Jaekyong didn't seem to care at all. At least in the first approximation. He trained as usual, ate lunch, fully following his schedule. Even during the meal, he did not say a word about the scandal, as if he had not read a single article, and as if he had not been on the Internet. Jaekyung used his smartphone as an MP3 player. In addition, he did not bother to install the messenger. All conversations were conducted through calls and SMS. And the circle of confidants included: his mother, several people associated with swimming, and Cha Sung-hyun.

"Cha Sunghyun is special to him...", Jihong shook his head, absentmindedly nibbling on his hand. No, why the hell does he even draw such conclusions about an actor? Jiheon caught himself unconsciously staring at the pool, checking on Jaekyung. He was annoyed by his own behavior of his overprotective mother.

"But there's nothing I can do about it," Jihong summed up, closing his eyes dejectedly. The competition will take place in less than ten days. And he has to make sure Jaekyung is in the best shape, because that's part of his job. To exaggerate a little, the future of the company depended on the results of his work. For him, it makes sense to worry even about any sneeze and cough of an athlete. Jihon squeezed his eyes shut and struggled to explain something to himself. But the more he made excuses, the more embarrassing he became, because deep down there was a completely different truth.

If it was purely out of responsibility, he could just trust Jaekyung. The personal life of the athletes had nothing to do with the agency. Jihong didn't understand the reason for his obsession with their relationship. He often remembered Jaekyung's face, which he saw at the moment of a short revelation on the phone.

"You can't imagine how I feel every day, hyung," and the bitter phrase was etched in his mind.

When Jihong thought about him, another scene appeared before his eyes, as the guy, staring into the distance, said: "It is better to be boring than to experience pain and suffering from unrequited feelings."

Which made my heart ache. After all, he had been watching this child for a long time, his clumsiness, stubbornness and boundless passion for swimming. And now the baby has grown up. How did Jaekyung manage to get into such a difficult love? Of course, Jihong didn't plan to share his experiences with him. Obviously, the athlete will perceive this as interference and will hate it. He may snarl sternly, losing his temper, and blurt out, "What the hell is wrong with you, hyung?"

No, he would surely do so.

Jihong continued his thoughts: "Maybe we should leave them alone? Or should I invent another excuse to delay their meeting?"

The head of the team Lee advised not to pay attention, since this is just an article that does not affect the condition of the athlete in any way. However, Jihong could not easily and carelessly dismiss all his worries.

"Cha Sung-hyun probably won't be calling Jaekyung right now. He is definitely aware that the championship is just around the corner. It definitely has common sense. Cha Sung-hyun will definitely understand that his friend needs to focus on training," Jihong convinced himself.

                                                                                                      ***

"Wow, hyunnim manager

«..... Did I really ask for a lot?" He wondered if Cha Sunghyun was brave or imprudent?

"Yes, hello

In fact, he had something to say, but he made do with the standard greeting.

"Looks like we'll get along, right?"

A playful joke flew out of Cha Sunghyun's mouth.

"Where's Jaekyung?"

"He'll be out soon

Jihong glanced at the passenger seat, pretending to take a deep drag on a cigarette. He wanted to make sure that Cha Sunghyun was alone today. However, the windows of the car are so heavily tinted that it is very difficult to see anything from such a distance.

"By the way, I didn't know that you can smoke in the parking lot

Cha Sung-hyun pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the front pocket of his linen jacket.

"Hmm... Previously, smoking areas were not provided here, look...

Jihong pointed to a sign on one of the walls of the parking lot.

"Oh, really?" Then why is it here?

Cha Sung-hyun asked, tapping on the trash can, which also served as an ashtray.

"If there are signs, people will still violate all the rules, so proper disposal of cigarette butts is a good idea

"Hmmm, that makes sense

Cha Sunghyun smirked and squeezed his cigarette between his lips. He used a lighter to set the tip on fire, bowing his head slightly as if posing for a photo shoot.

"And he is handsome," Jihon concluded, admiring.

"How did Mr. Nam characterize him then...? <… The vibe of a stylish, chillingly handsome man... >," Jihong mused as Cha Sung-hyun took a leisurely drag on his cigarette.

"Can you smoke?"

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't you promise to leave Jaekyung?"

Jihong was taken aback for a moment.

"Jaekyung knows I can't do it

"Ah, then your memorandum is meaningless

Jihong couldn't help but laugh nervously. It's unbelievable that this guy even knows about the receipt: "What the hell did Jaekyung tell him?"

Of course, it's perfectly normal to share something with your friends. Jihon himself did the same. After all, the contract didn't say anything about confidentiality. However, strange as it may seem, Jihong was not happy at all about what was happening. But there was nothing to be angry about. In this situation, he should not carelessly open his mouth, taking out his anger on the innocent.

— Ча Сонхён-сси

"I am glad that we were able to meet today

"What?"

– If you don't have any urgent business now, I think that you should postpone head-to-head meetings until the competition is over.

"Huh?" Why?

Cha Sunghyun's eyes widened.

"Oh, is it because of his physical condition?" Is he tired? I didn't ask him to drink or stay late.

"Why the hell is he reacting like this?" Suppressing the urge to chuckle, he continued in the calmest tone he could portray, "Physical fatigue is not the only problem. If publications continue to appear, this will inevitably put psychological pressure on him."

— Are we talking about one person now?

The man interrupted Jihon and burst out laughing.

"You know what kind of character he has

Cha Sung-hyun waved his hand dismissively. However, when Jihong didn't answer or smile, he caught something out of the ordinary. After a moment's silence, the man shook off the ashes and added, "I'm sorry, but is that Jaekyung's opinion?"

— No, I don't

Cha Sung-hyun nodded as if anticipating.

"He doesn't care about such things. That's why he told me to contact him for any reason

"Really?"

"yes

Cha Sung-hyun raised his eyebrows and shoulders at the same time, as if to hint, "Well, what are you going to do now?" but Jihong didn't even notice this theatrical gesture.

He was discouraged by the fact that Jaekyung, with poor social skills, offered to help. Is he really capable of something altruistic?