3 A Short Swim

Travis began swimming further and further from shore. As he did, he bumped into a boat. He raised his head and saw the small boat made for three people or less.

"Hmm, it'd be nice if I could own a yacht one day," he said to himself. He turned around, ready to swim back, but then he heard someone shout his name.

"Hey Travis! What are you doing here?"

He looked behind and saw Han-Bada, her figure outlined against the shimmering water, standing on the boat with a puzzled expression. "I'm swimming, of course. What are you doing here?"

With a powerful thrust, he propelled himself out of the water, his sleek form slicing through the air before landing gracefully on the boat. "Man, I can do anything with this body," he thought, a smirk playing on his lips.

Han-Bada stared at him in disbelief, her eyes widening as she struggled to comprehend what she had just witnessed. "How did you do that? Are you some kind of super soldier?" she blurted out, her voice tinged with awe and confusion.

"Nah, I don't like Marvel. I'm more of a DC fan," he replied nonchalantly, shrugging off the gravity of the situation with a hint of humor.

But Han-Bada wasn't convinced, her curiosity piqued. "I'm serious. How did you get here? Did you swim?" she pressed, firing off multiple questions in rapid succession, the sun casting a warm glow over the scene.

"Yeah, I swam. So you work here. Why are you alone though?" he asked.

"I'm a solo diver. Also, I'm quite good at it, so I don't really need anyone on board with me. You still didn't answer my questions though."

Travis chuckled, leaning on the boat's edge he sat on it and said, "Let's just leave everything a mystery for now. I heard girls love a mysterious guy."

She squinted her eyes and shook her head, "Well, whatever. I was going on a deep dive anyway. I need someone to guard the boat. So could you stay here for a minute or two?" she said.

"Sure."

Han-Bada smiled and got suited up. Adjusted her mask, ensuring a snug fit, and took a deep breath, inhaling the salty tang of the ocean. With a graceful leap, she plunged into the water, the cool embrace enveloping her body as she descended into the depths. The world above faded away, replaced by a tranquil realm of blue. Sunlight danced through the water, casting ethereal patterns on the sandy seabed below.

Travis watched this and smiled. 'She's probably going to be the easiest to win over in this whole story. The hardest is the girl who went to the city, the milf, and main heroine,' he thought.

He sat on the deck and waited for her to surface.

'I wonder why my body is so super. I mean, I doubt any military workout could make me feel this powerful. Probably made me like this because there are people that I'm going to have to fight in this world,' he thought.

A few minutes later, she did come up. Travis lowered the ladder allowing her to come up. As she climbed, she took off her mask and smiled, "Thanks a lot."

As she was climbing, trying to place her feet without making any mistakes, the salty droplet stung her eyes, causing her to wince in pain. In that split second of distraction, her grip slipped, and she began to teeter precariously on the edge of the ladder. It was Travis's quick thinking and agile movements that prevented disaster, his strong arms reaching out just in time to catch her before she could plunge into the water below.

"Whoa, careful there," Travis said, his voice tinged with concern, as he reached out to help her back into the boat.

Han-Bada sat there, still catching her breath and trying to calm herself down after the close call.

"Man, that could've ended badly," she said, managing a laugh to ease the tension.

"Are you alright?" Travis asked, his worry evident in his tone, as he looked into her eyes. Han-Bada couldn't help but notice how handsome he was, causing her thoughts to momentarily pause.

"He's really good looking, honestly," she thought, feeling a blush creep onto her face as she nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks to you, of course."

"Well, I better go. I'm still looking for that tour you were talking about. See ya, Bada-Noona."

She watched in awe as Travis effortlessly dove into the water, his movements sleek and graceful as he swam away with surprising speed. Han-Bada couldn't help but be taken aback.

"Is he a merman?" she mused to herself, a hint of amusement coloring her thoughts.

"I mean, he's certainly as handsome as one." The image of Travis disappearing beneath the surface, his figure cutting through the water.

As Travis emerged from the water, the attention of many women on the beach shifted toward him. Their gazes followed him intently as he strutted across the sand, his every step exuding confidence and allure. Whispers and murmurs rose among the onlookers as he retrieved his flip-flops and made his way back to where Soohyun was waiting. The sight of Travis, with his sun-kissed skin and athletic build, caused a collective flutter of admiration among the women nearby, turning him into an undeniable focal point of the beach scene.

"I thought you died. Guess not."

"What a lame lifeguard you are. Well anyway, what time do you clock out?" he asked.

"In an hour, why?"

"You gotta show me around. As my new friend of course. Got a problem?"

"No, I was just asking. Well, I'll see you then," Soohyun said. Travis nodded then walked back to his apartment and got a bath.

Sitting inside the tub, he smiled thinking about Han-Bada. 'Man, I was so slick. I didn't know I had it in me,' he thought.

TO BE CONTINUED