✚ RUSLAN ILYAKOV ✚

Ruslan Ilyakov is an Olympian badminton athlete from Kazakhstan. Despite being at the end of his career, he is greatly admired nationally, especially since the stark decline in the performance of Kazakh athletes caused by the 2020 lockdown. He specializes in singles and is left-handed.

After suffering a knee injury in a match against Lin Huafeng during the 2023 World Championships, Ruslan was forced to put his training on hold to seek treatment. He and his coach, Kasym Otegenov traveled to America, where Ruslan underwent a series of examinations and procedures followed by extensive sessions of physical therapy. It was during PT that he met Mustang Mills, a retired jockey who was also treating sport-related injuries.

The two formed a rather strange, sexually tense bond between them. While Ruslan fears being forced to retire like Mustang should his treatment fail, he also feels superior, given there is still a chance he'll be able to play again and that he is an elite athlete - something Mustang could never achieve. Mustang, on the other hand, derives a masochistic enjoyment out of being below Ruslan. Simultaneously, he strongly projects his orthorexia onto Ruslan, constantly nagging him about unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Ruslan is a very difficult person. He is cocky and stubborn, willing to go great lengths to prove himself. He is easily irritated and just as easily flustered, often letting his pride get in the way of expressing himself properly. The only person he listens to is his coach, Kasym Otegenov.

He usually pretends he doesn't speak English to avoid interacting with Americans, as their mannerisms tend to irritate him.