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the night hums with the deep, resonant growl of engines, the neon-lit underworld of seoul's racing scene coming alive in a pulsing, frenetic heartbeat. the air is thick with the smell of exhaust and adrenaline, racers and onlookers alike buzzing in excitement as veichles gleam under streetlights. it's a ritual at this point—this clandestine gathering where danger and speed blend into one intoxicating rush.
the scene unfolds like a secret, cloaked in the low murmur of excited voices. the street is alive with energy, cars lined up like sleek, mechanical beasts, their polished exteriors reflecting the glint of streetlights and neon signs. the place where rules are broken and the line between life and death blurs, where speed and danger become intoxicating. it's where people like racer 07 thrive.
the one figure that stood above all. the name alone sent shivers through the crowd, whispers curling between breaths, conversations stilled whenever that familiar engine growled into the night. there, parked at the edge of the makeshift gathering, sat yuwon—hidden beneath the anonymity of her helmet, the weight of it pressing against her skull, her pulse steady despite the palpable energy around her. she was invincible behind that mask, an untouchable legend no one dared challenge except for the foolhardy or the reckless. and tonight, that role belonged to jake.
he grinned from across the lot, leaning lazily against his car, arms crossed as if this was just another race, just another night. but yuwon knew him well enough to see the glint in his eye—the way mischief curled at the edges of his smile. their playful rivalry was a long-standing one, but jake never crossed the line. not with her. and he wouldn't tonight, either.
"ready to get smoked, 07?" jake called out, loud enough to catch the attention of everyone nearby, his voice drenched in the kind of cockiness that came from knowing you were going to lose but enjoying the game anyway.
racer 07 gave no response, just a slow nod from inside the car, the visor of the helmet hiding the subtle smirk tugging at yuwon's lips. she didn't need to speak. her reputation answered for her. and the crowd knew it too—the hushed excitement rippling through the air as the engines of their cars revved to life, the mechanical growl echoing like a battle cry in the night.
meanwhile, further back, tucked into the edge of the crowd, stood heeseung.
he leaned against his car, arms crossed, eyes narrowing in quiet calculation. his gaze was trained on racer 07—like it had been for weeks now. he remembered earlier when he was waiting by the red light, where something far too familiar about the way that car moved had caught his attention. it wasn't just the skill, it was the precision, the cold, practiced control. something that tugged at his gut, telling him there was more to racer 07 than the mysterious mask and the dangerous reputation. and tonight, he was going to find out.
zahra stood beside him, her gaze flicking between the racers. she nudged his arm lightly, her voice barely a whisper over the noise. "fuck what is he doing?" she tugged at her sleeves, bringing a hand to her mouth to bite her nails in nervousness.
