Seo-Jun continued to race under the blanket of night, his energy seemingly boundless as he went through each competition. With a total of four races completed, he emerged victorious every time, his body showing no signs of tiredness. This was a familiar sight for the crowd gathered around, Seo-Jun had built a reputation for his relentless spirit and unmatched stamina. After his final race, he made his way to his tent, the entrance behind him as he prepared to change clothes and wrap up for the night.
As he entered the tent, Sam walked in right behind him, his presence marked by a playful energy. He placed Seo-Jun's helmet on the table and called out, "Good job out there! Win after win." A smirk danced on his lips, but Seo-Jun remained focused, not bothering to turn around or respond. The silence hung between them for a moment until Sam's curiosity got the better of him. "This new guy of yours... why did you chase him away earlier?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Seo-Jun paused, taking a moment to collect his thoughts as he slipped on his shirt, still not facing Sam. "Didn't you see him? He has quite a personality. This place is not for him." he replied, his tone matter-of-fact, low and cold. He continued to dress, pulling on his pants and adjusting his watch, explaining further, "The folks here won't treat well such a hot-tempered character. He was going to be either beaten up badly or kicked out by security for causing trouble. Or both in the worst case." With a decisive motion, he grabbed his racing costume and neatly placed it in the small metal wardrobe beside him.
Sam smirked and teased, "Ohhh, you care about himmm, how sweet!" His playful tone filled the tent, making the air feel lighter. Seo-Jun, shutting the wardrobe door with a swift motion, still not facing Sam, a grin spreading across his face. "Of course." he replied, his voice steady, but the smirk on his lips had an edge to it, almost sinister, then he turned around to face him.
He began to walk towards Sam, his body calm and collected, yet there was an unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. "He is my whore for the time being. I don't want an injury to prevent him from doing his job properly." The words dripped with possessiveness as he stepped closer, the tension in the air thickening with each word.
As Seo-Jun reached the exit of the tent, he pushed the flap aside and stepped out into the night, leaving Sam standing there with a bemused expression. Sam shook his head slightly, disappointment etched on his face as he murmured, "Of course, you always care about this only..." With a resigned sigh, he placed Seo-Jun's helmet back in the metal wardrobe, the sound of the door closing echoing softly as he turned and walked away from the tent.
After leaving the tent, the only thing left for Seo-Jun to do before heading home was to check on his back to see if everything was alright after the races. As he was deep in conversation about the bike with the technician responsible for its serviceability, Sam observed them from a distance, his mind racing with thoughts. "That guy is definitely something else." he thought, intrigued. "He usually picks for obedient and way smaller-sized guys. But that one..." His leg began to twitch with curiosity, and he sighed, finally deciding, "Fine. I will go and just ask him..."
He took a moment to gather his thoughts before glancing back at Seo-Jun, who was starting to leave. With a quick determination, Sam stood up and caught up to him, matching his pace. "Hey, Seo... I have one more question about this guy… Why did you choose him? Usually, you stick to those who are more obedient and submissive. And in this case, he is definitely not either of them."
Seo-Jun continued walking, a playful smirk spreading across his face as he replied, "He is skilled. And with this body of his, he is quite seductive…" Sam nodded in approval. The more they walked, the more Sam felt drawn into the conversation. Seo-Jun then continued, "And his voice, of course. It is just what I was looking for." A grin broke out on his face, his eyes glinting with satisfaction as he imagined finally having Minho under his control, able to issue commands while getting the satisfaction of Minho's body. The dynamic was different, and Seo-Jun was clearly enjoying the challenge it presented.
Sam rolled his eyes dramatically and said, "Ahh, here we go again with the whole 'call me by my name' thing." The moment he started talking, Seo-Jun, seemingly unfazed, picked up his pace and turned left, walking towards his car, leaving Sam in mid-sentence. Sam continued, without paying attention to the fact that Seo-Jun was already making his escape. "Is it this good? Should I try it too?" he asked, his tone light and teasing, as he turned to face Seo-Jun, expecting a response.
But as he spun around, he was met with an empty space. A wave of surprise washed over him as he realised Seo-Jun had vanished. "HEY SEO-JUN!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the now-quiet track. Frustration set in, and he quickly turned back, scanning the area for any sign of his friend. Just then, he caught a glimpse of Seo-Jun's car pulling away, the engine's roar fading into the distance. "Seriously?!" Sam muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief as he watched Seo-Jun drive off, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement at how quickly he had been left behind.
After his failure to get into Seo-Jun's team, Minho found himself grappling with the hardest part of the situation: telling his team that he had failed. He bit his tongue in frustration, the taste of anger lingering as he made his way inside the mansion. The clock read 12:30 a.m., and he didn't expect many members to be awake. However, Jin had already spread the word that Minho was trying to join Seo-Jun's racing team, and anticipation hung in the air.
As he stepped into the main meeting room, Minho was surprised to see more than half of the team gathered, their faces bright with expectation. The sight both warmed his heart and filled him with dread. He took a deep breath, his mind racing as he prepared to speak. With a mix of disappointment and fear churning in his stomach, he began to recount his night. He carefully chose his words, omitting the fact that Seo-Jun had outright rejected him. Instead, he crafted his story to leave room for hope, not confirming whether he had made it or not.
As he spoke, the room erupted in cheers, the members convinced that Minho had successfully joined Seo-Jun's team. Their excitement was palpable, and Minho felt a heavy weight settle on his chest. He tried to interject, to clarify that he wasn't sure if he had actually gotten in, but the cheers drowned him out. Guilt washed over him for lying to his teammates, but he felt trapped in a web of their hopes. In that moment, he couldn't bear to shatter their feelings, knowing how much this opportunity meant to the team and to the mission. So he stood there, caught between the truth and the loyalty he felt towards his team, unsure of how to navigate the tangled emotions swirling around him.
The door to the meeting room was fully opened, and the lively chatter inside spilt out into the hallway, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere. At that moment, Jae arrived at the mansion, but he didn't quite seem like himself. He walked with a slight wobble, his tall frame appearing off-balance. His clothes were wrinkled and hastily put together, as if he had thrown them on in a panic and rushed out the door. This was far off from the way he usually presented himself.
His gaze was fixed firmly on the ground, and it was clear that his mind was elsewhere, tangled in thoughts that seemed to weigh heavily on him. It was almost as if he had just come from a fight—his body movements suggested that he had faced something challenging and unexpected… perhaps even violent. But who would dare to take on someone like him, who was always well-prepared to fight anything that crossed his path?
So what really happened to him…?
As he walked past the meeting room, a few members noticed him, their voices cutting through the haze of his thoughts. "Jae! Come join us!" they shouted, their excitement was all over the place. Jae hesitated, the warmth of their invitation contrasting sharply with the turmoil inside him. He turned around slowly, caught between the urge to respond to his members and the weight of whatever had happened to him, leaving everyone around him wondering what was wrong with him.
A few of the members eagerly dragged Minho out with them, their voices buzzing with excitement as they approached Jae. One member, still caught up in the latest news, exclaimed, "We are just discussing what we should do next with Seo-Jun. Minho said he tried to get closer to him and thinks he really did it this time!"
Minho's reaction was immediate, his face turned paper white, and he looked aside, clearly overwhelmed by their attention caused by his lies. He fidgeted nervously, his anxiety palpable in the air. On the other hand, Jae stood silently, his gaze fixed on Minho with an unreadable expression. He felt a mix of suspicion and indifference, knowing all too well that Seo-Jun had turned Minho down. Yet, Jae's mind was too tangled to focus on that revelation. Instead, he resolved to keep a closer eye on Minho from now on.
After a brief pause, Jae finally broke the silence. "I am tired. I will go to bed. You guys go on…" he said, his voice steady but lacking warmth. As he turned to leave, he intentionally bumped into Minho, a subtle act meant to express his frustration and suspicion without saying a word. The moment hung heavy in the air, leaving the others to exchange glances, sensing the underlying tension.
The members quickly brushed off Jae's strange behaviour, but Minho couldn't shake the anger that bubbled up from the unexpected bump he had received. Even though Jae might be aware that Minho was lying, it felt wrong for him to treat Minho and the rest of the members in such a disrespectful manner. As he was about to finish his thought with a frustrated "What the fuck is wrong with h—," his mental rant was interrupted by Jin, who came rushing over, excitement radiating from him.
"MINHO! YOU'RE BACK?! What happened with the race? Did you get in?!" Jin shouted, his voice filled with energy. He looked like he had just run a marathon, clearly having been working out, and his heavy breathing only added to the urgency of his questions. It was obvious that someone had informed him of Minho's return, and he couldn't contain his enthusiasm and paused his workout just to come and see Minho.
Minho paused, feeling a mix of emotions. He didn't want to lie to his best friend, especially about something so significant. But looking at Jin's bright smile and the sheer joy on his face made it difficult to break the news of his rejection. Instead, he opted for a more conventional approach, saying, "You can... say that. It is still complicated, though."
Jin, however, was unbothered by Minho's last sentence. His excitement only grew as he exclaimed, "Don't worry about the details! The first step is always the most important one, and you made it! Through time, things will get easier." He beamed at Minho and gave him a supportive pat on the shoulder.
In that moment, Minho felt a wave of relief wash over him, the warmth of Jin's words lifting some of the weight off his shoulders. A slight blush crept onto his face, not just from the compliment but from the realisation of how much he actually valued Jin's encouragement. Despite the earlier frustrations, he felt grateful to have such a supportive friend by his side, ready to cheer him on no matter what challenges lay ahead.
Jin noticed Minho was smiling at him, and their eyes locked in a moment that felt electric. A warm blush crept onto Jin's cheeks, and he quickly removed his hand from Minho's, trying to regain his composure. "We will be there to help you any time! Right, guys?" he said, glancing over at the other members, hoping to divert attention from his embarrassment. The others, sensing the mood, chimed in enthusiastically, "YES!" Their loud affirmation seemed to lift Minho's spirits, and he bowed slightly, a grateful smile spreading across his face. "Thank you a lot, guys!" he replied, visibly more at ease.
Just then, one of the guys from the meeting room stepped outside, breaking the moment. "Come on, guys! Let's go to bed. It's late. Don't forget that tomorrow morning we have an important meeting with the American international business team." he announced. The members collectively groaned, making strange faces at the thought of the upcoming meeting. Jin rolled his eyes dramatically, exclaiming, "Yikes! Those guys have no comprehension whatsoever of our business strategy." He shook his head in disbelief, then clapped his hands together, rallying everyone. "Then, let's go to bed!" he urged, giving Minho a reassuring pat on the back. With that, they all trudged off to their separate rooms, the earlier tension fading as they prepared for a good night's rest.