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seonho heaves out a huge breath as he collapses on the bench, feet killing him and lungs feeling like they might burst out of his chest. he checks his pulse absently, eyes fluttering closed. why did anyone like running, he wonders. what’s the point if afterwards you just feel exhausted and ten times worse than you did before? seonho would
much
rather stuff his face with food, thank you very much.
he opens his eyes when he hears someone skid to a stop right in front of him. he isn’t surprised to see guanlin there, a smirk covering his features and a hand reached out to him. “tired already?”
“why do you like doing this to yourself?” seonho moans as he obliged, letting himself be pulled up by guanlin, but wanting to collapse on himself as soon as he stands up again. “i feel like my body is having a system failure, guanlin. my calves are burning. my feet feel like they’re going to fall off. no. scratch that. they’re
going to
fall off. i’m sure of it.”
guanlin laughs as he leans down to check his shoes, making sure they’re still tied tight enough to keep them from falling off his feet. “i never said you had to come, you know. you said you wanted to try it. plus, you’re not pacing yourself. were you even listening when i told you what to do?”
seonho blushes bright red and crosses his arms. “yes! of course i was!” he wasn’t. “i’m trying, okay! i’m just not used to this. don’t most people, like, train before marathons, or something?”
“seonho. we’re running a 5k. i’m
sure
you’ll be fine.”
“i won’t be fine, that’s the thing!” he says desperately, rooted to the spot. “you can’t make me do this, you demon!”
guanlin sighs and lets go of seonho. “if that’s what you want, i guess,” he starts running again with no warning, blending into the swarm of people that suddenly rushes in front of seonho. he looks around, panicked, and starts sprinting forward.
“guanlin?” he surveys the people standing around him. no guanlin in sight. “lai guanlin you absolute
shit,
where did you go?”
he feels a tap on his shoulder and turns around so fast he gives himself whiplash, just to see one lai guanlin with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“i hate you,” seonho says sincerely. “i’m not joking, i really,
really,
hate you.”
guanlin just cracks up even more, almost falling on the ground with how hard he’s laughing. “were you
scared?
” he teases. “was the almighty yoo seonho actually
scared?”
seonho doesn’t answer and instead starts running again, ignoring the strange bubbling feeling in his chest that definitely doesn’t go hand and hand with the pain in his legs. it only intensifies when he sees guanlin slowing down his pace to run right next to him, glancing over every so often to check if he’s okay. he curses his heart for jumping whenever they meet eyes or their hands brush.
they go on like that for a while, before seonho just can’t take it anymore. “guanlin, can we please stop?”
they slow down and guanlin leads him over to a bench near the road they were running down. “are you okay?”
“i know i said i wanted to do this for you but i’m
tired.
my feet hurt and my chest is heavy and we keep stopping at those water stations but i’m still thirsty,” he looks down at his lap as he tries to catch his breath, both from exhaustion and his rant. “i’m sorry. i know this is something you love and i wanted to experience it with you but i- i can’t. i just didn’t say it because i didn’t want to ruin today for you.”
he felt ashamed. it was embarrassing that he was a big ball of energy most of the time, but when it came to anything exercise related except for basketball he was completely
incapable
. he knew it probably would’ve been better if he had actually listened to the advice guanlin gave him before, but could you blame him for being completely distracted by his beautiful face? he’s never been someone to take things seriously until they actually happen, and now he’s seriously wishing he didn’t decide to run this dumb marathon with his crush on a whim. the way his chest was heaving didn’t make him feel any better.
he was broken out of his suffering by guanlin bursting into laughter, only staying balanced by his one hand on seonho’s knee. seonho frowns and pushes him lightly, offended. “what are you laughing at? i’m serious.”
“seonho, you seriously think i’m upset at you? today has been the best day of my life,” seonho looks up at him, shocked, and blushes. guanlin just smiles and continues. “i knew you weren’t going to enjoy this. i
know
you. i was just happy you would do this for me when it was something you so obviously hate. i’ve had so much fun today, please don’t think you ruined it.”
seonho looks up at him, heart beating just a little bit faster than before. “seriously?”
guanlin laughs and takes seonho’s hand. “seriously.”
they sit there for a second, hands intertwined, before seonho coughs and looks away from guanlin. “sorry for making you go so slow the whole time.”
“i’ve already told you before, it’s okay,” guanlin lifts seonho’s head up by his chin. “it was cute.”
seonho hits guanlin, but doesn’t take his hand back. “let’s just finish this stupid marathon so you can buy me some ice cream. it’s what i deserve!”
guanlin stands up, and seonho follows. “only if it means i get cuddles.”
seonho ignores him and starts to jog, somewhat ready now that he had a break (and was reassured by guanlin, but that’s not important). he’s stopped though, by guanlin pulling on his hand and walking next to him.
“it’s okay to be slow, you know.”
(and so what if they finish the marathon last, walking hand and hand to the end? so what?)