Partners In Speed - ver. 1 (Street Racers #2)

15, part 2: Jungkook

Yeeun calls me as we drive back. "Dad just called me and asked if we wanna come over for a late dinner. Do you wanna go?"

"And you?"

"I do. I want to."

"Then we're going," I say, smiling into the words. "Let's not tell him about Jimin. It could put him in danger if he knows."

"Yeah, he would freak out." Yeeun chuckles. "Let's... talk about it later. I need to let it settle in."

"Alright." I wait a moment, no one ending the call. "Yeeun?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

We stay on the call as we drive, trying to remember the first time she invited me over when we were kids. When we park in front of her dad's house, I show her texts with Taehyung, smiling as I do so. She's mad at him. That's not how friends behave, she says. And even if I would rather go through it with him, I'm glad he left. He's got a lot more to figure out, and now he has a chance.

Her dad beams the moment we stand on the staircase in front of him. "My daughter and my son."

Yeeun snorts, pushing her way in. "You make it sound like we're married already."

He shakes my hand with the happiest grin. "For me you were born married," he tells her. I laugh, as she lets out the heaviest sigh.

"Dad, please." She whines.

"No, I totally support this view," I say, leaving my shoes at the door, and grin when she sends me a look.

"Of course my son understands me better than my daughter." Yeeun's dad gives a dramatic sigh. It's still a competition if she is his favorite or me.

All jokes aside, Yeeun's dad has always been more than my best friend's dad, or a potential father-in-law, to me. He's been what my dad couldn't be. When I wanted to learn how to ride a bike, her dad taught me. When I had stupid adolescent problems, that made me ugly cry, and needed a dad to talk to, he talked to me. Sat with me in the kitchen and told me what I needed to know. My dad was... somewhere where the summer is eternal, drinking cocktail with my mom, enjoying his endless fountain of wealth.

Yeeun's dad has been a lot of things to me, and one of them is a dad. I love and care about him like about my own.

The dinner is lighthearted. We chat about our lives, about racing, everything that doesn't put too much weight onto anyone's shoulders.

"Do you have any dessert?" Yeeun asks him, cleaning the plate of pasta.

She has calmed down since we came here, but whatever we are doing, she stays glued to me, and I keep reminding her, with small touches here and there, I am always here.

"Something for sure," he says.

"I'm going on a haunt," Yeeun says, taking a sip of water as she stands, and the next second she's gone in the kitchen.

Me and her dad catch each other smiling. He might be the one who knows best how much I care about her. He's been the one passing her all the Valentine's gifts from me, after all. Every time he laughed and asked me 'are you going to man up' or said that 'she'd like them more if you gave them personally'. And my favorite line - 'I'm so glad you have each other'.

"I've got something for you," he says, like he's been waiting for a moment we are alone, and runs to a cupboard beside the turned off TV. He's prepared, going straight for one of the drawers, and dashes back to the table even faster.

It's half-a-palm-sized, white cotton jewelry pouch, and he slips two rings onto his hand. Before my heart can stop, he leans over the table, and says, "Don't panic. These are not wedding rings." He moves them closer to my face. They are identical, silver, one a bit wider. Both hold the same engraved symbol – small, black X. Slipping them back into the bag, he says, "They are mine and Yeeun's mom's promise rings. I knew it was hard for her when we split up, but I never knew how much. I made her believe that friendship cannot turn into love or else it's over. And I know how much harder it made everything for you two and... I just want you to have them. Give it to her whenever you want to, or don't give it at all. It's your choice. Just... take them. You're the one that can give justice to those, I couldn't, and it's something important to Yeeun, even if she doesn't admit it."