Genre: Angst, Romance

Summary: Chance is what keeps us all in balance. If we honor each chance encounter, then the flow can continue.

Word Count: 4436

Hashtag: #SSBB_Captured

Captured

The shutter goes off as Chaewon takes pictures of the girl in front of her. The photographer hadn’t said anything other than a few words to her fellow staffs to adjust the lighting and reflectors. 

Focusing on her work has never been this hard for Chaewon ‘til now. She still feels her breath being caught by the same woman who had left a hole in her heart. Honda Hitomi. One of Japan’s most loved Celebrities, with her heart-warming acting skills and stage-killing performances. 

Chaewon never knew of her fame when they first met that fateful winter.

She had been assigned for a project on her last year of university—to create a portfolio for application purposes in the future.

Chaewon had chosen one of the world’s hottest spots for tourists around the world, Japan. That was when she met the woman who’s now surrounded by her staff—fixing her makeup and her outfit for the next set.

Chaewon sees Hitomi about to face her, and so she immediately tears her gaze off and busies herself with the photos she just took.

How can fate be so playful? How could it lead her back to the place she had her heart broken. How could they lead her back to the same person that caused her pain.

Chaewon still thinks she glows like the sun.

---

Chaewon still recalls when the car slowly drove down the driveway and nearing the ryokan when she spotted a few kittens up ahead, she got her Camera take continuous shots of the cuties, when a white figure crouches down to give the cats some treats. A great sequence of shots were taken before Chaewon released the shutter squinting her eyes and about to complain but stares in awe through the lens as she sees a literally-glowing girl smiling down on the cats. She could only see little of the girl’s face as it was covered with some strands that hang loose from the girl’s lazy ponytail.

“Miss Kim?” Chaewon looks up surprised that the door is being held open and gives an apologetic smile.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I hope you enjoy your stay.” She gets off and bowed slightly. When the car was gone

Chaewon tried looking for the girl—cats but both were gone the moment she looks back.

With a small sigh and a pout she headed inside.

“Good afternoon” she greets in Japanese. “Do you perhaps still have any available room for the next 2 weeks?” with hopeful eyes she puts her hand together at the top of the counter silently praying to the heavens.

“I’m sorry, ma’am—we have no rooms available for at least the next two days.” she basically did not book a place to stay because she thought it was going to be a quiet season and her decision of choosing Japan was more likely impulsive. 

Despite the ryokan being quite famous, they only had 5 rooms in total—to ensure the best quality of service for its guests. So, yeah—this is the best ryokan that fits her taste, but she’ll have to accept defeat. “It’s fine but can I book a room for that date? I’ll try to fin—” Chaewon was cut off, 

 “She can stay in my room for the time being,” the young woman faces her, “I mean if you’re fine with sharing a room. Mine is bit big.” Chaewon faces the source of the voice and is met with the girl with the kittens.

Chaewon only stares in surprise at the offer. She’s honestly not really comfortable with sharing a room with a ‘stranger’ but she wants this ryokan and it’s too much of a hassle to look for another place in the middle of a painfully cold weather.

“The room is big enough for two people—it’s okay” Hitomi looks at the person behind the desk with a smile—assuring them.

“If they allow I don’t mind sharing a room for the next nights. Thank you!” She shows her gratitude with a bright smile.  And bows at the girl. She brings her luggage to the room and the staff immediately laid down the extra futon for her. The room was indeed spacious.

 They both said their thank yous, then there was complete silence from both parties when the staff left. Only the shuffling of her things are heard and ever so slightly she checks the other girl out from the corner of her eyes. The girl with mochi cheeks was reading a book as she lays in her futon.

--- 

Chaewon asked to relay a message to Hitomi’s team when she sees Hitomi asleep.

Hitomi had arrived early that morning and the staff had said she had another schedule that ended later than usual.

So it doesn’t surprise Chaewon to see her wrapped up in the couch, she sees a book in her hand and she can’t help but stare at the oh so familiar scene.

---

When she decided she was all set she carefully faced the other girl—ready to at least introduce herself, but she finds the blonde asleep with the book still in her hands. Chaewon has never seen such a scene in her entire life not when her roommate back in Seoul sleeps like Anna and she mentally takes note of the girl—whose name she’s yet to know despite accepting the offer—‘s peaceful light snores before she lightly knocks her own head as she caught herself smiling.

Chaewon decided to head out and take a few pictures of the vicinity—leaving a small note by the small lamp between their futons.

She had taken a few pictures from the koi-filled pond and the Zen garden and was taking a few pictures of the ryokan itself when she notices her kind roommate now sitting by the room’s veranda book still in hand—caught in her lens once again.

Seeing her awake, Chaewon half rushes to the futon.

“Hi.” Chaewon greets her as she closes the sliding door behind her. “Oh. You’re back. How are the pictures going?” Chaewon likes how casual her questions are, it seemed like they’re old friends just hanging out.

“Great. Everything around here looks something straight out of a painting—it’s magnificent.”

Chaewon again shyly scratches the back of her neck as she watched the other girl nod in agreement with a proud smile on her face.

“Hitomi, by the way.” The blonde stretches her hand out.

“Chaewon. Thanks for allowing me to stay with you for the mean time.” Chaewon gladly accepts the latter’s hand in a shake, she takes note of how fragile and soft her hand feels in her grasp. Chaewon feels her stomach do a flip.

 ---

Chaewon let’s go of the Hitomi’s hand as they were formally introduced. It still does a flip that Chaewon never knew was possible. It was only supposed to be a fleeting moment—two weeks for f sake.

Chaewon went out and sat by the stairway outside of the studio trying to get some fresh air. When someone speak up.

“I was looking for you.” Chaewon snaps her head to her left and jumps a little.

“Hey! Why are you acting like you’ve seen a ghost?” Hitomi chuckles with eyebrows slightly knitted together—looking at her weirdly.

She feels something stuck in . “I just did not expect someone to be out here. It’s cold.” She hadn’t notice that Hitomi had followed her.

 Chaewon stands up “Let’s get back inside.” She walks back in and leaves Hitomi behind.

If Chaewon is being honest, she still wonders how Hitomi effortlessly captured her heart in an instant. During her two-week stay they mostly had their time together spent in complete silence. Most of the time, asleep. Maybe, it was the comfortable humming of the air or the warmth that it ensued instead of the expected coldness silence normally brings. 

---

On the morning of her second week she wakes up early and finds Hitomi’s futon being kept. She stretches and rolls up her own futon. They turned out to share the room for more than two nights when they overheard an elderly couple looking for a room to stay.

She brought her Camera with her and headed to a nearby onsen. It’s still a little after 6am so there isn’t anyone lining up. 

She brings her key and hands it over to the caretaker. She steps inside and found someone else in the pool. There’s a bit steam and the cold morning fog makes it hard for one to see clearly. 

Chaewon was about to go a few meters away for privacy when the woman in the bath called her. She almost immediately recognizes Hitomi’s voice.

“Oh! Hitomi-san.” She dips into the bath just a few feet from Hitomi. 

“How is your portfolio coming?” Hitomi keeps her eyes up front.

“It’s a week load of pictures I need to choose from and I still have more places in mind.” Chaewon does the same. “I know it’s going to turn out marvelous.” 

“Well, I hope so.” Chaewon slowly sits back and lowers herself further under the water. 

“You slept very well last night. Tiring trip?” Hitomi asks the taller girl as she sees her closing her eyes.

“Oh my god!—did I wake you up?—was I snoring real loud?” Chaewon sits up—eyes wide as she faces Hitomi who only laughed at her and shakes her head “I hadn’t have any good amount of sleep since last week. We had school works cramped up to make time for this final project.” Chaewon leans herself back down but she sees Hitomi coming up to her, she sits back up.

“Just stay still.” Chaewon lowers her head as an instinct the moment she sees Hitomi about to pour water unto her head and lightly stiffens.

“This right here is what we refer to as a toji or a medicinal bath. It actually helps you with any stress and exhaustion.” Hitomi continues to pour water over her head, Chaewon only hums in satisfaction as she loosens up and she feels the warmth of the water coursing through her whole body. 

Hitomi sits back down the moment she finished pouring water on her for what felt like five minutes. “It works for me every time. It might work for you too.” Chaewon smiles.

---

Hitomi catches up to Chaewon, walking by her side. “There’s a good toji on our next stop, would you like to go with me?” Chaewon still wonders how Hitomi acts like everything is good between them while their last