Yanqing coughs and brings back the whole class attention.
"Let me introduce you guys to our new student."
Jinyi awkwardly stands up in front of everyone. "Hi everyone, my name is Jinyi--" she doesn't know what else to say. One of the many things Jinyi hates is introducing herself.
"Isn't she too old to be in this class?" one student calls out.
Some kids follow and laugh along.
Jinyi could feel her face heating up and gave Yanqing a quick side glare.
"Silence!" Yanqing says in his cold stern voice. And it works. Jinyi looks at him and back at the students. 'So, they are scared of him,' she confirmed that thought in her head.
They were all instructed to do a ten minute warm up before getting into the pool.
Soon after a well passes ten minutes, the kids start advancing toward the swimming pool ladder. Since it was a beginner level class and for kids, the level of the water wasn't too high.
"Come in," Yanqing gestures to Jinyi.
Jinyi hadn't entered the water yet, awkwardly she walked over to him and crouched down to his height level.
"What are you waiting for," he gently said to her.
The kids are practicing the method that Yanqing taught them the other day.
"Come," holding out his hand for her.
'Why the sudden kindness?' she wonders in her head.
Jinyi hesitates a little but gives in and takes his hand. Yanqing didn't let go and guided her to the water.
"You're okay?" Yanqing asks her after getting her into the water.
Jinyi nods. Yanqing gives her a reassuring smile, "okay, I'm going to teach some basics before moving forward."
Jinyi quietly watches him as he shows her what to do. She has never seen him this passionate about something. Nevertheless Yanqing is a swimmer so he has to be passionate about something to love swimming.
"Are you listening?" Yanqing's voice brings back her attention.
Jinyi's eyes are still gazing at him. "Gu Yanqing, do you always look like this-..?
Yanqing was unsure what she meant. Until she finished her sentence, "how come I didn't know that you're this handsome when you're so concentrated?"
Yanqing felt his heart beating faster, moved by her words but didn't express it.
"Hurry, before my students start laughing at you again," trying to change the subject.
Jinyi quickly sticks out her tongue, "fine. What do I do again?"
"We will first learn to control our breathing," he says. In three seconds, he and Jinyi went under the pool holding their breath. Jinyi, who didn't last more than 2 seconds, came up for air.
Gasping for air she confronts, "Gu Yanqing! I can't do this," coughing out the water that entered her during the dove.
All the students who were practicing with one of Yanqing's helpers all turned to them.
Yanqing's eyebrow furrows, "are you sure? You don't want Zeming's number anymore?"
"How do I know if you're actually going to give it to me or not," she says with no confidence in her eyes.
"It's up to you. I'm not the one that wants Zeming's number."
Jinyi frowns her brows showing her dislike with Yanqing acting like that. She takes back everything she just said about him. If she ever thinks he's handsome again, no handsome guy will ever like her! Jinyi quickly makes that promise in her head.
"Urg, fine!" Jinyi took two deep breaths and then went under the water again. This time she makes a better improvement. Five seconds.
"How long did your students take?" Jinyi wonders. She didn't expect herself to do this poorly at holding breath underwater.
Yanqing laughs, "you sure you want to know?"
"Don't tell me they did it longer than me?" Jinyi says with discouragement.
Yanqing didn't answer her and waited for her.
Soon after an hour, the class is over. The kids say goodbye to Yanqing and even Jinyi. Jinyi weakly smiles as she says her goodbye too.
"You stay here," Yanqing instructed as he went to clean the pool.
"Isn't class over? I thought my mission was over," Jinyi remarks. Even though she didn't think she did anything that Yanqing asked for yesterday. Now Jinyi really thinks that Yanqing lied to her. Who was the one that said his students need a demonstrator? From today, it can be seen that his students' skills are even better than hers.
Yanqing looks over at Jinyi who angrily stares at him.
"There's this new cafe two blocks away. I heard it's pretty good. Do you want to go try it out?" He suggested while still picking up the mess that was left by the kids.
Jinyi can't say no to good food, however she's still somewhat angry at him even though she doesn't know what she's angry about. Maybe it was him lying to her.
"I'm telling you right now. I don't have money," crossing her arms she announced.
Yanqing faintly laughs, "You don't need to pay. It's on me," he says.
"You said it. There's no changing your mind afterwards. I'm going to change now," she happily responds and walks to the changing room.
25 minutes later,
They arrive at the cafe and Jinyi runs her eyes over the menu. Flipping through the pages, searching for the most expensive dish.
Yanqing seemed to notice her little move but didn't stop her.
After ordering their food, Jinyi feels that awkwardness. Before there were students so she didn't feel anything. But now it's only them.
"So-- how did you start your swimming career?" Jinyi starts off a conversation with him and takes a sip of water.
Yanqing looked at her and thought about it. "I always knew how to swim as a kid, but I guess it was middle school when I took it more seriously."
Jinyi nods. "That's nice." After graduating from elementary school, both of them went to different middle schools. So, she doesn't know or really heard anything that is related to him. Not until two days ago where they bump into each other. Technically, he was the one that noticed her first.
"How about you? I heard that you're a veterinary major?" Yanqing throws the question back to her.
Jinyi nods, "yea. Do you have pets?" she suddenly got curious.
Giving a concerned look, Yanqing hesitated before speaking, "Why? Trying to use my pet-- if I have one as a test subject?"
Jinyi gives him a side eye, "you're so funny."
"No, I don't have a pet," he answered.
"Really!? Then you're missing out on all the fun," Jinyi commented.
Yanqing looks at her like he's not understanding something. "Tell me about it. How am I missing out? Just because I don't have a pet, you're saying I don't have fun?"
"I'm just joking," Jinyi says. Just then the food came and it saved Jinyi from the awkwardness.