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

16. Taehyung

I guess I'm staying to get in the flow of helping people. It may not be the best way to go about life, but maybe as I help them, I will figure myself out. Find something useful. Useful... valuable, profitable. For others. I don't really think it's about my perception of things.

Halfway through the work day, Jungkook walks through the door of my garage. I'm getting used to not freaking out around him. And it's not the hardest, once I get out of my head. Jungkook has never been... hateful towards me, about anything about me. We fought and bickered a lot, and he always called me an unhinged dick or an asshole, but he's never said the kind of shit my family would.

Maybe that's why I always preferred to spend my time fighting him than in my own house.

"What are you doing?" he asks, standing in front of the opened hood next to me.

"Looking for issues," I say. "I was supposed to fix the brakes but I ended up trading it for another car."

Chevrolet Bell Air that miraculously saved my life last season. Right before I left Seoul, I got it from the same woman, trading it for a better car that wouldn't give up on her.

"How old is that thing?"

"Ages." I chuckle. "For a while no one worked on it. The owner passed away. His wife didn't bother with maintenance."

"Does it at least start?"

"Thankfully."

Jungkook circles the car, watching it. I know he's not here to watch the car.

"You know... I actually wanted to tell you something."

"What is it?" I ask.

"It's okay if you don't wanna get tangled into this shit with Jimin," he says. "It's... probably gonna be a mess. Maybe dangerous."

"Leave it." I wave my hand. "I want to help." For selfish reasons maybe. But I will help them. At least I will feel a bit useful.

I only stayed in this season because of the Japan Race. The race is gone and I am fucked, so I will make up for it. To make it even in my head, at least.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," I say. "And don't ask me the same thing again. I will help anyways."

A mini truck parks right in front of the door when he's about to say something. A new delivery guy jumps out of it and waves at me. Another one follows him from the passenger's seat.

"I got a big order here," the driver says.

"What order?" I ask.

The younger guy opens the back door of the truck. The other one scrolls on an iPad of some sorts and says, "A couch."

Oh. "Bring it inside, please. Do you need help?"

"No need."

"A couch?" Jungkook asks. "For here?"

"I spend a lot of time here," I say, going for a safer answer. I could tell him I got the couch because every other day Wooshik is here, but that gives him a lot of teasing material Jeon Jungkook does not need.

My new couch wrapped in foil stands on the side. I give my signature, and the delivery guys leave.

"Anyways." I clear my throat. "I will be working now, if you don't mind it."

"Do you mind company?" he asks, making his way over to the couch.

"Depends who the company is," I say. "You're the worst kind, to be honest."