"Where are we going?" Jin asked when she paused the movie they were watching before heading to bed, and instead took his hand.

"You weren't really paying attention to the movie." She drags him out towards the elevator. Both in their indoor slippers. "So let's go somewhere."

He admits that he indeed spaced out a few times and couldn't really follow the plot. "Where?" He made no effort that would indicate a refusal and continued to let her drag him.

The elevator stopped on an unfamiliar floor.

She didn't answer his question and continued leading him to the end of the hallway.

When they arrived at the huge double doors, there was a sign that says 'Notice: Closed for Maintenance'. So he wondered what they were doing there.

She was about to push open the doors but luckily he caught her hand just in time. "It says it's closed." He said, obviously. She was never the type to break the rules and it's kind of late if this is her rebellious stage.

She just smiled in response. "Don't you trust me?"

He does, since forever, but he also isn't just letting her do stupid things when he's right there. Granted they've done quite a few adventures before that was out of Jin's comfort zones, because he wouldn't have done those things otherwise if she wasn't there to give him a push. "I do." He simply replied.

"Then let's go." She pushed the double doors open.

Despite the darkness, Jin's eyes lit up at the body of water in front of him. It was almost overwhelming.

"Don't worry, we're not trespassing." She added. "So feel free to do whatever you want.

But he just stood there staring at the area of water feeling nostalgic.

Jin used to love the water, just like his mother.

The Kims owns a villa on Jeju Island where they spend vacations with family and friends. Jin was also a competitive swimmer growing up. It was something he considered he was not just good, but quite excellent at. However his father didn't see the point of it. How it would benefit him in the future or contribute to his knowledge of the family business. Instead of spending his summers at their villa with his mother, his father preferred for him to study overseas during that time instead. Despite his father's objections of the sport that Jin loved, his mother was very supportive of it. Mrs. Kim as a dreamer, a jovial person, always encouraged Jin to do the things that he loves, not just the things he had to do. While Mr. Kim was the realist, for him only the things that should be done should be done. No need to waste time and effort on unnecessary things. But eventually, with Mrs. Kim persuasion, Mr. Kim let Jin continue with the condition that if he does it, might as well be the best at it because...

"I have no time for a son who is only second best".

So Jin always aimed to be first. He even became the captain of his high school's swimming team.

Number 1 at everything, not just in swimming.

But everything in his world changed when his mother died.

The water reminded him of her. Every time he stood at the starting block, he would glance at the audience expecting to see that familiar warm face of hers.

Jin lost the will to swim again.

He started to see the world from his father's perspective.

"There's no reason for you to continue, so focus on the things that matter."

To focus on the things that should be done and not waste his time on things that won't benefit him in the future. Jin didn't need his father to spell everything out for him. He dropped out from the swimming team and focused his time and effort in his academics, student council and other extracurricular activities that would look good in his university application. That's been his life ever since. No pools, beaches, any bodies of water. Not even stepping inside their villa again.

It's been a long time.

His strong aversion to them was ignited again when his roommate brought him to that secluded pond in the campus. Ugh Taehyung again.

The lights suddenly .

He was so deep in his thoughts he didn't realize she had managed to turn the lights on.

"You have this facility in the building?" He asked her. "Why didn't I know of this?"

"Have you ever been to a condominium building without a basic facility like a pool?" She said. "I never told you because I thought it'll remind you of auntie and you'd be sad. But you've been bothered by something since this academic year started. This is the longest you had something that you haven't solved yet." She continued. "I might not know what it is, but I know that when you're sad or stressed, you always go for a swim and then you somehow magically become better. Though, it's been a while but we're already here right?" She starts removing her slippers and sits on the edge, dipping her feet on the water.

He followed suit by removing his own slippers, rolling his pajamas up to his knees and sitting beside her, dipping his feet on the water. Looking out at the view of the city, he asked. "Are we here because you’re gonna comfort me?"

"Why? Do you need to be comforted?" She asked back, a playful smile appearing on her lips.

Jin didn’t have the chance to answer her because in a split second, he was already going down the water after being pushed by his bestfriend.

===

Exhausted and drenched, both lay on the tiles side by side. Staring at the dark sky through the floor to ceiling windows.

"So, are you ready now?" She asked, still breathing heavily after the unexpected exercise she just had. She was not the athletic type, and she never will.

To be honest Jin knew what she was talking about, but he isn't sure if he himself is ready for this talk. The topic is unorthodox. But it didn’t take long for him to realize that if there