♫Me To You, You To Me - The Classic♫

❝Hope And Treasure❞

∞

10:36 am 

Silence. 

The swimming pool court was silent unlike last time; the time he had heard those cheers, the chaos, and the time he had felt that disappointment after the loss but it came with a realization of his dream and a determination to accomplish it; win it. 

Sehun stood over the edge of the pool, his eyes gazing down at the blue water in a trance of his thoughts while his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets before his thoughts crossed the evening of the sport's day; the people who had brought him up back from his dejected mood following up with a laughter behind. 

Inha's strong splash of water towards Jinsoo for accidentally throwing her in the pool crossed his mind and his lips curved in a soft yet subtle smile unknowingly with an unknown sudden urge to meet her after this practice session of his. 

At the moment, a familiar voice went through his ears behind a microphone which echoed throughout the whole court. 

"Good morning, though it's past to say, however it's not too late to wish a greeting."

An airy chuckle afterwards and Sehun had to shake his head. 

"Today is cold as usual but the pouring snow outside still feels warm somehow and I hope this day, for you, passes like a warm sunlight, like this season, like this day with a beautiful hope." 

"We read this beautiful letter by an anonymous person to start this day with a smile and end this year with beautiful memories."

A minute after, a song decided by the anonymous person was being played in the background but Sehun stayed still; the words from Jinsoo had beamed like a wave of warmth as he couldn't help but smile after the upset mood of his. 

"Someone's in a good mood today." 

Sehun was quick to glance at the voice along with his smile dropping off which was overtaken with a blank look toward the person; Kyung-Woo. 

"What do you mean?" He questioned, his frown appearing visibly and found the latter shrugging with a nonchalance as he stood beside him. "I don't know, you tell me," He trailed off, glancing at the pool for a second to meet Sehun's eyes again. "You have been in a sour mood for the past three weeks but today I'm seeing a smile." 

Sehun blinked a couple of times, suddenly getting reminded of his instant change of mood and who the person was and that made him silent for a moment to shrug back. "Just because." 

"As you say, boy." 

"Weren't you on your way home?" 

"Yeah, I forgot my phone," He trailed off, waving it in front of him with a smile before tilting his head. "You were just so lost to realize it," He paused with a chuckle. "Anyway, I'm off, take a good rest." 

He gave Sehun a gentle pat on his shoulder to walk away where Sehun watched his back until he found another familiar person walking in, as he shared a quick nod with Kyung-Woo who walked past him outside where Sehun met his best friend's eyes who shot him his bright smile. 

"How did your practice go, buddy?" 

Jinsoo walked in; his hands shoved in his pockets of his school uniform before taking a seat on the bench as he shot a worried yet confusing look towards his best friend, who was standing by the pool with a serious expression. 

"Minho sir didn't let me practice again." 

Jinsoo tilted his head; forwarding himself on his elbows as he stared at Sehun. "I know why hyung did that and you do too." 

Sehun heaved a sigh and the next moment, he was already sitting next to Jinsoo wordlessly, as Minho's words rang in his head of how he was over-practicing, and it ended up him having a shoulder muscle pain which Minho was quick to realize because of his odd posture and his odd way of swimming last week. 

It has been three weeks, and he's been practicing hard enough for another competition which is after two weeks and it was a sole chance to get into KNSU (Korea National Sports University) and he had heard it from Minho himself with his guidance as well which left Sehun with even more determination to do better as the more he was going towards his goals and dreams, the more he wanted to go further into it which came with a little muscle pain too. 

Minho had to stop him from practicing further as it could end up having a severe injury which he never wanted for him when he had yet to achieve his dream; the glint and determination he was seeing in him. 

Sehun wasn't really delighted by this news but he still refrained himself from doing something which might backfire yet he wanted to do his best; he wanted to practice because he wanted to excel at it but he couldn't risk it. 

"I want to practice though." 

An unconscious pout curled Sehun's lips as he leaned forward with his posture to hear a chuckle from the male beside him as his pout didn't disappear but increased another emotion of frown on his face. "What?" 

"Seeing you pouting over wanting to swim for a tournament," Jinsoo trailed off, with a smile of trance as he remembered the day of his denial for ever going for this had his smile widened he met his confused eyes. "You sure are pouting for this." 

"I'm not pouting." 

"You little-" Jinsoo ruffled his hair earning a groan from him as he tilted his head away from his reach only for him to laugh at his grimacing expression to let out a sigh. "Give yourself a little break, Sehun-ah." 

Sehun didn't say anything and let him continue as Jinsoo roamed his eyes around the court. "I have seen hyung doing his best for his passion for swimming but I have also seen him getting hurt," He paused, recalling the day Minho got injured which had him leave his only passion; his dream where he had gotten a few glimpses of his crying self in his room alone and it pierced his heart unpleasantly at the memory causing his interlocked fingers to tighten to sigh deeply. 

"So, I'm sure he doesn't want the same for you," He trailed off, meeting his eyes with a smile. "He really wants you to achieve this and maybe taking this little break might not be a bad thing so let's just do it, Sehun." 

Sehun heard him attentively enough; Jinsoo's words, the reminder of the happening to Minho which mustn't have been an easy topic for him to talk but he did, only for him to understand, which made him glad enough as he nodded; his nod was enough for Jinsoo to understand to smile back. 

A thought crossed his mind, more like a question and before Sehun knew it, he had already asked it out loud. "Where are others?" 

"Others?" Jinsoo frowned. "Yoojung is in the library and Inha didn't come today." 

"Why?" 

"Today's the result day," Jinsoo scratched his nape. "Yoojung and I are not very nervous about it but Inha really is, because she's been dreaming and working hard for the university she wants to enroll in so it's understandable if she's nervous." 

Last week the CSAT examination had finally been taken; except Sehun, the trio had taken this test like usual because they had something in their hearts and minds to be what they wanted to be and it has been two days since Inha didn't come to school like how she had been with him; helping out with his practices as a manager and as a friend but now that she hasn't been coming, a strong desire to see her was erupting in him behind a concern for her well-being as well. 

"What's happening here?" 

Both of the boys followed the familiar voice to find Yoojung walking in as she tilted her head while meeting Sehun's eyes. "How's your shoulder?" 

Sehun nodded. "Better." 

"I am here too." Jinsoo pouted towards Yoojung as she stood by him earning a perplexed raise of her eyebrows. "And?" 

"So ask about my well-being too." 

"You literally babble whenever we have a phone call so I know how's your well-being." Yoojung snapped at him and got a pinch on her arm from him as she yelped to headlock him. "You little brat!" 

Jinsoo choked, holding her arm to break free. "Let go!" 

"Sure, after checking up on your well-being!" 

"I'll be dead by then." 

"Exactly!" 

Sehun tilted his head; watching the sight with a shake of his head as the silent court was echoing with their voices again yet a voice was missing; the loud one, and the most cheerful one and somehow Sehun wanted to listen to it at the moment but more get a glimpse of her. 

"You troublemakers, seriously." 

Yoojung let go free Jinsoo as she turned to find Minho with a done look. "Please stay alive for me till you graduate." 

"As if you'd let us." Jinsoo made a face at him only to get a glare from him and before he knew it, Minho was on his way to beat his . "You really need a beating, you little punk!" 

Jinsoo laughed, grabbing Yoojung's hand and gesturing to Sehun with a nod. "Let's run before he kills us!" 

The next moment Minho found the trio running out of the court with their laughter as the man sighed to shake his head; his eyes roamed around the silent place which was beaming with their voices a moment earlier to remember the time of their graduation was near and this court would be left only with the memories of theirs; only the echoes of theirs. 

He sighed, yet a smile graced his lips. "It sure will be missed." 

______________________________________________

6:30 pm

A certain yellow painted room had a certain amount of silence filled in it, unlike the person who fills it with her cheery self; either with the bang of big bang music, or would be punching the punching bag hanging by the closed widow of it as the girl lying on her bed liked it that way in the winter; the not so likable season for her. 

"So cold." 

Inha sniffled, pulling her blanket closer to her as she snuggled more into it; the warmth radiating from it surely felt pleasing enough until she rolled over to lay on her stomach on the bed, as her thumb scrolled down her phone screen which was leaned against the pillow but the thought of her results crossing her mind was enough for her to roll back on her back with her face being covered by the blanket. 

She still remembers the time she was studying for CSAT, and the overnight revision of everything she had studied without having a blink of sleep; her father giving her his good luck wishes filled in his night snacks and his heartwarming words while her mother helping her out with something she had any confusion with; embracing her with her motivating words. 

And Inha couldn't be more grateful. 

However, the time of the results was close and she was nervous but scared to lose the chance of having her only dream being left unfulfilled and she didn't want it; she couldn't afford to not want it. 

And in the middle of her drowning hope; a glimpse of another person flashed in her mind; the time of his realizing dream after the dejection he had been through, and the weeks after his practice sessions, the time Inha had witnessed him working hard for it, and it was something new to watch but somehow she was glad that she could see this side of him. 

But how his practice had been halted due to the muscle pain in his shoulder had evoked a wave of concern for him; and an unknown urge to see him. 

"Is he doing alright?" 

"Who?" 

Inha was quick to sit up to find Ji-Hye standing by the door of her room as she walked in with a smile. "Are you worried for someone?" 

For a moment, Inha couldn't say anything as if she was caught doing something wrong but it was a genuine concern and she could have casually answered it swiftly but she didn't; and it was baffling to her. 

Nevertheless, she nodded. "Sehun." 

Ji-Hye frowned. "What happened to him?" 

"His competition is coming up soon but he's got shoulder pain." Inha briefed, her concern for him beaming out through her words yet it could be seen through her eyes which was being noticed by Ji-Hye as she took a place on her bed by the edge while listening to her attentively as she nodded. "Is it severe?" 

"No, but Minho brother has stopped his practices for a week to prevent it." 

Ji-Hye hummed, aware of Minho's way of handling this and the reason as well before giving Inha a serious expression. "That's good but tell Sehun not to take too many painkillers and keep using heating pads to ease the sore muscles." 

Inha nodded, a smile graced her lips. "I already told him since I have been studying about it." 

Ji-Hye couldn't help but smile; a proud one. "You already know enough so what's concerning you?" 

Inha blinked, her eyes rounding. "I am so obvious, aren't I?" 

"We're your parents," Her mother reached out, caressing Inha's messy hair into her touch to soothe it. "We can tell when our daughter is going through hard times." 

Her words seeped warmth into her heart yet with a familiarity of being by someone else and she knew who it was. 

The next moment, Inha had placed her head on her mother's lap earning a soft from her hand through her hair as her eyes closed at the soothing feeling. "I just want to do better." 

"You are." 

"Mom, do you know what I want to do if I become a doctor?" 

"What?" 

"I wanna perform a surgery with you." 

Ji-Hye had a smile gracing her lips. "You will, and I know it so you must also have this confidence and hope in your heart that things will turn out to be better." 

"But what if it doesn't turn out like we want it to be?" Inha couldn't help but question it, because no matter how confident she was, there was still a tiny bit of insecurity of not doing better until she felt Ji-Hye kissing her forehead. "Things in our favor always takes its time." 

Inha frowned, immediately sitting up. "Huh?" 

Ji-Hye stared at her seriously. "No matter how much we dream of something, or wanting something, there's always going to be hardships, obstacles in your way, sometimes holding you back from achieving it but it just happens when it's the time and if doesn't, it isn't for you." 

"So we shouldn't dream about it, is that it?" 

"No one's holding you back from dreaming but if it's not turning out to be in your favor enough to worn you out then it's better to let it go and find a new way for yourself because life has much to explore ahead." She smiled, "But of course, I want you to achieve what you want to and hope it's better for you." 

Inha nodded, smiling before Ji-Hye stood up. "I am going to stop by the restaurant, you wanna come?" 

"Later." 

"Inha." 

"I won't overthink it." 

"Good." 

As soon as she had laid back on the bed, her phone chimed with a message and checking it, it was a text from Sehun. 

You there? 

Inha pressed her lips together with his way of messaging to shake her head while typing back yet couldn't shoo away the surprise of his sudden appearance as earlier he was being mentioned in both her talks and thoughts. 

No, first ask properly.

The moment she sent the reply, a few seconds later her phone rang with his name on the screen as she flinched to immediately press it against her ear. "Seriously?" 

"You told me to ask you properly." 

His deep voice went through her ear like a strange sensation again; not like the first one because she had heard it for the first time but this time it felt different, somehow too strange to feel a waver in her stomach. 

"Inha?" 

"Yeah, I'm right here." 

She snapped out; feeling a warm sensation through her, probably the heater was keeping the room warm as that's what she thought. 

"Can you come to the window?" 

"My window?" 

He hummed, and Inha was quick to get off the bed, her feet under the warm socks walked to the window to open it and welcomed the cold brush of breeze which sent a shudder to her body behind tingles to look down only to find Sehun standing there. 

His bike was parked behind him; by Jinsoo's house and he stood there, in his jeans with a thick jacket covering his figure and gloves warming his hands but his eyes were staring back at her surprised ones; something he knew and had imagined but it was also something he didn't come up with yet couldn't seem to deny this plan either. 

Because deep down he wanted to be here. 

"What are you doing here?" 

He heard her voice; something he had wanted to listen to and now seeing her from afar wasn't pleasing to him as unknowingly he wanted her to be here; close if said. 

"Can you come down?" 

Inha raised her eyebrows; his gaze didn't avert as he stood firm on his words leaving her with a strange sensation of flutter in her stomach to squint her eyes. "You have been ordering a lot, Oh Sehun." 

"You don't have to, Baek Inha." 

She blinked to make a face at him. "I never said that." 

Somehow, she couldn't refuse it. 

The next second he found her walking away unaware of the subtle smile on his lips and an unknown but unable to ignore the waver in his heart. 

A few minutes went by and Sehun found Inha barging out of her home; rushing out while covered in her knee-length cream colored thick coat and a white muffler around her neck along with a beanie and her feet covered in her sneakers yet it didn't seem like it was warming her enough as her nose was colored like a beetroot. 

He was still in a trance of his stare to realize her approaching him in her little jog until she was standing in front of him with a tilt of her head; her hair sliding down on her upper arm in the flow. "What happened?" 

A wave of flush rushed through him as he snapped out; looking away the next second. "Nothing." 

"It's so cold!" 

"You're covered like snow covers a place." He retorted, and Inha scoffed. "And I'm still cold." 

"Because you don't like it." 

"That's not true." 

"Sure." 

Both of them rolled their eyes simultaneously yet Sehun noticed the way she was rubbing her hands with the heat pack to warm them up and it was enough for him to feel a slight guilt for asking her out in the cold but for some reasons he was obligated to do it. 

"So why did you-" 

Inha questioned only to stop the moment she glanced at him to find him taking off his black gloves with a confused frown. "What are you doing? It's cold!"

"Hold out your hands." He nudged his chin toward himself and Inha gave him a stern look. "Wear them back."

"Give me your hands, Baek Inha." 

"Wear them back, Oh Sehun." 

She glared at him and he reciprocated to huff. "We can do this all day but I'm not wearing them back." 

"Why are you so stubborn?" She gave him an incredulous look to immediately give in as she held out her hand for him to help out with wearing it where Inha stared at him intently; her eyes noticing the curve on his lips yet the moment happening right now had left a flutter in her heart like a warmth. 

A warmth so unknown but so pleasing. 

This concerning side was surely not new to her; he had been a concerning person, be it his indirect words, or his different ways of conveying emotions but there was always a concern behind them yet this seemed to be too excessive for her to be questioning it but somehow it felt pleasing. 

"Now," 

He trailed off, immediately glancing at her only to meet her eyes and Inha's eyes widened to look away with a sudden flush inside; questioning her own behavior not noticing his trance and how he felt that wave of flush which was questionable to him as well. 

"Take this." 

He felt the heat pack in his palm over Inha's palm where in the flow, he grasp it along with her hand which had them freeze for a moment to look at each other surprised yet with an unknown nervousness. 

Inha was quick to pull away in a gentle way. "Since you gave me your gloves, use this for your hands." 

"Wow," He trailed off, tilting his head with a playful grin. "Inha being considerate." 

"Give it back." 

"Just kidding." 

He let out a soft laugh and Inha rolled her eyes. "So, where are we going?" 

"Somewhere." He took a step ahead only to stop when she didn't step ahead to find her looking at him confusingly. "We're not taking the bike?" 

He shook his head; his eyes soft. "You don't like the cold wind so let's walk there." 

There it went again. 

The unknown and strange waver in her stomach; and a skip beat of her heart at his words, and Inha couldn't help but question. 

What the hell is going in his head?!

A quick glance at Jinsoo's house, she found him looking through the window to them but immediately hid himself and Inha frowned. "What's with Jinsoo?" 

Sehun looked over his shoulder with a sigh to immediately block her vision. "Let's go." 

Though Inha felt strange as her mind was adding this little puzzle but shrugged it off for now as their steps began to walk down the street leaving the only boy to look at their figures walking away with a relieved sigh. 

"You look like our neighborhood aunt peeping through houses right now." 

Jinsoo rolled his eyes at the remark as he looked over his shoulder to find Yoojung coming towards him while dusting her hands; as if finished with her task of baking the cake as she stood beside him and peeked outside. "Did she buy it?" 

"They crossed the street." 

Her lips widened in a smile. "I told you Sehun can do that." 

Jinsoo pouted. "I can do it too." 

"Inha would have caught you in seconds." Yoojung rolled her eyes; aware of his dramatic way of bragging about the things and Inha also was aware of his personality and Jinsoo opened his mouth only to close it. "I guess." 

"It's snowing." 

Jinsoo followed Yoojung's soft gaze outside the window with a slow hum. "Yeah, it has been snowing a lot." 

A sudden silence had followed; the snowflakes were falling in its pace merging with the already white snow on the ground yet it seemed so beautiful to gaze at as the living room where they stood felt warm; cozy through the fireplace. 

Yoojung glanced at Jinsoo to find him in a trance. "What are you thinking about?" 

"Things are changing." He uttered, as he shoved his hands in his pockets to meet her eyes for a second to look outside again; the glass of the window was turning foggy slowly. "It just feels like we are growing up now, like it wasn't even long ago when I was bragging about how I have got my interest in fashion and now we have already started to prepare for it and we're so close to it." 

Yoojung heard him; her gaze was glued on him with an intent glint, and as his words got her, she was also reminded of the happenings in her life where she had lost with a gain of something she never thought she'd and lost some