hiraeth > EN || JAYWON

chapter 1 - a serendipitous rendezvous

As the sounds of motorbikes roared through the air and the stadium lights illuminated the thrilling night, numerous individuals cheered passionately as if their lives relied on it. Well, in a way, they did. Their lives, or rather their financial stakes, were contingent upon the outcome of the race.

The stadium was filled with people, with some of them outside and others in the hallways engaging in illegal activities such as drug use and sexual encounters. This was a world where illegal individuals were striving to become legal. Each night had a designated racing theme, and on this particular night, it was a motorbike race.

"Jay, you better win this shit!"

The crowd cheered from the stadium as the gentleman calmly emerged, illuminated by the lights, displaying a neutral and disinterested demeanor. He held his helmet delicately between his arm and waist, casually running his hand through his hair as he gracefully made his way towards his awaiting motorbike, prepared for the upcoming race.

The gentleman known as Jay was dressed in a stylish cropped leather jacket, with the sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows. Beneath the jacket, he wore a black button-down shirt with a few buttons undone, revealing a tasteful glimpse of his chest. The shirt was smartly tucked into his black pants, which were secured by a sleek black and silver belt. Completing his ensemble, Jay adorned himself with a selection of earrings, silver necklaces, and rings.

There were numerous individuals cheering him on, with many of them enthusiastically calling out his name, inviting him to join them for some enjoyment after the race.

Jay respectfully chose to disregard their requests as he prepared to begin. He calmly took a moment to inhale deeply and proceeded to don his helmet. Retrieving the black gloves from his pockets, he proceeded to put them on.

Before starting the race, he confidently stretched his body and then leaned forward to grab both of the grips, preparing himself to drive off.

His five friends were observing him from the sidelines. Jay was undoubtedly well-liked, just like his friends. Their popularity stemmed from consistently emerging victorious in every race they had participated in, which led the audience to confidently bet their money on them.

Despite only experiencing the thrill of the race when wagering their money on the six boys, the audiences were irresistibly captivated by watching their performance. They sought the gratification of witnessing the expressions of those who underestimated the abilities of these young individuals.

"Remember the deal, Jay. Yeonjun's going to have a party if you win." Heeseung expressed his desire, which caused Jay to react with a slight eye roll. Although he initially didn't plan on having a race tonight, his friends persistently urged him to race against Beomgyu, leaving him with no alternative but to reluctantly agree.

"Yeah, I don't give a fuck. I'm doing this because you all looked pathetic, begging for me to run this race." Jay scoffed, disdainfully adjusted his gloves, while Sunghoon simply laughed in amusement at his friend's remark.

"Jay, I know you need this race." Sunghoon commented as he approached the said male, gently patting his shoulder. "I know that you may be seeking some distractions following yesterday's events." Upon hearing this, Jay turned to Sunghoon, his expression difficult to decipher, and remained silent.

"Where the hell is Ni-ki? I've been trying to reach out to him-" Sunoo's concerns were interrupted when he noticed the sound of throats being cleared in the vast radios surrounding the stadium, which caused a slight twitch in his eyes.