It was Wednesday, the sun gleaming like it had something important to show the students of Grade 12. Today was swimming class, a day that always divided the crowd: the athletic ones, the weak swimmers, and those who just came to watch the chaos unfold.
Irene loved challenges. She had always been good at sports, fast, agile, and surprisingly fearless. The pool was hers — a place to shine. But today, there was a twist… and it had a name: Haoxiaoyi.
Haoxiaoyi strutted by the poolside with that fake "innocent angel" face, but Irene could smell trouble from a mile away. Word had spread: she was jealous. Not just a little, a lot. Every time Irene got attention — from teachers, classmates, or just winning — Haoxiaoyi's hatred bubbled like a volcano ready to erupt.
As the race started, Irene jumped into the water. Her strokes were smooth, almost artistic, like a dolphin gliding through the sunlit pool. She was ahead, confident… until she noticed something strange in the corner of her eye.
A shark fin?
Her heart nearly skipped a beat. "No… no way…" she muttered.
Haoxiaoyi had planned it — a fake shark prop, floating in the deep end, just to scare Irene into screaming and running out of the pool, humiliating herself in front of everyone. But Haoxiaoyi didn't know Irene like the back of her hand.With a determined grin, Irene ignored the fin. She pushed herself harder, her powerful kicks cutting through the water. Splash! Splash! Every stroke brought her closer to victory.
And then… it happened. She won.
The crowd went wild. Haoxiaoyi's jaw dropped so hard it looked like it could hit the pool tiles. Irene climbed out, dripping wet but victorious, her hair plastered to her face, a triumphant smirk on her lips. "Better luck next time," she called lightly, tossing a towel over her shoulder.
The applause wasn't over. Yuan Mi decided it was his turn. Smoothly, effortlessly, he dove in.
Splash. Stroke. Breath. Kick.
He was in a league of his own. The water rippled around his perfect body, his muscles flexing naturally with each movement. When he emerged, dripping wet, it was like… time slowed. Eight abs? Check. Broad shoulders? Check. Perfect chest? Check. Hair slicked back, glistening under the sunlight? Double check.
Girls screamed. Literally. Some fainted. Teachers tried to restore order, but the pool area was chaos.
And then… his eyes found Irene.
The world shrunk. For Irene, it was like someone had hit the slow-motion button. Her mouth opened slightly. Her cheeks burned. And, uh… yes, she definitely drooled a little.
Yuan Mi walked past all the other swooninggirls. He ignored the fainting, the gasps, the camera phones snapping pictures like paparazzi. He came straight to Irene.
He leaned casually on the railing, hair still dripping, smile teasing, eyes sparkling like he knew exactly the effect he had on her.
"You're staring," he said, voice low but playful.
"I… I'm not!" Irene stammered, turning red like a tomato. "I was… thinking of… food!"
Yuan Mi raised a brow, smirk growing wider. "Food, huh? Sure… you know, you owe me a favor now."
Irene froze. "W-What?!"
" remember,on Monday I won the Bet "he explained .
" oh,but that's "she complained
"Now both of us won today," he continued, stepping a little closer, making the water on his bodyglint like diamonds. "So technically, I'm taking what's owed."
Irene paused, heart thudding in her chest. She could feel the teasing energy rolling off him like heatwaves. Her mind raced: This is ridiculous… he's insane… and hot as hell…
"…Fine," she said after a long pause, voice trembling slightly. "I'll… I'll let you take the favor."
Yuan's grin widened. "Good girl," he teased, ruffling her wet hair gently. "Don't look so serious. Or are you imagining your reward already?"
Irene blushed violently. "N-No! I'm not!"
"Uh-huh," he said, mockingly skeptical. "Keep telling yourself that. But I saw you staringAdmit it — you were drooling."
"I… I… didn't!" she yelped, waving her hands wildly, spilling her water bottle, almost falling off the poolside. The nearby girls giggled, whispering excitedly, but Irene was too flustered to care.
Yuan chuckled deeply, leaning casually beside her, muscles flexing as if he was sculpted for this exact moment. "Relax. I won't bite… yet," he said, eyes gleaming mischievously.
Irene rolled her eyes, though the heat in her cheeks betrayed her. "You're impossible," she muttered.
"Exactly," he said simply, grinning. "And that's why you were drooling about me."
She groaned dramatically. "I was NOT!"
"Mm-hmm," he teased again, "sure you weren't."
And just like that, the two of them walked away from the pool together — Irene muttering about food and Yuan teasing her relentlessly — leaving Haoxiaoyi fuming on the sidelines and the rest of the girls fainting in awe.
It was chaos, it was funny, and it was… perfect.