Partners in Speed - ver.2 (also Street Racers #2)

13. Taehyung

"It's been a while, huh?"

It's been ten years, on and off. Yoongi lurked around, as if to check up on me, but we never really talked after they kicked him out. As soon as he told me we should stay away from each other, for my own safety, I kind of pushed him out of my mind and memory, for a peace of mind. It was easier to deal with his disappearance when I convinced myself he'd never existed.

That was back then. As I grew older, I was more aware of the fact that I had another brother. I accepted he was not around. I had no choice.

"I know I said to keep it a secret, but we might have to work together. It's... gonna be handy if they know they can trust me," he says.

I swing back on the chair, smoking a cigarette. He even gave me an ashtray. "You know... them and me... aren't really on the best terms nowadays."

"Yeah, I've seen your last fight with Jungkook."

I frown. How did everyone, including Yoongi, see this fight?

"I was at the race. I had to spy a bit," he says. "If he didn't care, he wouldn't fight."

"He doesn't care," I mumble. I thought I'd go about it ignoring Jungkook, yet here we are.

"Give it time and you'll see he does," Yoongi says.

The stupid thing is that even after what Jungkook said last night, I want Yoongi to be right. I want this fight to be forgiven and forgotten. I want things to be better. If there was a chance...

"They kicked you out?" he asks.

"Yeah. Three months ago." I tap the ash off into the glass ashtray. "If you can call it like that. I was paying to live there for years."

"What made them?" he asks, after a moment of silence.

"How much do you know about me and my life?"

"I checked up on you, but I didn't stalk you. I don't know as much as you think I do."

"Things got progressively worse," I say. "They were taking my money, I was fighting them for it. They were being rude, I was acting like I didn't care. Three months ago... we had another fight about money. Hyun... made it all worse... telling them about my relationship from high school."

"They kicked you out because of-"

"With a guy. He saw me with a guy and he told them. That's what... pushed it."

He's looking at me when I finally raise my head.

"You look murderous," I say.

"Because I want to kill them, Taehyung."

I huff. "Don't bother. Let them be miserable."

"The best you can do is ignore everything they've ever told you. And do your thing like they've never existed."

Do your thing like they've never existed...

I've always done my thing, highly aware of how much they hated me for it. Yoongi... Yoongi always did his own thing, yet he never seemed to care that much.

"Are you happy?" I ask.

"As weird as it sounds with my lifestyle, yes. I'm happy. And on the right track."

He said it so easily...

"I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. It must have been hard," he adds.

It was hell. When Yoongi was around, our parents weren't as horrible to me. When Yoongi was around, Hyun was scared to bother me. I cried for a month straight, every night, after they kicked him out.