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

29. Jungkook

This race is weird. The weirdest one I've been to, and I've been to a lot of races. I can rather easily say that everyone we pass by is looking at me strangely. I ignore it. I try to, but it's so obvious I can't pretend I don't know. It doesn't bother me that much, it's just weird. I've never been the center of this sort of attention.

Yeeun and Taehyung are with me. We stay together, all of us pretending this is a normal atmosphere.

"This must be Jimin's doing," Yeeun says, leaning against my car, hands in the pockets of her jean jacket. "He's been talking shit about you the last time we met."

"So now he's spreading rumors? How is this going to help him?" Taehyung asks.

"I don't know," she says. "I think he just doesn't like Jungkook all that much."

"I don't like him, either." I glance back, looking for him in the crowd. He's really starting to get on my nerves. Yeeun's boss calmed down and now I have Park Jimin. "Just why is everyone interested in you?"

"I'm perfect. What else?"

"Good point."

The hardest part of it is that I don't really have much to do. I don't care that much about rumors and whatever they say. Not much can trigger me. I'm not gonna fight anyone just because they look at me like that. I don't have much to do, because I can't just... beat the shit out of Park Jimin. I can't tell him to fuck off. I can't keep Yeeun away from him.

I've done my share, a few heists with Taehyung, and Jimin wants us gone, anyways. Now I just... wait.

I lean against my car, next to Yeeun, when Taehyung says, "Jimin's coming here." I cross my arms on my chest and keep myself from actually jumping him. Or saying anything I shouldn't. I'm gonna pretend like it pisses me off that my girlfriend spends a lot of time with him. I'm gonna act a bit possessive, standing closer to her than usual. That's what he can think, that I'm jealous.

"Jeon Jungkook," he says, standing in front of me. I could break his arms and legs in a one-on-one fight and he would do nothing about it. "There's a change of plans today."

"What change?" I ask.

"You will race Yugyeom. Taehyung, you will race Lee."

I scoff before I can stop myself. "Of course I will race Yugyeom and he will race Lee. Makes a lot of sense."

"What did you say?" Jimin asks.

I glare at him. He glares at me. We both know we don't like each other.

"I said... of course I will race Yugyeom. I've been dreaming about it since forever."

Jimin nods once, a corner of his lips moving higher. "Good. Get ready," he says and walks away.

"It's a trap," Yeeun says, when Jimin is far enough. "You two have to be extremely careful."

"How do you know it's a trap?" Taehyung asks, lighting up a cigarette. It's, like, the fifth since we came here. He catches me looking. "I will race Lee. I need to cool down before so I don't drive right into him by accident. Or on purpose."

"I know it's a trap," Yeeun says, "because he's stupid enough to talk about his plans out loud. I heard him talk to Yugyeom on the phone. I didn't know why. Jimin must have convinced the two of them to go against you somehow. So stay careful."

"I will," I say. Leaning in, I kiss her cheek. "I'm going."

I stop the car at the starting line. Yugyeom is already waiting. His window's down, so I roll mine down, too.

"How much did he give you?"

"What are you talking about?" he asks.

I look at him. He doesn't look at me. "How much did he pay you to do whatever you are planning to do?"