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*******

As the sun peeked from behind the mountains, golden rays emanated into the windows of So Eun’s bedroom. Its brightness illuminated the all-white interior, highlighting the hints of pastel pink from the curtains. A cold draft seeped through the small opening of the glass, and as it tickled the skin of the girl, she let out a sneeze.

“Ah-chooo!”

She rubbed her nose before squinting her eyes towards the alarm clock. It was barely 6 a.m. However, she had to get ready early that day because it was the day of her skiing competition. Coach Kang and her Canadian training buddies had already arrived in Korea the day before but So Eun have not met them yet as she was busy with her own preparations. Well that – and because she had other issues to think about.

~Two days ago~

Her Korean team mates had gathered for a final training and recovery session. They each had the chance to complete one ski run down the slopes on Gwangju mountain, where the ski championships would be held. The competition course itself was closed to ensure fairness to all competitors but the team had the opportunity to train at another one of the slopes, which had a similar height and difficulty as the one to be used for the competition. Coach Han wasted no time in delivering his pep talk before he commenced the session.

So Eun dismissed the glares she felt from Woo Ri during the talk and concentrated on Coach’s advice. Coach Han paired the athletes up to do a mock ski race, and each pair had to compete with each other’s timing to emerge as the winner. There was no reward, but everyone knew it was good practice for their competition race and wanted to gain Coach’s approval. As if on purpose, So Eun was paired up with her rival Woo Ri. Although her heart sank when she found out about the arrangement, she was professional enough to cast aside her personal feelings and compete with Woo Ri fairly.

Apart from her unpleasant personality, Woo Ri was an exceptional athlete. Her physique was already attractive, with her slender legs and toned arms, but it was her skills that set her apart from the rest. She joined the team a few years after So Eun did, and they started out as friends. Anyone could tell that Woo Ri had the ability to become a promising skier. Unfortunately, as she became more and more driven to become the best, her personality turned rotten. She was spiteful in both in her words and actions, especially towards So Eun. Woo Ri spat foul words whenever other team mates talked about her and how much they admired her.

“See you outside, So Eun. Don’t forget to bring out your lucky skis. You’ll need them,” Woo Ri challenged her with a smirk.

Somehow, the cold smirk made her hairs stand, but So Eun just nodded. She always used her favourite skis during competitions and she believed they brought her luck. Statistically, she had won two gold and two silver medals at various competitions using her lucky skis. The one time she did not use those skis was when she had that terrible fall which broke her arm. Another reason why those skis were special was because they were a gift from her parents, and Ha Neul had also secretly helped them to customize the skis with her favourite colours and her initials engraved on them. Thus today, she had faith in her skis as she always does.

The team gathered at the top of the slope. All of them have clocked in their timings and the last pair was So Eun and Woo Ri. The latter volunteered to go first, so after the blow of the whistle, down she went. Cheers could be heard from the team as they watched her make skilful turns around the obstacles and the moment she passed the finish line, they all broke into a thunderous applause. It almost sounded like she had won the race. A smile stretched on So Eun’s lips.

“Great run, Woo Ri,” she muttered under her breath. “But I’ll do my best!”

As she positioned herself at the start line, she felt her heart palpitating rapidly. With adrenaline rushing through her veins, she waited for Coach Han to blow the whistle. Amidst her excitement, there was an unexplainable uneasiness creeping inside her – like the feeling that something would go wrong. Nonetheless, she tried her best to mask those thoughts with positivity.

“Peeeeeepppp!” the whistle screeched.

So Eun immediately pushed herself off the top of the slope, perfectly making the turns around the obstacles. Loud cheers from the team accompanied her every movement. However, as she reached the halfway point, So Eun felt her skis swerve strangely. She was in the perfect posture and speed, so what was causing her to lose control? Using her ski poles she tried her best to redirect her skis but instead of getting back on track, she heard a loud crack. Her eyes widened as she watched the tip of her left ski chip off. It may seem like a minor incident but having the tip of the ski broken made it difficult to maintain her direction. Driving her ski poles deeper, she tried to reduce her speed for better control. She only managed to cross the finish line with much clumsiness before falling head first into the pile of snow.

Coach Han and the other team mates were surprised to see a less-than-stellar performance from So Eun and rushed over to check on her. As she watched the scene unfold, Woo Ri scoffed. She tried to wipe a grin off her face.

“Are you alright, So Eun?” Coach Han asked, concerned. “What happened?” he continued when she did not answer.

He pulled her up and patted some snow off her jacket.

“I think I’m okay. Um…..I don’t know how this happened but I think one of my skis just broke,” her voice quivered.

As she removed the pastel pink skis with black and white diagonal stripes, her eyes brimmed with tears. Coach Han came closer to inspect the skis.

“Hmm, maybe you’re just unlucky…but this doesn’t seem to have happened by accident. I know the quality of these skis; they don’t just conveniently chip off like that. Did you check them before you put them on?”

“Of course, I always do. They seemed fine and sturdy before, so I never thought this would happen. They’re my lucky skis, and competition’s just two days away,” she groaned.

Coach Han patted her shoulder. “On the bright side, I’m just glad you’re not hurt. Come on, cheer up! Your skills are what makes you, not your skis. You can do this!”

So Eun gave a long sigh. “You’re right, Coach. I can do this!”

*******

~back to present day~

“Sunny is that you?!!” exclaimed Emma and Olivia from afar when they spotted So Eun at the athletes’ dormitory.

The auburn-haired girl turned her head towards the familiar voices. A wide grin naturally formed on her face.

“Oh my gosh, you girls are here!” So Eun cried as she ran towards the two girls and pulled them into a group hug.

“Awww, so sweet. Can we join in?” came a manly voice.

So Eun looked up to see Liam, Nathan and some of the other guys approach them. They jokingly spread their arms wide to hug the girls but instead they earned a light smack from each of the girls. The whole group erupted into laughter. Their camaraderie attracted the attention of So Eun’s Korean team and some of them came over to greet the Canadian skiers. At the back, Coach Kang and Coach Han were having their own catch-up. They probably had not seen each other since Coach Kang left for Canada. On the far corner, Woo Ri was doing her own warm up, not even slightly bothered to meet the other skiers.

The preliminaries will be starting in an hour, but Woo Ri and some of the other team mates were scheduled for the first run for the slalom (zigzag) category. So Eun was the only one from her Korean team who was scheduled for the third run for that category, along with Emma, so she still had some time to prepare herself. The others were scheduled for the moguls and speed skiing category which will commence during the later part of the day. A total of seven countries are taking part in the competition which will take place over three days.

For the slaloms, there are a total of four preliminary groups, each having eight athletes. The fastest four from each group will make their way to the quarter-finals and compete again to vie for the top 12 spots in the semi-finals tomorrow. After their ski runs, So Eun, Emma and Woo Ri, made it through the preliminaries and quarter-finals, confirming their top 12 positions in the semi-finals the next day. Of the three, Woo Ri clocked the fastest timing in the quarter finals so far and was well in second position, while So Eun was in fourth and Emma in eighth. The first position was being held by a Swiss skier but So Eun was very determined to better her record in the semi-finals in order to make it to the final round and aim for a podium finish, preferably the gold medal spot.

Once all the sessions wrapped up for the day, the athletes headed for their dormitories to get some rest and therapy. Tomorrow was going to be another long competition day.

*******
 

Soo Hyuk slipped his club master sunglasses on to protect his eyes from the glaring sun.

Ah, the smell of my home country is indeed different.

Savouring the scent of the pine trees, he straightened the collar of his grey trench coat and quickened his pace to hail a taxi. His first stop after touchdown was of course, his pioneer restaurant in the heartland of Seoul. Since his apartment was located within the vicinity of the restaurant, he decided to drop by and catch his team off guard.

When he stepped into the traditionally-decorated restaurant, Soo Hyuk was pleased to find that it was packed with patrons of all ages. It was a Saturday morning and the kitchen crew were taking orders non-stop. He quietly stood at a corner to observe them and began scribbling some notes in his sleek black notebook. During that time, one of the waitresses noticed him and began to gush at his charming presence.

“Omoooo, Boss! I mean, Chef! When did you get here?” the waitress raised her voice a pitch higher, batting her eyelash extensions and subtly brushed her hair behind her ears.

Soo Hyuk sniggered at her actions and shook his head. He noticed her gold name tag flash under the fluorescent lighting.

He raised an eyebrow. “So Mi-sshi, I don’t think flirting is part of the customer service here. Please behave more appropriately,” his voice was firm.

The waitress’ cheeks turned red in embarrassment and she immediately bowed apologetically, attempting to hide her face. Soo Hyuk brushed past her and went straight into the kitchen. As soon as he entered, the bitter smell of burnt garlic and ginger infiltrated his nostrils. The raucous chatter and deafening shouts made his head hurt. Annoyed at the chaos, Soo Hyuk slammed his notebook against the metal table top. The whole crew stopped in their tracks when they finally realised he was there.

“Chef!” the Manager called.

The crew who were running around in a disorganized manner were now swiftly arranging themselves in a single file, as if ready for an inspection. No one dared to look at Soo Hyuk in the eye when he was furious.

“Manager So, will you please explain to me what is going on?” he chided.

“Chef Lee, we are a little short-handed today so that’s why we’re all busy doing multiple jobs,” the manager tried to reason himself to save the crew from being reprimanded.

“I see. So you’re too busy to notice the garlic burning and that boiling pot of soup there already bubbling over,” he pointed out.

One of the chefs turned towards the direction of his pointing finger and let out a small gasp before rushing over to turn the heat off. Manager So remained silent. His shoulders hung low.

Soo Hyuk released a deep sigh. “The rest of you, get back to work. I need to have a chat with Manager So.”

“Yes Chef!” the crew chorused.

Soo Hyuk marched towards the exit and the intimidated manager scurried behind him. He suddenly remembered his psychologist teaching him deep breathing techniques and started to emulate the steps. The psychologist had warned him about the dangers of not controlling his anger; he could end up in another blackout. As he calmed himself, thoughts of So Eun’s contagious smiling expression streamed into his mind. I can’t wait to see her.

The fatigue from the long flight was finally setting in. Soo Hyuk gave the manager succinct advice on how to delegate the jobs more effectively. Assigning leaders at every ‘station’ will help to reduce workload because the leaders can check on their teams and report back to the manager. Communication in the kitchen is also a key element for a successful service because orders are being called out all the time. Thus, if there is unnecessary noise and chaos, the atmosphere becomes stressful. The manager nodded while jotting down points in his small notebook. After the talk, Soo Hyuk offered some words of encouragement while patting the manager’s shoulder. Soon, he bade farewell and left to catch up on some sleep.

*******

Day 2 of the competition has just commenced. So Eun, Emma and Woo Ri will be competing in the semi-finals of the slaloms category. Just before their race, So Eun managed to have a chat with the Swiss skier who claimed the top spot yesterday, both using their limited command of English. The two have met before in previous competitions and considered each other as their friendly rivals. They were competitive during the race, but shared an amiable friendship outside. Soon, it was time for the semi-finals race.

So Eun chanted some prayers in her head while putting on all her skiing gear. She did not have her lucky skis with her this time due to the recent incident, but like Coach Han said, her abilities matter more than the skis. With burning determination, she made her way to the holding area. This run had to be perfect if she wants to qualify for the finals. Woo Ri and Emma had already completed the course and anxiously kept their eyes fixed on the scoreboard. The petite girl composed herself and waited for her name to be called.

“Number 11, Kim So Eun, please make your way to the starting position.”

At the top of the slopes, So Eun focused on the little flags that she had to pass and imagined the finish line at the end. She squeezed her fists to fight her nerves and inhaled deep breaths. I’m going to make it, I’m going to make it, I’m going to make it, she chanted.

“On your marks, get set, BANG!”

The moment the gun shot was released, So Eun was off to a flying start. Keeping her body low, she manoeuvred the skis around the flags like what she had imagined in her head. She counted the flags as she passed them to keep track of her speed. With every turn, So Eun controlled her accelaration and finally the finish line came into view. She pushed herself forward and zoomed towards the finish. The crowd broke into cheers and applause for the flawless performance. Coach Han appeared from the side and gave her a high-five. As she removed her goggles, she looked up to check the scoreboard. Her finish time flashed on the leaderboard and she saw her name immediately move up to the second position, just below Woo Ri who clocked in the fastest timing. There was only one last skier to go down the run. So Eun eyes brimmed with tears when she realised she had qualified for the finals. Unfortunately, Emma came in 9^th place and had no chance to compete on the last day. During that time, a pair of grey eyes were intently watching her from the crowds. He was also pleased to see the results.

As she made her way back to the holding area, So Eun found Emma looking rather disappointed. She extended her arm to console her. The girl nodded and smiled, congratulating So Eun in return.

“Don’t worry, Sunny. I’m fine. It’s been a good experience here,” Emma said.

“You’ve done great! You’ll do better the next time, I’m sure,” So Eun reassured her.

“Oh by the way, a handsome man handed this to me just now. He said to pass it to you,” Emma pulled out a small note from her pocket and placed it in So Eun’s palm.

“Who?” she asked as she studied the note. She seemed to recognise the smart handwriting, but she was not too sure.

The note read: See you at the cafeteria after your race. I’ll be waiting.

“He didn’t say his name. But I swear…he’s gorgeous. You’re so lucky, Sunny,” Emma teased.

So Eun laughed. Could it really be Soo Hyuk? But isn’t he still in Canada? Nah, it’s probably Ha Neul playing a joke on me.

“Alright then, I’ll catch you later!”

So Eun waved and made her way to the washroom. She needed to at least wipe off her sweat and reapply her lip tint if it really was going to be the person she thought it could be.

There was a spring in her steps as she neared the cafeteria. It was already 4 p.m., so lunch service was over. She opened the doors to an empty and quiet hall, and the only sound she heard was her pounding heartbeat. Her eyes shifted around the hall to search for any signs of movement. Seeing nothing, So Eun leaned against a table and waited, wondering if she got the wrong message.

Soon, she caught on the rhythm of boots making loud thuds on the wooden floor. Out of nowhere, a fine-looking gentleman appeared with a leather bag duffel bag in his hands. So Eun’s eyes widened to see him.

“Annyeong, So Eun.” Those were his first words and he raised his right hand for a little wave.

The confused girl uttered no words and before she realised, she had moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. The next moment, she pulled herself away and kept her gaze on the floor, flustered by her own boldness. Soo Hyuk smiled at her cute reaction and extended his arm to pull her back in his embrace.

“I’m so glad to see you. I miss you so much,” he admitted in a hush whisper.

So Eun nodded. “Me too.”