Welcome to Your Last Race (Street Racers #3)

23. Taehyung

"Are you sure we don't need to intervene?" Yeeun asks.

"I'm sure," I say. We're back at the last race. The crowd is the same, the vibe is the same. The only difference is that finally... finally, I am calm. Or at least somewhere on this side of the spectrum. "You just relax, my friends."

These past few races I felt all alone with my mind. Dark place, eerie atmosphere. Now I focus on my people all around me. I'm not alone. I've never been.

"I have no goddamn idea what to expect," Jungkook says.

"No fireworks," I answer.

"You're fairly calm for no fireworks," Wooshik says, arm around my waist. I lean into it.

I've noticed they hang around us more often. They're quite fun, to my surprise. That's what I focus on. People who respect each other, who enjoy our company. I decide what to focus on. I decide what to fill my life with.

"Where is Jiho?" Yeeun asks.

"Exactly where he's supposed to be, don't worry," I say, sending her a smile.

She gives me a questioning look, but the crowd starts parting. Hyoshin and his people walk our way. Everyone except for Sue. I've asked her not to come today, for her own safety.

I lean back. "Why is there a cast on his arm?"

I look at everyone one by one. Yeeun looks away – knows something but not guilty. Jungkook looks as confused as I am. Wooshik looks away, too.

I clear my throat in a telling way until he looks at me.

"What?"

"You did that?"

"Maybe."

"You said you talked to him."

"I used a lot of non-verbal language, you know?"

I can't help laughing. I should have expected this. When he said they talked, I truly believed they talked. Hyoshin, after what must be a week, still looks like a wreck. There must have been a lot of non-verbal language involved.

As they come our way, I feel powerful. It's a weird sensation in the middle of all the negativity I've felt recently. People watch, and that makes me a bit nervous, but I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing this for myself and myself only.

"Took you long enough to bring your ass back, Kim," Hyoshin says. "I was getting bored."

"I see you were enjoying your break," I say, pointing at the cast.

"I couldn't wait to finally win with you," he says. "Last race. I hope you've prepared yourself to lose."

"Oh, I've prepared myself," I say, and I can't hold back a smirk. I even chuckle.

"What makes you so happy?" he asks, eyes narrowed.

What makes me so happy is the realization of the truth of this situation. He's terrified of me, no matter how badass he acts. This race, won or lost, happening or not, changes nothing for me. He has no power over me or my life, my respect, my status in the community.

"Someone like you can never win with me, no matter what," I say. "But that's not why I'm smiling."

"Whatever. Get your ass in the car."

"No."

"No?" He frowns. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"I don't need your validation. Or to prove myself," I say. "No matter what would happen today, I would be the winner and you'd be the cheater that needs to cheat or he'll lose."