Mark was pretty sure Heiran was broken. 

It had been a whole month since she was fired and it seemed that she was still in a slump. And it only got worse when she got rejection letter after rejection letter after every single interview. 

By the fifth time Mark walked by her office, she was still staring at her laptop. She wasn’t typing or scrolling, her fingers weren’t even on the keyboard, she was just staring. 

He sighed and entered her office, rounding her desk, he stood over her shoulder to see what had stolen her attention for hours.

“Which one is this?” He asked. 

She was staring at a picture of a painting of a woman draped in a glamorous black dress staring off to the side. 

“It’s called Portrait of Madame X.” She said half-heartedly. “Doesn’t she seem fabulous? Like if you saw her at a party you’d just be drawn to her. I bet she’d be so interesting to talk to.”

He tilted his head, “Madame as in brothel owner?”

Her lip twitched, “No, Madame as in Madame. She was a socialite and wife of a banker.” 

“How much am I betting that when you first saw this painting you bought a dress exactly like that?” He mused.

She snorted, “Mark don’t be silly.”

He raised his brow waiting and she grinned, “I have 5.”

Chuckling, he shut her laptop, “Come on, get dressed.”

“Why? Where are we going? It’s almost 10PM.” She asked with a frown, allowing him to tug on her elbow and lead her back into her room. 

He pulled her closet open and stared at her wardrobe, “You’re clearly losing your mind being holed up in your office all month. It’s time you take a break.”

“How?” She asked skeptically. 

His grin challengingly and she gulped, wondering what he had in store, “It’s a surprise. But first, I need you to put on something you’d wear if you were going to a sketchy club but  sadly you'll have to ditch the heels for something comfortable.”

“Well, that definitely doesn't raise red flags.” She grumbled, shoving him aside to dig deep into her closet where some of her old college clothes were tucked in. Most of her clothing choices were either too high-end business formal wear or comfortable house clothes. She didn’t have a huge selection of clothes to wear out for a night of fun.

When she came out of the bathroom she was in a pair of black ripped jeans, a black leather jacket and a cropped grey shirt. She even dug out a cute pair of sneakers she bought when she believed she could get into jogging. She cleared and began fussing with her hair when Mark’s gaze travelled up and down the path of her body a few times. 

After settling on a ponytail and glanced at him expectantly, “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

He hummed smugly before looping a chain around her neck. She glanced down at the set of dog tags that hung down her chest, “Uhh…Mark this is a $160 shirt.”

“Yeah, that necklace is going to keep that $160 shirt clean.” He fired back before leading her out the house. 

Heiran gave him a concerned look, “I’m getting worried now.”

“Don’t be. I called Yugyeom over, he’ll watch Lucy until we’re back. Although, I think you need to check in on that guy more because it's troubling that he had no plans for a Friday night.” Mark quipped.

She scoffed as they walked to the car, “First of all, I meant I'm worried about where you’re taking me and second of all, I didn’t have plans for a Friday night either.”

“I know. It’s kind of lame. And don’t worry, we’re just going somewhere out of your wheelhouse.”

Heiran got into Mark’s car before noticing something, “Wait, this car is different than your normal one.”

“Yeah, I don’t take this one out often.” Mark said as he pulled out of Heiran’s driveway.

She eyed the fancy interior. She wasn’t exactly a car expert but she knew enough to know that there was a lot of customizations made to the vehicle including the soft purple led lights that were glowing by their feet. “What is this car even for?”

“You’ll see.”

-----

“What is this place?” Heiran asked in awe as they stepped out of Mark’s car. 

They were parked near a hill littered with other fancy cars. Her eyes drank in the crowds of people walking around, talking and drinking as music played in the background. They were all wearing elaborate streetwear, girls with their hair styled and their makeup smokey and dramatic and the guys were dressed just as well. 

For the first time in her life, she felt underdressed. 

“These are my Friday plans.” Mark said with a grin. 

Heiran fell in step with him when she noticed just how many people seemed to stop talking whenever she and Mark walked by. They would just stare, almost in awe but not at her. 

At Mark. 

Yet no one approached him or tried to talk to him, at the very most he would just exchange some nods. The air was cold but thick with the smell of weed and cigarette smoke but it wasn’t until they reached the top of the hill did she realize where they were. 

She stared at the empty desolate road below them and the set of 5 cars, lined up in a row that were revving their engines. A girl in a tight dress and heels higher than any of Heiran’s pairs strolled onto the road holding a huge flag and the second she waved it, the cars shot out at breakneck speed.

“Racing?” Heiran asked wide-eyed. 

He grinned, his gaze following the cars until they disappeared behind a bend. “Street racing actually.”

“I have so many questions.” Heiran said. 

Mark smiled knowingly, “Let me get you something to drink first.” 

She nodded as he Mark walked them over to a small group of people and a few faces she finally recognized. 

Jinyoung spotted her first and perked up, “Heiran?”

At the sound of her name, the girl next to him turned. Yeonhee’s face tightened, her glare darkening when she spotted her next to Mark. 

“Hey.” Heiran returned the hug he gave her. 

Jinyoung nodded at Mark before smiling, “I can’t believe he brought you here.”

“I’m gonna get her a drink.” Mark grumbled with an eye roll. He glanced at Yeonhee nervously but she was determined not to acknowledge him and was too busy staring at the jewelry around Heiran’s neck.

Sighing he walked to a truck filled with ice and drinks. Once he was gone Jinyoung turned to her, “How much has he told you?”

“About this place? Nothing. What can you tell me?” She prodded.

Jinyoung grinned devilishly, “Well for starters, it’s all illegal.”

“Is it a gang thing?” She asked.

“No, in fact, most of the people have regular day jobs or are going to college. We’re probably the most criminal ones here.” He explained. 

Yeonhee looked bored, “He means this isn’t ing NASCAR. If the cops bust this place most of these people are getting reckless driving tickets and might lose their licenses or even get jail time or fines.”

Heiran no longer viewed Yeonhee’s anger with confusion or discomfort. She just smiled in amusement, “Cool. Do you guys know the people who race?”

“Yeah.” Yeonhee said without elaborating. 

Fortunately, Mark returned with a can of beer, “Hey, here, sorry these things don’t have the best selection.”

Heiran accepted the drink, grateful for anything to dull the painful conversations she was going to have to spend trying to have with Yeonhee. It was hard for her to hate the girl, even if the anger came from jealousy or pure hatred, Heiran remembered the conversations they’d have when she thought her name was Yuna. 

She always thought Yuna liked her. They talked about everything, they joked and bonded about being women in a male dominated field. She swore everything they said to each other was real, even if Yuna wasn’t her real name and SmartLogic wasn’t her real job.

Sometimes Heiran forgot Yuna was a client and viewed more as a friend or mentee. 

It was strange seeing the same girl hate her so much. 

Maybe all of it was fake.

“What happened?” Mark asked with narrowed eyes when she spaced out.

She shook her head, “It’s just a lot to take in. I don’t know much about racing.”

“It isn’t too complicated, people can come with whatever car they want. Although people that really customize their car up usually get some heat from other racers but it’s usually good-natured. Everyone knows each other, they don’t really let strangers on the road with them. It’s dangerous. Plus everyone follows unspoken rules about road etiquette. That doesn’t mean they’re not crazy competitive or try to find loopholes. But it’s not like they’re competing for money or anything. People just want the glory and reputation.”

“Who wouldn’t.” She teased.

He nodded in agreement, “Most of them though just enjoy driving fast or tinkering with cars and showing them off. There’s also a community here. Some of them grew up together. These people look out for one another. That’s why if someone new wants to come to these races or even get in a car it helps if you know someone who already races to get them to vouch for you.”

“And they always race here?” She asked.

He shook his head, “No, they rotate to a few places to avoid the cops. Usually, people take turns driving around to see if any cops are near, especially along the racing highways.”  

“They have a system and everything.” She was impressed.

He hummed, “Yeah, they definitely learned it the hard way. But other than that it’s pretty basic, they usually come up with a race route in advance and text it out. The start line is the finish line. It’s timed and someone keeps track to rank them. After that, some people just race around for kicks.”

She liked the way it sounded.

“As I live and breathe. Mark Tuan?”

The group turned to probably the most beautiful couple Heiran had ever seen in her life. The man was dressed in black but his hair was a dirty red, styled up off his forehead to reveal a sharp slit on his brow. His face was striking, with dangerous cheekbones, a perfect nose and lips that curled up like a kitten’s. The girl next to him whose waist he was holding looked quite the opposite. She had soft pink hair and the off-the-shoulder white dress that fluttered in the breeze stood out from everyone else’s denim and leather. She looked like an angel. 

Mark grinned and welcomed the handshake the man gave him and hugged the woman, scrunching his face up when she wrestled a kiss onto his cheek. “Hey Taeyong, it’s been a while and Star, you look blinding as usual.”

“Hmm, doesn’t sound like a compliment.” Star said with a scowl.

Taeyong chuckled and shook his head, “I can’t believe you’re here, you haven’t shown up in almost 2 years we all thought you weren’t coming back. I thought I was seeing things at first when I saw your car.”

“Yeah, it got a little busy at work.” Mark said vaguely. 

Heiran watched the entire exchange in wonder. She had never seen Mark interact with a friend especially outside of the gang life. There was an ease with him that he carried, and judging by how affectionately Taeyong and Star were looking at him, it was obvious how much these people loved him. 

She wondered what they thought he did for work.

“And you brought company.” Star’s eyes glittered excitedly as she got on her tippy toes to peek over Mark’s shoulder at Heiran.   

“Hi.” Heiran said softly with a little wave.

Taeyong flinched and eyed his girlfriend wearily, “Star don—“

Before he could finish, Star shoved Mark out of the way and slammed her body into Heiran’s, squeezing her tight. She almost had the breath knocked out of her as the scent of vanilla filled her, “Hi! It’s so nice to meet you! Mark never brings girls with him. I’m Star.”

Heiran wheezed and that was when Taeyong pried Star off of her, “Sorry about her, she gets excited when she meets our friends’ girlfriends. I’m Taeyong, by the way.”

“This is Heiran and she’s not my girlfriend.” Mark deadpanned. “She’s a…friend. Behave Star or she’s never going to want to come back.”

Star rolled her eyes, a gesture Yeonhee mirrored for different reasons before she grabbed Jinyoung and dragged him away from the group in search of better drinks or better company.

“It’s nice to meet you both.” She returned. “Did you both meet Mark here?”

Taeyong grinned and looked at his friend, “Yup, the first time we met we didn’t even know each other’s name but he walked up to me and told me that Star had a crush on me and then walked away. It’s actually the reason I went up to her and asked her out. It’s how we started dating.”

Mark shrugged, “I overheard her talking about you. Thought it was sad.”

“Shut up!” Star barked, punching him in the arm as he laughed.

She turned to Heiran, “How did you and Mark become friends?”

Heiran looked at Mark worriedly, “Through work.”

“Oh! You met at his bar?” She asked.

Heiran nodded, “Uh, yeah.”

Taeyong turned to Mark and nudged his arm, “Did you hear? Ten’s racing tonight.”

“No . I thought he was still healing from that crash.” Mark said in surprise.

“The cast came off so there was no way we could stop him. This is actually his first one back and the minute he finds out you’re here he won’t let anyone leave until you race him.” Taeyong said, lifting a bottle of beer to his lips.

“He’s a little psychopath, isn’t he?” Mark joked.

Taeyong chuckled, “He’s been waiting for this ever since he ranked number one. I’m pretty sure the only reason he’s worked so hard defending his title is because he wanted to make sure he was number one when you eventually came by to watch a race.”

“He’s cute.” Star mused.

“He just admires you but unlike other people, his admiration comes in the form of the burning desire to beat you.” Taeyong deadpanned. 

The crowd around them started to get loud and Star pointed to the road, “Here he comes.”

A sleek red car crossed the white chalk line on the road to cheers. It came to a screeching halt and a few seconds later, three other cars followed behind in staggered order. There were a few floodlights illuminating the finish line. 

Ten climbed out through the window and sat on the edge of the window, his arms crossed over the hood of the car as he spoke to someone on the track. The person pointed towards the hill and Ten followed his finger until he was staring at Mark. The man’s face shifted and a huge grin broke through his face. He jumped out of the window and cupped his hands around his mouth. 

“Been long enough, old man. Get down here so I can beat your , Tuan.”

“I think that’s your cue.” Star said with a laugh.

Mark shook his head good-naturedly before looking over at her, “Will you be okay on your own for a little?”

“Uh, yeah but are you going to race?” She asked in alarm. She had seen the speed that Ten had barrelled through with. She had never seen a car drive that fast up close.

But Mark didn’t look the least bit worried, “Don’t worry. I’m not that bad.”

Heiran nodded and watched him head to his car. It all made sense now. His car had looked so different because it was probably customized for street-racing. 

“Seriously.” Taeyong spoke up, “He’s really good.”

She looked at him curiously, “Yeah?”

Star agreed, “He actually holds the record for fastest lap time and when we do tournaments he still has the longest-running number-one. No one has beaten his streak even though he stopped racing.”

Heiran had no idea, “How long did he do this for?”

“Maybe 5 years? He started literally the day after he got his learner’s permit but it was a few years after that he actually competed.”

He must’ve been racing on the side while with GOT7, “Why’d he stop?”

“He didn’t have the time to come to every race because he started working. It’s usually what happens to people who race after a while. He still comes by every now and then to hang out but ever since he left he doesn’t race, even for fun. He just watches although there’s this tradition that whenever he comes back, he has to race whoever has the current number 1.” Taeyong explained.

“Really?”

Star nodded, “Yeah, he ends up beating them by miles but people get excited when he shows up. He’s kind of a legend around here.”

“Wow, I had no idea.” Heiran said in disbelief. 

“You’re not really his friend, are you?” Star asked with a tilt of her head.

Heiran blinked, “What do you mean?”

She had this knowing look that seemed to undercut the soft colours she wore, “I already told you Mark doesn’t bring girls here and he certainly doesn’t give them his chains. Some guys get into racing because of the girls, they have groupies and they love the attention driving gets them. Some girls love the adrenaline of racing and the adrenaline of dating a guy who races. But Mark’s never paid much attention to those girls.”

“Okay…” She wasn’t entirely sure where Star was going with this.

Taeyong watched his girlfriend in amusement and decided to tag in, “And I’m guessing he drove you here? He didn’t even drive Yeonhee when the two of them were hooking up.”

“So you’re not his friend, you’re not a casual fling, you’re not his girlfriend but you’re something in the middle.” Star concluded.

“N-No, I don’t think so.” It sounded weak even to her.

“Oh trust me, girl.” Star said as she turned to the road when Mark’s matte black car pulled up next to Ten’s, “You are definitely something to Mark.”

“Do either of you race?” She asked, desperate to change the subject.

Star and Taeyong both nodded, “Yeah we do but not competitively like some of these guys. Like Ten, for example. We just race with friends once the tournament stuff is over.”

She watched as the girl walked onto the road again and waved the flag. Her eyes widened when Mark’s car shot out first and immediately put a lot of distance between him and Ten. She could only see him for a few seconds before the car vanished around the curve.

“Well , I guess he isn’t rusty.” Taeyong said in amusement.

Jinyoung and a reluctant Yeonhee returned to the group, his eyes bright, “Did he start?”

“Yeah, just now.” Taeyong said.

Heiran took the few minutes before the racers reappeared to take in the sights around her. More of the crowd had gathered on the hill, probably to get a better look at Mark racing. There was so much effortless confidence and style in the people around her, she felt like she was buzzing. The energy was palpable. She no longer felt like a boring corporate suit or single mother. 

She felt free. 

“There are a lot of couples here.” She noticed out loud as she spotted the nth pair, walking hand in hand. 

Star hummed, “Yeah but when you’ve been around here long enough you start to notice which pair are an actual long term couple and which ones are just sort of part of the street-racing experience.”

“Street-racing experience?” Heiran asked, intrigued. 

Star giggled, “Yeah, like me and Taeyong have been together for years, most people know that because we’re always together. But there’s also like a huge chunk of people who date racers just to be part of the experience. They want to be the person that runs into the winner’s arms when they get out of the car, they want to put their hand in their girlfriend’s pocket, they want to ride in the car with a racer. When you date a racer everyone talks about it, everyone knows about it. Some of the girls also love the feeling of knowing that other girls want the man they’re dating and honestly, I’ve been there.”

Heiran watched Taeyong’s face flush as he pressed his mouth against the side of her head. Star waved her hands around her, “It’s like part of the culture. It’s fun dating a racer, even if you’re not looking for a love-connection. It’s like how some high schoolers want to date a team captain and wear their jersey.”

That made sense to her, back in that day Heiran had her eye on a couple soccer players. She had the fantasy of walking confidently in the school hallways wearing someone’s soccer jersey. Although those fantasies never became realities, but suddenly she understood the allure. 

“That makes sense.” 

Star looked around at some of the people, “Everyone here has some sort of history with someone else. It’s actually pretty entertaining.” 

Taeyong laughed but Yeonhee just crossed her arms and turned away.

A few minutes passed before the sound of a roaring engine started to come closer. Everyone stood up to get a better view as if they had no idea who would appear first.

Mark turned the curve first and crossed the finish line and a full five minutes passed before Ten’s car pulled in second. The crowd roared in excitement when Mark stepped out of his car. Ten launched out of his car as well and tackled Mark around the waist, hugging him tightly and jumping up and down. Heiran smiled softly when Mark laughed, hugging Ten back.

“Is Mark faster or is Ten getting slower?” Star mused jokingly. 

Heiran felt a strange bubble of pride grow in her chest as she watched Mark and Ten walk up the slope of the hill together. Mark seemed so laid back as if he hadn’t lapped someone going at an insane speed, probably breaking his own record. She never realized how impressive Mark was with how confident he moved.

Girls and guys alike were watching Mark, preying on his attention but he ignored all calls of his name as he spoke into Ten’s ear. When they reached the top of the hill people were still staring but Mark walked straight to her.

There as something attractive about how he acted like he wasn't amazing. Like he didn't know his own power. She didn’t even bother herself with the scoff Yeonhee let out. 

“Impressed?” 

She tilted her head, “That you’re so good at breaking the rules of the road that you’re apparently a legend at it? Very.” But the twinkled in his eye probably meant that he saw through her sarcasm. 

“You think Lucy would like coming here?” Jinyoung joked.

Mark grunted, “Over my dead body is she coming here.”

Heiran raised a brow, “What do you mean?”

“That kid’s getting her license in 6 years, I don’t need her thinking she’s going to use it for this.”

Heiran dug her teeth into her lip as she imagined in few years Mark showing up thinking he was just going to watch some old friends race only to see Lucy drive up to the starting line. He’d lose it. 

Conversation between the others, mainly Ten’s re-telling of his race against Mark offered Heiran and Mark a moment of privacy as they watched the crowd. A pause in the races gave people a chance to grab more drinks. “What do you think?”

“This is so cool. I had no idea you did stuff like this.”

“Layers, duchess, I’ve got tons of them.”

She hummed and shook her head, “I wish I got to be a part of this when I was younger. It seems like so much fun, to make friends and hang out like this.”

“Well, you don’t ha