"Ride or Die"
Street Racer, Ara, teams with a famous racing company to earn money for her ill mother.
Since the racing industry is discriminative towards female drivers, she disguises her identity as a male driver known as AJ.
Her rival, Park Jimi...
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"This isn't fair." Ara mumbled, letting herself fall on her mother's couch.
Ara's mother smiled, shaking her head as she fluffed the last of her couch pillows. "Ara, I just fluffed them."
"Sorry." Ara mumbled under her breath although she couldn't care less about her mother's pillows.
"Sunshine," Dani sighs, falling on the couch next to her. "I don't want bad vibes in my home."
"This isn't your home." Ara pouted, taking her mother's hands in hers. "Your home is with me. I don't understand why you insist on living here."
Ara lazily scanned the condo her mother had moved into. It was a new, elegant building in the city, a bit further than where she lived.
"Ara, I can't live with you forever-"
"Why not?" Ara fell into her mother's arms, hugging her tightly while she tried holding back the tears in her eyes.
Dani laughed, patting her daughter's head gently. "Baby, you have your life to live. You've always looked out for me and I love you, but I don't want you to worry about me any more. It's been a week since I've been cleared and I'm ready to live my life too. Please understand that I've seen nothing but the pale hospital walls. I want to explore the world, Ara. I bought the condo because I plan on traveling soon."
Tears streamed down Ara's fluffy cheeks, staining her mother's t-shirt. Dani simply stroked her head, rocking her daughter in her arms like she did when Ara was just a baby.
Dani knew her daughter's pain came from something behind her understanding. She knew it had to do with Jimin, and the more Ara sobbed, the quicker Dani put the pieces together.
"It's all going to be alright, my love."
But it wasn't.
Jimin had broke up with her just days prior to her mother telling her she was leaving to travel the world.
Ara felt like her world had been destroyed as quick as a snap of fingers.
Ara felt selfish and undeserving of love.
Anyone's love.
What's wrong with me?
Her father left her. Her 'friends' left her when she lost her money. Jimin left her. And now her mother.
Would Namjoon leave her when he finds out Jimin knows her secret?
Would she be left without a job again?
What is wrong with me?
\\
Ara was locked in Namjoon's arms. They encircled her into a hug that sent a wave of warmth through her body. She hadn't felt this secure in days since Jimin.
Despite trying to keep the title as 'boss', Namjoon always put his friendship with Ara first. He always met her as a friend first rather than a boss or her superior.
"I'm sorry." She sobbed into his chest. "They know. They know about me."
"Who?" Namjoon asked softly while his hand rubbed up and down her back for comfort.
"Yoongi, Taehyung," Ara sobbed, her heart shuttering a bit more. "Jimin."
Namjoon sighed, holding the crying girl tighter. He knew about Ara's secret relationship with Jimin. A certain bunny-toothed male was terrible at keeping secrets from his favorite person in the world.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, understanding that she was probably heart broken for she never approached them with her problems.
"Why a-are you s-sorry?" She sobbed, pulling away from Namjoon as she wiped her tears away.
"I know about you and Jimin." Namjoon chuckled softly when Ara's eyes widened in surprise.
"The rabbit." She mumbled under her breath, but Namjoon caught it and laughed. "Anyway, I'm sorry, Namjoon. I understand if you're gonna fire me-"
Namjoon shook his head with a knowing smile his lips. "I would never. You're my star, and I always planned on revealing your identity to the public once we approached the championship."
Ara sniffled, pulling away from Namjoon unbelievingly. "What do you mean?"
"It's why people haven't questioned your identity behind the helmet. I promised I'd reveal you to the public once you felt comfortable."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Namjoon nodded. "So whenever you feel you're ready, you can tell people who A-"
"Ara?"
The drumming of Ara's heart quickened and heat rose to her cheeks and ears at the sound of a soft, disbelieving voice that was too beautiful to forget.
Turning cautiously in Namjoon's arms, Ara's breath became heavy as she wasn't sure if her heart could take another hit.
Her reddened eyes landed on the broad shouldered man clad in white attire. The dark orbs of his eyes were twinkling with joy and disbelief and lips pulled upward into a smile like a pretty, pink bow.
"Wh-"
Ara's legs felt weak as she could barely run into his protective arms, but he held her in his arms as he took the burden off her weak body.
He was her strength when she had none.
Ara wept into his shoulder, legs dangling off the floor before she wrapped them around his torso with the strength she had left.
"Am I dreaming?" She sobbed, trying her hardest to catch her breath but her chest heaved uncontrollably.
