---

It's finally the day of the baton relay race at Kyungsoo's college, and he couldn't be feeling any more nervous right now.

Sure, he and his best friend Jongin have practiced and prepared for this day with the rest of their team like a thousand times. But, now that a big crowd of their peers and other adults are sitting on the bleachers waiting for the match to start--Kyungsoo just feels like throwing up.

And truthfully, if it wasn't for Jongin, Kyungsoo would've never agreed to be a part of this freakin' relay team in the first place. Because they've had to spend multiple times a week training, exercising and sweating and gosh--in a way Kyungsoo's kinda glad that it's finally race day now. Because once the race is over, he can finally be done with this whole experience.

Jongin, on the other hand, just looks excited as he slightly bounces up and down while talking to one of their teammates. Some guy in the year above theirs named Taemin.

Kyungsoo frowns as he watches Jongin's eyes cutely crinkle as he laughs at a joke that Taemin just told him. But then, Jongin suddenly turns to look at him while still laughing, and Kyungsoo's heart beats faster as he involuntarily smiles. He then finds his heart melting when Jongin's laugh naturally changes to a grin as he continues to look at him.

Their other teammate Minho begins to chat with Taemin about something or another while Kyungsoo shyly asks Jongin, What?

Jongin turns to look at the track, still smiling as he replies, "...Nothing. I'm just excited about today, is all."

"Ha, I can see that."

Jongin turns to look back at him. "Heh, what about you? How're ya dealing with the crowd?"

Kyungsoo frowns and looks down to start fiddling with the hem of his own gym shorts. "Eh, I'm managing, I guess."

He then freezes when he feels Jongin's hand rest atop his and looks up. Jongin's expression has turned serious and Kyungsoo finds himself unable to look away from how breathtaking he looks in this moment. (How breath-taking he always looks.)

"You'll do great, Soo," Jongin says before lifting his hand off. Those pouty lips of his then curl up again as he smiles. "And hey, if it gets to be too much--just focus on me, alright? We'll make it through together."

Kyungsoo simply nods, feeling like he could spontaneously combust at any moment, and they continue chatting while waiting for the race to start.

---

After several more minutes of them talking and smiling, their coach finally tells them all to get into their positions. And so while their other teammates jog towards their spots, it's with his hand stretched out dramatically that Jongin waves goodbye and turns around to jog to his spot further up the track.

As the crowd sees that the race is about to start, cheers and such can be heard, and it just gets Kyungsoo feeling even more anxious inside. But, as if he's sensed his discomfort, Jongin suddenly turns around and looks at him before beaming and giving him two thumbs up. A way to say, You've got this, Soo!

With a wobbly smile, Kyungsoo returns the gesture before the two of them get back into their starting positions.

Their coach then blows out the first whistle, and Kyungsoo positions himself on his starting block, his feet pushed back against it, and his hand tightly clutching his baton. He then glances at his lane-mates, at the crowd, and at Jongin before the whistle blows a second time and he automatically lifts his up to prepare to sprint.

Then, at the sound of the confetti cannon popping, he and his other lane-mates sprint past the starting line and the race begins!

---

Amidst all the cheers and yells from the crowd, all Kyungsoo can focus on is getting to Jongin as quickly as possible. And though he may not have the longest legs compared to some other lane-mates, he does have pretty good endurance in him. So, while some other people are several inches ahead, they soon start to tire a bit, and he easily catches up to them.

Jongin watches him get closer while beaming and bouncing with excitement, and one would think that Kyungsoo would've gotten used to that smile by now. But every time they've practiced this, he's always ended up getting figuratively blinded by it and would fumble a bit before handing over the baton.

He just hopes that today can be the exception.

Currently, the woman two lanes over named Sulli is in the lead and has already passed on her baton to her teammate Krystal, who thankfully isn't really that fast of a sprinter.

"Soo!" Jongin calls, and Kyungsoo quickly focuses on him again as he finally gets close enough to hand him the baton.

Their fingers brush at the hand-off, and Kyungsoo immediately bends over and pants for a few seconds before he lifts his head to watch Jongin sprint away with the baton.

Right now, they're in fourth place by the looks of it, but Jongin suddenly gets a burst of speed outta nowhere and zooms by their lane-mates--resulting in a few of Kyungsoo's fellow race-starters cursing in frustration.

Kyungsoo just grins as he watches Jongin get close enough to Taemin to hand off the baton. But then, just as Taemin starts running forward and Jongin hands over the baton, Jongin's left ankle just twists outta nowhere and he ends up falling to his hands and knees while Taemin sprints away with the baton.

Some people gasp and Kyungsoo's eyes get wide with concern as he watches Jongin slowly move to a cross-legged position. And he can already sense just by how stiff his back looks from here, that Jongin must be in a lot of pain.

A few of Jongin's lane-mates glance at him and ask if he's alright and Jongin just gives a nod.

And if the race wasn't still going on, Kyungsoo would've sprinted over there right away, but for now, all he can do is worriedly glance from Jongin to Minho as the latter gets handed the baton and has to catch up and pass five other people.

But, Minho's their lucky ace, so Kyungsoo already knows how this race will end with him on their team. So, he looks back towards where Jongin is before he feels a sudden spike of jealousy as he watches Krystal now examine and feel around Jongin's left ankle. From her expression, Jongin's ankle thankfully doesn't seem to be broken but is most likely sprained.

Just as Krystal curiously looks up and locks eyes with him though, the crowd suddenly lets out the loudest cheer yet and Kyungsoo whips his head to the finish line to see that the race has ended. And judging by the pats to the back that Minho's already getting, he easily won their team to victory.

None of that really matters to Kyungsoo though as he quickly jogs over to where Jongin and Krystal are. Krystal's helped Jongin up onto his feet already, and Kyungsoo has to resist the urge to glare as he makes it to them and offers to take him off her hands.

So, Jongin then carefully hobbles over to him and Krystal smiles a bit before she reminds Jongin to be careful.

"Aren't I always?" Jongin responds, completely serious.

Krystal just pointedly looks at him and Kyungsoo can't help but chuckle as Jongin pouts and wraps an arm around his shoulders to lean on him. Then, with a thanks from Jongin and a polite nod to her from him, Kyungsoo slowly helps Jongin walk towards where the bleachers are.

"Ya know, it doesn't even really hurt that much anymore," Jongin says as they walk/hobble. "Honest. Like, when I fell it hurt like a , but now--ah!"

Kyungsoo whips his head to look up at him and frowns as he sees Jongin's face scrunched up in pain. "Yeah, no--I'm taking ya home."

Jongin pouts at that. "Aw, but the party--"

"Is not more important than your health."