Open Water Diver Course
A man who looked like a skin scuba instructor approached Suhyeon, holding some documents in one hand, and greeted him.
"Hello. Suhyeon-ssi. I'm Lee Seong-ho, the instructor handling your one-on-one lesson today. A celebrity's joined us."
"Nice to meet you. Looking forward to working with you."
After exchanging greetings, the instructor glanced over the forms Suhyeon had filled out beforehand and spoke up.
"Alright, let's start with a few confirmations. No major health issues, as you wrote here, right?"
"Yes, none."
"No fear of water or anything like that?"
"Nope."
"Great. And this is your first time taking a course, correct?"
"Yes, today is day one."
"In that case, the course you can take right now is the beginner Open Water Diver program. Complete that, and you'll get your certification—which you'll need to dive anywhere else."
"Got it. Besides Open Water, what other courses are there?"
"After Open Water comes Advanced, then Rescue, and finally Master Scuba Diver."
"Instructor, my athletic reflexes are way above average compared to regular folks... Any fast-track classes?"
"Sorry, no. Each course requires the certification from the previous one. You need Open Water done before Advanced."
"I see."
"The Open Water course breaks down to two days of pool training, theory lessons and a written exam, then two days of open-water dives. Those are either at Gyeongpo Beach or Jeju Island—the location affects the cost. Where do you want to go?"
"Might as well get some sea air. Jeju it is. What's the price range?"
"For the full course on Jeju, 1.3 to 1.5 million won should cover it. Since you wanted private one-on-one, let's head straight to Jamsil Swimming Pool and get started."
Over the next two days, Suhyeon threw himself into the lessons diligently. Now, with only the final Confined Water Dive session left at the Jamsil pool, he was taking a break.
"Suhyeon-ssi, just one more hour in the pool, and we're done."
"You've worked hard these two days, Instructor."
"Work? This is my job... But seriously, you're impressive."
"What about?"
"Your reflexes—I figured from seeing your bare body while suiting up. And your smarts? Everyone knows you're a genius, so acing the theory makes sense. But..."
"But?"
"What's unique about you... Most people get tense during dive training. Going deep underwater triggers fear—humans all dread death, after all. I've never seen anyone as relaxed as you in my years teaching."
Suhyeon grinned at the instructor's words.
"Like someone who's died once before?"
"Haha, come on... Anyway, you've got nerves of steel. Doing this for a movie shoot?"
"Yeah. There's an action scene ten minutes in where I have to scuba dive."
"I see. Ocean dive?"
"No, on land."
"Right. Shall we get back to it?"
After wrapping up, Suhyeon promised to meet the instructor again in three days on Jeju and headed back to the car.
"Welcome back. Tough training? No other schedules—head home?"
"Yeah, hyung. Gotta review the script at home."
Once home, Suhyeon scarfed down a simple retort meal for dinner, grabbed the script, and sank into the living room sofa.
Kim Ji-hoon trudged along, unwashed for days while evading pursuers. His hair matted, beard unkempt, he shivered in the biting wind near Odaesan Lake—spring by the calendar, but the cold pierced like winter. Every distant car engine made him turn, thumb out for a hitchhike, but no one stopped for his ragged look.
"Damn it..."
Abandoning hope, he walked on, collar up against the gale, eyes down—until a faint roar reached his ears. He looked up. A vivid rainbow arched over mist-shrouded sprays leaping a hundred meters high. Niagara Falls.
"Whew. Almost there."
A faint smile crossed his lips as he quickened his pace toward the rendezvous with his buyer, info hard-won and pricey.
Soon, a sign: Jade Restaurant. A Korean spot slinging bulgogi and LA ribs for falls tourists. Grinning, Ji-hoon dashed in and flung open the door.
As he entered, two burly Hispanic-looking men at a table, mid-bulgogi, eyed him. Spotting them, Ji-hoon froze. As they rose, pistols glinted at their waists.
"Son of a... shit."
He kicked the door open and bolted out, scanning warily. Two more men charged from the parking lot.
"Gotta run where there are people."
Coat flapping, he sprinted toward the tourist crowds, a close-up revealing a stark scar from eye to jaw. At the Table Rock elevator ticket booth, he fumbled for cash in his pocket—far behind, four men closed in fast.
No money. Panicked glance back—close-up on his hand in the pocket, frantically pressing a small round switch.
Ditching the tickets, he veered off again. Moments later, atop a cliff away from crowds, he glanced back repeatedly. Below, Niagara's rapids roared.
- Freeze.
- Don't move.
Four Hispanics encircled him on the cliff, yelling and advancing slowly, guns at the ready. Ji-hoon shouted, voice edged with frenzy.
"Hey, you bastards! Come closer, and I'll jump. Got it?"
They raised left hands placatingly, rights on pistols. Ji-hoon pulled a red USB from his coat, face resolute, scanning around—eyes locking on the falls.
"Perfect spot to die. You'll never find this..."
USB in mouth, he toppled backward in slow motion.
"Aaaahhh!"
Plummeting with a terrified scream, he plunged into the churning river. Cut to the men above, staring dumbfounded.
"Hm. If the chasers are Hispanic, shouldn't they speak Spanish or English? How would they understand Korean? Planning a redub later? Or better yet, make them North Korean agents."
As Suhyeon visualized the scenes, he muttered at the oddity and dove back in. Referencing his scuba lessons, he pored over his underwater acting parts.
Underwater, Ji-hoon thrashed, scanning—there, Lee Seok-hee, backup from Team America, waiting for his signal, geared up. As she neared, he spat out the red USB, stashing it safely in his pants pocket. He took the regulator mouthpiece she offered, then clung to her back.
They descended the rapids via scuba, surfacing downstream at the planned spot, hopping into a waiting car and speeding off.
Cut to an office hideout. They entered.
"Team leader."
Ji-hoon turned. "What?"
"Wasn't that too reckless? One slip, and you're dead. Did you have to go that far?"
"No choice. Had to fake dying with the USB on me to shake them. Half-assed escape, and they'd hunt us forever. Now send the info inside to HQ in Korea. I need a shower."
Post-shower, Ji-hoon shaved at the mirror, then peeled off the scar's end. Clean-faced, he sighed deeply into the glass.
"Hoo."
Reading that far, Suhyeon muttered again.
"Hm. Underwater acting doesn't seem too tough per the script... But filming a Niagara plunge? Permits won't be easy. Not my worry, though—production handles it."
He refocused on the script. The next day, Suhyeon headed to the company and dropped by Muran's practice room, their debut two days away.