“Your swimming trunk?”

“Right here, it’s in my bag”

“Your goggle?”

“Already in there”

“Your wallet? Your identification? They won’t let you in without it, you know”

“Are you going to continue nagging me, noona?” Joonhyung said, amused with her over dramatic action. Whenever Bokjoo is in her ‘mother hen’ mode, he always calls her noona. He is the one who is going to compete in national championship, but apparently his girlfriend is more freaks out than him. Bokjoo stares at him, her face tense.

“You are ready right? I pray hard for you before at the toad house. Did you bring your lucky charm?” Bokjoo continues, not really minding his words before. Her expression is still full of concerns. She knows how important this competition is for him. It will be the last selection of this year for national team, and who knows when next selection will be.

“My lucky charm? Do you mean the crumpled toad?” Bokjoo hits his arm hard. She spends hours of getting it done!

“Yah! I’m going to a competition you know! This arm is precious”

“You are the one who brought it to yourself!”

Joonhyung stares at her and smile mischievously. He slowly sneaks both his hands around her waist, pulling her towards him.

“I’ll do better if you kiss me.”

“You always use that. Do I need to kiss you for everything?” Bokjoo pouts, knowing full well that he is gonna win, anyway. There is no point of resisting. It’s crazy how she never felt this way when they are just friends, and now he is the only guy that makes her feels not like herself like this. He pulls her closer, staring at her lips and slowly leans in. His kiss is soft and sweet, his lips moving gently against hers. Bokjoo feels like melting in his arms.  She kisses him back, her hands slowly moves to circle his neck.

The kiss last for a minute before Joonhyung pulls back, resting his forehead on hers. He smirks and wink at her.

“See, you are more excited about the kiss. Don’t pretend that you hate it” Bokjoo’s cheek flushed pink, her brown eyes staring at him. Not deterred by his playful remarks, she cradles his face and pecks his lips once more.

“Since you already got your kiss, go do your best. Let’s go train in Taeryung together. Every time you feel nervous, just chant to yourself that you can do it, you can do it. Okay?” Joonhyung nods his head, already feeling anxious. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. The bus to the events will come soon. Bokjoo takes his hand, both of them continue walking with their hands clasp together, to the appointed place where other athletes currently waiting.

“I’ll do great, right?” He stops on his track, his eyes looking towards crowd of athletes in front of them.

Her eyes go all soft, and she said “Of course. You are always great. You are the best, our Joonhyung” She side hug him, making him stares back at her. He hugs her back.

“Make them see you, Jeong Joonhyung.  You are strong. You can do it”

The arena is filled with people from all over the place, either family member or friends to give support to the competing athletes or the media for reporting about such event. Bokjoo try to find Joonhyung’s parents, as they say that they will reserve a place for her. Her relationship with them had grown steadily after Joonhyung introduces her as his girlfriend. It surprised them at first, since Joonhyung never introduces any girl as his girlfriend before, but they accept her nonetheless.

Bokjoo heard her name being called, and looking toward the said voice. It’s Dr Jeong, with Dr Go sat beside him, and his parents on the other side. He waves at her, his fingers pointed at her reserved seat. She waves back, happy to see them. It’s been a while since she last meets them. All Joonhyung’s family members come to support him, since this is the most important competition that Joonhyung’s had been yet.

“You look like you lost a lot of weight, Bokjoo yah. Come visits our home sometimes, I have the medicine prepared for you.” Joonhyung’s mom said, taking her hand. Bokjoo smiles. “I’m okay, ommoni. Don’t worry, I just put on more muscle but shredding off all the fat, so my face looks smaller.  But I’m really putting on weight, really” She said, assuring her.

“Even so, just comes. You don’t need any excuse to just visit us, right?” Bokjoo smiles wider, nodding her head. Having such a loving mom is such a blessing, she thinks. She almost felt jealous of Joonhyung for having a wonderful mom, even if he was adopted. She never really knows her mother, and being with her is almost felt like having a mother around. His father joins in their conversation, and asked after her father and her uncle.

The preliminary round starts soon, with all the players coming out and lining the pool.  Joonhyung looks calm and confident. He was looking around to find his family members and his girlfriend sitting together, and smiles at them. Seeing them there ease out his nervousness a bit. Bokjoo mouth the words ‘Fighting’ from her seat, both her hands put together like a prayer.

The preliminary round starts off, and Joonhyung wins easily against other players. There are also few new star players, and Bokjoo is already worried for Joonhyung in semi-final. But luckily, it seems that Joonhyung is doing just fine, even breaking his record time in semi-final, and make it to the final round. Her nervousness slowly fades away, and she is confident that Joonhyung can get a gold medal this time.

For the final round, the contestant are given some break time before started. Joonhyung tried to listen to some music during that period in attempt to calm his nerves, when a message from Bokjoo came in.

‘Do you want chicken or pizza for dinner? I’m hungry TT.’ Joonhyung lets out a laugh. What a thing to ask at this time!

Another message comes in just a second later.

‘I’m kidding. I want you to lose up a little :) I’m proud of you, Jeong Joonhyung. You are doing great, so don’t worry much. You are going to be okay.’

And another one of ‘And I’m seriously hungry. Please do your best. If you win, dinner’s on me.’

Joonhyung felt that all his worries evaporate at that very second. Bokjoo really had a weird way of cheering him up and it works on him every time. He already felt impatient to finish the competition and go to his family and girlfriend as a champion.

The announcement calling all the player to come out for final suddenly being heard through the arena. Joonhyung takes a deep breath, chanting to himself that he can do it, as per Bokjoo’s instruction. He comes out from the locker room, lining up with other players. Some players give him that look akin to a death glare, meaning that he is a threat to them. He ignores them, focus on his breathing. When they come up and line up the pool, he glances towards his family and Bokjoo, and it’s enough of a motivation for him. He is going to win this.

The moment he step up on the platform is the scariest moment of any competition for him, as it is usually the start of the ringing that been bothering him since forever. In almost every competition, he always anticipates it, making his nervousness magnified. But since 6 months ago, starting from that one competition that he got second place next to Choi Tae Joon, he didn’t heard it anymore. It is such a major improvement for him.

The weasel starts, and Joonhyung is the first player to start the competition and maintain it till the turn, when one of the player manage to catch up to him. Bokjoo gasps, worried about the sudden change of game. However, in the middle, Joonhyung manages to catch up back all the way to the end. All of them wait for the official result to come up on the monitor with bated breath.

The monitor proved the expected result, and Joonhyung makes a celebratory fist pump in the pool. Bokjoo nearly shout and jump in happiness, but try to control herself in front of Joonhyung’s family. She just bounces about on her sit, both her hands being held by Joonhyung’s mother. Both of them let out a silence scream, ecstatic with the result. Joonhyung is going to Taeryung! Bokjoo felt that she is more excited now than when she was told to train at Taeryung before. They no longer have to be apart from each other, and Joonhyung finally realize his dream to be in national team.

It is overwhelming seeing Joonhyung stands on the podium, his expression totally relaxed and happy. All the training and counseling that he been to amount to these day. After the competition, Joonhyung’s parents leave first, saying that a supplier is waiting at their pharmacy, so they had to head home. Dr Go also has some lecture to attend to (apparently she is tutoring some medical students) and Jaeyi leaves with her, leaving Bokjoo waiting for Joonhyung at the entrance. Jaeyi whispers to Bokjoo to take care of her beloved brother, knowing that they probably want to be alone.

Joonhyung exit the podium with a bright smile on his face, his medal hanging proudly on his chest. Bokjoo waves at him, and he jogs to her place. Bokjoo opens her arm for a hug, and he takes it.

“Good job, our Joonhyung. I am so proud of you” She said, his back gently. Joonhyung feels all the emotion and excitement from earlier rushed through him. “I’m going to Taeryung, Bokjoo yah. I’m really going. I’m a national athlete. Can you imagine?” He pulls her closer, until there is no space in between them. She chuckles, her hands moves from his back to his face. Cradling his face, she pecks his lips and then smiling at him.

“Dinner’s on me. What do you want?” Bokjoo keeps her hands on his face, playing with his bang.

“Anything will do. But I think I want your father’s fried chicken.”

“Why fried chicken, all of a sudden?” She tilts her head, confused.

“I have to go see you father and say I totally deserve to date you.” He put both her hands on his shoulder “And proudly say I’m a national athlete now” He continues. Bokjoo lets out a laugh seeing how serious he is. She remembers the promise Joonhyung made to her father that he will be a national team no matter what, to be able to have the right to properly date Bokjoo.

“Let’s go then. You got to brag to my dad, just for today” She smirks, taking his hand in hers, making their way home.

Note: I know its quite crappy, and I'm really, really sorry to keep you waiting. But my life is hectic as hell,so yeah. Feel free to comment! I really appreciate it.