Welcome to Your Last Race (Street Racers #3)

44. Taehyung

The living room is silent for good three minutes after Jungkook leaves, probably thinking the same thing. We've all seen him do everything not to be like their parents. We've seen him learn what kind of people they really are and we've seen how much he resents them for what they've done.

And maybe I know best how hard of a grip your family – especially a shitty family – can have on you.

"Maybe I'll talk to Sunhee," Yeeun says, though not sounding too confident.

I, on the other hand, feel like I know what's going on. "Let me."

They both look at me.

"You sure you wanna handle an angry teenager?" Wooshik asks.

"I will try," I say, walking towards her room. I've had a fair share of talks with Sunhee since she's been working with us. While I'm not her actual brother, I feel like an equivalent of an uncle in a brother-ish way. I understand so many things she's struggled with, because I've struggled with them, too. When I was younger, when I lived with my parents.

I knock on the door. With a muffled 'come in', I push the door open, carefully step in and close it behind me. Sunhee's sitting on her bed, arms around her legs, looking... well, pissed off.

"I just wanna talk," I say, leaning against the door. "Is it okay?"

"Talk about what?" she asks – mumbles into her knees.

"Do you really think like that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you really think Jungkook is just like your parents?"

She's looking at a spot on her bed, not lifting her eyes to me at all. An answer doesn't come, either, so I keep talking.

"I know it's fucking hard to let go of your parents. I know. Mine kicked me out of the house for being worse than Jungkook and for being gay, and I still came back, wanting them to tell me why I wasn't good enough for them. Ridiculous, right?"

"I don't wanna go back to my parents."

"I'm sure. I didn't actually want it, either. I came back, because letting go of something after your whole life is difficult."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I think you're not mad at Jungkook. And you don't think he's like your parents. He gave you more freedom than you've ever known and now you're scared to lose it." She frowns, still not looking at me. "But... he hasn't done all of it tonight to control you. Or to have things his way. He cares more than he lets on. And you could have gotten into worse shit tonight, trust me. You were lucky we talked to the right cops."

"It's not like you two have never been in trouble," she grumbles, pulling her legs even closer.

"Of course we have been," I say. We may be older than her, but not that much different. "I'm not saying it's the end of the world that you got arrested. You're gonna get in trouble again. Jungkook has always gotten in trouble. I'm just saying... that Jungkook cares. He doesn't want you to get hurt. And he definitely doesn't want you to be limited, like you were with your parents. But... you know... it doesn't mean you can rob a bank or some shit."

When I say that, she finally looks at me. "Your brother is one of the most wanted criminals in the country."

"Touché." I chuckle. She cracks a smile, but quickly wipes it off. "Okay, fine. You can do whatever you want. But you have to expect him to still care in his own way."

"What way?"

Jungkook's way of caring is lowkey. He always makes it seem like it's not a big deal.

"Do you wanna bet?" I ask.