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

31. Park Jimin

Breaking them apart must come first if I want them all gone, one by one. I didn't anticipate Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook growing close. I didn't anticipate them caring and showing signs of protectiveness about one another. Maybe I even underestimated those I am ultimately not interested in.

It's not a problem, just a small inconvenience. It's taking more time than I gave myself for it. But I know just the right spots to hit, to disarm them and leave them so fragile, so broken they won't have an ounce of strength to fight for her.

On a Thursday evening, when I know the mother is with her friends and the father is wasting 'his' cash away, gambling, I ring the doorbell.

The one I expected opens. Kim Hyun. It's incredible that they both have the same eyes. It's like I'm looking at Min Yoongi all over again.

"Can I help you with something?" he asks.

"Yes, actually," I say, reaching my hand out. He takes it, and I grip a bit tighter. "This meeting will stay between us, alright?"

He tries to break free, expression tight and careful. "Who are you?"

I push him backwards until we're inside the house. Closing the door, I let go. "Listen to me," I say, taking the gun out. He starts freaking out, like they all do, so I put my hand on his shoulder. "I know your brothers, don't worry."

"I- I have one brother."

"Are you brainwashed or are you lying?" No, not enough time for this. "Alright. It doesn't matter. Whoever you consider your brother, I know him. I'm here because of him. A little bit of research let me know you're in need of big money, is it true?"

"Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter," I say. "What matters is that your father is out there, wasting this money away. And you can go fight him about it, or I can give you all the money you need. To pay for college, to pay off debts,, to give back whatever you've borrowed. Just name your price and it's yours."

"What do you want for that?"

And he's hooked.

"Something very simple. You already know how to do it. You've been doing this for a long time."

"What is it?" he presses. The desperation to get the money is so strong I can almost feel it myself.

"I need you to go and have fun with your brother, like you've always been doing."

"How- how do you know so much about me?"

"It doesn't matter, really. I'm giving you an opportunity to be a little shit to your brother again, but this time paid. Why are you hesitating?"

"Because it's sketchy? Some guy with a gun comes here out of nowhere, knows my life story and offers me money? I'm not that stupid."

That makes me laugh a bit. I put the gun away and take one of my phones out. I don't have that much time.

"How much money do you need?" I ask.

"What?"

I look at him like I won't be repeating myself.

He gulps. "500 million won." I thought we'd reach billions, to be honest.

I make a quick call. "Prepare 500 million won in cash for tonight."

Kim Hyun watches me as I hang up.

"I will come here in three hours with the cash," I say. "All I'm asking is for you to fuck his life up. Do we have a deal?"

He takes a moment, but not because of Kim Taehyung. He has no issue with making his life hell. He just doesn't really trust me. It's fine. He will when he sees the cash.

"I have no ill intentions about you," I say. "I'm gonna be completely honest. You're just a tool. That's why you get the money."

"I will agree when I see the money."

"No problem," I say, heading to the door. "Better be home alone in three hours."

He'll agree. One thing solved.

Destroying them separately is easier than trying to break the relationships. Although, it's the relationships that are the actual problem.

Yeeun said Taehyung isn't close to them. Whether she lied or not, it's obvious Taehyung and Jungkook are growing closer. The fight from the last race alone tells me that. They would kill for each other. Situation with Jungkook and Yeeun is quite similar, with a romantic background to make it all more interesting – complicated, too.

Parting Jungkook and Yeeun will be the most difficult. I already know they've always been together, in one way or another. Hurting one of them won't simply push them apart.

Then there is also the problem of Min Yoongi. Brother of Taehyung. They must somehow still be in touch. The heists Taehyung has been in are all Yoongi's. Yoongi might be staying quiet, but I know he's the one behind it. He's the one working his ass off to bring me down.

So Yoongi and Taehyung.

I'm not sure what relationship Jeon Jungkook has with Yoongi. It was Jungkook doing the heists with Taehyung, but for all I know, Jungkook and Yoongi don't like each other.

Neither do Yoongi and Yeeun. He lied to me back then, saying Yeeun betrayed him, but I had a feeling from the start it was all a story he made up. He was the one to betray her. He didn't want her working with me, because he knows just how much more powerful I will get then, so he made up all those lies.

It's okay. Min Yoongi isn't a threat to me. He definitely won't be one when I turn all three of them against him. Yeeun already isn't a fan of him. If I only get her to think of him as the worst bastard of this world, the news will spread. Jungkook and Taehyung will get on board fast.

All I need for him is to leave the hiding. I will have him gone as fast as possible.

"Sir, I've got the report," one of my men says when I walk into the garage. One of the many hideouts around the city.

"I'm listening," I say.

"She's on the move a lot, driving from one place to another. It's either a precaution or she knows something is off because she takes really long and messy routes. She's been at work today, then at home, then her car disappeared, but we couldn't locate her. We lost her on the exit that goes to Busan again, but there were no traces of her on the way. She's back at home now. Most likely will be there until tomorrow morning."

"You can't connect with the car, right?"

"No, this has been unsuccessful. I doubt we'll be able to track it down."

I click my tongue. They keep losing her, but the order was clear – be lowkey – so I can't do much about it. She's too smart for wiretaps or hidden GPS. I've seen her check the car a few times before.

"Fine," I say. "That's enough. Though it would be good if you managed to find out where she goes when she's on a way to Busan."

"Yes, sir," he says. "We're working on it."

Jang Yeeun is going to be mine, and neither of them will stop me. I will do everything to ensure it.