“I’m exhausted. I’m hungry and I’m gonna die. Right here.” Seohyun fell to the ground like a wet towel and didn’t move a single muscle anymore as she finished her sentence.

It was early in the morning and they were right in the middle of the first training session. So far that contained a basic medical examination, followed with 20 laps around the whole area, countless push-ups, muscle training and a sand sprint. The girls just finished their turn of sprints and Seohyun was definitely not the only one collapsing.

“Seriously, this chief is insane. What is his job, training us or killing us?” Yuri sat down next to Seohyun who was lying flat on the ground. Yoona sat down next to them and took a sip of water from her bottle to calm down her breath.  She watched the two quietly from the side. Since they were roommates, they pretty much sticked together during training and the medical things. She hadn’t had that much interaction with the other trainees so far and that was okay since she wanted to focus on training in the first place. Yuri and Seohyun however… Although they couldn’t be more opposite, she couldn’t help but like the girls. Yuri seemed pretty okay after their encounter yesterday. She was outgoing and full of herself, but she was nice, once you got used to it. Seohyun however seemed to be the complete opposite. She was more reserved than Yuri, but always in a good mood. She seemed to have a sunshine inside, that let her look at everything lightly. Yoona never saw the girl dull or sad. At least not before she collapsed a minute ago.

“What’s up with you, Yoona?” Yuri caught her attention.

“Eh?”, she asked confused.

“Come on. I can see, you’re dying too, but still you haven’t lost a single word about how crappy this training is. Don’t tell me you’re enjoying this.”

“I don’t.” Yuri shot her a look. “I’m serious. I just … isn’t that, why we’re here in the first place?”

“You’re here because of the training?” Now Yuri seemed confused. “Girl, you’re the weirdest thing I ever met.”

Both of them jumped when the chief blew his whistle. “Training is over! Time for breakfast.” Seo shot up like she was newborn an yelled “FOOD!”. Before they could react she darted off to the dining room faster than she sprinted in the sand before. Yoona opened just when Yuri stopped her laughing.

“Don’t even ask.”

// ~ ~ ~ //

The dining room was crowded the second they arrived. It was a huge, bright room with white wood planks on the floor and pale blue walls. There was a buffet on one side, filled with all sorts of fruit, vegetables, packed sandwiches as well as grilled pork, fish, kimchi and things she couldn’t even name. For Yoona it was mindblowing. Her jaw dropped literally as she stopped to take a look at all the food. Soon the other trainees pushed themselves past her, annoyed. They didn’t seem to appreciate the buffet they got, they just digged into it like there was no tomorrow. It made her angry, but she knew these people thought differently about life.

She nearly fell over when someone with sunny blonde hair pushed her from behind. “Sorry, but food’s calling me.” The boy apologized to her and got hit by the one next to him in reward.

“Khun, stop thinking about food all the time!”  Yoona looked up and saw the boy from the bay yesterday. Taecyeon, was it? He smiled at her the second he caught her gaze, mouthing a bright “morning.” She gave him a quick polite bow and turned away pretending to be busy finding a plate. She just wasn’t comfortable with someone being too interested in her.

„That is Ok Taecyeon.“ Seohyun suddenly appeared and whispered into her ear.

„Excuse me?“

„The one you like.”

“What? I don’t even know him.” Well, somehow she did, but Seohyun didn’t need to know everything, did she?

“Don’t give me that. I see how you look at him.” They filled their plates and went to Yuri who was already sitting at one of the tables.

“That's ridiculous. Actually I was trying to avoid-“ Yoona stopped herself. “Wait, how do you know his name?” she asked instead of answering. Yuri answered for Seo, who already took a big bite from her sandwich.

“Her father is a state-agent. He has access to everything and everyone. So if you want to know anything, Seo is your girl.”

“Wait, you know the background of everyone here?” Yonna nearly choked at her sandwich. She just wanted to graduate without anyone knowing who she was or where she came from. Now it seemed, she didn’t even last a day.

“Not of everyone. Just the ones that are interesting. Like Taecyeon. He was the ace of his class, always number one in everything. The chiefs expect a lot from him. Rumors are that he got scholarships from leading schools all over korea and his parents wanted him to take over the family business. But he turned them all down and made his own plans when he came here. His father caused a scene in public so they probably aren’t on good terms at the moment.”

Yoona peeked at him over her sandwich. He sat a few tables away next to his blonde friend from the buffet and a boy with long, side-parted hair and a plate that was even fuller as Seohyungs. He took a bite at his sandwich and suddenly looked directly at her. Yoona winced and turned her head away.

“So you like the rebellious type.” Yuri laughed, catching her in action.

“Aish! I like nobody. Stop that already.” Yoona told them off. She didn’t look up to him again.

“Hyung, have you called your parents yet?” Khun asked with his mouth still full, causing Taecyeon to focus his gaze on him instead of the table a few meters away.

“No.” he answered plainly, his mood dropping in an instant. He avoided Nichkhuns look and got very interested in his plate instead.

“Taec, you haven’t spoken to them since our graduation day.”

“You don’t say.”
“Sooner or later you have to speak to them.”
“Well, it better be later then.”

“Seriously? I wish I had your problems instead of mine.”, Khun declared, pissed by the ty attitude of his hyung.

Chansung just came back from the buffet the second time, when he caught the two glaring at each other. “Whoa, Hyungs. What’s it with you and the dull ambience?“

“Neh, you’re right.” Nichkhun admitted, when he realized Chansung had a point. „In return, you have to give me your kimchi for making me feel sorry for you. Again.” He decided and sneakily transferred half of Taecyeon’s plate onto his own with his chopsticks.

“What the actual ?”, Taecyeon yelled trying to get his food back, as Nichkhun defended his plate with a grin. “Okay. But don’t blame it on me when you drown because you ate too much.”

“Hyung, there is no thing as eating too much!”, Chansung declared.

“Don’t you eat?” Seo asked Yuri. She didn’t have a plate, but laughed at Seo’s question.

“Do I look like I want to get trampled at the buffet? “ She made a sign with her hand, when one of the boys came directly from the buffet and brought her a plate full of food. She thanked him with a nod and indicated him to leave again. “For girls like me, food comes on its own.” Seo and Yoona burst into laughter.

“Wouldn’t your boyfriend be jealous if he knew?”, Seo asked.

“There is none. I broke up with him the minute I got accepted here.” Yuri explained, without any emotion on her face. Seohyun gulped and Yoona looked up.

“I’m sorry.”

“What for? This is the best part.” Both girls looked at each other frowning. Yuri sighed at the sight. “Come on girls. I can start fresh! You better do the same because you will never see more eye-candy than on this academy.” Yoona chocked at her words, and Seohyun began to blush childishly.

„Wow, how come you’re already tanned, Yoona?“ Yoona looked and noticed that Seohyun held her own arm next to hers to match their skin tones.

“I’m not. That’s my natural skin color.” She explained, only to gain a confused look from the younger one. She was slightly darker than the both of them. Her mother always made sure she took sunscreen with her when she was out in the water practicing, but since she practically lived in the sea, tanning was something she just couldn’t avoid. Other than her skin, her sea-marred hair was easy to hide in a bun.

“Well, my family and I live near the sea and since I am out a lot, my skin became like this.”

“Aish! You should use more sunscreen! Let me give some to you after breakfast.” Yuri offered.

“Yes, umma!” Yoona grinned.

“Yah, don’t make me feel like an old hag!”

// ~ ~ ~ //

When breakfast was over, the whole crew met at the bay. Yoona stood next to Yuri and Seo as they lined up. Her mind wandered off to the shore as she watched the waves roll back and forth. Although it was just a pool and not the real sea she had to admit, they did a decent job to get it pretty close to it. At each side where rocks and plants artificially layed out. Everything visible was made out of natural materials, no raw edges or clean edges like used in normal pools. Even the end of the training ground they stood on seemed to be carved in stone. There was sand at the shore which build a small beach, some parasols where lined up at the other side, although no one used them yet. She guessed this was the part of the poperty that would be filled with tourists and day-guests by the time, on-season started. Yuri quickly poked her from the side, as the chief came in their direction and started his announcement.

“The next training session is swimming. You will get from one end of the bay to the other one. We will write down the time you take so you see how much you improve during the summer. It is up to you which style you use. We will work on that later. Be careful at the waves however. If you end up stranded you’re disqualified.” Yoona’s eyes lit up and she curled her toes in excitement. She waited the whole morning to finally get into some water. The chief spoke up again. “First round: girls." A wave of high-pitched went through the crowd, as the boys victoriously took their leave to the parasols since they were not needed at the moment. "I need four volunteers for the first round.”

Yuri and Seohyun looked up in surprise when Yoona raised her hand immediately.

The chief searched her name on the list and called her and three other girls to the start platform. They got a pair of goggles, lined up and waited for the chief to give the sign. Yoona looked at Seohyun, who mouthed a ‘hwaiting’ and raised her fist. She smiled. Somehow those girls grew on her already. She originally planned to keep under the radar, but she couldn't deny the warm feeling that spread throughout her body whenever she saw them smiling in her direction. The first whistle snapped her back into reality though, the smile fading from her face and transforming into a determined one. She pulled the goggles on, went down to her starting pose, breathed calmly and tried to ignore the other trainees watching them, whistling and shouting, as she focused on the water in front of her instead.

The chief whistled and the four girls shot into the water like arrows. The boys had lined up on the bay in the meantime, Chansung laughing at something Khun had just said. Taecyeon watched the area mindlessly. They weren´t really interested until they heard a loud cheering. Taecyeon looked up and saw that one of the girls was far ahead of the others. And every time she dipped her arms into the water she gained more lead. Instead of being pushed back by the waves she seemed to gain more speed with every one that rolled in her direction.

She was into it.

Like she was a part of the sea. She didn't fight it like the other girls. It almost looked like she waited and reacted instead of fighting her own way through.

Since they encountered many times already, he knew immediately who she was. And right in front of his eyes he could see her patience and mildness turn into pure strength. What he didn´t realize though was the small smile, that tugged at the corner of his lips.

The chief whistled again when she hit the goal at the other side and finished the race ahead of the other girls. Taecyeon could litreallly see the surprise under the mans sunglasses as he stopped the time.

 “Yoona.” The chief called her name, when finally the third girl finished and even the last, disqualified one got to the finishing line. “Good time for a start. We will work on that.” She nodded, a small smile on her lips at the smallest of his praises, as she pulled of her goggles, got out of the water and back to the others when he called the next girls out. Taecyeon proceeded in watching her, an impressed smile forming on his lips.

“Aish, you better not let yourself get beaten by a girl, Taec.” Khun joked and poked him in the side.

Seohyun jumped with excitement when Yoona got to them. “Yoona, you’re fast!” Yuri admitted, while Seohyun gave her a bear hug. “That’s my girl!” Yoona felt embarrassed at the attention they gave her. Sure, they made her feel appreciated but she still wasn't used to the closeness yet.

And from the side, she could sense a certain someone watching her…

Splash Corner:

Aish, one week over already. So, time to start the fun part (at least for the chief xD) Please enjoy! (Just read about Sica leaving SNSD. Seriously, there are things I don't understand in this world...)

~KY