Slopes

s e v e n t e e n

<^>

Mark clambers into the team van, a few members already inside. He situates himself in the back, Yukhei striking up a bright conversation with him. Taeil too sits with them, his soft voice telling stories about how the past games have gone and how he shouldn't be scared or worried.

"Plus," Taeil holds his finger up matter-of-factly. "You have plenty of skill, so you will definitely blow the other team away."

Yukhei nods encouragingly. "Mhm mhm! Both you and Hyukie."

Mark nods, taking in the information. "Alright, thanks hyungs."

<^>

Donghyuk, on the other hand, was sitting up at the front between a frantic Doyoung, and an extremely excited Ten.

"Donghyuk, are you sure you are up to going? I can always tell Coach that you're not–"

Donghyuk groans, gently slamming his head against his chair's headrest. "Hyung, I say this in the nicest way possible: please shut the fuck up."

"But Donghyuk–" once again, Doyoung was cut off thanks to Johnny telling him to 'lay off the kid'. And thankfully he does.

Ten, however, was bouncing off the walls; excitedly telling Donghyuk of a friend he has on the other team.

"He's really nice and has a super-wide smile. And his nickname is super cool as well!"

Donghyuk raises a brow. "Yours is a number."

"I knowww~ but seriously, it's like not even a real name."

Donghyuk nods and half of him wants to inform the Thai man that 'Ten' was also not a real name, and instead –once again– a number. But he decided to hold the remark back. "What is it?"

"His name is Wong Kunhang, but his nickname is Hendery." Ten smiles while Johnny whips around in his seat to look back at them.

"You still talk to that kid? I thought you stopped after graduating."

Ten shrugs. "We met up by accident last month, and just got back in touch.

Johnny narrows his eyes, muttering a "right" and turns back around in his seat.

Ten looks back at Donghyuk, huffing softly. "He's just jealous because his name is overused."

The tanned boy just sighs, the sexual tension between his hyungs suffocating him.

<^>

Mark and Donghyuk both step out of the team van with open mouths. The hill they would be playing at was nothing shy from being huge. The top a good 3 minute ride up, compared to theirs which is 1 minute and 45 seconds.

The other team members had already started walking and Taeyong was standing behind the two youngest so he could lead them in the right direction.

"Come on you two," he pats both of them on the shoulder. "Let's head in so we can get started." He leads the two of them inside the main building and down a couple of halls to the 'Team Room', which is where the visitors/opposing team sit and wait until the competition starts.

When they arrived, the rest of the team and Coach were already, either sitting on the floor and relaxing or making sure all their equipment was ready to go. Mark and Donghyuk just go to a back corner and sit on the floor, both of them jittery.

"This isn't anything new, it's just a game. We shouldn't even be that nervous." Donghyuk states, his fingers fidgeting with themselves.

Mark shrugs. "I think it's because our team is the highest up there, meaning the expectations are much bigger. Plus, I don't think the nerves ever really go away, they just get easier to handle."

"I guess...."

"Can't be that bad. I mean, you're going in for the race and no one has beat you yet."

Donghyuk smiles triumphantly. "True, true. You, however, are doing the half-pipe."

"Yeah," Mark nods. "It won't be hard, I just need to make sure I land that final jump."

"I'm sure you'll do fine."

"That goes for both of us."

<^>

<sorry this is so short, I'm super tired lol>