The shut door suddenly woke Katelyn in the hostel room. She looked at the door and the person her eyes set upon surprised her.

"I didn't mean to wake you up sweetie, please, go back to sleep." Lei's gentle tone and words surprised Katelyn even more.

"What! What are you doing here?" She got up from the bed, still confused and surprised at the moment, but Lei slowly walked to the bed.

"It's okay, my love." His smile was lovely, "I didn't mean to interrupt your nap. I just need to change my shirt."

Katelyn looked at him, puzzled and comprehending. The gentleman's words and lovely gesture seemed not to be adding up. She slowly got up from the bed and stood, still speechless.

"Have you dreamt of something that is making you... like this, my love?" Lei moved closer to her and lifted up her chin.

"Lei, this is all_"

"Shh, now, my love." Lei put his finger on her mouth, "Let me look at it all in your eyes." He looked deeply into her eyes, then slowly leaned in to her lips. She realized the gesture and felt her body relaxing in anticipation.

As Lei was about to touch her lips with his, she gently closed her eyes. But... the ringtone of her cell phone was heard...

The ringtone woke Katelyn in her hostel room. She looked around to see if there was anybody and found she was all alone. It was a dream! She sighed and checked the bedside clock, finding the timer at 3.00 p.m. She had been having a catnap for an hour and a half, and yet it felt like an entire night's sleep.

Her cell phone continued ringing.

With a tinge of irritation that it spoiled the moment in the dream, she picked it up without checking the caller, "Hallo?"

"Girl, come quickly to the swimming pool area! Trust me, you don't want to miss this!"

"Sharon?"

"Of course it's me! Come quick. And I mean real quick!"

Before Katelyn could say anything else, the line immediately went off. She heaved a sigh and got off the bed, deciding to go where the friend had told her.

The Crownzone University Swimming Pool, enclosed in a dome-shaped building, was one of the busiest recreational centers in the institution. It was an Olympic-size competition swimming pool used for both national and international events, with a carrying capacity of more than two thousand spectators.

Spectators and fans were already packed at full to welcome back their national student hero who finished at sixth position in an international swimming contest that included 32 universities and colleges across the continent. They also came to see the volunteer freshers who willingly accepted challenges from the top swimmers in the institution. As they challenged the top swimmers, they also proved their potential and the swimming management was able to bring up talents through the best of them.

The swimming coach and organizer of the day's event took a microphone and started at the screaming and rapturous spectators, "Ladies and gentlemen, today we have a special selection, the kind that you will find hilarious." He happily smiled, "Only two men will compete in this last selection, and I am happy it will be fun." He turned behind him and started introductions, "The first competitor, who doesn't need any introduction; our own hero, our supreme king, with eight internal gold medals and two international bronze medals, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ISAAC OMING'O!"

The crowd burst in screams and cheering that took a minute long as Isaac Oming'o greeted and kissed the fans jubilantly. This always feels so good!

"His opponent, who has no any record or anything..." The organizer now said in mocking epithet, "A baby fresher who I doubt if he has ever stepped in water..." He started laughing, forcing the crowd to also laugh in amusement, "I myself told him he should not play with Isaac and chased him away."

The crowd burst into another laughter.

"But he convinced Isaac and Isaac came to me for the challenge. I couldn't refuse Isaac's favour. I think no one can..."

The crowd cheered with screams and joy.

"But, ladies and gentlemen, this guy had another agenda on the table. He told Isaac and I that whoever wins, kisses the current Miss Crownzone who is Isaac's girlfriend, and however loses, walks out of the poolside to the dressing room, NAKED!"

The crowd once again cheered with laughter, claps and joy.

"I found it quite funny, too. We simply had to accept his offer because in the end, Isaac will kiss his girlfriend just as he always does and the braggart will be the one leaving this place naked!"

The crowd enthusiastically cheered with claps.

"And... oh, I almost forgot something..." The organizer suddenly mentioned in haste, "He gave me a line that I should introduce him with; that he once swam across- hear me, people- he once swam across Lake Victoria!"

The laughter from the crowd suddenly got louder.

"Last time it was Lake Turkana." Tyson, sitting among the spectators, said without looking at the friend.

"Next time it will be the Indian Ocean, then Atlantic before Pacific." Michael, too, said without looking at him, his usual packet of crisps at hand.

"... I also found it extremely funny!" The organizer still laughed, "And so, ladies and gentlemen, our Miss Crownzone, her lips the prize winner, is here..." He pointed at Miss Crownzone also present at the event, "What remains is our guy, Lei Noorhman!"

The crowd booed and catcalled as Lei walked to the starting grid at the pool.

"I didn't know people can be this crazy!" Isaac looked at Lei on his starting block.

"Just trying my luck." Lei smiled at him, appearing relaxed and collected.

"On your max..." The organizer held the starting gun, "Get set... GO!" He shot the gun and immediately Isaac jumped in the pool, Lei still at the starting block. He stood and looked at the opponent going, the crowd active, spirited and enthusiastic.

"OH MY GOD!" Katelyn's mouth gasped open in total surprise besides her best friend and among the spectators, "Does he want to confirm his loss!”

Sharon, too, stared in stunned disbelief and incredulity, "Let us just hope he is not mad!"

"Typical, just typical." Michael blabbed while biting a piece of crisp from the packet in his hand, "The mighty one giving off a show before all realize he is a gladiator."

"Easy now, Mike." Tyson turned to him, "You might give out a spoiler to those around us."

Michael grunted, "These monkeys won't hear a shit." His eyes roamed around where they sat, "Look at how noisy and screamy they are."

Tyson shortly smiled before returning his eyes back to the swimming pool

Five seconds... The crowd continued cheering joyfully, livelily and happily, filling the whole building and area around it with excited noise. Lei removed the swim goggle XZ-001 and threw it away, then jumped in the pool when Isaac was already at seven meters mark from the starting grid.

He surprised everybody with his striking and impressive quick double strokes that moved him seamlessly in water like he had a streamlined body. Within seconds, he was gradually getting close and closer to Isaac. He had known himself all along, and only a few in his circle knew about his stunning and outstanding swimming talent.

"THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!" The organizer said in surprise and amazement on the microphone, "The Lei is getting close to him! What a show this is!"

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!" Katelyn stood up from her seat with energetic enthusiasm when Lei approached two-meter mark to Isaak, now half of the crowd cheering in his favour, "I can't believe this!" She said with celestial joy, shouting at the top of her voice, "GO, LEI!"

"Indeed he must have swum across Lake Victoria!" A spectator beside Michael said in wonderment while looking at the new swimmer in the water. He couldn't believe that there was a swimmer out there greater than their champion, and most importantly, a swimmer that moved flawlessly in the water like he was a dolphin.

Michael turned to him, "I was there when he crossed it. The monkey did it good."

The spectator briefly stared at Michael before returning his eyes back to the swimming pool.

Lei was still at the two-meter mark behind Isaac when they completed the first lap. On the second lap, he successfully used his brilliant and pertinent turning technique and got in front of Isaac with the crowd going into a frenzy, cheering wildly in his favour. They couldn't stop at the amazement and astonishment the fresher was currently showing. This is crazy!

Lei continued swimming with striking quick double strokes, showing no signs of exhaustion as the crowd got wild and wilder. He gradually started leaving his opponent behind... one meter... two meters... three meters... until he got to eight meters mark when he completed the laps.

The crowd was now in a loud rapturous and hubbub cheer that the organizer found it impossible to talk on the microphone.

Lei got out of the water and looked at his dragging opponent. How easy it was. Just like he had expected, he would beat the opponent by a great margin. If the opponent was the best in swimming at the university, and after seeing his achievements which were mediocre of achievements, Lei knew the university had no swimming challenge. They would be crushed internationally or in competitions outside the university, and it was actually always the case. Crownzone University was embarrassingly poor in swimming sport.

He took his eyes from the opponent and turned to the ecstatic and vibrant crowd, smiling with a note of triumph. He started looking around until his eyes surprisingly got a glimpse of Katelyn among the crowd. Jesus! Among five thousand people! Is it a miracle or what! His eyes almost popped with delight as they fully settled on her. She looked back at him with a smile, a smile that sparkled her beauty. How is it that this girl keeps on getting more and more beautiful every time I look at her! Even though he didn't want to take his eyes away from her, it forced him to. He slowly turned to Miss Crownzone, her lover almost getting to the finishing point. She stared back with admiration and like. Deep in her mind, she wanted to know how the gentleman's kiss would feel.

Lei briefly turned back to Katelyn with a smile, faced the pool, and to the crowd's more amazement, jumped back in the water.

Isaac got to the finishing point and turned to see his opponent. Just as he had known, the opponent was still struggling to finish. But to his amazement, he realized that he did not win the race by far.

Lei got out of the water for the second time, and this send more cheering and clapping in his favour from the crowd, confusing Isaac on what was happening. Lei waved to the crowd and started walking to the dressing room, Isaac staring in mystery and wonderment at why the crowd was now completely on his opponent's side.

"Excuse me, I want to have a word with him." Katelyn hurriedly informed Sharon as she forced herself into the crowd to the dressing room.

"Be easy on him." Sharon shouted at the leaving Katelyn, but she hardly got a word through the still cheering, ecstatic and vibrant crowd.

Lei looked at his reflection in the dressing room mirror with a towel on his shoulder and smiling with soaring pride. I am special, extraordinary!

When he began learning swimming in high school, he instantly became the best student in just weeks. He was a quick learner, understanding the basics and practice with ease and skill. The coach was proud and wished if only the other students learned as easily as he did. He was sure Lei would be the best at swimming wherever he went.

Not long after, the door opened and Katelyn walked into the room, "I never knew you had abundant surprises!" She said, expressionless.

Lei smiled as he walked to her, "I am highly grateful for the compliment."

As he walked to her, Katelyn clearly saw the full view of his well-built physique. His biceps, chest and six-packs made her hormones start the natural reactions, resulting to heat spreading all over her body. How will I feel if I am on the chest and his arms tightly wrapped on my body? She shook off from her thoughts, "Again you confuse my words as compliments." She crossed her arms over the chest, still looking clear and expressionless, "I don't usually give compliments, especially to men."

"Oh, really?" Lei stopped closely at her.

"Why didn’t you kiss Miss Crownzone?" Katelyn said, "I hear it is every guy's wish in here."

"Why don't you give compliments, especially to men?"

"Why didn't you kiss Miss Crownzone?"

Lei sighed, still at her with a smile, "You really, really want to know the answer to that question?" He moved to her until their bodies met, and he immediately felt roused.

The sweet nervousness Katelyn felt with their body contact made her unable to think of what to say or do. The moment was exactly similar to her earlier dream. She tried to let herself free and relax, just like in the dream, but realized it was impossible. Reality is by miles different from dreams!

Lei held up her chin, dropping his tone gently, "Do you, my dear Kate, want to know the answer?"

The touch and gesture made Katelyn's heart throb with pleasure and the entire bloodstream fizzing with sweet flame. She got lost in the gentleman's eyes and submitted to what her mind chose; closing the eyes and accepting the defeat of her feelings over the mind.

But suddenly, noises outside the door attracted their attention.

"No, no, no, you are never getting in!" Michael fiercely stood at the door, blocking the swimming coach who wanted to get into the dressing room.

"May I inform you that you are nothing but a fresher inside this institution?" The coach spoke to Michael in a caustic tone.

"And may I inform you that time will tell of my supremacy and power inside this institution!" Michael reciprocated in a fierce surly tone while still blocking the door's way.

"And until then, young man, excuse me or else you will find yourself already in suspension books." The coach remarked with asperity, his eyes meaningful.

"What do you want?" Lei got to the door and addressed the coach, Katelyn behind him.

"Lei, I only want us to talk." The coach looked at Lei.

"About what!" Michael looked at him with a steely tone of voice.

"Michael." Lei held the friend's shoulder with a gesture of repose while looking at the coach, "I don't think we have anything to talk about. Please, leave us."

"This is a lesson you have been getting away with in your everyday life in this place." Tyson said beside him, "You have always been mocking freshers every time they come to explore their talent and potential. You have even scared away a lot of them from realizing their gift. You really thought you could get away with it?"

The coach looked at Tyson in surprise. What on earth is this one talking about! "A lesson? What is this lesson and mocking the freshers?" He turned back to Lei, "Mr. Lei, you have defeated the Crownzone champion, and unbelievably! Do you know what that means? It means a ticket to Olympics and gold medals all through!"

"You still don't get the idea here, do you?" Tyson said incisively, "What you always do is mock the freshers, and today, you will learn your lesson_"

"Okay, fine, I have learned my lesson." The coach said perfunctorily, as if to just say the words in order to make his point, "I will never mock the freshers again_"

"Learning a lesson comes with payment, my friend." Tyson looked at him, "And your payment is Lei not participating in any swimming event."

The coach stared at Tyson in bewilderment. This one is mad! He is clearly crazy! He went back to Lei, "Your friend must be_"

"Don't look at me, look at him." Lei said, "He is the one talking."

The coach still looked at him, appearing subdued, "Mr. Lei, can we have a conversation like civilized people, and alone? This is a serious matter."

"Forgive us if you think we are joking." Lei looked at him, "We are serious as it gets. My friend here, Tyson, is dead serious!"

"So, you are going to throw this major away? Just to teach me a lesson!"

"I won't lose anything either way. I am only here for educational attainments, not swimming achievements. It will be you who will miss a great chance to be the best coach in history. Imagine the pride, admiration and veneration of the world, sweeping away just like that!"

It was now that the coach realized the gentleman could have been possibly serious. His ability was the greatest chance to bring every achievement at swimming level to himself, the university and him, yet he seemed ludicrously serious on the matter. Perhaps I should talk to him later when I have gathered all the information that will convince him how absurd he was. He forced a polite smile before leaving, "Mr. Lei, I will see you later."

"Good luck with that!" Michael shouted at him as he went.

"Maybe we should also leave, Mike." Tyson looked at the friend, and then left together.

"Are you sure he has taken you seriously and won't come later on to convince you that you were wrong?" Katelyn looked at Lei.

"When I make up my mind, no one can be able to change it." Lei said then smiled at her, "Not unless they change it through the person that has complete power over it," He looked at her in the eyes, "Because that person not only has complete power over my heart, but my mind as well, and I will do absolutely anything for her."

Katelyn felt her heart pounding in pleased delight. The feelings I have for him is surely strong! "Okay, then, goodbye." She said and walked past him out of the dressing room.

"Hold on." Lei turned to her, "I haven't yet answered your question."

Katelyn turned her head to him with a first smile, "I prefer not to know the answer." She said and resumed walking away.

Lei's eyes were at her happily. His mind went back to the moment his friends and the coach had interrupted. He couldn't believe the moment almost happened, and it made him absolutely and completely sure the lady he loved felt the same way.