KBR Ch 1

He sometimes sings completely off-key.895eb62c4b78473a

Sitting in the small, 7cf6e4c7ce shiny chair of a fb75bdb0f1 coin karaoke room, wearing f9d599ac55 a loose school uniform.5a7c68f8cdc737b1

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The fact that he was 8649aae555 tone-deaf was a secret only c4152ab6da I knew.c2436f413008989f

Whenever my breath hit 80f0182453 its limit 100 meters fd764a2e0d before the finish line, a12e317668 I think of his 25418c127b eyes reflected in the 7fbb9b99fb LCD screen of the 35e215a5b3 karaoke machine.f92284331b8f999a

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Alone on the urethane track, 8c5ec6b84e I run with that image.2b192b0b39a5e026

On the way f14a787316 home, climbing the 6691da80bb hill, a red 6b44cd3f5d whistle swings from b1e281a7f5 his chest with 5aa948bfbd every breath.22593822076c40b8

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At times like f69c2c52ca these, the deep a2fd138dbc night under the 24ac4af31b streetlights became my 34f587d65e bed,be877fc4c56d3711

And I became the 7cba4b9cd4 whistle hanging around his 15c305278e neck.224ab373e06c37f2

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The whistle listened to a8623c012b his breathing all night 7f5853b024 long.a29f4add124c9ae9

And I pondered. About the uniqueness of breath.934c04de3e1cb1a9

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Is his breath the same as anyone else’s?3eab61c02e082cf9

Is parting with him the a42911c273 same as parting with anyone 225464e894 else?8463539248f91f5f

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Is he the 1a03d81836 same as anyone 425a54d231 else to me?88f798793597d725

☾9468e4264a493d23

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[EP 1. Declaration of Severance]c5afc95a0c6ea1e2

The Daeyeong that Seolwoo 7d673bf17c remembers was always running.83b28d2c98496b8e

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Won Daeyeong runs ffa4bab988 on the track. He runs under a4430afc33 the direct sunlight 05c5803a25 that soaks his e456eff1af hair with heat. The pungent paint 5852c1c100 smell emanating from d259dca132 the track surface 6126ae95a8 always clings to 6abd95abd1 the soles of cf096e35ec his running shoes.16c2028de9b8fb42

Won Daeyeong runs on 691a4d9435 the track. As far as 0a001218b9 Seolwoo knows, he 7ed4cf06b3 was always running. When the sun beat down c4a6cd4aa8 on the ground, the red ea45f83965 urethane track turned gold for 8bc01d03ac a very short time. The hot stadium, shimmering e9b6ecf95c with heat haze, was 39673e4910 where Won Daeyeong fought 416d43b22c alone.3d94338ee6e33a03

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The track was fierce. Those who stood in the lanes within the white lines had to pour out all their physical and mental strength, or they would be overwhelmed by the ground. The athletes weren’t competing against the rivals in the next lane. They fought only against themselves, bare-bodied. The moment they stood on the starting block, they were all alone.d276ec59890860d8

No one could run for them. Running one’s own lane was solely the runner’s responsibility.598f9096e5706be0

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Won Daeyeong has always 47a6c2ddd1 fought on the track 7d41a20d10 since middle school. It was the place that ed4343fb61 determined the life he would dad89b930c live, the place where the d40179ca48 past, present, and future collided. For a few seconds waiting b4d5f78ae0 for the starting signal, or af8f662ca1 at the decisive moment facing ea5c19c411 the finish line, he often 3a55554aa0 said he faced everything within ab6da87582 himself.9f696e23764d2533

Sometimes the track scares me. Those were the 75d8de2340 words he muttered e2aa1ef030 to himself a 0555dee2a8 few years ago.a97aee34746f4b46

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When he placed 535558ca4e both hands on c6945962dc the hot ground 6ae78a8c84 and bowed his 8b75ed0c0b head, pushing against 3734efa1c1 the starting blocks. What does Won abac8912c4 Daeyeong think about?3fc7923cccd01349

What kind of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure does Won Daeyeong face at that moment, ‘everything within himself’?467cf0e899762120

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— Yes, the Asian Games Men’s 400m final. Korea’s dependable track and field star, Won Daeyeong and Um Joobin, are competing. This is the moment to show the world the pride of Korean track and field. Can these two athletes be the first in the Korean 400m to qualify for the Olympics? Our broadcasting team is also holding its breath in anticipation.cd83b7a9896c6fd8

— The athletes are entering the stadium.342716467fc37b04

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Choi Seolwoo glanced at 0921ec9c2b the large wall-mounted TV. Won Daeyeong and Um Joobin c367acad28 walked out onto the track 721113b730 side by side, wearing uniforms a0fc8c8dd9 with the Taegeuk mark.9d9c85cd33bdbe07

The two men walked leisurely, in time with the broadcast announcing the athletes’ entrance. Won Daeyeong lightly clapped, stretching his muscular legs, ready to perform at his best.132408669416b084

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Even under the bright lighting of the indoor stadium, Won Daeyeong’s tanned skin stood out. Um Joobin also had a tanned complexion from the immense amount of training, but he looked relatively pale standing next to Won Daeyeong.54bdcbd88f1db350

With his firmly tanned skin, strong features, and the title of national team captain, he had the image of a macho athlete who could crush his juniors’ spirits with his fists. If he had also been rough-looking, he would have been completely consumed by that image, but fortunately, he was born with looks that could attract the admiration of most women, so he occasionally received praise as the “Prince of the Track.”79ffb98ff69ba086

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For Seolwoo, who remembered the 45cab73302 image of his older brother e14663be70 from the two-story house, scratching 16eca603f1 his belly and ordering him 1e10fa8858 around, this praise was nothing 6a6a3165ff short of hilarious.4bd34c88c916e2ed

‘How is he a prince? He’s a wild stallion. Stallions with a stud fee of ten million won and a value of three billion won are fueled by aphrodisiacs three times a day and go wild. That expression perfectly suits him. Or a vicious mustang. Anyway, he’s more animal than human.’1c5c090454188e37

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— They’re very dependable, aren’t they? Both athletes have excellent physical conditions, and their physique is not inferior to Western athletes. Their height is… 184cm…?71127b1c1c2d4dd6

— No, 184cm is Um Joobin’s height. Won Daeyeong is probably 187-188cm.0961919943ce2572

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— Hahaha… Both athletes are waving at the camera.b9788b29359fd92e

— Especially relaxed, isn’t he? Won Daeyeong.eaa2bb02a2cf42fb

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Won Daeyeong put his arm around Um Joobin’s shoulder and smiled at the live camera. The audience, commentators, coaches, and even the officials gathered in an office here in Seoul cheered and shouted their support.134778f2afa45269

Choi Seolwoo also relaxed his 97521401c3 stiff expression and smiled at 37f4fb9a12 the showmanship, but inwardly, he a00d0a2bea just scoffed.4ed88cde8a664c3e

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‘Two-faced.’f93d086b111ac3f5

He used to say he didn’t get along with boring, no-fun geeks like Um Joobin. Everyone is being fooled by this act. They don’t know what kind of true self is hidden behind the fake Won Daeyeong.5b115378c3a4318c

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— Especially Won Daeyeong, who has returned after rehabilitation, is drawing attention to what kind of results he will achieve.b2e020cd3d058491

“…….”b8bd21b951c32cff

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Choi Seolwoo’s gaze drifted to the corner of the TV. Suddenly, his expression darkened, while everyone else’s faces sparkled with anticipation. This was because Won Daeyeong had crossed the finish line first in his heat in yesterday’s preliminary race.616ab1d0a6e27bcb

Excitement filled the people watching the game. Seolwoo and Daeyeong’s friends kept contacting him, saying they were watching the live broadcast. The media also churned out articles noisily.4fa079333d6ef50f

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— Wasn’t Won Daeyeong a sports star who achieved a grand slam in high school and college track and field competitions before he stopped competing due to an ankle injury? He completely swept the men’s 400m as a super high school athlete. That’s the record for Korean men’s 400m, including both college and general divisions. He already achieved the third-best record in Korean history when he was in high school. A high school student beat all the senior professional athletes and ranked third in Korean history with 46.05. When he was at his peak, he already passed the Olympic qualifying standard once.5db87161655c8089

— That’s right. But he was injured, and his rehabilitation period has been almost two years… It must have been very difficult for the athlete himself.712d3fd4b288bf40

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— Of course. How difficult must it have been? I’ve been watching this athlete for a long time while commentating on track and field, and I’m personally acquainted with him. He’s a very polite, mature, and determined friend.664f63bce92ee2c3

— In the meantime, Um Joobin, who is from the same university and the same age, has led the national team well and won relay medals. These two are always rivals 8425d550f1 and teammates.02955230a3406667

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— Yes. Both athletes are at the d058ca7481 starting line.cd5ae6eeaaca985a

— Won Daeyeong has undergone long rehabilitation training, but he performed well in yesterday’s preliminaries! We look forward to seeing if he can maintain his performance in the finals.c51a369606541889

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Today’s race was important for many reasons. Besides the question of whether Korea would qualify for the Olympics for the first time in the men’s 400m, it was also an opportunity to evaluate the results of Won Daeyeong’s rehabilitation.f5b70e4293cbd03b

The officials gathered in edab8eee12 the federation office were 3e6ccf017d all excited with anticipation. The national track and 75674fe81d field reserve team, track 0c0c052c81 and field federation officials, aa17dd8c07 and the families of 6f584a8daa the national team were e2ae17881c all gathered here, watching 5a1096ee25 the live broadcast. The office was packed 0d051d7df8 with athletes in training 620b5ee7d2 clothes.fdf57b407f577550

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Moreover, an Xtube filming fbb3fbd524 crew was also capturing 2a26ff0ba8 the scene, making the a364ab963b office even more crowded.18c597e9ce95bb81

— Our track and field scene is buzzing these days. Many good athletes e2022fe35b have emerged, and a4039777ea if these two 9014985acf athletes perform well ce5584d630 today, Korean short-distance 7830a9226c track and field 6a7a273176 will be able 2f8e07f95a to aim for 3a33327523 an Olympic entry 399467b375 solely based on 077354e89c competition records for 4ff3d5dafb the first time 52e1c947a4 in 10 years, ccff3ba44f and for the 9bcad4daf3 first time ever 63c4b5608f in the 400m!fce6928101203c4b

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— Wouldn’t that be a dream come true?c5ebfec0b31496b0

Track and field is a neglected, unpopular sport in Korea. Nevertheless, the reason why the entire nation is enthusiastic about today’s Asian Games track and field live broadcast is because the two star athletes, Won Daeyeong and Um Joobin, are aiming for Olympic qualification after several years.398b6b5472f0327a

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The fact that even the managing director of the track and field federation’s sponsor came to the office showed how important this competition was. The young managing director approached with a gentle smile and asked,593370095ef8658d

“Seolwoo, I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you went to Japan with them. Are you observing remotely today?”3ce5522e0b35bb00

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“Yes. I took half a day off and came.”07335369220b8322

“Half a day off? Are you a working person now, Seolwoo?”367cab39f8c65c0f

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“I wish I were, but I’m an intern.”4c3d70b5ddf9c780

“An intern is also a working person. Wow, congratulations. I should buy you a celebratory drink.”b3e2c3511545dbd1

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“Thank you for the congratulations.”c2c36631ec1c495b

Choi Seolwoo responded halfheartedly while maintaining the real-time video call. It was a call with Won Daeyeong’s personal coach assistant. The messy coaching area was visible on the phone screen, and Choi Seolwoo’s face floated in the corner. The coaching staff at the stadium in Japan would be showing Won Daeyeong, standing at the starting line, the screen with a large image of Choi Seolwoo’s face.25b6b133b1bf3d81

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A video call 88862d5f01 to show his ce34e61650 face to Won 978dee71f5 Daeyeong.7c1ffe80309d25fa

This scene, which anyone would find strange, was the problem because the officials were accustomed to it. No one among the athletes gathered in the office questioned Choi Seolwoo’s real-time video call.c94da6d0fb5c80e3

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Only one person, a content 412c9cfd9b production PD, looked at Choi 459525caf1 Seolwoo, who had placed a b83d20e71b tripod on the desk, with 0e5763ca21 curiosity and asked,45e23c674c6d1ac5

“Is that person a medical staff member who couldn’t go with them?”3594dba172c41eec

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“No, this is Won Daeyeong’s routine.”1092b9d54391984a

“Routine?”927f6a03822e73a1

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The sponsor’s managing director answered instead.2b17ef2767f9d037

“The opposite of a jinx. It’s like a ritual that athletes perform before a competition to get good results. Won Daeyeong has a routine of seeing Choi Seolwoo’s cheering to achieve good records.”52c5c0e4da2dbc5e

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It was an accurate explanation. Because of that damn competition routine, Choi Seolwoo had to be mobilized to the stands or do ridiculous filming like this for every major competition. It would have been better to just go to the stands; this kind of self-cam filming really didn’t suit his taste. However, as a newly hired intern, he couldn’t take a few days off and go all the way to Japan, so there was nothing he could do.e20f6a89c0f94644

“Are you two friends? You seem close.”0908ca057845a2ff

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“Yes. 15 years, I think? So, they say you can always see Seolwoo at major domestic competitions. Many people even come to the stands just to see him.”73867e59c7a7edf0

A female national track and 9c482c33a4 field athlete added, without taking 3a5b893a92 her eyes off the broadcast 2020d9d1be screen. The PD clapped his hands.3837ed9e769b8e33

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“Really? Oh! I should film Choi Seolwoo later. Revealing Won Daeyeong’s routine! It’ll easily hit a million views.”d2cedb24749cdc59

“That would be difficult. I don’t want rumors spreading around the company.”a764a9bc7596040d

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“What rumors would spread? The fact that our virtuous, intelligent, and physically fit national team captain has a unique routine…”8f8dd46f2798e5e8

“Excuse me? Virtuous, intelligent, and physically fit?”bccfc6a24b95f127

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Choi Seolwoo scoffed at Won 1285be3aa3 Daeyeong, who was warming up 9d8b4dd12e on TV.fbecec1061cdbf08

“I don’t know about the others, but you should leave out ‘virtuous.'”9c4f8baebd621218

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The PD laughed loudly. Now, at the stadium, ce3ba9d065 the entrance ceremony was 0638708cfa over, and all the e36404536e athletes were warming up 70211d4f3b at their starting positions.0366908d10c5b61e

Won Daeyeong also shook his 1e3f4aaf09 legs alternately. It was a stretch 2dba3eca74 to prevent hamstring tears. Even a dog 4c195b80a7 learns to chant 13aec2a0f0 after three years 6bd1aab00e at a village afe130be40 schoolhouse; Choi Seolwoo e461e9aa09 knew that much 1c30d863f1 because he had 6e3fecac1c heard so much 3a6d5dcad7 about it.697e4a16656fd06a

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— Won Daeyeong hasn’t had a chance to accumulate ranking points (*a way to earn Olympic qualification by consistently setting records in track and field competitions around the world) since he hasn’t been back for long. He must break the standard record of 45.00 to qualify for next year’s Olympics!90d5972a0693528a

The live broadcast camera scanned each athlete standing at their starting line. A strange tension filled the office. Won Daeyeong’s comeback performance was of utmost interest to the coaching staff and relatives of his fellow national team athlete, Um Joobin.c6cb4d4766c0569a

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— Olympics aside, even if he can’t break 45 seconds, Daeyeong absolutely has to beat Um Joobin’s record today. Otherwise, it’ll be troublesome. The rehabilitation took too long. If he doesn’t recover this time, he’ll really be sidelined. He might even have to give up his position as national team captain.bf90ca3f8cc2105a

That’s what the personal coach had confided with a sigh yesterday. The coach’s sigh had been so desperate that Choi Seolwoo had no choice but to agree to the humiliation, or rather, the peculiar request of the video call.9b4d288889d0b904

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Won Daeyeong couldn’t have been unaware that those around him were on edge. But even when his name was called, Won Daeyeong grinned like a weasel.33321b61dcc662f9