-^* Are we clear? *^- | Haobin

*^- 1 -^*

Sometimes drowning, in a metaphorical sense, is what you need to finally realise that you have to swim back up to the surface. Once you're too deep, swimming back up is impossible. Swim back up before you're stuck in the same spot forever, drowned, sunken in darkness.

~^* Are we clear? *^~

HANBIN POV

The breeze blew through the small open vents at the top of my window, filtering through and spreading chills along the backs of my arms as I lay face down in my messy covers. I groaned and pulled the blanket back over me before my alarm caught me in my pursuit for sleep. It felt like my pillow was tempting me to drift back off, yet my alarm insisted, so I obliged after taking a deep breath.
Clambering out my bed, I opened the window fully letting the cold air blow my thin white curtains. The breeze hit me like a cool wave on a beach in early spring.
It was Monday, the first of March. Winter was passing by and spring had begun to show itself. I was making a conscious effort to make a new start this spring, the past was unnecessary to dwell on nowadays.
I stared into the big circle mirror above my dresser and ran my hands through my bleached blonde hair. A small sigh escaped my lips and I lay my finger gently against the 'stop' button on my alarm. As I lifted my hand, a notification popped up on my phone. A message from my roommate, Matthew.

MASHU: Morning, I left early but I made extra pancakes for you. Just put them in the microwave and they should be fine. Good luck today!

He sent a cute little gif afterwards, a little dog with its tongue out. I smiled and picked up my phone to respond.

ME: Morning!! I hope today's pancakes are better than last time haha, have a good day at work. See you later 👐🏻

He responded with a thumbs up, I put my phone back on my dresser and walked over to my bathroom.
After washing up and drying my hair, I sat down at ate Matthew's pancakes. They weren't better than last time.
I got dressed in some formal-ish clothes and headed out the door with a folder in hand and my backpack on my back.

I liked spring, the flowers, the freshness. It was nice. I breathed in the lovely spring air, filling my lungs as I approached the bus stop when I noticed a familiar face stood waiting for a bus.
"Gyuvin?" I announced, trying to catch his attention. He slowly turned his head, expression at first startled, his eyes wide and lip pouted. When he noticed it was me, his face relaxed into a cheery smile and he waved. I trundled over and slung my arm into the air and over his broad shoulder which stood much higher than mine.
"Hanbin~ what brings you here this morning?" He asked. I glanced down at his school uniform and chuckled.
"I'm heading to my new job!"
"New job? You never told me you quit at the cafe?!" He exclaimed with a quiver in his bottom lip. I sighed with reminiscence and adverted my gaze to the street ahead of us.
"Well you know...I couldn't work as a part time barista forever..."
"But! Who's going to serve my coffee now?!"
"Another perfectly fine licensed barista, Gyuvinie." I reassured him. He let out a humph and scrunched his nose in protest.
"It's not the same," he mumbled, "but, where are you going to work now?"
"I finally got the placement at the dance studio I've been eyeing up." I boasted with a slight raise in my eyebrow. Gyuvin's previous pout grew into a big smile.
"Hyung! Well done! Promise we'll still meet up though?"
Before I could answer, my bus approached the stop. I let go of Gyuvin and took a step forward.
"Promise me!" He reiterated. I turned around and nodded.
"I promise, see you round!" I waved before I strode onto the bus and scanned my pass.
As I sat down, I waved to Gyuvin again, watching as he waved back.
I begun to think about how late it was for him to be going to school as he disappeared out of view. Gyuvin had been a regular at the cafe I used to work at with my mom, and I had attended the same school as him a few years ago. . He came in with his other high school friends: Ricky, Gunwook and Yujin. They were cute kids and we gained a bond over the year I worked there as they studied in the cafe most Saturdays whenever I was working. We always had good conversation as they weren't too much younger than me and I often thought they reminded me of myself at their age. I had only left high school two years ago, but the time I'd spent since wasn't time I enjoyed all that much. I liked the financial freedom of being a student. Within the past year I moved into my own place as soon as Matthew finished high school (the year after me) and we bought a place together and since had been labouring away to pay our bills. At first, there were times when our water was shut off and we had to shower at the gym that Matthew worked at and buy bottled water to drink and cook with. Thankfully times had gotten better since then. Matthew was no longer cleaning sweat off seats at the gym and was a personal trainer and making music on the side. I was escaping my barista job to fulfil my dream of being a dancer. This spring was looking up for me. Whilst suffering the financial burden of a new place with a friend who was barely old enough to work, I was also suffering through a tough relationship with someone who wasn't in the right mindset for supporting someone. I knew their issues, and I knew why they acted the way they did, but I wished for someone to help me emotionally through that time. To my dismay I got the complete opposite, bad arguments over petty things. They didn't like how much I worked, refusing to understand my situation. I had to admit though, I didn't do much to understand theirs. We had a bad breakup, but I never resented them as I eventually came to understand their reasons. I think both of us were just in our own heads too much at that time. Either way, I knew I had to take some freedom for myself and explore life instead of tying myself down like I had been. Making this possible started with my new job.