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Kinda wrote chapter this a bit impulsively hehehe idk

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Kinda wrote chapter this a bit impulsively hehehe idk

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"Do you mind?" Chan asked as he took out a box of cigarettes and lighter.

It was still Friday night and they were sitting outside in the backyard, legs knee-deep in the pool and moving around slowly.

Jinyu shook her head, biting her lip and looking off. "I smoke too. I mean— I just started but it hasn't been long."

Chan offered her one and she took it. "I remember in the store when you bought a pack. Was it your first?"

"Yeah," Jinyu sighed. "I don't know I was just so stressed and I didn't know what to do anymore. I called my dad, actually. Begged him to come get me or help buy a ticket back to Korea but he talked me into staying. I think it's best I did."

Chan lit the ends of both cigarettes and inhaled. "I think so too," He said, breathing out. He contemplated sharing a personal part of him, but ended up speaking anyway. "I remember also going through a slump towards the end of high school. I was bad news: not sleeping at home, skipping school, drinking underage... I was a mess just because I wanted to prove someone wrong when they called me a 'goody two shoes'," Chan cringed at the memories of his rebellious teenage years and shivered.

Jinyu snorting at that made him feel a bit better.

"I tried drugs at a point. Started with pills and then coke and... embarrassingly heroin," Jinyu watched as Chan pulled up his left sleeve, exposing the results.

She stared at his forearm, speechless. From the drugs he had just listed, everyone around him must've not seen him getting out of it any time soon. So seeing Chan now... well, she felt a bit proud of him.

He pulled the sleeve back down with a sigh and brought the cigarette back up to his lips. "My parents were angry, but they also wanted to help. I got into rehab, discovered cardiothoracic therapy, changed schools and now I'm here. I still smoke, though. Ironic, isn't it?"

Jinyu agreed. "Doesn't it interfere with your swimming?"

Chan nodded immediately. "Definitely. I don't think that has sunk in yet, though. I should quit, shouldn't I?"

"You can't put me on the spot like that. It would be hypocritical of me if I forced you to quit and I continued smoking," Jinyu said as she ashed her cigarette.

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