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

9: Taehyung

This business card was supposed to stay in the depths of my garage, but here I am, holding it between my fingers, as I knock on Park Jimin's door. Come at three thirty, he said when I called him. It's three twenty eight. I bounce up and down. I can still benefit from the closed door and make a run for it. But no matter what my head says, my body doesn't allow me to move until the door swings open.

"Kim Taehyung. Nice to see you. What brings you here?" he asks. I don't think we are making it further than the door of a twentieth floor apartment.

"I came to tell you something," I say.

My mind is made up. I don't know why it's so hard to get it out of myself. Like my brain is disconnected from my body. Like my body doesn't find my decisions beneficial. But they are, and I am doing it.

"Go ahead." He nods, hand on the doorframe.

I ruffle my hair, buying time. "I just... no one sent me here. And I am not trying to influence your decisions, but... there is someone who deserves to be in your team more than anyone else." He looks me up and down, and bops his head in question. "Jeon Jungkook."

For what he has done for me so far, this is still not enough to pay him back. I don't need the spot that much. Jungkook always liked both racing and winning. I just wanted to be like him. As I don't want it anymore, it's becoming clearer that I really don't have to be winning, don't have to be a number one.

Even if it's something as "prestigious" (if I can use this word for a massive illegal street racing event that police never stops because of the money the organisators give them to act like nothing is happening) as the Japan Race, I can let it go.

I wanted to find something more useful for myself anyways. I will have a chance now, once the Japan Race is out of the way.

Jimin's gazes moves around my face, my lungs stay still. I am not even trying to read his mind.

"Follow me," he says. With no clue, I do.

He leads the way to the underground garage, and then across the platform to a familiar black BMW. I can't recall where I know this car from, but I work on a few cars daily, so it must be similar to one of the clients'. Jimin stops in front of me, lifting the keys to my face. "You drive. Come on."

Our conversation isn't over yet, so I take the wheel, and drive where Jimin leads us.

Outside of the garage, as we stroll through the city, he asks, "You're saying Jeon Jungkook is the best driver out of all of you?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting." He chuckles, pulling his foot onto the seat. "Everyone is trying to prove themselves, yet you're promoting your friend."

"He didn't ask me."

"I didn't say it." He smiles, and points to turn to the left. "I'm just saying it's interesting. I'm curious. Why wouldn't you try to win?"

When his eyes are on me, it gets too difficult to think. The way they drill into me, like he's trying to get into my mind, makes me squirm around in the seat. "I know I'm good," I say. "Maybe even as good as him, but... he deserves it more than me."

"You think so?" Jimin clicks his tongue. "From what I've watched so far, you were shining the brightest." My ego swells, and for a moment I forget about Jungkook. "It's obvious you love driving."

"I do."

We pass by a mall, and he shows me to change the route, leading us into the back streets. "Jeon Jungkook is good. But there is something about him. Something I don't like."