Chapter Text
Rapid-fire knocking rouses Jeongguk from his sleep the next morning. The racer groans as he adjusts his eyes to the dim light of early morning streaming in through the cat-shaped window. The alarm clock reads 5:45 AM, and Jeongguk sighs. The knocking evolves into heavy pounding against the door and Jeongguk throws the sheets off, grumpy and annoyed.
He slams the door open and bites out a loud, “What.” Then he freezes.
Park Jimin stands in front of him, dressed impeccably in a white button down tucked into black ripped jeans. No shades covering his eyes, but Jeongguk watches as Jimin’s mouth opens and closes in genuine surprise.
“Jimin-ssi, it is 6 am. I don’t believe my community service starts until 9.” Jeongguk says grumpily, rubbing his face and yawning, leaning against the doorway. Jimin sputters and looks to the side, an angry flush on his face. “I have a project for you to work on and it’s going to take you a while.” Jimin presses his lips tightly together and then snaps, “Put a shirt on, you perv.”
Jeongguk blinks and suddenly realizes that the only thing he’s wearing is a pair of black boxers that Hoseok lent him. Hoseok had offered some sleep shirts, but Jeongguk always preferred to sleep shirtless - he had a good body that he was proud of, and his tattoos spread from his arm to his pecs and chest. Jeongguk blinks. “Oh, sorry.” He forgot that he was in a small town - people like Jimin must not be used to seeing so many tattoos. But that doesn’t make sense! Hoseok runs a tattoo parlor! So why is Jimin so red-?
“Just meet me at town hall in 30 minutes!” Jimin huffs out, turning on his heel and speed-walking away.
Jeongguk blinks. Then it dawned on him with startling clarity - Park Jimin was staring . The red flush on his cute cheeks wasn’t from anger but from something else entirely…
Somehow, the thought makes Jeongguk feel more surprised than cocky. He smiles to himself as he closes the door and begins to get ready for the day. 30 minutes later, Jeongguk shows up at town hall, mentally prepared for whatever Park Jimin was going to throw at him.
Jimin throws open the doors to a warehouse-like building behind town hall, sending dust flying everywhere. Jeongguk coughs as the particles settle and grimaces once he sees the interior of this warehouse after Jimin turns on the single flickering light bulb in the center of the room. There are shelves covered with junk and dust bunnies, furniture and unidentifiable objects littered everywhere, some covered in white sheets, some out in the open and decaying. Jeongguk sighs. He can already sense what his task for today is.
“Re-organize this garage today. It’s been a while since anyone’s been in here.” Even Jimin wrinkles his nose slightly at the smell. Jeongguk sighs. “What do you need all this shit for? Don’t hoard it, just take all this junk and sell it for scraps.” Jimin shakes his head. “Just make piles - stuff that works, stuff that needs to be tossed, stuff that I can go through later. There’s a broom too, so sweep the floors and clean the shelves while you’re at it.”
“A please would go a long way.” Jeongguk looks at Jimin critically. The other man refuses to make eye contact and lets out his signature huff. “You can take a break for lunch at 12. But when I come back later, I expect progress to be made.” With that, Jimin leaves without a second glance. Jeongguk scrunches his nose up, conflicting emotions of annoyance (and arousal? He punches that feeling back down.) swirling in his gut. But he looks at the garage and sighs. Rolling up his sleeves and cracking his neck, Jeongguk rolls his eyes. “You’ll have to do harder than this to break me, Park Jimin.” He mutters and gets to work.
A few hours later, Taehyung stops by. He’s yawning, dressed in a silk pajama shirt with loose denim shorts like he literally just rolled out of bed, but he pokes his head into the warehouse and gasps. “Woah.” Taehyung looks around with awe. “I haven’t seen the walls in this place in years. Jeongguk! You did all this?”
Jeongguk grunts with effort as he sets the large armchair down, sending a cloud of dust up in the air. He exhales and wipes the sweat off his brow as he looks at Taehyung (who doesn’t bother to hide his staring right at Jeongguk’s sweat-soaked shirt) with an unimpressed glare. “Yeah, I’ve been at this shit all morning. Jimin-ssi woke me up at 6 am.”
Taehyung nods. “Yeah, he’s an early riser. That sounds like a lot of work. Wanna go to lunch? Hyung will treat you. Jin-hyung. Not me.”
Jeongguk waves him away. “Thanks, but I’m in a good groove right now. I can finish cleaning this stupid garage today and I will shove it in Park Jimin’s face!”
Taehyung rolls his eyes. “Jimin wants you to shove something else in his face.”
Jeongguk whips around. “What?” But Taehyung is already gone. Jeongguk sighs and rubs his shoulder, giving up. He decides to take a break from moving the furniture to one side of the room, and goes over to the back corner of the garage, where most of the objects were covered in musty old white sheets. He grabs the edge of a sheet and pulls it off - freezing when the cloud of dust reveals an old race car. It’s a car that Jeongguk recognizes immediately - a 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail, with a glossy black coat and red flame stripes running down the side. Matte black tires with red rims, old stickers and a 33 printed on the side. Jeongguk frowns as he tosses the cloth to the side and runs his hands on the seemingly pristine car. All of a sudden, the rest of the work in the garage and all of his responsibilities fade away, and the golden dust is back, a spotlight shining on Jeongguk and this car, right here in this moment.
Jeongguk…has seen this car before. Somewhere.
33 is so familiar to him…
The warehouse door slams open again, and Jeongguk can’t even bring himself to look at the new visitor until a gravely and low voice curses under their breath.
“The hell are you doing?”
Jeongguk turns around then, squinting as he sees Yoongi, the grumpy judge from his “trial”, backlit against the sunlight, shadowed in the darkness. Jeongguk can see the scowl on the older man’s face though, and he stands up himself. “Cleaning. Jimin-ssi told me to.”
Yoongi groans. “Why? You don’t know where any of this shit goes, what any of it means. I’m going to have to redo it all myself anyways.” Jeongguk is starting to get defensive. “I’m trying my best! I’m not an idiot, I can clean a stupid garage!”
“Nothing about this is clean!” Yoongi barks, gesturing to the pile of furniture Jeongguk made in the corner and the clump of white drapes pushed to the side on the ground. Jeongguk has to bite a smart-ass remark back and calm himself down to maintain his composure. Yoongi, however, snarls. “You should’ve just left my town if you weren’t going to take this community service seriously.”
Fuck his composure. “Hey man. Do not tell me I’m not taking this seriously. I’m here, even though I need to get to Seoul immediately for my race, to get back to my life . Don’t yell at me for not taking this seriously when I have bigger things to deal with, like a race that’s going to change everything for me!”
Yoongi’s face is dark, and Jeongguk breathes heavily, anger and adrenaline and stress rolling off of him in waves.
“Okay.” Yoongi says calmly, even though his eyes look stormy. “Fine. Let’s make a deal. Let’s race.”
Jeongguk blinks. Out of all the things this man could’ve said to him, he was not expecting that .
“You’re… challenging me?” Jeongguk asks. “To a race? With cars?”
Yoongi rolls his eyes. “If you win, your community service is swept under the rug and we’ll get your car to wherever you need to go. You get to leave and go back to your life. If I win, you’re staying put in this town and fixing everything that you’ve ruined since you got here. That means this garage, that means the dumpster, that means everything that Jimin and anyone else in this town tells you to do without any complaints - got it?!”
Jeongguk wants to laugh hysterically. “Oh I got it. You even know who I am, ahjussi?!”
Yoongi’s eyes glint and he holds out his hands to shake. “I know exactly what you are, asshole.”
Jeongguk takes his hand and they shake on it. “I hope you’re ready to lose.” He grins, and Yoongi smiles too - a threatening smirk that should concern Jeongguk, but he waves his doubts aside.
Who is this guy, challenging Jeon Jeongguk to a race? Clearly, he’s been in this sleepy town for too long. Jeongguk knows he’s the best of the best - and by the end of this race, he’ll make sure Yoongi and Jimin and everyone else in this town knows it.
~
In an amazing show of trust, Hoseok shows Jeongguk his own personal car in his garage. Jeongguk whistles at the red 1959 Chevrolet Corvette sitting all pretty and nice. “Damn, everybody seems to have nice cars around here. This is in incredible condition.” Jeongguk says admirably, and Hoseok grins, pride evident all over his face. “Namjoon helped. I did all the art myself though.” That much is clear. On top of the red coat, the car is covered with colorful designs, most similar to the tattoos on Hoseok’s arms and chest, and Jeongguk can’t help but whistle in awe again. “That’s amazing work hyung. Are you…are you sure I can really use her?”
“Yeah, I think it’ll be fun to watch you race. I’d be honored to have such a famous driver use my car, hah.” Hoseok tosses Jeongguk the keys, and looks at the car fondly. “Besides, I can’t wait to see Yoongi-hyung race. I’ve never seen him drive anything other than his old pick up around town, 10 miles under the speed limit.”
Jeongguk is already in the driver's seat, rubbing his hands on the steering wheel with barely concealed excitement. “I can’t wait to get on the road again.” He admits, and Hoseok can’t help but laugh. “C’mon. Let’s get you and my girl out on the track.”
The “track” ends up being a couple miles from downtown, a large stretch of land where a dirt track seems to stretch around the natural curve of the land - Jeongguk can see the entire valley from the flat field that he pulls up into. He and Hoseok get out of the car, where it seems like word has gotten around, and apparently everyone in this town has a nice vintage car of some sorts in their possession, each personally customized to their own personalities. Jeongguk squints, seeing Taehyung in his tow truck, Namjoon in a stunning royal blue 1951 Hudon Hornet, and Jin in a fucking lamborghini?! Jeongguk must make a noise when he notices Jin leaning against the car with large sunglasses, because Hoseok chuffs. “It’s a custom teal 1990 Lambo Diablo. I did the flowers on the side.” Jeongguk barely notices the white smeraldo flowers on the side as people start to emerge from their cars and come over to Jeongguk in the corvette.
Taehyung, Jin and Namjoon reach him first. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Namjoon asks, his eyebrows slightly pinched. Jeongguk is feeling strangely defensive again. “Please. I can race, I literally do this for a living.” Taehyung is looking at the track. “Be careful on the dirt. We’ve been in a dry spell lately, so the ground will be looser and more crumbly than normal.” Jin seems to agree. “Don’t drive too fast, Hobi’s car might not be able to handle your speed. Just beat Yoongi-hyung.”
“I can see the track. And that’s the plan.” Jeongguk sighs. “Thanks for your concerns guys, but I”ll be fine.”
A slight rumble distracts them all as the McLaren Jeongguk had found earlier in the garage suddenly appears out of nowhere, pulling up right next to Jeongguk. Jeongguk scoffs when Yoongi steps out of the car, taking his sunglasses off his face. “You sure you even know how to drive that thing, ahjussi?!” Jeongguk sneers and Yoongi frowns. “Hobi-yah, you’re gonna let this punk use your car?”
Hoseok merely smiles. “Don’t let him ruin my car, mayor-hyung.”
Yoongi’s frown shifts into a dark scowl. “No promises.” He gets back into the car, and the crowd seems to disperse. The energy in the air has shifted considerably, Jeongguk can tell. The race is about to begin.
He gets into the corvette, and takes a deep breath. No matter what car, no matter where he is, no matter who he’s up against, Jeongguk is good at what he does. So he just needs to stay calm, and he’ll beat the old guy - just like how he’s beaten all the other old guys, so many times before.
Namjoon stands in front of the two cars, a checkered flag in his hand and a whistle around his neck. “Alright, 3 laps around the track each, first one to get back to me, wins! No foul play, stay safe, and have fun! 3…”
Jeongguk grits his teeth and starts to rev the engine.
“2…”
Jeongguk’s hands tighten on the steering wheel. He’s almost jumping in his seat with jitters.
“1!”
VROOOOM. Jeongguk in the Corvette takes off in an impressive cloud of dirt and debris, and the observing crowd erupts into gasps and awe. It’s been a while since any of them have seen anyone in town go that fast. But as the dust clears, Jin sighs. “Ugh.”
The McLaren hasn’t moved. Namjoon nervously darts his eyes back and forth between the fading Corvette and the still McLaren, and waves the flag again. “Yoongi. I said 1, you can go now.”
Slowly, the window rolls down. “Oh no.” Yoongi drawls. “Seems like I’m running behind. I’d better catch up.” He turns towards the crowd. “Taehyung!” The boy in question straightens out in the driver's seat of his truck and sticks his head out the window. “Hyung?”
“Follow me.” Yoongi waves his hand, and slowly, the McLaren pulls out onto the track. Jin and the rest of the townspeople stare at Taehyung in confusion, while the boy shrugs and turns on his ignition.
Meanwhile, Jeongguk is having the time of his life. The corvette drives beautifully , and Jeongguk lets out a loud whoop as he speeds on the track. The track is going to turn soon, and Jeongguk wriggles in his seat to get ready. In the rearview mirror, he can’t even see Yoongi anywhere close to him in the cloud of dust he’s leaving behind. His nerves are on fire, his brain is on overdrive.
All he can see is the dust and the twisting track up ahead, right before he hits the river - he swings the wheel to the left, and suddenly he feels weightless as the car refuses to turn and he plunges the Corvette STRAIGHT into the bank of the river, definitely scratching up the red coat on the Corvette.
Jeongguk jolts as the seatbelt jolts against him and he slams on the brake. The car just barely touches the water.
The roar from the engine is gone and the silence in the valley is deafening. All Jeongguk can hear is a high-pitched ringing in his ears.
“Fuck.” He breathes out, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against the wheel.
A slow rumble comes up behind, and Jeongguk looks up, spotting the McLaren and Taehyung’s truck coming up. Jeongguk presses his lips into a thin line and rolls down the window.
Yoongi has a smug grin on his face as he pulls up. “Need some help, kid?” Jeongguk grits his teeth. “Everything’s fine.” Yoongi scoffs, and waves Taehyung over. The other boy starts to hook up the tow truck to the back of the corvette, and Jeongguk gets out of the car (pretending he didn’t stumble on his way out). “You didn’t even try.” Jeongguk accuses Yoongi, watching the scene unfold with disinterest. “You lose. Finish your community service.” Jeongguk storms up to Yoongi and bends down to Yoongi’s bored face in the window. “You. Didn’t. Try.” He punctuates each word with a worsening scowl.
Yoongi peers up at Jeongguk through his sunglasses. “I didn’t need to. Now you need to hold up your end of the deal. That garage better be spotless by the end of this week.”
Jeongguk sputters and Yoongi rolls the window up, driving away at an infuriatingly slow pace, almost mocking Jeongguk by leaving behind a weak cloud of dust. Taehyung starts to tow the Corvette to the road, and whistles lowly. “Damn, Yoongi-hyung is too cool. It’s okay Jeonggukie! It’s just a race. Not the end of the world.” Jeongguk grits his teeth. “Yeah, but I don’t lose. To me, it is the end of the world.”
Taehyung snorts. “Well, it might be for you once Hobi-hyung sees what you did to his car.”
Jeongguk pales.
By the time Jeongguk gets a ride back to the starting line where the rest of the town seemed to have dispersed and only Jin, Namjoon, and Hoseok remained - Jeongguk is panicking.
He gets out of the truck and hurries over to Hoseok, who’s looking at his car with a critical gaze, face terrifying blank. Jeongguk immediately falls to his knees in front of Hoseok and puts his hands together. “Hoseok-ssi, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened, I guess I’m not used to driving on dirt - but please let me pay for the damages on the car. I can fix it too! Or I can try, and help Namjoon-ssi-hyung!”
Hoseok sighs and ruffles his hand in Jeongguk’s unruly hair. “Don’t worry about it, I’ve been meaning to give the car a makeover anyways. I just don’t know what I should decorate it with.”
Jeongguk looks up at Hoseok with big eyes. “Um…well I can help with that. If you want. I have ideas.” Hoseok raises an eyebrow. Jeongguk blinks. “Design…ideas. For tattoos mainly. But could work for a car-”
“I’ve heard enough.” Hoseok pulls Jeongguk to his feet. “Come on, let's get you some food and you’re going to help me clean up my car.” Jeongguk nods rapidly, and Jin and Namjooon share a knowing glance. Taehyung leads the way with his trusty tow truck, and the dirt track is left behind.
~
After the race, that’s the only thing the town can talk about. Hybe’s mysterious mayor challenging the exciting new racer to a race that he knew Jeon Jeongguk was going to lose? The local paper had a field day - everybody in town knew who Jeongguk was now. And the townspeople flocked to Namjoon’s garage, where the racer in question was found helping the resident mechanic fix Jung Hoseok’s car and his own race car.
Kids would look in awe, teenage girls would giggle and whisper to each other shyly as they watched Jeongguk work in plain white t-shirts and ripped jeans. (Jeongguk had to admit to Hoseok that he hadn’t worn denim in 3 years, and the older man was so offended that he threw half of his closet at Jeongguk’s terrified face.)
It seems as though Jeongguk, for all his bravado about being this incredibly famous racer, is terribly oblivious to how the Hybe townspeople fawn over him. Or if not oblivious, the boy is clearly overwhelmed by the genuine curiosity and kindness of these people living “in the middle of nowhere”. When Jeongguk comes by the local bakery to pick up an order for Seokjin’s diner, he offers to help the older baker hang up a heavy sign of specials on the wall. The baker started to spread the news of Jeongguk’s helpfulness (in addition to his speed), and suddenly, people began to ask Jeongguk strange requests. Jeongguk surprisingly, never said no, and began a new streak of helping the townspeople on his own accord.
For the next two days, Jeongguk is busy. When not helping save a cat from a tree, passing out popsicles to kids at the park, and lifting heavy boxes of junk from house attics for garage sales, people flock to watch Jeongguk work with Kim Namjoon at the garage, or reserve observation seats at Omelas to watch Jeongguk work as Jin’s temporary server (especially during the senior rush hour - he’s more popular now than ever before with the ajummas). Namjoon is hopelessly endeared by Jeongguk’s small questions about engineering, and starts to work day and night on Jeongguk’s car, determined to fix it entirely by the end of the week. Jin and Hoseok have silently but firmly taken Jeongguk under their wing, feeling like an odd set of parents with how much they teach Jeongguk about little things (why it’s important to separate blacks and whites in the washing machine, how to cook something that isn’t instant ramen, etc.) Taehyung has declared himself Jeongguk’s new best friend, and Jeongguk is fairly certain that Taehyung is the one pushing all the wild rumors swirling around him in the town, in an effort to make Jeongguk more “mysterious and desirable” - according to Taehyung, who wiggles his eyebrows. Jeongguk ignores him.
The only people in all of Hybe Springs who hasn’t accepted Jeongguk yet, are Park Jimin and Yoongi, the town mayor (even his name sounds familiar to Jeongguk but he can’t quite place it…) who lurks around corners, scowling every time that Jeongguk spots him. Jeongguk fumes about his “loss” quietly but passionately. In the early morning (before Jimin can even come knocking at his door to get him to clean the town hall), Jeongguk is out on the dirt road, obsessed with trying to figure out how to drive on the new terrain. Namjoon let him use one of the spare cars in the garage, and Jeongguk has been slowly but steadily figuring out how to make the turn and how to drive on the dirt. When Taehyung manages to wake up in time to join him, the boy surprisingly gives good advice on how to drive on the natural terrain. One time for shits and giggles, Jeongguk even gets to drive Taehyung’s truck as fast as he can (which results in almost tipping the truck over but lots of laughter and giggles afterwards).
An inside source (Taehyung) tells Jeongguk that Jimin has begrudgingly admitted that Jeongguk is doing some good for town morale. Regardless of his help and his apparent willingness to make up for his mistakes, people come up to Jeongguk, excited to just meet a new face, or make a new friend. Jeongguk is quick to learn all the kids' names, and tries his best to remember most of the townspeople he helps out or introduces themselves to him. Jimin has realized that with everyone warming up to Jeongguk, the case against him and his community service grows lesser in importance. Jeongguk finds himself wanting to stay and help the people he can, although he knows that the rematch looms in the back of his mind, he ignores it and pushes on with the day.
( What Taehyung left out to Jeongguk, is the conversation between him and Jimin that takes place when Jeongguk is getting lunch with Hoseok and some kids who are interested in getting tattoos. Jeongguk was talking to the kids in the park, while Hoseok unpacked lunches that Seokjin had made for the two of them, excitedly gesturing and pointing to his tattoos when the kids asked questions, explaining the meaning, and being honest about the pain in different areas. Jimin and Taehyung are watching from the inside of the Omelas diner, Taehyung slurping on a ube milkshake and Jimin stares out the window, chin propped up by his hands.
“It’s kind of endearing.” Jimin says aloud. Taehyung slurps extra loudly, looking at his friend curiously. “He looks like he belongs here.”
“He could.” Taehyung says.
A beat passes, and Jimin’s eyes grow soft as Jeongguk throws his head back and laughs, while the kids pile on top of Hoseok in a huge doggy-like pile.
Then his expression shutters quickly, and if Taehyung had blinked - he wouldn’t have seen the sudden change in Jimin’s demeanor.
“He doesn’t.” Jimin says, looking away.
Taehyung blinks slowly. Then takes another long slurp out of his milkshake. )
After two long days of emotional whiplash and copious levels of human interaction, Jeongguk is almost grateful that he’s back in the town hall garage, cleaning out the space, left alone to breathe.
He’s finally torn himself away from the older women in the town, who were slightly too eager to invite him back to their homes for tea, and slides the garage door closed, leaving it only ajar slightly, seeing the garage still in the state he left it last, before Yoongi challenged him to the race. He looks around and puts his hands on his hips, a small sigh leaving his lips as he realizes he still has a long way to go. The competitive streak flares up again - but now he feels like he has something to prove to the mayor with a stick up his ass, who has given Jeongguk no indication why he’s so hostile, even after seeing all the ways Jeongguk’s tried to change for the better.
Speaking of - the McLaren is parked in the garage, uncovered, as if somebody had just been cleaning it and left it on display for a bunch of ghosts. Jeongguk furrows his eyebrows, but approaches the car slowly, almost in a trance. He runs his hand over the smooth surface, taking in the patterns and the textures, and lets out a low whistle. Even though this car wasn’t used at its full potential, it’s a beast - and Jeongguk appreciates a good car.
Looking around, Jeongguk spots a dusty half opened box hiding in the corner - he decides to start there in cleaning, and approaches it slowly.
He stops short and widens his eyes.
What the fuck , are 3 different Universe 700 Prix trophies doing in this town hall garage in Hybe Springs?
Jeongguk drops to his knees, pulling the box forward into the light and blowing the dust away. He pulls each of the trophies out, one by one. They’re real , Jeongguk can tell by the weight, and he chokes when he reads the name on the trophy label - Min Yoongi.
His eyes naturally fall on the crumpled newspaper that the trophies laid on top of.
The headline - MIN YOONGI, 3 TIME UNIVERSE 700 PRIX CHAMPION in 2031. Almost 9 full years ago. A blurry picture of a younger, familiar man with dyed blonde hair stepping out of the same McLaren behind him in the garage, dark eyes alight with a burning fire - smirk all too reminiscent and fresh.
Jeongguk is processing.
A low voice clears his throat, and Jeongguk turns around, wide eyed. Min Yoongi, in the flesh, sighs, leaning against the doorway, sunlight spilling around him, leaving his face in the shadows. “I was wondering when you would find them.”
And all of a sudden, it clicks.
The blonde man with the cocky grin in the photo is the same dark-haired man before him. The man before him is older, more tired, but the eyes are the same. Although they’re dark and empty, nothing like the fire in the eyes of the man in the photo taken years ago.
“You’re Min Yoongi. The youngest racer to win the Universe 700 Prix three years in a row.” He whispers with a dry mouth. Yoongi chuckles humorlessly. “No shit. Now get the hell out of here.” Jeongguk tries to protest, but Yoongi grabs Jeongguk’s shirt with a surprising amount of force and drags him out, before slamming the garage door shut behind him.
Jeongguk blinks, wondering what the hell just happened, when he hears somebody clearing their throat behind him.
He turns, and falters - because why is Park Jimin, standing in front of a well taken-care-of baby blue 2005 Porsche Carrera GT with a slightly hopeful expression on his face? Jeongguk blinks again, mouth open but nothing comes out. Jimin has a slight flush on his face but he clears his throat again. “Get in doodles. I don’t have all day.”
Jeongguk stammers. “What?”
Jimin sighs, motioning towards the passengers side. “We’re taking a drive. Catch up.” Confused, Jeongguk walks over and gets in the passenger's seat, missing the smile on Jimin’s face as he settles in to drive.
That’s exactly what they do. Jimin takes Jeongguk on a drive, right on the road along the river. The car is fairly quiet, save the roar of the road outside, and soft R&B playing on the radio. Jeongguk feels slightly awkward, sneaking glances at Jimin driving.
Eventually, he gives up on “sneaking” and just watches the other man with wide eyes.
Jeongguk has always preferred to drive himself. He likes the way he drives, and he doesn’t care if anyone else likes it or not. But it’s rare for him to appreciate anybody else’s driving - ever. He would rather be caught dead than saying this, but he’s close to admitting that he appreciates Jimin’s driving more than anyone he’s ever been in the car with. Oh baby, what a sight Park Jimin makes behind the wheel.
He’s wearing black shades again, a relaxed expression on his face. Instead of his normal button down, he has a plain white shirt on, and extremely ripped blue denim jeans. Silver rings adorn his fingers, a thin silver chain resting against his collarbone.
Jimin drives with one hand on the top of the steering wheel and the other resting on the gear stick. Jeongguk drives like that, but isn’t afraid to admit to himself that seeing Jimin in that position is doing something to tighten his pants (and squeeze his nerves). After a while, Jeongguk tears his eyes away from Jimin and focuses his gaze on the scenery outside. The Porsche drives smoothly, and it’s like Jeongguk is gliding along the river bank. The valley is gorgeous, calm and peaceful with birds sweeping and swooping in the sky, far away. There’s a light fog that barely covers the gorgeous hills and natural landscape that Jeongguk didn’t know South Korea was capable of creating. The mist seems like it’s hiding more - hinting at some unnatural earthly wonder that beckoned Jeongguk to come and explore more of.
Time passes strangely. Jeongguk feels like he stares outside forever, watching the land roll beside him, the river flowing - leading - him until Jimin stops the car. Jeongguk blinks, finally looking forward.
They’re parked in front of some abandoned building near the top of one of the hills in the valley, an interesting piece of architecture that seems like it was once a grand place in this beautiful hidden part of the world - but now the windows were shuttered, the paint was peeling, and the large bay doors on the side of the large warehouse-like building were ajar at various positions, as if somebody hadn’t bothered to close them all properly.
Jimin opens his door and steps out. Jeongguk scrambles to follow him.
It’s not until Jimin pushes open the main doors into the building that Jeongguk clears his throat. “What is this place?”
Jimin looks around. The ceiling is a weathered glass dome, letting the sunlight come inside and illuminate the hall surrounding them. “Hybe Hall. South Korea’s number one automobile center for race cars and automobile advancements in the 80s.” Jeongguk blinks in awe as he looks around and realizes that posters of internationally infamous race cars and concept models of car model’s he’s never even seen in real life are displayed all around him. “In the 80s, the SK government wanted to throw their hand in the ring of international racing and automobile production.” Jimin explains, standing in the center of the main hall, allowing Jeongguk to explore and look around. “They wanted a central hub, so the town was established around this building. Right in the center of the country. Hybe Springs, a place where racing fanatics and car enthusiasts could come and see new designs, meet fellow racers, and discuss international racing leagues. Bets were placed on different races here, even at the inaugural Universe 700 Prix. It used to be so lively, back when the young people flocked here to get a taste of a culture that was so new in Asia.”
Jeongguk lets his gaze run over a wall full of picture frames, almost creating a collage of young people smiling at the camera, clearly fans of international racing. Every photo shows a different story, and not only young people seem to be enjoying Hybe Hall in its prime - but also entire families, elderly couples, laughing siblings.
Jimin starts to walk down the hall to the back of the building, and Jeongguk is quick to follow, their footsteps echoing around the empty walls. The two of them emerge from the display hall into the large empty warehouse part of the building. Large glass windows in the upper part of the walls are shuttered, and Jimin goes over to the nearest wall, flipping a switch. Suddenly, mechanical growling echoes throughout the whole building and the shutters start to move up on their own. “This is the car hall.” Jimin says loudly. Jeongguk looks around and notices the soft layer of dust on the ground. “Used to get American and European imports here for display all the time. Gathered lots of crowds on the weekends. Hybe was a booming town. A lot of people decided to stay and settle here.”
Jeongguk blinks at the abandoned room and squints as the sunlight finally settles, fully illuminating the aging warehouse. “What happened?”
Jimin sighs. Then he turns his heel and walks towards one of the bay doors, pulling the door up slightly so he could crouch and go outside. Jeongguk looks around again, but he follows Jimin.
Outside, behind the building, Jimin sits on top of the rock wall that creates a barrier around the hill. A light breeze picks up and blows through Jimin’s soft hair and Jeongguk sits next to him.
“The world moved on. The people grew up. Only the few that settled in Hybe stayed, while less and less people came to visit.” Jimin says softly. Jeongguk hums. “I guess that explains the senior citizen center. The vintage…retro style of the town. The obvious American influence.”
Jimin nods. “It’s also why everyone in town has a nice car. They’re real, vintage, well-preserved cars because they’re taken care of by people who love them. And you can probably sense that. Namjoon-hyung and Jin-hyung grew up here, taking care of their families businesses. Hoseok-hyung came here with Jin-hyung when he came back from college. Taehyung has been here since he was a kid. Hybe is their whole life, and it’s being forgotten as we speak.” He doesn’t say anything about Yoongi, and Jeongguk doesn’t push. The boy is quiet for a moment.
Jimin talks about the town with such a fond tone, something delicate, so unlike Jimin’s personality that Jeongguk’s seen so far. Jeongguk bites his lip, unsure if he should ask - but finally he does. “What about you?”
Jimin looks up at him, almost surprised. Jeongguk looks steadily back at the boy, and Jimin blinks slowly. “Me?”
“How did you get here?”
Jimin hums. “I was born in Busan.” Jimin starts off, staring out at the deep mountainous canyons, mist and fog hiding what lay beneath. “But my dad grew up in Hybe. We came here a lot as a family when I was a kid. I ended up falling in love with racing and all the amazing cars my dad got to work with. I never wanted to leave, always threw a tantrum when we had to go back to home.”
He was quiet for a moment, lost in thought. Jeongguk clears his throat. “What happened?” Jimin blinks, looking at Jeongguk, almost remembering that the other boy was there. He smiles sheepishly and continues. “Well I visited less and less as I got older. I got really into law after one of my dad's business partners screwed him over so I studied and became one of the best up and coming lawyers in Busan. By the time I was able to finally help my dad though, he passed. And he left the car to me.” Jeongguk widens his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He doesn’t know what else to say.
Jimin shrugs. “He wanted to be buried in Hybe. I came back and remembered all the summers here as a child, remembered everything I loved about this town, and everything that I missed out on while I was working for a goal that never even helped the people I loved.” Jimin sighs. “And then when I went back to Busan, I found my boyfriend of three years cheating on me in our shared apartment. I left that life behind. I came to Hybe because I was looking for something different. Something slower. Something more real. I fell in love with Hybe all over again, and I’m trying so hard to preserve my fathers town and his memory. I wanted to forget, but I don’t want to be forgotten.” Jeongguk bites his lip. “Your ex is a shitty person.”
Jimin glances at Jeongguk. “Funny enough, my ex was a racer.” Jeongguk widens his eyes. “Who?” Jimin shakes his head. “I don’t know if he’s still racing now, but his name is Song Minho.”
Jeongguk’s world stops turning. Jimim frowns as Jeongguk’s expression shuts down, and he leans over. “You okay?” Jeongguk shakes his head, trying to push his inexplicable anger down. “Small fucking world.” He mutters and Jimin scoffs. “Oh…you do know him.” Jeongguk scowls. “He’s a real asshole. The fucking worst.”
Jimin hums. “It was a long time ago. But you understand why I’m a little wary of racers.” Jeongguk shakes his head. “I’m sorry you had to deal with him. He’s a piece of shit.”
Jimin looks at him for a long moment. “You’re not like him though. You surprised me.” Jeongguk calms himself down and looks back at Jimin. “You surprised me more.” Jeongguk says. “I get it now. Why people would want to keep this place alive, keep it on the map. I feel…more at home here than in my own apartment.” Jimin chuckles slightly. “Hybe has that effect on you.” Jeongguk nods. “I think something has changed in me. I don’t know how to explain it.”
They sit in silence for a bit longer until Jimin clears his throat. “I’m sorry I judged you without getting to know you. I know you made a mistake and that you’re sorry. The towns pretty much forgiven you, and Seokjin and Hoseok are basically going to adopt you if you stay any longer. Maybe Hybe changed you. But I think you’ve changed Hybe too.” Jeongguk looks up at Jimin then, who smiles genuinely at him. Jeongguk falters, but slowly smiles back, enamored. Jeongguk looks back behind him, at the empty grand old building. “Thank you for the drive, Jimin. And the history lesson.”
Jimin smiles and looks back at the setting sun. “Anytime.”
The drive back to town is calming and peaceful. Jeongguk doesn’t even hear the radio, can only hear the rushing of the world speeding by them as Jimin drives them back down. Jeongguk can’t see the world around him, can only see Jimin Jimin Jimin, illuminated by the brilliant light of the sun, his blonde hair shimmering and his lips curled into a relaxed smile and eyes sparkling like crystals. Jeongguk has never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life. He’s never felt trapped in a single moment of time so powerfully before.
He doesn’t want this moment to end.
~
When they get back to town, Jimin parks at the Cozy Cat, and they both exit the car. The sun is starting to set, and Jeongguk is hit with a wave of exhaustion - from the craziness of the entire week, to the very recent revelation that the town mayor Yoongi is the same person as the infamous Min Yoongi, quite literally a recent racing legend who disappeared off the face of the Earth. There were so many thoughts swirling in his mind that Jeongguk had to take a deep breath.
Jimin glances at Jeongguk. “You okay?” The younger man nods, giving Jimin an impossibly soft smile. “Yeah.” A beat passes, then Jeongguk clears his throat, straightening himself up a little. “Thank you. Again.”
Jimin blinks, almost surprised, then smiles slightly back. A mischievous glint twinkles at the corners of his eyes. “You’re starting to sound like a broken record, doodles.” He teases. Jeongguk huffs. Jimin laughs, something light and airy and carefree. The quiet settles around them like a comforting blanket, and Jimin opens his mouth like he’s about to say something- when he’s suddenly interrupted by yelling in the distance.
“JIMIN! THE PUPPIES ARE LOOSE! THEY’RE ATTACKING THE KITTIES!” Taehyung’s screeching echoes around the town, and Jimin sighs, exasperated but fond. Jeongguk still can’t help but smile wider. Jimin runs his hand through his hair, and murmurs, “I better go help him.”
“Do you want an extra hand? Apparently there’s a rumor going around town that I’m good at herding the rowdy kittens.” Jeongguk offers, and flexes his arms absentmindedly. “I can pick up a lot of them in my arms.” Jimin chokes and shakes his head quickly. “No, don’t bother. I can’t handle seeing you with kittens in your arms. I’ll die.”
A moment passes, and Jimin looks like he’s ready to ascend.
A slow grin curls over Jeongguk’s face. “You won’t die.” He teases, heart fluttering on the inside. Are he and Jimin flirting? What’s happening?
Jimin squints at Jeongguk’s arms unabashedly and shakes his head distractedly. “I can appreciate fine art only so much for a day. Taehyung probably needs help so I’m going to go…help with the cows…”
“I think you mean the puppies. And the kittens.” Jeongguk reminds him. Jimin laughs awkwardly and takes another step backwards, before promptly turning and sprinting away. Jeongguk feels horribly endeared even though it’s a little embarrassing to see Jimin run so quickly from him. The warmth of the setting sun combined with the buzzing from their conversation brings a honey-like syrup boiling in the emptiness of his brain, and Jeongguk feels like he could get into a car and drive non-stop for years with this adrenaline rush.
Then he hears it.
A familiar growl of an engine revving, almost a whisper in the wind, but calling for Jeongguk to turn around and walk towards the sound.
He keeps walking until he finds himself back at the dirt track. But this time, his eyes bug out of his head as he takes in the insane scene before him.
The McLaren is driving - fast - along the track. Jeongguk can’t tell who’s driving the car, but his jaw is dropped all the same. As the McLaren approaches the turn, Jeongguk isn’t sure if it’s going to make it with how fast it’s going. But the car turns at the last minute, wheels moving in the opposite direction of the turn, and Jeongguk watches as the car races around the curve, sending a near thunderstorm of dust up in its wake as it zooms around the track and stops again right where the track started, all in record speed.
The window doesn’t open, and Jeongguk can’t see exactly who’s driving - but he has a gut feeling he knows anyways.
Without another word, Jeongguk turns around and heads back to the town.
~
Yoongi thinks the kid’s forgotten all about it - which is a dumb mistake on his end in the first place. As soon as he parks the McLaren back in the town hall garage, and he steps out of the car - the boy emerges from the shadows, as if he was waiting for Yoongi to get back.
He probably was. Yoongi wasn’t an idiot, he could see the boy gawking at his driving, even from a mile away, barely over the horizon of the hill.
“What happened to you?” Jeongguk asks first, and Yoongi can’t help but scoff. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He plays dumb, but the younger man persists. He holds up the old newspapers and Yoongi groans internally at the picture of himself. “Me and every other 15 year old aspiring racer in the country idolized you.” Jeongguk says firmly. “You did the impossible. You won three times in a row, and became the first representative of SM when they first established themselves as a company. You were smart and sarcastic and good at winning and - and you were open about your sexuality - and then you disappeared off the face of the earth! You were one of my heroes - and now, I didn’t even recognize you at first. You changed, so what happened?”
“For all the shit you know about my life, you don’t know what happened after?” Yoongi bites out bitterly, and Jeongguk blinks, taken aback.
Yoongi stalks over to a nearby desk, opening the top drawer and throwing the nearest newspaper at Jeongguk. He opens the papers and reads “ ACCIDENT LEAVES MIN IN THE DUST” . Jeongguk frowns. “I know about the accident. But you got better right? I always thought you would come back. Eventually.”
Yoongi scoffs, something dark and melancholy. “Eventually.” He spits. “I did get better. I was ready to come back. But SM moved on and took on another, newer, younger, representative. They didn’t even call me to let me know. I was on my way to Busan from Seoul for my first race back, and I was in this town when I watched the news and found out myself.”
Jeongguk stills. “So…you just stayed? Here? For the past 10 years?!”
Yoongi shrugs. “It was quiet, it was far from the rest of the world. What’d you call it? The middle of buttfuck Korea? I thought the same thing at first. That’s why it was perfect.”
“Perfect for what?”
“Early retirement.” Yoongi says simply. “The simple life. The people here were welcoming, kind. I was all kinds of fucked up, and if it wasn’t for them, I’d still be fucked up today. That’s why I’ll protect this town for as long as I live.”
Jeongguk’s about to argue but Yoongi cuts him off. “No, don’t give me any bullshit. I was you once, a long time ago. I know exactly what’s going through your head, and I’m not going to let you ruin this town and the people in it for any longer than you have to.” Jeongguk shakes his head. “We’re not the same people, Yoongi, I’m trying to change-!”
“All you racers are the same. I would know. You only stayed this long because you want to fuck Jimin. Or Taehyung. Whoever. I don’t care, because it’s not going to happen. I won’t let you hurt them. They’re good people, and I won’t let you string someone along and then leave. Because racers always leave.” Yoongi says again and points towards the door, out to the darkness of the night that awaits them outside. Jeongguk is silent, until he looks up at Yoongi defiantly. “You don’t know me. I’m sorry if the industry wasn’t kind to you. But it doesn’t mean you get to define who I am, or who I’m trying to be. That’s selfish of you. And honestly, you need to get over it. I always thought you were better than that.”
Yoongi’s eyes get dark. “Get the fuck out of my town.”
Jeongguk’s eyes narrow. “It’s not your town.”
The silence is tense between them before Jeongguk finally backs down, stepping back and taking a deep breath before exiting the garage.
The kid needs to go, Yoongi finally decides.
A moment passes when Yoongi is sure he’s alone - before he grabs one of the discarded trophies on the floor and throws it against the wall. The piece of metal doesn’t even break - just makes a horrific hollow clank as it falls to the ground, heavy and burdensome.
~
Jeongguk skips out on hanging at Omelas that night, stopping by just to get a beer, saying goodnight to a confused Hoseok and Seokjin, and then walking along the side of the street by himself. It’s not long before Taehyung catches up to him, holding his own beer and gesturing for Jeongguk to follow him.
Aimlessly, Jeongguk follows as Taehyung leads him to an open field, where tall grass sways slightly in the cool wind of the night. Taehyung leads him to a spot that seems to look right down the middle of the valley - it’s a clear night, and the moon and stars shine brightly above them. There’s a tree stump and log on the ground, and Taehyung sits on the log, looking at Jeongguk expectantly.
The younger man sits down on the tree stump and takes a long sip from his beer. He can’t believe his life has come to this.
“Bad day?” Taehyung finally asks, unable to sit in silence for long. Jeongguk doesn’t fault him for it anymore, almost wanting to talk about it.
“Not really. Not until a few hours ago.” Taehyung blinks. “Jimin?”
“Huh?” Jeongguk shakes his head. “No. Jimin’s cool. Yoongi. Did you guys know?”
“Know what?”
“That he’s Min Yoongi? He’s a racer. He’s famous. He dropped off the face of the earth years ago, and he’s just… here . The most infamous racer who won three Universe 700 Prix trophies in three consecutive seasons?”
Taehyung blinks. Jeongguk shakes his head and takes another long sip. “Forget it. It was a long time ago.” Taehyung shrugs. “Uh, maybe the hyungs would know. I was scared of him at first, but he ended up being really cool. Just rough around the edges. But who isn’t!”
“He said I’m just like all the other racers. I’ve had haters, but this was different.” Jeongguk mumbles, mind in a far-away place. “He despises me. How ironic. I idolized him. For so long. Turns out he’s just another asshole.” Jeongguk is quiet for a moment, but in a quieter voice, says, “Despite all his bullshit, I get it. His fears came true, it was out of his control. That’s why I race every race like it’s my last.”
“Yoongi-hyung is just protective. I can see him being a racer. Even though he doesn’t go over the speed limit anymore.” Taehyung pipes up. “When he first showed up, I was a teenager, and all the teens knew him as the drunk bastard wandering around the town. He was in really bad shape. Really bad.” Taehyung emphasizes and Jeongguk looks up at him. “Really?” Taehyung nods. “I remember Jin-hyung and Hoseok-hyung let him crash at their place when it was too cold outside. Namjoon-hyung is the one who gave him a job, told him to shape up or get out of Hybe. Yoongi-hyung shaped up. He got better after that.”
“You guys will take anyone in, huh.” Jeongguk mutters. Taehyung shrugs. “Everybody deserves a second chance if they want it enough. Yoongi-hyung wanted to change, so he stopped drinking. Started helping people in town with their problems, and eventually got so good at it, that we all decided he should be the mayor. He’s been doing a really good job so far.”
“It’s a ghost town.” Jeongguk deadpans. Taehyung hums. “One day at a time, Jeonggukkie. Lots of people come and go. It’s rare for special ones like you and Yoongi-hyung to stay.”
“I’m not staying for much longer. I have to race at the end of the week.” Jeongguk reminds him gently and Taehyung stops for a moment. “Oh. Yeah. Sorry. I forgot.”
Jeongguk doesn’t say anything else for a while.
“He’s an asshole.” Jeongguk finally grumbles. “He said to get out of his town, but this isn’t his. Hybe is so much bigger than him. He’s been here for 10 years, but there are families who have been here for so much longer, people like you and the others. Even Jimin. Who does he think he is, even if he’s the mayor?”
“To be fair,” Taehyung hesitates. “Yoongi-hyung has done a lot for the town, just as it’s done a lot for him. It’s a give and take, right? Technically, this is all our town, as long as we’ve done something for it, and it’s done something for us in return. It could be your town now, if you wanted.”
“What have I done for Hybe except annoyed you all?” Jeongguk grumbles. Taehyung shakes his head. “Maybe ask yourself what Hybe has done for you. And you can figure out what you’ve done for it back.” Jeongguk looks at Taehyung for a long moment, and says nothing. The two of them sit quietly in the field for a while, before Jeongguk takes a deep breath.
“I wish I could stay.” He finally admits, and Taehyung turns to look at the other man with wide eyes. “I haven’t felt this free in a long time.” Jeongguk whispers. “I don’t think I deserve to stay though.”
Taehyung raises the bottle to him. “Jeon Jeongguk, none of that talk is allowed tonight. You’ve worked hard to get where you are. You deserve a break, don’t you think?”
Jeongguk is quiet before he finally lets out a sigh. “Yeah. A vacation sounds nice.”
Taehyung smiles and they clink their glasses together, before finishing the rest of their drinks and watching the moon and stars in the sky.
~
Jeongguk wakes up in the Cozy Cat bed with a kitten pawing at his window outside, and rapid-fire knocking at the door.
He’s 76% sure it’s Jimin, but decides to throw on a plain t-shirt and shorts regardless before opening the door. He’s glad that he did - the door reveals a panting Namjoon, as if the older man had just run here. He’d been up all night, according to the deep eyebags and crazed smile on his face. “I did it! I actually didn’t think I’d be able to, but we got lucky I had all the parts to fix her and it really didn’t take as much time as I thought it would -”
Jeongguk stammers. “Woah, Namjoon-hyung, please calm down. What happened?”
Namjoon beams. “Your car, Jeongguk-ah. I fixed it.”
The racer’s mind blanks for a moment - flashes of the road, the roaring of zooming vehicles, the faint cheering of a powerful audience - and Jeongguk nearly takes a step back in shock.
“Yah, Namjoon-ah, you’re about to fall over.” Seokjin’s voice cuts in through Jeongguk’s thoughts, bringing him back to the present. Jeongguk blinks, now realizing that Hoseok and Seokjin were walking up to them. The older man smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his head, while trying to hold back a yawn. “Sorry, I’m just excited. You have to come see her, Jeongguk-ah. She's like brand new.”
Jeongguk follows the stumbling man to his garage, still processing. Hoseok and Seokjin help Namjoon walk in a straight line, and Seokjin even tosses Jeongguk some sort of veggie bun for him to eat and wake up. Hoseok scolds Namjoon for staying up all night again, and asks him when the last time he took a shower was, and Seokjin laughs, but Jeongguk can’t hear any of it, not really. Not while thinking that if his car is really finished…he can leave. He’s mentally calculating how long it will take him to drive to Seoul without stopping.
Then he starts to think that since it’s only a few hours away, it shouldn’t take that long. Jeongguk frowns. He’s been in Hybe for almost a whole week, and nobody came to look for him? Didn’t his manager even think about tracking his phone? He pulls it out of his pocket, surprised to see that it’s dead. He’d gotten his phone back a few days ago, finding it sitting inconspicuously on his dresser, imagining that Taehyung probably put it back after pocketing his wallet. Jeongguk realizes that he didn’t even check his phone to see if it was charged. The other three men still walk ahead of him, and as they get closer to the garage, the reality of the situation starts to hit Jeongguk.
He’s going to leave soon. He has a race he needs to finish.
And he has to finish first.
“Jeongguk-ah!” Namjoon’s voice pulls him from his tumultuous thoughts. Jeongguk blinks, and finally realizes that Namjoon is holding the garage door open, and Hoseok and Seokjin are looking at him with expecting faces - they’re waiting for him. “Don’t you want to see?” Seokjin asks.
Jeongguk blinks. Then he rushes into the garage - past the other three men. He stops in his tracks, feet stuttering to a stop just a few meters before his pride and joy.
His car is sitting pretty, glittering in the sunlight. The dents are gone, the headlights are fixed - everything looks clean, shiny and brand new. Even the paint glimmers. Hoseok pats Jeongguk on the shoulder as he passes by, smiling gently. “I helped Namjoon last night, fixed her up with a look to make her look just like she used to. Make sure you take care of her, and don’t ever think about doing something so reckless again.” Jeongguk just nods wordlessly, and slowly approaches his car, running a careful hand over the hood. “Namjoon-hyung…” He whispers, and the tall giant seems to smile with relief. “I’m glad you’re satisfied. Really, it was fun to work on such a cool car. It was no worries at all.”
Jeongguk swallows heavily and looks at Namjoon, eyes brimming with unshed emotion. “Thank you. Seriously.”
Namjoon nods, a knowing smile on his face.
Seokjin looks up from his phone with a look of exasperation. “Trouble’s incoming.” Is all he can get out before the garage door slams open, and Park Jimin storms inside with a half-awake Taehyung following behind him yawning.
“Jiminieee, it’s so early.” Taehyung whines, but Jimin says nothing until he stands beside Jeongguk, staring at the car.
Jeongguk looks at the shorter man curiously - there’s a wild glint in Jimin’s eyes, something excited and eager, as the man observes Jeongguk's car in her full glory.
“Wow.” Jimin finally says. Jeongguk smiles and nudges Jimin gently. “Impressive, right?”
“It is.” Jimin agrees honestly, and Jeongguk smiles even wider.
The two of them stare at the car, tuning out Taehyung’s excited oohs and ahhs behind them and Seokjin’s exasperated scolding and Hoseok’s laughter and Namjoon’s rambling about the mechanics of it all. It’s just the two of them in their own little world when Jimin pulls out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to Jeongguk.
The racer takes it, unfolding it and reading with wide eyes. Jimin speaks regardless, still staring straight ahead at the car. “The town is releasing you from your community service, so we won’t mark this on your record. Namjoon-hyung decided not to press charges, but you should send him something extra nice when you pay him for the work he did on your car.”
“Jimin-ssi…” Jeongguk murmurs, and Jimin looks at Jeongguk then, eyes kind. “You’ve done more than enough to help Hybe. I hope that you’ll remember us when you return to the city. And I hope you have a safe journey home and you do well on your race.”
Jeongguk folds the paper neatly, mind made up. “Thank you Jimin-ssi. But I’m not leaving just yet.” He says loudly, and everybody freezes, staring at him with wide eyes. Jimin blinks, confused. “You’re not leaving?”
Jeongguk glances at his car, then at Jimin, then back down to his feet nervously. “I have time to stay for one more night. I’ll leave in the morning, but I’d like to support the town as a customer today. And I’d like to properly say goodbye to everyone.”
Jimin is speechless, but Taehyung whoops with joy. “Party tonight! Going-away party for Jeonggukie!” He crows excitedly, and even Namjoon and Seokjin look at each other with eagerness. “I’ll call everyone.” Namjoon says quickly, and Seokjin claps his hands together. “I’ll get started on food right away. We’ll celebrate with a feast, and we’ll have a special for our special stand-in waiter!” Hoseok laughs brightly and grins at Jeongguk. “What do you want to do until then kid?”
“Actually hyung,” Jeongguk looks up at Hoseok with big eyes, “I have something I want to get from you first.”
~
The clock turns from 6:59 to 7:00 PM and Jimin shuts his computer down for the night. He looks out the window of the motel lobby, gaze softening at the beautiful sunset, the sky settling from the bright orange-red glow into a subtle, deep purple that bleeds into darkness. In a few minutes, the sun will set even further and purple will shift to pitch black, and out here in the middle of buttfuck nowhere (sometimes even Jimin will agree), you can really see the stars with startling clarity.
Not tonight though - Hybe has been bursting with life today, Jimin’s been keeping track. The few families are out and about, kids running through the street, plastering paper decorations and well-wishes for Jeongguk’s race on windows and doors and anything with any surface visible to the human eye. Shop owners are decorating their storefronts with a renewed sense of energy, taking pictures and posting on Instagram. The senior center drove a familiar horde of elderly people into the town, and ironically, the ajummas and ajussi’s have been bringing a little more youth in their otherwise decrepit town. Taehyung’s been having a blast, fluttering from place to place with his puppies in tow with him, planning supposedly the “best party that Hybe has ever seen in the history of the world”. Jimin had a lot of familiar faces stop by the motel today as he finished up paperwork. Kids and adults alike who came by to say hi and gush about Jeongguk going around town, buying souveniers from local stores and spending time with people he had befriended over the past few days. Even Hoseok had stopped by at one point, grinning so wide but refusing to tell Jimin why he was so excited. “I just need to be there when you see Jeongguk tonight.” Is all the man said, and Jimin refused to give any sort of reaction to that (although his mind was racing with all the possibilities).
The party starts in about an hour, so Jimin leaves the office and goes into his apartment above the lobby to get ready. He hums quietly to himself as he changes into a loose light blue button down and black skinny jeans to go along with it. He keeps humming as he sits and carefully puts on silver jewelry, eyes glancing at the aged polaroid photo taped to the mirror. In the photo, Jimin as a young child sits on the hood of a newer, shinier version of the Porsche, his father holding him steady behind him. They both smile wide at the camera, and Jimin stops humming. His gaze softens and he traces the photo carefully, when there’s a knock downstairs.
Jimin goes downstairs and stops short on the stairs once he sees who's waiting outside the motel lobby door. He widens his eyes, and ruffles his hair a little before walking to open the door.
Jeongguk turns around when the door opens and his eyes crinkle as a shy smile spreads across his face. “Hey.” Jimin bites his lip and smiles slowly. Jeongguk is…breathtaking. The man is wearing ripped blue jeans, a form-fitting black t-shirt tucked in his pants. He has a denim blue jacket slung over his shoulder, and Jimin looks over the rippling muscles on his tattooed arm appreciatively. Jeongguk grins. “Hey.”
Jimin clears his throat, tearing his eyes away so he could meet Jeongguk’s. “I’m not supposed to see you yet.” The other man blinks, confused. “Hoseok insisted that he wanted to be here when I saw you, although I can’t tell if something changed. Did you do something different with your hair?” Jeongguk laughs. “Oh, I know what Hoseok-hyung means. Nah, I didn’t change my hair. But I wanted to show you something first, before the party tonight, before everybody else sees.”
He bunches his jacket in one hand, using the other to tug down the collar of his black shirt and Jimin gasps softly.
It’s a new tattoo, small and intimate but prominent, right underneath his collarbone, the only artwork on his clear skin. It’s a sun, just barely peeking over the horizon of a river in a valley. The artwork is so clearly designed with love by Hoseok, and Jimin recognizes it immediately. Hesitantly, Jimin reaches out and almost touches Jeongguk’s skin - but stops himself at the last moment. Jimin looks up at Jeongguk who looks back at him with a strange intensity that should scare him - but it doesn’t. The energy between them is charged with something electric, almost like lightning, and Jimin finally forces himself to bring his hand back down.
Jeongguk smiles, but it’s less teasing and more gentle. Something unexpected but welcome. Jimin almost melts.
“I, uh, asked Hoseok hyung for a favor.” The racer smiles and lets his shirt go, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. “The drive we took…meant a lot to me. I wanted to thank you for being vulnerable. And I think maybe, I wasn’t the same with you.” Jimin widens his eyes and immediately shakes his head. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t feel comfortable with.” Jeongguk shrugs. “I trust you.” He says simply. “Um.” He clears his throat. “Ever since I was a kid, my dad wanted me to take over his business. Build and work the cars. Never drive them. I didn’t want that. I wanted to race. And he’s never approved of that. Not when I left, not when I got my first big sponsor, and not when I raced some of the biggest tracks in my entire life. And it was rough, because we only had each other. Then all of a sudden, I didn’t have him anymore.”
Jeongguk takes a deep breath. “And sometimes, when I think about how I haven’t talked to him properly in a really long time, I wonder if any of it was worth it. Worth it to end up alone.”
Jimin furrows his brow. “I don’t think you’re going to end up alone.”
Jeongguk looks at him, really looks at him then. And there’s something in his eyes that gives Jimin enough confidence to reach out and grab his hand. “You’re not alone.” Jimin smiles, and Jeongguk hesitantly smiles back, eyes darting to their joined hands nervously. “Thanks.” Jeongguk finally says. “So I came to show you the new tattoo, tell you a little sob story, and pick you up.” Jimin raises an eyebrow. “Pick me up?”
Jeongguk beams. “You drove last time. I think I should return the favor.”
Outside the motel is Namjoon’s prized 1939 Auto Union Silver Arrow race car. Jimin looks at Jeongguk with shock and the racer grins and waves the keys.
The drive is slow and leisurely, something Jimin didn’t think Jeongguk knew how to enjoy. But the other boy is smiling, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, and keeps looking at Jimin with big hopeful eyes that glimmer in the fading sun.
Omelas is packed. The restaurant is bustling and many townspeople cheer when Jeongguk and Jimin enter the diner. Jeongguk looks surprised, and Jimin has to hide his laugh behind his hand. Although Jimin tries to get Jeongguk to sit down and eat, the racer ends up going to say hello to the elderly people who cheer and call for him - then moments later, Jimin watches fondly as Jeongguk is somehow roped into serving everyone anyways, smiling as they thank him profusely, toast to him and his hard work, and wish him good luck for his race. Dinner is a loud affair - Taehyung is drinking loudly, next to Jimin, happily calling out to different people and joking with Seokjin who mainly teases him back from the kitchen. Hoseok is helping Seokjin out, and he kept giving Jimin knowing looks all night long (looks that Jimin pointedly ignored). Even Namjoon was circling through different tables, joking with others and greeting adults and kids happily.
Jimin notices bitterly that Yoongi was absent. He pushes the thought out of his mind. He wasn’t responsible for the other man. And for the first time in a while, he felt something more than just content. He wouldn’t let something like that ruin this night, not when Jeongguk’s inevitable departure would come sooner than he ever thought he’d wanted.
When everyone’s finished eating (and Seokjin has collectively shut down the kitchen), the crowd spills out into the main street. Although the sun has long since set, the town is illuminated with neon signs and bright lights fill the street with color. The kids go wild - even the elderly seem to have a sudden burst of youthful energy when music starts to play from speakers. Everyone starts to dance, right there on the streets. Some vendors set up snack stalls and games for the kids to play. Others are cruising their cars carefully and safely down the road, showing off their prized possessions with glee.
Jeongguk and Jimin walk side by side on the street, hands to himself, but shoulders brushing against each other occasionally. They walked slowly, Jeongguk looking up at the lights above him with wonder. Jimin looks at the racer, and he swears he can feel his own eyes sparkling.
They don’t speak, but Jeongguk looks at Jimin sometimes, and both their smiles grow.
Hoseok and Seokjin are in front of them, and both of them are swaying with each other, closer with eyes only for each other. The music swells, and children’s laughter float through the air. The couple move into the street, Hoseok offering his hand to Seokjin, who takes it with a wide smile. They start to dance in the street, and Jeongguk and Jimin stop to watch.
Behind them, Taehyung and Namjoon move past them and join the people dancing in the street. Younger kids run up to Taehyung, who beams and takes them all to swing in a circle. Namjoon obliges a young girl who wants to ride on his shoulders, picking her up carefully and letting her see the lights from a higher point of view with awe. Jimin laughs fondly as he watches his friends lose their worries and enjoy these blissful moments of peace and joy.
Then he looks at Jeongguk, who’s looking at him, with his own hand out - a question, an invitation. Jimin blinks, almost surprised. Jeongguk smiles hopefully. Music fills Jimin’s heart, and without a beat, he takes Jeongguk’s hand.
The racer leads him out to the street, where everyone else is, and they dance. They dance together - they dance with their friends, Jimin holding hands with the kids and Taehyung. Jeongguk even dances with the elderly ajummas who squeal with joy and giggle amongst themselves.
Jimin doesn’t know how long they spend out there, in the cool breeze of the night, neon lights glowing and stars glittering in the sky. But he thinks he could get used to this . His daydreams are interrupted when Jeongguk hums and pulls Jimin close to his chest.
Like magic, Jeongguk sighs. “I could get used to this.” Jimin smiles to himself. “Yeah?” He looks up, and Jeongguk gives him a bashful glance. “Yeah.” The other boy whispers, but Jimin hears him all the same. Jimin feels a spark of hope suddenly ignite within himself, and a sudden burst of confidence sprouts up from nowhere. “Maybe, after your race, you could come back.” Jimin says.
Jeongguk stops, and the two of them stare at each other as people dance and laugh around them. It’s like time has stopped, and Jimin suddenly feels his face turning red. Jeongguk opens and closes his mouth like a surprised fish, and Jimin wishes he would say anything-
“Hey, what is that?!” Taehyung’s voice carrying over the crowd snaps Jimin out of his trance and he turns to look where Taehyung is pointing (away from Jeongguk, away from endless disappointment). There are red and blue lights approaching, and Jimin frowns. He glances at Taehyung and Namjoon, who looks confused. Then he looks over at Hoseok and Seokjin, who both look concerned. He turns his attention in front of him as police cars seem to materialize out of nowhere and several more black cars appear behind.
Officers get out of the cars and shine their flashlights on the stunned and shocked crowd. The officers start to shout at everyone to clear the street, and Jimin’s mind goes silent. Everything moves in slow motion, and all Jimin can hear is static. A man in a suit comes up to the police and points at Jimin - no, not Jimin . Behind Jimin.
Jimin turns around, and Jeongguk’s eyes are wide, face pale.
Officers stalk towards them.
Jimin gasps, being pushed out of the way by the man in the suit, Taehyung catching Jimin in his arms, Hoseok and Namjoon pulling him away.
He wants to say something. He wants to scream out.
But nothing comes out of his mouth.
The man in the suit starts yelling at a frozen Jeongguk.
Officers start to escort him back to the cars.
The townspeople are silent, watching everything, unable to do anything.
Jimin writhes, but Hoseok and Namjoon keep him to the side. Seokjin is trying to calm him down, but Jimin can’t hear him.
He can only see Jeongguk, who doesn’t even look back as he disappears into the car.
The man in the suit sees Jeongguk’s car on the street, and starts yelling. Namjoon lets go of Jimin to speak with the man, and Jimin stumbles back. Taehyung grabs his hand and holds on tight.
The static gets louder. And all of a sudden, everything in the world is thrust with the speed of light into the next few moments, when the police cars are leaving, somebody is getting into Jeongguk’s car, and the black car with Jeongguk in it is driving away. The dust settles as they leave. As Jeongguk leaves, without even saying goodbye.
Hybe is quiet, once again. The townspeople finally start to murmur amongst themselves and start to make their way home.
“Jimin?” Hoseok shakes him gently, and Taehyung squeezes his hand lightly. Jimin blinks, breathing shallowly. “C’mon.” Seokjin says quietly. “Let’s go.” Jimin stands on shaky legs, and his friends start to lead away from the street. Taehyung squints at the alley near them, and frowns. “Yoongi-hyung?”
Jimin looks up to see the man dropping a cigarette to the floor and stomping it out with his boot, emerging from the shadows to speak with them. “You ok?” Yoongi asks - a vague question that has Jimin scowling. “What the fuck is your problem?” Jimin snaps. Hoseok sets a hand on Jimin’s shoulder, eyes carefully darting between Jimin and Yoongi. “Maybe we should talk in the morning.” He advises, but Jimin shakes Hoseok’s hand off. “He didn’t even get to say goodbye! Or thank you! Are you happy now? I don’t know what you did, but I know you did it.” Jimin yells, getting into Yoongi’s face. The older man sighs and lets Jimin get in his space. “His managers were looking for him. The police have been searching him for days. It was not our place to keep him here.” Yoongi tries to explain, but Jimin swears and pushes him away. The younger man wants to say more, but seems to think better of it, and turns away, taking Taehyung and walking away.
Yoongi lets out another sigh. Hoseok shakes his head and follows after Jimin. Yoongi looks at Seokjin, who shrugs. “If this is your standard for leadership, so be it.” Seokjin leaves just as Namjoon jogs up to them, and the man blinks, confused.
“What happened? Where is everyone going?” Namjoon asks.
The lights in Hybe turn off, one neon sign at a time, leaving the two of them in dimly-lit darkness.
“They’re going home, Namjoon.” Yoongi says finally. “He’s going home. He has a race to finish.” Namjoon looks at him. “Is this how you wanted to send him off?” Namjoon asks.
Yoongi shrugs. “I don’t know. I thought I did.”
Namjoon looks around, then back at Yoongi with a strange look in his eyes. “Kind of reminds me of the night we found you.”
Yoongi looks at Namjoon who just turns and shuffles off into the darkness. Yoongi frowns, thinking about it. Then he takes out another cigarette. Before he can light it, he looks down the road where Jeongguk left. The night stars really do shine at night, illuminating the single road that leads into Hybe. It’s a beautiful sight.
He drops the cigarette to the ground, and stomps on it, before going home himself. Alone.