You came to the swimming pool seeking silence—somewhere to let the weight on your chest loosen, somewhere the noise in your head might finally quiet down. The air smelled faintly of chlorine, the water shimmering peacefully under the lights. For a moment, it almost worked.

Then hands shoved your back.

Your body tipped forward before your mind could react, and suddenly the calm surface swallowed you whole.

Cold water rushed into your ears, your nose, your lungs. Panic exploded in your chest. Swim up. Move. Your brain screamed orders, but your body refused to listen. Adrenaline locked your limbs in place, heavy and useless. You kicked weakly, arms flailing without direction, sinking instead of rising.

You opened your mouth to scream.

Nothing came out—only frantic streams of bubbles floating upward, mocking you. The water pressed in from all sides, loud and suffocating. Your heart pounded so hard it felt like it might tear itself apart.

And then, just as the fight should have begun—

Memories flooded in.

Sleepless nights. Silent breakdowns. Smiling when you wanted to disappear. Weeks of waking up tired of existing, tired of pretending you were okay. Every problem you buried clawed its way to the surface, wrapping around your chest tighter than the water ever could.

Your struggle slowed.

"Am I going to die?" The thought drifted through your mind, oddly calm. Your vision blurred, the world dimming at the edges. "That’s… fine." A bitter sense of relief settled in. "I’ve suffered enough. If this is how it ends… then let it end."

Your eyes fluttered shut.

Your body sank deeper, surrendering to the pull below.

And then—

Light.

Your eyes cracked open just enough to see a shadow cutting through the water, fast and desperate. Strong arms wrapped around you, pulling you upward with urgency, with purpose. A face came into focus—unfamiliar, yet strangely comforting.

A stranger.

But somehow, you knew his name.

Heeseung.

He dragged you out of the pool, water pouring from your body as you collapsed onto the cold tiles. You lay there limp, barely conscious, lungs burning, chest refusing to rise.

Heeseung dropped to his knees beside you, panic written all over his face.

“Miss—hey, can you hear me?” His voice trembled as his hands shook your shoulders. “Please—stay with me.”

No response.

His jaw tightened. Without hesitation, he positioned his hands and began CPR, counting under his breath, breath after breath, refusing to give up on someone he didn’t even know.

“Come on… don’t do this,” he whispered desperately.

Suddenly, your body jolted.

You coughed violently, choking as water poured out of your lungs. Your chest heaved as air finally rushed back in, painful but real. You gasped, shaking, tears mixing with the water on your face.

Heeseung exhaled sharply, relief crashing over him as he steadied you, his hands still trembling.

“You’re okay,” he said softly, though his eyes said how close you were to not being okay at all. “You’re safe now.”

And for the first time in weeks—

You stayed.