All Roads Lead to Us (Street Racers #1)

2: Jungkook

When I sigh again, Hoseok can probably feel that sigh in his bones, yet he tries again, tirelessly.

"It's the first race of the season, Jungkook, come on." His eyebrows have been creased for the past ten minutes, I'm worried his face will stay stuck like that if I don't agree at some point.

"I told you I don't wanna hear about it or step my foot in there ever again," I say. My voice has gone from steady to raised, and he's still not giving up. Usually Hoseok is the one to avoid conflict. "And I specifically told you why I won't be racing again." 

This is the first time we even mention that in three months, since I quit.

Hoseok finally relaxes his forehead and takes a step back. He's been restraining my movements all this time. 

He takes way too long to put a sentence together, but when he finally does, my stomach takes an extra fast elevator down to my feet and back. "Yeeun is not racing."

"What do you mean?"

"She stopped coming around the same time you did. I don't know why, she never told anybody. Just stopped," he says. We eye each other, but my mind is far away from Hoseok, from that kitchen.

I do everything not to cross paths with Yeeun again. It still feels like a fever dream, after we have been best friends for my entire life. Distancing myself while still seeing her at races would have killed me. Putting up an act of "I hate you, stay away from me" would have been even worse.

Nothing better than cutting myself off completely. For me and for her.

"Come on, Jungkook." Hoseok whines. He is about to hyperventilate. Does it count as manipulation already or am I just cruel? "You have to support me. It's the first race of the season and maybe I'll finally win with Taehyung. Someone needs to put that asshole in place, and if you don't race, I can totally do that for you. But I need your mental support."

Now that he gave me a valid point, I can't decline the offer. "You should have said you want to win with Taehyung before you said all of this," I say, making Hoseok's eyes rounder.

"You're coming with me." It's not a question. There is only one answer now.

"To see his ass kicked? Always."

Hoseok doesn't care about my motives, he cares I will be there, so he jumps me with a hug and a bunch of squeals, unlike the cool and badass (his words) street racer that he is.

If Yeeun won't be there, and I can see Kim Taehyung losing even when I'm not racing, the whole chaos may be worth it.

---

Alive. It makes me feel alive. The buzz, the neons, the roaring engines. Just like the first time, my breath shortens, as I take in everything. I walk with a smile that could fool someone into believing I am actually calm.

The parking lot next to a concrete river bank, full of loud and fast cars. Girls and boys in short skirts and heavy make-up, flirting, dancing, checking out their reflections in the tinted windows. Racers digging under their hoods. Neon stands in shapes as random as a pineapple everyone brings for the first race - to make the place look cooler. The smell of spray paint and petrol. Sean Paul's "Temperature" blasting somewhere withing the crowd.

Everything here is hot-blooded and ready, every fiber inside you rumbles. It is always the same energy, yet so addicting that it feels like a first time every time.

The difference is - when I first came to a race, I was nobody, just a fascinated kid that wanted to drive fast. Now I'm Jeon Jungkook. It would be a lie to say I don't feel any special when I'm here. I know I'm respected. I almost always win. I know what my name sounds like to others.