Ride
- : -
The Seoul summer air was more humid than usual, the bright lights painting the night sky a dark, looming gray rather than pure black. Young Do, leaning against his precious orange Mustang, reached for his phone and checked the time on the screen.
11:37 PM.
The race had been set for midnight by Hyo Shin, who had sworn the money would be worth missing out on a normal Saturday night of drinking and fighting. Apparently, the other driver only drove on Saturdays - meaning he was probably a bored, middle-aged man who needed an escape from his regular, 9 to 5 office job.
But it was Saturday night and Hyo Shin needed a favor - and frankly, Young Do didn't really have anything better to do. He'd always loved the thrill of street racing and had garnered quite a following over the past few years, after he first started racing. No matter what his friends believed, he didn't race for the money - but then again, that just left more for the other gang members. No, there was nothing more satisfying than pressing hard on the gas pedal, weaving in and out of traffic and feeling the adrenaline pump through his veins.
It made him feel alive.
Tonight, however, he wouldn't be dodging other cars at all - the roads in the surrounding area had been closed off for the night. Whoever was betting on this race had a lot riding on the outcome, and they had the money and connections to pull a few strings.
The crowd nearby had a mixture of familiar and new faces, with many of the Zeus members present to watch the race. He saw Hyo Shin talking to Kim Won near the front, and few bills exchanging hands. The fact that the heir to the Jeguk gang had even bothered to show up meant that this duel would undoubtedly be a serious one. Did the other driver have some sort of connection to Jeguk?
And more importantly: was Kim Won betting for, or against him?
"Look who it is!" Young Do's thoughts were interrupted as Myung Soo came barrelling at him with a smile on his face. "I didn't know you were racing tonight!"
"Aish, you wound me," he replied dramatically, clutching at his heart. "Why else would you be here?"
"I'm here to support the other driver," the energetic teenager grinned, bouncing on his heels. "Sorry, oppa, but this time you're going to be pummelled."
"You sound as if he can't lose."
"My friend just started on the circuit at the beginning of summer and hasn't lost a race since. Even Lee Bo Na's here for support!"
"Lee Bo Na is here?" Young Do had only interacted with her in the VIP sections of dance clubs. She certainly wouldn't blend in with the gangsters and street rats mulling around the area. "And her boyfriend let her come?"
"Yoon Chan Young put me in charge of her," Myung Soo stated proudly, puffing out his chest. "Look, she's talking to the driver now."
Indeed, Lee Bo Na was on the other side of a luxurious, cherry-red Ferrari 430 Scuderia - V8 engine, top speed 325 kilometers per hour, 2.5 weight-to-power ratio - talking to two others, a boy and a girl around their age. Honestly, he should have been paying more attention to the guy to catch any details about his opponent, but instead his eyes caught the unknown girl's. She had turned her gaze on him, her dark eyes both impish and inviting.
Young Do looked away, if only because he couldn't afford a female distraction at the moment. If the guy was good friends with Lee Bo Na and Jo Myung Soo - "coincidentally" two of the richest under-25s in South Korea - and was willing to pay the 300 million won price tag on his car, then he was probably a spoiled heir with too much time on his hands. And being undefeated meant he'd be cocky, too.
He wouldn't stand a chance. As the time neared midnight, Young Do slid into his trusty Ford Mustang - 362 kilometers per hour, this guy had nothing on him - and revved the engine.
- : -
He couldn't believe it. He pounded his fists against the wheel before leaning back and closing his eyes. His specs were better, he had more experience street racing - and this guy had just come along and taken his streak down.
He'd never seen drifting skills like that before - there was a distinct Tokyo flavor in the way he swerved, and there was no other country that could master drifting like that. Young Do cursed himself for having forgotten about the Scuderia's ridiculous acceleration speed, possibly because he hadn't been expecting the driver to use it to his advantage.
He saw Kim Won smiling broadly for once, his palm facing upwards as Hyo Shin grumpily handed him some cash. Lee Bo Na quickly rushed to the bright red car and knocked on the window excitedly, yelling as she did so for the driver to get out.
The door swung open. The first thing that Young Do saw was a pair of black stilettos hit the ground, followed by white, creamy legs that seemed to go on for miles.
The guy… was a girl.
Next was the swish of the floral skirt as the girl Lee Bo Na had been chatting with earlier stepped out and looped her arms around Bo Na in a tight hug. Myung Soo was shouting at the few Zeus and Jeguk members that were staring at Lee Bo Na and the other girl with undisguised interest, taking his role as bodyguard as seriously as possible. Kim Won and Hyo Shin both strode over to offer their congratulations as she laughed and smiled, before turning and looking at him straight in the eye to give him a smirk.
"I'm not going to lie, I was surprised," Young Do drawled as he edged towards the small group. "You're a good driver."
"One of the best," she corrected, tilting her head back slightly so she could actually look him in the eyes. The height difference, even with her wearing heels, was ridiculous.
"For a girl, maybe," he offered. Her playful demeanor dropped instantly. Behind her, Hyo Shin looked as if he wanted to shut Young Do up immediately.
"I beat you fair and square!" she exclaimed, her angry tone rising. Many of the Zeus members were tightly wound in the background, ready to attack her at a moment's notice. Young Do held his hand up to stop them before they tried anything.
"You had to close down the roads to do it," he rolled his eyes. "Is that what the Tokyo drifters do? Pity, I had way more respect for them before."
"You're not worth my time," she scoffed, crossing her arms. "Who are you to act like a sexist pig? Stop being a sore loser and get over it."
He wasn't even mad about the loss, really - but she was more attractive than she was before, having stepped closer to him during the argument. The fire in her eyes simmered, daring him to challenge her, before she turned away.
"Sweetheart, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into," he smirked, cocking his head to the side as he watched her go.
- : -
"Just one more race next Saturday. Tons of drivers are dying to go against you," Hyo Shin begged through the phone. "I'll make it worth your while, I promise. The duel with Choi Young Do was just the tip of the iceberg."
"Hyo Shin, you should know better that money doesn't tempt me," she responded as she picked up her purse and tossed her keys in. "Besides, I really can't. I pushed my baby a little too hard two days ago and I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to get repairs done."
"Just tell your mother and she'll send someone over to fix it. Being the CEO of Lotte Group has its uses."
"I promised her I'd stop street racing after I got caught in Japan," she sighed. "Why do you think I got sent to America after one year of university? I'm nowhere near the LA circuit for a reason."
"So you want to be discreet without alerting your mother," Hyo Shin reasoned. "Makes sense. Well, there's a garage on the other side of Seoul that probably won't put up a fuss. They're pretty small and not a lot of people know about it. Good service, too - I take my Corvette there all the time."
"You're serious?" she asked in disbelief. "Hyo Shin, if you're not lying, you're really saving my butt here. I'm desperate."
"I'll text you the address once I hang up."
- : -
"Well, look who we have here," Young Do remarked as he wiped his oil-stained hands on his jeans.
Eun Sang stared at him in shock before closing her eyes. "I knew he wasn't serious. Lee Hyo Shin, I am going to kill you…"
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart." He wiped the sweat off his forehead with a towel before walking into the office and gesturing for her to follow. "He called me before you arrived to let me know that if I tried any funny business, he'd make me pay the price. He's banking on you being his next big star on the circuit."
"I don't plan on it being a long-term thing," she waved off. "It's a hobby while I'm still in Korea."
"Don't joke with me. I've raced against you; you're definitely more than a hobbyist," he asserted.
"So you admit I'm one of the best?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow. "You seemed reluctant to do so the other night."
"I have a reputation to maintain," he shrugged, plopping down behind his desk. "So, I'm guessing your tires are bald from the drifting, you pushed the maximum speed of your beloved Ferrari a little too high, and you want it fixed because you have a sentimental attachment to the car. Give me a week and you'll be set."
"A week?" Eun Sang looked horrified at the fact that she wouldn't be able to drive her precious vehicle for an entire seven days. "I can't be chauffeured for a week. My mother will never let me go back to driving. Can't you do a rush job?"
"I only do jobs for Zeus members and the occasional Jeguk that I owe a favor to. I can't just put them on the backburner, or I might get punched in the face," he said, shaking his head. "Besides, this face is too beautiful to be beaten up. And this isn't my real job, just a side hobby I do. You'll have to wait a week."
"Okay, now you're lying to me," she rolled her eyes. "I saw your Mustang. Cars aren't just your hobby, are they? It's obvious you have money, so why are you working in a garage instead of in a higher position in Zeus?"
"Don't talk about Zeus here," he growled. "You have no idea about the underground world, the one completely separate from the pretty little castle you live in."
"Why do you think Won was there on Saturday?" she shot back. "I may not be poised to take over a major branch of the mafia, but I know plenty. You think corporations don't make their deals with the devils? We live in the same world, Choi Young Do, and that's the truth."
He couldn't deny that he was impressed with her attitude and her quirkiness. She didn't seem to be showy of her wealth, or particularly snooty - instead, she reconciled her own world with his. What heiress has the nerve to do that?
"Type in your number," he said abruptly, tossing her his phone over the desk. She caught it in her hands and looked up at him, bewildered. "I'll call you when I'm done."
- : -
"Wow, my best friend would rather check her phone every five minutes than actually talk to me," Lee Bo Na sighed from her spot at the vanity. The two girls had been preparing for a charity event hosted by RS International for hours now, having just gotten back from the salon.
"I just want my car back!" Eun Sang defended, setting her phone down. All week, she'd been using her mother's driver and it had been torture. She missed the purring of the engine, the feel as she pressed down on the gas pedal as the streets of Seoul rushed past.
Bo Na scoffed. "Don't lie, you just want to see Choi Young Do again! You're regretting that you didn't ask for his phone number too."
"Right, like I would be interested in that sexist jerk," she replied, putting her hands on her hips as she glared at the Mega Entertainment heiress. "He's not worth a second glance, let alone checking my phone every five minutes."
"Aha! You admitted it!" Bo Na cried out, standing up and pointing at her. "And also, you said that he acknowledged your driving skills when you met him later. You can't hold a grudge for your life, Cha Eun Sang, no matter how much you try. You've already forgiven him."
Just then, from its place on the queen-sized bed, Eun Sang's phone went off. She immediately lunged for it and answered without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"
"Come pick up your car in twenty minutes," Choi Young Do's voice rang from the from the other end. "I have to close up shop."
"What? But…" Eun Sang looked down at the blue ball gown she was wearing. "Can you give me some more time? I need to change really quickly."
"I have a Zeus meeting. I won't be in town tomorrow either. You can pick it up on Monday if you can't right now."
Monday? The thought of being parted for another two days from her car made Eun Sang shiver. "Okay, okay, I'll come over right now. Bastard," she added quickly before hanging up.
"You like him!" Bo Na exclaimed, a mischievous expression on her face. "I've known you since diapers and you always play hard to get!"
"He's holding my car hostage," Eun Sang hissed, running to grab her purse and slip on her heels. "You go first, I'll just get my driver to drop me off at the garage and go from there."
"Use protection!" Bo Na yelled cheerily as the other girl hurriedly slipped out of the apartment. All she got in response was a middle finger.
- : -
"Where is it?" she said breathlessly, having run from the limousine and dismissed her mother's driving after arriving at the garage. In rushing, her hair was starting to fall from the bobby pins digging into her scalp.
"It's, ah, not exactly here," Young Do grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets. It was then that Eun Sang noticed his attire - he was dressed for a black tie event. Did gang meetings really require formalwear?
"What do you mean?" she asked, failing to filter out the panic from her tone.
"We have to discuss payment first, my dear," he reminded her, crossing his arms.
"Name your price, I'll wire the money into your account," she waved off. "Unless you want cash, I can go withdr -"
"I don't need your money." Eun Sang could barely suppress a shiver. He stepped closer, and she had to stop herself from retreating. At his close proximity, her senses flared, and she caught a whiff of his cologne - it was heavenly.
He was darker, more dangerous than he had been the first night they had met. Being in the seedier area of Seoul, her danger sense was going haywire, and she knew Choi Young Do was the one setting off her radar.
She could barely bring her voice above a whisper. "You can't possibly want a girl like me."
"Why can't I?" he demanded. Her heart dropped and she wanted so desperately to look away, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his.
"I like you," she confessed brokenly. "I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I do. But you deserve more than an entitled brat who likes to kid herself into thinking she's different from the rest, that she can rebel and drive fast. Because in the end, when it's all said and done, I'll be one of them. I still am one of them."
"Don't tell me what I deserve," he retorted harshly, before his face softened. "You don't even know me. So get to know me, and let me decide for myself, alright?" He took his keys out of his pocket and unlocked his bright orange Ford Mustang, its headlights shining into the darkness of the night.
He brought his hand up to gently caress her cheek. She closed her eyes at the sensation of flesh on flesh. His fingers, unlike the summer night, were cold against her skin.
"Let's go for a ride," he murmured lowly.
- : -
He'll never regret falling headfirst for Cha Eun Sang, the heiress whose palace walls were crumbling. The girl who drove fast only in search for freedom and release, who craved speed and stuck her head out the window to feel her hair whipping all around her - but also loved to go along slowly, grasping his hand and watching the scenery go by. She was the only one who could understand why the heir to Zeus stayed in a garage all day, smearing oil instead of blood.
They're fire and fire, but they don't combust - instead, their flames lick at each other, as warm as an embrace.
And when he's working in the sweltering afternoon heat, her cherry red Ferrari (like her lips, rosy against the pale white of her skin - but the blush dusting her cheeks is even more beautiful to him) rolls to a stop in front of the garage.
The tinted window comes down, and she tosses her hair over her shoulder before flashing a smile.
"Wanna go for a ride?"
Prompt fill for ignotumvirus, or scintillamor on tumblr (go read "Lights" right now it's pretty much 100% perfection). She requested a street gangster and pretty princess AU, so this is what she got... there's actually a lot more backstory to both of their characters in this verse but i couldn't bring myself to write it, and i liked the way this ends. cha eun sang, i would imagine to be more confident as an heiress and more rebellious in this verse - she likes horror movies and she's kind of a thrill seeker, so i didn't think street racing would be too far off for her.
accepting prompts - just drop it in the ask box, the tumblr link is on my profile!