Roadkill - catnipz

Chapter 2 - Blood slick soles

Sakura hums. "Yeah. She might've picked up that racing isn't exactly your thing, since you chose to spectate rather than participate tonight. She could have something else lined up for you," she cuts herself off again with a sigh. "Or, she could have absolutely nothing planned and we're just over complicating things. She really told you nothing?"

"Not a word," Haerin confirms. "Just that I've to meet someone who'll pick me up at ten at the place where the race was held," she rattles off the instructions Minji had given her in the bar, having engrained them into her mind out of fear of forgetting them.

"Well... whatever it is... air on the side of caution, Haerin. Keep safe,"

"I will,"

"And thank you for updating so quickly. Just remember, not too often, alright?"

"I won't,"

"And please be careful with whatever she pulls on you tomorrow. Use your initiative, you'll be able to move around it should she throw something too crazy at you,"

"Okay mom," Haerin keeps her tone lighthearted to let Sakura know she's not all that serious.

"I'm a worrier, alright," Sakura jokes, but it comes out a little bitter, a little dry. "After what happened to the last girl..." she trails off, and the silence becomes a little thick, a little unbreathable.

"Look, it's getting late," Haerin shatters the quiet before it can prolong any further. "I should probably rest up to prepare for... whatever,"

"Yes," Sakura answers hurriedly. "Yes, you're right, you should rest up. There's nothing else worth reporting though, just before you go?"

Haerin purses her lips, thinking. "No, not that I can think of,"

"Well then, get a good sleep before tomorrow. I'll see you...." her sentence fades out, before she laughs softly. "Well, not soon. But I'll talk to you whenever,"

Haerin tries her best to contain a yawn. "You too," she replies. "Don't work too hard,"

Sakura scoffs. "Tell that to the super," Haerin can practically hear her rolling her eyes. "Look, don't worry about me, you just focus on the task at hand,"

"Mmh. Alright,"

"Goodnight, Haerin-ah,"

"Goodnight, unnie,"

---

It's Kazuha who's the one that picks Haerin up.

She's waiting for a while actually, Haerin, in the cold and in the dark, bang on ten o'clock like Minji had asked of her. She rubs her palms together, cursing herself for not bringing gloves, her breath puffing past her lips as frosty, wispy clouds of condensation. It's just about reached ten past, and she's starting to wonder if anyone's going to come at all, before she hears the soft sound of an engine revving in the distance.

It takes her a moment, but she manages to identify Kazuha in the driver's seat once she pulls up by the curb next to her. The car is unlike the ones at the race the previous night, beat up and dented. This one is sleek, gleaming like it was just bought brand new, a deep purple in color with all the windows dimmed bar for the driver's. However, Kazuha rolls it down regardless, and flashes her a grin.

"Sorry for the delay," she says it like they're old friends, and they're on their way to grab a pizza rather than to... well, whatever Minji has set up. "Shit came up. You gonna get in or just stand there?"

Smiling sheepishly, Haerin complies, rounding the front of the car to clamber in the passenger side. The interior of the car is just as lavish and as showy as its exterior; smooth leather seats with that new-car smell, the control panel lit up red in order to be visible in the dark. There aren't any backseats, and the roof is low, so Haerin has to duck a considerable amount in order to be able to get inside, and she isn't even that tall. It's comfortable, she can't deny, finding herself practically melting into the seat.