Lu Han loves running.

Running is his life. He never missed his practice routine even once, even when his body was particularly sick weeks ago. As long as he has movable legs, he will keep running and running.

Running didn’t just make his body healthy, running was also a way to relieve stress for him. He would run everytime something bothered his mind. He loved the feeling of running away from life problems—eventhough he came back to reality after mostly 10 rounds of running around the circle park in the middle of city’s traffic roundabout—it made him feel free and when he was running, he didn’t think of anything else. His eyes were always focusing on the route, his ears only heard the running footsteps he made to the ground, and his legs and arms would just move and follow what his brain told to do.

It was 5 years ago whan he decided to quit from his normal middle school life and auditioned for the only athlete school in his district. He passed the audition and started to join the training program in his 14 years of age.

No matter how much he loved running, there was always obstacles hindering. He experienced hard times a lot more than the number of his age. He got badly injured several times, he was compared to the other athletes by his trainers when he didn’t get to finish the lap sooner, and he sometimes wondered if his normal school life would be better than his current.

But never, never even once, he thought of giving up. He was too determined to back down and start his life all over again. After all, no pain no game. There’s no achievement a person would reach without working hard. Hard work gives the best results, they say.

Lu Han’s hard work brought him to who he is today. Lu Han’s hard work made him a person he dreamt of becoming one. A champion.

His hard work weren’t a waste of time, he thought. He’s currently ranked first in Korea’s runner ranking and is favored to be one of Korea’s representatives and the winner candidate for next year’s international championship.

The only goal he haven’t reached yet is to win the world championship against the best runners from each of the countries in the universe. Winning the world championship would mean a lot to him, and if he did won, he can finally call himself a real champion.

The journey starts from today. The elimination round, held in the running sector of Jamsil Olympic Stadium  is where he is standing right now.

His trainer patted him in the back and gave him a faint but assuring smile before leaving him alone with the other candidates from around Korea in the field. Lu Han nodded at him before taking a deep breath and exhaled in attempt to make his heartbeat slower. He was favored to win, of course, but he was still nervous. He had his right leg injury a week before today and he was worried it’ll relapse in the middle of the race although the doctor had made sure his leg was alright.

No, Lu Han, just focus on the finish line and be a champion. He said to himself.

He went to his line, the 3rd line and bent down to re-tie his running shoelaces. After making sure it’s tight enough, he stood up and did little warmings by stretching his arms and legs and jumping on his own spot. He blew a raspberry before moving his head left to right, examining each of his opponent’s face. Lu Han knew most of the faces because he met them more than twice in the other competition.

But there’s this one—young looking—boy that caught his attention. The boy’s face was pale white and his hair color was almost like him, but slightly darker. The boy was tall, probably one or two centimeters taller than him.

Lu Han squinted, I never saw him before, probably a newbie.

As if he knew someone was staring at him, the boy turned his head towards Lu Han’s direction. Lu Han was a bit startled but his eyes never left his. The boy gave him a wide smile and he raised a fist in front of his chest while mouthing, “Fighting!”

Lu Han immediately tore his gaze away from him and blinked, Did he just...

Lu Han’s thoughts interrupted by a man’s voice coming out from the large speakers, telling the runners to be ready. Lu Han shoved all the thoughts from his brain and set his eyes towards the finish line. I have to reach that first, he made a mental note to himself.

“Ready.”

The voice was heard again and Lu Han slowly rested his right knee beside his left foot and put his hands before the starting line.

“Get set.”

Lu Han pulled his bottom up. And a sound of triger pulling made his cue to lift his right leg and stomped it in front of the starting line, and he started running.

It was a 200m race and by far, Lu Han is currently leading. When he reached the middle of the lap, he suddenly felt his right leg burning. He gritted his teeth but shrugged it off and continued running. During the ¾ of the lap, his right leg stomped a little too hard on the ground and he felt he was stung by a thousand of bees before he let out a painful scream and collapsed to the ground.

Loud gasps were heard around the arena but no one came to save the poor boy. Lu Han pressed his right leg to his chest and gritted his teeth. He tried to get up but ended up falling back to the ground. It hurted so bad he wanted to pull his leg off of his body. Happening in Lu Han’s slow motion brain effect, he saw his opponents, one by one running passed by him. One or two stole a quick worry glance at him but they kept on running.

Lu Han felt a knot on his throat and he closed his eyes tightly. He wanted to let out a frustated cry knowing this is the end of his journey to the international championship. His one and only way to be the man he dreamt of becoming one.

He stayed still and opened his eyes. His eyes were blank. He didn’t think of anything but his dream of becoming a real champion has vanished. He was waiting until the race was over and expecting the medical staffs to come to him when he felt his arm being pulled up and his eyes shot wide open.

His right arm was put around the person’s neck. It took a moment to realize that the person was the pale boy from the starting line who gave him a ‘fighting’ sign. Coming back to reality, he hissed at the boy, “What are you doing?! Go back to your race!”

The boy smiled and continued to lead him walking, “And left you hissing in pain on the ground?” he tilted his head.

Lu Han stayed quiet and stared at the ground. What is this boy doing? Doesn’t he want to win the race? He thought.

“Come on Lu Han. You’re a champion and a champion never gives up.” The boy said. Lu Han turned his head to him with wide eyes.

“A champion will never end the race before reaching the finish line.” He stated and Lu Han continued to stare at him. The boy smiled at him, “Isn’t that what you said at your speech for winning the gold medal in our last national championship?”

Lu Han kept his mouth shut and stared at the ground. He scoffed, “But I already lost. I’m no longer a champion.”

The boy grinned, showing his teeth, “We’ll see that later.”

Lu Han chose to stay quiet and let him lead his way to the finish line. 2 meters before the finish line, Lu Han suddenly asked, “Why did you save me?”

The boy blinked, didn’t quite hear what he said, “Pardon?”

Lu Han sighed, “Why, did you save me? You could’ve just passed the elimination round if you continued on running.”

The boy smiled and saved his answer after reaching the finish line. Loud cheers erupted from the audience’s seats. Lu Han looked around the arena and found hundreds of standing applause from the audience. He stared in awe before turning his face back to the boy, “Well?”

The boy put him down to the ground and seated himself beside Lu Han, “I made a lot more applause than passing the elemination round!” he cheered. Lu Han knew he was joking so he sent him a look.

“Okay okay.” The boy raised his palms in front of his chest, surrendering. The boy sighed but smiled at Lu Han, “I think my mom would be more proud if I saved my idol rather than passing the elimination round.”

Lu Han widened his eyes, Idol?

“Saving someone is a noble deed and I love doing right things, especially to the person I admire.” He grinned. “Besides, being the last ones reaching the finish line doesn’t always mean we lost, right?”

Lu Han was stunned for a second before he blinked. He knitted his eyebrows, “Did... you just say—“

“Idol?” the boy continued, tilting his head. Lu Han slowly nodded. The boy smiled for the umpteenth time, “I’m a fan of yours.” He stated and rubbed the back of his neck shyly.

Lu Han raised his eyebrows, “Really?”

The boy nodded, “I saw you the first time 3 years ago, in the TV, recieving a champion trophy from... uh... let’s just say a certain championship, the first time in your career of being a runner.”

Lu Han didn’t realize he wasn’t blinking in the past seconds, he was to engrossed with the—no, his fan’s story.

“You always said ‘a champion will never end the race before reaching the finish line’ in your winning speeches. And from that day, I decided to be a runner and dreamt of becoming a person, a champion like you.” He shrugged and hugged his knees to his chest.

Lu Han was still speechless from what he all said. He didn’t know he could inspire someone so much in his life.

“Hey, the medical staffs are coming.” The boy looked behind him and stood up and dusted his running shorts.

Lu Han stayed still on the ground. He felt his leg didn’t hurt anymore. He was too stunned at words spilling out from the unknown boy which turned out to be both his fan and his opponent in the race.

The medical staffs arrived and they surrounded Lu Han. The boy sent him a smile before sending him a thumbs up. When the boy was about to turn around, Lu Han stopped him.

“Wait!”

Lu Han yelped. The boy turned his head back to Lu Han and smiled—again, “Yeah?”

The medical staffs opened Lu Han's sight to the boy and Lu Han asked him, “What’s your name?”

The boy laughed before puffing his chest and removed his nametag from his body. The boy showed his nametag to Lu Han and grinned,

“I’m Sehun.”