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

2. Jungkook

Five minutes to five, I walk through the door of a prestigious karaoke place. The hall is empty, except for that one person I'm here for, sprawled on the throne-looking chair behind the counter. Yeeun, with her legs on the counter, plays games on her phone. She's been working here for a while, because we're both saving up for an apartment to move together. I already have a lot to give back to my fabulous friend Hoseok, and to Seokjin, both of whom agreed to 'give me a loan' for the Maserati.

Lucky her, Yeeun snatched all the early shifts, with no more than two customers to tend to, and she still gets paid like a queen. I was not born for labor, Jungkook, she said, and I can totally see it. Which, I'm fine with. Had the money been crazy at the store, I could be the only one working.

But it's not, and I'm in debt, so now we're here.

I lean my arms on the counter. "You're about to get fired."

She hums, eyes trained on the phone. "Wrong. I'm about to win a race."

I watch her, laughing to myself when she moves her whole body along with the phone. "Is fancy-pants here already?"

"Not yet," she says. "Have you brought the Mercedes?"

"I have. Where do you wanna go?"

"Daegu?"

"Okay, Daegu. I bet it can go 270 per hour."

"I think it's 250."

"We're about to see."

The door slides behind me. Yeeun, not taking her eyes off the phone, grins. I sigh, a bit dramatic, and turn around. "If this isn't my favorite person in the world."

Yeeun's boss, a walking pain in the ass our age, rolls his eyes. "Oh, please. Don't flatter me, Jeon Jungkook."

Fucking Jeonsu. He looks like he's been born for this place – fancy. But it's not what bothers me about him. What doesn't sit right with me is that he likes my girlfriend. He likes her too much. And he thinks it's absolutely fine.

Which is not fine, because, one, she's my girlfriend, and two, we've been dating for three months. That's way too early for me to be crazy jealous and for other guys to be hitting on her.

"Hey, Yeeun," he says. "You look beautiful today."

I don't have anything against compliments for her. Give her all of them, yes. And she does look beautiful, of course. She's the prettiest. She dyed her hair black a few weeks ago. In a soft pink blouse and black high waisted slacks (I've learned that word recently), she looks almost as fancy as this place.

I do, however, have something against his intentions behind those compliments. Because he told me, straight to my face, he's about to 'pursue her'. Come on...

In my twenty five years, I haven't heard a single person say they are going to pursue someone. Let alone some rich stuck up asshole relating to my girlfriend.

"Let's go," I say. "Before I lose patience and say something really mean."

Yeeun chuckles, slipping her legs to the ground. No, he doesn't tell her anything about the fact she's, objectively, the worst employee ever.

"I don't know what you see in him." Jeonsu crosses his arms on his chest. "A clear example of the most primitive man."

I scoff. "Because I can punch you in the face for actively flirting with my girlfriend?"

"Because violence is your only solution to everything. This, among many other things."

I'm already rolling my sleeves, maybe to scare him a bit, but Yeeun takes it in her hands, tightening her fingers on his hair to press his face into the counter. I pause. He chokes out a surprised sound.