Raw Line| SVT

23

Even though I was expecting to see the whole Seventeen gathered once again in Joshua's living room, just eight people were there when we arrived.

Vernon was nowhere to be seen, much to my disappointment, since I hadn't really got to talk to him after that day in the library. Neither were Woozi, Jun and Wonwoo. However, surprisingly, I could spot Soyeon on the sofa beside my sister, looking at me with a small smile on her lips.

"Okay then, everybody's here," Mingyu says, clasping his hands together.

I sit on the floor next to Dino, wondering why we gathered here tonight.

"The spring race," Seungcheol begins "is held at Lime Rock Park this year."

Okay, so a race thingie.

Jeonghan, who was sitting on the sofa opposite from my sister, next to Mingyu, was watching Seungcheol carefully. So was THE 8, who was sitting on the armrest of the sofa, on Mingyu's right. All the racers are here... but why are the others here as well?

"Are you in?" I hear Soyeon speaking and I look at her, surprised at her confident tone.

She did refer to them as "her friends" at that party. I just hadn't had the time to think it out.

"Yeah, the spring races are fun," Seungcheol smiles. "But this year-"

"Didn't you have a restriction?" Dino asks confused and Seungcheol's smile widens.

"I still have it," he begins "but it is a restriction for Solar's arena."

Dino's lips form an "O" and he nods, probably happy with the answer that he received.

"As I was saying," Seungcheol begins again, "I heard that some famous people would come to watch, too."

"Well then, that means Connecticut is about to pop off," Hoshi shrugs and Mingyu chuckles.

"Something like that," Seungcheol says, ruffling his hair. "The thing is we should leave as soon as possible so we can get our badges early... maybe even tomorrow."

"That's fine by me," Jeonghan shrugs, leaning back in his seat.

"I have a shift at work," THE 8 speaks, making everyone turn towards him. "So I can only leave in the after-noon."

"I think that's fine, the ride to Lakeville isn't that long anyway," Soyeon speaks and Seungcheol nods.

"If you want to come," he says, throwing Hoshi a knowing gaze "and I bet you do, you can come on Friday. The first races will be held then."

"I will also come on Friday," Soyeon says, looking at me for some reason. "I would love to ditch some courses, but I'm not exactly in good terms with the professors, so..."

Soyeon is still in college?

"Now, what's the catch?" Mingyu asks and Seungcheol smiles.

He looks around the room at everybody as if checking whether we were still paying attention to the conversation. I sure was.

"Solar agreed on adding the points that we win to our local score, since most of the top racers will be at Lime Rock this weekend," he says and even though I had no idea what that was supposed to mean, it sounded like good news.

"Ah, I will finally get ahead of Yoon Jeonghan," Soyeon says to herself on a fake dramatic tone.

"In your dreams, dear," he smiles to her from across the room and she rolls her eyes.

It meant nothing. It meant nothing. But why did he have to call her that?

"I'm on the fifth place, right behind Jeonghan," I hear Soyeon saying and I raise my head to look at her, only to find her looking back at me with a warm smile on her lips.