Partners In Speed - ver. 1 (Street Racers #2)

7: Taehyung

"What about you? Have you been to college?" I ask. Somehow me, Jungkook and Yeeun ended up hanging out in my garage. They stopped by to fill me in on the fancy-pants stories, since Jungkook forgot the last time, and now they are staying around as I fix a cooling system in a 2002 Audi.

Jungkook snorts, sitting on the drivers' seat. "I don't have patience and self-discipline for that."

Yeeun is walking around, watching everything, one by one. The only time she's ever been here was when Jungkook got into jail. Jungkook mentioned once or twice how she can never stay still for five minutes and I think I can see it now.

"I've never been big on education," she say, smiling.

"You almost failed at least one class every year," Jungkook says, looking back at her. "I saved you every time."

"This is one hundred percent true."

I hate how I'm trying to make myself feel better. How I'm trying to see if Jungkook is like Minho, better than me at all those things. How I'm asking questions, waiting for the answer that will dissatisfy me the most. I hate that, but I can't stop. I hate how I'm slowly slipping back into what we had last season, and every single year before. I hate that I'm trying to put the blame on him again, because I can't deal with not making better decisions by myself.

"Can you speak other languages?" I ask, as if I'm just curious.

"I had my trial at learning Spanish," Yeeun says, "but all I know now is parles-vous anglais?"

"This is French, baby," he tells her.

She pauses, a pry bar in her hand as she looks at us. "I had my trial at French, too. Yes."

"I can't speak other languages," Jungkook says. "Never tired. Never bothered enough to try."

I drop the wrench to the floor and grab a bottle of coolant, pouring it into hopefully fixed tank. I lay the half-empty bottle back on the floor and nod at Jungkook. "Can you start the car while you're there?" He does. I crouch down to check if it's still leaking. "What about the coolant indicator? Does it disappear?"

"Yeah, it's good," he says.

"It's not leaking, either, it should be good. Alright, turn it off."

He does and leaves the car to watch the exterior. It's obvious it has been used for two decades, but the condition is still quite impressive. "Whose car is it anyways?"

"A college student. She says she's got no idea about cars and no one to ask for help and this thing has, like, twenty years," I say, brushing my hands into a fresh cloth, which is actually an old cotton shirt cut into pieces. "I charge her like half what I should. This will be literally free."

"If I knew your prizes are so good my whole life, I'd never go where I used to." He huffs, shaking his head.

"If you came here any earlier than this season, I'd probably charge you three times more."

There is one scratch on the right side the girl probably never noticed, but I wanted to fix. It's minor, only visible when you stand close enough. I sand it with 3000 grit sandpaper, polish and fill in with wax. Ten minutes of work and everything is ready, and the car is basically untouched.

"Do you think it's, like, a one-time thing? The Japan Race?" Jungkook asks, watching as I finish off the line of wax. "Or is it for longer?"

"Like a yearly thing?" Yeeun says. "It could be. Jimin said recently his team has been in shambles so he normally must have a stable team."

Like the dark side took over my mind, I say, "And we all know who's gonna get the spot."

They pause, glancing at each other. "Who?"

"Who? Jungkook, obviously." I let out a sigh I don't want to let out. But as I see his expression fall, I can't stop. It's so stupidly familiar. "He always gets it all, no matter what."

"What?" he asks, taking a step closer to me.

"You want the spot, I want the spot. Only one person can get it. And it's obvious you will do everything to get it," I say, and when his arms drop, I walk over to the sink. "Wasn't it always like that? You always did and had what I wanted." I chuckle, too dark for my own liking. I can't stop myself from coming back to how I was. I can't stop myself from self-sabotaging everything.

"What are you even talking about?" Jungkook scoffs, picking up on the attitude. As always.

I can't even look at him. I wouldn't be able to look at myself. I keep on washing my hands like they are still dirty. "Even now with the Japan Race. You know damn well you're gonna get the spot whether I want it or not."

He chuckles, and it's so heavy I freeze. "Do you think I've ever cared enough about you to go after the things you wanted and take them away from you? Aren't you overestimating yourself a little?"

I feel like I'm overestimating myself a lot, actually. That's why going back to how things were, when I was a nobody to him, is easier than trying to meet the expectations of a friend I can't be.

"Jungkook..." Yeeun mumbles. I stay like that. I don't want to see the look of disappointment on his face. It was just a matter of time he, too, would be disappointed in me. Again.

"Come on, let's leave," he tells her and doesn't wait for anyone.

I stay like this until his car gets further and further away. And then I deflate with a sigh, sitting by a cold wall.

In the silence, everything replays in my head. Not the exchange from a minute ago. Everything in the past that felt just like this fight. Familiar, right in the middle of my comfort zone, but so painful at the same time. I've reached the point where what's familiar isn't good for me anymore. Never has been.

The longer I sit like that, the more I regret saying this. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to make them think I want the spot that much. I don't. If a spot equals me and Jungkook going back to how things were, I cannot digest the idea of being chosen for the Japan Race.