ridin | na jaemin

chapter nineteen

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As Minjeong suggested, the two started drifting together. Jaemin decided that it'd be better if they practiced together than if they just raced against each other, and Minjeong agreed. So, as soon as Minjeong's car had the modifications she claimed she couldn't drive without, the two went to the Neo track together.

"You're not bad," Jaemin noted as Minjeong got out of her car.

"Of course I'm not bad," Minjeong scoffed as she threw her car keys to him, "I'm the dead man's zone record holder. Did you expect less?"

"No," he replied and sat in the red Ford Mustang, Minjeong's dream car and the one she bought a few weeks ago.

It was his turn, and as much as he wanted to impress his girlfriend, Jaemin knew he had nothing to worry about. Because he was already on her level. They ended up racing in each other's cars later that night, not in an official race, the two just wanted to practice together.

"You know, you are good in the zone." Minjeong high-fived the boy once they parked the cars in front of her apartment building.

"Did you expect less?" Jaemin mocked which only got him a smack on the forearm.

"You're absurd," Minjeong chuckled as he flipped her off. She ended up chasing him to the elevator door, and just as she was about to enter after him, he pressed the button for the twentieth floor and for the doors to close, which left her no other choice but to wait for the second one to come down.

"Do you have anything?" Jaemin asked as he roamed through Minjeong's kitchen cabinets. It was already close to midnight, and neither of them had the energy to go to a convenience store to get something, even if it was just behind the corner.

"There should be instant ramen somewhere," she answered from the living room hovered over her physics book. She was too immersed in the book's content to see or acknowledge Jaemin who came with two bowls of instant ramen. Only when the boy tapped her on the shoulder did she look up and see the bowl in front of her.

"Thanks," Minjeong smiled at the boy who just returned the favor as he slurped the noodles.

"Do you have a colloquium soon?" Jaemin asked.

"Yes. There's not much on it, but I still need a passing grade. You don't have one?" Minjeong questioned, "I mean, the spring semester started three weeks ago, it's the colloquium season."

"I have a practical soon, but I don't have to study for it," Jaemin replied. Since he was a medicine major, he had a fair amount of practical exams, and at the end of the year, they'd all add up to fifty percent of his grade.

"There is a race tomorrow, I'm planning on asking Taeyong if he could put me in," Jaemin said after a while, "There's a lot of money in it."

"Money's all you're aiming for?" Minjeong questioned as she looked up at him. She switched her position from the couch to the carpet a while ago after she was done eating.

"No, but there isn't much I can do here. I'm number one, all I can try to do is beat your record of the dead man's zone, but then you would have the number one title in nothing." Jaemin joked around.

"Is the race one-on-one or is it open?" Minjeong asked, deciding to ignore his comment.

"I think it's an open race, but there are already five people in. The maximum is six for tomorrow because it's Saturday." Jaemin replied, "Do you want to race tomorrow?"

"Not really. I'll come to watch you, but I didn't fully modify the car yet. The last parts came in a few days ago, so I'll leave the car at Yuta's on Sunday," Minjeong explained while switching positions ever so slightly, "I was thinking of changing the engine, but I have to race with this one first and see if there's any need."

"Do you have any plans on Monday?" Jaemin asked before Minjeong continued studying.

"Other than uni?" the boy nodded, "I don't think so. Why? Do you want to take me out?"

"Maybe," Jaemin wanted to keep up the mysterious act, but Minjeong could read right through him and rolled her eyes, "Yes, I want to take you out."

"Great. let's go to the movies then. I heard from Jimin that Dune came out, are you down for that?" Minjeong asked.

"Sure. I'll pick you up after uni then." Jaemin smiled.

"Deal," Minjeong fist-bumped him before continuing, "And then we go to the track and practice the dead man's zone."

"I swear it's like you can read my mind." Jaemin chuckled.

"If I could read your mind, I would've already taken the first place from you." Minjeong smiled and continued studying as Jaemin sat behind her on the couch and played with her blonde hair, reminding himself that they had the same hair color, which only made him happier.

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