Wicked Fate

FIFTYFIFTH CHAPTER

A devil's fight for an angel

"Hyung will kill all of us", Daesung managed to say to Youngbae as they discarded their bikes almost at the same time.

"Man...", Youngbae said in between breaths as they both prepared for the sprint, "You think we should just quit?"

Daesung shook his head and managed to say as he started sprinting. "I think... we... should fall in love."

Ahead of them, they watched Jiyong finishing with the sprint and already starting for the swim. It is unprecedented and they know, almost impossible really but the pace with which the man had taken on the challenge is both scary and incredibly fantastic.

What is also incredible and fantastic is just right behind him, the lawyer is almost done with the sprint too.

The crowd is going wild with anticipation as the announcer's voice boomed throughout the beach.

"If Dr. Kwon Jiyong continues in this phase, he'll end up not only winning this preliminary round but setting a record as well. No one has ever finished the deadly mountain race in fifteen minutes time and let's not forget, Atty. Park Jay is doing amazing feats as well. I haven't seen any of them swim and the strain of the speed with which they took on the dirt track and the relay can have a toll on their leg muscles. We'll have to watch!"

Youngbae knows full well how much Jiyong prepared for the triathlon and his performance is showing it. He is, however, surprised at the will that Jay is showing.

He doesn't know much about the man but he knows that if his persistence is anything to go by, the lawyer is infallible.

He sped up his sprint, starting to run close to Daesung who is now the third guy in the race. He looked ahead and glimpsed Ji nearing the finish line.

"Didn't he just start swimming?!?!?!", his brain exploded in awe.

As he finally hit the water, he heard the crown chant... "DR. KWON! DR. KWON! DR. KWON!"

And there he is, the man of the hour, his best friend, rising from the sea and onto dry land.

Jiyong doesn't even seem tired or out of breath. He immediately sprinted towards the finish line – only a hundred meters away.

The whole beach is now chanting in thunderous levels the name of a man they had once thought the worst of, a man they called the Dragon... a man they feared and shunned.

Youngbae is not an emotional man but as he swam, he knows that the salt he tasted didn't just come from the sea but from his very own eyes.

He had always hoped this for Jiyong because ever since they were kids, he'd always known the man is someone great. He and the guys had only hoped Ji would find a reason to stay but what Dara gave him is so much more – it is the love and respect of people that his best friend, in truth, also loved and respected.

Feeling emotions overwhelming him, he stopped and decided he wanted to watch the man finish the race.

Jiyong is now only thirty meters away from the finish line and the lawyer had begun to rise from the sea too – looking more determined than ever.

Seeming to feel his competitor approach, Ji even looked back a split second before finally rushing towards the finish line.

The crowd broke out in excitement as the announcer also let out a whoop of delight.

A new wave of "DR. KWON!" chants broke through the air and after more than a month, Youngbae finally saw Jiyong smile wholeheartedly – a smile he last saw when his best friend announced to him he is admitting his love for Dara.