Street Racer || Yang Jungwon

°•♡•° / 43

—— Seori

I walked up to our front door, my heart racing as I spotted my mom inside. It was unusual to see her home at this hour; she usually worked long shifts at the restaurant. Relief flooded me as I realized I hadn't walked inside with Jungwon, holding hands like we sometimes did. The last thing I needed was for my mom to catch us together and start asking questions.

I plastered a smile on my face as I stepped through the door, trying to act casual. "Mom, you're home early today."

She looked up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table, a tired smile gracing her features. "Yeah, it's been a slow day at the restaurant. Thought I'd come home and rest a bit."

I nodded, trying to keep my tone light. "That sounds nice. Did you want me to make you some tea?"

She shook her head, waving me off. "No, no, I'll make it myself. You must be tired from school. Why don't you go relax in your room?"

Relief flooded me as I nodded, eager to escape the tension in the air. "Sure, mom. Thanks."

I quickly made my way to my room, closing the door behind me with a sigh of relief. I flopped down onto my bed, running a hand through my hair. The close call with my mom had rattled me more than I cared to admit. I couldn't let her find out about me and Jungwon, not yet. Not until we were ready to face whatever consequences came our way.

I reached for my phone, scrolling through my messages absentmindedly. There was one from Jungwon, asking how my day was and if I wanted to hang out later. I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me at the thought of seeing him again. But then a pang of guilt washed over me as I remembered the close call with my mom.

I couldn't risk her finding out about us, not when she was already so worried about me. She didn't understand the connection I had with Jungwon, the way he made me feel alive and free. She only saw the age gap, the potential for trouble. And I couldn't blame her for being cautious; she was just trying to protect me.

But it didn't make it any easier to keep our relationship a secret. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, to tell the world how much I cared about Jungwon. But I knew I had to be patient, to wait for the right moment to reveal the truth.

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation settle on my shoulders. For now, I would have to keep hiding, keep pretending that Jungwon was just a friend. It wasn't ideal, but it was the only option I had if I wanted to protect both of us from my mom's disapproval.

With a heavy heart, I set my phone aside, knowing that I would have to cancel my plans with Jungwon for the evening. It wasn't fair to him, but it was the only way to keep him safe. And for now, that was all that mattered.

ﾟ.+:｡Time skip .+:｡

As I stepped into our modest house, the familiar scent of home greeted me, mingling with the aroma of homemade ramen drifting from the kitchen. Surprised to see my mom at home earlier than usual, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that she hadn't witnessed me walking in with Jungwon, especially after what happened at the library with Daejin.

I quickly pushed aside thoughts of Daejin and his absurd notion of our "coffee date." We were barely acquaintances, let alone friends, and the idea of it being labeled as a date was laughable. Besides, how could I even begin to explain something like that to Jungwon?

As I settled at the kitchen table, my mom placed a steaming bowl of ramen in front of me, a comforting gesture that never failed to warm my heart. "Thanks, Mom," I said with a grateful smile, digging into the noodles.