It was her escape at first...

Now it was a part of her life...

Her sin...

Fire...

The wind.

The speed.

The danger.

The adrenaline.

The engines roared through the empty mountainous roads, or shall we call it the road to hell? The racers zig-zagged, passing each other as they cut each other’s lanes. Unlike other races, this one had no rules, no limits, and no right or wrong. That being said, the danger was doubled, but the challenge was on and everyone who knew Fire and her crew, they knew that they don’t give up easily.

The word fear didn’t exist in their vocabulary.

For those who challenged them, they had to be prepared. They had to know what they were up against. They knew the risks, they knew that one wrong move could be their doom. The roads on which they raced on weren’t forgiving. There was no mercy, there was no easy way out. This place took away many lives, so there’s a reason why people called it the road to hell or the Ghost valley. 

You must learn this lesson fast and learn it well,

This ain't no upwardly mobile freeway,

Oh no, this is the road, this is the road, this is the road to hell…

Does one have to be crazy enough to race there? Yes.

So, why do they race there, you might ask?

They each have a story. For Ari, it started when she was 16. It started at a time when she was troublesome. When she looked for an escape. When she refused to face her demons. When she hated everyone and everything. It was a dark period for her, but thanks to Ilhoon she found her escape. She found her life. Her sin. Her fire. There was a reason why she got the nickname after all.

***

Four years earlier…

“Welcome to my Heaven,” Ilhoon smiled.

Ari looked around at the crowd that gathered around the bikes and the cars that were parked there. This was something she had only seen in movies, but never with her own eyes. It was too crowded for her taste, but somehow the energy that radiated in this place made her calm. It gave her a sense of freedom.

“I am inviting you to race with me,” Ilhoon smiled. “You already know how to ride the motorbike, so here you have the freedom. The speed. The adrenaline.”

“I am not sure if I can do that… it looks scary,” She mumbled.

“Have you tried?” He asked.

She shook her head.

“We’ll take the easy route,” He winked.

“Alright,” She said. “Let’s do this.”

***

Did she regret it? No.

It made her feel different. It made her release her stress. Her anger and all the darkness she kept inside of her. It was something she started doing regularly and soon she caught up with the rest. She learned a few tricks that he brother showed her and a few drifts that she tried on her own. The motivation was strong and soon she became known in the circles as Fire.

She became one with the motor.

She left nothing but dust behind her.

The fire in her burns and once she starts a race there is no stopping her. 

She's just a girl and she's on fire…

She got both feet on the ground…

And she's burning it down…

Everybody stares as she goes by…

'Cause, they can see the flame that's in her eyes…

Watch her as she's lighting up the night…

But she gon' let it burn, baby, burn, baby…

This girl is on fire…

She smirked, leaning forward on her bike, increasing its speed as she, left nothing but dust behind her.

“Let’s see how you really race…” She mumbled.

*

Ilhoon followed his sister close behind as this race reminded him of the time he started racing. It was actually a few months before Ari joined. How did he get into the world of racing? By pure curiosity. One of his University friends had invited him to come and watch the race, or at least that was what he thought he was going to do but was that really the case? No, it wasn’t.

***

“Come on!” Ed urged him. “It will be fun to watch!”

“I can watch from the stands!” Ilhoon rolled his eyes. “Why must it be from the pitstop?”

Ed smirked.

“You don’t possibly think I would race?” Ilhoon raised an eyebrow. “No.”

“Oh yes,” The latter chuckled darkly.

***

To be honest, at first, Ilhoon thought that it was reckless and he never understood why people would risk their lives for crazy stunts, but one has to experience it before judging it. That was exactly how Ilhoon felt. The feeling inside of a person as they race is indescribable, but it was addicting. It was like a magic pill that kept a person alive. It was a type of drug, and once you try it, there is no way out of it.

No matter the burden that Ilhoon carried. No matter the worries that he had at times. No matter the trouble he went through with his sister Ari. No matter the arguments he sometimes had with his parents (don’t we all?). No matter if he failed or passed the exam, there was a place where he would go. There was a thing that he would do, and just like that, all of it would go away.

Of course, it wasn’t for everyone, only the strongest, the bravest, the craziest, and that was surely him. On the track, he was cold, emotionless, and surely gave no pardon to anyone. The rules for such racers were clear. Either you eat or you get eaten. Of course, he didn’t play dirty, unless the other side started it. He liked to keep things clear.

A fair race for a fair race.

A dirty race for a dirty race. 

The racer's name, given to him by his friend, matched him well. Ice.

He pressed on the gas and slid around the corner, making the enemy behind him lose focus.

Did their parents like it? No, it scared the hell out of Baekhyun and Areum. 

*

Constantly failed expectations. Constant humiliation. Constant making his brother something he wasn’t. It brought anger in him. This is how he first started to race. Adrenalin and trial were his only family. They wanted him to become bad. They wanted him to become vile. But he didn’t. Though he had intense anger that was released.

***

He didn’t know how to ride, nor did he know the rules. But he was on the snake-like trail. What was just a usual cruise on his bike, turned into something different - far darker. Shadow has been born. That night, he was not Taeyong, a doormat. That night something dark awakened in him. 

He sped up his bike racing away from the police that caught him. They tried to catch him, but there was no way. He was way too fast. He drove them all the way to the border with North Korea, it was dangerous. It’s almost like being in Cyprus and going into the Turkish end of town. Yes, Taeyong was crazy. 

“WHAT IN THE WORLD--NOT THERE! HE IS CRAZY!” 

Taeyong smirked as he was about to cross over but instead, he turned at another sharp corner slide drifting. He cut in between two police cars as they tried to catch him. He drove them far east, towards Busan. He knew that this particular border with Busan was very rocky and had all dead ends. 

That was his plan. He then will take the route to Daegu, Incheon, and then Gimpo. 

They’ll catch him? Really? He’ll show them what it means to mess with Kim Taeyong.

***

Despite Eunji and Jongin adopting him and giving him freedom. His pain in a way stopped, and he had his wings, but there was a part of him inside that was angry, and at the age of 15, he found a way to release that anger. Jongin had a conversation with him which shocked him. 

He used to race as well. Kim Jongin is usually an easy-going male. Taeyong couldn’t imagine him riding a bike and wilding on the street. Though, he could imagine Eunji. She was the person for it. She was the type to be a rebel. Had they ever tried to stop him? No. They supported him in madness. Though at that time when all of them were caught, they were worried. 

Whoever pisses him off, knows that Shadow would be unleashed. Luckily he knew Jessica’s ex, he didn’t want to get involved, but this was a reason to give him a taste of his own medicine. Ari was now his target and he couldn’t allow his girl to get harmed, so yes, things became personal.

No one touches his friends.

No one touches his family.

No one touches his girl.

No one.

“Ready to rumble?” Taeyong smirked, speeding down the road.

*

Lightning.

Thunderstorm.

The brilliant shape that light creates. It was all nature, a mystery for everybody. Lightning is however followed by thunder, a strong, powerful hit. It’s like Thor hits his hammer against the anvil. It was magical, yet dangerous at the same time. Many myths and legends were created about nature, especially these two elements. Each lore and culture have it, but none ever define it as...

Rage of nature. 

His father and mother always read him mythology, especially old nordic ones before he goes to sleep. With them, his nights became better and less terrorizing. He dreams of holding a hammer and being a superhero. 

So what does this have to do with street racing? It’s how he got his nickname - Thunder. He is the messenger of a god sent to protect the people he loves, when God rages, he sends thunder as a warning. 

He shows who is the ultimate ruler. When people do malice, that is when God shows no mercy. Johnny is not merciful to those who hurt his friends and family. He is all for justice when someone like Jessica’s ex hurts people he loves he will strike like a Thor. 

Why did Johnny join? Simple. Because of his friends.

“You really thought we would let you hurt our Ari and Jessica? Let me show you what is gonna happen to you, you low life.”

*

Everybody has phases in life. Everyone does they probably shouldn’t do but they accept it and move forward. She is not perfect the whole time. She had her fair share of giving her parents a headache. She wouldn’t go to school and hated math. She wasn’t fighting with teachers, but she often skipped classes. While younger, she could be tamed. But madness began when she was 15 when she saw how much the whole juristical system was corrupted. Especially the police. 

She and her friend were returning back home from the party. They took the same route and nothing bad ever happened to them. Years passed by and this was the most lighted path ever, officers patrolled daily. It’s the route her parents told her to take because it had more people and it’s perfect for her to mingle with people if she wants to escape some random creeper.

Never in her life did she think that she'd disobey the police. Her friend was attacked by a couple of drunken men. Adrenalin took over and she beat the crap out of them and electrified the one who was holding her friend who was freaked out. They were taken to the police. What the officer told her shocked her. 

***

“How can you know she is about to be ? What if she because of the way she was clothed? These drunkards don’t think… I think you should spend-” 

“Do you want me to call Byun Baekhyun?” Jieun asked coldly. 

The cops looked at each other. “Uh… that won’t be necessary. You still need to spend the night here and think--”

“For what? My friend was about to be ! THINK WHAT YOUR DAUGHTERS OR SISTERS WOULD ING DO! I HATE YOU, MEN, THINKING OF US WOMEN SO LOW...I HOPE YOU ALL WILL BURN INTO ING HELL!” She threw the chair across the table angrily. “ I HATE YOU ALL!” 

Her friend screamed when a policeman came to her. “DON’T ING TOUCH ME!” 

Jieun ran to her,” It’s okay, he won’t hurt you. I am here...” 

She was sobbing without control. The police officers gulped and didn’t know what to do. At the station, Eunji arrived. She glared at them. 

“M-Miss Kim...We are so--” 

“My daughter did what every normal citizen should do. If you don’t want to pass like a Family Choi, I’d be grateful to release her.” Eunji said in a scary-calm tone. 

***

Jieun from then on had no respect for the police. Since that time, she wanted revenge. She purposely drove faster than she should in a forbidden area. Had she cared? No. That is how RED was born. She was not afraid of leading them to pretty much each possible town and corner in Korea. She drove them through the whole Korean main bridge. It had the perfect shape for her. Like a labyrinth. 

She tried them out. 

She exhausted them. 

She proved to them to never mess with her. 

Just like she is showing Jessica’s ex what it means to mess with Ari and her. She kicked the paddle, and sped up faster, going up to the mountain. She jumped down cutting into his path slide drifting, side-kicking him doing the same dirty trick. 

“Come on, coward! Come and get me!” 

“!”

“Guys,” Ari spoke into the blue tooth. “Let’s split and end this race once and for all.” 

“I hear you loud and clear!” Jieun smirked.

“Let’s do this!” Ilhoon jumped in.

“Let’s rumble!” Taeyong chuckled.

“Stay close to me, we’ll do our thing, baby doll!” Johnny spoke into the Bluetooth.

“Right behind you!” Nari said.

*

Nari was the wing woman for both Ari and Jieun. They literally her into that world and before she knew what hit her, it was too late to walk out. Did she dislike it? No, not really. It was something that provided her with a new adventure. A new skill. But did she ever dream of actually being a part of it for a long time? No.

***

“What exactly is so fun about this? You guys are practically risking your life!” Nari frowned.

“Have you tried it?” Jieun rolled her eyes.

“No-”

“Then how the hell do you know?” Both Jieun and Ari said in one voice.

Nari pouted. “Are you guys for real?”

“Yes!” Jieun pointed to the bike. “Get on.”

“If you can fly an airplane, you can ride as well,” Ari added. “We need a wing woman, right Jieun?”

“Right! on the bike, come on,” Jieun tapped her foot.

Nari sighed and dragged herse