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Choi Yeonjun the Ace of Figure skating, the oldest memner and top scorer in the national team of KNSU (Korea National Sports University), the legendary trainee of KNSU. He was called many other names and is known to be an inspiration to anyone who joins figure skating.
But every Ace has his own struggles and lows.
Yeonjun was going through a lot, no matter how much he works how much he achieves he felt like he lagged, he felt the need to always do more and always be the "perfect" sting him like a thorn, and people never get satisfied with anything he achieves and there's always hate, envy amd people that make him feel less worthy.
During these hard times he tried to stay away from everyone from his friends, family to a point he made his routine to be practice, overwork and disappear.
And out of everyone there was one specific person he wanted to stay away the most from, Choi Soobin, the second oldest member in the KNSU national team.
Soobin has always been like a leader among the team he was known to take care of everyone and help them when they needed him, as Taehyun once said Soobin is the type of leader to sit down with you when you're tired and get up once you're ready.
And watching Yeonjun going through all these was hard for him.
One afternoon Soobin was waiting for Yeonjun in the hall way, and Yeonjun finished his practice and walked out of their practice room and saw him standing there.
"Hyung! Are you done? You have been practicing a lot these days, here i got you something I know you would have skipped lunch" Soobin handed him a pack of cup ramen.
"I have one too let's go eat hyung, even i haven't eaten".
Yeonjun tried to look away from him and said "Not today eat without me, I am heading to the dorms" and walked away, Soobin tried to catch up but Yeonjun was already in the elevator and headed down.
A few days later the university was chasing athletes for their upcoming sports festival. And this time there was gonna be one one duo who performs pairs skating.
One of them was definitely the Ace Choi Yeonjun and the other one was Choi Soobin.
"Why does it have to be him! Out of everyone why did it have to be him!!", Yeonjun thought to himself, out of everyone Soobin was the one he wanted to stay away from, he wanted to hide himself from and how did it end up like this.
"Congrats hyungs I know it would be you both it had to be you both!" Taehyun screamed with joy looking at the pair, he has to be their biggest shipper.
"Congrats Soobin hyung, dont let Yeonjun's hyung's dignity come down" Beomgyu told with a lil mockery to his tone.
"This brat, is he praising me or mocking" yeonjun thought to himself.
"Yay! I am so excited to see my hyungs together" kai screamed with loud smile on his face and clapping like a seal.
Beomgyu who was secretly hoping it would be him with Teahyun as a pair was now staring at him as if he lost the one chance he had with him crush.
The next day the practice session at the rink.
Yeonjun seemed tired, like he had no sleep ofcourse only Soobin could see that because apart from being an Ace Yeonjun was good at another thing hiding his weakness, except from this one person.. Choi soobin.
"Hyung! We can take a break if you want" Soobin told looking down at yeonjun (he was a couple of inches taller than Yeonjun).
"I'm fine, let's continue" Yeonjun answered him with a cold tone.
Soobin wrapped his hand behind Yeonjun's waist "Are you really okay hyung?"
Yeonjun immediately pushed him away with panic, he couldn't understand what was happening, they have done this before right? They are performers they do this all the time, then what is wrong? Why does it feel like my body's temperature is suddenly rising? I dont like this feeling. Thoughts and questions flooded in Yeonjun's head, he heard a faint feable voice asking him "Hyung are you okay? Can you hear me?"...
"I need some break I'll be back" Yeonjun left the rink and rushed to the changing room.
A few minutes later Yeonjun returns and they continue to practice, "All good but I need you guys to fix your posture you look too stiff especially you, Yeonjun" the Coach tells them.
Soobin places both his hands on Yeonjun's waist and adjusts him, Yeonjun doesn't move and freezes and his heart is racing like he's in a fight or fright situation but all he wants to do is fly away from there.
"Hyung! Breathe it's okay" Soobin leans close to his ear and whispers softly.
They head to the changing room after practice, the cold still clinging to their skin.
Yeonjun tugs at his hoodie, trying to pull it off in one go, but it gets stuck awkwardly at his shoulder. He huffs under his breath, one arm trapped, the fabric bunched up just enough to expose the curve of his waist.
For a second, he doesn’t notice, Until he does.
Soobin is staring, his gaze caught on the curve of Yeonjun’s waist, tracing the soft line almost unconsciously, his eyes linger just a fraction too long.
Yeonjun’s breath stutters. With his free hand, he hurriedly tries to tug his inner shirt down, covering himself, while struggling to free his arm at the same time, making things more clumsy.
Before he can fix it, Soobin steps closer.
“Wait!” he murmurs softly.
His hands reach up, careful, gentle. He untangles the sleeve from Yeonjun’s shoulder, fingers brushing lightly against his arm as he pulls the hoodie up and over, freeing him completely.
And now they’re suddenly too close.
Yeonjun can feel the warmth of him.
“Th-thanks,” he mutters, not meeting his eyes.
And before Soobin can say anything else, Yeonjun grabs his things and ran.
It was finally D-day, and their performance ended as beautifully as everyone had expected, almost unreal in how effortless it seemed. As Soobin and Yeonjun walked back from the rink, the adrenaline still lingering, Yeonjun’s steps suddenly faltered. Before he could realise what was happening, his vision blurred and his body gave in. “Hyung!” Soobin caught him just in time, arms wrapping around him, and he held him before he could hit the ground.
3 days later, Yeonjun woke up in the hospital and the first thing he saw was Soobin sitting the chair next to his bed.
"Hyung! You're finally awake! Let me call the doctors"
Yeonjun grabbed Soobin's hand and stopped him "Wait, there's no need for that, I am okay I will head back now"
Soobin was soo mad to hear that, he dropped Yeonjun's hand and screamed "Who do you think you are!? Who do you think you are to diagnose yourself and tell you are okay? Are you doctor are you God!? Do you not care about how much others worry for you!?
Hyung! You have been unconscious for 3 days! Do you know how much that affected me! Do you even know how worried I was how worried your friends were for you!?.
And now you say you're fine!?
Do you have any idea about what i go through when you avoid me, when you throw me away like I'm a lost song, do you even care...for my feelings! For me you are the best! You are the Ace! Nothing can ever change that! You have always been my inspiration and will be! And I hate seeing you hurt yourself like that to prove anything"
Soobin looked up at him with tears dripping down.
"Ya! I..didn't mean-"
"I need to return to the dorm, Taehyun will be hear in a minute" Soobin turned and left.
"Ya! Choi Soobin! Come back!" Yeonjun ran behind him but Soobin had already taken the elevator and left.
A few minutes later Taehyun arrived "Hyung, are you okay now? Do you know how much we all were worried!? Soobin hyung hasn't slept or eaten anything from 3 days"
"What?" Yeonjun replied looking shocked.
"Yeah he didn't move away from your bed for a minute" Taehyun answerd
After hearing that Yeonjun could not hold himself back anymore so he did what he always should have done, ran to him instead of running away from him!