The Swimming Emperor(11) - Finally Found
"Kang Moon-soo, you are being deceived by Park Han-hee. If you ignore my warning, you will regret it."
'Oh! How nice of them.'
Worrying about someone else's love life when they're neither family nor a friend?
Of course, the cowardly method of not revealing their identity was enough to cause misunderstandings and distrust.
"Huh! Deceived? Who would do such a thing...!"
Park Han-hee was furious after reading the short letter.
"Han-hee."
"Please listen! I've never deceived you, not even once!"
"Calm down."
"It must be the crime of someone jealous of me dating you! How much do they know about me to say that I'll regret it? It's really despicable and cowardly...!"
"Shh. I'll listen."
"......"
It's not just us living in the athletes' village apartment.
Realizing that her voice was too loud, Park Han-hee tightly closed her lips.
I looked around the front door where the letter had been placed.
'Are they watching?'
If they had slipped the letter right after Park Han-hee came to my place, they couldn't have gone far.
I decided to look for them.
"Let's start with the security office. The security camera must have caught who it is."
"Hey, Moon-soo. You don't believe this letter, do you?"
"I don't. If I did, I wouldn't show it to you and would have hidden it."
"Ah! That's right! You would have hidden it!"
Park Han-hee's expression relaxed a bit, and she took the lead.
"...This is ridiculous."
Approaching me with sympathy rather than jealousy?
It's really strange. In the biography of Nam Hae-soo published by their children, they were recorded as a happy couple...
"Regret dating me? Just try getting caught! I'll make sure you regret it!"
"Yeah. Let's teach them a lesson."
A harmonious future didn't seem likely.
* * *
"It's unbelievable! If they wanted to date me, they should have written a letter to me! How petty for a man...!"
"Indeed."
"I can never forgive them!"
Park Han-hee, who had expected the culprit to be a woman, was annoyed when she saw a man captured on the security camera.
A face hidden by a hat and mask.
It seemed like they could act without suspicion because everyone was required to wear a mask.
'It'll be difficult to catch them...'
Could the police catch them if we report it?
Although there was sufficient evidence of the crime, the charge of defamation was too weak to file a lawsuit.
"I'll definitely catch them!"
"Let's eat something delicious and cheer up. I'll treat you."
Park Han-hee was busy cursing her 'future husband' the next day as well.
I regretted showing her the letter and suggested eating out.
"Really?!"
"Of course. Why?"
"But Moon-soo... Oh, never mind! Let's go outside quickly!"
"......"
Is it such a happy thing that I'm buying her a meal?
The free nutritious meals provided at the athletes' village were precious, but today I decided to indulge a bit.
'It's not like I'm going to take it into reality.'
Who told the higher-ups that I mentioned emigration to the turtle? The government immediately offered me a contract and signing bonus.
They asked me to participate in the Olympics as a representative of South Korea.
Was it after I accepted?
The media started promoting me all at once.
"Let's run."
"Alright!"
We left the bus behind and ran to the downtown area with our healthy legs.
Despite running very slowly like taking a stroll, Park Han-hee's forehead was covered in sweat.
"Let's walk now that we're here."
We might collide with people in the crowded downtown area if we kept running.
She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and asked me.
"Aren't you tired?"
"Not at all."
The mask that hindered my breathing was a bit annoying, though.
"I should have gotten used to it by now, but Moon-soo's stamina is like a cheat no matter how many times I see it. It's really amazing."
"There's nothing amazing about it. It's just natural talent."
Talent is not something to brag about.
"Were your parents also strong and fast like you?"
"No. They were just ordinary."
Looking back, I think I was also very ordinary.
'It's strange, though.'
My body changed drastically after I discovered my aptitude?
It didn't make scientific sense.
Song Seon-young, whose mother was a swimmer, had been good at swimming since she was young. P's aptitude test didn't miss the genes she inherited from her mother.
It was the same for others.
In other words, P's aptitude test is not a tool to determine a person's destiny, but merely a means to teach.
Anyway,
"Han-hee, what do you want to eat?"
"How much can I spend?"
"...As long as it's delicious, the price doesn't matter."
It's because of living as a noble in the world of the romance fantasy novel <I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count>.
My taste buds have gotten used to fancy food, so I can't go back to cheap instant food and frozen food from convenience stores!
The aftereffects are quite severe.
"Do you like seafood?"
"I do, but I don't eat it unless it's freshly caught live fish from the sea because the texture isn't as good."
The voyage was boring and tough, but I still can't forget the fish dishes prepared by the sailors themselves.
Although I threw them all up due to seasickness before they even digested!
"Moon-soo, I didn't know you were a gourmet. You seemed to eat anything usually..."
"I don't pick and choose when it's free."
"I see!"
After pondering for a few seconds, Park Han-hee took my hand and pulled me.
"Have you decided?"
"Yeah. It's a restaurant that couples often go to. I don't really feel like going there since I've been there with my senior, but..."
"If you don't really feel like going there, why bother...?"
"It's cheap and delicious."
"Then let's go!"
"Let's go!"
There was no reason to refuse.
Heehee-
The restaurant was dimly lit with small light bulbs, decorated like a medieval tavern.
Following the quarantine guidelines, we wrote our names in the guestbook...
'Oh! There are really a lot of couples.'
There were quite a few two-person tables made up of young men and women.
"Guests. How many people are there?"
"Two people."
"Would this seat be okay?"
"Yes."
After being guided to our seats by the staff, I carefully watched the men entering the restaurant. Nam Hae-soo, disguised as another human, might also come in to watch us.
"Moon-soo, how about the Couple A set?"
"A set... Oh! They give you a free soda and french fries! Nice."
I'm not sure if we'll come back here again, but it seems like Park Han-hee introduced me to a nice restaurant.
Tap, tap.
The two main dishes placed in the middle of the table for us to share were ordinary.
However, there was a blue and a red straw in the free soda for us to share.
The free plate of herb-sprinkled french fries and ketchup was heart-shaped, too?
'So this is the couple set~'
I chuckled, took off my mask, and started eating.
"I'll enjoy it!"
"Eat as much as you want."
When I went to the high-end restaurant 'Barnaroo' with Song Seon-young, other guests glanced at us. Her appearance, which would become a model in the future, stood out wherever she went.
It was the same now.
"No way..."
"That couple..."
Not only the guests who visited the restaurant, but even the working staff showed a deep interest.
Their voices were too quiet to eavesdrop, but perhaps they were evaluating Park Han-hee's appearance?
She seemed to have noticed it too.
"Moon-soo, it feels like people are looking at us."
"It's not us, it's you."
I corrected her misconception.
"Well... I know I'm pretty, but I don't think I'm attractive enough to get this much attention."
"You seem to have gotten prettier recently."
"...You say such heart-fluttering things too casually. It could backfire, you know?"
"I didn't know that."
"It's really important. So, engrave it in your mind."
"Yes! Girlfriend!"
I responded cheerfully without ignoring her advice.
"Where did you learn such a witty attitude?"
"I have no idea~"
"Whatever~"
It's the wisdom of life I learned while dating Song Seon-young.
Tap.
At that moment, the staff put fresh fruit juice on our table.
"We didn't order fruit juice?"
"It's a service."
"Aha!"
Free is always right.
"Excuse me, are you Kang Moon-soo, the athlete? You look so much like the person in the news..."
"That's correct."
There's no such thing as free in this world!
"Oh! If it's not too rude, could we take a picture for our restaurant's promotion?"
"I don't mind, but..."
Would promoting a player who hasn't won an Olympic medal yet help?
As if to laugh at my doubts, chaos erupted around us.
"What?! Superboy is here?!"
"It's Kang Moon-soo, the athlete!"
"Should we ask to take a picture together?"
"Wow! It's really him!"
The customers and staff who had been eavesdropping on our conversation flocked around us.
Snap!
Some people quickly took pictures with their smartphone cameras.
'Well...'
I was quite used to the public's attention, having received a fair amount of it as the 'Baron Amolang’.
Having experienced the aristocratic society of the romance fantasy novel <I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count>, I handled the situation skillfully.
"Everyone! Please follow the quarantine guidelines! I'll get in trouble!"
"Molang!"
"Although we can't take off our masks, how about taking a group photo with the restaurant as the background?"
"Oh! Great idea!"
"I agree!"
"I agree!"
Under my lead, the group photo shoot proceeded quickly.
With Park Han-hee standing beside me like a couple on my right, and the restaurant owner with a satisfied smile on my left...
"I'll take the picture! One, two, three!"
Snap!
After that, we quickly ended the photo shoot using the quarantine guidelines as an excuse.
"Thank you!"
"No, I enjoyed it too. The free juice... Ahem! Take care!"
"Please come again!"
By simply putting our masks back on for the meal, no one could recognize us.
But to have such popularity?
I was honestly a little surprised.
"You were cool."
I couldn't tell because of the dim lighting in the restaurant and the mask, but Park Han-hee's face was flushed pink.
"What was?"
"You."
"It's the power of the media."
It's not that I'm great.
"Besides that, when we were surrounded by people in the restaurant, I was flustered and couldn't think of anything. But you didn't tremble, you smiled comfortably, and spoke well... It was like you were a celebrity."
"Well..."
I was once the Count of a great empire, you know.
"It was so cool."
"It's nothing. You experienced it today, right? If a similar situation happens next time, you'll become as skilled as me."
I didn't see any guests who were suspicious of being Nam Hae-soo.
"I don't think so..."
"Shall we start running?"
"I want to walk slowly and talk with you now."
Park Han-hee gently put a knuckle band on my hand and held it tightly.
I felt our relationship had taken a step forward.
"...Alright."
I pretended not to care about her hand with the knuckle band and let her do as she pleased.
Swaying~
Our held hands swayed back and forth like a swing.
"Hey... Moon-soo. Can I ask you one thing?"
"Go ahead."
"Why did you break up with your girlfriend? I've heard about it before, but I don't know the details..."
"That's a painful question."
"Sorry! I asked a pointless question! You don't have to answer!"
"I got dumped."
"What?! You? No way!"
I gave a bitter smile to my fake girlfriend who couldn't believe it.
"We naturally started dating while living alone on a deserted island. But as soon as we escaped the island, I was dumped right away."
"Right away?"
"Yeah."
"That's really too much! But you still like her?"
"It's only natural since a lot of great guys have gathered around her."
"I don't blame Song Seon-young for waking up from her dream."
"You're the same."
"What is?"
"When you escaped that deserted island, a lot of great women must have gathered around Moon-soo as well."
"That's a sharp observation... But I recently broke up with that great woman."
"Again?!"
"We were blocked by the border."
The wall between fiction and reality could not be overcome by love.
"Oh... Then even though you broke up, you must still keep in touch."
"No, I lost her contact information."
Valentine disappeared when Kim Eun-jung woke up from her dream.
"I see."
"I'm now in the process of healing from the breakup."
"I can help you heal..."
"I only accept freebies."
I didn't have a serious intention to date as a compensation for healing.
"Can I pay in installments?"
"I respectfully decline."
"Damn it!"
Maybe she felt sorry for only hearing my tragic love story one-sidedly?
Park Han-hee started to talk about her past.
"I was really popular in high school."
"I heard from the coach."
"No, she knows only a little. I didn't talk about my experiences outside of school because it was obvious that she would be envious."
"Aha."
She was a considerate younger sister.
"I met all sorts of men on the streets... Oh! There was a really ridiculous guy among them."
"......"
I wasn't interested in her love life, so I just listened silently.
"I met him at a college entrance exam academy, and he said if I didn't date him, I'd be unhappy a year later."
"...Huh?"
"Although I really did have a hard time a year later because of a strange senior, anyone could say that, right?"
"That's true."
There's no life without ups and downs.
Am I being sensitive?
"Do you know why I still remember him? He told me to quit sports and sing instead. He didn't know anything about me!"
"He's really a strange guy."
"Right?"
"He couldn't have known."
"What?"
"Your talent."
Nam Hae-soo's wife, Park Han-hee, was a model, but her aptitude was for being an 'opera singer'.
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