❝Seize The Moments❞

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11:20 pm 

"They got my room in a mess." 

Inha uttered, picking up the scattered jenga, and cards from her bed to place it back on its original place; it hadn't been that long since they came back from the dinner with a little celebration of the proposal too, but the night couldn't be ended so soon since they were already leaving the day after tomorrow so the squad had gathered in Inha's room to play cards, and jenga with some beers together. 

The empty bottle of beers were thrown by Sehun who had exited her room after sending the drunk Jinsoo in Yoojung's hold to their room leaving Inha behind with a goodnight. 

Inha sniffled, and wore her green cardigan around her black tank top since the playful act at the beach with water had left her in cold shivers already; perks of being sensitive to cold, before walking over to the balcony door to close it but at that moment, her eyes spotted a familiar man; the only one who stood in her eyes even from afar; Sehun. 

He was walking down the edge of the pool alone, even if the area was surrounded by a few people, he seemed to be alone right now and her heart wanted to be by his side, as if her thoughts had taken over her system, she found herself walking out of the room down from the third floor as she reached the area of the pool to find him seated on the edge, his feet dangling in the blue water. 

Sehun's eyes were glued to the blue water reflecting his face but his focus was on his thoughts that had engulfed him enough to get lost in it, the thoughts of the turning point of the event today he had been distracting himself from, the tournament was important to him yet his non-participation had him sinking with a feeling of loss but hearing about the postponement about it left him in a relief, as he could do it now but the thought about not being able to find swimming connected to him again like before had him scared. 

It had been his dream, and he couldn't afford to lose his dream because he had nothing after that. 

But he had, someone who had always believed in him, had him find his dream, and somewhere that someone had become a unachievable dream for him now. 

At the moment, he felt that someone by his side with her cat-like presence, the one that came in his life, and heart without any sound but still resides like a sound of melody, the one his heart had been reaching out to but couldn't hold it. 

Her familiar feet had dangled in the water and as if he knew the next actions, she had shrieked and he wasn't surprised to just smile; it always happened with her. 

"It'll be better slowly." 

Inha heard him, and relaxed her feet in the cold water swaying beside his ones as a silence followed, their shoulders in an almost brush, like their hands on the edge in an almost graze of touch until her foot had bumped into his intentionally. "Celeb." 

He bumped his foot back against hers. "Doc-lady." 

Another one from her behind her soft giggles. "What are you doing here?" 

His heart fluttered as he went silent for a moment. "I wanted to feel connected to the water." 

Inha stared at him. "Do you miss swimming?" 

He met her eyes. "You can tell?" 

"I can." 

He looked away with a chuckle, "Right," He tilted his head down behind a whisper. "You always do." 

"The tournament was canceled though." 

"And I feel relieved about it," He paused, with a swallow. "It's just not me, but lots of athletes out there must have practiced hardly for this tournament and I couldn't do it, because of my own circumstances so it saddened me, made me feel envious of those participants and I should be feeling bad for their hard work going in a pit yet I'm feeling relieved because I couldn't be there. "

He paused, and looked at her with his tired eyes. "Isn't this too selfish of me?" 

Inha stared at him for a moment, his words being adapted to her mind but his eyes said it all, that even if he uttered those words, he wasn't feeling good about it, he didn't mean it and a flashback glimpsed in her head, the one where her father had made her understand the value of being human, and emotions. 

"You're a human, Sehun." 

She uttered, and he just stared at her to listen as she continued. "You're not a saint to feel good about everything even in your bad times, this is your bad time and lots of thoughts consume us, be it good or bad or sometimes thinking about ourselves but that doesn't mean it's selfish." 

She looked at the water with her foot floating over it. "Dad told me that thinking about our well-being doesn't mean that we're selfish, and it's not like you wished for the tournament to be canceled, you couldn't do it so you decide to go through it silently alone but now that it was, you feel relieved because you wanted to be a part of it, and because you think you have a chance of being a part of it now. "

"And that's okay because that's your dream, and everybody wants to achieve their dreams so it's not a bad thing to feel like a human." Inha reached out, her palm on the back of his hand as she met his eyes with a soft glint. "Sehun, no matter how much you try to stop your thoughts, someday you have to face it so don't stop it," 

He felt a light squeeze on his hand as he continued to listen to her, he wanted to keep listening to her, "Let it come, but don't let it consume you, and let it flow and things will fall back together," She paused, with a tilt of her head. "Do you get it now?" 

"Yeah," He nodded, still in a trance of his stare on her as he twisted his hand in a way that her fingers were resting on his palm and he was caressing them with his thumb softly as he his lips. "We should let it flow to fall back together." 

Before Inha could have reacted, a sudden splash in the water had taken their attention as both of them found a man swimming on the other side of pool where his eyes glanced at Inha for a second to wave with a smile where Inha was about to wave back in a confused state but her hand was slapped down.

"It hurts!" 

She turned to find him glaring at the man to look back at her. "You're letting him flirt with you?" 

She frowned. "He just waved at me." 

"That's how they do it, don't you know what goes through a man's mind?" 

Inha's forehead creased. "What goes through your mind then?" 

"You-" He halted his words with a surprised look to find the exact look on her face as he looked away with a furious blush. "Nothing." 

"How does swimming feel?" 

"Do you want to learn it?" 

"I can't even take a breath." 

"That's the main reason for you to learn it." 

"I don't even go near the swimming pool everyday so I won't need it." 

Sehun gave her a look at her words since she was uttering those words right where she was sitting as he slightly nudged her shoulder only for Inha to grab his arm with a gasp. "How dare you-" 

"This is what I'm talking about," He uttered, looking at her as she still kept her hold on him. "Not someone daring to push you but you could also slip so you should at least know how to get out of it, and save yourself instead of depending on help to get you." 

Inha couldn't help but agree as she tilted her head. "Will you teach me?" 

His eyes lit up. "Anytime." 

Her lips smiled. "Okay." 

She was about to get up from the edge but the dripping water had her foot slip leading her to fall in the pool as she screamed with a startle where Sehun had grabbed her wrist but in vain as she was already in it as the water reached her hips but her arms kept flapping in a panic state until she realized it as she tucked her damp hair away to look at him. 

His eyes glinted in an amusement as if almost about to laugh and the next second, he was already laughing wholeheartedly while Inha stared at him through her narrowed eyes but eventually her heart softened at his laughing face; so carefree, so him as she couldn't help but let her lips smile.

"Seriously?" 

He calmed down only to have his heart skip a beat at her soft smile toward him. "Well, at least you laughed better than your grumpy face." 

He nodded, holding out his hand for her to which she held it for him to get her out as the next second, she was standing in front of him in her soaked self to sniffle before he had wrapped the bathrobe around her as Inha slipped her arms through it with her heart hammering behind her chest at his closeness as he tied the knot. 

"You really are a handful, Baek Inha." 

He leaned away to grab another towel as he placed it on her head where her nose scrunched that his eyes glanced at but it also fell on her lips as he sighed deeply to meet her eyes with a playful grin as she rubbed one side of her head. "Should I tell you a secret?" 

He nodded, his hand began to rub the other side of her hair. "Not like you're gonna stop." 

Inha chuckled. "Actually, the Idea of trip was yours but Yoojung and Jinsoo had purposely booked this weekend so they could cheer you up, aren't they such sweethearts?" 

He hummed. "And you're not?" 

"What?" 

He met her eyes. "Sweetheart."

Inha felt a warm jolt right there at the way he uttered the word as he continued. "You really think I didn't notice how you kept me distracted and cheering me up?" 

Inha bit her lip. "I had to." 

"Because I'm your closest friend?" He questioned, his eyes boring into hers intently enough, but enough to warm her heart as he uttered again while taking a damp strand of her hair in his hold softly. "Am I really just your closest friend, Inha?" 

Inha was silent. 

She couldn't answer it, not that she hasn't come to believe that the depth of love for him had rose again but as she kept staring at him, her heart felt calm, calm yet nervous, and the way his eyes were looking at her had her believe something else. 

She was wrong about the rising because the depth had never left from her heart, and he wasn't just a closest friend to her as the realization hit her right there. 

She was without a doubt still in love with him.

Like she was ten years ago; like right at this moment. 

_______________________________________

9:07 am 

A warmth had engulfed Inha. 

A warmth not so pleasant one as it came with a pain in her head, making it heavy to even lift it up from her pillow as she groaned silently in pain to bury her head more in her pillow behind her aching throat that had her hard to swallow as she sniffled, lying on her back to open her drowsy eyes towards the ceiling. 

She couldn't even lift her finger because that's how the fever had consumed her. 

Really? At this time? When she's finally having carefree days of enjoyment? But life is here! 

Several knocks on her door had her whine because she couldn't even sit up to check the door nor her lips were uttering out any words but hearing Yoojung's voice had her sigh; slowly rising herself, her eyes closed by the sudden heaviness on her head with a wince to get off the bed, even the room seemed to be spinning in her sight now before her slow steps had opened the door to find Yoojung along with Jinsoo and Sehun with their worried face. 

"What took you so long to open the door, Inha?" Yoojung questioned, walking in to notice Inha's exhausted self and she was quick to palm her forehead with a gasp. "You have a fever, Inha, what the heck? You were fine last night so how did you get a fever overnight?" 

Inha cleared with a wince. "It just happened." 

Her eyes locked with Sehun who had a concerned look on his face but a glint of guilt as well as Inha could guess the reason behind it, before her arm was taken by Jinsoo who had made her sit down on the bed. "Did you take any medicine?" 

Inha shook her head. "I'll have something to eat first to take the medicine." 

"I'll order something light for you." 

Sehun was already standing by the nightstand to order as Inha's drowsy eyes watched him to look back at Yoojung who brought a damp towel that she dabbed on her forehead as Inha flinched. "It's cold!" 

"Bear it." Yoojung frowned. "Why didn't you call when you were having a hard time?" 

Inha pouted, her eyes closed. "I couldn't disturb you all." 

Jinsoo scoffed, clearly annoyed with her answer. "Bull." 

"We were supposed to have a blast today!" Inha whined, her face against Yoojung's stomach to feel her caressing her head. "It's okay, we'll have a blast next time." 

"No, no, no." Inha leaned away with a serious expression. "You guys are not ruining the entire day taking care of me, I'll be fine with my rest so you should go and have a blast." 

"Say something that makes sense, Inha." 

She heard Sehun behind her to find him standing by her with a frown. "Why do you think we'll have a blast while leaving you behind like this?" 

Inha huffed, her fever taking over her mood swings. "I'll be fine after some rest, and I really don't want you to sit back just because I couldn't go and I'm a bloody doctor so I know how am I going to handle this fever!" 

He frowned. "Get your doctor self at your hospital, right now you're just Baek Inha to me." 

She glared at him even in her headache and he didn't back out; two can have a play. 

"Stop you two." 

Yoojung intruded, as she exchanged a look with Jinsoo who could also sense a different tension between them, not that they haven't been these days but this felt kind of out of their heads. 

The knock on the door had indicated the arrival of the meal they had ordered for Inha as the next thing she was already seated on the bed, under the duvet while Yoojung fed the porridge with Inha's continuous insistence of them to have a good exploration outside since this was the last day of them being here, though she could understand their concern, but she couldn't have them sit back just because of her fever. 

She couldn't afford to ruin their day. 

The medicine after the meal had her fall asleep for a rest, but after an hour or so, she had opened her drowsy eyes only to find the trio still in her room, Yoojung was seated next to her while Sehun and Jinsoo had occupied the couch and Inha sighed. "Are you guys for real?" 

Yoojung turned to her. "Is your headache gone?" 

"No, but you guys not listening to me is going to give me an overnight migraine." 

"And why would we leave your sick alone to roam around the city?" Jinsoo snapped, and Inha raised herself up to frown at him. "My sick won't last longer than five hours and by the time you guys will have explored enough, I can join you later during the sunset!" 

"Still not convincing for me." 

Sehun voiced out seriously as he met Inha's eyes as she gave him a look. "Come on, at least you can get me, Oh Sehun!" 

Oh, she was going to explode. 

He his lips, considering her thoughts like he always does to look at Yoojung and Jinsoo with a thoughtful look. "We can consider it." 

"Seriously, Sehun." 

"Listen Yoo," He trailed off, looking at Inha who had her eyes in an expectant glint to look at Yoojung's serious expression. "We are here on a trip after a long time, and we still don't know if we'd get enough time to come again soon so Jinsoo and you can get some good exploration of the city and talking about doc-lady," He paused, meeting her eyes with an intent gaze. "I'll stay with her." 

"Yah, Oh Sehun-" 

"Yeah, I get it that you're very thankful to me." 

"No-" 

"What do you guys think?" He asked, looking at the couple who had exchanged a pondering and considering look while completely ignoring the glare of the woman on the bed before Yoojung looked at Inha. "Will you be okay?" 

Inha nodded, her head falling back on the pillow. "Yes, so enjoy your day before I third-wheel you again." 

Jinsoo laughed. "Honey, it's a good chance." 

Inha raised her palm for him as he walked to her with a smile before high-fiving it. "You better call me if something happens or I'll beat your third-wheel ." 

Inha chuckled, lazily. "Get lost." 

Both of them had exited the room with a concerned feeling yet there was a relief, a relief of Sehun being with Inha because as long as he was by her side, he would never let anything happen to her likewise for her; that was a strong belief. 

Sehun had stood up as he was already standing by her bed, his concerned filled eyes staring at her sick self softly as he couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt hitting him hard, as because of the last night's moment had her get this sick and all because she had came to comfort him, before he his lips, his head tilted to find her eyes closed with a disturbing frown between her brows. 

Inha's head was hurting enough to feel a pain all over the body until she felt the other side of her bed sinking in with a weight, and she didn't have to open her eyes for the recognition because the soft presses either side of her temples had her sense his presence; his touch, always so warming like right now as she sighed softly leaning into the touch more. 

Yet her eyes wanted to look at him, no matter how much she had been, but the urge still wasn't enough, and because she had come to know the reason again but hoping for his reciprocation had become just a hope, a hope like a dream to achieve like it was before where she couldn't hold it but to let it go as right now, his actions were giving her a hope but thinking about it doing it out of their shared bond had left her in a sink of pain. 

"Is your head hurting a lot?" 

Her eyes opened at his question to greet his concerned eyes behind her blurry vision to realize that her thoughts had flowed through her eyes. "A little bit." 

He just stared at her not knowing what to do unaware of his soft touch was warming her heart already as she stared at him for a moment, lying with a seated position beside her. "Why did you stay?" 

He was silent for a moment to squint his eyes. "Your plan of making me their third-wheel wasn't something I'd let you execute."

Inha smiled. "I should have been more loud." 

"As if you aren't already." 

"Shut up." 

He giggled, and she giggled back as their soft giggles emerged together. 

Things surely were different for them; a moment ago they were having the glaring eyes argument yet their giggles were the only thing echoing in the room but that's how they were, this was their norm; it always has been. 

"Is that the only reason?"

Inha couldn't help but ask, and he his lips nervously. "I had to," He trailed off, his eyes boring into hers. "Because I care for you, Inha." 

"Not because you're feeling guilty?" 

Her question had taken him aback and his silence about it had her heart sink as she felt like crushing her own expecting hopes. "It's not because of you." 

"You were already under the weather because of the beach, yet you came and sat with me," He trailed off, with a deep sigh. "If only you had just stayed warm in the room." 

"I did it because I wanted to," 

He turned to her to find her eyes closed as she continued. "I couldn't see my closest friend alone in a juggle of his own where I could help him out with it so I won't just sit back and watch," 

Her words felt familiar as he was reminded of the night he had fought for her and she had felt guilty of pulling him into a hurtful position but because he couldn't watch her fighting alone, and the same thing was happening here, she couldn't watch him fighting his thoughts alone. 

They really are such idiots. 

His heart warmed as his eyes stared at her softly as she mumbled her next words, as if the drowsiness of the medicine was working at the moment. 

"You aren't just a closest friend to me, Sehun, because it turns out you are more than that, you're someone who understands me, roots for me, comforts me, and makes me feel like myself, so you're special to me, you always have been." 

She had fallen in a deeper slumber but he stayed still, taken aback and shook by her words, because her words felt like an affirmation of something his heart had been feeling; seeking her reciprocation in her eyes that gave him a hope of it, that he found in her actions for him but her unconscious words had said everything. 

Everything but so pleasant to his heart as he felt his heart warming behind the loud hammer of it yet the one uttering those words had a peaceful expression gracing her face. 

And it never looked so beautiful. 

_____________________________________________

4:36 pm 

Calm. 

The moment was just it as what Inha could describe from the second her unconscious mind had become conscious enough to feel no ounce of headache, or heaviness, and the most part of her sickness, her aching throat was much better as her eyes were closed for a moment to slowly open them to find him still in the same position except his head was leaned against the headboard while his eyes closed in a slumber. 

But uncomfortable. 

She was quick to sit up with her torso facing him as she stared at him softly for a moment to shake her head. "Stubborn ." 

She had wrapped the other side of the duvet around his crossed legs covering his threaded hands before noticing the deepening frown on his face as she reached out, carefully, and eased it up softly to find him humming and her lips smiled until she sensed him moving a bit to make her withdraw her hand back as his eyes opened the next moment. 

Sehun sat up straight and looked at her to find her already looking back at him as his eyes softened. "How are you feeling?" 

Inha nodded. "Fantastic." 

His palm had touched her forehead leaving her with a thudding heart as he nodded with relief. "Fantastic." 

"I told you, I'm a bloody doctor-" 

Her words subsided as she found him nodding lazily again to glare at him. "Jerk." 

He chuckled, checking the time in his phone that stuck half past six in the evening before he turned to her to find her looking outside the window as she turned to him with a smile. "I want to go out." 

His eyes widened. "With who?" 

"You." 

"What?" 

"It's already evening and I'm all better so let's not waste any time and explore the city!" 

He blinked a couple of times with a realization of disappointment to find her attempting to stand up but he took a hold of her arm. "You're still not better, Inha." 

Inha's eyes narrowed. "I'm more than better, Sehun." 

"Your fever can rise again." 

"Not a hundred percent." 

He got off the bed with a frown; standing heighted over her. "Can you not be stubborn?" 

Inha huffed, and stood on the bed taking over his height as she placed her hands either side of her waist. "Listen, Oh Sehun, I rarely get off days from work and now that I have finally come to have my carefree three days o