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

9. Taehyung

Moping at some point would drive me insane, so the next day from the unfortunate meeting with my father and a hell of a brother, I go to work. Despite everything, digging in cars has always been my favorite thing to do. Useless or not, at least I'll enjoy myself while I'm trying to work it all out. I won't leave until the Japan Race, anyways.

Maybe it will work itself out without my help. I don't know, some miracle. Those happen sometimes, right? What do I have to do to earn one? Is it even earned? Deserved? Completely random?

A few hours in, I leave the car I'm working on, letting the old oil drain, and take a coffee break. I got a large one in the morning, still haven't finished it. It's got cold by now, which is my favorite kind of coffee. The day is really slow. Probably because for the most part I'm stuck in my head. I don't think one can ever get used to overthinking. No matter how long it goes on, it's always uncomfortable.

I hear a car pull up outside, probably a client.

I down the last two sips of coffee, followed by quick sips of water, and head out. I almost step outside, but I bump into someone, throwing my arms around them before anyone falls. When I realize it's Wooshik, and I hold him really tight against me, I stop breathing for a moment.

"What a nice greeting," he says, smiling.

"Hey."

"Hey," he says, and my lips curve on their own. I let go, even though all I can think about is how nice he smells. As we walk inside, he asks, "What are you working on?"

"Oil exchange," I say, pointing at the 2002 Audi.

"Old car." He watches it. "Who drives that?"

"Some girl from college. She doesn't have anyone to help her with the car."

"That's unlucky. People like that always go broke because of their cars," he says, taking a seat on the cleaner part of the counter.

"Yeah, that's why I don't charge her much," I say, leaning against the car. His presence here is so much different than anyone else's. I feel like I could fully let him in. Not only physically. I could tell him about this place, about cars, about my work, about my racing. "Half of what I'd take from a grown up man."

"Really?"

"It's my place. How much money I take depends on who comes to me. I'm not gonna take thousands for oil exchange from an eighteen year old girl."

"Now I know why they praise you so much." He's got that funny smile on his face, one that makes me weirdly shy.

"I just think it's insensitive to charge three times as much because someone has no idea of knowing they are overpaying."

"One guy back in Daegu always tries to charge a million won for fixing a flat tire."

"There is a mechanic on the other side of the city doing the same shit."

"That's why you're the only one people love to come to."

"I just do my thing," I say.

"You love it, don't you?"

I glance back at the car, nodding before I know I want to admit he's right. "I've been doing this for ten years. It's my favorite thing to do."

He leans against the wall, relaxed. "It's cool, you know? All of that fits you."

"You think so?" I smile, slowly slipping back to work. I don't mind him watching. Even less now, knowing what he thinks about it. "I think I'd make a hot surgeon." I don't really think so. I'm just curious.

Wooshik snorts. "Hot? Yes. Surgeon, I'm not so sure."

"Why not?"

"I don't know." He's smiling. All the time. And I'm supposed to focus on work, somehow. "I haven't known you for a long time, but I can't imagine you doing anything else. Which is why you're really cool. A lot of people have no idea what they are doing. What their thing is. You do, right?"