"......"
Seoryeong frowned.
The attention Lee Wooshin gave her made her feel grateful, yet on the other hand, she **disliked** it at the same time.
He looked tense, his eyes scanning their surroundings warily and occasionally blowing his whistle at slow-moving team members, as if muttering curses.
Seoryeong couldn't decipher his behavior.
Sometimes, the attention he gave felt like a form of **neglect**, while at other times it felt natural. Although she was the only woman in this training camp, the position she held was often treated with double standards depending on the situation, leaving her dissatisfied.
She knew she was sometimes excluded because there was no other choice, but deep down, she wanted to **resist**.
Now, in the swimming pool, it was just her and Lee Wooshin.
"......"
"......"
Seoryeong watched Lee Wooshin as he got out of the pool.
Not unlike what she had thought, his expression changed instantly. She saw his Adam's apple quiver slightly, but Seoryeong ignored it and continued to climb the water ladder.
Lee Wooshin chuckled softly, as if sighing.
Even though the cold wind touched her bare skin, she didn't feel it due to the stubbornness in her heart.
"Take this and wear it."
He tossed the wet pants toward her with a hoarse voice.
The pants hit her back and fell to the floor, but Seoryeong chose not to pick them up.
"Don't let that fool stare at you like food. Put it on."
"I already took it off thinking about this."
"......"
"And I took it off a long time ago because I thought about it too much."
Lee Wooshin closed his eyes and pressed his forehead.
"Han Seoryeong, are you not flexible at all?"
"Do I need to be flexible in this training?"
"Your shoulder bones might be flexible, but not your personality."
"Better than being ill-mannered like some people, isn't it?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Lee Wooshin grabbed her face and paused for a moment, then cursed.
"Damn it, Seoryeong, going out like this......"
He spoke with a growl.
Seoryeong was slightly surprised to hear her name called out so suddenly—without the formality, without the distance.
"Now your buttocks are clearly visible. The instructor must be pleased, right? Isn't that so?"
"......!"
Lee Wooshin picked up the pants that had fallen on the floor and walked toward her.
He bent down and pulled them up roughly, intending to wrap the pants around her body. The wet pants clung to her bare skin like a tied mini-skirt.
Lee Wooshin's hand stopped abruptly.
As Seoryeong looked down, she saw thin beige underwear—revealing a bit of **hair** in her private area.
Seoryeong's face flushed instantly.
She instinctively pushed Lee Wooshin's hand away, but all she felt was protruding veins. Lee Wooshin didn't move.
"I... I can do it myself......!"
"Quiet."
The distance between them was very close—their noses almost touching.
Lee Wooshin stared at her with eyes that seemed to **devour** her. His hand gripped the pants tightly, causing Seoryeong's body to tremble.
His gaze remained sharp and fixed on her: from her hair still dripping water, her lips trembling from the cold, to her rapidly moving chest.
Then, his fingers accidentally brushed against her underwear.
"Ugh...!"
Seoryeong bit her lip and was startled.
"......"
"......"
Her heart pounded loudly, confusing her.
A tense, **sexual** feeling came suddenly.
Seoryeong's face turned red with embarrassment, as if she were being hunted by a predator. This strange feeling of fear made her body tremble—but at the same time, Lee Wooshin simply finished tying the pants and stood up calmly.
"Done."
However, his eyes—usually filled with indifference and mockery—now radiated a strange **desire**, making Seoryeong uncomfortable every time his gaze touched her.
"I just want you to understand, so you don't overthink things—"
His face remained without a smile.
Seoryeong felt awkward and had to clench her fists to suppress the feeling.
"My job is to manage and maintain the team. Sometimes I have to be strict, sometimes more relaxed. It's all to maintain the team's balance."
"......"
"It's not because you're special or different from the others."
"But you want me to leave here, right?"
His face slowly returned to the one she was familiar with. The eyes that had seemed to devour her now changed into Lee Wooshin's usual lazy and mocking gaze.
"Why?" She pressed. "Can you give me a reason why you want me to leave?"
This was a question she had wanted to ask all along.
"I don't need playful words or compliments. You know why I want to stay here, so can you explain it so I can understand and get through it?"
After a long silence, Lee Wooshin sighed in annoyance. His breath sounded weak and hoarse.
"You're becoming an **obstacle** to what I'm trying to do, and no matter how hard I try, I can't get you out of the way."
"......"
"How far do I have to go with this?"
"You already know that I won't give up."
"That's right."
A cool breeze blew between them, but there was a slight **burning sensation** swirling in Seoryeong's stomach.
"Since you really want to do this, I guess I have to teach you what you're missing."
Seoryeong waited for the next answer, but he remained silent.
As he lowered his head, he looked at her white legs—from the long and strong calves to the thighs with tense muscles, and the tight underwear that accentuated her figure.
Due to his clean and handsome appearance, Lee Wooshin's body looked even more **rugged**.
Although she had seen his naked body before, this time she felt something strange...
She shifted her gaze upward.
"Why do you keep staring like that?"
Suddenly, Lee Wooshin slowly licked his lips with his red tongue.
The atmosphere became still, as if the wind had stopped.
Seoryeong was startled and immediately gave an explanation.
"Your nipples are erect."
"What?"
"You brought us into such cold water. You must not like the cold, right?"
"......"
"It's clearly visible there."
Seoryeong nodded toward his nipples protruding under his wet shirt.
Lee Wooshin laughed cynically.
"Don't compare. Instructors don't have hair there."
---
## — Running Away —
Somehow, she ran away from there.
Her breath was ragged, even though she could usually run five kilometers easily.
As Seoryeong thought about taking birth control pills to delay her period, she couldn't help but think that maybe now was her **ovulation time**.
It wasn't a coincidence that this hot and unsettling feeling arose without reason constantly—but sometimes people do experience surges in sexual desire for no apparent reason.
_If this is due to hormones, it seems to make sense._
Seoryeong often nodded to herself, as if trying to brush off the uncomfortable feeling little by little.
---
## — Fifth Week: Combat Training —
Entering the fifth week of training at Blast, she felt a little lighter and ready for combat training.
"Before we begin, we will watch a fight first."
Although after the strange incident in the swimming pool, she still had to face a very tiring training schedule that made her want to curse—and Lee Wooshin still alternated between strictness and giving them breaks—the awkward tension that had occurred in the swimming pool had completely disappeared.
"Song Ukchan and Han Seoryeong, step forward."
At that moment, their two names were called out by his voice.
When she saw the man who stood up with her on the mat, Seoryeong couldn't help but click her tongue.
_This man must be Song Ukchan._
The man who had looked like withered leftovers since the first time they met was now staring at her with an **angry gaze**.
Then, the instructor came over and gave them both simple protective gear.
While holding the guard and helmet hesitantly, Lee Wooshin came over and quickly put on her protection—as if wrapping a rice roll—even fastening her body armor tightly.
As he adjusted the guard, Lee Wooshin's dissatisfied gaze met hers, making Seoryeong wonder why his face looked so serious—even though he was the one who had called her.
"Try it first. You'll understand later."
He said slowly in a not-so-clear voice.
Seoryeong walked to the center of the mat and faced Song Ukchan as if ready to fight.
In reality, she had never had a real fight before. If it were a no-rules fight, she might be a little better, but the problem was...
"Ugh...!"
Strangely, Song Ukchan was a very skilled fighter.
His first punch came fast—too fast.
Seoryeong barely blocked it, her forearm stinging from the impact.
The second punch came immediately after.
She ducked, but his knee came up to meet her ribs.
_Damn it._
She staggered back, gasping.
The other recruits watched in silence.
Lee Wooshin stood at the edge of the mat, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Song Ukchan didn't give her time to recover. He moved in again, relentless, his fists a blur of motion.
Seoryeong tried to counter, but her movements were clumsy, unrefined.
She was fast. She was flexible. But she wasn't **trained**.
And Song Ukchan was.
Another punch landed—this time on her shoulder.
She grunted, pain flaring through her arm.
_Get up. Move. Don't let him see you weak._
She forced herself forward, throwing a wild punch that Song Ukchan easily sidestepped.
He swept her legs out from under her.
Seoryeong hit the mat hard, the air knocked out of her lungs.
For a moment, everything went white.
Then she heard Lee Wooshin's voice—calm, cold, and utterly without sympathy.
"Get up."
She opened her eyes, gasping.
"Get up, Seoryeong."
Her body screamed in protest, but she pushed herself to her hands and knees.
Song Ukchan stood over her, breathing hard, waiting.
_This is what you're missing._
Lee Wooshin's words echoed in her mind.
_This is what I have to teach you._
Seoryeong gritted her teeth and stood.