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“A round of applause for the representatives of South Korea, Jisung Park and Y/N L/N for the mixed pair category,” the announcer states after you and Jisung finished your performance. Holding each other’s hand, you take your one last bow before leaving the center stage.
“You are so great y/n,” Jisung praises you as you head backstage.
“Oh, stop the teasing Park. What do you need from me?” you reply as you shove your coat in yourself to cover up your thin garments. You hand Jisung’s coat as well and prepares to go back and sit to where the rest of the athletes are.
“No kidding! You did great back there. I learned only from the best gymnast I know,” smiling at your best friend’s remarks, you smack his shoulder lightly as you feel embarrassed. There is nothing to deny in Jisung’s statement, you are one of the well-known gymnasts in South Korea and is paving your way in the industry since you were a kid. Your parents invested so much in gymnastics since they saw the potential in you when you are little, spending most of your time practicing and competing. And during your spare time, you bond with your only best friend, Jisung, who happens to be your neighbor. Jisung tags along at your training sometimes and later enjoyed gymnastics as well. You have taught Jisung the basics and were able to catch up on your rank, being the fast learner that is. Now, you participate in gymnastics competitions together as pair.
Before you could even head back to your seats, Jisung grabs your hand and walks the opposite way of the hallway. “Let’s go out for a while, it won’t take us long,” he says as you both exit the stadium.
“What are you doing, what if they look for us,” you tell him, but he pretends to ignore you.
“Don’t be a killjoy y/n, I have something to show you,” he holds your shoulders from behind and pushes you to walk away from the stadium. Jisung takes a halt and ties your trench coat properly before you cross the road. “It’s a bit cold, you might get sick,” he says before crossing the road to go to the building next to the stadium. You could not help but get flustered every time Jisung becomes a gentleman. Each time he pulls surprises like this, your heart beats fast, and feeling like your mind will blow up with thoughts of having Jisung as your boyfriend. But it does not go on beyond that all the time, knowing how it scares you to ruin your friendship with him.
Aside from preparing for your’s and Jisung’s routine piece for the Olympics, Jisung has been preparing a Christmas present for you. He thought of making the London experience more memorable for both of you, and luckily found a planetarium observatory next to the stadium. He is excited to show you his little surprise because he knows how much you enjoy listening to his extraterrestrial stories, that is what he knows, and is nervous at the same time. Jisung has never done anything like this and has always given you simple presents, he wants to do something that could make you really happy this time. Of all the people that know you, Jisung is the only one who knows you in and out. He knows how much you have invested your life in gymnastics that you have missed out on the happiest things in life. He thought that he is the one responsible for bringing happiness and excitement to your life, hence doing this little surprise. Going in, you see several pictures of planets and galaxies displayed at the entrance. Knowing Jisung’s interest in astronomy, you figured where you are in that instant. As Jisung hands a pair of tickets to the staff, you go straight ahead. Entering an empty hall, Jisung offers you a seat.
“I have brought these tickets before. I saw on the internet that there’s a place like this near the stadium. You know I wouldn’t let this pass, right?” he explains as he hands you a cup of hot chocolate drink. The warm beverage made your hands feel better, knowing how cold it is in London during December – in addition to the thin gymnastic clothes you are wearing now. But you laugh in your mind finding out that he handed you the wrong beverage.
“Uhh, this is yours I believe,” you say as you exchange your drink to Jisung’s. “This is the hot chocolate. You got my coffee right there,” you say as he gives you his scrunched face – the embarrassed face of Jisung. The program starts and the lights shut off, Jisung pays so much attention to the various animations of planets and stars on the ceiling.
Jisung prepared this for both of you to enjoy, but it seems like Jisung is the only one enjoying the program while you are putting your attention into something else. Despite the label of being childhood best friends, there came some points in your life that you wanted to lean into something more than what you have with Jisung. The guy himself is feeling the same way sometimes but looking into it he has nothing planned to do about until now it so you suppress it to yourself and just wait for the time that Jisung will finally confess himself. The program then ends, and you head back to the stadium. Just in time, they are about to announce the winner of the competition.
“See, we are just in time,” Jisung says as you both go to your designated seats. Not long after, the host is about to announce the names of the gold medalists for the competition. Jisung then grabs your hand as he places his other hand on top of it and puts it near his chest. Closing his eyes, he prays for your names to be called. You close your eyes as well. Praying for the same thing but the thought of Jisung holding your hand right now keeps distracting you, you missed the announcer stating your names. All you could see right now is Jisung hugging you tightly as he jumps from excitement. You both won first place in tonight’s competition. Jisung’s excitement is going on places that he starts lifting you as he cheers your name.
“I’m so happy I think I might just kiss you,” Jisung says out of the blue, both of you leaving shocked by what he just said. The coach then starts calling you both to head on stage to accept the awards. Jisung starts acting awkward towards you and tries to compose himself as the judges hand the medals to him. After taking a few pictures, you both leave the stage quietly. You are still speechless to everything that is happening, it’s a lot to take in all at once. Yours and Jisung’s parents welcome you backstage to congratulate you both. You and Jisung remain awkward to each other until the end of that night. Jisung drops you off at the front of your house and waits for your parents to head inside before finally talking to you.
“Y-y/n, about what I said earlier. I-I didn’t mean to-“
“No. It’s alright Sungie, you were just so excited a while ago I guess,” you cut him off, faking a laugh after. Jisung could not look you in the eye as he keeps rubbing the back of his head as he looks down on the ground.
“Alright. S-See you tomorrow then. Good night y/n. Congrats again,” he says before leaving. You bid your farewell as well, but your hearts say the opposite.