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nyotengu · 9 days

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Chapter 3: Knowing

At home, I went on social media, my brother had tagged me in a childhood photo of me and said “last time Katie Ledecky lost in the 800m” he also told me he didn’t know how many times they had focused on our mother in the stands at the world swimming championships I just returned from, and stuff like that.

I checked my DM on ig and the new zealand swimmer Erika Fairweather had written to me, who had broken 4:00 in the 400m freestyle, she was grateful for the mention I made, telling me that I always pay attention to the achievements of others, and that surely for me those numbers are a “normal” thing. Another dm was from that ice cream girl who told me “Ledecky being a God in the relay, nothing new”

For a moment I wondered how long she has been in my sports career because looking at DMs, she had never written or sent me anything before the short video I took with her, it was curious but apparently after that she was aware of my stories and sometimes she responded.

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End of August 2023

Checking the large drawer of the medal and souvenir rack, on the left side were the two stuffed animals, I took them out, first of all, I didn't really like keeping something next to the medals, even if the souvenirs had to do with it and second, I was already packing my suitcase to go to Colorado Springs.

I wouldn't be there long, I wouldn't have a way to leave them myself, I didn't feel at the moment that I had to do it myself but I would look for someone to take them. Someone outside the TEAM.

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I wasn't working the cash register when a delivery guy came with a rather large gift bag, I was serving ice cream in the back. There was a line of about three people and my coworker who was attending told me it was for me.

The delivery guy was standing to the side of the counter, outside the line, he asked me for my name, just my first name without a last name, he made me sign and that was it. It was unexpected. ¿Who is going to send me a gift? I don't know anyone. The package had to wait until there were no customers in line to be able to check it.

The gift bag was white with little ducks on it, childish and beautiful. After checking that there was no trace of who the sender was on the outside, my concern increased.

I took a deep breath, I didn't want to damage the bag, it was so pretty and although it didn't look that fragile, I wanted to be careful. It had a Velcro adhesive on the top.

I opened it and inside there was another paper bag and inside it there were two blue stuffed animals, they were super adorable on their cheeks there were pink circles, on the chest there was a small silver square with letters in another language, I gulped, they had a little label that said made in Japan. Although I didn't pay much attention, it's not uncommon for things to say ”Made in China”, but ¿made in Japan?

I kept looking inside the bag, there were two big heavy cardboard books, they looked expensive, they were children's themed, I opened them, those are to lift the cover, touch and feel, there were simple illustrations, with bright colors and interactive elements, one was about water and fish and the other about animals on the farm, I didn't look page by page.

I looked at the bottom of the bag and I didn't see any note, I panicked. I looked at the books in more detail and in the water themed one there was a blue note.

It said:

I think this book is more appropriate for your baby, “I think” because I wish I had more of an idea.

By the way, thanks for the nice words.

Katie Ledecky

First of all I saw the signature before I read the little note that was shy but direct.

This hit me like a ton of bricks. ¿As if it could be possible? This woman is perfect in every way. She is sweet as a cherry pie, and at the same time so attentive but awkward and so powerful. I can’t get her out of my head, I think of her 24/7 like a spell and although sometimes I reprimand myself for responding to her stories, it’s inevitable.

Everything she is as a world-class swimmer is admirable, ¿but this? To melt.

I had to wait until I got home, although I was dying to thank her once and for all through the DM. I was at work and it was better than her getting home and being with my baby.

That same night, I decided to send her a cute photo of Alexander, who was already holding the stuffed shark with his little hands, sitting on the bed next to the blue bear and the two books. He couldn't stop looking at and touching everything.

I didn't upload the image anywhere, I was discreet. Nor did I tell my coworkers who sent me the gift bag. They did ask because it was really strange, I never received anything from anyone in the past.

I rewrote the thank you like 10 times, it always seemed like too much, I would name so many qualities that I thought about her, but then I would delete it before sending it. The gift was more for my baby Alexander and writing so many things didn't seem right to me. I didn't want to seem like a crazy fan, ¿but what was the right thing to do when talking to someone like Katie Ledecky?

In the end, I wrote her a sincere thank you.

The next morning I saw that around 5:30 AM she wrote to me:

“If you know the ducky gift bag is for LeDucky lol”

I got excited again. She hadn’t written to me since that time she told me she was at the airport in Fukuoka, Japan.

Basically she saw my responses to her stories, sometimes, not all. But there were no words or interactions since that time

I replied that I had realized because I had read about the “Leducky” somewhere. Beyond that, I didn’t know what else to answer without being cringe, I don’t know.

But it occurred to me to ask her:

-¿Do you like giving gifts?

Almost immediately she answered me, it was after 6 AM

-Yes.

-Do you give gifts to your fans… little fans?

-I almost never do, but I would like to do it more and spend more time getting to know them.

-Then Alexander is lucky

-I didn’t know what to give you to read, the book I’m writing won’t come out until next year.

-¿Are you writing a book? You're beyond amazing, you know?

-Yes. I'm on it. Thanks.

-¿Are you here in town? - I typed but immediately regretted it and didn't send it

-I hope you enjoy yourself here in Colorado Springs, Katie. I'd love for you to visit us at the ice cream shop again- I typed instead

She gave her a thumbs up and ended the conversation that day.

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Of course I had already questioned myself why I gave her a gift and why I was answering that girl's messages. It was something too new for me and disturbing. Having this kind of attention with a stranger. But there was something about that girl and her little baby that always made me open what new message she had written me even if I didn't answer it, I could see it.

I was still just a child at heart. And there was something genuine implicitly, I don't think it was because of the swimming at all, it was something else, and there's her little baby, I must say that her situation makes me think of mothers who go out to work every day and have no one to support them. It must be difficult not to have anyone. I thought from the privileges I've always had thanks to my family.

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By the way, I didn't go to the ice cream shop, I wasn't in Colorado Springs for that purpose. Although on my second night in the city, my TEAM colleagues suggested going out at night for some relaxation. Vaguely someone suggested the nearest shopping center, where Ainhoa works, but someone joked “Yuck” “I want to have some real fun.” “We have to go further away.”

In the end, no one dared. Me neither. I got up too early and got sleepy too early too. ——————————-

Early October

A few weeks ago my brother has been asking me for advice on what he could give his girlfriend for her anniversary, I'm not the best person to give him that. But I promised him that I would think of something, and in two days I would tell him my idea, after all I am his sister. I know him well. It would be very likely that knowing him so well, in two days when I tell him my idea he will tell me that he had already thought of this very thing. It will be fun.

I searched on the internet first for what it feels like to like someone

The search yielded:

1. You think about the other person many times a day

¿What? No, it is not at all normal to think excessively about someone else. Definitely

Below it continued: spoiler alert: in the next scene, you will be in love and the thoughts about the other person will grow exponentially with the days.

2. You need communication all day long

Science offers data on this, since according to a study carried out by the American psychologist John Gottman in 2017, being in communication all the time through messages and being interested in what the other person does, is an unequivocal sign that you feel something more than attraction or sympathy.

3. You make plans for the future

Another unmistakable symptom that your heart is going into terminal infatuation is visualizing yourself in the future next to that person. For example, when you think about a trip and assume that he or she will be there; or you talk about the coming year and assume that you will be together.

(I only think about Paris 2024)

Keep reading

4. You changed habits to adapt or please the other person

5. You want to have sex all the time

And yes, he meant having sex very constantly, and only with that person.

It continued:

Scientifically, in addition to having developed a sexual compulsion towards that person, you have also become addicted to them chemically speaking. In other words, you have fallen in love and you want to express it physically all the time and in addition, intimacy has no limits as to what to do with that person, which reveals another key factor in falling in love.

I snort, I've definitely never been wrapped in the fog of irrational infatuation, luckily.

The key points that gave me the most shudders would be changing habits because of the life I lead. For years I've been focused on my double swimming training, weights, double naps, a little entertainment and going to bed early, not counting trips and commitments, ¿so needing communication all day? It's nothing I would do. I think.

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Thank you for inviting me Ainhoa…-I paused for a moment, moving the phone away from me a little.

I hated that it was like that… rejecting an invitation to a little baby's birthday. But I explained to Ainhoa that I couldn't go to Colorado Springs for Alexander's second birthday, I had the RoadtoParis photo shoot with the USA team and the 2023 Golden Google awards ceremony, both in California, followed by Thanksgiving dinner with my family and immediately after, the US open in Greensboro.

The last month and a half, our interactions had become more frequent and closer, a friendship. We only talked via DM on ig and Ainhoa even sent me an audio call there, and I answered it.

-Tell that little man that his gift will not be missing, ¿okay? Give him a kiss from me. I'm so sorry, I really wish I could be there but...

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-Thanks Katie, you don't have to apologize for anything. I just asked you to see if you could make some time for yourself, I know you're a very busy person. And yes, I'll kiss him for you. I have to get ready for work- I apologized, it was true but I felt a lump in my throat.

We said goodbye.

Note:

Delete chapter 1 and 2 here, because I posted them on Wattpad

These are the links to both previous chapters

Thanks 💓

#katie ledecky #Katie Ledecky fan fic #fan fiction #fan fic #love #lgbtq #lgbtqia #swimming #giftbox #cuteness

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