❝Coincidences And Conversations❞

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10:43 pm

A gaped expression had plastered on their faces; mirroring the other one's to which they got to know about having the exact same look, the look that was supposed to be an understatement as to what the pair had just came to realize; the realization of the unexpected turns of the things happening with them. 

The first one was their meet up and the second one was the meet up again but this was beyond their imagination because of the same destination of their homes. 

Their destination of home. 

"You moved in here?" Sehun was the first one to break the silence with a dumbfounded look, and Inha nodded; dumbfounded. "A week back." 

"And I live here." He pointed his forefinger upwards, and Inha let out a deep breath whilst in a trance. "Surprised." 

He chuckled. "Exactly." 

"So, you were the celebrity I'm hearing about living in this building?" She mused, but enough audible for him to hear and Sehun tilted his head, with a look as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Why do you sound so disappointed?" 

Inha met his eyes with a startled look to shake her head with a sheepish smile. "No, no, that's not it," She trailed off as her voice went down. "I was hoping for it to be Chen." 

"Chen?" Sehun frowned. "The solo artist?" 

The next moment, he met her eyes with a beam of sparkle as she nodded. "You know him?" 

He didn't say anything as his eyes took a hold of the sparkle glinting behind her eyes; the spark that was her usual, and her owning self but he couldn't see it from the time he had seen her leaving him in his own thoughts about it, to know about it but he was seeing it now. 

Her owning self of spark in her eyes; and a bliss beamed in him. 

Inha tucked the loose strand of hair behind her ear as a sudden nervousness hit her from his sudden long gaze to raise her eyebrows. "What?" 

He snapped out, and shook his head with a smile. "Shall we go?" 

Inha nodded with a smile to walk alongside him toward the elevator as he had his hands shoved in his pockets, while Inha had her arms crossed to her chest followed by the gentle drum on her elbows which he had taken notice of at the moment to smile to himself as her habits hadn't really changed, with Inha also had taken notice of his posture; something that really hadn't changed since then.

"You still didn't tell me if you know him or not?" 

"What do you think?" 

"Since you're kind of a celebrity, you might know him?" 

"Smart." 

"I have always been one." She uttered, and Sehun gave her a look yet nodded. "Sure, topper." 

Inha scrunched her nose. "That's so old for a name." 

His forehead creased in amusement. "You used to love being called topper." 

Inha bit her lip with a sheepish chuckle. "That was back then and I used to love flaunting." 

"Not now?" 

His question had taken her in a silence to hum. "Not really." 

He didn't say anything further as if he didn't need to, as if he had understood that she didn't want to be asked right now, and Inha didn't react to it as well with the silence approaching them in a comforting way enough to walk alongside, like in a distance but so close to be in each other's space. 

"Which floor?" 

"Fifteenth." 

"Fifteenth." He mused with a surprised look and Inha shook her head. "Seriously, no." 

"Seriously, yes." 

He shrugged, and leaned back against the handrail as they exchanged a disbelieving look with each other and he sighed deeply. "This is beyond any coincidence." 

"I'm getting goosebumps." 

He chuckled, and Inha couldn't help but chuckle back. 

The elevator stopped as both of them walked out of it with Sehun pointing toward the long hallway with the door situated at the end of it. "That's my place." 

Inha's lips parted. "Are you kidding me?" 

"No?" 

"The opposite one is mine, Oh Sehun." 

Both of them gasped together with a cup of their mouths as they looked at each other in a disbelief to flinch the next second, as Inha's phone rang followed by Sehun's phone pinging with a notification as Inha was quick to answer the call but before she could have, she found Sehun questioning at the sudden invitation in a group chat. 

"Grown up kids." 

Inha nodded. "Yes, that's us." 

"Is that Sehun? Are you both still together, goofball? Weren't you on your way to your apartment?" Jinsoo questioned, and Inha blinked a couple of times looking at their opposite apartments greeting each other as she sighed. "Let's just say we're neighbors now." 

"What?!" 

"Yeah, and I have reached home very safely so I will tell you about this in the chat box." 

Inha had hung up to glance at Sehun to find him already looking at her as her forehead creased. "What?" 

"So, it was your lab coat." He uttered, in a trance of his own but his eyes were on her as he recalled the scene with a smile slowly gracing his lips. "It was you." 

"Huh?" 

His head shook at the coincidence that had sent a certain wave of bliss in him to hold his hand out. "Let's be good neighbors, doc-lady." 

Inha couldn't help but shake her head at his action with a smile to slip her palm against it. "Sure, but don't expect me to treat you like a celebrity, Celeb." 

He rolled his eyes. "As if you have been." 

"Neighbors don't roll their eyes at the new neighbors." 

"New neighbors don't pick a fight either." 

"You started." 

"I'm reminding you." 

Both of them stared at each other for a second to chuckle together while their hands still in the contact of hold; a hold so familiarly warm with a tale of its own time, and a hold that was yet to be familiar to own with another tale of this time. 

A tale that was yet to be lived. 

_____________________________________________

10:03 am 

Silence. 

A silence had engulfed the indoor area; the house beside his apartment that was reserved only for him to be at for his own time yet it would be shared with the one engulfed in his heart but right now that indoor area was surrounded by the pool of blue water where the reflection of the man standing above it by the edge of it, his barefoot rooted on it along with his bare upper torso accentuated with a swimwear as his eyes stared at his reflection in the water. 

It was silent but this silence was different. 

And it should be because things had changed overnight in a way that brought the change into his life again, the change he had been yearning for was now in his life, at last. 

Before, he would be having countless thoughts about his people during his practices or tournaments but now he wasn't, but much the opposite of it. 

So, this silence didn't bother him anymore. 

The next moment, he took a deep breath before adjusting his position as the next second, he had jumped into the water; the water that soaked him followed by the racing heartbeats behind his chest but he felt calm like the peace he had felt through his swimming, like this action had given his dream to live, and right now he was living just it with a heart full of happiness. 

Reaching the edge of the pool, he stood up on his feet under the water as he ran his fingers through his damp hair back to lean his back against it as he looked ahead to the finishing point of the pool, he swallowed, his mind recalling the moment of him, and her meeting in the pool for the first time again. 

A coincidence probably, but living across from each other had him thinking otherwise. 

But however it was, it had brought a smile on his lips, and something ticklish in his heart but so familiar that had him sigh to himself, realizing that he probably isn't the best at this. 

Not when it comes to her.

Getting out of the water, he was quick to wrap himself in the white robe to sit on the ledge lounger as he took his phone to find the several messages from different contacts, one was from Ah-Young which was nothing new but another one was new, and this new had given his heart a happiness. 

Grown up kids. 

He had questioned last night in the chat box about the name of the group, but had a faint hunch of who could have, and he was right when he got to know that Yoojung had named the group because it suited them and he couldn't agree more. 

He was quick to reply to Ah-Young's texts, who was asking about his meeting with his squad to which he had replied with his usual sass and got a roll of eyes emoji in return. 

He chuckled, and opened the chat box to find a bunch of Jinsoo's list of his dramatic messages with Inha and Yoojung just shutting him down and he smiled, a smile that beamed on his face of how he missed this, but now he didn't have to miss it anymore and he was happy about it. 

"Sehun-ah, let's hurry over or we'll be late." 

"Oh, hyung!" Sehun exclaimed, quickly showing Chang-Ho his phone to him with a smile. "Look at this, Jinsoo is still hilarious." 

Chang-Ho glanced at it to look back at him. "You took your bike last night?" 

Sehun nodded, scrolling through the messages again. "Yeah." 

"Have you met your friends?" 

Sehun nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I met them." 

His manager found a glint of happiness in his eyes that beamed on his face like a shine, the shine he usually sees whenever he's having a swimming session or when he wins it, but he found it right now and the reason was his friends that he had drifted away from but now had met them again. 

And the happiness on his face showed how happy he was to meet them, and for that, he was happy as well. 

"Fine," He trailed off, with a smile. "But please, include me next time so I can sleep peacefully at night." 

Sehun chuckled. "Sure." 

The next moment, he stood up with a sigh. "Where are we going?" 

Chang-Ho gave him a look. "I told you on the way that we're going to have a shoot with W&J." 

Sehun's ears perked up as he turned to him. "Why are we still standing here then?!" He scoffed with a shake of his head as he paced up ahead. "Hyung, you're slacking off nowadays." 

"This little brat." 

Those were the only words left behind the latter's mouth with a scoff as he followed him with a shake of his head. 

Soon enough, Sehun found himself in his company's car, as he was dressed in his casuals accentuated with his baseball cap along with the mask covering his half face to look outside the window as the ride kept going on, as his eyes looked outside with a calm heart, and an excitement too. 

Something he had felt before the first time he had befriended Jinsoo in high school, and the same excitement ran through him as he was on his way to surprise him. 

The moment he got out of the car, he stood straight to tilt his head up to read the name, the visage of the building that stood tall with a name of the name his best friend had briefed him years ago with a dream in his eyes but now he was seeing it achieved, and shining brightly, and his heart rose up in a pride for him. 

He always has been. 

A smile curved his lips, as he walked in and as soon as he crossed the entrance glass door, he was surrounded by the stares, and gasps of the people in the lobby; something he was used to, as he paced up ahead to the elevator with his manager alongside him as he chuckled. "This is crazy." 

"What?" 

"How you attract attention." 

Sehun gave him a sassy look. "That's me." 

"I shouldn't have said anything." He shook his head, before giving him a look. "You should be careful about going around carelessly." 

Sehun rolled his eyes. "And that's me again." 

Before his manager could have said something, the elevator had stopped with Sehun quickly walking out of it leaving the latter sighing to himself as he followed suit; hoping this careless boy would listen to him for once before any kind of trouble follows him. 

The moment Sehun entered the studio room, he found the familiar sight of people in a hustle and bustle of organizing the things around the place; the white background in the center of the studio, the photographer arranging his camera with a few people standing by the monitor, to find some crew going through some clothes and there he found the person he was looking for as he smiled. 

Woo Jinsoo. 

The man was standing in a pair of casuals with his whole focus on the arranged clothes like always, like how he always double checks his designed clothes until he turned around after giving the man beside him an approval nod to smile as soon as his eyes met his best friend behind him. 

"I was really surprised this morning," He stood in front of him with a smile. "You punk." 

Sehun shrugged as he pulled down his mask with a playful grin on his lips. "I wanted to see the reaction." 

Jinsoo gave him a worried look. "And your company allowed it?" 

"I made them." 

"You're really," Jinsoo chuckled. "A stubborn bastard." 

Sehun nodded. "That's me." 

Both of them chuckled until his manager walked in with a frown as he almost complained for leaving him behind but stopped as he immediately greeted Jinsoo who greeted him back with a smile with Jinsoo joining him about how his best friend is hard to handle to which Chang-Ho couldn't help but agree leaving the careless guy to roll his eyes. 

"Hey, Sehun." 

Ha-min stood beside Jinsoo with a smile toward Sehun who gave him a surprised look. "You work here?" 

Jinsoo chuckled, patting Ha-min's shoulder. "Yeah, he's been a great support to W&J." 

"That's good to know." 

"So, shall we get started now?" 

Jinsoo questioned, and Sehun nodded with his demand for getting a free coffee from him and earned a done look from Jinsoo yet he agreed; best friends for a reason. 

The shoot began as Sehun stood in a pair of casuals, the casuals that Jinsoo had personally designed like he always does, as he stood beside the monitor checking out the results continuously with a focused look for the results to be fine, actually, perfect for as he prefers in his work, and the man in front of him; his best friend was doing more than the perfection he prefers as he stared at his professionalism with a smile; a smile that beamed with a pride in his heart. 

He could see how the crew would stop the work for a moment to just look at him, and how he was listening to the whispers of his excellence in his profession; both in his athletic, and his modeling career; and he was proud of it, of him. 

Likewise, for the man standing in the center; as the flashes of the camera captured his posture; pictures in the clothes that his best friend had designed; a thought ran through his head, a recall of a memory of theirs of how they had decided this scenario years back to happen in the future, and it was happening where the next second he found him walking towards him as he slightly adjusted the jacket he's been wearing to exchange a smile; a smile that beamed of how both of them were proud of each other. 

A dream they had dreamed together was achieved as they were living it right now. 

At that moment, a flash had captured their picture together as Jinsoo turned to the camera man with a confused look. "Are you testing the camera?" 

The man nodded with a firm nod. "Yeah, and you look dashing." 

Jinsoo chuckled. "That, I am." 

Sehun shook his head with a smile as he looked down with Jinsoo slightly grabbing his collar pretending to fight him with a chuckle, unaware of another picture being captured as both of them turned to him with Jinsoo frowning. "What's wrong now?" 

"You both should shoot together." 

Both of the males exchanged a confused look but the next thing they knew was them standing beside each other in a pair of new clothes with the camera being pointed at them yet both of stood still; stiff for some reason to look at each other for a moment to laugh the next second as Sehun slightly pushed him away leaving Jinsoo to headlock him with both of them laughing their hearts out. 

The moment was just them being best friends from years back, and after years, but without any change of change; best friends for so many reasons. 

And the pictures were captured beautifully like their bond was; strong and perfect. 

Meanwhile, on the other corner of the Seoul, a visage of the tall building stood out in the morning behind a word that beholds the meaning behind the building; law, and the word that serves a justice to the ones who are in it for it, and the ones who serve it by fighting for it yet sometimes it happens in the opposite of it. 

It had been before but like the time had changed, things would change too; for better. 

"Ms. Min."

Yoojung looked up from the files she's been reading to find her assistant, Kim Seulbi, in front of her with another pile of papers which she put on the table in front of her. "The new case arrived for you." 

Yoojung sighed, leaning back against her chair and her assistant gave her a sympathetic look. "Should I make some coffee for you?" 

Yoojung smiled, nodding. "Thank you." 

"No need to thank me," She smiled. "You're doing well for people, so I am just trying to help you out." 

"But can I ask why you chose to do this?" 

Yoojung stared at her for a moment as the flashbacks of the tragedy that happened years back in her life crossed her mind, and her heart sank with an unpleasant feeling as she swallowed, her eyes looking at the files. "There are a few people who find it hard to get the justice they deserve, and some just don't get it at all because of how shady things are, and I happen to be the one who can stand against it so that's why I'm here." 

Seulbi smiled. "I respect you for it." 

"So, you should treat me to a cup of coffee." Yoojung smiled, and the latter gasp. "Oh, right, I'll be back!" 

Yoojung chuckled with a shake of her head as she looked outside the window of her office; the past moments crossing her head with displease of something that happened to her grandmother and the injustice to her that couldn't be served as a justice because of some people, and she'd never forget it, not forgive them for it, but with the tragedy, few more things had happened in her life; the relationship with her parents had developed in a good way, and a relationship she never knew she'd be having with the person whom she had always called her best friend, but now, along with her best friend, she had found the best life partner in him. 

And she was happy about it; to find a love that came as a beautiful blessing in her life. 

At the moment, her phone pinged with rapid notification as she instantly checked it to find a bunch of pictures in their group chat; the pictures of Jinsoo and Sehun having a shoot but together as Yoojung scrolled down the pictures sent by both males with a smile toward their hilarious poses; poses she had seen before like the smiles on their faces were in it. 

And another thing crossed her mind was the happiness that had found them again after the drifted bond of theirs that was found back again. 

At the moment, Inha crossed her mind and she was quick to call her as a few rings after the phone was answered. "Hey, lawyer mom." 

Yoojung hummed. "Are you busy?" 

"Yeah, gotta have a round to the ER."

"Working hard, I see." 

Inha frowned as she walked down the hallway to the elevator. "Is everything okay, Yoo?" 

She heard another hum, and Inha knew that something was up to sigh. "Come on, Yoojung, I know you." 

"Did you see the pictures?" 

"In the group? Yeah," Inha chuckled, as she adjusted her lab coat. "These men are having a blast." 

"And you?" 

"What about me?" 

"I just want to know Inha," She felt her taking a deep breath. "If you're okay like after meeting Sehun?" 

Inha bit her lip; she could understand the reason behind her concern for her as she walked down the hallway to the ER in a slow pace to hum. "Yoo, I'm really okay," She looked up with a sigh. "It happened years back, and I have buried what was in my heart, so you can be assured, and our squad is finally back after a long time so let's just cherish it while we can." 

"I am glad to know it but I don't know, I just felt something different looking at you both." 

Inha looked down at her sneakers walking down in a slow pace; her mind couldn't help but recall the scene of their meeting again for the first time, how the different kind of awkwardness, and nervousness had followed between them, but she couldn't let it get to her; not again. 

"It's been a long time since we have met," Inha sighed. "That must be it, and," She paused, her lips. "I don't think what you are thinking about would happen, not after what I did, Yoojung." 

"Inha, that was you having a hard time." 

"I still hurt him, Yoo." 

Inha gulped to sigh deeply. "So, let's just enjoy our squad back without having any thoughts." 

Yoojung was silent for a moment to sigh. "Okay, let's meet up tonight, I'm texting you the list." 

"What list?" 

"Groceries."

Inha pouted. "Don't do this to me!" 

Yoojung laughed. "Love you." 

"Me too." 

The phone was hung up as behind the call of the person had hoped for the things to go better than yesterday, where the person stood on the ground of the hospital was in the trance of her zone; the flashback went through her head again, a memory that was hard to forget, a memory that was never meant to be forgotten. 

A memory that would bring something unexpected ahead. 

_________________________________________

6:54 pm 

"Yes, yes, momma, I'm on the way to the supermarket." 

Inha said, through the airpod plugged in her ear before hanging up Yoojung's call as she rounded the corner from the hospital to drive down the road of the Seoul, her eyes greeted the brightening lights either side of the windows and ahead through the windscreen were the other vehicles as the sight had reminded her of the lights; the lights that she loved, but in the hustle bustle of her busy life throughout these years, she had forgotten to capture them through her eyes; not like she didn't want to but life just happened to be a little cruel to her for her to live the moments. 

However, for some reasons, she wasn't feeling like that now as her heart was at peace for some reasons; maybe because she had passed through the phase of the hardships or maybe because something lost was found back. 

Or maybe something lost in hearts was on the way to be found again. 

Yet, the hearts were unknown to it; to be known to it. 

Inha parked her car in the parking lot of the supermarket, as she walked through the entrance door inside with a cart to look through the list of the ingredients sent by Yoojung while picking up the items in the cart to scroll down the list with a sigh. "Muffins again." 

"Yoojung's going to bake?" 

A subtle gasp left her lips as she looked over her shoulder to find the least expected person behind her but her heart had jumped behind her chest to find him close enough; enough for his chin almost leaning over her shoulder as Inha leaned her head back along with her steps as she stared at him, surprised. "What are you doing here?" 

Coincidences are becoming strange at this point; strange but something hidden inside it. 

Sehu