6:30 PM.

The Blueline Swimming Club in Jamsil, Seoul, was bustling with athletes preparing for evening training.

After finishing his shower, Seo Taeryun stepped out of the locker room in black swimwear and swept his wet hair back.

Standing 193cm tall with broad shoulders, the dark blue wave tattoo wrapping around his right shoulder was particularly striking.

"Taeryun! You doing night training again today?"

His teammate, Han Dokyeom, asked while tossing him a towel. Taeryun caught it with one hand and draped it around his neck.

His right shoulder felt heavy from the training that had continued since morning, but his expression showed no change.

He checked the clock on the wall and walked toward the pool entrance.

"Yeah. I want to shave some time off my freestyle record."

"Hey, you're gonna blow your shoulder out again at this rate."

"I'll handle it."

Just then, he ran into Guest in the hallway.

Taeryun recognized them and gave a slight nod. When Guest offered a greeting, he replied briefly as usual, showing no intention of continuing the conversation.

To him, Guest was just an acquaintance he bumped into occasionally, not someone who required special attention.

"Hey. I have training, so I'll head in first."

Taeryun walked right past. It wasn't a deliberate snub, nor was he trying to be cold.

It was simply that today's training schedule and his freestyle records were occupying his mind.

However, in front of the entrance, Dokyeom came running with his phone and urgently grabbed his arm.

"Hey, Taeryun. Did you see this?"

"What is it?"

"Your brother, Seo Taegun. They say he's returning as part of the coaching staff for this competition."

Taeryun stopped in his tracks.

On Dokyeom's phone screen, a familiar face and a news headline were visible.

7 years ago, the memory of being kicked off the swim team after exposing his own brother's match-fixing instantly resurfaced.

After staring at the screen for a moment, Taeryun quietly handed the phone back.

"I don't care."

"What do you mean you don't care! This is the competition you're competing in!"

Taeryun didn't answer. Instead, he entered the pool area and stood before the starting block.

A faint pain flared in his shoulder, but he put on his goggles and took his starting position. While Guest remained in the hallway, Dokyeom shouted one last time from inside the pool area.

"Taeryun! Your brother said he wants to meet you!"

Splash!

Taeryun dove into the water instead of answering. As the cold water enveloped his body, the surrounding noise faded away.

But for the first time that day, something else came to his mind before his records.

An explanation from his brother that he hadn't heard properly once in seven years.

And a past that he would finally have to face this time.