city lights - jaemin

42

SHE was practicing alone. She told her friends she was going home and not practicing since no one would be there, but she took that as her opportunity to swim in private. Her time to really think, am I really enjoying this?

She timed herself and wrote down her time every single lap. She was getting a better, she noticed it when she went back and compared her results now to a few weeks ago. Bit she didn't like this. She didn't know what would make her enjoy it anymore, or if there even was something that would help her enjoy it.

She climbed out of the pool and decided a break would be a good thing now. Time to sit and think,

"Are you happy swimming?"

Micha turned her head to the direction where the sudden voice was. Jaemin walked towards her as the doors closed slowly behind him. He knelled down next to her, smiling at her.

"I just got here, but I'm assuming you were swimming." Jaemin quickly explained as he saw her rather nervous expression. Micha hummed and looked back to the water. "I was."

He leans towards her and looks at her face.
"So, are you enjoying it by any chance?"

She shrugged and looked at him with saddened eyes. She wanted some sort of comfort, someone to push her to keep going.

Jaemin sighed, her hands resting on his knees as he looked at her eyes that looked rather sad. She was clearly upset about the situation she was in.

"I want you to be happy, and if that means you quit, then so be it." He said, talking seriously. "it's your own life."

"So I should quit..?"

He laughs, saying. "you only live once, so why not." He stops laughing after seeing her smile, returning to being more serious. "It's your decision micha. You don't like swimming? Then you can quit. You still want to keep swimming? then you can stay. It is truely up to you and no one else."

"I want the decision made for me Jaemin."

"No, you make your own decision."
He said sternly. He would only accept her actions if it was because she wanted to do that, not because someone told her so. She's had too much of her life controlled by her parents.

☁️

Jaemin waited.

She practiced some more and even when it had been a hour, he sat on the edge and waited for her. Of course he didn't just watch her, he went on his phone for a bit and even called his parents to let them know he would be home a bit later than usual since he is still with a friend. But other than that, he cheered for her every time she stopped and rested for a second, everytime she reached the end. And  he even screamed loudly in support when she announced she just did the fastest lap of the practice.

But soon it was going to get dark and the coach came in to let them know it was going to close soon. Micha quickly got out of the pool and went to the changing rooms, changing quickly before rushing outside. Jaemin waited in the cold air, hands deep in his pockets and he secretly wished she would hurry up. The air inside the pool was warm and humid, but outside was practically freezing.

She stood next to him for a second before they both immediately agreed it was too cold and quickly they walked back to their houses. Her hair wasn't that wet, since she did a quick blow dry when she was getting dressed, and the air was thick and warm inside there anyway.

Jaemin still, grabbed her wet towel out of her hands and started to dry her hair despite her complaints about how embarrassing it is to do this while walking home.
"It's okay, it will save you from getting sick again!"

"I won't get sick I do this all the time."

"Ohh but the one time you go out in the rain, you get sick."
She just laughed it off and stopped talking, grabbing the towel from him. Jaemin looked around and noticed they were on their street now, in front of his house.

They just stayed still looking at each other until Jaemin stepped a bit closer and opened his arms. She stepped forward, feeling the familiarity with this situation. He hugged her, tightly squeezing her before letting go. "I know I keep saying this but I truely mean it. Do whatever makes you happy."

He stepped back and smiled at her, his hand resting on her cheek.
"I promise I'll be here for you." He looked to her cheeks, grinning as they got redder.

Micha smiled at him. "That's a big promise." The sun was setting and the orange glow lit up the land, they too had the sunset gracing them.

"But it's one I can keep." He said with a look in his eyes, a look that she knew she could rely on.