15
𝙣𝙖𝙢 𝙟𝙤𝙤𝙝𝙮𝙪𝙠

"JOOHYUK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DIVE ALREADY!"

i snapped out of my thoughts and looked around, realizing that my peers had already dived off the board and i was still on it.

i dived in late, and when i exited the water, my coach looked at me in disappointment.

"again?? what's wrong with you these days?" taekwon nudged my arm. "coach is getting really pissed at you, you know-"

"shut it." i said irritatedly.

"woah, that's new." he muttered.

i told hyeona to skip her practice, but i already knew she was going to be there today. i didn't know how she was putting up with it, and if she was tired or not still, and it drove me insane.

i wanted to go check on her so badly but then i'd get another beating from my coaches, so no thanks.

i rubbed my temples. "goddddd."

"the floors are too wet, and although i'd love to see you guys slip and fall in it, i'd get in trouble." our coach, coach jung, said. "nam joohyuk, since you need to wake up more, run over next door to the volleyball gym and grab as many mops as you can carry."

"also, i'll be timing you so if you aren't back in 5 minutes i'll know you're off flirting with those girls or something." he added.

"wait coach-"

"timer starts now."

i groaned and ran to one of the benches to grab my hoodie, and then running to the door while trying to put it on, all while managing not to slip on the wet ground.

this was my chance. i could go check on hyeona, what perfect timing.

i bolted as fast as i could to the other gym and peeked my head in. the girls were practicing as her usual, and i looked around for hyeona but couldn't find her.

i ran to the coaches and greeted them. "we need some mops to clean up the water." i said.

"they're in that closet." one of the coaches said.

"okay." i almost took off again, but stopped, walking backwards to them. "d-do you know where hyeona is, by chance? i don't see her-"

the coach raised her eyebrow. "she's in the hall getting water but-"

"okay!! thank you!!" then i bolted off into that direction.

i looked around, trying to find the girl. then finally, i found her, leaning against the wall, throwing a water bottle up and down, up and down.

"hyeona!" i called out. she jolted and looked at me with wide eyes.

"joohyuk? why are you here??" she asked.

"to get mops." i snickered, walking closer. in the close distance, i realized how tired and weak she looked, not to mention how puffy her eyes were too.

"well the mops aren't here-" she said.

i walked a bit closer to her. "i know. i came to see you."

she looked down and smiled. "thanks. and thanks for staying with me at the hospital a while ago.

i nodded. it made me so happy when she thanked me and i didn't even know why. i was probably smiling like an idiot.

and before i could even think about what i was doing, i was leaning in.

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