159: Chapter 159 You need to be more assertive and stop overthinking.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows into the living room, casting bright patches of light onto the floor. Tiny dust particles floated in the air, dancing slowly within the beams of light.

Shin Se-kyung had practically kept her eyes open until dawn. The text message from Song Tianhao last night, saying she was "very cool," was like a pebble thrown into the lake of her heart, the ripples from which had yet to subside.

She had tossed and turned, replaying the scene by the pool, the conversation in the living room late at night, and those few simple words on the screen over and over in her mind. Her cheeks would flush hot from time to time, and her heart would inexplicably race.

But strangely, despite not sleeping all night, she did not feel weary at this moment. Instead, she felt a strange sense of exhilaration, as if something was gently burning in her blood.

She got up early, finished washing, and changed into the clothes she had arrived in. Standing by the guest room window, looking at the pool in the courtyard shimmering under the morning light, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

She couldn't act strangely, she told herself; the President was simply encouraging a junior in a very normal way. She patted her cheeks firmly, trying to make that abnormal flush fade, and then, mustering her courage, she opened the bedroom door.

Downstairs was very quiet, with only faint sounds coming from the direction of the kitchen. She lightened her steps as she walked down the stairs, looking toward the source of the noise.

In the open-plan kitchen, Song Tianhao stood with his back to her in front of the stove. He had already changed into a simple white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, his figure tall and straight.

The morning sunlight shone in diagonally from the side window, gilding his silhouette with a faint golden edge. He was holding a spoon, gently stirring a small soup pot, and the savory aroma of bean sprouts and anchovies boiling wafted through the air.

The rice cooker beside him was emitting steam, and on the counter next to it, julienned carrots, cucumbers, blanched spinach, cooked minced meat, and a small dish of bright red chili paste were neatly laid out.

It was bibimbap and bean sprout soup. Simple, yet filled with the warm atmosphere of home.

Shin Se-kyung's steps halted at the kitchen entrance, and she was momentarily stunned. This scene was too... ordinary; so ordinary that it didn't feel like it was in the home of a Baeksang Best Actor and an entertainment company president, but rather like any ordinary morning in any ordinary family kitchen.

That dreamlike palpitation that had accumulated last night was suddenly diluted by this scene filled with the mundane atmosphere of daily life, yet it was strangely replaced by another, more gentle emotion.

As if sensing her gaze, Song Tianhao turned around.

Their eyes met.

Shin Se-kyung's heart still skipped a beat uncontrollably. She saw that his eyes were clear and calm, a stark contrast to the somewhat enigmatic man under the moonlight last night, and... seemingly unrelated to the man who had sent that message late at night.

Song Tianhao looked at her calmly, as if that message last night was as ordinary as a casual "good night."

"President, good morning." She spoke first, her voice smaller than she had intended, carrying a slight huskiness from just waking up.

"Morning." Song Tianhao nodded, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment. "How did you sleep?"

His tone was too natural, so natural that it made Shin Se-kyung's anxious thoughts seem a bit ridiculous. She composed herself, struggling to pull off a reasonably natural smile: "It, it was fine. How about you, President?"

"Not bad." He answered briefly, turned to turn off the stove, used a heat-resistant pad to lift the soup pot, and placed it on the dining table nearby. "Go wash your hands, we're ready to eat breakfast."

"Ah, yes." Shin Se-kyung hurriedly replied and walked toward the bathroom. The cold water rushing over her fingers made her much more alert. Looking at the faint dark circles under her eyes and her still-pink cheeks in the mirror, she secretly bit her lip. Shin Se-kyung, you need to pull yourself together, stop letting your mind wander.

When she returned to the dining room, Song Tianhao had already served two bowls of rice, poured the bean sprout soup over them, and arranged the bibimbap ingredients in small dishes, pushing them in front of her.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I just made something simple." He said, sitting down opposite her.

"It's already very generous, thank you, President." Shin Se-kyung sat down opposite him and picked up her chopsticks. The rice was steaming hot, the aroma of the bean sprout soup was fragrant, and the colorful bibimbap ingredients looked appetizing.

She very carefully picked up a mouthful of rice, topped it with various vegetables and minced meat, and scooped a small spoonful of chili paste into it to mix.

Song Tianhao ate very quietly, his movements unhurried. For a while, the only sounds in the dining room were the slight clinking of cutlery and quiet chewing. The atmosphere was a bit subtle, but not awkward. Sunlight shone in warmly, falling on the dark dining table and also on the two of them.

Shin Se-kyung stole a glance, seeing his lowered eyelashes, his high-bridged nose, and his slender hands holding the chopsticks. He was very focused while eating, seemingly completely immersed in this simple breakfast.

"Not to your taste?" Song Tianhao suddenly looked up.

Shin Se-kyung was startled and hurriedly shook her head: "No, no, it's delicious!" As if to prove it, she quickly shoveled a large mouthful of rice, ended up almost choking, and hurriedly picked up the soup bowl to take a sip.

Song Tianhao seemed to curve the corners of his mouth almost imperceptibly, said nothing, and continued eating his own meal.

Breakfast ended in a quiet atmosphere. Shin Se-kyung took the initiative to get up and clear the dishes, and Song Tianhao didn't stop her, just leaning back in his chair, watching the bright sunshine outside the window.

"The light is good this morning, and the water temperature is suitable," he suddenly said, turning his gaze to Shin Se-kyung who was busy in front of the sink. "Shall we continue practicing Swimming?"

Shin Se-kyung's movements paused, the water rushing over the dishes making a splashing sound. She turned off the faucet, turned around, wiped her wet hands on her apron, and looked at him.

Song Tianhao's expression was very calm, his eyes inquiring, as if he were just confirming a perfectly ordinary lesson schedule.

The remaining bit of shyness and anxiety in her heart suddenly dissipated for the most part. Yes, he was the President, her teacher, here to help her overcome her fear and learn a skill. What exactly was she blushing, heart-racing, and letting her mind wander for?

"Continue!" She nodded vigorously, her voice returning to its usual crispness, her eyes becoming firm and bright again. "Thank you for yesterday, President, I will work even harder today!"

Song Tianhao watched her instantly revitalized spirit and nodded: "Good. Go change your clothes, see you by the pool."

The morning sun was even more intense than at dawn, shining without obstruction onto the clear surface of the pool, reflecting dazzling, diamond-like light. The water temperature, after a night of circulation and sunlight, was neither cold nor hot, just right.

With last night's breakthrough and that frank conversation late at night, Shin Se-kyung's trust in Song Tianhao had reached an unprecedented height.

When she entered the water again, although her instinctive fear of the deep end still existed, she no longer had that near-suffocating panic from yesterday. She held onto the pool wall and looked at Song Tianhao, who was already standing in the chest-deep water.

He was wearing simple Swimming trunks today, revealing his smooth-lined, well-muscled upper body. Sunlight fell on his wheat-colored skin, outlining the clear contours of his abs and solid arm lines. Water droplets slid from his wet black hair, rolled down his neck, and disappeared into the hollow beneath his collarbone.

Shin Se-kyung's gaze was as if burned, and she hurriedly looked away, toward the kickboard he was handing over.

"Today we will first practice kicking and simple arm stroke coordination." Song Tianhao's voice was calm and waveless, carrying the clarity and patience typical of teaching. "Remember the feeling of floating last night, keep your body flat, put your center of gravity on the kickboard, your leg movements should be slow but powerful, like a frog kicking water, but not kicking randomly."

As he spoke, he demonstrated. His movements were relaxed and standard, the splashes were small, and his body moved steadily forward with the movements.

Shin Se-kyung watched very carefully and nodded vigorously.

"Come, try it. I'll hold you." Song Tianhao walked to her side, one hand gently supporting the underside of her arm holding the kickboard, the other hand lightly resting on her waist. "Don't be afraid, relax, I will keep you steady."

His palms were large, and the warmth transmitted through the wet, slippery skin of her arm, carrying an undeniable sense of presence.

Song Tianhao's other hand lightly resting on her waist, that heat at such close range and the subtle strength, still made Shin Se-kyung's body tense up for an instant, her heart skipping a beat.

"Deep breath, relax." Song Tianhao's voice was right by her ear, steady and reassuring. "Focus your attention on the movements, feel the water flow."

Shin Se-kyung closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

She tried hard to ignore the faint sensation on her waist and the real temperature on her arm, focusing her attention on the key points of the movements Song Tianhao had just explained. Her body slowly leaned forward, lying on the kickboard, and her legs attempted to make the kicking and clamping movements.

"Right, just like that, a little slower, feel the resistance of the water... Good, retract your legs, then kick..." Song Tianhao's voice was very low, guiding her very meticulously.

He held her arm, slowly backing away as she moved, his other hand always lightly resting on her waist, ensuring the balance of her body.

The touch of the water wrapped around her body, the kickboard provided reliable support, and the steady strength and voice behind her were her greatest source of security.

Shin Se-kyung gradually forgot her nervousness and began to focus on coordinating her movements. Kicking, stroking, small splashes spread out behind her, and her body was actually moving forward slowly.

"Very good." Song Tianhao gave affirmation at the right time. "You can try to stroke the water gently with your arms, coordinating with your leg movements. Right, that's it, rhythm... pay attention to the rhythm..."

His hand would occasionally leave her arm, gently patting the outside of her lower leg to correct the angle of her kick: "Here, don't open your knees too wide."

Or when she was stroking, his fingertips would inadvertently graze the inside of her upper arm, adjusting the width of her arm opening: "Raise your elbows a bit, use this to exert force."

Every touch from Song Tianhao was very brief, very professional, focused, and purely for the purpose of correcting movements. But for Shin Se-kyung, every place he touched felt like an electric shock, sparking a slight shudder, and her heartbeat would also become disordered for a few beats.

She had to desperately concentrate all her attention to barely keep up with his instructions, not letting her movements become distorted due to distraction.

When resting, she lay on the edge of the pool, panting slightly. The sun felt warm on her back, and the stray hair on her forehead was wet and stuck to her cheeks. She turned her head and looked at Song Tianhao beside her.

He was bending over, taking an orange-yellow, strangely shaped device out of a waterproof bag by the pool. It was an underwater camera.

Song Tianhao was adjusting the lens, his profile clearly defined in the sunlight, tiny water droplets still hanging on his eyelashes, trembling slightly as he blinked. His expression was focused, his thin lips slightly pursed, and his jawline tensed into a sharp curve.

Shin Se-kyung looked at him, and a sudden impulse surged in her heart. This question had been hovering in her mind since last night.

"President," she spoke, her voice carrying a slight gasp due to the recent exercise and her current nervousness.

Song Tianhao turned his head to look at her, signaling her to continue with his eyes.

"Why are you... so patient with me?" Shin Se-kyung mustered her courage and asked. She looked at him without blinking, her eyes filled with curiosity, anxiety, and a hint of secret expectation she hadn't even realized herself.

"I mean, this Swimming thing. I know I'm very clumsy, very troublesome, and a coward..." Her voice became lower as she spoke, carrying a hint of self-mockery.

Song Tianhao stopped adjusting the camera, turned around, and looked at her directly. He didn't answer immediately, his gaze falling calmly on her face, which was flushed with a healthy glow from the exercise, and those wet, uneasy, and inquisitive eyes.

The pool water gently rippled, reflecting light onto his face, flickering on and off.