"Jiwon," came the voice, and she turned around, knowing exactly who it belonged to. Holding Jungwon's hand tighter, she walked towards Ni-ki, with Jungwon following closely behind.
Ni-ki hesitated before speaking, "Jungwon, Jake is looking for you for something." Jungwon nodded and left Jiwon with Ni-Ki.
"Liar," Jiwon whispered as Ni-Ki chuckled. "So, why did you call?" she asked with a smile. "Brace yourself for this one," Ni-ki said before taking a deep breath and delivering the news, "James is playing against Jungwon today." Jiwon's smile vanished.
Knowing exactly which James Ni-ki was talking about, she panicked slightly. "James from Canada? And street racing? Since when?" she asked, frustrated. "New for me too, looks like he joined after knowing Jungwon does it too." Ni-ki replied.
"How does he know about Jungwon street racing?!" Jiwon exclaimed, growing more anxious.
"I don't know about that but what i know for sure is that James will kill Jungwon to win." Ni-ki replied swiftly. Jiwon took a deep breath and asked when Ni-ki found out. "Just now," he answered.
"Let's hope Jungwon doesn't find out it's the same James," Jiwon said, worrying. Confused, Ni-ki asked, "Jungwon knows about James?" Jiwon explained that he had read the love letter James sent her.
"So, how did your boyfriend react?" Ni-ki teased. Jiwon rolled her eyes and replied, "None of your business, Nishimura." Ni-ki gasped, playfully shocked, before pointing out, "You didn't deny he was your boyfriend." Caught off guard, Jiwon stuttered, her words barely audible.
⋆
"Ni-Ki, Jake said he didn't call me," Jungwon stated, waiting for Ni-Ki's explanation. "He did," Ni-ki affirmed.
"I didn't," Jake interjected, but Ni-ki shot him a glare, prompting Jake to admit, "Actually, yeah, I did," with an awkward chuckle. "I was gonna ask if you are ready for today's match," Jake quickly directed, nervously smiling towards Ni-Ki. Jiwon, observing this exchange, silently chuckled to herself.
"What's happening?" a confused Sunoo walked in with his mint choco ice cream. "Nothing," Jiwon replied.
"Jiwon," Someone approached and hugged her from behind, causing everyone to stop and look. "J-James," Jiwon stuttered, recognizing the voice. She awkwardly slipped out of the hug and offered a smile.
"You never replied to the letter, not even a call," James said in a serious tone, his smile not reaching his eyes. Just then, Ni-Ki intervened, pushing Jiwon aside. "James, how are you, bro?" Ni-Ki greeted, embracing him.
James, taken aback, reciprocated the hug with a fake smile. "I'm good, you Riki?" he replied. "I was doing good," Ni-Ki retorted sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Jiwon.
Spotting Jungwon in the distance, James walked over, smirking. "Jungwon?" he addressed, extending his hand for a handshake.
"James," Jungwon accepted the handshake, returning the smirk. Jiwon and Ni-Ki exchanged knowing glances, anticipating the tension. As James tightened his grip, Jungwon maintained his composure, offering a small smile.
"Good luck at today's match, you'll need it," Jungwon remarked with a fake smile. James didn't bother responding and turned back to Jiwon, opening his arms for a hug. "Bro, she has a boyfriend, please respect that," Ni-Ki intervened, stepping between them.
James's eyes widened in shock at the revelation. He looked to Jiwon for confirmation, but before he could react, Jungwon approached and kissed Jiwon on the cheek while embracing her. Sunoo dropped his mint choco ice cream in surprise upon hearing the news.
James shot Jungwon a glare and whispered a 'you.are.dead' before storming off, leaving behind an air of tension
'You.are.dead not me buddy' Jungwon whispered back.
The engines roared to life as Jungwon and James revved their cars, the tension palpable in the air. Spectators lined the streets, their cheers and excitement adding to the adrenaline-fueled atmosphere. The neon lights of the city cast an otherworldly glow on the scene, illuminating the asphalt below.
Jungwon gripped the steering wheel tightly, his focus unwavering as he glanced over at James, who sat confidently in his own vehicle, a smirk playing on his lips. They exchanged a silent challenge, their rivalry evident in the way their eyes locked.
With a final nod, they both shifted into gear, and the race began.
The cars shot forward with a burst of speed, tires screeching against the pavement as they jostled for position. The neon-lit streets blurred past them, a kaleidoscope of colours and lights.
Jungwon and James navigated through the twists and turns of the city with precision.
James looked towards Jungwon slightly stressed. Jungwon looked back with a smirk, not even panicking about losing. They pushed their cars to the limit, the engines roaring as they raced towards the finish line.
The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices blending into a cacophony of sound as the two rivals neared the end of the race. Neck and neck, they fought for supremacy, neither willing to back down.
In the final stretch, Jungwon surged ahead, his car slicing through the air like a bullet. With a burst of speed, he crossed the finish line, victorious.
Jungwon looked towards James after getting out of the car. Going towards James for a handshake and whispered "I won both the girl and the race" and winked before leaving to give Jiwon a hug.
"Let's head over to my place for a sleepover," Jungwon suggested, and everyone nodded in agreement. "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up," Ni-Ki interjected, allowing the others to leave before turning back to talk to James.
"Stay away from Jiwon. She was never yours, and she will never be," Ni-Ki warned James sternly before walking away, leaving James seething with anger and humiliation. Clenching his fists, his jaw tight with frustration, James watched Ni-Ki's departure.
Despite his wounded pride, James begrudgingly acknowledged that Ni-Ki was right. Deep down, he knew that Jiwon had never belonged to him, despite his relentless attempts to win her affections.
"Ni-Ki, can you take Jiwon in your car? The guys are drunk, and your car only has two seats," Jungwon asked, hoping for a yes. Ni-Ki smiled slightly and whispered his agreement.
The car ride was tense and awkward, at least from Ni-Ki's perspective. "How's life?" he asked, attempting to break the tension.
"Much better, I guess. And you?" Jiwon responded, trying to keep the conversation going.
"I don't know. I missed you, so I came here, but I also miss everyone I left back in the US," Ni-Ki admitted, stuttering a bit. He was worried that Jiwon might be upset with his reasons, but she just laughed.
"So, you really loved me so much that you were willing to move to a country you've never even stepped foot in before?" Jiwon asked jokingly.
"You were the first person in my life to make me feel worthy, so why not?" Ni-Ki replied with a smile, looking at Jiwon.
"Besides me, was there another reason you came? There must've been," Jiwon pressed, noticing Ni-Ki's hesitation. When he nodded no, her smile faltered. "Why?" she asked, her happiness tinged with tears, touched by his continued care.
"I just wanted to see you smile again, the same way you did nine years ago," Ni-Ki said, causing Jiwon to smile through her tears.
"For me home is everywhere you are Ji." Ni-Ki whispered.
OOP, I wonder what is going on between Ni-Ki and Jiwon.