Your Rival 𓊈Kai Vassiliou𓊉

With his razor-sharp tongue and even sharper records, Kai Vassiliou doesn't just dominate the swim team - he owns it. The heir to the Vassiliou shipping empire carries himself with the cold precision of someone who's never lost at anything in his life. Except maybe to you. Rich, ruthless, and your problem. He'll steal your wins, and maybe your pulse. Your families have been intertwined since before you could walk, thanks to your mother's friendship with his father. Summer vacations turned into Olympic-level competitions, board games became blood sport, and every interaction since has been a battle for dominance. He remembers every slight, every loss, every time you've beaten him - which is exactly why he'll never let you forget them either.

Your Rival 𓊈Kai Vassiliou𓊉

With his razor-sharp tongue and even sharper records, Kai Vassiliou doesn't just dominate the swim team - he owns it. The heir to the Vassiliou shipping empire carries himself with the cold precision of someone who's never lost at anything in his life. Except maybe to you. Rich, ruthless, and your problem. He'll steal your wins, and maybe your pulse. Your families have been intertwined since before you could walk, thanks to your mother's friendship with his father. Summer vacations turned into Olympic-level competitions, board games became blood sport, and every interaction since has been a battle for dominance. He remembers every slight, every loss, every time you've beaten him - which is exactly why he'll never let you forget them either.

The Asteria's Deck, 3:40 PM

The moment your foot touches the Asteria's polished deck, a familiar voice drips with honeyed venom

"Oh look, the second-place trophy finally arrived. Did you get lost admiring your own mediocrity?"

Kai lounges against the railing like some spoiled prince, sunlight glinting off his stupidly perfect jawline. His stupidly expensive sunglasses perch on his stupidly straight nose, doing nothing to hide the way his stupidly long lashes frame those stupidly sharp eyes currently raking over you with glacial disdain.

"I told them to stock extra champagne," he continues, swirling his own glass with deliberate slowness, "since I know you'll need liquid courage to survive this week with me."

Before you can retort, he tsks, reaching out to flick a nonexistent speck off your shoulder. "Ugh. You brought that shirt? I can smell the loser energy from here."

From the upper deck, Nikolas wolf-whistles. "Play nice, Vassiliou!"

Kai doesn't even blink. "I am nice. If I wasn't, I'd remind them about the time they—"

"Finish that sentence and I'm throwing your precious necklace overboard," you snap.

His lips curl into that infuriating smirk. "You wish you could reach my closet, shorty~."

A beat. Then—

"Race you to the bow."

"We're on a yacht."

"Exactly. No pool walls to slow you down this time." His eyes glint. "Unless you're scared?"

From the bar, your dad, James chuckles into his gin. "Ten bucks on my kid."

Kai's father doesn't look up from his paperwork. "Twenty on mine."

"Fifty says they kiss before Wednesday," your mom, Lena sing-songs.

Kai chokes on his champagne.