❝Until We Meet Again❞

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7:43 pm 

The dusk had followed; a kind of dusk that beamed the light blue shade of the sky after the sunset and it was being seen through the two apartments of the building; the difference was one had a beam of city lights beaming through the glass window while the other one had just the crossing roads lights; different, but so same in their own ways. 

A kind of difference that had to be emerged. 

In the midst of the busy time, the young man was walking around his room in a pace of getting his outfit done to be done with his only schedule left but it wasn't a part of the schedule yet it felt like it; he just wanted to get over with it to have a good rest of sleep at night. 

His tall figure stood in front of the mirror of his vanity as he checked himself for a good minute in his black denim tucked in button down into his jeans with the two top buttons undone displaying the golden chain around his neck with a little bit of a glance at his face to glance at the mole on the curve of his neck while his hands seemed to be rolling up the sleeves. 

His eyes took a look at his wrist, at the worn bracelet to be said; the symbol of their friendship and the day of his departure from the airport a few years ago crossed his mind like a memory. 

A memorable moment for him but with a moment of something he never thought of; something he used to have a regret for but something he was slowly accepting it with a heavy heart. 

It was meant to be probably. 

But who would tell him that it wasn't; that it wasn't just his time. 

But it would change; his thoughts, and his time and he didn't have to know it, yet. 

A subtle smile graced his lips as he stared at it for a good minute to immediately wear his wristwatch, before taking along his phone with the air pods; his always thing for him, something that never changed, sometimes some changes are unchangeable; for him, it was always like it. 

The next moment, he covered his face with the black mask; a baseball cap on his head before he had walked out of his room, his living room while wearing his sneakers in a quick pace before he could get late for the prior appointment he had or he'd have to listen to the rants for a while. 

And he didn't like it; as listening to the music was the only thing he'd listen to for a while yet this something was going to change and this change would be likable; for him. 

The moment he had opened the door of his unit; the door of the apartment across from his one was left open with a decent space, enough for his eyes to glance at the certain spot, the spot of the stool of the kitchen counter but it wasn't the stool that got his enough attention, it was the white lab coat placed on it. 

His eyes blinked a couple of times as a memory of her crossed his mind again, yet not again, and the corner of his lips curved upwards in a smile of trance; a trance of the memory which still warms his heart like nothing else in the world. 

Before he could get caught for doing something inappropriate unintentionally, he was quick to walk away with a last glance at it. 

Soon enough, he was walking down the parking garage toward his car where his manager was already standing there and waiting for him as Kim Chang-ho flashed Sehun a smile. "Couldn't you get more late?" 

Sehun shrugged. "I came as soon as I could." 

"You meant taking a shower for an hour?" 

"That's my only healing." He chuckled, plugging his air pods in his ears. "Someone seems to have moved in front of my place." 

Chang-ho nodded. "Yeah, I asked around and a woman moved in a week back." 

Sehun nodded; not really interested like usual but it was only going to be his interest soon and he didn't need to know it, yet as he was quick to settle down in the backseat of his Audi R8 with Chang-ho taking the driving seat as they drove off to the destination. 

It was his friend Ah-Young's movie premiere and she wanted him to come while him being himself had to be the man in disguise to not attract any attention towards him. 

Yet, the destination of his was there. 

The drive continued as he had leaned back against his seat comfortably, his elbow against the window with his knuckles pressed against his lips as his eyes gazed at the world outside his window; so clearly visible yet passing in a speed of its own. 

Like his world did; like theirs did. 

Until his eyes took notice of a commotion happening outside a building with several people crowded in a particular area; the entrance door of the building with a gray car standing by it with its door opened, as if someone had gotten out of it in a rush. 

"Hyung." Sehun called out, as soon as he had passed the commotion to look at him through the rear view. "What was happening there?" 

"It's a law firm." 

The latter continued as he rounded the corner with a sigh. "Commotion is a common thing there." 

Sehun nodded, as the word law had clicked his mind somewhere; the word gave a familiarity to him unaware of him passing by the only familiar people of his life. 

"Jinsoo, no." 

Yoojung grabbed his forearm underneath the fabric of his black blazer as he was about to punch the hell out of the man standing in front of him; guards holding the man after his action of hitting Yoojung with a stone leading her forehead to bleed and Jinsoo had witnessed it all the moment he had stopped by to pick her up with his bright smile, ever. 

However, his smile dropped to turn in a rage for hurting his woman in front of his eyes; something he could never watch without doing something about it as hurting his people has always triggered him and he was never to back away from protecting them. 

Not back then; not right now. 

As the next minute he had left the door of his car open left in a hurry to march towards the man who had done this deed as he had almost raised his hand but Yoojung had stopped him who was standing behind him with her hand grasping his arm while the other one was clutching his hand tightly to give it a squeeze for him to calm down. 

Jinsoo glared at the man with some people recording the scene happening as the next second, he looked over his shoulder; his eyes meeting hers with a glint of fear of him getting hurt which was never in her list while shaking her head as if asking him to stop. 

Jinsoo's eyes glanced at her bleeding forehead which was enough to fist his other hand in anger but her warm hand against her had held him back along with her eyes and a deep breath left his mouth. "We're going home." 

Yoojung nodded wordlessly as the next minute she was walking alongside him with their hands still in the grasp tightly and warmly, not before he had shot another deadliest glare to the man in front of him being held by the guards as if telling him that he was done now, for hurting Yoojung. 

He never interfered in Yoojung's case because it was confidential, and Yoojung also wouldn't like it but this got personal, too much personal. 

And Jinsoo wasn't going to sit back. 

He had made Yoojung sit in the car following himself to drive off to their home. 

Yoojung was silent throughout the whole ride; her hand was still in his grasp as he drove with his one hand on the steering wheel but she could see how he was holding back right now, the tightness of his knuckles on the steering wheel was the proof of it. 

Soon enough, both of them found themselves in the elevator heading to the floor of their apartment until they had reached there, until they had walked in without having any sort of words as the silence of the apartment had greeted them along with the darkness but it was brightened up by him. 

The next moment Yoojung found herself being seated on the couch with him next to her as her bruise on her forehead was being treated by him; not something he had mastered into but his best friend was a freaking doctor in their group so this was the least he could learn from her but as it was being said, he did not mastered it. 

Yoojung hissed. "Be gentle!"

"Sorry, sorry." He immediately apologized, his eyes back to his usual self; pure and calm with a glint of startle as Yoojung couldn't help but chuckle to immediately pull him closer by cupping his cheeks earning a sulky pout from him with his actions halting in the middle to meet her eyes. "What?" 

"Talk to me, Jinsoo." 

"Talk about what, Yoo?" He sighed, as Yoojung left his cheeks as her hands placed on his lap with his movements on her forehead continuing along with his mouth. "Do you even realize what could have happened if I wouldn't have gotten there on time? I saw you getting hurt in front of me and I couldn't even punch that bastard's face because you stopped me!" 

"I know, but it could have gotten you in trouble." 

His brows knitted in displease. "What's the point of being a businessman and learning self defense where I can't even fight for you? And for what? For the reputation? Believe me, honey, you are above everything." 

Yoojung's heart warmed; she could feel her cheeks heating up as her eyes teared up along with a warm smile on her face and the next moment, she was hugging him closer to her, her arms around his neck with her face snuggled in his neck. "I know and I'm always so grateful for you having in my life." 

Jinsoo smiled, his arms around her back in a warm embrace. "I'm still not leaving that bastard alone." 

"You're not letting go of it, are you?" 

"No." 

She leaned away with a serious expression. "Okay, but let me do it, in my way." 

"I'm also using my ways too." He packed up the first aid kit after done with his treatment and Yoojung huffed. "Why are you so stubborn?" 

"I don't know." He shrugged, grinning as he was quick to kiss her forehead to stand up. "Let's eat something." 

The next moment Yoojung found him walking away in the kitchen while taking off his blazer as she leaned back with a sigh, sigh of how things were wild out there a few moments ago and how it could have gotten him in the trouble she had laid out for something else but was glad that he didn't but he also didn't stop. 

But she still couldn't deny the way he loves her; something she never saw coming but something she'd always treasure with her whole heart, and him. 

Because he loved her like no one else can ever. 

_______________________________________

8:30 pm

Inha walked out of the bathroom, the ladies washroom to be precise as she stood before the counter of it in front of the mirror with a sink as she washed her hands to look at herself in the reflection to dust off her black button knitted dress reaching up to her thighs as some drops of the cold drink had dropped when her whole attention was on the movie which ended just a few minutes ago. 

The dress hugged her curves like an embrace of the softness as the fabric was since the summer had started yet the nights were still chilly and Inha didn't really like the coldness engulfing her like always so it was the safe option of choosing this outfit. 

It felt comfortable and warm. 

The moment she closed the faucet to fix her updo with her bracelet of the symbol displaying visibly in the reflection as her sleeve stood above her elbows until the door of the washroom opened and a woman walked inside in her spaghetti strap blue floral thigh-length dress, matched with an underneath white full-sleeve knitted shirt with her high heels clacking through the marble as she stood in front of the mirror making her look taller than she already was and began to touch up her makeup. 

Inha's eyes instinctively glanced at her for a second to slightly get startled as the woman beside her was familiar; too familiar to be a famous model, and an actress. 

Lee Ah-Young. 

And she appeared much more beautiful than the pictures on the internet; the pictures really didn't do justice to her. 

Inha recalled the premier of her movie poster outside the theater when she had arrived for the other one; the reason behind her appearance here but there was another reason that she was familiar to her as there have been a few articles of her appearing in Sehun's one of the tournaments, and them being a good modeling couple together. 

Inha didn't know what their relationship was, nor was she at the point to know about it; she didn't have that right. 

Unknown to her being the only one who had every right. 

At the moment, her phone pinged with a phone call, and she was quick to pick it up from her bag placed on the counter to press it against her ear as she slid the strap of her bag to walk past behind the woman standing there, not before their eyes locked for a second. 

And the mere second was intense enough. 

"What? Yoojung got hurt?!" 

Inha whisper-yelled, as she couldn't shout loudly since the people were walking around, something she had learned to do in these years with her pace of white sneakers on the floor toward the exit door but her whole attention was on the phone with Jinsoo's elaboration continued to even pay attention to her surroundings. 

Yet, something didn't change in these years. 

As she was about to start her rant on hurting her best friend, her foot had slightly twisted, leading her to yelp in return along with her phone falling off from her hold to end up on the floor. 

Inha was quick to crouch down to check her phone while glaring at her sneaker to stand up and as soon as she did, a figure had walked past her behind a wave of breeze; almost brushing their shoulders causing her eyes to look back to find a man pacing away with a black mask had covered his face as a phone was pressed against his ear while her eyes stared at his back under the black denim and for some reasons, the back of the male seemed too familiar to her along with his whole posture of walking style until her eyes happen to stop at his wrist; a familiar bracelet. 

Her heart hammered behind her chest as the only familiar person came into her mind was him. 

"Inha!" 

She snapped out to look over shoulder to find Si-woo standing tall in his dark blue button while his hair brushing his forehead softly as the confused look on his face matched with his overall appearance and she nodded, as the next second she was walking towards him by the entrance, not before giving a last glance at the familiarity of her head. 

Not realizing that her familiarity was reciprocated by the only familiar person who had turned around at the familiar name with a rapid beating heart to just get a glimpse of a woman exiting the place. 

And sometimes, something just never changes; the familiarity of unknowingly known but unrecognizable. 

"What's wrong?" 

Sehun turned to Ah-Young to greet her confused look as his head shook with a quick glance at the entrance door to meet her eyes. "Nothing." 

Ah-Young stared at him blankly for a moment, and nodded, not questioning anything further to him as knowing about his character of keeping his thoughts or things to himself, as he rarely opens up about it to people, or her and she found it surprising that he mentioned his friends to her one time as if they were most important treasure of his life to talk about it but she was glad that he had shared it enough with her so Ah-Young doesn't pressure him about it. 

But it was another thing that she wanted him to share it with her as she wanted nothing but betterment for him. 

"Did you like my character in the movie?" She asked, as both of them had started walking towards the direction of the theater room since it was a break time for interval, and Sehun nodded. "Yes, you have chosen the best character for yourself." 

Her eyes lit up. "Really?" 

He hummed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It really suits you well, like the first time I met you-" 

"I dare you say that word again." 

Sehun had to chuckle. "You know it." 

"You're the most irritating person I have ever met!" 

"Is that why I was requested to be here?" 

"Request? You're thinking too much." 

Their talks of discussing Ah-Young's character continued until they had walked inside unable to realize the people around capturing their every movement which will be the highlight of tomorrow. 

On the other hand, Si-woo pulled over the car by the restaurant, and Inha was quick to get out of the car as she waited for him to the same which had him smile at her actions before both of them walked together toward it as he quickly opened the door for her with Inha giving him a look of really yet just got a sheepish grin in return from him. 

It wasn't surprising to her; she had always been showered with Si-woo's gentleness from the past years and it would always warm her heart because of his consideration toward her as he always treated her carefully, and respectfully but all the time, Inha had always thought of him being a good nature guy, and a very good friend of hers but now she had come to known about his actions. 

It wasn't just a friend gesture anymore but much more than it, yet she couldn't bring herself to look at him more differently than it. 

Something was definitely wrong with her because the kind of man Si-woo is, no woman can resist the urge to not have a thing for him so why was it different with her? She was sure about her feelings being buried long in her heart so why couldn't she open her heart to anyone yet? It was frustratingly unknown to her. 

"You know you shouldn't be doing this too much." Inha uttered, the moment she found him pulling the chair out for her and Si-woo smiled, shrugging. "I like to be a gentleman." 

Inha couldn't help but smile as she settled herself on the chair with a mumble of thanks to him, and found him sitting across from her with his arms on the table. "So, what do you want to eat?" 

"Anything spicy." 

"Too tired?" 

"Exhausted." 

Inha leaned back with a huge sigh with a dramatic expression as Si-woo chuckled, making her chuckle back as he nodded, attempting to do the task of ordering their meal as within a few moments of waiting with their chit-chats about the place being aesthetically beautiful, or how Inha has almost moved in the new apartment of hers where he had picked her up from or the medical camp organization in the school tomorrow which she was also volunteering in until the food was served with Inha digging in. 

She was famished. 

"How are Jinsoo and Yoojung doing?" He asked, taking a bite of his food and Inha swallowed with a nod. "I left them in a good state yesterday but got a call from Jinsoo earlier to hear about Yoojung getting hurt." 

His eyes widened. "Is she okay?" 

"Yeah," She nodded, taking a sip of her water. "I talked to her but you know how Jinsoo is always protective of her." 

He chuckled with a nod. "I know, but you tend to get protective of someone you love." 

Inha smiled, nodding. "Their relationship still surprises me but I'm really happy for them." 

"What about you?" He questioned, without even giving her a heads-up of his suddenness and Inha froze; her mind blanked for a moment as he stared at her pausing his actions of spoon to earn an awkward chuckle from her. "I don't know." 

"You don't know," He trailed off, resuming his actions to meet her eyes again. "Or you don't want to answer that," He paused as he gave her a gentle smile. "And that's okay." 

Inha bit her lip; her eyes stared at him for a moment in a trance of his zone of having his meal without questioning anything further like he always does, but somehow that seems to fill her in a guilt as she sighed. "Honestly," 

He met her eyes immediately to let her continue as she began to play with her spoon in the half empty plate. "I have always been just working because that has been my goal for what I had dreamed of doing so I didn't want to divert myself from it but now that I achieved it," She paused, with a jittery feeling in her heart. "I should give myself a chance for it but I don't want to end up ruining this." 

This time it was Si-woo who was sitting stiff as if being caught in his act of being oblivious about his feelings as he pressed his lips with his ears turning warm. "Have I been too obvious?" 

Inha's lips curved in an awkward smile. "A bit." 

He nodded, looking down at his empty place for a moment with a nervous beating heart to meet her eyes as she continued. "Si-woo, you have always been a good mentor, and a great friend of mine, and I don't want to lose you in any way just because things couldn't turn out well." 

A moment of silence followed, and the next second, Inha met his eyes with a flinch. 

"I do like you," He affirmed. "And, what you fear is what I fear too, and that's why I haven't been able to convey my feelings openly but you caught me and I have no choice but to stay affirm to it." 

"I understand, this is kind of new to you, especially when you didn't expect it from me but I would never pressurize you, whatever your decision will be, I will respect it," He trailed off, with a smile. "And this won't change no matter what, because, before anything, you have also been a great friend to me so I also don't want to ruin it, Inha." 

Inha heard him attentively enough; her heart warmed at his thoughts and words as she nodded. "Thank you, Si-woo."

Inha was glad about it; his understanding towards her, his friendship with her, and in no way she wanted to ruin it so before anything, she had to make up her mind before things get more complicated and complications never sit well with her. 

She had gone through this before so she knew it and she didn't want to, again. 

Yet, sometimes, something never goes as planned, be it mind or heart. 

______________________________________

7:22 am

Exhaustion. 

The word was perfect description of the woman having a jog of her morning in her tracksuit but the heavy breathes from heaved deeper because of the exhaustion in her system; damn she shouldn't have listen to Yoojung of having a morning jog because the latter has always been good at the run marathon but she wasn't, she could never be but being a doctor herself, she had come to do it for her heath purpose. 

"I can't!" 

Inha huffed, her steps stopping as she bent over with her palms holding her knees feeling the pain gripping her legs like a tight knot of ropes together until, a hand had grabbed her wrist in a gentle way making her stand straight to meet her best friend's heaving self back. 

"Let's sit down." 

Jinsoo uttered, his chest still heaving as he led his tired best friend to one of the nearby bench of the park located in the area of their apartment, the apartment that Jinsoo was living in with Yoojung as it was the last year when both of them had decided to live together where Inha was living with her parents which was in the same building as theirs but now was moving off to another one since this apartment was quite in a distance from her work place leading her to get late. 

And Inha couldn't afford it; something surprising but time, and things really do change people.

Inha was quick to settle herself on the bench; her head tilted up to greet the blue sky in front of her eyes but blue always reminded her of him, because she was the one who came up with that, which was known to her only.

Always, her. 

She found Jinsoo walking towards her direction with two water bottles in his hands that he had gone to fetch in his black sleeveless shirt, and loose pants with his damp hair sticking to his forehead with Inha observing him for a moment to realize how time had flied, and how mature he appeared than years back. 

"Are you finally realizing my beauty?" He chuckled, as he took the seat next to her and Inha rolled her eyes; taking the bottle from him before he opened the lid of it. "I was realizing how old you have gotten." 

"You're old, Doctor woman." He scoffed, chugging down his water while Inha glared at him to tilt her head. "How's Yoojung?" 

"Energetic." 

"Seriously?" 

"Seriously, Inha." He sighed, recalling the commotion yesterday to meet her eyes. "You should have seen how hard it was to handle that man and if I wasn't on time, he could have hit her more than her forehead and I realized how dangerous of a job she does and it scares me." 

"Jinsoo," Inha sighed, facing him with a gentle look. "Yoojung knows what she's doing, and she's more mature than the two of us, and more than anything, she knows how things work there, so let's leave it to her and do what we can to help her." 

"I'm still going to do what I can for that bastard to pay for his deeds." His jaw clenched, and Inha shook her head, knowing nothing would change his mind until he met her eyes again. "How did your date go?" 

"It wasn't a date." 

"Watching a movie, and having dinner together with the person who likes you is called a date, you single woman." He gave her a look. "Did he confess?" 

Inha blinked a couple of times and Jinsoo's forehead creased. "He did?!" 

"Why are you shouting?" 

"Si-woo confessed to you and this is your reaction?!" 

"I felt thankful, but couldn't find myself reciprocating it." Inha uttered, honestly as she fiddled with the lid of her bottle and Jinsoo stared at her silently as she continued. "Si-woo is really the most humble, and humane person and I don't want to lose him just because I was confused about something I couldn't decide to deal with, and I don't want to hurt him." 

"Do what you want," Jinsoo said. "Do what is right for you, and to you then nothing else matters."

He has been there when it happened, he had seen her cry while silently letting go of the person she loved years ago; even there are times when he thought that her decision could be wrong but it might have been right to her. 

For her. For him; them. 

However, he knew something she didn't but it wasn't his place to tell her; it was always going to him. 

Yet, all he could do, and want is her to be happy however she wants, however she percei