157: Chapter 157 Your swimming lesson isn't over yet.

The taillights of the car carrying Kim Sun-mi and her daughter disappeared into the night, the engine sound fading away until it was completely swallowed by the stillness of the evening. The mansion's main gate slowly closed, sealing off the damp night breeze and the faint chirping of insects.

The living room regained its tranquility, with only the soft hum of the air conditioning system and the occasional sound of water droplets sliding off leaves from outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

It was a kind of silence that suddenly felt amplified, almost unsettling. The space that had just been filled with children's laughter, the clinking of dishes, and the subtle conversations between adults now held only two people, along with something intangible flowing silently through the air.

Shin Se-kyung stood near the entrance, looking especially petite in the oversized men's loungewear. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the cotton cuff, the soft fabric now feeling like it carried tiny electric currents, making her restless.

Kim Sun-mi's Meaningful words before leaving still echoed in her ears. Shin Se-kyung could even feel the residual warmth on her cheeks that hadn't fully faded.

"CEO Oppa, thank you so much for today. I'll wash the clothes and return them. It's getting late, so I should head back." She heard her own voice, sounding somewhat abrupt in the overly quiet space.

Her eyelashes lowered, her gaze fixed on the shiny tiles on the floor, afraid to look at the man standing by the window. After speaking, she wanted to turn and head toward the stairs, go to the guest room upstairs to change back into her own clothes—probably half-dry by now—and then leave this place as soon as possible, a place that made her heartbeat erratic and her breath short.

"What's the hurry?"

Song Tianhao's voice came from near the floor-to-ceiling window. It wasn't loud, but it carried a steady force that made her steps freeze instantly.

The voice echoed faintly in the empty living room. Shin Se-kyung turned around stiffly.

Song Tianhao was still standing by the window, his back to her, gazing at the night sky that looked especially deep and azure after being washed clean by the rain.

The moonlight was cold, casting through the huge glass window, outlining his tall, straight shoulders with a faint silver edge. Half of his body was caught in the warm yellow light of the living room and the moonlight outside, the boundary between light and shadow making his expression unclear.

He didn't turn around immediately but continued looking out the window, speaking calmly: "The rain has stopped."

Then, he slowly turned. The warm yellow light came from behind him, casting one side of his face in soft glow and the other in shadow. His eyes, amidst the interplay of light and dark, looked exceptionally calm yet seemed to hold something deep and unfathomable.

He looked at her from a few steps away, his gaze calm but carrying an invisible pressure that made her unconsciously hold her breath.

"But the roads are definitely slippery," he continued, his tone unhurried, as if analyzing a common traffic issue. "At this hour, it's hard to get a taxi around Cheongdam-dong."

Shin Se-kyung opened her mouth to say she could call her manager or a friend to pick her up, but the words died in her throat. She realized she couldn't think of anyone suitable to bother at this late hour.

Her manager was probably already asleep, and friends in the industry... it didn't seem appropriate at this time. A subtle, almost resigned feeling quietly arose.

Song Tianhao took two steps forward, closing the distance between them. Shin Se-kyung could smell his faint, clean scent, mixed with the barest hint of woody fragrance from the house, and a little... the warm, smoky aroma lingering from dinner.

Her heartbeat began to race uncontrollably again. In the silent night, she could almost hear the drumming sound in her chest.

Song Tianhao stopped a step away from her. At this distance, she could clearly see his slightly lowered eyelashes, his straight nose bridge, and the few strands of black hair that had fallen onto his forehead after he turned.

He slightly lowered his head, his gaze falling on her trembling eyelashes, then slowly moving up to meet her flickering eyes.

"Besides," he spoke again, his voice lower than before. In the silent living room, that deep, magnetic voice seemed to carry a subtle electric current, easily penetrating the ears and stirring the heart. "Your Swimming lesson today isn't over yet."

Shin Se-kyung's breath caught. Swimming lesson? Now? In the middle of the night? Her mind couldn't process it; she just stared blankly at him, at his eyes that looked especially focused under the light.

Song Tianhao looked at her dazed expression, and the corner of his mouth curved almost imperceptibly, a fleeting arc. He continued in that calm tone, as if discussing what to have for breakfast tomorrow: "Do you want to continue tomorrow?"

Tomorrow? Continue?

Shin Se-kyung's brain finally started working again. He was asking if she would come again tomorrow to continue learning to swim. It was a perfectly normal inquiry about class scheduling.

But here and now, with the way he asked, his steady gaze, the lingering hints from Kim Sun-mi, and the undercurrents in the air, it felt completely different.

It felt like an invitation, a probe, a possibility... she dared not think too deeply.

She should refuse. She should politely say, "Thank you, CEO Oppa, but I've already troubled you enough today. I won't need to come tomorrow," or make an excuse like "I have a schedule tomorrow." That would be the safest, most proper response fitting her identity as an "artist" and "subordinate."

But her lips moved, and her throat felt blocked. The words of refusal lingered on her tongue but wouldn't come out. Her gaze involuntarily drifted to the window. The night sky was like washed ink, a crescent moon cold and bright, with a few sparse stars dotting it.

The air was clear after the rain, and the moonlight fell unimpeded into the courtyard, clearly showing the shimmering water in the pool, sparkling like scattered silver under the moonlight. Quiet, mysterious, and carrying an indescribable allure.

She turned her gaze back to the man before her. He was still looking at her, calm, not urging, not pressuring, just waiting. As if whatever answer she gave, he would accept it calmly.

As if possessed, before her reason could decide, her head gave a slight nod. Her voice was very soft, with a barely noticeable tremor, but in the overly quiet space, it was clearly audible.

"...Okay."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she was startled herself. Then, a stronger heat surged from the bottom of her heart, rapidly spreading to her cheeks, ears, and even the sides of her neck. She could almost feel the blood racing beneath her skin.

What... what was she doing? Late at night, alone with a man, agreeing to continue Swimming lessons? This...

Song Tianhao didn't seem surprised by her answer. He nodded, his expression normal, as if this were really just an ordinary decision about class scheduling.

"Then tonight is a good time to reinforce what you learned. There were too many distractions during the day." As he spoke, he naturally walked to the control panel on one side of the living room and pressed a few switches.

A soft click sounded.

In the courtyard, the lights at the bottom of the pool lit up one by one. Not the bright, functional lighting used for teaching during the day, but soft, bluish floor lights. The light shone up from the bottom, casting the blue water like a deep-sea sapphire, clear and mysterious.

The water shimmered, mingling with the moonlight falling from the sky, breaking into thousands of swaying spots of light, casting flowing shadows on the surrounding tiles and plants. The pool at night had an added sense of stillness, depth, and... an indescribable intimacy.

"Go change into your swimsuit. In the bathroom cabinet of the guest room upstairs, there are new ones in all sizes," Song Tianhao said, already unbuttoning his loungewear jacket and casually draping it over the back of the sofa, revealing a simple white cotton T-shirt underneath.

He spoke while walking toward the glass door leading to the courtyard, his tone as casual as saying "get a glass of water." "I'll go turn on the circulation and heating first. The water is a bit cold at night."

Shin Se-kyung stood still, watching his figure disappear through the glass door, then looked at the blue water outside the window, shimmering with an enticing glow. Her heart was still racing.

She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, her fingers unconsciously tightening and relaxing. Since things had come this far... she turned and, almost stiffly, walked up the stairs to the second-floor guest room.

The guest room's bathroom was spacious and bright. She indeed found unwrapped women's swimsuits in the cabinet. The style was simple and conservative, in a calm dark blue, and the size surprisingly fit perfectly.

She quickly changed and looked at herself in the mirror. The girl in the mirror still had an unusual flush on her cheeks, her eyes unusually bright from nervousness and some inexplicable emotion.

She patted her face and whispered to herself, "Shin Se-kyung, calm down. It's just a lesson, reinforcement practice. The CEO is a gentleman. During the day, there was..."

But during the day, there was Kim Sae-ron, Kim Sun-mi, sunlight, and various distractions.

At night, there were only the two of them, a pool of deep blue water, and the quiet moon in the sky.

She splashed cold water on her face to cool it down, then put on the thick bathrobe provided in the bathroom, took a deep breath, and pulled open the bathroom door.

When she came down the stairs again, crossed the living room, and pushed open the glass door to the courtyard, Song Tianhao was already in the water. He was leaning against the edge of the pool, his arms casually resting on the rim, his body half-submerged.

The soft blue pool lights reflected his sharply defined profile and wet black hair. Water droplets slowly slid down his jawline, disappearing into the collar of his soaked white T-shirt.

The T-shirt clung to his body, vaguely outlining the solid, smooth lines of his muscles. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head and looked at her with wet eyes.

The night breeze brushed by, carrying the cool scent of the pool water and the moist fragrance of the courtyard's plants. Shin Se-kyung tightened her bathrobe and walked to the edge of the pool.

"Come on in," Song Tianhao's voice came through the rippling water, deeper and smoother than usual. "I turned up the water temperature a bit for the night, so it won't be too cold. Tonight, we won't learn new moves; just reinforce floating and breathing. Slow down the pace and find your feel for the water."

His tone was calm and professional, exactly like an instructor guiding a student. This oddly soothed part of Shin Se-kyung's anxiety and ambiguous thoughts.

She hummed in response, took off her bathrobe, and placed it on the nearby lounge chair, revealing the dark blue swimsuit. The night breeze brushed her skin, sending a slight shiver through her. Carefully holding the handrail, she slowly stepped into the pool.

The water temperature was indeed not as cold as when it had just rained during the day; it was pleasantly warm, enveloping her body and driving away the chill of the night breeze. The water gently rippled, and the blue light flowed around her.

Song Tianhao also moved away from the edge, Swimming near her, maintaining a distance that was neither too far nor too close—close enough to help if needed but not so close as to make her feel pressured. "Use the kickboard first. Find the feeling from today. Relax, don't fight the water; feel the buoyancy supporting you." His instructions were concise and clear.

Shin Se-kyung nodded, took the kickboard he handed her, took a deep breath, and submerged her face in the water, beginning to attempt floating according to the techniques she had learned during the day.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

The underwater world at night was exceptionally quiet, with only the faint sound of water rushing past her ears and the hazy glow from the pool lights felt through her eyelids.

Without the noise of the day and the prying gazes, she found she could concentrate better on feeling the relationship between her body and the water.

Once, twice... She gradually found that subtle sense of balance.

When her body truly relaxed and was no longer tensed up fighting against the water, its buoyancy naturally lifted her up.

It was a wonderful feeling, as if she had shed all her weight and was being gently supported.

"Very good, steady your breathing rhythm a bit more. Lift your head to inhale, lower it to exhale; don't rush." Song Tianhao's voice came through a layer of water, somewhat muffled, yet it carried a reassuring power.

She adjusted accordingly, and her movements gradually became fluid.

Moonlight spilled onto the surface of the water, only to be shattered by the ripples, transforming into countless tiny, jumping silver scales that swayed and shimmered with her movements.

The world seemed to shrink down to this patch of blue water, with the gurgling sound of water and her own breathing in her ears, and the swaying light and shadow and that figure who was always quietly guarding her nearby before her eyes.

She didn't know how long it had been when she put down the kickboard and tried to keep floating without any tools, relying only on gently paddling her arms and regular breathing.

At first, she was a bit unsteady, and her body instinctively tensed up, wanting to sink.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." Song Tianhao's voice was right nearby, steady and strong.

She gritted her teeth, forced herself to relax her shoulders, adjusted her breathing, and gently paddled her arms.

Once, twice... Her body actually maintained its state of floating on the water!

Although it was only for a short dozen seconds, and the posture certainly couldn't be called standard, she had truly and definitely floated on her own!

An indescribable joy and sense of accomplishment surged into her heart instantly.

She couldn't help but lift her head from the water, water droplets still hanging on her face, but her eyes were startlingly bright.

Almost subconsciously, she looked toward where Song Tianhao was, wanting to share this joy of a breakthrough.

Song Tianhao was less than two meters away from her, also floating on the water, watching her quietly.

The moonlight and the pool lights illuminated his eyes, in which her reflection was clearly visible, along with a hint of undisguised... approval.

He slowly gave her a thumbs up.

There were no excessive words, just a simple gesture.

But Shin Se-kyung felt that this moment was happier than getting any script or passing any audition.

It was a pure kind of happiness—overcoming fear and mastering a new skill.

And this happiness became even fuller and even more... unforgettable because he had witnessed it from the side and even participated in guiding her.

She looked at him, and he looked at her.

The water rippled gently, shattering the moonlight between them.

The world was so quiet that only the sound of water and their own restless breathing remained.

The smile had not yet faded from her face, but her heartbeat accelerated again because of his gaze and the overly quiet and beautiful atmosphere at this moment.

Just then, with a soft "pop," a moth that had flown in from somewhere, attracted by the brightest light by the pool, flew straight into it.

It hit the sensor area of the light switch squarely.

"Snap." The brightest light instantly went out.

The light in the courtyard suddenly dimmed by half.

Only that circle of soft blue ground lights at the bottom of the pool and the cold moon in the sky remained.

The light became hazy and ambiguous, and everything within sight seemed to be covered with a thin veil.

The fragmented moonlight on the water surface appeared clearer, swaying gently with the ripples.

In the dim light, the silhouettes of the two became blurred and soft.

The sudden change in light made Shin Se-kyung's heart skip a beat; her body tensed up subconsciously, and her floating posture was almost disrupted.

"Don't panic." Song Tianhao's voice sounded promptly, still steady, without the slightest fluctuation, "It's a moth.

The moonlight is bright enough; we can see clearly. Continue, keep the rhythm."

His calmness quickly infected her.

Shin Se-kyung composed herself and readjusted her breathing.

Sure enough, after adapting to the change in light, although her field of vision was a bit darker, it wasn't impossible to see.

The clear moonlight was enough to illuminate this pool of green water and their figures.

She continued to try floating, and this time she persisted for longer.

When she lifted her head from the water to breathe again, Song Tianhao swam closer, raised his hand, and pointed to the water surface in front of her.

"Look," his voice sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet night, carrying a nearly poetic gentleness, "the moon is in the water."

Shin Se-kyung looked in the direction his finger pointed.

Beneath the clear water surface, the reflection of the crescent moon was shattered by the ripples and then gathered again, flickering and swaying, right in front of her, within reach.

The ripples stirred by her body when she was floating earlier were playing with this moon shadow in the water.

"Just now," Song Tianhao's voice was very close, almost right by her ear, carrying a slightly moist breath of water vapor, "it was like you were holding the moon."

Shin Se-kyung's heart jumped violently.

This sentence was too gentle, and also too... romantic.

It didn't sound like something a coach would say.

She stared blankly at the moon shadow in the water that was shattered and then reformed, and then lifted her eyes to look at the man who was close at hand.

In the dim light, his eyes appeared exceptionally bright, reflecting the water, the moonlight, and her somewhat dazed face.

Her face began to heat up again, fortunately covered by water droplets.

She hurriedly averted her gaze and buried her face back into the water, trying to cool the temperature of her cheeks with the coolness of the water.

Her heart pounded like a drum, screaming wildly in her chest.

After practicing for a while longer, Song Tianhao checked the time and said, "That's enough, let's get out. It's not good to soak for too long at night."

Shin Se-kyung felt as if she had been granted amnesty and hurriedly swam to the edge of the pool.

She braced her arms against the pool's edge, and just as she was about to push herself up, a long, powerful hand reached out in front of her.

Song Tianhao had already gotten out of the water at some point and was now standing by the edge of the pool, slightly bent over, reaching out to her.

His hair was soaking wet, and water droplets dripped down from the tips of his hair, shimmering with tiny lights in the moonlight.

He looked at her, his gaze calm, as if this were just the most natural gesture of offering help.

Shin Se-kyung looked at that hand—long fingers, distinct knuckles, palm facing up, covered in water droplets—in the hazy light, it appeared exceptionally... reliable.

She hesitated for only a second, and then, slowly lifted her own wet hand and gently placed it on top.

His hand was very warm, dry, and powerful, forming a sharp contrast with her hand that was somewhat cold from being soaked in water.

His palm closed slightly, firmly holding her hand, and then, a firm and steady force came, gently pulling her up from the water.

His movements were very steady, carrying an unquestionable sense of power, yet they didn't make her feel any discomfort or offense.

Relying on his strength, Shin Se-kyung easily stood on the tiles by the edge of the pool.

The night wind immediately blew over, sweeping across her soaked skin and swimsuit, triggering a noticeable shiver, and she couldn't help but shrink back slightly.

Almost at the same time she shivered, a large bath towel carrying his body heat and a clean scent wrapped around her, covering her tightly from shoulders to calves, blocking the invasion of the night wind.

"Go take a hot shower; don't catch a cold." His voice came from above, very close.

He was standing in front of her, lowering his head and carefully tightening the edges of the bath towel for her.

The two were very close, close enough that she could smell the scent on him, a mixture of pool water and a unique, crisp masculine scent; close enough that she could see the tiny water droplet hanging on his eyelashes, about to fall; close enough that she could feel his warm breath brushing against her wet bangs when he spoke.

Wrapped in the soft, dry bath towel, Shin Se-kyung lifted her head, staring at him in a daze.

The moonlight outlined his clear jawline, and the sliding water droplets rolled down along those lines, disappearing into the collar of his white T-shirt.

The T-shirt clung to his chest, and the solid, fluid muscle contours underneath were vaguely visible.

His hair was still dripping, and water droplets slid across his high-bridged nose, some falling onto his lips; that lip shape...

She held her breath, and her heartbeat seemed to stop at that moment too.

All the surrounding sounds faded away; the chirping of insects, the wind, and even the faint sound of traffic in the distance, all disappeared.

The world seemed to have been pressed on the mute button, leaving only the face before her, stained exceptionally clearly by the moonlight and the water color, and his focused eyes, close at hand.

In them, it was as if there were deep pools, starlight, and a vortex she couldn't understand but which inexplicably made her heart palpitate.

Time seemed to be stretched, and yet it also seemed to be just a fleeting moment.

Then, Song Tianhao stepped back half a step, breaking that suffocating close proximity.

He raised his hand and casually wiped the water from his face, his tone returning to his usual steadiness, even carrying a hint of urging: "Go on. There are clean towels and bathrobes in the guest room bathroom on the second floor."

Shin Se-kyung woke up as if from a dream, her cheeks instantly burning hot, almost as if they were going to catch fire.

She hurriedly lowered her head, gave a vague "Mm," not even daring to look at him again, wrapped the bath towel carrying his scent tightly around her, turned, and almost as if running away, walked quickly toward the brightly lit Villa.

Her slippers stepped on the wet floor tiles, making a slightly flustered "patter" sound.

Song Tianhao stood where he was, watching her somewhat panicked back disappear behind the glass door.

The calmness on his face slowly faded, replaced by a complex expression that blended deep emotion and restraint.

He raised his hand and wiped his face forcefully, water droplets splashing everywhere.

Then, he slowly turned his head and looked at the Swimming pool.

The pool water was still rippling with a deep blue light, the moon shadow in the water being torn apart by the ripples, yet stubbornly gathering again.

The night wind blew, bringing a chill, but it couldn't blow away the strange heat in his heart.

He walked to the deck chair nearby, picked up the lounge jacket draped over it, and was just about to put it on when his gaze caught his phone screen on the deck chair lighting up; it was a new message.

He picked up the phone and unlocked it.

The sender was displayed as "Kim Sae-ron."

"CEO Oppa! Mom and I arrived home safely! Thank you for the hospitality and the magic today! (≧∇≦)ﾉ"

Immediately following was another one: "Also, Oppa, you have to take good care of unnie Shin Se-kyung! She looks like she needs someone to take care of her! (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡"

Behind it followed a cute little rabbit emoji holding a heart.

Song Tianhao looked at the jumping text and emojis on the screen, was stunned for a moment, and then, the corners of his mouth uncontrollably curved upward into a clear arc.

This mischievous little girl...

He tapped his thumb lightly on the screen and replied: "Okay, got it. Get some rest early."

After sending it successfully, he put down his phone but didn't put on the jacket immediately.

He turned around and looked again in the direction Shin Se-kyung had left.

That glass door, which was now empty, led to a warm, bright, yet empty and quiet living room inside.

The night was deep, and the moonlight was like water.

Some things, just like the moon shadow in this pool that had been stirred and then gathered again, were already different.