School for the next few weeks was a bore to you. The classes were as easy as ever and you and your friends had no time to hang out. You were elected as the new student body president, making you busier than normal. Soomi loved playing tennis, Yoohye was the best volleyball player, and Ah Ri was the head cheerleader, while you loved swimming, making your coach choose you as the team’s captain. You all went your separate ways when school ended.

You went to your school’s pool and changed into your racing suit, tied up your hair, and put your hair into the cap. You walk out into the pool area and you find your teammate stretching. Your coach, Coach Lee, hasn’t shown up yet, so you make small talk with the girls on your team.

They talk about their summer and they ask about your. It makes you hesitate for a second before forcing yourself to smile and tell them that you just spent your time at home. They nodded and smiled, telling you to hang out with them more.

You smile kindly at them, and nod. You were distanced, and they could tell. They all know about your breakup with Myungsoo, and they all knew about HyunA, Suzy, and Jiyeon. They just didn’t want to see you break.

Coach Lee came and you all got started.

“Let’s go girls! This season will be great!” She smiled at you all and you felt relieved to have something normal in your life again.

“Let’s start off with a 100 free!” With that, your swim season started off with the support from your teammates and coach.

After practice, you get out of the pool and shower. You get out of the shower and start to change and get ready to leave.

Your teammates chatter happily beside you and you smile at them. They sometimes tried to bring you into their conversations, and you would try to say some things in the conversation, but you were a lost cause, and they didn’t know where to find you.

Your teammate, Jinni, calls your name and you turn to look at her.

“Do you want to hang out with us tonight? I know you must have a lot of homework, but you should be able to relax too, right?” Jinni smiled at you. She was one of the kindest girls at school, and she and your teammates have always tried to get you to spend some time with them.

They were like your second family, aside from your three best friends, and you knew that they wanted you to be the bright, old you again.

“Sure.” You smiled kindly at her and she was ecstatic.

“Great! It’s been such a long time since you’ve hung out with us! We’re going to have so much fun!”

Your team hears that you’re going to hang out with them and they cheer. You smile and laugh along with them. It felt good to smile again.

“Let’s go here!” Jinni and a few others pulled you into a café that you all went to after you won a championship in swimming.

“Unnie! Do you remember this place? We went here after going to swim in Daegu and you won the entire meet!” The maknae of your team, Yoojin, dragged you down next to her and you smile and look at her affectionately.

“Yeah, that a great time, huh?”

“It was! I think that was my favorite time with you. You were so happy that day!” She smiled and you think about the happiness you felt during that time.

“I was.”

One of your teammates call your name and you look up at her.

“What kind of drink do you want?”

“Any kind. Thank you.” You smile.

Your team was chatting animatedly around you and you think about how much they cared for you. Although they weren’t your best friends, they were as close as they could be to you, and you cared for them as much as they cared for you.

You spent a great deal of your night with your team and they loved seeing you finally relax.

“Ah, it’s already 9! My mom is going to call me any second!” Yoojin looked flustered. None of you realized how much time had actually passed.

“Yoojin-ah, would you like me to give you a ride home? I don’t want your parents to worry.” You smile at her kindly and she looks up at you with a surprised look.

“Really, unnie? You can give me lift?” She looked astounded, and you were confused.

“Yes, I can. Why? Would you rather call your mom?” You looked genuinely confused.

“No, no, it’s just that…you never offered anyone rides in the past,” Yoojin mumbles.

“Well, I don’t know why I didn’t,” You shrug. “Let’s go. I texted my driver and he should be outside now.”

You stand up and thank the girls for a great night and they all smile and laugh.

“Hang out with us some more, alright?!” Jinni calls.

You nod at her words and walk out with Yoojin following you.

“Yoojin-ah,” You call out to her.

“Yes, unnie?” She looked at you curiously.

“What does everyone view me as?” You ask her quietly.

“Why are you asking that, unnie?” Yoojin looked at you with big eyes.

“Just because…” You shrug, but in reality, you felt like scum. Even though you haven’t done anything wrong, your heart and you mind told you that you wouldn’t live up to anything.

“Unnie, you…are such a wonderful person.” Yoojin said, showing you her eye smile. “Before you started to date that guy…you were the brightest person I knew. You showed everyone that rich people weren’t snobs, you volunteered at orphanages, you cleaned the pool, you took care of your classmates, your teammates, your elders, your teachers…it didn’t matter. You have the kindest heart, and no one could actually hate you. The people who do…they hate you because you are close to perfect.”

“Yoojin-ah…thank you.” You gave her the tightest hug, and your heart was starting to heal.

“No problem unnie. We just don’t want to see you sad anymore. You’re the captain of this team and the student body president. You need to hold your head up high and be strong.” Yoojin smiled.

Right then, your driver pulled up and you let go of Yoojin.

“Let’s get you home before your mom worries, hm?” You smile and open the door for her.

“Thank you, unnie.”

“No, thank you.”