“3, 2, 1 and GO!” Yena and Yujin screams out.

Both agents’ hands are nimble and swift as they move equally fast to get their gears in order. They picked the hardest course in the game, promoted heavily by Yujin using the excuse of it being the final-worthy. Sakura frowns, I am also a final-worthy competitor. She wants to sulk longer but even the gamer inside her could not resist getting her eyes glued onto the very tight race. As expected, the hardest course in the game has to have many tight curves and bumps for the racer to control their acceleration, brake and gear-shifting to maximise every possible speed. The girls naturally had their own cheerleading teams with Yena and Yujin each supporting their own team leader and Minsang attaching himself to his ‘noona’. Minjoo is stuck in the middle, heart yearning to support her crush and at the same time, her longtime bodyguard. She stands in the middle of the two racers, intensely alternating between both screens.

Minjoo’s heart aches when Chaewon slams her car into Eunbi’s during the tight curve causing the older agent to lose traction. Yet her heart also cheers when Chaewon escapes while maintaining her top speed. It is an incredibly confusing moment for Minjoo as she travels from the highs to the lows.

Eunbi’s lips purse even more when she is concentrating hard. As cute as the moment will be between Minjoo and Chaewon if the younger agent wins, Eunbi does not want to lose. Or rather, her competitive will not let her lose. She maneuvers back to her original spot, inching beside Chaewon’s car as they both enter the last lap. Eunbi takes her revenge as she bumps her car onto Chaewon’s but Chaewon seems to have anticipated that and brakes, causing Eunbi to swerve straight into the bumper.

The crowd around them screams in exhilaration as Chaewon immediately steps on the accelerator to shoot past Eunbi’s second-long mistake. Sakura’s jaw drop at the intense race and her eyes briefly catches a glimpse of the concentrating Eunbi. The older girl does not let the failed attempt of an attack waver her focus as she catches up with Chaewon again. Is she using tint today? Sakura suddenly notices the pinkish shade on Eunbi’s lips. Wait, why are you looking-

Sakura casts her eyes back on the screen. But the distraction is too much, causing her to not even realise that the two cars had crossed the finish line. Why does she have to jut her lips out like that when driving?! Sakura’s brain is evidently still very confused. Focus, the race is over, people are screaming. Sakura recalibrates herself and claps automatically as everyone celebrates - by everybody she specifically means Minjoo who is now hugging Chaewon.

“I told you you would win!” Minjoo wiggles Chaewon in her hold.

Eunbi turns to her right and cannot help but lets out a toothy grin when she sees how genuinely happy Minjoo is. The girl’s indian dimples are deeply furrowed in her cheeks with her eyes curved up into half moons as she buries Chaewon in her bear hug. Eunbi may have lost the race but imagining how possibly overwhelmed Chaewon is right now with the sudden affection from Minjoo makes her motherly instincts tingle.

As Eunbi predicted, Chaewon’s body tightens as she does not know how to react to Minjoo suddenly pouncing onto her. She can only freeze as Minjoo’s natural strawberry scent engulfs her senses. The girl has her wrapped so tightly that her own arms are pressed against the sides of her body. “M-minjoo ah.” Chaewon lets out.

However Minjoo does not hear the agent because it suddenly hits her that Eunbi is right there. Minjoo immediately realises the predicament she is in - her crush is witnessing her hug another girl?! That’s not a good image.

Minjoo releases Chaewon as fast as she hugged her and rushes over to Eunbi’s side. She locks Eunbi in an equally tight bear hug. Unlike the robotic agent, Eunbi is much smoother with her actions as she wraps her arms around Minjoo’s waist. “Unnie….” Minjoo whines cutely. “You did well too!”

Eunbi gently pats the girl on her back, “Thank you Minjoo ah.” She says the girl’s name as endearingly as possible. She does it even though she knows someone will hate it very much. Eunbi can feel a strong gaze cast on them and she wants to make use of it.

Minjoo loosens her hold on Eunbi and leans back so she can see the agent’s face. “You will always be the best in my heart.” The moment the words left her lips, Minjoo blushes. She could not resist because she can feel Eunbi’s strong arms around her waist and it is making her crush even harder.

Eunbi wants to melt into a puddle of goo when she hears Minjoo’s words. Not in a romantic manner but more so in an older sister's point of view. Sadly, she is aware the girl thinks otherwise. Girl has a crush on me when there is someone else yearning for her attention instead. Eunbi racks her brain to think of a reply that will not hurt Minjoo’s heart but also one that doesn’t give her too much hope.

“You’re cute.” Eunbi settles on a non-romantic gesture by gently patting the top of the taller girl’s head. Affectionate but not semi-platonic. She pulls back from Minjoo’s hug. “But you are right, Chaewon is better in driving after all.” Eunbi abruptly turns Minjoo around to nudge her back to Chaewon.

Unlike the bear hug earlier, Minjoo and Chaewon stand awkwardly in front of each other. Chaewon is never one to be forward with her actions so needless to say the need to do something is killing her inside. On the other hand, Minjoo is confused after experiencing the highs with her crush and now facing Chaewon whom she is very proud of but also feeling like the person she is cheating on her crush with? Wait that doesn’t even make sense, I don’t even like Chaewon unnie in that way and… I hugged her because I am happy for her win…. Right?

Right.

Minjoo takes the initiative to break the silence as she congratulates the agent on her win again. “I told you you would win.”

“I never thought I would lose.”

One of Chaewon’s greatest charms is her wits. Minjoo chuckles at the older Kim’s witty remark.

“I never thought you would lose too noona. Seems like you are not unbeatable after all.” Minsang coolly comments to Eunbi and points to Sakura. “So this noona is right.”

Stupid boy just stirred the after it freaking settled. Yujin facepalmed herself. “Time to go shopping already!” She screams out, desperate to avoid another cold war.

Thankfully for Yujin, nothing much happened after aside from a slightly victorious Sakura, anything she can grasp on after the racing loss. Eunbi beckoned the younger boy to leave as it was already evening. Minjoo, as promised, brought Sakura to SPAO and to her relief, fitted Sakura’s notion of casual wear. She politely left after the older girl was visibly satisfied with her options. Sakura is relieved that this blossoming relationship is the only thing good that came out from today. After today’s loss, Sakura is determined to expand her gaming selection to add racing in. If she could get Eunbi out of her security team when she puts her mind to it, she can win Eunbi in a racing match.

--

The next day, Eunbi reports to work in a black buttoned down shirt along with her usual sharply ironed black pants. She decided to skip the blazer since she is not on active duty. Eunbi walks into simply set up office room that Ka Eun had arranged for her use during this period. She walks to the window and creates an opening with her fingers. The view from her offic