“W-what’s going on?”

Lu Han stood in dead shock as he stared at the boy sitting in the wheelchair. He was confused for heavens. What did I miss? How did Sehun end up in a wheelchair?

The boy Lu Han stared as if he was a ghost worriedly sighed before he made his way towards Lu Han. He rolled the round steels attached to the wheels with his hands and approached his dear idol and the staff.

Sehun crooked a faint smile at the staff, and told him that he’ll take care of the boy he was talking to and leave them alone politely. The staff shrugged and raised his eyebrows before leaving the two alone, standing in the hallway.

Lu Han’s eyes were full of concern and shock as his eyes drifted to Sehun’s fully bandaged feet. His mouth opened to say something when Sehun raised a hand, “I’ll do the talk first. Come on, I don’t want to gain unwanted attention in this hallway.” Sehun looked around to find a spot he could talk with Lu Han. Sehun motioned his hands, telling Lu Han to follow while he rolled his wheelchair towards a cemented pole in the corner.

Lu Han unwillingly followed him with his eyes still set on the grey wheelchair and the back of the owner’s head. He stopped when Sehun stopped rolling his wheelchair. Sehun positioned his wheelchair so that his face was facing Lu Han’s.

Sehun smiled, “Lu Han hyung.”

Lu Han stayed still with a blank expression. Inside, his heart was aching from the sight in front of him.

“Hyung? Are you there?” Sehun waved his hand in front of his face. “Are you that nervous—“

“Do you think this is the right time to joke?!” Lu Han roared.

Sehun wasn’t too surprised at his reaction because he had expected this kind of reaction from him. Sehun merely smiled and shrugged, “I ran to an accident. Long story.”

Lu Han felt his soul being pulled up. “What?” he hissed.

Sehun bit his lower lip and sighed, “Look. I know this is too sudden. And I’m sorry I haven’t told you sooner. I just want you to focus on your practice and win—“

“I thought we were supposed to fight together.” Lu Han scoffed, he was boiling inside. He was furious. Furious to himself. Why didn’t he notice his dissapearance in the past two weeks?

Sehun bit the inside of his cheeks. He didn’t know what to say, “Hyung—“

“This is not fair.” Lu Han gritted his teeth. He couldn’t accept the truth. “I should be in that wheelchair, not you. You were the one who saved me from giving up, you don’t deserve to—“

“Lu Han hyung.” Sehun stared at his orbs, his voice sounded firm. “Don’t you ever think to switch places with me. What would you do if you were on my shoes? You’ll be disqualified and your dreams of becoming the first place of the world championship will be crushed once again.”

Lu Han looked down in shame. What was I thinking?

“And there will be no point of me saving you in the elimination round.” Sehun looked away.

Lu Han raised his head up. “What do you think, is the real reason, I saved you from being eliminated in the elimination round?” Sehun asked.

Lu Han kept his mouth shut.

“I don’t want you to give up your hopes.” Sehun answered himself. “I don’t want you to lose just because a mere injury while you’re supposed to be reaching the finish line at least 10 seconds before the runner up. I brought you to the finish line even if I know we were the last ones to reach it. Look at the result. We passed. The last ones just passed the elimination round. How cool is that?” Sehun beamed.

Lu Han’s eyes softened. He started to accept the whole thing.

“I want to teach you to have hopes. I want to tell you, that nothing is impossible in this world. Miracles come to people who have hopes. But I’m not telling you to depend on hopes. I’m telling you to not give up your dreams even if you’re in the most hopeless condition.” Sehun took a deep breath, taking a break.

“I’m involved in an accident, is unbearable. I can’t deny the fate of almost losing my leg. Maybe God doesn’t want me to join you in the quarter finals, but I know He has other plans for me.” Sehun tilted his head. Lu Han nodded understandingly.

Sehun rubbed his bandaged legs, “Besides, this doesn’t mean that I lost my leg and I can’t be a runner anymore. Heck, in the worst condition, even if I I really lost my leg, I can still participate in the paralympics*, right?” he joked.

Lu Han pressed his lips into a thin line, How can this boy still smile in the hardest time of his life?

“A champion will never end the race before reaching the finish line.” Sehun brought Lu Han’s famous line again. “In other meaning, a champion will never give up even in the most hopeless condition.” Sehun said, concluding the talk.

Lu Han was stunned, he didn’t dare to say a word.

“Now go,” Sehun patted his arm. “Make me proud. Don’t make me regret saving you in the elimination round.” He joked.

Lu Han wrinkled his nose and pushed his head with his index finger playfully. Sehun laughed. Lu Han crook a smile on his face, “I won’t. I’ll make you proud of saving a champion of the world championship this year.”

Sehun smiled, his eyes forming crescent moons, “Good. Now, go, and be a champion.” He inspirited.

Lu Han nodded and turned his back to run to the field. He stopped his tracks when Sehun called his name. Lu Han faced Sehun and raised his eyebrows, “What?”

“I forgot something.” Sehun grinned.

Lu Han tilted his head, “...what is it?”

Sehun formed a tight fist with his right hand and lifted it upwards, “Fighting!”

Lu Han felt cold water splashed his body. He felt fresh all over again. He widely smiled and copied his actions,

“Fighting!”

~

2 months later.

“Come on, mom. Hurry up.The race is going to start soon.”

Sehun motioned his hand, telling his mother to catch up with him. Sehun rolled his wheelchair towards the entrance of Jamsil Olympic Stadium.

Mrs. Oh rolled her eyes, quickening her pace, catching his son up. She reached the wheelchair and pulled it forward. Sehun frowned and turned his head on his mother, “Mom I want to do it myself. I can move faster.”

Mrs. Oh clicked her tongue and she let her hands off of the wheelchair, “Alright. Whatever you say. You go first, I’ll meet you in the seats.”

Sehun beamed and sent a thumbs up at her before rolling his wheelchair excitedly towards the entrance. “Oh yeah, mom, just show the guards your VIP ticket and he’ll you to the seats!” he yelled, still rolling his wheelchair.

Mrs. Oh sighed but smiled. She had never saw his son in such a state since the accident. Sehun was thrilled when Lu Han gave him 2 VIP tickets to the finals of the world championship. He immediately gave the ticket to her, saying that his idol, Lu Han, who was already considered as a son of her, had just officially became a participant of the world running championship’s final round. She was so proud at her son for playing a huge part of Lu Han’s journey to the world championship.

Meanwhile, Lu Han was anxiously stretching himself in the field, preparing for the race.

Lu Han, through times, with his hardwork, determination, prayers, supports from Sehun and his mother, and a never give up mental note written clearly in his brain, passed the rounds of the national championship smoothly. He also had passed the quarter finals and semifinals of the world championship miraculously.

Lu Han had finally reached his dream of being a participant of this year’s world running championship, representing Seoul, representing Korea, where he was raised. He was born in China but it never occured his nationalism and his love towards Korea.

Lu Han was standing in the third line. Beside him was his opponents from around the world whom he never underestimate. This, is the race of his life. His dream. A step away from becoming a real champion.

But now, he wasn’t focusing on winning. He was focusing on doing his best to reach the finish line first. Back then, he was determined to win for himself. So he could show the world that he was the best of the best.

But now, for him, it doesn’t matter if he turned out to be the winner, or the runner up, or the third place, or even the last place. He just wanted to do his best to repay a certain boy who had played a big role in his journey to this day. Who’s currently sitting in the VIP section, waving madly to him with his usual goofy smile.

Lu Han laughed at him and waved back. Sehun noticed Lu Han waving back at him and he widened his smile and kept on waving like a mad man.

Lu Han saw his mother coming from behind, softly placing her right hand on his shoulder and sent him a proud smile. Lu Han smiled at her and gave her a slight bow from the field. His eyes drifted to Sehun who was probably examining his opponents’ faces by squinting his eyes.

Sehun, his best friend, who had saved him in the elimination round, who taught him to never give up, to have hopes, and of course...

“To never end the race before reaching the finish line.” He proudly said to himself.

The large speaker let out a voice of the championship commentators, “Ladies and Gentlemen, we welcome you, to the event we have been waiting for, to this year’s world running championship!”

Supporting screams, applause, and cheers erupted from around the arena. Jamsil Olympic Stadium was packed with 60.000 audiences from around the world. Most of the audiences came from Korea because this year was Korea’s turn to host the event. The supporters were waving their country’s small flag tied in a wooden stick to support their representatives. Lu Han’s name was heard everywhere in the korean’s sections.

He closed his eyes, feeling the moment. The voice of the cheers drowned in his mind.

I have to win.

“Ready.”

Not for myself. For Korea, for the netizens, for my trainers, for my friends, for my parents, for all of them who had supported me until I’m standing here, ready for the real battle.

“Get set.”

And of course, as I promised, for the boy who had made a big impact on my life, my savior, my best friend, Oh Sehun.

“Go!”