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Kim was never one anyone would call smart or observant.
He was fast. He swam like a fish. He was competitive as heck. He was a great friend. But he was not the brightest light bulb in the shed.
That’s why it had taken a year, multiple confessions, an akumatization, and an explicit confession for him to realize that his friend and swimming companion was in love with him.
Welp. It was a good sign that Ondine didn’t like him because of his brains!
And it was great!
Kim and Ondine went on dates. They went to the zoo and laughed at how slow the cheetahs were together. They went to the aquarium and marveled at all the different fish and found the one that matched them. They shared Andre’s ice cream after finding him on a small street behind a church one day. They even visited the Eiffel Tower together, going to the top and sharing what had to be the most romantic kiss ever as the stars shone bright and the full moon glowed above their heads.
Kim and Ondine talked. Kim told her about all of his hopes and dreams. He told her that he loved the water so much that he hoped he would be able to find a way to spend the rest of his life in it. Ondine told him how she wanted to explore more of the world. She hadn’t been living in Paris long before she met him and her native home was boring so she wished to travel the world. Kim mentioned how he hoped he would be a part of those plans. Ondine assured that, if they fell in love, he would be, no matter what.
Kim and Ondine played games. It was no secret that Kim loved games and it seemed he found his match when Ondine revealed she enjoyed some good and healthy competition as well. So they began finding new and old games to play together. Monopoly. Twister. Xbox games. Computer Games. Checkers. Chess. Tetris. You name it, they played it. Kim was thrilled that he ended up winning half the time but wasn’t too upset when his girlfriend won the other half.
Kim and Ondine made out. A lot. Whether it was by the pool or in one of their bedrooms, they were always kissing. Kim could not get enough of her pink lips and seeing her green eyes turn to smoke as he kissed her favorite spot right above her collarbone. He also couldn’t get enough of her teeth trailing along his neck, nipping so hard it felt as if they were fangs instead. Things always got very hot and heavy when the two were alone in a room, but it never crossed the line Kim so eagerly wanted to cross and, for the moment, Kim was okay with that. They were young and had plenty of time for more adult activities… even though he really wanted to take part in those activities.
All in all, the two were happy together and remained happy together for years all the way up into university.
But then things changed.
Ondine seemed to change.
She was still amazing and embodied everything he loved, but she was becoming more and more… needy.
She wanted more of his attention, more of his time, more of his affection. Even when she got it, he could clearly see her panicking about his feelings and no matter how hard he tried to reassure her that he was hers, it seemed that she barely believed him.
Kim couldn’t understand why… until he messed up big time.
While Ondine was visiting her family back home, Kim attended an engagement party for his close friends Luka and Marinette. The little snake had finally proposed to his girlfriend after being together for nearly seven years and their whole friend group was ecstatic…
Except for Chloe.
Kim wasn’t sure why she was so down at their friends’ happiness. She and Marinette had buried the hatchet years ago and they were nearly as close as Marinette and Alya so he thought she would be thrilled that one of her closest friends was getting married.
Liquor loosening his tongue, Kim walked over to where she stood alone in a corner and said as much.
Chloe had looked at him in anger. “Who says I’m not happy for her, fish stick? Can’t you tell by my smile that I am?”
His head tilted. “But you’re frowning.”
“Ugh. Shut up, Kim.” She groaned before shaking her head. He saw her eyes fall on her glowing friend who was wrapped up in the love of her life’s arms as they kissed again. “I just… I’m a little jealous, okay?”
Kim’s eyebrows had shot up. “You? Jealous? Why?”
She shrugged. “They’re just so… happy and in love. I’ve never been as happy as them and I want that. I want what they have but I don’t think I’m ever gonna get it.”
Kim’s eyes softened. “Why?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a pretty mean person. Sure I’m rich and smart and beautiful, but who would want to spend the rest of their lives with someone as mean as me?” She looked down into her cup.
Kim couldn’t help himself as the sparks of a crush that never died resurfaced. He slid a finger under her chin and made her look at him. “Yes, you’re mean and a bit sadistic, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find love. It doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it. Under that mean girl act, you’re a pretty awesome chick, Chloe.”
Chloe’s eyes glittered with unshed tears that she quickly shook away and replaced with a smirk. “If you say so, Kimmy. Now go get me another drink so I won’t get bored with you being so tooth rottenly sweet.”
Kim chuckled and shook his head but took her cup anyway. “Whatever you say, Chloe. You know you like it.”
She scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.”
The next morning, Kim woke up in Chloe’s bed with the blonde draped across his chest.
He felt horrible. Of course, he felt horrible for cheating, but it hadn’t been his fault! It was the alcohol! Ondine would understand that… right?
When he got home and charged his phone, he was surprised to see a text from her.
Hey Kim. I’m back in town and I wanna go on a swimming date! Meet in our spot!
His face stretched into a grin before it melted away as he realized he would have to tell her today.
She deserved to know.
Arriving at the pool half an hour later, Kim felt extremely guilty as he saw Ondine in a pretty dress waiting for him. It only grew as she kissed and hugged him tightly.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, but I need to tell you something.”
Ondine smiled and threw her arms around his shoulders. “Okay. What is it?”
Wow. This was harder than he thought.
He opened his mouth a few times before he gave up. She didn’t have to know today. He could tell her tomorrow when she was well rested after her trip back home.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll tell you later.”
Her smile dropped. “Will you really?”
“What?”
“Are you actually gonna tell me what happened?”
Kim felt his heart beat faster as he looked into her accusatory eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“Were you ever going to tell me that you slept with her?”
Kim’s mouth went dry. How did she know? How could she know? “Ondine, I-”
Her green eyes boiled with a rage so bright it made her skin appear pearly white around their flames. “Do you know how much I gave up for you? How much I loved you? All for you to throw it away for one night with someone who would never truly love you.”
“Ondine, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!”
“It doesn’t matter now.” She whispered and the fire died down. Now there was only sadness and regret. “It doesn’t matter for either of us.”
“Ondine?”
She looked away from him and her arms tightened around his neck, hugging him to her. “You know how you used to say that you wanted to find a way to spend the rest of your life in the water?”
Confused, he nodded. “Yeah, but-”
“Well, you should always be careful what you wish for.”
Faster than he could blink, he felt a blinding pain in his body before he felt water surrounding them, dragging him deeper and deeper into the water.
The next day, the cops questioned the janitor who had no idea how the body of Lê Chiến Kim, a university student, ended up lying next to the pool, clothes dry and a smile on his face.