slow down ➳ 이희승

𖥻 chapter thirty three

"purely, platonically."

꒰🏁꒱

last race.

ava inhales sharply as she zips up her racer jacket, staring out of the garage door while the sun peeks through the horizon, splashing its yellow rays on the neutral-colored sky. it's almost the middle of october, and the weather is starting to get freezing cold.

jungwon shuffles through some stuff from behind her. the rest of the crew is on their way ─ elated that it's the very last race, they decided to wake up early for once.

"can't believe we're almost done." he suddenly exclaims, rolling a wheel on the floor and right beside her car. "it's been some wild months." he chuckles out and turns to the front, facing her back. "how do you feel?"

ava remains quiet. really, what is it that she's feeling? there's a spot in her stomach that feels empty, and another one where a very big knot rests that's being repeatedly pulled. but her heart feels nothing specific. were she in the position to describe it, it'd be one big tsunami of emotions.

"i don't know..." she turns around and crosses her arms over her chest. "it's... overwhelming me, but if anything i'm happy to have experienced all of this." she offers him a smile, and jungwon catches the layer of tears in her eyes, as she attempts to blink them away.

"aww bubs." he mutters with a grin & welcomes the brunette in his embrace with a soft giggle, rocking her left and right. "it was good while it lasted." ava nods, chuckling & tightening her hug.

"emotional damage aside though..." he then trails and pulls away. "what went down at heeseung's yesterday?"

ava lets out a sound of confusion and raises a brow. "how'd you know about that?" "well, jay ain't just your friend." he grabs the sole chair in the room & beckons for her to sit, while he leans on the car. "tell me."

however much she'd like to question how jungwon and jay came to be, she knows that she'll be met with nothing but silence. she keeps a mental note to ask jay at some point, plopping down on the plastic chair with a huff.

"nothing, actually. i just thanked him for driving me home and we watched looney tunes together. he really likes duffy duck." ─ she makes a somewhat disgusted face ─ "lame."

"is that it?" jungwon laughs, picturing ava and heeseung ─ two sworn rivals since day one ─ watching cartoons on a nice saturday morning and arguing over bugs bunny & duffy duck.

"well yeah... what else could've went down?" she raises a brow and notices how jungwon's dimple pops up as he grins. "oh well, judging by some past stuff..."

"say wha─" she shoots him a horrified look. "you are fucking nasty!" "mhm~ whatever." he pushes himself off the car and stands before her. "i suggest you get ready for the mobbing of your life." "wha─"