DANCE WITH THE DEVIL

CHAPTER 4

The crowd roared as the final lap ended, the champion's name echoing through the stadium. The racetrack was a chaotic mess, littered with debris and injured racers. Yet, the excitement of the moment overshadowed the chaos.

"I can't see Jeno!" Areum exclaimed, her voice lost in the crowd as Renjun dragged her through the throng. The heat and the relentless pushing were suffocating, and she felt a growing sense of panic.

A wave of people surged towards them, separating Areum from her friends. She panicked, her mind racing as she tried to find her bearings. Lost in the crowd, she pushed through the masses, following the flow of people until she reached a less crowded area near a back exit.

Pulling out her phone, she quickly texted Renjun and Jeno, but before she could hit send, a familiar figure caught her eye. The same raven hair, piercing eyes, and handsome face.

"Jaemin?" she called out.

He turned, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Areum? What are you doing here?"

"I was trying to find you," she replied, a bit breathless. "Congratulations on the win."

Jaemin nodded, his gaze scanning the crowd. "Are you lost?"

"Yes, a bit," she admitted. "I should probably call my brother, but he doesn't know I'm here."

"You should," Jaemin suggested. "Is your brother the one who told you about the race?"

"Yeah, he thought I might be interested," Areum lied. "So, you're a racer, huh? Pretty good."

"It was a fluke," Jaemin shrugged. "Didn't know you were into racing."

"Not really," Areum admitted. "I just wanted to see if you were actually competing."

"You're pretty straightforward," Jaemin commented.

"I like to be direct," Areum replied, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You left a good impression the last time we met."

"Did you now?" Jaemin raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

"Oh, I am," Areum insisted. "I think I might like you."

"Do you?" Jaemin's voice was low and husky. "You should think carefully about that, chérie. I'm not the kind of person you want to like."

"We'll see about that," Areum replied, stepping closer and meeting his gaze. "Now, stop looking at my lips like that," she teased, leaning in and kissing him.

The kiss deepened, and Jaemin instinctively pulled her closer. They were lost in the moment, oblivious to the world around them.

"Your friends are looking for you," Jaemin whispered, breaking away from the kiss. "They might call your brother if they think you're missing."

"Don't involve Marcus in this," Areum groaned.

"Go on," Jaemin said, smiling. "I'll see you around."

"Maybe," Areum replied, kissing him one last time before stepping away. As she walked towards her friends, she caught Jeno's eye, and a knowing smile spread across her face.

Trouble. More trouble. She knew this was a bad idea, but she couldn't resist the temptation.