Race to redemption | Park Sunghoon

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3rd pov

Laughter erupted in the basketball court and the occasional taunt of punctuated the steady thump of the ball, as sneakers squeaked in quick sprints and abrupt stops.

The boys were united by the sheer joy of the game. Amidst the shouts of "Defense!" and the satisfying swish of nets, the boys played on, their spirits as high as the clear blue sky above them. In one spoken through the fluid motion of passes and the sharp crack of a ball perfectly swished through the net.

As the game unfolded, the smell of the day wove itself into the very fabric of the experience. There was the fresh, green scent of newly cut grass from the nearby fields, a tender reminder of nature's constant renewal. Mingled within it was the tang of sweat, a testament to the boys' exertions, as they pushed their limits under the watchful eye of the sun.

Until Sunghoon clashed with the opponent's body causing them to hit each other heads and fall to the ground. Both of them grunted in pain and people gasped at the scene. Nadia rushed towards Sunghoon and asked him if he was okay without panicking.

"You good?" She asked him with a calm voice and checked how bad it had gotten. Sunghoon swatted her hand from touching his forehead. "Don't touch me," he gritted his teeth before getting up. "I'm just trying to help you," She asked not wanting to create an even worse atmosphere. "I don't need your pity to help."

With that, Sunghoon left the basketball court and grunted in pain. "Uff, somebody is in pain," Rosie stood beside Nadia watching Sunghoon getting all grumpy. "I know, his forehead will swell even more if he doesn't get help," Nadia replied staring at Sunghoon's back. "Go help him."

Nadia contemplated it before she followed him. "Sunghoon wait!" She raised her voice and sprinted toward him. She realized that he wasn't even going to get help from the nurse but went to the changing room. "Why are you following me, idiot?"

Nadia stood in front of him while panting, she isn't the best runner. "You need to get down your swelling before it gets bad," she said and pointed to his forehead. "Then let it get bad and now move," he replied and tried to squeeze in the small path to get past her but Nadia has another plan. She moved to stop him.

"I won't move until you'll let me help you," she insisted otherwise. Sunghoon sighed in frustration and looked at her. He picked her up and turned around causing her to squeal in surprise. "Sunghoon!"
Sunghoon put her down and continued his way to the changing room.

Nadia went to take an ice bag and returned back exactly when Sunghoon got out. "Sit down," Nadia said in a firm tone but failed. Sunghoon frowned and ignored her but Nadia quickly pushed his shoulder down in result he sat down. "Why are you so stubborn?" Nadia asked while pressing the ice bag against his forehead.

"I could ask the same thing to you, why are you so stubborn when I clearly said I don't need it?" He asked trying to remove the ice bag and leave. "Sit down!"Nadia said stepping further in his between manspread leg. Sunghoon noticed and smirked, "People might get the wrong idea if they saw us."

She raised her eyebrow in confusion in reply and looked around but got nothing. "What do you mean? I'm just helping you," she replied. They indeed were so close with 8 inches gap from their face. "Yeah, with you being between in my leg," Sunghoon smiled thinking she would retreat back.

"Then let them think like that. You're friends with my friend, who is my friend's friend, I would help them no matter what we are. Kinda like family."

"Family? Then do you also step between in your father's leg?"

"Sunghoon! Please mind what you're saying. That's an asshole move."

"I am, just asking a realistic question. You said it and I asked you."

"What can I do other than be between in your leg without you escaping away from the help?"

"Just give me an ice bag, I'll press it against my forehead until it's fine."

Sunghoon took it away from her hand and gently pressed it on his forehead. Nadia stepped back away and cleared her throat. "Then we will see each other at 19:00 race car?" Nadia asked him. Rosie informed to Nadia to attend at racing car place. She chose to fight her fear and not let her past stop what she enjoyed.

"I hope not." He replied with an annoyed tone, Nadia nodded her head and picked up her backpack. "Let's hope I won't race in your place. That should be your concern." Nadia smiled and left Sunghoon alone, heading home. To do homework, rest, and get ready.

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''Uhhhh you good?" Rosie asked to Jake who seemed to be out of the mood. He looked around nonstop as if the danger would appear out of nowhere. "Our damnest the biggest enemy will be here." Nadia listened to their conversation without interrupting.

"Wait? Are you afraid to lose against him or her?" Rosie felt amused by his expression of fear. Jake let out a big puff before replying, "It's not that we're afraid of losing him. He is a wicked animal who loves to cheat the law by putting some junk shit in his car to increase the speed of capacity.

"He also throws his rages on us if he loses. Close enough of murdering us. He almost killed Sunghoon by trying to crash his car with his own." He finished explaining without stopping to slow down. While on Nadia's side, she seems to be thrown aback. The past seems to rush into her vision of betrayal and near being murdered.

"That's terrible." Nadia and Rosie said in unison. They smiled just soon to laugh. "But still damn. I'm not sure if I want to let you race against him." Rosie came back to sense to serious. The thought of losing him or seeing him in pain isn't on the list bucket she wants to witness.

"But if I'm going to step out, then who am I to call myself a racer? I'm not pussy." Jake said and smirked. Rosie sighed at his stubbornness and let it pass. "Oh, here he is," Jake said in nonchalantly.

The enemy arrived in full of speed and hit the brakes in abruptly causing the small rock to fly. "Of course, asshole has to do that," Rosie says glaring at the man. While Nadia freezes in her place seeing her ex-crush getting out of the car.

Nadia smirked in disbelief and left the place to hide herself from him. "Nadia, where you're going?" Rosie asked following Nadia. "Nothing, just going to drink a water," Nadia replied in a neutral tone.

"Are you ok? You seem off." Jake asked just as the rest of the boys came. "Wassup guys?" Heeseung asked with a smile on his face. Jake and the rest of the boys fist-bumped in greeting.

"I know I say that too often, but please-" Before Rosie could finish her speech, Jungwon finished in her place, "Be careful and give up if the danger or death catches us up. We know Rosie but we're immortal." Jungwon with the rest boys smirks.

"Rosie is right, be careful. That guy, I know him." Nadia said in a serious tone which cut the fun in the atmosphere. "You do?" Sunoo asked with amusement in his eyes. It also catches Sunghoon's attention.

"He tried to murder me by sabotaging my car. I won't be surprised if you're the next victim," Nadia said while taking a deep breath and looking into Sunghoon's eyes as if pointing to him. Sunghoon still stood as a mannequin with no remorse.

"How do you know him though?" Jay asked with curiosity. "He was my ex-crush.  I despise him but it's better to let the past go and move on. Seeing him here now doubts me," Nadia fills the answers to everyone's curiosity.

"Oh shit."

"I'm sorry that happened to you."

"Finally the drama is interesting."

"Ni-ki," Heeseung warned him with a glare. "What? Our life was boring until now," Niki threw his hand in the air as a defense mechanism. "My apologies on behalf of him," Jungwon whispered in Nadia's ear.

"It's alright, it already happened. What matters now is now and the future," Nadia said with a smile as they prepared for the race. Before they started the race, ex-crush indeed saw Nadia and smirked.