“Kick your legs harder, Chaerin. Move your hands as well.”

            Chaerin stopped moving immediately and dropped her feet at the bottom of the pool. She wiped her wet face and turned around. She frowned and pouted.

            “What’s wrong?” Jiyong asked and walked closer to her hurriedly. Water splashed around his rush steps.

            “I’m not good at swimming. I feel like I wanted to drown.”

            Jiyong smiled meekly at her little whining. She had complaining numerous times and even threatening to drown herself whenever she was dragged into the pool. Swimming was never her best interest. “That’s why I wanted you to learn how to swim.”

            She sighed helplessly. “I’m sinking. Like a piece of rock. I don’t even know how to stay afloat.”

            “Chaerin, just imagine. What if you’re out of the sea, alone or at the swimming pool and you fall and you don’t know how to swim. What if that happens? How do you want to survive?”

            Chaerin rolled her eyes and bored her stare at him. “First of all, what the hell am I going out at the sea alone? And secondly, there’re you. You will save me, wouldn’t you? Why would I be afraid when there are you, protecting every second?”

            “I’m not going to be with you every second, Chaerin. There will be a time that I can’t be there for you. There will be a time that I couldn’t protect you.” Jiyong held her arms tightly and gaze upon her. His eyes were full with concern and there’s unexplainable fear hid behind them. “The outside world is too dangerous, Chaerin. I don’t want anything to happen that can hurt you.”           

            Her teen heart quivered and instantly, she buried herself in his warm embrace. “You’re going somewhere? Take me with you. I don’t want to be apart from you. Oppa, stop scaring me. I don’t want to be left alone.”

            Jiyong loosened the embrace and put her at the arm length. “I’m here. You don’t have to be afraid.” He flashed his famous boyish smile and Chaerin felt calm again. He ruffled her long wet hair and she returned the smile.

            Her heart was at peace. Nothing is going to happen to them. Nothing will harm his loving brother. Nothing will do them apart. Nothing….

“Chaerin!”

            Seungri yelled at the top of his lung for her name. As soon he discovered her floating up and down the river, he never had a second thought before plunging into the water. He swam hard along the current waves until he reached her. Chaerin was unconscious. Her body was dragged by the water and slowly, she submerged deep into the river.

            Seungri caught her hand and hauled her to the shore. Heavy and swift motion of the running water kept slowing him down. Heaving, he lifted her and laid her onto the sand. Panic rushed to him.

            He pressed an awkward pressure to her chest, wiping off water from her face and calling her name repeatedly. But she was laid still. Too still.  

What if she’s dead?

A sudden question popped up in his head. I’m too late to save her. I’ve killed her! Guilt, fear and all gory feeling crept into his heart. He was trembling. His heart pounded loudly. The world was silent.

No! No! I’m not going to let her die! Not in my watch!

            Unsure what to do to wake her up and unable to let the fact that she had died sinking in, he cupped and forced some air into her lungs. He struggled to press his palm harder on her chest.

            “Chaerin,” he whispered. “Chaerin, please, wake up. Please don’t die. Please…just please.”

            His desperate plea stopped when he saw a tiny movement of her eyes and he turned her body to the side. Chaerin coughed and vomiting the water. And when she was done, she laid on the ground again, gasping for some air.

            Seungri was just glad that she didn’t die. He was smiling widely and panting on her side. He then grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes. “Thank you, Chaerin,” he breathed heavily. “Thank you, for coming back. Thank you, for staying alive.”

“Tea,” Seungri said as he handed her a cup of warm lemon tea. He sat down beside her who was sitting on her bed, covered in the comfort of thick duvet.

            She took it slowly and smiled a little. She was tired and shock. The recent accident has taken its toll on her. She closed her eyes for just a second more, trying to shake off the painful memory. Her body still tremble in fear, and her mind still cloaked with disbelief.

            Seeing her timid reaction and lack of words, Seungri tried to ask the question th