WebNovels

Chapter 6 - Bound by the Red Ribbon

Earlier that day, an announcement echoed through the campus speakers:

"This year's surprise challenge will be... THE MYSTERY DUO RACE!"

This unique race brought together both new students and seniors. Each duo would be drawn at random from an urn filled with the names of all participants. Excitement filled the air, the energy buzzing through the crowd like electricity.

Back to the moment when Sun's name was called.

And right after… Art's.

Love, Rin, and Han froze. After what had happened earlier in the cafeteria, they couldn't believe it. Sun gritted his teeth. He didn't want to show he was shaken.

"I hope you can run on land as well as you swim," he threw at Art, in a provoking tone.

Han let out a laugh.

"No doubt he prepared that line even before the names were drawn," he said, laughing loudly.

Art gave Sun a sharp look and slowly walked toward him. Gulp — Sun swallowed hard and took a step back, but Art caught up to him and tied a red ribbon around their ankles.

"If you want to win, start by shutting up," he said calmly.

Caught off guard, Sun quickly responded:

"And you think I'll just listen to you?"

"You better. I'm your senior."

From a distance, Han was watching the scene. He turned to Love and Rin and said:

"Don't they look like an old married couple?"

He burst out laughing alone. Love and Rin stared at him, exasperated, and said in unison:

"Can you shut up for two seconds?"

Han, mockingly shocked, turned his head dramatically. Around them, the noise grew as the students gathered on the starting line. Sun and Art shared a silent, meaningful look. They knew they had to put their pride aside... just for now.

A tense silence fell over the courtyard. Then, a whistle blew. All the teams started running… except one: Sun and Art's.

They had a clear strategy — don't rush.

"One, two, three… One, two, three…" they whispered in perfect sync.

Gradually, they caught up and passed other teams, one by one. Eventually, they reached the leading group — strong, fast, relentless. For ten whole seconds, both teams ran side by side.

Then, in a burst of excitement, Sun shouted and grabbed Art's arm… not thinking about his injuries. A sharp pain shot through Art's body, making him falter. That moment of hesitation was enough. The other team crossed the finish line a few milliseconds before them.

Sun and Art came in second.

Breathing heavily but thrilled, the two boys turned to each other… and shared a quick hug, overwhelmed by the adrenaline.

Rin, Love, and Han rushed over to congratulate them. But they stopped short.

Art had just gently pushed Sun away. He untied the red ribbon from his ankle without saying a word and walked off toward the main building.

"He didn't even stay for the medal ceremony…" Love said, surprised.

"What's with him?" asked Rin.

Still looking at Art's back, Sun simply replied:

"Forget about him. Let's celebrate our win."

And the group cheered loudly, except for Rin, who calmly raised his fist to chest level in a quiet sign of victory.

Soon after, the loudspeakers announced the end of the day's activities and the upcoming medal and trophy ceremony. New students and seniors gathered in the courtyard. One by one, the winners' names were called.

When Sun's name echoed, he stepped up to the stage and received his medal… along with Art's, who was still absent. The senior in charge told him firmly to hand it over to Art personally.

Meanwhile, Art had rushed to the infirmary. He burst in and asked Mickael for painkillers and to redo his bandages. His wounds had reopened during the race.

Without asking questions, Mickael complied. As he applied soothing cream and disinfectant spray, Art clenched his teeth, fists gripping the edge of the bed. But in his mind, he repeated to himself: It still hurts less than my father's beatings.

Once the care was done, he thanked Mickael and glanced at his phone. Fifteen missed calls. All from his father.

Heart pounding, he slipped his phone away and stood up quickly.

"I have to go... my curfew's coming," he said in a rush.

Mickael didn't even have time to say goodbye. Art was already running down the hall, then out of the university.

He waited a few minutes at the bus stop. The rain began to fall heavily. A bad feeling settled in his chest. Finally, a bus arrived.

Back with Sun and the others, they helped clean up the event materials. Sun sent a message to his mom: I'm sleeping at Rin's tonight, not coming home. She had no problem with it — she trusted Rin completely.

Once everything was done, they headed toward the exit. Love's brother had come to pick her up. Han hopped onto his scooter. The rain was still falling — thin but cold. The friends waved goodbye, wishing each other luck for the first day of classes tomorrow.

Under the same umbrella — thoughtfully packed by Rin, just in case — Sun and Rin walked briskly toward the apartment. Their footsteps echoed softly on the wet pavement.

The city lights shimmered on the wet asphalt, and puddles reflected the darkening sky. A gentle breeze stirred the damp air, carrying with it the faint scent of rain and pine.

Along the way, Sun glanced over his shoulder, thoughtful. In the end, this day wasn't so bad after all, he thought with a small smile, adjusting the umbrella as they continued walking side by side…

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