—— Seori

As Saturday arrived, I found myself eagerly anticipating Jungwon's arrival to take me to the racing house. It had been two days since I last saw him, since he came over on Thursday evening. The gossip about us at school still lingered, but I tried my best to ignore it, focusing instead on the excitement of the upcoming street race.

When I heard the familiar sound of Jungwon's car pulling up outside my house, I quickly grabbed my bag and rushed outside to meet him. He stepped out of the car, his expression unreadable as he approached me. I put on a smile, trying to maintain my usual demeanor despite the swirling rumors that he didn't know about.

As I reached him, I wrapped my arms around him in a hug, hoping to convey a sense of normalcy. But as we embraced, Jungwon's voice broke the silence.

"There's something I need to address," he said softly, his words sending a wave of tension through me. I tensed slightly, my mind racing as I wondered if he had somehow found out about the gossip at school.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light despite the unease building within me.

Jungwon pulled back slightly, his gaze searching mine. "I've noticed that you've been acting a little... distant lately," he began, his brow furrowing with concern. "Is everything okay?"

I let out a small sigh of relief, realizing that Jungwon's concern was directed towards me and not the rumors circulating about us. "Yeah, everything's fine," I replied quickly, offering him a reassuring smile. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately, that's all."

Jungwon studied me for a moment, his expression still tinged with uncertainty. But then, as if deciding to trust my words, he nodded slowly. "Okay, if you say so," he said softly, his hand reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair from my face.

I nodded in response, grateful that he hadn't pressed further. With a renewed sense of relief, I climbed into the car beside him, ready to put the gossip and speculation behind me, at least for now. As Jungwon started the engine and we drove off towards the racing house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building within me. Tonight was going to be exciting, and I was determined to enjoy every moment of it, with Jungwon by my side.

As Jungwon and I entered the racing house, chaos greeted us like an old friend. Niki and Sunoo were engaged in a heated argument about food, while Jake and Sunghoon's voices echoed through the room as they yelled at each other over a racing game. Heeseung, ever the picture of calm, seemed unfazed by the commotion, while Jay was nowhere to be seen, likely holed up in his room upstairs.

Amidst the chaos, Jake caught sight of me and immediately approached, his question cutting through the noise. "Hey, Seori, where'd you leave Yeji?" he asked, his tone casual as he scanned the room.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his assumption. "She's my best friend, not my girlfriend," I replied with a smile. "If you want her here, you'll have to take care of that yourself."

As I watched Jake navigate his way through the chaos to find Yeji, I couldn't help but envy the simplicity of their relationship. No drama, no rumors—just two people who cared about each other. I wished that my relationship with Jungwon could be as straightforward, but instead, we seemed to exist in a perpetual state of uncertainty, caught between friendship and something more.

Jungwon's hand found mine, his touch grounding me in the midst of my thoughts. Without a word, he led me upstairs to his room, a familiar space that I had visited just a week ago. I remembered the comfort of sleeping over, of sharing quiet moments together before drifting off to sleep.

As we entered his room, I couldn't help but smile at the memories. Last time, I had even given Jungwon a small spa day before we fell asleep, the simple act of pampering each other a welcome respite from the chaos of our lives outside these walls.

I glanced at Jungwon, wondering what thoughts were running through his mind as we stood together in his room. Despite the uncertainty of our relationship, there was a comfort in knowing that we could always find solace in each other's company, even amidst the chaos that surrounded us.

—— Jungwon

As Seori excused herself to go to the bathroom, I nodded and took a seat on my bed, my gaze falling on her bag resting beside me. Something about it caught my attention, and my eyes were drawn to a letter sticking out from one of the pockets. Curiosity getting the better of me, I reached for it and opened it, only to find that it was a love letter addressed to Seori.

My heart sank as I read the words on the page. Why did she have this? Was there someone else she was interested in? The questions swirled in my mind as I tried to make sense of the situation.

As Seori returned to the room, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the letter in my hand. I asked her to explain, my voice betraying the uncertainty and hurt I felt.

"It's from an unknown person," she explained quickly, her words rushed as she tried to reassure me. "I found it in my locker."

I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the thought of someone else expressing their feelings for her. "Do you have anyone else besides me?" I asked, my voice quiet but filled with apprehension.

Seori looked caught off guard by the question, her expression shifting to one of innocence. "How can I have someone else when I don't talk to any boys besides...him?" she trailed off, speaking the last part almost too quietly for me to hear.

My heart clenched at her words. "Who do you mean by 'him'?" I pressed, my tone tinged with unease.

She hesitated for a moment before admitting, "His name is Daejin. We've never really talked, but he's started approaching me lately. I'm not completely sure if he's behind the letter."

The revelation only added to my confusion and insecurity. Daejin...the name echoed in my mind, stirring up feelings of jealousy and fear. Could he be a rival for Seori's affections? And if so, what did that mean for our own uncertain relationship?

With a mixture of hurt and frustration swirling inside me, I threw the letter at Seori with a sense of indifference I didn't truly feel. It landed at her feet, and she picked it up from the ground, her movements slow and deliberate. Watching her carefully place it back into her bag only added to the awkward tension that hung between us.

As silence settled over the room, broken only by the faint sounds of laughter and chatter drifting up from downstairs, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at my insides. The revelation about Daejin only added fuel to the fire of doubt and jealousy that consumed me.

Seori's voice broke through the silence, pulling me from my thoughts. "Daejin mentioned once that he's actually a fan of street racing," she said softly, her words laced with uncertainty. "And that he admires you, Jungwon. But...that doesn't necessarily mean he's the one behind the letter."

Her attempt to ease the tension did little to soothe the turmoil raging inside me. Daejin's admiration for me and his newfound interest in Seori only served to heighten my insecurities. Was he trying to come between us, or was this all just a misunderstanding?

I struggled to find the right words to express the turmoil churning inside me, but before I could speak, Seori reached out to touch my hand, her gesture gentle and reassuring.

"We don't have to let this come between us, Jungwon," she said softly, her eyes searching mine for understanding. "We'll figure it out together, okay?"

Her words were like a lifeline in the storm of uncertainty that surrounded us. Despite the lingering doubts and fears, I knew that as long as we faced them together, we could overcome whatever obstacles stood in our way.

With a nod, I offered her a small smile, grateful for her unwavering support. "Okay," I replied, the weight of the world easing slightly from my shoulders. "Together."

Feeling the weight of Seori's emotions pressing against me, I stood up from the bed and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close in a comforting embrace. As we stood together, her tears dampened my t-shirt, and I could feel the tremble of her body against mine.

"Why are you crying, Seori?" I asked softly, concern etching my voice as I brushed a hand through her hair.

She choked out her response, her words heavy with emotion. "I-I'm just... overwhelmed," she managed to say between sobs.

Confusion mingled with worry as I tried to make sense of her distress. "What do you mean?" I pressed gently, tightening my hold on her.

Seori took a shaky breath before continuing, her voice wavering. "Since Wednesday, there have been rumors in my school about us," she explained, her words punctuated by sniffles. "And Jiyeon, that bitch in my class, won't leave me alone about it. And then there are these... love letters."

My heart clenched at the mention of the rumors and the harassment Seori had been facing. Anger simmered beneath the surface as I listened to her recount the events of the past few days. "And Daejin?" I prompted, remembering the suspicion she and Yeji had voiced about him.

Seori nodded, her tears still flowing freely. "He's been... suspicious," she admitted, her voice tinged with apprehension. "As soon as the rumors started, he joined us at the cafeteria table, asking about... about us."

The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, and a sense of unease settled over me. "You think Jiyeon might have sent him to find out information about us?" I asked, my mind racing with the implications of Seori's words.

Seori nodded again, her tears slowly starting to ebb as she clung to me for support. In that moment, I made a silent vow to protect her from whatever threats or rumors came her way. No matter what, we would face them together, just as we had promised.

To be continued...