"It's time to wake up," said Changmin's voice groggily.

Yunho sighed, but once Changmin was finished in the bathroom, he sat up too, albeit unwillingly. He barely made it to and back from the bathroom; it was hard trying to fall into a routine again after having spent most of the last month in bed.

"Breakfast," muttered Changmin, pulling at Yunho's jacket.

"Mm," said Yunho finally. He was already sore after his workout yesterday, so he prayed that he would survive today – especially since it would be the first time he went to the pool since the little swim with Changmin during break.

He forced himself to the cafeteria and forced himself to take a few bites of an energy bar, because it would be what will fuel him for the entire morning, and then reluctantly went outside where they usually conglomerated to start their morning run.

As Yunho shivered in his trainers in the cold morning air with the rest of the team, watching his breath turn the dusky air foggy, he saw the assistant coach walk towards them – and another two faces that he knew, but he didn't expect to be there.

Yunho stopped and stared at the two figures in suits with clipboards, shocked. He even forgot to breathe.

"Welcome back," said the assistant coach. "As many of you know, this is Mr. Chun, and this is Mr. Kang, from the Korean Swimming Association Selection Committee to watch your practice and training."

Yunho frowned. There were no international meets coming up until February, which was three months away – and that was only a small Friendlies meet in Belgium. Korea was probably going to send some B-listers to that meet. There was no reason for selection committee members to be here.

"Why are they here," Yunho heard another member whisper behind him.

"I notice some of you wearing your own clothes, but from now on until Olympic Trials are over, you are to wear the proper national team gear with your names printed on them for every practice. Doesn't matter if you're doing land training or swimming. You follow our rules, and you train how we want you to, and there will be no arguing – or your Olympic bid is over."

Yunho and Changmin exchanged looks. Changmin raised his eyebrows. Did this really mean…?

"Olympics selections begin now," said the coach.

Yunho's eyes widened.

Now? Nine months before Trials? 

What would be the point of performing well at Trials if they were going to decide the team over the next nine months anyway?

Yunho couldn't help but speak. "But what about Trials?"

The coach turned his head towards Yunho.

"Jung," he said.

Yunho swallowed. "Yes, sir."

"You think this is a joke?"

Yunho shook his head.

"Selections. Begin. Now."

Yunho closed his mouth. "Yes, sir."

The coach shot him one more look before starting the time watch. The team stood there, waiting for instructions – because they'd never been timed on the morning runs before and were just expected to return before the morning swim – when he spoke again. "Time's ticking."

Yunho was the first to understand.

He his heel and started running, before the rest of the group could react. Soon, he heard footsteps behind him from the rest of the team members who began their run, too.

Yunho didn't think he was being selfish.

He just needed every single little boost he could get for his Olympic bid to stay alive until Trials.

Before what happened at Nationals this year, Yunho almost always the first to finish the morning runs.

This time, Yunho finished the run fourth, even with the little boost that he got at the beginning. He'd pushed himself hard, just thinking about the Olympics and how everything he'd worked for up until now would have been a complete waste if he didn't go to the Olympics and won a medal. Changmin had finished fifth. Yunho was fairly sure that Changmin let Yunho beat him, but he wasn't about to argue about that now.

Except, maybe Yunho should have paced himself, because now, he was exhausted – and even before the morning swim started. They waited outside for their last team member to reach the end of the run, then they were sent to the change rooms to change into their swimming gear.

"What's going on," whispered Changmin, shaking his head. "I don't get this."

"Me neither."

"I thought the team was chosen at Trials, based on our times."

"Me too."

"Last quad –"

"They didn't do this last quad. I was there at Trials," said Yunho quietly. "I ed up at Trials and I didn't make it last quad, even though I was doing really well at practice all year."

Changmin smiled ruefully. "I know. I watched it on TV."

Yunho turned back to his locker angrily, and stuffed all his clothes inside. "Anyway. It doesn't seem like this year's going to work out any better for me."

Changmin sighed and turned to his own locker.

"By the way, Changmin," said Yunho after closing his locker. Changmin turned his head to look at him. "Don't just let me win like that, unless you want your own Olympic bid to be over. You don't owe me anything."

Changmin shook his head. "I – I didn't –"

"It's like you said," said Yunho. "It's all about you. Not anyone else. Take care of yourself before anyone else."

Changmin smiled. "You don't get it," he said. "That's not what I meant when I said that."

Yunho stared.

"I don't have anyone to please except myself. Whatever choices I make, I make for myself."

"Yes, so make the choice to make that ing Olympic Team, like you deserve, and –"

"I will," said Changmin decisively. And the way he said it, Yunho knew that he was serious about all of this. "But I don't want to be on that team unless you're on it too, Hyung."

"You idiot," said Yunho through gritted teeth.

"It's up to me," said Changmin. He finished folding his clothes into his locker and closed it. "Don't tell me what to do."

Yunho stepped closer to Changmin and gripped his shoulder. He spoke while looking straight into Changmin's eyes. "If you're not ahead of me to push me, I'm never going to make the Olympic Team either. So buckle the up and expect for me to catch up to you. Because I will."

Yunho released Changmin's shoulder.

"The Olympics aren't a ing joke, Shim. Give it the respect it deserves."

Changmin didn't speak – just looked at Yunho, looking like he didn't know what to say.

And after a while, he bit down on his lower lip and nodded.

"Okay," he whispered.

"Good," said Yunho.

Yunho turned and walked into the pool.