Chapter 12
‘That's amazing.’ A miracle had occurred. I'd always thought there was no way I could ever catch up to Song Seon-yeong, no matter how hard I struggled. Swimming isn't a sport you master just through experience. Physical ability is crucial too. There are events where innate body proportions matter far more than technique.
So, ‘This can't be right.’ Catching up to Song Seon-yeong's record was a miracle. There's no other way to explain it. You can't build a body overnight through training. And here I was, in a situation where even months of investment wouldn't be enough—yet regression reset me? It's like how even the best driver can't go fast in a car with a weak engine. But I'd pulled off the impossible.
Splash—
The rematch began, and with my stamina fully restored, I paddled furiously. In my eyes, my body always looked the same. That's why my growth had stalled. Or rather, it should have stalled.
“Pha!”
“Splash!”
The rematch after full stamina recovery from regression. Slap! Slap! We arrived at the same time again, making it impossible to call a winner.
However,
“Who won?”
“I did, right?”
Since we'd asked the pool safety officer for a fair judgment, there was no bickering. So, who was the winner? The officer, eyes glued to the stopwatch, declared,
“To my eyes, the lady won by a microscopic margin.”
“Damn.”
There had been a miracle, but I still tasted defeat. Glancing sideways,
“...A microscopic margin?”
Song Seon-yeong, despite winning, couldn't gloat like before.
“Yes. Even for someone like me—a swimming coach and referee—the difference was so razor-thin, no ordinary person could spot it with the naked eye.”
“......”
“By the way, these times are insane. You two must have aptitudes for swimming, right?”
The safety officer, who naturally introduced himself as the swimming coach, asked. We each answered.
“I haven't taken the Aptitude Test yet.”
“No.”
Song Seon-yeong dodged despite knowing her aptitude, while I stated it flatly. The safety officer—swimming coach—stared at me in shock.
“What?! So the gentleman here has no swimming aptitude and still posted these times? If it's not too rude, could you tell me what your aptitude is?”
“Shaman.”
“Shaman? You mean... the kind that exorcises ghosts...?”
“Yep. That shaman.”
Having made peace with my aptitude, I smiled serenely.
“Uh... um... Well, to exorcise water ghosts, you'd need to swim well. I get it.”
“Haha! Yeah, something like that.”
I played along with the coach and glossed over it.
‘What about Song Seon-yeong?’
She'd planned to change her aptitude after losing to some non-talented civilian. Her expression wasn't bright.
“A microscopic margin...”
“Why?”
I asked out of genuine curiosity. Didn't she want to lose to me? She didn't seem thrilled about my growth. Like a bruised whale with wounded pride!
“Shaman. Again.”
“Right now? You won. Practice more first...”
“I barely won! It's as good as losing.”
“Oh! Then let's go take the Aptitude Test now!”
Just like we agreed—no more suicide! She wrinkled her nose at my expectant gaze.
“What're you saying? Listen to the end.”
“......”
“From now on, I'll warm up properly and get serious.”
“Serious? Weren't you already? You said before the match you'd go all out.”
“My body wasn't warmed up.”
“Fine... whatever. Records won't change with a redo anyway.”
I was reluctant to end it on such an unsatisfying note too. I'd caught up, but hadn't won. The finish felt lackluster. So I indulged her stubbornness.
* * *
Kang Moon-soo. Not the top of the class in overwhelming fashion, but the model student every teacher adored like their own child. To me, though, he meant something a bit different.
‘He's just like me.’
Kang Moon-soo, with his shaman aptitude, had the mysterious power to retain memories even after regressing to the past.
Thump.
My heart ached the moment I saw him jump from the classroom window.
“Hurry up!”
Ever since he'd recently caught up to me, his voice brimmed with enthusiasm.
“Call me Seon-yeong.”
“Seon-yeong! Hurry!”
“Hold on.”
“Why?”
“...You've worked hard so far. You've nearly caught your goal—me. So let's rest a bit.”
“Sure.”
He hopped the school fence without protest. Then I—
Flinch.
I froze mid-lift while climbing over.
“Moon-soo.”
“What now?”
“Turn your head.”
“Huh?”
“Look away. Your underwear might show.”
“Don't worry. I didn't see...”
“Now!”
“Okay.”
“......”
I don't know why it suddenly bothered me. I'd hopped this fence hundreds of times without a thought for my uniform skirt.
Whoosh!
I carefully checked around, hooked my foot, and hopped over.
“Okay. You can look now.”
“Where do you wanna go?”
Thump.
My heart sent weird signals the instant he asked.
“...You?”
“A decent restaurant. I've skipped meals since I don't feel hunger.”
“Oh!”
I'd suicided right before the Sports University Swimming Pool closed. That way, I could use it again immediately. But there was a blind spot.
“I'm not hungry now either, but...”
Without hunger pangs, eating never crossed my mind. For him or me. In other words,
“We've been so austere.”
Sharing time with a boy my age, making memories. Yet we'd never even shared a glass of water. Swimming! Swimming! More swimming!
‘It's a shock.’
I tabled plans for movies and the aquarium for now.
“Moon-soo. Let's go to your favorite restaurant.”
“How about the convenience store where I work? Employee perks—cheap—”
“Hey!”
“You scared me! Why yell all of a sudden?”
“Dragging a girl like me to some dingy convenience store?”
I say that, but I shop there plenty. Still, I was pissed right now!
“Don't diss convenience stores. They have healthy options these days—”
“Follow me. And don't mention them again.”
“......”
“I'll respect your tastes, though. What's your favorite food?”
“Ramen.”
“I said no convenience stores!”
“They don't sell ramen only there?”
“Think before you speak. You wanna eat cheap ramen with a girl like me?”
“Calm down.”
“Pick something quick!”
I had no idea why I was so worked up.
* * *
We ended up at the world-famous upscale restaurant Parnaru.
Parnaru. Its head chef is a titan of the culinary world who never compromises on price for the best flavors and aromas. Maybe that's why? Seated by the window overlooking the river, we were surrounded by patrons dressed like they had fat wallets.
“Do we even belong here...?”
I felt like we'd been dropped into a place we didn't fit.
“It's fine.”
Song Seon-yeong crossed her legs arrogantly, like a chaebol heiress, grinning at the menu.
“If you say so...”
I'd only seen it on TV, never dreamed I'd taste it myself...
“Customers. Ready to order?”
Drunk on Parnaru's prestige and elegance, even the staff looked elite to me.
‘They must hire based on aptitude here...?’
As I fantasized about part-timing here,
“We'll order. Everything from here to here.”
“...Customers. That's way too much for two people—”
“I said order.”
Her smiling face went blank, tone icy.
“Sorry.”
The bowing server scurried off.
“...He was just advising. Wasn't that too cold?”
As a fellow service worker, I couldn't let it slide.
“Don't sweat it. Regression wipes it clean.”
“True... that.”
Apologizing to that server wouldn't change anything.
“Everything here's good anyway. Try it all.”
“There'll be tons left...”
Not that I counted, but at least 20 servings.
“I know. Ordered extra planning to waste.”
“Such a shame... Money down the drain.”
Since life got tough, I licked plates clean. This extravagance was unimaginable.
“Then stuff till you burst. Regression fixes any issues.”
“Jeez...”
I chuckled wryly. Wanted to chide her rich-girl act, but she was spot-on. And I wasn't tone-deaf enough to spoil the vibe.
Clink, clink, clink...
Our dishes arrived in a steady stream like a train.
“Wow!”
The artful plates on silverware were too pretty to touch, but the aromas overwhelmed my salivary glands.
Still, click—
I snapped photos before digging in.
“What're you doing?”
“Can't tell? Food pics.”
“Not why. Why bother? It'll vanish soon.”
“Oh...”
I set my phone down gently at her jab.
‘Pointless.’
I wanted photos as memories, but regression erases them. Only my persistent memories hold faint traces.
“Dig in.”
“Let's eat!”
Parnaru restaurant. Perfect except the price.
* * *
After the satisfying meal, Song Seon-yeong naturally headed to the aquarium in the same building's basement. With nothing else, I followed...
“Do fish have aptitudes?”
“P's Aptitude Test machine is human-only. No scans for other lifeforms.”
“Mod it.”
“All countries mass-produced them, but customizing failed.”
“You know your stuff.”
“Science mag comes monthly to my convenience store. Left for customers, but no one reads it, so I do.”
“Moon-soo likes science?”
“Yeah. Fascinating.”
The more you learn, the more misconceptions you uncover. Plus, practical everyday uses. Occult stuff just confuses more than helps, though.
“I hate science.”
“Respect my hobbies.”
“What else you into?”
“Hm...”
‘Any other hobbies?’
While others hobby, I work. Bored at the store? Science articles on my phone—my only joy. Lately fantasy novels, but...
‘Lately...’
Recent by date, but so many regressions it feels ancient.
“Talking so much walking made my throat dry...”
She glanced at the aquarium shop, broaching it. Not clueless, I offered,
“...Wanna drink something?”
“Yeah!”
“My treat this time.”
“Cool.”
Old me would've never paid 100x markup for soda, but trusting regression like her, I splurged.
‘Money's coming back soon!’
Brain knew, but my hand trembled pulling the debit card.
“Here, your two sodas.”
“Thanks.”
I handed her the soda bought with my blood money.
“Thanks. Free anyway.”
“Ha, ha...”
Server looked puzzled at "free," but I laughed it off.
“Drink on the go.”
“Nice.”
We toured the fish proper.
“Oh!”
“Whoa!”
Sharks and rays swam overhead...
“That's amazing.”
“Yeah.”
Glowing jellyfish, transparent tropicals...
“Cute.”
“This?”
Penguins and otters split opinions...
「No feeding crackers to the fish friends!」
「No hands in the water! They might bite!」
Warnings for curious kids.
“These guys have it good. Swimming carefree.”
“Not always.”
“Huh?”
“Look at their mouths. Paler? Worn from bumping walls. Lost freedom, reduced to spectacles—huh?”
Flexing my half-baked knowledge, my eyes bulged.
“Don't like it.”
Glug glug! She'd dumped her soda in the tank!
“What the hell?!”
“What?”
“Soda in there! Fish could die—”
“No biggie? They'll revive.”
“Well, true, but...”
Good—no one else saw. Doesn't make it okay.
“Boring now. Let's go.”
“...Yeah.”
Felt like we'd lost something important.