SPEED OF LOVE (SAMYU)

CHAPTER 12 THE PAST, RIVALS

Zihong came to the race club early as usual, excited to practise driving and drifting again.
He won his 4 car race recently and he had given the title of best rookie car racer,

He enters the office and went to his locker to change when he heard from the other car racer member that they will have an import new car racer, Zihong excitedly wants to meet this new racer, Mr Choi introduced the new racer to them.
And instantly without a second thought, Zihong wants to be friends with him.
"My name is Maruyama, Yusuke from Nagoya, japan nice to meet all of you and please take good care of me," Yusuke said giving them a small bow and shy smile

"Ohhhhh..., hopefully, I can be friends with him," Zihong said softly that he's the only one who can hear.

Zihong approached Yusuke, to try his luck to be friends with Yusuke
"Hi, Yusuke right? I'm Lin Zihong." Zihong reaches his right hand to shake but Yusuke turns away and looks in his father direction.

The day passed Yusuke never talk to anyone in the race club he only talks to Mr Choi if he asks questions. Yusuke is so quiet he only follows Mr Choi's instruction.

2weeks passes Yusuke is still the same. Living in his comfort zone, Zihong could, not take to look at him so quiet and don't talk to anyone.
"Lin Zihong," approach of one of their racers colleague,
"Oh, hi what's up?" Zihong replies while giving his colleague a high five.
"Oh, by the way, you will soon debut in a boy group right what is the name again?" His colleague asks, but Zihong was not paying attention to what his friend says he keep on looking at Yusuke, Yusuke sitting on a bench near the black racing car, playing with his phone.
"Alone again huh?" Zihong whisper while talking his car keys in his pocket
"Yo, Zihong?!" His racer colleague approaches him again.
And by a surprise, Zihong stand and look in Yusuke's direction and he could not find Yusuke sitting there, not anymore

"What... Again? You asking me?" Zihong suddenly reply
"I, said you're going to debut in a boy group soon right? Zihong racer ask again
"Ah, yes soon maybe this year," Zihong answered while looking for Yusuke.

Yusuke approaches him suddenly and Zihong surprises himself again, and his eyes got wider like a trashier.

"What do you want from me?" Yusuke said to zihong with his eyes look so sharp and his eyebrows point at each other.
"You always keep looking on my way, stop stalking me. Will you?" Yusuke added while walking grumpily away

"Did he just talk to me right now?" Zihong ask their racer colleague who sits next to him
"Well, yeah but he so grumpy and he never talks to someone except Mr Choi" Zihong's friend answer with a wondering kind of tone

Another day passes again but still, Zihong fails to ask Yusuke to be his friend.
A black car stop at the from of their practice ground and Yusuke get off of that car giving a small bow to the driver, Then the car drives aways.
Yusuke walks through his locker to change then suddenly Zihong surprise him, Zihong tap the locker door Yusuke.
"Yo... Ever since you get here, you never talk to anyone here how would know about car race if you didn't talk?" Zihong said looking at Yusuke's eyes down to his lips and back to his eyes again,

"It's none of your business, I can manage everything," Yusuke reply while moving his face closer to Zihong and sharpen his eye even more and it gives Zihong a scary look.
The both of them can feel each others breath, Zihong turns his face away and gives a hard gulp.
"Well, at least you have a friend," Zihong insisted, while his face is so red.
"As I said no thank you." Yusuke closes his locker so hard and walks out of the locker room.
Zihong left in the looker blank and feel like he was about to melt, his heart jumps so hard like the whole world can hear. His face is so red like a tomato that's about to be harvest.
"Gosh, what just happened, he..he..just move closer like wha..... Ohhhhh my goodness... It can't be. I'm not A... Ahhhhh.... ohhhh..." With a crying voice and a loud thud of the locker, zihong bump his head on the locker door with a kick on the locker below his foot..
His voice echoed through the locker room at it can be heart outside too.

"Gosh, what a strange guy he is." Yusuke mumbling while walking away at the looker, hearing Lin Zihong scream so hard.
"I can't take this anymore, while he won't stop stalking me." He added while whispering.

Mr Choi and the other staffs are talking about who will be the 3 car racer they will pick to join the next Taiwan car racing competition. Mr. Choi already chooses Zihong he only needs two other guys who can race better.
Mr. Choi chooses Yusuke and the other car racer named Lee.
But, the other car racer crew said.
"Let the 3 of the race see who is the least and who is the faster and what can we improve,"

Then at that moment, Zihong thinks of a way for him to make Maruyama, Yusuke is his friend.
The 3 of them wore a car caring suit, Zihong walks towards Yusuke's direction while smirking and rolling his head like he wants to engage in a war.
"Well, well, well, is this the import from Japan?" Zihong said while giving Yusuke a smirk as he put his hand through Yusuke's shoulder and his face lean on Yusuke's face too. Zihong can feel Yusuke's warm face and look at his beautiful face and mole on his lower eye. Makes Zihong's heart jump.

"What do you want now, stalker?" Yusuke answer while putting his racing gloves on.

Zihong never takes off his hand on Yusuke's shoulder, while looking at the crew and other car racing member.
"You see, Yusuke, let do a bet, shall we? Zihong tries to deal with Yusuke again. Putting his both hands on Yusuke's shoulder.
" what now? Yusuke reply looking at Zihong from eye to eye.
"Ah hmmm... You see, if I win let's be friends, if you win, I'll stay away from you and I won't talk to you not again." Zihong said with seriousness in his eyes and his husky voice too.

"Well, good idea you got there, deal, if you win." Yusuke reply talking Zihong's hands off of his shoulder. And smirk excitedly.
Yusuke has a lot of confidence in himself since Zihong asks to have a deal.

"Let's make this car practice more exciting shall we?" Zihong said while putting his car racing helmet on and walk towards his racing car.

The three of them starts their engine, Zihongs and Yusuke are warming up. The flag race start they will do a 1 lap race just for practice but, for both zihong and Yusuke this is a war to be a win.

Lee took a lead and 2nd is Yusuke Zihong took the last. But Zihong has a lot of competence to himself while driving in a half of way Zihong overtake at Yusuke and got the 2nd place while Yusuke, wants to overtake to Zihong but, Zihong never let him pass.
Zihong overtakes Lee, and Yusuke over take to Lee as well, both Yusuke and Zihong had a car race by themselves the race was getting better and better the finish line was just a bit far ahead. Both of them giving their very best. Win Zihong never let Yusuke pass him.

The finish line was near ahead both of them got very nervous like it's a real car race.. They speed up their cars and the white and black flog were racing and waving need the finish line. Yusuke and Zihong were about to take each other cars to bump with but zihong manage not to.
Zihong took a win while Yusuke is 2nd.
They both had an interesting car race as the crew and the other watching the 2 competitive racers racing their life just to win. The 3 of them get out of their cars and Zihong got a wider smile and look at Yusuke's directions and his smile got even wider.

"Well, I won so let's be friends alright?" Zihong said to Yusuke while walking backwards and give Yusuke a wider smile and a happy husky tone of his voice.
Yusuke got pissed off of Zihong lively smile and He can't let anyone win again.
"This time you win but soon I will win," Yusuke said to Zihong grumpily sharpening his lovely eyes and walks fast.

The crew and the other car racers congratulate the three of them. Mr. Choi giving them instructions. Yusuke is sitting in the corner of the car racing parking room where all the cars were park and the mechanical crew works.
Zihong can't stop noticing him and he walks towards Yusuke.
"Yo, are you okay?" Zihong ask curiously,
"What now? What do you want? Yusuke reply racing his voice and sharpens his face to the point that he looks so red. Looking at Lin Zihong standing in front of him.
Zihong gives a deep sigh and sad on his face Zihong took his step backwards and turn his way then walks slowly away from Yusuke.

" I won't be your friend your my rival now." Yusuke said to himself while his heartbeat tumps faster and faster his eyes suddenly waters, he walks away and calls his driver to pick him up.

Yusuke's driver arrived and picked him up, Zihong saw Yusuke getting inside the car and Zihong can't take the sadness on his heart he look upset.

"I Just want to be your friend,"
"I just want to be close to you,"
"But, instead of for you to be my friend, you turn yourself to be my rival"
"Rival that will put my heart closer to you step by step, one at a time,"
-YUAce-