Fate, just like love it’s peculiar. Fate comes whenever it wants to; however it wishes to, wherever it desires and whatever the situation is. Fate just comes along without warning, stabbing them within the depths of their unprepared heart. Fate doesn’t care of plans and it often comes on the road they have been evading to take on. Truly, it’s unfair because they don’t seek for it but fate itself that finds them, chasing them until it makes sure their hearts will be left shaking in millions of emotions.

The stars of the night, the clouds of the dark sky and the full moon that shines upon the lively city and the energetic night people hyping up the hot dark yet loud wide alley behind an abandoned construction building, here on this night they all gathered to witness the roars of assorted four-wheel drives. Hands up, drinks up, lights up and shouts to the above, all of these are to brighten up the atmosphere that’s about to heat up with the cars arriving one by one.

“Wow! Amazing! This is so cool! Oh my God! It’s like a dream come true! Can I have all these cars? I want to have one too!”

The bubbly yet aspirant young woman gazed upon these cars parked and lined up near the riverside, owned by these people she knows nothing of. She gets so high in ecstasy ogling at these cars she cannot hold of and inhales the smell of tires and the hot engines coming from the bumpers to pump her ecstatic heart that’s so overjoyed for her to contain, letting it all out in her huge smile and wide sparkling eyes.

She wanted to view more of the cars from the long line that doesn’t seem to end in her amazement, but it ended as soon as her friend pulled the hood of her black jacket and hums his lectures, “Okay, that’s enough Lisa. We have to go now. We’re on a verge of disqualification yet you’re here having fun by yourself.”

The hyperactive woman who was named Lisa however childishly whines while being pulled away by this tall handsome man she cannot match, “Yah! Hanbin oppa! I’m not yet done looking at those babies!”  

“Whatever! You can check on those again later! Let's just go and settle ourselves first. The contestants for tonight's race will arrive any minute now.” Hanbin further scolds her but giggling over her pouts.

Cars and people keep on coming and more are joining the night that only the likes of them shall know. Everyone is in their own talks of this hobby they share the same, cars and of course racing, the event everyone's waiting to happen. All seems to know each other and even to Lisa who easily approaches anyone she wishes to, drinking a little along with them and conversing to the deepest knowledge she knows about her obsession. This night is just one of the nights that this hopeful Lisa often has.

"What do you think is tonight's prize?" Hanbin asked as he joined Lisa who is busily jamming with the others.

Lisa predicts uninterested, "Money, maybe? Well, it's always been money and I saw some amount a while ago placed on a table. We’ve always been after the money after all, what else?"

“Eh~ I was kind of hoping we’ll at least get women for this time.” Hanbin said a little disappointed in his tone. “Don’t you want it too Lisa? We’ve always been getting money so haven’t you thought of getting something else too?” He then asked out of his curiosity.

Lisa immediately denies whining, “Oh c'mon oppa! You're the ones who scolded me earlier because I was checking out the cars and now you're here teasing me about women and involving me with your fantasies for them. I’m not into those kinds of things oppa!”

"You're such a kill joy Lisa." Hanbin rolled his eyes and moped.

Lisa smirks confident and defends her side, "Yes there may be a lot of y women and toned men in here tonight but you know I’m already taken and my heart is already owned by someone else. So, don't link me with anyone else, okay? I’m so damn happy with my relationship and I don’t want to ruin it."

"Oh yeah right. You have that cheer dancer girlfriend who can’t even step her oh-so-blessed innocent feet in these kinds of events to be with us. I almost forgot since you haven’t been hanging around with her lately." Hanbin initially reacted in a sulk but then he adds, "And while your girl is not around to check on you and restrict you from doing what you want, you're free from relationship laws! You know, you won’t be able to be this free and you can’t flirt with other girls if she’s around. So you better do it all now."

Annoyed of his remarks, Lisa lightly blows a punch by his belly and groans, "I'm not going to do that. You're not helping me at all. You are just tainting my innocent mind oppa.”

"Sorry..." Hanbin coughed but later laughed at Lisa's face evidently blushing.

From the other end of the long alley come the stylish and lavish equipped cars with different classes and owning unique designs and set-up. Coming from different top-class brands are these two cars, engines battling in roars and this definitely caught the hyper crowd’s attention. Lisa’s eyes couldn’t get any bigger and couldn’t get any wider as she views these extraordinary cars just in front of her very own figure, showing off its shining cases and flawless skin.

Coming down from one of the cars, particularly the red super stock car, stopped by the long line marked on the ground is an injured driver, limping as he approaches his friends by the sidelines with his crutch. Although struggling with his very step, she still flashed his arrogant smile towards his worried friends who can’t seem to return the same bright smile; instead they stare at him pitiful and apologetic.

“Bobby oppa… are you alright?” Lisa frowned at the driver holding up to his willingness with his thumb up.

The man Bobby grins to ease his friends’ uncertainties, “I’m totally fine! This is nothing. It will heal soon and I’m sorry that I got myself injured despite of knowing about tonight’s drag race.”

“Hyung, what should we do now? You can’t drive to participate for tonight’s race.” Hanbin said so worried he frowned lower than Lisa is.

Bobby though assertively nods, “Don’t worry. Tonight’s opponent gave us some considerations. My car is still going to take part on the race. However, because I’m like this, I will have to look for a driver to take my place.”

“What? Are you serious? Where will we find a replacement for you then? Although they said that, we can’t possibly search for a replacement right away! Even I can’t drive your car properly.” Hanbin questioned in urgency.   

Bobby averts his eyes from Hanbin, shifting it to Lisa whose gazes are fixated onto his car near behind him with this expectant smile in her lips stretching up which makes her shines so bright. Lisa’s eyes are traveling through the car’s body, looking at it like her girlfriend she would care her entire life, forever is written in her glittering eyes.  

“Lisa?” Bobby snapped Lisa back from her fantasies and gawkily she faked her cough, undesirably breaking up with his car.

Lisa forces out a smile, “What is it oppa?”

“Do you want to race? If it’s alright with you, can you take over my place and take part for tonight’s race?” Bobby openly offered.

Lisa’s jaw almost dropped straight down the floor the second she heard of what was asked for. The crowd is too loud surrounding them she couldn’t have heard Bobby saying but because he just muttered this one important piece that it’s impossible for Lisa’s ears not to heed, she got herself stunned and in an instant she lost her words, almost the same with the air she held her breath right there.

“B-but oppa…” Lisa hardly voiced and turned pale for nervousness suddenly hit her.

Hanbin steps forward to argue, “Hey, don’t you think it’s too early for Lisa to be joining a drag race? She doesn’t have any experience yet! Well, we do know she’s good at driving since we’re letting her drive our cars for stroll but we can’t just let her join the drag race like this.”

Bobby contends in his stand, firm and confident as he expresses, “Of course I do know of that. We’re like her brothers and we both look after her every single day and we’ve been guiding and helping her to reach her dreams. And this is where it starts. On this night, at this very moment, this is when Lisa shall make her first race. Win or lose, at least we let her feel it, right? Besides, we have no any other choices. Out of everyone in here to watch me supposedly, only Lisa knows how to control my car well. She might even have the chance to win, who knows.”

Hanbin couldn’t argue more as Bobby deals are on point he failed to debate any more. He looks back to the still staggered Lisa and asks her stand too, in so much concern, “What do you say Lisa? Are you up to it? Will you race? We don’t have much time. The other side is already waiting for us. We can’t afford to be standing here and take too long. We might end up losing and lose a lot if it happens.”

The circumstances are unfolding too fast for Lisa she cannot speak out from her tight-lipped mouth. However, wild thoughts and various imaginations are running so free in her mind she cannot keep herself straight. There’s the prize money for the bet resting on a lighted table at the corner, either she’ll lose it or win it. There are the hopeful people widening up a space in the middle, using their phones to light up the short mile where the race will take place. So there goes the racing track revealed, cars ready to race but her remains muddled and undecided. 

“What should I do?” Lisa thought to herself that’s divided into half, panicky that she began feeling a little breathless with all these eyes darting at her, waiting for her answer that’s not formulated.

Indeed, her dream to race is just around the corner, about to grab it and have it in her hands but never it crossed her mind she’d possibly have it on a night all she thought she’d only stand on a corner like the old times, like the always, like the usual routine, just to watch. Yet, the dreams she once thought can only happen in her wild midnight fantasies now right in front of her, only a nod and one confirmation away needed to take a grasp of it.

The impatient opponent standing by near his car shouted at the mummed team from across as he mocks, “Are you going to let that chic race? Are you serious? Does she even have a license to drive? She looks like she doesn’t even know how to balance a bicycle!”

“Don’t make fun of us by letting that chic race against us! We want a real drag race here. We didn’t bet thousands just to win it back with this boring race you’re planning to give us.” Another mocked as they began talking trash.

Lisa’s side was left in a laughingstock, being ridiculed by their unending mocks that keep on going she cannot hear more because of the loud cheers and yells everywhere. Her friends and some of their supporters are there silently standing taking all these absurdity with their clenched fists and gritting teeth to constrain unnecessary disputes and make it point to the worst case.   

Lisa, the most agitated one finally stepped up shutting everyone up for a moment, not only to protect herself from all these insults but for her friends who gave their trusts to her for this one important night. With her head up but an unstable eye contact towards the opponent she declares, “I’ll race. I can race like anyone of you. I’ll let you eat your own words if I win this. I won’t back out from the likes of you!”

“Okay there goes her fire.” Hanbin arrogantly smirked.

Bobby tossed Lisa his car keys and taps her shoulder for an advice, “That’s the spirit I’ve been waiting for Lisa. Let me just remind you then that tonight’s match isn’t just one of those drives you do at night, okay? This is a real one. Give your best shot. Don’t hesitate to give your full speed on that straight way. Never let any doubt and fears eat you up.”

“I know oppa. Thanks.” Lisa nodded.

Lisa walked towards the car waiting to be used. She caressed its front that’s so smooth and shining that she can see her own reflection through it. She may have been riding the very same car and being granted for free drives every single day but only tonight she’s finally experiencing a real race. She used to be just one of the people cheering on the sides. She used to be watching her friends race, winning and losing at times.

“This is it.” Lisa took her deepest breath as she finally entered the car and take that seat she’s always yearning for.

Far from the usual, Lisa feels so different when she dropped her hips on the comfortable driver’s seat for the long straight lane ahead of her gives her too much pressure, but mixed with excitement she cannot explain it herself. She’s gotten used of driving in control in the busy streets. She’s used of the passersby in the city tilting their heads to this one well-equipped car of her friend but not for this time she feels the weight onto her shoulders.

“Damn, this is real…” Lisa heavily exhaled.

Parallel to her is the confident opponent keeping his mocks to Lisa’s tensed expression, “Scared baby girl?”

Lisa raised an eyebrow to him and retorts a better comeback, “Who would get scared from a guy like you who only knows trash talks? Could it be that you’re the one who doesn’t know how to drive?”

The annoyed opponent responded no more and rolled his windows up with his stern face, closing and ending whatever’s fuming between him and Lisa then the latter does the same to resume back their once off-road focus onto the race that’s about to start as the flag girl stood in front of the two cars starting off its engines and gazed at the drivers through the windshield to confirm their preparation.

“Lisa! You can do that! We believe in you!” Her friends chanted from the corner hoping that Lisa can read their mouths from inside the closed car.

Lisa put her cold hands onto the steering wheel but as she did, she felt one with the car and only now that she’s racing she feels this way, as if she has her heart fusion with the car, merging with this body like her own and as if the bright headlights became her eyes lighting up her way, seeing her future that’s so far away to reach just yet. Yes, this feeling, this overwhelming obsession, this is what Lisa needs to completely stamp onto her tension she never needed at all. Right, this overflowing passion is what Lisa needs for her confidence to boost up at its highest and to keep her vision to nothing but to the race.

 The flag girl raises her hands up as she counts to start, “3…2…1…”

The flag girl dropped her hands and the two competitive racers bark forward like cheetahs fighting and racing for their prey to be eaten waiting on the finish line. The entire world around Lisa turned into a total blur, in a shutdown as if she owns the whole world for the succeeding seconds and cares none of all these attention and even not to the competitor performing as good as her. She accelerates to the fullest; she drives her best performance she can give while she wears that ecstatic grin on high. Lisa gives it her all for this one special race of her life, her very first race she’s been dreaming of to happen.

“Here they are! They are coming!” The crowd on high gathered on the sides of the finish line as they farsighted two cars competitively aiming for the first place and heard the roars of their heating tires.

Nearing the finish line where both drivers can clearly see the checkered flag ready to dropped anytime, Lisa started to feel rapidly anxious as her car is just as par as of the other that’s not giving up and racing equally as her. This is her very first race and as a dreamer and as a young woman aiming for a first ever win in her record, Lisa wants to go back home victorious and be the best racer of this momentous night.

“I’m going to win this!” Lisa roared in determination as she stepped on the accelerator hard.

Lisa, in her desperation to win, she pulled her wheel to the right slightly bumping and scratching the other car’s side and managed to slow the opponent down for milliseconds. This small spun of time that the other loses a bit of his drive however paved way for Lisa to garner the first place she’s craving for, let that flag wave for her triumph and arrive on that destination passing the finish line with her as the clutching her first ever victory.

“Oh damn! The girl won! She won!” The amazed crowd yelled so loud it echoed all over the night sky in astonishment.

Lisa stayed inside the car, frozen as she couldn’t believe the result of her purpose. She has wide open with a huge smile coming out, panting as she gathers her thoughts of winning in her first ever race. “I won… I won… I did it…” She then puffed one by one, happily and still in the process of recollecting her scattered brains.

“Lisa!” Later her friends knocked onto the windows and Lisa quickly rolled it down for them. “Oh my God! You’re so cool! You just freaking won the race!” They added in shout.

Lisa at last went out of the car and only to meet these numbers of people mobbing her and cheering out for her name. She’s ecstatic she became speechless that she lost her words to express how happy she is, and got clogged because of this bliss occupying the whole of her. All she can do, at the end, is to wander her eyes around her, twist her body to meet every single one surrounding her, cheering for her and pouring their drinks and beers all over her, everywhere in the circle she’s on.

“Hey cheater! What the hell was that about?”

The small celebration in their spot momentarily halted at the maddened bark approaching so fuming from the loser’s side together with their supporters. The crowd was silenced and being her first time, Lisa stays staggered in her stand, not knowing how to respond to those angry glares and burning marches coming from the man she defeated. She can only bite her lower lip and avoid their flaring gazes and let her friends and others stand in front of the helpless and clueless her.

Hanbin manly stood in front and questions back the loser with the same tone as him, “Who are you calling cheater, huh?”

“Who else but your dirty racer friend right there! You call that a fair race? You just bumped into my car on purpose during the race! You’re not supposed to do that if you want to prove something! What, are you that afraid to lose?” The man pointed at the scared Lisa hiding behind her friends.

“Yeah right!” The opposition seconded and began blabbering from the other side.

Bobby then also defends their side saying, “It’s not cheating! It’s called strategy! No one set the rules of the race and no one ever said that such tactic is invalid! Lisa was just using her mind in a right way to win the race while you with your small brains couldn’t think of the same approach and you dare to call her cheating because you lost to a woman! Get lost and accept your defeat!”

Their defense and argument didn’t do any better for the growing dispute. Because of this exchange of banters and heated talks going on from either side, the losing team fused and landed a punch right into Bobby’s face and got him thrown down the ground. Thus, because of such offensive act, the entire crowd was triggered and started the rumble, a worsening war between two conflicting parties and the chaos started in a snap.

“W-what’s going on?” The muddled Lisa trembled on the spot, unable to move her feet and only has her eyes moving as she witnesses the once united crowd fighting in their fists and some using their empty bottles as their weapon which caused blood spilling everywhere.

Hanbin immediately wrapped Lisa around his arms for protection and in a hurry he orders straightaway, “Lisa, are you alright? Get out of here now! Get hyung’s car and drive away from here!”

“B-but oppa! I can’t leave you alone here!” Lisa resisted on moving in her position.

“Just go! You shouldn’t be here now! We’ll take care of things from here so just go and escape!” Hanbin persistently dragged the sturdy Lisa towards Bobby’s car and pushed her away farther from the main battlefield.

Lisa sought to protest more and wants to go out there and help her friends left out there fighting for their life using her hopeless body and thundered fearful mind and heart. But not until she heard sirens from police cars coming from the afar, she's alarmed from her staggered self and mind instantly turned so high to think of what she'd do next.

"Okay Lisa, what now?" She asked herself frantically stepping in circles.

Lisa's eyes roam everywhere while straights up her mind and thinks of a way to form a solution to her hopeless and helpless self. The brawl is becoming bloody and it gives her so much fear she will never join the growing battle. She can see those equipped cars she was just admiring minutes ago all driving fast away, running away from any possible trouble that's about to come. She's totally rumbled and her young new experience isn't registering well any of this twists of events.

“Lisa! The police are coming! What the hell are you still doing? Move!” Bobby shouted from afar and his pleading yet struggling voice thundered Lisa.

Lisa still in her quaking hands and dripping in sweat face, she drives as fast as she can away from all the commotion and chaos behind, drifting perfectly on the road, pulling her breaks on the intersections to perform that perfect drift and suave turn and as a result she gains some amazed eyes and some scared from the few people walking around the street sides of this late night. She speeds up like how she was in that race she just had, only to escape from the police cars catching up late from behind her for the intense chase and stopped by the darkest alley of the town, in between two tall buildings.

“I did it.” Lisa panted as she removed her seatbelt.

All alone in the dark narrow alley, there she drops down of the car and nauseous from her own driving, she pukes at the garbage bins she found in front of her car, thanks to the bright headlights giving her source of light. She has her head buzzing, she has her vision still twirling and she can feel her knees still weakening yet, despite of all the worsening feelings creeping all over her, she found a way to smile at this achievement she just gained.

Lisa leaned against the car’s cooling down bumper and beams satisfied, “I won. I really won the race. Wow, this feels just so great!”

Racing, this is Lisa’s life, one of the sources of her energy like how much she has shown on that backstreet where she made her debut. No matter how much the trouble she may be facing because of this one passion fueling her body, considering it’s her very first experience, Lisa would love to take the risk and by the end of the day, she would find herself smiling at the satisfaction and adding the delight she received from winning, especially now that she’s alone and no one to bother this ecstasy pumping her up.

Of course, she may be alone but this moment of victory, she has to share it with the person she keeps in mind all the time, a person who has been the reason of her smile every single time, and the person she wants to know all first, it’s no other than her girlfriend whom she never failed to update with each and every night she spends together with her friends.

Just a few rings of her phone call, it was joyfully answered by a bubbly woman, “Oh Lisa! How dare you call me late tonight? I’ve been waiting for your call for who knows how many hours now!”

Lisa replies grinning as she feels glad to hear her voice, “I’m so sorry Jisoo! Something happened that’s why I called a little late.”

“Why? What happened?” The worried girlfriend whom Lisa informally addressed by her name Jisoo asked.

“I won a race!” Lisa announced so thrilled in her shout.

And an unexpected response came from the sighing Jisoo, “I thought something happened but you just won a race Lisa. C’mon, don’t make me nervous next time.”

Lisa glowered at her reaction as she expected more from her girlfriend; instead, she heard her nagging and sounded uninterested of her news. She wanted to tell more in every single detail but to hear her in such a mood, she decided to chew it in and never be told. Then she heard group girls giggling from the background, that’s when Lisa knew her girlfriend is up to something and definitely not a right time to be talking thus she shrugs off her grimace with a deep breath as she doesn’t want to spoil one of the biggest nights of her racing life.

“Are you with your friends?” Lisa anticipated.

“Yeah. We’re currently having our group study since we have to catch up some lessons. You know, cheer dance practices are getting tight lately and we can’t keep up well with the classes. They’ll be having their sleepover here so my room is kind of occupied right now too.” Jisoo said apologetically from the other line.

Lisa sighs, “Okay. I understand. Maybe I’ll just call you some other time then.”

“Sorry Lisa. I promise I’ll catch up with you soon, okay?” Jisoo pleaded and only heard a hum as a response from Lisa. Hence she added to cheer her up, “Congratulations on winning by the way. Take care on your way back home.”   

“Okay. I love you.” Lisa forced a smile.

“I love you too.” Jisoo ended.

Jisoo dropped the call and as soon as she did, she heaved a long deep sigh while seated in front of her dresser, looking at her stressed face through the mirror with her crumpled black hair, and no way that the tint of frustration in it wasn’t heard by her friends together with her in this room they filled with their scattered papers, some coming from the floor and some sprawled in the bed where she lays down tired. She stares at herself, how her stress is evidently showing off from her smooth skin she prepared for her good night sleep.

“Why? What’s wrong? I thought you just talked to Lisa. Why do you look so down still?” One of her friends in her tied up hair left her laptop to attend onto Jisoo and helped her fix her pajama that’s dropping off from her slender shoulders.

“I don’t know too Wendy…” Jisoo groaned as she named her friend and looked at her reflection through the mirror.

And her other friend going all so lazy in the bed with her notes in her hands also asks, “Did you guys had fight or something?”

“Oh c’mon Joy, do they sound like fighting a while ago?” Wendy argued as she glared.

The lazy Joy defends, “Who knows, right? I mean, Jisoo’s lover is always out there doing her weird hobby and they haven’t been hanging out around much recently too. Of course I’d think there’s something wrong between them.”

Jisoo faces her two friends on debate as she sits on the bedside and expresses her innermost thoughts, “It’s not that we’re fighting or anything. I think there’s something wrong with me, or I don’t really know.”

“What do you mean?” The two questioned in unison.

Jisoo frowns and admits, “I do understand if we’re not having dates lately because even I am busy with our cheer dance practices too and exams are coming as well. The thing is I think I’m jealous of her hobby with racing. She always talks about it whenever we talk through the phone and honestly it’s getting a little annoying already. I know she’s obsessed with it but can’t she at least tone down a little? It’s like she cares more about racing than she cares for me. It’s quite frustrating too sometimes.”

“You can’t do anything about it. You decided to date a racing maniac who came all the way here from Thailand just to do whatever she wants to." Wendy mocked.

And Joy queries, “Why do even like someone like Lisa anyway? What do you see in someone like her?”

Lisa looks up the ceiling and with a genuine smile she elaborates, “Lisa really lives a carefree life. She even managed to ask her parents easily to travel all the way here just to expand her knowledge about racing and be an independent woman. She’s that passionate when it comes to what she really wants in life. And because she’s like that, she never fails to make me happy with her sense of humor and perseverance. She’s always around whenever I need her and she never fails to make me smile. But there are times I hate that side of her because even to other people, she’s still nice and sometimes I view it as flirting. She’s too positive as well and it’s like she doesn’t have any weakness. Yet again, I think that’s what I really like about her, caring, so open and she knows how to make me feel safe and secured.”

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