____

Hanbin and K have been best friends since Hanbin was a trainee in the dance team and K was a potential marathon runner who came to Korea for an extreme training program. Hanbin's dance team volunteered to perform in K's racing competition. K was mesmerized by his smooth yet powerful dance moves and more importantly, his starry eyes (which K never told Hanbin about). Naturally, coincidentally or like Hanbin always says, fatefully, they were pulled together and became friends.

- Do you really like running?

Hanbin asked when they were sitting next to each other on the roof top of the building which Hanbin's team rented. He took a sip of his beer while looking at K with his sparkly eyes waiting for an answer.

- I don't know anymore. At first it was fun.

K shrugged then drank beer from his can; intentionally avoided Hanbin's eyes which had always been giving him a thrust in his heart.

- Racing is somehow similar to gambling. You bet everything you have on it and pray for a miracle.

- That's not miracle. It's the result of hard work.

- Yeah. But from my perspective, every time I stand in the crowd and watch you run, I can do nothing but praying. If you weren't the first person to reach that finish line, a tremendous disappointment would hit me hard to the point I find everything meaningless. It's pretty much like a gamble.

K rubbed the shorter boy's hair.

- I'm sorry for disappointing you.

- Hey you know I don't mean that.

K didn't answer. He rubbed Hanbin's head harder, making him mumble I have spent 2 hours doing my hair, stop being a huge mischievous 5 year old hyung, that's not cool.

K spent half of his adolescence running towards the finish line.

There were times he came first; there were times he desperately watched others outrun him while hyperventilation deterred him from keep moving his exhausted muscles. It has always been difficult for K to move on from a crushing defeat. Yet life left him with no choice but being trapped in a vicious circle which he might never escape.

K never anticipated the appearance of a dancer who would be able to turn his world up side down.

At the end of the training program, a marathon race was set up to recruit athletes for the Japanese national team. If K lost this opportunity, it could be the end of his career as a professional marathon runner.

In the heat of Seoul mid-summer, some kinds of salty liquid blurred the young athlete's eyesight. The interview with the winner at the finish line was showing on the big screen. The rankings of other runners were slowly appeared on the corner and K saw his name tagged with number 7.

He lost the game. He lost the gamble that Hanbin had bet everything on. Fortunately, the younger dancer was not there that day. His dance team was busy with a tight schedule during the festive season.

K silently went to change his clothes. After that, he headed to a random bar, fuck the bruises and and bloody injuries on his legs. That salty liquid still blurred his eyes away.

--------

Hanbin found  intoxicated K in a dim alley near his dance studio. K nearly passed out. He didn't realize Hanbin or any other members of the dance team who helped carry him onto the back seat of a taxi.

- Stupid hyung. Alcohol does not win you a spot in the national team, it only destroys your liver.

Hanbin said while K's head was resting on his lap. He can even feel the hyung's steady breath gradually warming up his belly. The intense heat from K's body emptied Hanbin's mind. Everything he cared about at that moment was K's closed eyes and the warm air released from his thin lips.

Hanbin was out of breath after taking the 180cm athlete to his third-floor apartment. The drunk K had no signals of gaining consciousness. Hanbin let him sleep on his bed and tried to make friend with the couch. For just one night. He thought. Additionally, a plan of kicking K's ass in the morning was scheduled in Hanbin's head.

-----

K found himself immersed in Habin's peach scent. He quickly opened his eyes and realized it was actually Hanbin's house. To be more accurate, it was Hanbin's bed.

The last image K could remember was Hanbin and his friend carrying him to the backseat of a car. Then he felt Hanbin coming close to him, his peach scent tranquilized K's migraine and lulled him to sleep.

K manifested the rest of the story, gently laughed thinking of small Hanbin trying to carry him to the third floor. 

He stepped out of the bedroom to look for the younger boy.

Hanbin was sound asleep. K approached him without hesitation. He slid his long fingers into the other's soft hair, then minimized the distance between them, let their forehead tenderly touch.

At that very moment, Hanbin opened his eyes. K flustered. The milky way in Hanbin's eyes freezed his mind.

- Are you okay hyung? Are you trying to check the temprature? Maybe I left the thermometer in my bedroom. Let me take it for you.

- I don't need that.

K talked while keeping the same posture.

- Okay.

Watching K's handsome face at a close distance somehow made Hanbin blush.

- Please stay still for a while.

K felt grateful because Hanbin actually obeyed him without any concerns.

It was the most peaceful moment he had ever felt in his life. The emotions and feelings the younger boy brought to him was ineffable. It was even better than any interviews at the finish line he had as a winner.

- I think I don't need any other race in my life.

- Hyung... don't give up. You can find other opportunities.

- I just don't like it anymore. It's better to do the thing we truly want to. Similar to the way you like dancing.

Hanbin's round eyes curiously stared at him.

- And I think I have reached the most important finish line in my life.

- What?

- You.

Hanbin pushed him.

- Stop joking. It's not fun. I am a human, not a line.

K laughed and rubbed Hanbin's head.

- What do you think about me joining your dance team?

- You? You can be our new clothes hanger.

K and Hanbin both laughed.

Hanbin had an incredibly optimistic influence. His starry eyes can pull people out of a vicious circle, thus making them able to positively healthily live as a human.

End / Marathon finish line.

Thank you for reading.  ^.<