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Donghyuk was not enjoying his first practice. In the beginning, he had found himself doubting Mark's skill. The boy looked a bit too small to be a pro snowboarder, and Donghyuk was honestly wondering if they just asked him here for clout. He wouldn't put it past Coach, he just seemed to be that kind of guy.

But much to Donghyuk's dismay, that appeared to not be the case. Because this stupid Mark Lee was showing him up in everything.

They had started off practice with tail blocks because it had rained the night previous and the snow was at peak slushiness. It was one of Donghyuk's strong suits, and he was doing great until he had Mark rip him from under his feet (quite literally) and spin into a 1440. It pissed Donghyuk off. Then Coach made them do backsides, and he quickly put up a deal. They had a relay race of who could get down the fastest, with Taeyong waiting at the bottom of the hill. Whoever won all the rounds got expensive Korean beef.

Donghyuk was doing great, beating many of the other members, until he was put up against Mark, who left him in the dust. Not once has someone beat him in backside relays. If Donghyuk was pissed before, he was now boiling over.

Practice was almost over for the tanned male, and he had to leave for school soon. But he was still fuming. Mark fucking Lee had beat him in everything. Donghyuk had pulled second every single time and he hated it. He hated that stupid Canadian son of a bitch. And he was determined to show the older boy just what kind of person he was messing with.

"I'll show that fucker what's up." He mumbles to himself as he changes behind his locker in the crash room changing rooms. The other team members were still out practicing, but they were all in either in college taking night lessons or graduates. Lee Donghyuk was the youngest member, with Mark pulling a close second.

He exits the changing room, sighing when he sees the still empty crash room. Well, it was technically the team rec-room, but for some reason, the older members called it the crash room; something about a member accidentally making a huge mess by crashing in with his board? Donghyuk wasn't sure, and he didn't care that much anyway. 

He looks out the large, french doors, watching his new teammates having fun and enjoying the practice. If he was in college, or if he took night classes, then he could be out there with them. He could still be out on the hill. Donghyuk loved snowboarding more than anything in the world, it was his one true passion. He slept, ate, and breathed snowboarding. He lived for the rush of flying down the hill, the excitement of pulling off a perfect triple cork 1620. He loved the sport so much, and he would give anything to stay for practice longer. But he couldn't let his grandparents down, and he had to finish his studies.

Donghyuk sighs once more, turning away from the doors and picking up his gear, leaving the crash room, his mood lower than before.

"Donghyuk? Are you alright?" The slightly familiar voice of Doyoung makes the boy pause and turn around. His mentor was still in full gear, standing at the entrance of the french doors leading to the hill.

Flashing a cocky smile, Donghyuk nods. "Just peachy hyung. I suggest you get back out there before I push you down the hill!" He smirks at Doyoung's fuming face.

"Day 1 and you're already so disrespectful. I swear..." Doyoung shakes his head.

"It's my specialty. Bye now!" Donghyuk turns back around, his face and shoulders falling as he leaves the building and heading towards the parking lot.

<^>

"Donghyukie, what's wrong dear?" Donghyuk's grandmother asks from her place in the large rocking chair. Her grandson was doing his homework in a rushed manner, pushing through all his subjects as fast as he could.

"Nothing Gran, I just want to get everything done so I can get some final practice tonight." He says, not looking up from his work.

"Hyukie, it's already so late. You can just wait till tomorrow, right?" His grandmother asks hopefully. But Donghyuk just shakes his head.

"I'm sorry Gran, but if I want to stay on this team, I need to be the best I can be. Which means I won't be home as much anymore." He frowns slightly, seeing the soft pout on his grandmother's face.

She smiles nonetheless. "Ok...Just come back in one piece, alright?" He nods, smiling warmly.

"Thanks, Gran." He closes his math book, sighing softly. "I finished everything so I'm going to go now. I'll be home before 1." He stands, kissing the elderly woman on the cheek. "I promise." He grabs his gear from his room, offering his grandfather a warm 'goodbye' as he leaves the house, his car keys in his hand.

It's true that he needed to step up his game if he wanted to stay, but the main reason Donghyuk always practiced at night was to let everything out. It was an amazing way to relieve himself of stress and anger, and just to be. Him, the dark, and his snowboard. It was all he needed. And it never failed to calm him down.

Snowboarding at night was his time for himself. Where he could just ride, fall down, and get back up again. He could fail countless times but he would just get back up and start over. He never cared that it deprived him of sleep. As long as his feet were on his board, then that's all that mattered to Lee Donghyuk.

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