After that incident, Hyejin and Young-soo practice together at the weekend in the pool for their competitions and they train under the same swimming coach. Through the swimming practice they get along with one another and became friends. After practicing for two hours Young-soo helps Hyejin to do her part-time work in the swimming pool to finish it off quickly, so that they can practice some more together without the coach.
Hyejin helped Young-soo by teaching him the techniques which she's known in butterfly strokes for his inter-school competition.
At the day of the competition before he goes to stand on his position he walks their by preparing his mind by recalling the advices of Hyejin in his mind. Because of her advises and her teaching techniques, he was able to go till the final round for the first time, and to his surprise he won the inter school championship title in men's 100 meters butterfly stroke in the swimming competition.
When he met her at the weekend in the swimming training, he wore his gold medal over her neck, "this is you victory not mine, because of you advises and teaching techniques I was able to achieve my first title, so I dedicate this medal to you."
She was overwhelmed with his success and also to see the happiness in his face, she kissed the medal and wore it back over his neck, "this is your first symbol of victory, cherish it like anything else in this world. Hereafter, take this medal with you to your future competitions; if you take a look at this before the few minutes of the competition it'll give you some positive vibes. Most importantly never forget the paths you've traveled to achieve your first victory."
He nodded his head.
"When are you planning to treat me for your first victory?" Hyejin asked.
"I'll treat you tonight; let's go out after our practice and your work."
She nodded her head.
When they went out for the dinner he took her out for the one of the nearest pizza parlors next to their swimming training center. While they were having their pizza Hyejin informed him that she's leaving to Busan in two days to participate in the under seventeen national team selection competition, and she was leaving tomorrow in the evening along with her few of her team mates.
Young-soo wished her all the best and do well in the competition, "hope I'll meet you after the competition with the good news."
"Thank you so much Young-soo for your positive words. This was my long term dream, if I get selected in the under seventeen national team, I'll treat you on whatever you ask me to buy for you. I'll do my best in the competition so pray for my victory," Hyejin said.
"Sure, I'll pray for your victory, do your best."
She replied him with a blink of her eyes.
After having the pizza he said that he would like to walk her till her house. She just gave him an acceptance smile. He took her handbag from her shoulder and hung it on his shoulder. While they were walking on the side walk of the street he slowly makes his first move by grabbing her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. She gave him a questioning look; he coyly rubbed at the back of his head with his free hand, "I just felt like I wanted to hold your hand, why am I not allowed to hold your hands?"
She lifted her brows at him.
"I'm sorry to take advantage with you," Young-soo said and released her hand from his hold.
She laughed at him by looking at his serious expression of his face, "look at your face, how scared you are looking now." she said and held his hand and intertwined her fingers with him, "you can hold my hands whenever you felt like you wanted to hold."
He sighed in relief, "you just scared me." He put her hand over his chest, "can you feel how fast my heart was fluttering?"
Her delightful expression of her face faded away and her eyes are widened. By hearing his heart beat her heart beat rose; she quickly took her hand from his chest, tucked a few strands of her hairs behind her ear, and gave him an awkward smile.
Young-soo apologized to her for making her feel uncomfortable, and then they continued to walk.
When they reached her house, she asked him to come in and have a glass of water before he leaves.
Young-soo rejected her offer, "no thanks I'm not feeling thirsty."
"No one is in the house my father is a patrolling officer, tonight he went to the night duty, and return back to the house only in the early in the morning at 7' O clock. Now come on in I'll show you some my trophies, and medals I've won since my childhood in swimming."
He couldn't resist her offer anymore so he went into her house; it was a small individual compact two bed room house with a mini front yard. The interior of the house was furnished with simple wooden furniture. He hasn't gone to such a simple and small house before, he has seen these types of houses only on television drama and a movie. "Your house looks so beautiful, Hyejin. I love your house, you are very lucky because you can feel the closeness between you and your parents."
She gave him a smile. She filled a glass of water from the water jug on the dining table, and gave it to him. He drank the entire water from the glass. He looked at her medals and trophies which were neatly organized at the showcase of the living room; there were almost hundreds of her trophies and medals were organized neatly in it. Young-soo's jaw dropped by looking at it, "you're really great Hyejin, I never expected that you would have achieved this much of medals and trophies at such a young age. You are really really great." He said and showed a thumps-up sign.
"You are making me feel shy, stop praising me in front of me," she grabbed his wrist, and took him to her room. It was a 10*10 square feet normal sized bed room, it contained; single cot bed, a study table with a chair, and an attached bathroom.
She pulled out the chair of the study table, and asked him to sit down on it. He did sit down on the chair, and looked around the room.
"How is my room, do you like it?" Hyejin asked.
He nodded his head, "I like it, and it looks as cute as you."
She sat down at the edge of her bed, "you are the first male friend I bring to my house."
"What you are trying to mean by that, Hyejin?" Young-soo asked.
"That means you are so special to me," she replied.
He got down from the chair, walked near to her, and stood in front of her. He leaned against her, letting few inches gaps between their faces, "why I'm so special to you?"
Her heart beat rose high as he leaned down near to her face. They stare at each other eyes without blinking their eyes, she felt her body temperate rose high all of a sudden as if she got a fever, "I don't know the meaning that, why and when you became special to me," she said and put her hands over his chest, pushed him away from her and she ran to the living room.
Young-soo smiled with triumph, and stalked her to the living room to tease her more as he saw her blushing at him.