KIBA ; STRAY KIDS

57 ; KIBA

The rest of us went back to our tents, and I sat down and I could feel the ache in my legs. Chan was standing up next to me and smiling at Minhyuk-ssi.

"I will beat you today." Chan challenged him to a friendly battle, and I leaned forward with wide eyes to see Minhyuk's reaction, "I'll try my best."

"You'll beat me?" He asked, surprised and Chan nodded, "Okay, good luck."

"Hyung." I stood up to get his attention and he looked at me with a sweet smile, "I don't want to challenge you Hyung."

He laughed as did the others and he pointed at me while laughing with Peniel, "Cute."

I sat back down as Chan patted my head with a laugh. We waited patiently as the staff members safely changed the height. They decided to add just the last 10cm, making the jump 2.40m now. We walked back over to the field, and I got nervous as my leader was the first go up. I stood closely to Minhyuk and managed to somehow snake my hand into his. 

"You got this hyung!" I shouted as he stretched before putting his hand up to signal. I squeezed Minhyuk nervously and he chuckled at me.

 He ran and jumped, and he had good height but just not enough. He sat at the very edge of the vault box, not having enough height to make it over fully. I groaned in frustration for him, but it was good that he had a second try.

Minhyuk was up, so I swapped his hand for Channie hyungs. I watched as Minhyuk did a test bounce on the box before walking over to the starting position. He ran and he jumped, and he had the height, but his nerves made him slip on the vault box and he landed on it, his head falling towards the mat. He was super close, and the nerves were now making my finger tingle slightly. I couldn't go next.

Chan bent down to my height, and I didn't even realise I was sitting on my knees in a ball of nerves. He took his hand out of my own and placed it on my cheek gently to pull my face to his.

"You okay?" He asked softly, and I shook my head, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know if I'm going to be sick or if it's just anxiety." I said, and he made me sit cross legged on the grass before asking for a bottle of water. I could see people standing up out of their seats to try and get a better look at me and see if I was okay but it kind of made me feel worse. Minhyuk bent down next to me too.

"You alright Kiba-ssi?" He asked as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, and I just nodded even though I was hot and nervous. Chan handed me a water bottle, but I was hesitant to drink it in case I actually did throw up.

"I'll do my second go now, and then Minhyuk and if you still want to try you can do it after our attempts." Chan suggested and I nodded, "Do you not have medication for your anxiety?"

"Nope." I said as I took a gulp of the cold water. Chan shook his head and went up again for his second attempt. I watched him as he ran, jumped and he had the height but for some reason he turned to the left of the vault box and got caught. I was tempted to laugh but I was still feeling hot and bothered.

It was now Minhyuk's second attempt, and he took a deep breath before running. He jumped high like a squirrel, he did manage to make it over, but his foot got caught which hindered him making it over steadily, and the referee decided that it shouldn't count as his foot got caught on the box.

I sighed and took a deep breath, even if I was feeling slightly ill due to anxiety, I still had to push through and have one attempt. I needed to be the main character today - there was something in my body telling me if I focus and give it all I have then I could at least go home somewhat in a better state than I'm in now.

I stood up, and thankfully my legs weren't as shaky as I thought they'd be. Chan walked over and checked on me before I gave him my water bottle and walked over to the starting position.

"Kiba-ah, if you make it over, I'll buy you your favourite food and your excused from chores for a full 2 weeks!" Chan encouraged and I laughed heartily at his suggestion and encouragement.

I stretched my arms out quickly and took in a deep breath before letting it go. I then decided to stretch my back by bending over backwards and placing my hands on the ground, so I was in a bridge. How did I even do that? 

I was channelling my inner Inosuke.

I then stood up straight and signalled that I was going. I ran full speed keeping big strides till I jumped on the springboard. This time it wasn't silent, but in fact, the cheers from everyone were louder. I couldn't even feel the vault box under my fingers because my fingers were still tingling because of my anxiety. 

Perhaps my legs were shaky, because as soon as I landed on the mat, I kind of just flopped there.

I was so out of it till Chan and Minhyuk were on top of me cheering.

"Did I make it?" I asked, losing my breath as the two older men bounced on me in excitement, knocking the air out of me.

"KIBA-AH, THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!" Chan hyung shouted in my ear and I tried to crawl away from him. 

Suddenly, I was dragged off the mat and I was hauled into everybodies arms and then thrown into the air.

"I'M GOING TO BE SICK!" I shouted and everyone panicked and basically dropped me on the ground. So much for following the oath of not getting injured...

Someone helped me onto my feet, and I ran behind the tents, away from the cameras and puked my guts out.

"You're okay Kiba-ah." I heard, and momma Seonghwa had followed me to rub my back and keep the front pieces of my hair out of my face.

"Omma." I whined as he laughed and sat me down in the tents.