The engines roared to life as the crowd watched in anticipation as the woman raised her red cloth in the air. Her arms raised, tugging her shirt up higher showcasing her midriff more than before. Her bleached blonde hair was curled and her short, black skirt rose up her thighs. Her hot pink lips curled up in a smile as she looked at the cars in front of her. The revving of the engine sent shivers down her spine, knowing the racers were waiting for her call. She glanced to her side and saw her friend giving her a smile. She threw the cloth to the ground and stepped out of the way before the fabric touched the ground. The cars sped off, following each other as they began the race. The girl’s looked at each other and grinned, as if knowing the outcome. The blonde moved towards her friend who was looking with big, excited eyes.

“How did I do?” The blonde asked, tossing her hair behind her shoulder.

A laugh escaped her lips as she looked at her friend. “The same as always, Rin.”

“Tao’s racing again, Ae,“ Hyorin said with a smile on her face.

Aejin looked at Hyorin and smiled at her lightly. She moved her long, black hair out of the way as she looked at the group of guys to her left waiting for their friend’s to finish. “And?” Aejin asked, looking at Hyorin who had a grin on her face.

“Your boy is going to win the race again,” she said, turning around to see the cars pass the finish line. A black and orange, Mazda RX-7 crossed the line, zooming past the group of waiting people. “He did it again!” She shouted in excitement, running with the crowd to the car.

Sora stayed back and watched as Kai climbed out of the car. She smiled at him from afar. “He did it again,” she said to herself. Her head turned as she heard the other cars come closer. She saw Tao’s white, Nissan Silvia s14 pull up in front of her. “You did good, Tao,” she said with an encouraging smile.

Tao got out of his car and looked at Sora with a frown. “That bastard beat me again,” he growled, looking at Kai who was making his way towards them. Tao fixed his black leather jacket and cracked his neck a few times.

Aejin laughed at his actions before turning her attention to Kai who had on a black, studded leather jacket with a black tank top on and black skinny jeans. His black hair was gelled up today. He had a smirk on his face as he looked at Aejin who was standing with her smile on her face. Her hands stuffed inside her jacket pocket she wore over her black skirt that reached her mid thigh and covered her white, lace shirt that Kai had bought for her the other day.

“I won,” he said with a proud smile on his face as he wrapped his right arm around her thin waist.

“You did,” she laughed, kissing his cheek. “You’re okay,” Aejin said softly to herself. Kai heard it though. He always hears it and he can’t help but smile at her words. She worried about him all of the time and before every race, she would tell him to be careful, reminding him that she would be waiting for him whether he wins or loses.

“Stop, please,” Tao said in mock disgust, looking away from the couple in front of him.

“Go somewhere else then,” Kai muttered, earning himself a nudge in the rib from Aejin. “Or we can go somewhere else,” he said, looking at his girlfriend who nodded her head.

“We can go and get a late dinner,” she said with hopeful eyes.

Kai let out a low chuckle and nodded his head, agreeing to his girlfriend’s request. She smiled at him and went towards his car with Kai’s arm still

wrapped around her waist. “How did you think I did?” He asked her.

“Great as always,” Aejin replied. She looked at Kai and saw his smile growing bigger. She felt the butterflies in her stomach begin to fly a little higher at the sight of his smile she loves. Aejin felt Kai let go of her waist as they neared his car. She walked over to his passenger side while Kai went to the drivers.

The two entered his car and Kai started his engine after Baekhyun and Chanyeol gave him the okay. Kai left the track and went onto the highway as they headed back towards Seoul. The race was held on the outskirts of Seoul where not that many people were at during this time of the night. They had to leave at five so Kai could get his car checked by his team (Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Sehun, Suho and Kyungsoo), so the two missed out on dinner.

“Chinese food?” Kai asked, changing his gear as he exited the highway. A small ‘yes’ was said by Aejin as she looked at Kai. He had one hand on the wheel and the other on the on the clutch.

Aejin fixed his radio to her liking as she placed Kai’s favorite CD in. She thought his taste in music was okay. Not really to her liking. Kai was more into the hip-hop scene than she was. Aejin prefered a more softer beat. But of course, loving someone too much made her listen to his songs even if the lyrics made no sense or they talked about dope half of the time along with having with girls every night, she still listened to it with him, occasionally rapping with the artist when she knew parts of the lyrics.

“You scared me today,” Aejin said, lowering the volume of the music after a few minutes of silence. She looked at Kai and saw him look at her for a brief second before looking back to the road. “I say this everytime, but I do mean it today,” she confessed. Aejin was always scared for Kai. He was a racer and she knew that at any moment something could go wrong with his car, or another driver might crash into him or when he finishes his brakes might not work. She was always scared for him. Whenever they left for one of his races, she always made sure to tell him good luck and that she loved him whether he won or lost-- but she knew he would win. He always won a race.

“I know,” he quietly said. Kai saw Aejin’s eyes were full of concern and love. He knew she wasn’t scolding him for being reckless, she was saying these words because she would hurt if he hurt, she would cry if he cried. Kai knew Aejin would do anything for him and it hurt his heart that he had the power to do that, but he would do anything for Aejin as well. He wouldn’t leave her for the trophy, heck, he could care less about the trophy or the money he received from winning, Kai would pick Aejin any day. “I didn’t mean to,” he told her.

Aejin shifted in the passenger seat as she looked at Kai. She could tell he was happy about winning, but she couldn’t help but feel her heart hurt because

Kai was always rushing on the tracks. He was aiming to win and it scared her to death. “I know you didn’t mean to,” she looked away from him and saw the familiar, bright lights of Seoul welcoming them into the city once again. “I am always terrified when you go out there though, Jongin,” Aejin said softly. Her eyes went back to Kai as he continued to drive. Her fingers began playing with the fabric of her skirt, looking at the male beside her.

Kai pulled to the side of the street when the two reached the Chinese restaurant they always go to for their travels back home. He stopped the engine, allowing the two to sit in silence for a few minutes. He looked at his girlfriend as he rested his arms on the steering wheel. Kai laid his head on his arms, not looking away from the girl. A sigh escaped his lips when he saw her look away from him. “I’m sorry,” he said “It’s been hard on us for the past couple of months, Ae.” Kai saw Aejin’s eyes fill up with tears hearing the words he had to say. “I’m not sure what the hell I’m doing, but I don’t want you to leave me,” he whispered.

“I won’t,” Aejin croaked. She looked at Kai and saw his tired eyes and couldn’t help but let her tears fall as she leaned her head against the window. “I won’t ever leave you,” she repeated herself, bringing her sleeves to her face, trying her best to wipe away the tears that continued to fall.

Kai sat up and pulled his girlfriend into his embrace, enveloping her in his arms. He could care less about his shirt getting wet or her makeup running down her face, she needed him like he needed her. Kai knew she was wearing down thin, he knew that she was so close to losing it, but she’s staying and it’s hurting his heart to see her like this. “Kwon Aejin,” he breathed her name out, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her intoxicating scent as if it was his oxygen. She was his oxygen, he needed her to live, to wake up in the morning, to come home to. “You have me losing my mind the way you got me fired up. I don’t know what to do without you.” Kai heard Aejin’s muffled sob against his jacket.

His right hand ran through her soft, straight black hair. His heart was in pain hearing her cries. Aejin shouldn’t be crying, she should be smiling and laughing at a funny story that Kai should be telling her. But the last three months have been harder than usual. It was just a bump in the road. Every couple goes through it, but only a few make it out together.

“I don’t know what I’ll do if something happens to you,” she sobbed.

Kai held her tighter, rocking her back in forth. “I know, love,” his voice came out gentle. “I don’t know what to do without you if something happens.”

“It hurts me somedays, Jongin,” Aejin said, heart breaking as her mind went into a small hole. She felt herself standing still but her mind was falling. “Don’t let me slip,” she mumbled.

“I told you before, baby girl,” he said, “I grow, you grow with me, go broke, you go broke with me, I love, you love with me.” Kai felt Aejin nod her head. “I won’t let you slip. I’m holding on so tight, love. I don’t think you can slip from me.”

Kai pulled Aejin away from his body and gently wiped away her tears. Kai felt his heart constricting in his chest like a python had wrapped it’s body around the muscle. She was worn down and he could do nothing but watch her bleed from her chest. Is this the price one pays for love? Is this the price one pays to have someone by their side?

“I’ll get you that house you want, Aejin,” Kai said. “I’ll give you the ring you want, the wedding that you want, I’ll get you the life you want, Ae,” he told her, cupping her face in his palms. “Life is just hitting us too hard. It’s hitting me too hard.”

“Ride or die,” she murmured.

Kai smiled at her, his lips quirking up a little. “Ride or die,”

===

I have no idea now that I re-read it. But it's good enough.
I'm on spring break thoo!