3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
It took a few chapters for me to start liking this novel. I felt this Stockholm vibe at the beginning and was going to drop it. But I'm glad that I hung on to see how their relationship developed. MC, Jeong Jiheon, had quit swimming years ago and at the novel's beginning, he's mired in regrets. He thinks he should have tried harder and views himself as an irresponsible person.
ML, Kwon Jaekyoung, literally worships MC. He presses MC aggressively at first and it was off-putting. However, it's seen later that it was necessary to be forceful since MC was too hard on himself. MC would be forgiving of others but not himself and this caused him to think he wasn't meant to have true intimate relationships. So ML was the type needed to bulldozer through that thick barrier and let MC finally have a "happily ever after".
I read up to Extra 37 and might stop here since the extras have more of a slice of life tone. Spoiler
Things mostly roll out as expected in the large brushes. ML was going to retire after achieving the Grand Slam for swimming. MC had become ML's manager shortly before ML achieves the Grand Slam.
ML reveals to MC that the Grand Slam was his only goal since MC had told him about it in the past. MC didn't mention anything else at that time so he's done. Once this matter was revealed, the Olympics is the next set goal and their relationship develop. It's later revealed that ML might've been imprinted to MC in the past, that's why ML could smell MC's trace pheromones. MC feels a lot of guilt about this and ends up damaging his body with too much pheromone suppressants. He has to get off the meds for a while and things get adult-rated with ML.
Long story short, ML liked MC for many years. He chases MC, things happen, MC loves ML, they marry and form a family. Oh yes, ML wins lots of medals at the Olympics.
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