He dropped the reins onto the neck of the bay horse and dismounted before the animal had come to a complete stop. He was frustrated. For the past four days his coach had been pushing him and his mount over the high stadium jumping course, and in the past four days he had fallen more than three times as he pushed the gelding harder than he had ever done since he started riding him six months ago.

There was just no way Youngwoon was going to win next week’s jumping competition if Gulliver kept refusing or knocking the rails down. And he had invested too much money and time into the horse not to win.

“Aish!” He kicked at the bucket outside the gelding’s stall, storming away from the still tacked up horse and leaving it in the care of the equestrian center’s staff before he completely lost it. Too much was resting on the upcoming competition and he was completely stressing out with their lack of progress. Heading out of the building towards his car, he unlocked it and hopped into the driver’s side, slamming the door shut behind him. He banged his hand forcefully on the steering wheel before willing himself to calm down within the confined space.

Youngwoon glanced away from the view in front of him and caught movement in the closest outdoor schooling ring, his eyes watching a pair working together in there. The horse was plain brown, but there was something about the way it moved that was captivating. The rider pushed it up into the canter and moved with the horse’s faster pace, her body fluid and athletic just like the animal beneath her. He watched the connection and subtlety of their conversation, the rider’s lips moving as she spoke to the horse. She brought it back down into a walk and patted the brown horse, smiling brightly and talking again.

He let out a huff of air and nodded once. “Dressage riders thinking they do so much work. Bet she couldn’t jump to save herself.”

Turning the key, he ignited the vehicle and put it into gear, screeching out of the car parking lot and away from his troubles.

 

 

Youngwoon returned the following morning, rushing down the aisles to Gulliver’s stall and looking at the intelligent animal. He pointed his index finger at the horse sternly. “Today, you will not let me down, right?”

The horse turned its head away from its master, sticking his face back into his already empty feed bin. Scoffing at the action, Youngwoon his heel and headed to the tack room, not bothering to wait for his coach. He was sick of getting yelled at and decided Gulliver would probably benefit from it also. Grabbing down his saddle, Youngwoon then reached for the bridle hanging beside it and slung it over the gear already in his arms.

“Good morning,” a quiet voice greeted from behind him and he turned, noticing it was the rider from the day previous. She smiled at him. “Are you planning a ride?”

“Usually when someone has gear, that’s what they do.”

She nodded. “I hope you don’t mind sharing the indoor arena with me then, I booked it for an hour.”

“Booked it?” he repeated and the girl nodded. He had been riding here for a year now and he hadn’t even known of such a rule. Then again, Youngwoon normally was given his schedule by his coach and turned up ten minutes before riding. He wondered if all dressage riders had to do all the extra kind of work, unlike him and his team of grooms. Youngwoon stood to his full height and rearranged the saddle in his arms. “That should be fine, just stay out of my way.”

“Of course,” she replied, though the smile had faded. He could see irritation in her face. And then a new, more fake smile appeared. “Next time I hope you can follow rules.”

Rolling his eyes, he stormed out of the room, repeating her statement in a sour tone. He had never met someone at the equestrian center so rude before. Shaking his head as he dumped his gear on the stall door, he quickly brushed over his horse, cleaning it of any dirt and dust. He then tacked Gulliver up, muttering under his breath about dressage diva rumours being true. By the time he led the bay out of its stall and into the large indoor arena, he was so annoyed by her obligations to the rules that he was thankful that he had the ring to himself first. Striding over to the jump course, he put them at the required height and then expertly swung up into the saddle.

“Alright Gulliver, no messing about today, got it?” With a click of his tongue and a nudge of his riding boots, he began warming the horse up, focussing on getting a consistent rhythm on both reins. He hadn’t even noticed the girl and her horse had entered the arena until she walked passed him, her eyes not even seeking his out. Youngwoon found her unnerving and pulled Gulliver up to a halt. Watching her as she changed rein and then asked the mare into a trot, he found himself looking at a completely different picture than he had with Gulliver. Unlike him, she spoke quietly to the horse, her hand shifting forward to pet it in encouragement now and then. She rode softly, and there was no hint of rushing needed. He secretly found himself liking what he saw. However it didn’t have a desired effect of transferring onto his mount. Instead he felt a need to compete with the girl, and turned Gulliver away and back out on to the track.

Guiding the horse towards the first jump, the horse’s ears pricked and they cleared it, Youngwoon smirking to himself as he landed and looked for the next jump. He finally felt eyes on him and smiled further, his confidence appearing as he began to ride more actively. He completed the first half of the course before he decided to pull away, hoping to see some respect in the fellow rider’s expression. He glanced over at the pair who was now cantering, and frowned, noting she didn’t seem affected by the impressive half round he and Gulliver had done.

“Typical diva,” he muttered and after a quick pat, he returned to the jumps, failing to jump the next one. He turned the gelding quickly and tapped it with his riding crop, sending him in a small circle and kicking him over the jump. The rest of the round was less than stellar, and Youngwoon grew increasingly annoyed. With Gulliver’s third refusal he lost it, giving the horse a good boot which made him lurch sideways.

“Yah! Why are you doing this eh?! Jump for goodness sakes! What is your big issue?!”

“You are.” He snapped his eyes to the dressage pair who had now come to a halt nearby. “Perhaps if you listened to your horse, he wouldn’t jump so miserably or be so frightened of them.”

“Like you would know,” he retorted bitterly and waved his hand as if to dismiss her. “Go back into your little fancy world of easy riding. Some of us have real work to do here.”

“Huh.” She smiled to herself and dismounted her horse. Walking over to him, she then outstretched her hand at Youngwoon.

“What do you want?”

“Your horse.”

He laughed heartily. “Princess, you wouldn’t know how to handle a horse like mine.”

“Oh, perhaps so,” she said slowly, her ignorance irritating him. Wanting nothing more than to put her in her place, he leaped out of the saddle and handed her the reins.

“Alright then, knock yourself out,” he mused, taking the reins of her mare that she held out for him. He then looked at her height difference and laughed. “Need a hand up?”

She smiled sweetly at him and then expertly placed herself on the back of his horse. She rearranged her stirrup height and then picked up the reins, walking Gulliver out onto the track.

“Your rider is about to realise she shouldn’t have taken on this mission, mare,” he told the brown horse he held, who heaved a breath. He turned his focus to his bay horse as the girl pushed him up into the trot and then canter. Youngwoon had to admit she rode him well, but smiled to himself when he remembered that it wasn’t his flatwork that was an issue. Once she seemed satisfied with how she had the gelding going, she turned to the jumping circuit. She was talking to Gulliver and he had one of his ears on her listening, approaching the jump without so much speed as usual. He cleared the jump and continued to the following, the pair executing the next five nicely. Youngwoon’s smile had evaporated and his eyes widened, watching as she quietly sent Gulliver over the triple bounce and finally the dreaded wall he was having issues with. He noticed that unlike what he saw in videos, Gulliver wasn’t holding his head so high. He seemed to have his striding correct at each jump and landed with balance. Youngwoon was stunned, wondering what had happened to his horse.

The pair returned and the girl dismounted, her breathing a little heavy. She smiled. “It’s been a couple of years since I’ve jumped like that. He’s a tidy wee horse.”

“T-tidy?” She nodded and Youngwoon finally snapped out of his reverie. He peered at the girl with high interest. “Just who are you?”

“Eunmi, Lee Eunmi.” She stuck her hand out and he dazedly shook it. “And you’re the infamous Kim Youngwoon, right? Sorry to be rude, but I expected more from you.”

“E-excuse me?” He snapped out of his awe and threw the reins at her. “How can you pass judgement after one meeting?”

“You are deemed the star of the stables, but really, you only think about the prize of winning and not the horse. No wonder you’ve burned through three horses in the past six years.”

He shook his head incredulously. This girl had some nerve. “And what do you hold for yourself? Do you have an impressive track record, Lee Eunmi?”

“No,” she answered with a smile and he was stumped by her response. “But I do know that Bonamana respects how I ride and we have a connection that’s not unequal. It seems I’ve offended you enough for one day; please do continue riding him atrociously and I will attempt to avert my eyes.”

Eunmi then mounted her mare again and trotted off, going back to working the brown horse through sitting trot. Youngwoon snapped out of his stupor, anger flaring within him. He didn’t get back up on Gulliver; instead he stalked across the arena and made the girl stop riding. She dropped her reins and sighed.

“You think you’re so smart huh? Let me ride your horse.”

She smiled to herself and nodded. “Alright, you should feel what it’s like to have to discover buttons on a horse.”

“Please, don’t talk to me with your dressage mumbo jumbo, I know how to walk, trot and canter thank you.” He took the reins she held out for him and hopped up, asking the mare forward. She responded immediately and he turned his head around to her to smile smugly. Giving the mare a nudge in the side, he expected her to trot, but she went sideways, her elevated movement jostling him in the saddle. Recovering as he settled the mare back into a trot, he took a deep breath and became accustomed to her larger movement than Gulliver’s. With a quick glance at Eunmi, he could tell she was trying not to laugh. Looking at his horse, he seemed to share a similar zeal of amusement within his chocolate orbs. Gritting his teeth, he asked Bonamana into the canter. She leaped into it and he recovered his confidence, pushing her forward more.

He instantly realised he shouldn’t have been so eager. The mare accelerated, but instead of speeding up, the movement felt as if it was being collected and stored, ready for an explosion. Her bouncy gait increased and he winced as he wobbled in the saddle. Scrambling to figure a way to make it easier on himself, he leant back which threw her off balance and she let out the pent up energy. The arena blurred around him and he attempted to bring her back to a walk, thankful when she seemed to slow a little. And then he was sailing through the air, landing with a thud on the ground. He coughed a little, finding air a little hard to receive since he was winded. Above him he noticed Eunmi’s face and focussed on what she had to say.

“Are you alright?”

He winced as he sat up. “Your horse is crazy.”

“It was an impressive buck, you rode her well, considering you were completely lost,” she mentioned, her smile still on her lips. He found it frustrating, considering her animal had almost killed him. “Found a little more respect for dressage riding?”

He shook his head. “It’s even more crazy than jumping.”

“I could help you, you know,” she mentioned as he got to his feet and brushed himself down. He shot the girl a look. She seemed genuine. “You have a competition coming up, right? I could help you relax your horse and ride him better.”

“No thanks.”

Eunmi seemed a little surprised. She bit her bottom lip and then nodded. “Well, then I do wish you a lot of luck.”

“Are you insinuating I need it?”

“I think I’ll just leave you to the arena, I’m going to go for a hack now,” she announced, grabbing her mare that was standing nearby patiently and disappearing out of the arena. Youngwoon glanced at Gulliver who she had left beside him and sighed.

“That girl is very weird,” he told the horse, who turned his head away to the direction of the exit and whinnied. He nudged his gelding in the side. “Don’t go falling in love with her, she can’t help us, we’re jumpers.”

Wincing as he stepped off, he led the gelding back to his stall, feeling unnerved by the whole incident.

 

 

Two days later Youngwoon returned for a lesson with his coach, having the previous day off to remove his sour mood and rest up from his fall. He hadn’t been hurt seriously, though he felt his pride had been injured a little. His lesson was at the same time as he had gone to ride the other day and he wondered if he would bump into Eunmi and her smug mannerisms. He wasn’t sure whether or not he wanted to see her again, but curiosity removed any notion of skipping his session, and his desire to win at the show motivated him to dress in his riding attire and head off to the riding center. He arrived earlier than usual, his dark eyes casually scanning the morning activity. Darting into the arena, he was pleased not to see the brown mare and her rider in sight.

“Oh, you’re here early,” his groom Baekho mentioned and with a small nod, he followed the older man back to Gulliver’s stall. “I haven’t had a chance to gear him yet.”

“I’ll help,” he mentioned distractedly, not noticing the shock on the man’s face beside him. Youngwoon quietly groomed the bay gelding, his eyes darting over his shoulders every few moments or so. Eventually what he was searching for appeared and he tensed, Gulliver snorting at his change in demeanour. He watched as the girl greeted her horse a few stalls down and across from Gulliver’s, grinning brightly and giving the mare a hug. He let out a scoff, whilst mindlessly patting his own horse on the neck. Eunmi then went about her grooming and he continued to stare, not sure if he was doing much to help Baekho anymore. The answer became apparent when he heard a small cough.

“Gulliver is ready for your lesson now.”

Shaking his head, Youngwoon grabbed the reins of his horse and lead him out into the aisle. Eunmi had just started walking towards the tack room that was on the way to the arena. She noticed him and smiled. “How are you?”

“Perfectly fine.”

“Good, enjoy your ride then.”

He nodded and then looked at her. “Not coming in to annoy me?”

“No, since it’s your booking, I won’t be intruding like you did on mine.” She smiled her sickening fake smile and then entered the tack room. He stopped and waited for her return. She seemed surprised to see him still standing there. “Is there a problem?”

“Where are you riding?”

“I’m going to use the outdoor ring and then go for a hack. It’s a nice day out and like yourself I have a competition coming up, so I’m going out to condition.”

“You hack out when you have a competition?” he asked and she nodded. “Shouldn’t you be practising your test?”

Eunmi shook her head. “The test is up to me to remember. I’ve practised it once, and will do it another time before the show. However, drilling her over and over seems pointless. As long as she knows her moves, which she does, and I keep her interested, we’ll be ready. Anyways, have a good lesson.”

She walked off then and he stared after the girl, her training methods still playing over in his mind as he trotted around the arena ten minutes later. He barely heard his coach barking out orders about the jumping course in the middle of the space to staff members preparing it. Instead he wondered how not exercising the horse over its destined course helped strengthen their attempts. Unlike dressage, Gulliver would have to be confident enough to jump. And on his last ride with Eunmi, he had shown himself to do just that. Looking down at his horse, he checked his current mood. He was moving forward, but his ears were back and not listening to him. Catching a glimpse of where the horse was looking, Youngwoon realised it was the jumps and noticed the agitated expression he held.

He slowed the gelding to a walk.

“What are you doing eh?!” his coach called out, waving him on with his hands. “Warm him up good!”

“I will,” Youngwoon replied, smiling to himself and heading towards the exit. He ignored the yelling of his coach, and instead rode outside. There he spotted Eunmi riding Bonamana in the ring, smiling to the horse as she cantered around. Sensing his watching, Eunmi glanced in his direction and quietly brought the mare to a halt. Pushing Gulliver forward towards the girl, Youngwoon smiled. “I thought a hack sounded better than jumping again. Though I’ve never been on one around here so I think I might need a guide.”

She grinned and trotted the mare to the ring’s exit. Bonamana reached his side and Eunmi nodded once. “I know a really good path, come on let’s go.”

They walked along the path in silence for the first twenty minutes, and Youngwoon couldn’t help but stifle his laughter as he watched the girl struggle with her thoughts. He wondered how much longer she would be able to resist asking her obvious question. It soon came.

“So what made you think about joining me? Thought you had to practice your jumping?” She stared straight ahead, fighting the urge to look at him. He now started to laugh, which made the girl blush. “Is something funny?”

“Why didn’t you just ask me that twenty-five minutes ago?”

Eunmi coughed. “I uh, didn’t want to be rude.”

“How unlike you,” he stated and the girl finally snapped her eyes onto his face.

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve been rather opinionated from the moment we first spoke.”

Eunmi shifted her reins into one hand and used the other to point accusingly at him. “You have Prince disease.”

“I do not!” He shook his head firmly. “I don’t care what I look like.”

“You care about the prestige of your name and winning,” she continued and he merely stared at her. “That to me shows that you are too clouded up in your head to realise your poor horse is unhappy.”

“There’s the opinionated Eunmi again.”

“I guess horses make me speak up,” she slowly agreed and then smiled. “He looks much relaxed now.”

Youngwoon glanced down at his horse and smiled also. “I guess drilling him is making him just as frustrated as I am.”

“You have a few more days until your show. Try just doing interesting things like this until two days beforehand and then jump him briefly and see how he goes?” she suggested and he couldn’t help but consider the idea.

“I’m starting to wonder why I pay a ridiculous amount for my coach right now.”

She laughed. “I never expected you to follow something some girl said to you.”

“Nor did I,” he admitted and they shared a look before she nudged Bonamana into a canter. He followed suit.

“Let’s see how far you can follow me now.”

 

 

Like Eunmi had suggested, Youngwoon followed her training plan, much to his trainer’s distaste. He took an interest in being at the stables to prepare Gulliver also, and this seemed to have a positive effect on the gelding. He had just geared the horse up for his jumping session, leading the gelding into the arena. He wasn’t alone, though Eunmi wasn’t riding. She smiled brightly and he returned the gesture.

“It’s jumping day, right?” she asked and he nodded. “Mind if I watch?”

“If I said I minded, would you really leave?” He watched as she tried not to look obvious. He laughed. “Good thing I don’t mind your company.”

I’ll let you warm him up then.”

Eunmi sat down on one of the jumps and quietly watched on as Youngwoon worked the gelding until he was ready for the jumps. He had to admit, the horse felt more eager than he usually did, and even though he was eyeballing the jumps, he wasn’t as distant about them. Giving the gelding a quick pat, Youngwoon cantered Gulliver into the first jump, the pair flying over it. The landing was a little wobbly, and he adjusted himself before the next jump.

“Come on boy,” he murmured and this seemed to encourage the gelding, Gulliver getting into the perfect spot and taking off. The rest of the course was solidly ridden, and after the last jump, Youngwoon dropped the reins, patting the bay fondly. “Good man!”

“Congrats!” Eunmi called out and Youngwoon nodded at the girl. “He really enjoyed that.”

“I did too,” Youngwoon admitted and the girl’s face broke into a grin. He liked the smile she gave him and smiled back, going back out to cool the gelding down. Once he dismounted, he walked over to Eunmi’s side.

“I reckon you’re competition ready now!”

“Not yet,” he announced and Eunmi frowned. “There’s one thing I’ve got to do first.”

“Which is?”

He smiled before cupping her jaw in his hand, kissing her lips tenderly. To think that last week he despised the girl seemed like a lifetime ago. She kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck and her petite body pressed against his.

And then Gulliver, either from embarrassment or his own affection of Eunmi, gently nudged the pair apart, Youngwoon laughing at the gelding’s gesture. The girl giggled also, petting Gulliver’s nose before pecking it. “There, I’ve kissed you both good luck now.”

“Reckon I could get any more good luck kisses?” Youngwoon asked, and the girl rolled her eyes whilst smiling. Youngwoon slung his arm over her shoulders and cleared his throat. “I think we make a good team you and I.”

“Oh, is that right?”

He nodded. “Sure, you can do all the fancy stuff, whilst I get down to work.”

“Your underestimation of dressage as work and just fancy stuff still seems to be an issue. Have you forgotten Bonamana’s buck? It takes skill to ride a-”

He intervened with another kiss, and then smirked to himself at her stunned expression as he pulled away.

“Does it take skill to sweep Lee Eunmi off her feet too?” he wondered and the girl blushed. “You might be as high maintenance as your horse.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” she bit back, now scowling. Youngwoon grinned and scooped the girl up into his strong arms, hoisting her up onto the back of Gulliver.

“Wasn’t that hard after all.”

Eunmi shook her head. “You’re incredibly cheesy. If anything you’ll be hard work.”

“Sounds like you want to put the effort in, tame this wild stallion?”

“Please stop the innuendos before you embarrass yourself, Youngwoon,” Eunmi instructed and he laughed to himself, looking up at the girl. She was smiling, riding Gulliver back into the stable area and he stopped to watch the pair, knowing that his upcoming event was going to be a success.

He only hoped getting Eunmi to fall in love with him would be as victorious.

 

The End.