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

30. Yeeun

Yoongi watches me from the other side of the table. I don't yet make a point of how nice it smells here now . Or about the fact that he listened to me and cleaned (or at least had it cleaned).

I've told him what happened at the race earlier. Then I proceed to my idea.

"We're racers. He's not."

He gives a nod. "Yes."

"We're planning to catch him off guard anyways," I say, leaning against the table. He's sitting on the chair in front of me. This has become our staple set-up. "But if we do it while everyone is driving, we're gonna have an upper hand."

He makes this face he always does when he's considering something. Or when he's thinking something through.

"He might escape," Yoongi says. "And then all of you would have to hide."

"Then we'll hide. He might escape on foot, too. And, when we're driving, it won't be easy for him to call for back-up. Not many people can match us when we're in the cars."

"That's true." He thrums his fingers against his knee.

Jimin might be cunning and smart, but he's not a racer. He needs a racer.

"It's dangerous," Yoongi says, but he doesn't seem convinced. "But again, it's dangerous either way." He crosses his arms on his chest. "Fuck, you're right. See? That's why everyone wants you."

I smile proudly. "I'm irresistible, I know."

Yoongi looks at a whiteboard beside him. He analyzes something.

"As soon as he's got no more than two allies," he says. "One independent and one gang. That would be... around eight people we really have to worry about. And you're right, they won't give him immediate back-up on the road. The cops might be a problem. They are supposed to catch him, but not the rest."

"Me, Jungkook and Taehyung certainly know how to escape. You'd be with one of us, right? So you're safe, too." I've never been as confident in my ideas as I am now. I've never felt as genius, to be honest. "We could do this, Yoongi. We can frame him and all be free."

He nods. "I'm still gonna have back up. Some of my people. Maybe I could convince some of Jimin's old allies."

"You said you don't want them back."

"Not any of those he stole from me. With most of them, I'm on neutral ground now. I have shit on them, and they don't wanna be fucked, so we're good. But some of those who were never associated with me before. I can pull them onto our side, give them some benefits."

"What benefits?"

"Money, mostly. Clear their debts here and there. Give them contacts. All sorts of shit I have access to."

My lips curve. "Let's get to the plan, then."

Yoongi fake-sniffles, looking nostalgically into the distance. "They learn so fast."

🏁

It's unusually loud in Jungkook's apartment when I get back from Yoongi's. It's midnight, and I've heard them two floors below. I make my way in quietly, curious.

I glance into the living room where four of them – Jungkook, Hoseok, Taehyung and Wooshik – are somehow stuffed on the couch, watching this horrible dinosaur movie.

They are all laughing. It's so heartwarming.

Jungkook notices me first. Then the rest of them.

"I can't believe you're bonding over the worst movie in the history of cinema." I stand behind the couch, looking at the screen with them.

"You hate on it but I bet you have a favorite dinosaur," Wooshik says.

"I'm not hating on dinosaurs. Dilophosaurus is my favorite."

"You actually know the names of dinosaurs?"

"All of them," Jungkook says. "Hoseok, on the other hand, can never pronounce any."

"They are fucked up," Hoseok says, shaking his head.

"I only know Triceratops," Taehyung says.

"Pterodactyl, too," Jungkook adds.

"And tyrannosaurus," says Wooshik. "But don't ask me to write that down."

"We'll sign you up for a Dinosaur Spelling Bee as soon as there is one," I say, ruffling his hair.

"Wooshik versus Hoseok." Jungkook laughs. He shows me to sit with them. "Finish the movie with us. You don't even remember how cool it is."

"We can watch accurate dinosaur documents afterwards," Taehyung says.

"These are disgusting," I say, finding a spot on Jungkook's lap. "Especially when the dinosaurs haunt."

"Okay, then we'll play a game instead," Jungkook says. "The attendance is perfect for spin the bottle."

"I don't wanna play spin the bottle with you," Hoseok says.

"Why not?" Taehyung asks.

"Last time we played at a party when I was in college, he asked me so many fucked up questions I had to keep drinking. I threw up on someone's shoes. And then this motherfucker dared me to kiss someone."

Jungkook is laughing. "I loved your college parties, man."

"I wanna play," Wooshik says.

"I never have," Taehyung says.

"You did," Jungkook says. "We played once at a practice for a school play."

"Wait. I heard about a recital, but a school play?" Wooshik asks.

"Not one, but multiple," I say. "Why were you even taking part in so many?"

"I was on a quest to get a better role," Taehyung says.

"I had an excuse not to take up all this shit my parents wanted me to do," Jungkook says. It's the first time I heard him say something like that, about his parents, openly.

I lean more into him and accidentally get hooked on the rest of the movie. And despite this awful sight on the TV, it's so nice. The five of us. I think it's mostly Taehyung and Wooshik's doing. I've spent a lot of time with Hoseok and Jungkook, but it felt like friends hanging out. This... this feels a whole lot like a family.

For the last few minutes of the movie everyone is quiet. I use a moment to look at Taehyung and Wooshik. They are holding hands. I can't help smiling. Taehyung seems so comfortable being himself around us, and it's such a huge difference to all those years before.

It's good to know everything can get better.