought. She had opened the back door and gestured for him to come out. As he did, she asked cautiously,
‘Semin, would you come inside with me for a moment?’
‘Huh? Why?’
‘Just since you’re here…’
Just then, a loud voice called out from inside the building, “General Manager!” Semin turned to see a tall man running towards them with a bright smile.
‘Here are the documents you requested from the federation. They were prepared a little early, and I was going to give them to you since you were here, but I almost forgot.’
‘Ah, thank you. But please send them through the designated staff next time.’
The man greeted her cheerfully and returned as energetically as he had arrived. He’s full of energy. As Semin watched curiously, Sungmin sighed softly and shook her head.
‘Let’s go have dinner.’
‘Huh? We’re not going inside?’
‘No. It seems like it’s going to get noisy.’
Seeing how tired Sungmin looked, Semin didn’t ask any further questions and got into the car. Recalling the brief encounter, he instinctively bowed his head.
“You are. What brings you here? Did you come with the General Manager? I didn’t get any notice.”
Semin’s eyes darted around nervously. Come to think of it, what does this guy do? He mentioned something about the federation when Noona was there for work… Sungmin usually disliked talking about work at home, and Semin wasn’t particularly interested unless it was related to Hyun Yooho.
“I, um…”
‘By the way, who are you?’ That would be too rude. ‘What’s your name?’ Knowing his name wouldn’t solve anything. ‘Could you tell me what our relationship is?’ That would sound too strange. He started to sweat. The man watched Semin for a moment, then smiled apologetically.
“My name is Myunghoon Lee. I’m Hyun Yooho’s manager and weight trainer.”
Semin gaped involuntarily. He was deeply touched by the man’s quick wit, social skills, and consideration.
“Th-thank you.”
“What for?”
Now that he had the information he wanted, he remembered what the man had said earlier. Aren’t you the General Manager’s younger brother? Did the General Manager come with you? What brings you here? Semin blinked rapidly and stammered.
“Um, yes, I’m her brother… Noona, I mean, the General Manager didn’t come with me. I wanted to watch the training today, but I’m not going to take any pictures…”
“Huh…?”
The man looked puzzled at the series of vague statements. Semin finally closed his mouth and lowered his gaze. You sometimes sound a bit slow. A sarcastic remark he’d once heard suddenly came to mind.
“That is…”
“Oh, so… you came to see Yooho?”
The man asked again, lowering his head slightly. Semin bit his lower lip, feeling a stinging sensation in his nose. He seems like a really nice person…
“Y-yes. I’m… a fan.”
“Really? You’re Yooho’s fan? Since when?”
“I saw the broadcast of the last Asian Games… Back then…”
“Wow, is that so! Wow—I’m honored.”
The cheerful voice made Semin feel shy. As he gave an awkward smile, the man pointed towards the inside of the gym.
“Let’s go in. But it’ll be difficult to call Yooho out separately during training.”
“What? No! I just came to watch the training.”
Semin waved his hands in surprise. The man tilted his head questioningly, as if asking, “Really?”
“I-I mean it. I’ve come to watch a few times before.”
“Alone? Why not call someone from the team…”
“……Huh?”
“Tell me next time. I’ll come out and escort you.”
…Escort me? Why… His puzzled contemplation didn’t last long. As if reading Semin’s mind, the man offered a clear answer.
“We can’t just let the General Manager’s brother sit anywhere!”
Ah… Semin involuntarily let out a deflated sound, then forced a smile. He felt foolish for not realizing it sooner. It was only natural for Hyun Yooho’s staff to treat Kang Sungmin, the General Manager of I-Gang Dairy, with special consideration. Her family wouldn’t be an exception.
Should I tell Noona about the special treatment I received thanks to her influence? Is that why he was being so kind? Semin dismissed the thoughts and shook his head.
“No, it’s okay. I… I think I should go now.”
“Huh? Didn’t you come to watch the training?”
“W-well, yes, but… something urgent came up.”
He wasn’t used to lying. Afraid of saying anything unnecessary, Semin quickly turned to leave. Myunghoon opened his mouth, looking disappointed, but unable to find a suitable excuse to call Semin back, he gave up and looked away.
‘Catch the Flower Boy National Athlete’ Hyun Yooho… The Advertising World’s Rising Star Once Again
‘Swimming Prince’ Aims for Second Consecutive Asian Games Victory… Endorsement Deals Already Worth ‘Billions’
Struggling with Fans Attempting to Enter Training Grounds… The Cause: Actor-like Visuals
Hyun Yooho Overcomes Injury, Will He Become the ‘Emperor of Long Distance’?
“It’s chaos.”
Sungmin muttered, stretching after dropping her tablet PC. Semin pretended not to hear, focusing on the book in his hands. Unfazed, Sungmin opened the terrace door and grinned.
“It looks like Hyun Yooho is going to Jincheon earlier than planned.”
After confirming the wind wasn’t blowing inwards, she lit a cigarette. Semin kept his head down, still pretending not to hear.
“What’s our Semin going to do now? His only joy in life is chasing after Hyun Yooho.”
Sungmin slightly increased the intensity of her provocation, seeing through her brother’s obvious ploy. Semin finally pouted and looked back.
“When did I ever chase after him…”
“What’s our Semin going to do now? His only joy in life is taking pictures of Hyun Yooho.”
“Don’t tease me. I’m not going to take pictures anymore.”
Sungmin’s eyes widened in surprise, her cigarette still unlit.
“Why?”
“It’ll be difficult to take pictures from now on anyway…”
“Why would it be difficult?”
“I need to get permission, and that seems difficult now…”
“What permission?”
“I wish you wouldn’t smoke, Noona.”
Sungmin put the cigarette down on the windowsill. She strode back and sat next to Semin, who was lying on his stomach.
“Tell me everything from the beginning.”
Semin finally closed his book and recounted the events of the past few days. It took quite a while, with him hesitating and getting sidetracked, but Sungmin listened patiently. When his awkward explanation was over, she rested her chin on her hand and declared in a firm voice,
“First, let’s sue the owner of that SNS account for copyright infringement…”
“Noona.”
“I know, I’m kidding. But it’s okay for reporters to take pictures. The reason I told you to meet Hyun Yooho was…”
This time, Sungmin paused. Semin, lying on his side, looked up at his closest relative.
“…I hoped you two could become friends.”
“Me and Hyun Yooho?”
“I’ve known him for four years. He’s a serious and decent guy. He was getting this kind of attention even four years ago. Media spotlight, endorsement offers pouring in… It would be easy for a twenty-year-old to get carried away, but I’ve never seen him do anything frivolous. He only takes ads for his sponsors and rejects all TV appearances.”
“…….”
“And when he was injured… Twenty-two is a swimmer’s prime, but he lost half a year and still didn’t waver. I’ve seen him through all of that, and you’re particularly interested in Hyun Yooho… So, I thought it would be nice if you two became friends.”
Semin buried his face in his blanket without replying. He felt like his complicated feelings would be revealed if she saw his expression. Sungmin smiled wryly and stroked the back of his head.
“Don’t you like the idea, Semin? Don’t you want to be friends with Hyun Yooho?”
An Asian Games gold medalist. A dazzling sports star. And four years older.
“My feelings aren’t important…”
Why would someone like him want to be friends with me? Sungmin lightly smacked Semin’s shoulder at his mumbled reply.
“So, are you going to keep following Hyun Yooho around like a lost puppy?”
“I wasn’t following him… I’m not invading his privacy… I’m not taking pictures anymore…”
“He said you can.”
“But I’m not a reporter…”
“Should I set up a newspaper company for you? Get you a press pass?”
Semin, about to retort, burst out laughing. Sungmin lowered herself to meet his gaze and added,
“Or you could meet Hyun Yooho and ask him yourself if you can take pictures.”
“What if he says no?”
“What do you mean, what if he says no? You’ll be back where you started. You said you’re not taking pictures anymore anyway.”
That’s true… Semin finally lifted his head and turned to lie on his back.
“If there’s a chance to meet him later…”
“I told you, I’ll make that chance happen.”
“I’ll do it if it happens naturally…”
Which meant he wouldn’t. Sungmin finally sighed deeply and stood up, saying, “Fine.”
“But if you’re not taking pictures of Hyun Yooho anymore, what are you going to photograph?”
Sungmin asked, picking up the cigarette from the windowsill and putting it back in her mouth. Semin mumbled in a barely audible voice, I don’t know…
He barely attended school. The confined space, where he had to share air with dozens of others, was an unbearable environment for Semin. After he had a few stress-induced seizures, Sungmin took charge and initiated the withdrawal process. The day he came home dejected, his mother had embraced him with wrinkled hands and whispered repeatedly, It’s okay, my baby. It’s okay. As long as you’re alive, I don’t want anything else.
Semin was born prematurely, before reaching eight months, and clung to life, his underdeveloped and damaged organs patched up and repaired. His recovery was slower and his prognosis poorer than other babies born in the same week. He spent most of his time in the hospital until he was four. Every time he overcame a crisis, the encouragement he received was always the same. Just live. As long as you’re alive.
Even after he grew taller, all of Semin’s health indicators were below normal or barely within the normal range. While he could manage daily life, he tired easily, was frequently ill, and any inflammatory condition would land him in the hospital. His body, prone to collapsing at any moment, always led him to failure in everything he attempted.
Whenever Semin’s failures piled up, his family would always say the same thing. It’s okay. We just want you to be alive. Words he had simply perceived as love and affection during his childhood began to sound different as he grew older.
Just be alive. So don’t try too hard.
Just stay still.
Semin had never defied his family. Therefore, instead of rebelling or despairing, he contemplated. What do they want from me?
To be alive. To continue living each day in a warm, safe greenhouse. To avoid any conflict, any injury or illness, to simply push food, purchased with the wealth his elders had accumulated, into his useless body to keep his blood flowing.
Like a potted plant, like a caged animal, he believed that the only way to help his family was to quietly live each day without causing any trouble. He grew up silently, and before he knew it, he had turned twenty.
“What should I do…”
His meaningless mutterings lingered around his lips, then disappeared as if they had never existed. As always, it was a question he couldn’t answer.
“You have a 9 o’clock news interview at 4 today. Check the questions beforehand and be careful not to make any slips of the tongue. Well, Yooho always does a good job anyway.”
Yooho nodded and took the question sheet. It was filled with the same mundane questions he’d answered hundreds of times. He skimmed through it, handed it back to Myunghoon, and started his warm-up. As he finished and was about to leave, Myunghoon, who had been glancing at the gym entrance, suddenly lowered his voice.
“Hey, want to hear something interesting?”
Myunghoon’s “interesting” stories were usually not. Yooho simply raised an eyebrow, as if to say, Go ahead.
“The General Manager’s brother is your fan.”
“Who?”
“You know, General Manager Lee’s younger brother. The one who came to the federation office with her last time.”
“…….”
“He was loitering around the gym entrance that day when we stopped the fans from coming in. I was going to bring him in, but he said he had something to do and left. That’s when he said it. That he’s your fan and he’s been coming here often.”
Yooho’s eyebrows furrowed in thought. General Manager Kang’s younger brother. The pale guy who briefly came to the federation office. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere… I couldn’t take my eyes off him…
“…….”
He frequently came to the training grounds? Did we pass each other at some point? Yooho tilted his head, pulling down his goggles. He definitely didn’t feel like it was their first encounter.
“What’s his name?”
“Huh?”
“The General Manager’s brother. What’s his name?”
“Um…”
Myunghoon hummed and rolled his eyes. He didn’t just seem to have forgotten; it appeared he never knew in the first place.
“You met him, didn’t you? You don’t even know his name?”
“Now that you mention it, I don’t think I heard it…?”
“You’re so useless.”
“Hey, that’s not the point. An important person is your fan.”
“If he’s so important, why don’t you know his name? Whatever, tell me later.”
Yooho brushed Myunghoon off and approached the lane. With interviews scheduled, the stands were fairly full. He found the media attention bothersome, but it was only temporary, bound to fade after the major competitions. Yooho placed his foot on the starting block and looked down at the water.
Yooho, don’t mistake water for being lenient.
His grandmother’s husky voice always resurfaced just before he entered the water. Yooho learned to swim in the ocean off Jeju Island. His grandmother, a haenyeo (female diver), had first taught her young grandson why he should fear the water.
Water hates land creatures. All creatures that breathe have betrayed the water to gain their breath. That’s why it won’t let them return.
The ocean, as if to prove her words right, had tossed his small body back onto the land. As he lay sprawled on the coarse sand, pushed back by the waves, defiance surged within the boy. You’re going to push me out? What did I do wrong?
‘It’s not that you did anything wrong. It’s because it wanted to hold you close, but you escaped, so it’s resentful.’
The elderly woman had smiled gently at her crying grandson, her face tanned from the sun.
‘So, when you want to enter the water, you always have to be mindful. You have to ask, “How far will you tolerate me today?”’
The familiar memory eased the unnecessary tension that had settled throughout his body. Yooho took a relaxing breath and was about to push off when—
“Please maintain order. Your cooperation is appreciated.”
He instinctively turned his head at the staff’s voice, which he would normally have ignored. His gaze fell upon the dark stands. Among the dark mass of people, each diligently clicking their massive cameras, a particularly pale face flashed before his eyes.
“…….”
In the brief moment before he corrected his posture and dove into the water, within the slow-motion scene unfolding before him, Yooho remembered that face. It had been two years ago, in this exact spot.
‘Isn’t it a bit harsh for him to participate in the national team trials right after his comeback?’
The words weren’t directed at him, but they were clearly meant for him to hear. They pretended concern, but their twisted intentions were clear. Yooho, as always, pretended not to hear and headed towards his lane.
Korea wasn’t a swimming powerhouse. Even qualifying for the national team rarely translated into expectations for medals at international competitions. Every athlete knew their limits, yet they all wanted to win the competition in front of them.
The stands were half-filled with a few reporters and the families of participating athletes. The public cheered for stars because they wanted to vicariously experience their achievements. Naturally, no one cared about a national team trial where no prestigious medals were at stake.
As he approached the lane, he heard the click of shutters. The interest in Hyun Yooho, the rising star who had disappeared due to injury, was the driving force that brought those few reporters to the event. Yooho, looking down at the lane for a moment, turned his head.
Everyone in the direction Yooho looked likely thought he’d made eye contact with them. He saw a reporter he knew waving. But Yooho’s gaze lingered on the spot where he’d initially looked.
A seemingly young boy was huddled, clutching a large camera. He seemed to be crying, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. Why is he crying? Before he could wonder, the whistle signaling the start of the race blew.
The time it took to look up at the press box and turn back at the sound of the whistle must have been very short. That’s why he quickly forgot and hadn’t thought about it until now. There was no reason to.
‘It’s him.’
Yooho pushed off the tiles with both hands and dove into the water, repeating the thought in his mind. I saw him back then. His gaze, filled with certainty, went towards the press box. Their eyes met, but the other person simply sat still, showing no reaction. He didn’t seem to realize Yooho was looking at him.
The General Manager’s brother is your fan… he’s been coming to watch training sessions often.
‘Who took the photos? It seems he’s been to almost every competition and training session.’
Yooho narrowed his eyes, quickly scanning the man from head to toe. He was wearing a light gray knit sweater and jeans. His hands, resting neatly on his lap, held nothing.
“……Am I mistaken?”
Myunghoon, handing him a drink, responded with a “Huh?” to his unintentional mutter. Yooho tilted his head, staring intently at the press box.
I could be mistaken. I’m not even sure about my memory from the trials. Yooho took off his swim cap, ruffled his wet hair, and calmly organized his thoughts. 1. General Manager Kang’s brother is interested in me. 2. General Manager Kang’s younger brother might be the person who took the photos at the trials. If number 2 was true, he was intrigued, but if it was only number 1, he should avoid him. Getting personally involved with someone he had a professional relationship with, especially one with a clear power dynamic, wouldn’t be beneficial to his career as an athlete.
No, wait. Yooho shook his head slightly, taking a step back in his assumptions. Even if he did take photos at the trials, there’s no guarantee he’s the photographer. But he had a strange feeling. He didn’t think there was anyone else in that dark crowd, everyone holding large cameras, who would take those kinds of photos.
The eyes that looked at him with a gentle gaze, yet held a certain sharpness. As the fleeting image of the face overlaid his vague memory, his speculation tilted heavily towards certainty.
I think it’s him.
“Mr. Hyun, we’ll begin the interview now.”
The reporter’s clear voice cut through his scattered thoughts. Yooho put on the jersey printed with the I-Gang Dairy logo, offering a practiced smile.
The interview for the broadcast wasn’t long. Hyun Yooho finished the filming easily with a relaxed attitude, and as the broadcasting team packed up, the arena quickly quieted down. However, even after the surrounding reporters busily gathered their equipment and left, Semin remained seated.
“Ha…”
He let out a sigh. There were so many amazing moments. The lighting was perfect, too. If I’d kept taking pictures, I could have gotten some great shots… He glared at his camera bag under the seat and sighed again.
What are you going to photograph now?
That was a question to ponder when he had nothing he immediately wanted to capture. Right now, Semin wanted to photograph Hyun Yooho. There wouldn’t be many opportunities from now on, and since he’d brought his camera all the way here, he should have at least taken some pictures…
“……Damn it.”
Regretting it wouldn’t change the past. Semin ran a hand over his forehead and opened his camera bag. He thought he might feel a little better if he at least took pictures of the empty lanes.
“Excuse me.”
The stands were dark due to the cloudy weather and the lighting focused on the pool. That’s why he didn’t notice the shadow looming over him sooner. The reason he didn’t react to the low voice in time was because he wasn’t used to strangers addressing him. As a result, Semin only registered the presence of another person when a large hand touched his shoulder.
“Gasp…!”
Semin froze in shock, like someone being choked, and dropped the lens hood he was holding. At the same time, his bag tumbled to the floor with a loud thud. The cracking sound of something breaking further rattled Semin, who had already lost his composure. Oh, oh… Scrambling for his footing, he stumbled onto the seat below.
“Careful.”
That same large, firm hand steadied his back. The man, who had effortlessly guided Semin back to his seat with minimal movement, smelled of chlorine. Semin was speechless, faced with a series of incomprehensible events.
Hyun Yooho was standing right in front of him.
“……Oh.”
It took him a moment to recognize him. The man who had suddenly appeared so close felt even less real than when he saw him on TV, in print, or through a camera lens. In person, he was naturally more three-dimensional than on screen, he could hear his breathing, and above all—
‘He’s big…’
Semin had to crane his neck back considerably to see his face. His broad shoulders, impossible to conceal even under his plain tracksuit, seemed like a wall. Semin instinctively recoiled, and Hyun Yooho readily withdrew his hand.
“I seem to have startled you.”
Why is Hyun Yooho here? When did he come up here? Why is he talking to me? Countless questions arose, but none formed into coherent words, clogging Semin’s throat. He just blinked silently, and Yooho gestured towards the floor with his chin.
“Is that a camera?”
Camera. The word struck him like lightning. I shouldn’t take pictures without permission. Not before I get proper permission…
“……No!”
Yooho stopped bending down at his abrupt denial. He looked up, his gaze filled with undisguised puzzlement. Really?
“I thought I heard something break.”
“No! It’s… it’s probably not broken.”
“Isn’t that a lens?”
“Lenses break… easily.”
“You just said it’s not broken.”
“It’s broken. Even if it wasn’t already broken, it was going to break anyway.”
“So you’re admitting it’s a camera.”
“…….”
Semin belatedly came to his senses. As he replayed the brief conversation, his face flushed crimson. He wanted to dunk his head in the pool and die right then and there. I’m such an idiot….
“That is….”
While Semin stammered, Yooho picked up the fallen bag and gently placed it on a chair. Then, with a hum, he bent down slightly towards Semin. His eyes, now at a comfortable level, were calm as water, as always.
“Did you come here to take pictures of me?”
There was no hint of displeasure in his voice. Despite that, Semin couldn’t readily answer. He was afraid that somewhere, hidden beneath the tone and expression, lay words he mustn’t miss. He wished he could just turn and run.
“T-take… p-pictures….”
“Hmm?”
“If… if it’s okay… to take pictures…”
Fear and embarrassment made his face flush hotter. Semin hunched his shoulders, trying to hide his burning cheeks, and licked his dry lips.
“Can I… take pictures of you…?”
He finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, and the moment he did, his heart began to pound. I said it. I said it. All he could see in his downcast gaze were the tips of Yooho’s sneakers. His fingertips trembled slightly.
“…….”
Yooho didn’t answer. It was only a brief moment, but it felt like an eternity. If this went on any longer, his heart felt like it would burst. Was it a no after all? Just as a stinging sensation pricked his nose and he clenched his teeth, the shadow cast over Semin’s head shifted slightly.
“You haven’t taken any pictures of me before?”
Semin instinctively raised his head. Yooho had taken a single step closer. Before… have I…? He hesitated, unsure how to answer, when Yooho asked again.
“Are you saying you will from now on?”
“……Ah.”
“…….”
“Yes, uh, from now on… can I… take pictures of your training sessions and competitions…?”
“You can, if it’s a publicly announced schedule.”
Semin gasped at the readily given answer. It’s okay. It’s okay after all. The suffocating feeling in his stomach swept away. A sigh of relief bloomed into a bright smile. Semin beamed and bowed his head.
“Thank you…”
Yooho looked down at him with a puzzled expression. He still seemed perplexed. He opened and closed his mouth as if to ask something more, but then let out a short sigh.
“……Alright. Be careful on your way.”
“Yes, yes. You too, be careful going back inside.”
Semin mimicked Yooho’s farewell, quickly picking up his bag. Struggling to put it on, the bag looked even bigger than Semin’s torso. His slender frame swayed precariously as he turned and headed for the exit. What’s he carrying around in that thing… Yooho narrowed his eyes, watching the precarious figure for a long time.
After finishing his interview and changing, it wasn’t difficult to spot him in the thinning crowd. He figured he might as well ask rather than just making assumptions. Yooho went up to the stands without much thought, and the first thing he saw was the camera bag. Then, his gaze fell on the pale cheeks and slender neck, still bearing the traces of their previous encounter.
“…….”
He looked as if he’d burst into tears if Yooho questioned him further. With every question, the boy flinched like he’d been pricked with a needle, his face turning crimson. Yooho stood still, watching the exit where Semin had disappeared, and then shook his head.
Let it go. Even if he is the one, what am I going to do about it?
Yooho’s days were meticulously planned with a precise schedule, allowing him only three and a half hours of free time. A brief respite from the end of training, after dinner, until bedtime. Usually, even that time was spent on image training. He didn’t want to fill his precious time, which was barely enough for rest, with idle thoughts.
“It’s fine, it’s fine…”
Muttering to no one in particular, Yooho turned around, then stopped abruptly. Something was caught on the tip of his shoe. It was dark inside the gym, and the area under the seats was shadowed, making it hard to see. He bent down and ran his hand over the floor, finally finding a lens hood that had come off.
“…….”
Yooho hesitated for a moment, then put the round plastic piece back down. I can pretend I didn’t see it, right? It’s not a lens, just a lens hood. It can’t be that expensive. And even if it is, what’s it to a chaebol heir?
But when his fingers brushed against something else as he was about to pull back, he couldn’t help but stop. It was a thick plastic card. After picking it up and examining it for a moment, Yooho’s eyes widened slightly.
“It’s a memory card. The kind you use in bigger cameras.”
Myunghoon, who had answered casually, held out his hand.
“Did one of the reporters drop it? Give it here. I’ll leave it at the gym’s lost and found; they’ll find the owner.”
Yooho instinctively pulled back the hand holding the card. Myunghoon, who had been waiting for the item to be placed in his hand, belatedly looked up.
“Why?”
“I know whose it is.”
“Huh? Really? You know the reporter?”
Yooho gave a vague nod and put the card in his tracksuit pocket. Myunghoon, without further questioning, changed the subject.
“By the way, what were you talking about with the young master earlier?”
His grinning face was full of curiosity. Young master? Yooho chuckled at the absurd title and closed his locker without a word.
“I saw everything. I was just about to go say hello myself, but you beat me to it.”
“Beat you to what…”
“What did the young master say? Did he say he’s your fan? That you don’t have to worry about endorsements anymore?”
“We just exchanged greetings. Like you told me to.”
At the casual dismissal, Myunghoon let out an exaggerated exclamation of “Whoa!”
“Hyun Yooho, you’ve finally become a human being! I’ve told you so many times to suck up to the higher-ups, but you always ignored me.”
“Cut the crap and let’s go.”
“Oh, right, that’s right. Tonight’s dinner is samgyetang. They said it’s with black-bone chicken.”
As Myunghoon hummed a random melody to the words “black-bone chicken,” Yooho fiddled with the card in his pocket. If it’s a memory card, it means the photos he’s taken are inside…
“…….”
More importantly, how do you even view the contents of this thing? Before he could ponder the question, a beat-up Avante honked from afar. The coach yelled from the open window for them to hurry up, so he had to quicken his pace.
Semin fumbled with the front door, his mind blank on how he even made it home. He only felt a sense of relief when his eyes met with Mrs. Kim, the housekeeper, who came to greet him. The moment he took off his shoes, Semin reached out to her.
“Mrs. Kiiiim…”
Semin hugged the elderly woman, a head shorter than him, and buried his face in her familiar embrace. She accepted his affectionate embrace with a gentle “Oh dear,” then narrowed her eyes.
“Dear, let me feel your forehead for a moment.”
Her wrinkled hand touched his forehead. Semin blinked slowly. Feeling the slight fever against her palm, Mrs. Kim clicked her tongue softly.
“Did something upset you, dear?”
“No…”
“Let’s put your bag down and go lie down upstairs.”
Semin did as he was told, setting down his things and heading upstairs. As he reached his room and collapsed onto his bed, his legs wobbly, a wave of dizziness washed over him. Mrs. Kim, carefully adjusting his position on the bed, asked with a worried look.
“I’ll get you some fever reducers. Did you have dinner?”
“I did. Mrs. Kim, is Noona coming home late today…?”
“Sungmin will be late. Your parents said they’d be having dinner out as well.”
Semin nodded and held Mrs. Kim’s hand. He occasionally had sudden fevers. Thankfully, it seemed he could get away with it today without being discovered.
“When Noona comes home, please tell her I went to bed early.”
And don’t tell her I’m sick… At his mumbled addition, the elderly woman sighed silently.
“It’s a secret. Just between us… okay?”
“Alright, it’s a secret. By the way, you seemed fine when you left. Did something happen?”
“Something happen…”
What happened… Semin mumbled, then buried his face in Mrs. Kim’s hand. The elderly woman stroked Semin’s shoulder with her other hand, gently comforting him.
“I met someone I wanted to meet… I was surprised, but I was really happy… but then…”
“Yes, yes.”
“On my way home, I suddenly felt so stupid…”
“Why would you feel that way? Our Semin is so smart.”
“I almost tripped… I couldn’t answer properly… I stuttered so much, and I don’t even remember what I said…”
“You were probably surprised. That can happen.”
“What if he thinks I’m a weird person?”
Semin’s soft nose turned a delicate shade of pink. The elderly woman leaned down and hugged the boy, vividly remembering when he was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. Semin buried his face in her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her back.
“He wouldn’t think that. It’s alright, okay?”
“…….”
“Our Semin wanted to be friends with that person. Right?”
He wanted to say something polite, like he’d never dared to hope for such a thing, but his heart ached, and he could only nod. Mrs. Kim patted Semin’s back and whispered sympathetically. So that’s how it was.
“Next time, you can talk to him calmly. You can do better.”
Semin wasn’t confident he could. Even next time, he wouldn’t be meeting him as a different person. But he could endure it. Because Yooho said he could take pictures. They probably wouldn’t have a chance to talk again, but wouldn’t that be enough…?
“What did you have for dinner? Are you sure you ate?”
As his turbulent emotions gradually subsided, he noticed the deep concern in the hand rubbing his back. Semin sniffled and peeked up.
“I had misutgaru that Eunji Noona made…”
“When?”
“Around 4…”
“That’s not dinner. I’ll make you some rice porridge, so eat it and go to sleep. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Semin obediently agreed and sat up. Mrs. Kim checked his forehead once more, told him to wait, and left the room.
The room fell silent the moment she left. Semin’s dazed gaze drifted to the door, where a faint warmth lingered. He saw his camera bag, neatly placed by Mrs. Kim.
Come to think of it, I dropped my bag…
Semin stumbled to his feet and crouched in front of the bag. He unzipped it and took out each component, laying them out. He’d been worried because he remembered an unsettling cracking sound, but nothing seemed to be significantly broken or damaged on the outside. He turned it on and pressed the shutter, but there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with it. Semin breathed a sigh of relief and began putting the components back.
By the way, why did he talk to me?
Now that the immediate crisis was resolved and his rationality had returned, this question naturally arose. Semin, still crouched down, replayed each word Hyun Yooho had spoken.
Did you come here to take pictures of me? Are you saying you will from now on? You haven’t taken any pictures of me before?
“…….”
As he pieced together the words, all focused solely on the topic of “pictures,” the most logical suspicion crossed his mind.
‘Did Noona say something?’
Did she ask him to tell me directly that I could take his pictures, since her little brother wants to? Semin’s cheeks burned. The mere thought embarrassed him and made him feel sorry towards Hyun Yooho. He tried to dismiss it as impossible, but he couldn’t think of any other reason.
What if Noona really did that? As Semin fretted, his hand froze. The zipper of his bag’s front pocket was wide open.
“……Oh.”
Why is this open? Semin hurriedly pulled on the pocket, his eyes widening. The spare memory card that should have been inside was gone.
It was a long-standing habit of his to freeze when faced with a situation he couldn’t comprehend. Only after his shins started to ache from crouching did Semin finally manage to move his fingers, attempting to zip the pocket closed. No matter how many times he tried, the zipper wouldn’t fully close or open.
He instinctively covered his forehead with his hand and groaned. He could buy another memory card. The problem was the contents of the lost card. It was the card he’d used since he first started taking pictures, so it contained several photos he hadn’t deleted even after transferring the data.
‘What am I going to do…?’
He had backups of the photo files, but the card itself, with the dates recorded, held a different meaning. The first test shots, the first picture of the sky, the first picture of Hyun Yooho – they were all in there. Late at night, when the house was quiet, Semin would sometimes revisit those undeleted pictures through the viewfinder. It was his way of remembering the moment he first pressed the shutter.
Is there any way to find it? Where did I lose it? Desperately retracing his steps, Semin suddenly let out a short gasp. Oh.
“Excuse me, sir, could I possibly get your autograph?”
Yooho looked up at the request that came as soon as he stepped out of the gym. Among the children gathered with sparkling eyes, one respectfully held out a permanent marker. Judging by the identical bags they were carrying, they seemed to be student athletes. He silently took the marker and signed each bag printed with the name of their swimming club.
“Thank you. We waited three hours. We didn’t want to disturb your training.”
“Is that so?”
“Sir, I also swim the 1500m. I really want to set a record like you.”
“I see. Good luck.”
Even though his signature was just a carelessly scribbled name, the children couldn’t contain their excitement. They carefully slung the bags over their shoulders, worried about smudging the autographs, and hovered around, eager to say more. Through their heads, Yooho saw the sky, beginning to darken as the sun set.
I’m starving. Just as he was getting tired of the seemingly endless line for autographs, he heard a voice call out, “Yooho!” from a distance. His coach, who had parked the car, was waving at him. One of the kids, who had absentmindedly turned around at the sound, suddenly shrieked.
“Oh! Wow! It’s Joonwon!”
The child, who had correctly named his coach – a name even Yooho himself sometimes forgot – ran towards him in a single bound. The coach was momentarily surprised, then grinned from ear to ear. He’d been a star during his active years, but he wasn’t a well-known figure to kids these days. The child’s parents were probably fans. The other children, looking bewildered, ran after their friend, finally freeing Yooho. He stretched his stiff neck.
The coach seemed to be enjoying the attention he was receiving as a former star. Judging by the way he excitedly chatted with the children every time they spoke, it seemed unlikely he would be leaving anytime soon. I said I’m starving. Yooho tried to signal him with gestures, but it was no use.
Myunghoon had also left early today. After some deliberation, Yooho turned around. It seemed better to take a taxi than wait for his coach to come to his senses.
“…….”
Just then, faint headlights appeared at the entrance to the parking lot. Yooho instinctively narrowed his eyes and stopped. A small blue car was gliding smoothly into the lot.
That’s a strange-looking car. Yooho stared blankly at the direction the unique car was moving. He should have already arrived at the restaurant by now. His body, hazy from hunger, moved a little more instinctively than usual. As he stared intently, he soon made eye contact with the driver who had neatly parked and gotten out.
In front of the gym, where dusk was settling, the face bathed in the purple and orange hues of the sunset looked a little more vibrant than usual.
“Oh…”
As if recognizing Yooho, the surprised eyes widened, then blinked rapidly. The man looked around, at a loss for what to do, then swallowed hard and approached him. Yooho glanced up and down at the man as he got closer. He was wearing an oversized hoodie that looked like he was drowning in it, and a scarf with a strange pattern was wrapped around his neck.
“Um… Sir. Why are you here…?”
“Are you cold?”
“……Huh?”
The man, who had cautiously addressed him, stopped at the unexpected question. Only then, seeing the bewildered expression, did Yooho realize his mistake and rub his mouth. This is no good. My brain isn’t working.
“No, your neck…”
It’s… wrapped in something strange. People that age usually don’t wear such brightly colored floral scarves… He managed to swallow the rest of his sentence. However, it seemed his initial words had conveyed enough meaning, as the man, placing a hand on his neck, began to fluster.
“This, um, Mrs. Kim, I mean, anyway… she told me to keep my neck warm… so…”
“…….”
“……She’d be upset if I didn’t, so…”
Watching him earnestly make excuses made Yooho want to chuckle. He hid his smile behind his hand and tried his best to recall their previous encounter. Come to think of it, there’s something I need to address with him. But how should I bring it up? I picked up the memory card you dropped, and I’m curious about what’s inside…
“Ah…”
Well, like I said, my brain isn’t working right now. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, and he sensed the man flinch and stiffen. Glancing up, he saw the man’s face, drained of color, frozen in apparent fear.
…Did he think I was snapping at him? Why? Yooho erased the question marks floating above his head and calmly spoke.
“Well, first…”
“I’m sorry…”
Their words overlapped. Yooho closed his mouth and tilted his head, gesturing for the man to speak first. The man lowered his gaze, his eyes filled with fear.
“I didn’t come here for any other reason… I think I lost something here yesterday… I wasn’t following you or trying to bother you… at all.”
“…….”
“……And just now, I spoke to you without thinking, and I’m really sorry if I upset you…”
“Excuse me.”
When faced with multiple problems, the best approach is to tackle them one by one. In a brief moment, Yooho prioritized the issues in his mind. He was starving, his brain wasn’t functioning properly, he had the young master’s lost item, and he needed to explain it all to return it.
So, his next words were the best solution he could come up with at the moment.
“How about we grab dinner first?”
The fidgety man froze on the spot as if someone had pressed a pause button. Only his wide eyes flickered with confusion. His long eyelashes, dusted with the remnants of the sunset, began to tremble delicately. Yooho unconsciously clenched his hand inside his pocket.