wilds1de

[wilds1de]

Rowoon for Elle Korea '24

[wilds1de]

"so that means you're going to chill on the water while you do your skincare routine? if you want to be really environmentally cautious, that is." it had shocked jihoon the first few times the utility bill came back obnoxiously high, but it would soon learn it's one of the things that came with living with minkyu. you win some, you lose some. "you what? okay. as long as no one saw you, i guess. try not to get caught though, i don't want to have to bail you out." because of course he'd be the one to bail his roommate out. sure, the notion of the apartment being nice and quiet for once is almost convincing, but he's grown to consider him a good friend and minkyu would probably have a nervous breakdown in a dirty jail cell. he reaches for one of the bags he's carrying to take some of the food out, checking what flavors he got. "he might give us a discount," he humors him. "unless he thinks we're dating and you're cheating on me, because that's apparently the vibe we give off." really, he'd rather focus on how silly this whole thing is instead of how it's making his head spin a little thinking of how he's spoken to mari twice this year already when they managed to stick to zero contact for three years. anyway.

he  liked  jihoon,  and  he  liked  not  being  homeless  even  more.  the  older  was  cool,  maybe  a  little  bit  lame  and  not  as  outgoing  as  minkyu  was,�� but  beggars  can't  be  choosers,  right  ?  he's  sure  most  would've  been  fed  up  with  his  antics  by  now,  but  jihoon  keeps  him  around,  surprisingly  enough.  he's  a  much  better  friend  than  he  is  roommate,  that  much  is  clear.  minkyu  can  still  remember  the  one  month  he  hid  the  utility  bill  from  jihoon  because  he'd  left  the  faucet  running  for  two  days  straight,  and  then  proceeded  to  act  surprised  when  the  water  was  turned  off.  “  damn.  you  gotta  let  me  know  next  time,  okay  ?  that's  my  other  new  year's  resolution.  being  environmentally  conscious.  nothing  says  end  global  warming  like  taking  a  shower  with  your  homie.  ”  unlike  jihoon,  he  really  is  thinking  about  it.  “  dude,  this  is  the  good  stuff.  i  even  stole  a  bottle  of  tajin  from  publix  earlier  so  we  could  make  our  shit  real  fancy.  ”  minkyu  momentarily  pauses.  his  spending  habits  weren't  that  bad,  right  ?  of course, he knew just the solution. “  i  think  our  landlord  is  into  me.  do  you  think  it'd  be  unethical  for  me  to  sleep  with  him  ?  like  …  what  if  it  gets  us  a  discount  ?  kinda  worth  it,  no  ?  ” 

[wilds1de]

"i haven't made a decision yet. depends on how this goes," he says, a playful tone to his voice. coming up with convincing excuses to get out of going somewhere is a skill of his, but coming with xile had been an immediate yes on his part. there's not a lot of people he would do anything for. he reaches for the hot sauce, never one to say no to hot sauce. "that kinda makes it worth it." he gestures to the breakfast burrito with a mirthful eyes. her reaction to his words comes as no surprise, shrugging at it. but he knows there's no real seriousness behind it because it is so like jihoon to ignore something first before attempting to acknowledge it actually happened. "well, i'm saying something now," he points out. now jihoon's not usually an expressive person, his facial expression unreadable more often than not, but he's left mouth open for a moment. he was supposed to be taking his very first bite of the breakfast burrito! "darius? who—darius?" his old friend had dropped off the face of the earth a few years ago, to the point jihoon feared the worst at one point. "wait. there's so much happening right now. what do you mean he's nariza now? that doesn't make sense." because the darius he remembers considered the prowlers family, and had been very opinionated when the split between the crews happened. then again, the shittiest part of all of this is that so many people had turned their backs on the crew that it should feel normal for him, as if the whole thing didn't slice through the crew like a knife. "didn't think of stopping by the prowlers for a quick catch up, it seems." the sarcasm is merely to deal with the nastiness of the situation. "though, good for you for punching him." a pause. now he finally takes a bite of that burrito. "you okay, though?"

in   some   twisted   trick   of   fate,   the   mechanic   was   an   early   bird.   she   always   had   been.   as   a   child,   it   worked   out   in   her   fathers   favor   when   she   got   herself   up   and   ready   before   the   fourth   alarm   rang   for   him.   and   now   as   a   young   adult   it   didn't   matter   that   she'd   manage   to   get   approximately   two   hours   of   sleep   last   night,   she   was   still   the   type   to   get   up   before   the   alarm.     “    are   you   hating   being   up   this   early?    ”       the   sheepish   grin   contradicting   the   thoughtful   question,   dropping   the   aluminum   foiled   wrapped   breakfast   burrito   into   his   hand.   eyebrow   raising   as   she   wordlessly   questions   whether   he'll   want   hot   sauce   with   it.   she's   nothing   if   not   prepared   this   morning,   the   new   year   resolution   that   she'll   start   to   actually   eat   breakfast   meals   something   that   most   likely   won't   make   it   past   a   week   into   the   year.     “    pre   -   midnight?    ”       said   around   a   bite   of   tortilla,   tabasco,   chorizo,   egg,   and   cheese,     “    somethin'   happened   before   midnight?   you   didn't   say   anythin'   when   we   went   swimmin'!   are   you   holdin'   out   on   me?    ”       no   real   heat   behind   the   words,   the   friendship   the   two   held   relaxed   enough   that   neither   expected   to   be   told   details   of   each   others   life   right   away.   it   either   came   or   it   didn't.     “    well,   okay,   wait.   ‘cause   i   have   got   to   tell   you   ’bout   this,     ”       another   bite   of   the   burrito   washed   down   by   a   sip   of   coffee,     “    did   you   know   darius   is   back?   scratch   that,   has   been   back!   i   saw   him,   accidentally,   before   the   races   outside   of   12welve.   punched   him,   but   'sides   the   point.   ‘pparently   he’s   been   in   miami   a   year,   and   wanna   know   why   we   haven't   seen   him?   he's   nariza   now.    ”    

[wilds1de]

"why would i keep the stock up when it's not my preferred flavor?" in part, he says this on purpose; merely to press on tem's buttons. but really, he just doesn't go for cherry cola. he's got basic taste and he goes for the regular cola. as far as he's concerned, simple is always better when it comes to food and drinks. "'ever invented' is pushing it just a little," he adds, raising a hand and making a tiny space between his forefinger and thumb. he's already made a mental note to get some cans for her next time she shows up impromptu. "more blunt? okay, now i wanna know how you'd answer this. come on, hit me with your bluntest." he pushes his fingers into his unkempt hair before folding his arms. "hell's engine." he lets out a chuckle. "that's a good one, i'll give ya that. i think i can channel it. say, i'll make you believe i'm about to compliment your work, then i do the opposite."

she was plenty honest with herself, except when she was lying to herself. but she wasn't about to tell jihoon all of that. " whaaaat ? no cherry coke ? you need to keep the stock up ! it's the best thing ever invented ! " already she's making mental calculations on how much cherry cola she'd need to bring over. the shop would be drowning in it if she had any say. " i made a new years resolution to be more blunt so i can't answer that question the way you want me to. you really think you can channel the hell's kitchen guy ? but, like, the mechanic version. hell's engine. "

[wilds1de]

while turf's skate park wasn't technically quiet at this time of the day, the spot jihoon claimed was quiet enough for his standards. at least he doesn't recognize anyone that could disturb the quiet peace he's in right now. yet. the auto shop had been busy today, and after a few late nights, he forced himself to leave early, not that he had anything exciting to do. he just needed a few moments of quiet before he would go back to his apartment and inevitably run into his loud roommate. maybe he jinxed himself or something, but he hears sinn's voice before he can spot him, turning in his direction. he could pretend he doesn't hear him, but jihoon knows better. sinn's a persistent one, so it wouldn't really end there. "what type did you peg me for then?" he quirks an eyebrow in the other's direction. he clears his throat at his following words, understanding the underlying meaning behind them, and shrugging in reaction. it's meant to come out chill and cool, but it comes out somewhat sheepish instead. "watching someone falling off their skateboard five times in a row is hardly a view to admire," he answers instead.

ㅤ𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍ㅤstarterㅤ𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚒𝚝ㅤ𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚑ㅤ…

ㅤ◦ ₪ ˚ ㅤw.ㅤjihoonㅤ(@wilds1de) ㅤ◦ ₪ ˚ ㅤ@ㅤ TURF'S  skate  park, around 5:30 pm -ish

the   air   hums   with   the   sound   of   wheels   grinding   against   concrete,   sneakers   scuffing   against   the   edges   of   ramps,   and   the   occasional   cheer   (or   groan)   when   someone   sticks   a   trick—or   eats   shit   trying.   the   golden   hour   glow   filters   through   the   gaps   in   the   overpass,   stretching   long   shadows   across   the   skate   park,   the   whole   scene   dipped   in   honey   and   city   dust.   sinn   isn't   skating—he's   just   watching,   perched   on   a   ledge   with   a   lazy   sprawl,   one   foot   propped   up   while   the   other   dangles   off   the   edge.   he's   got   a   drink   in   one   hand   and   absolutely   no   business   being   here   other   than   pure   entertainment.   watching   people   throw   themselves   at   the   pavement   for   fun ?   that's   his   kind   of   spectacle.   but   then—ah.   now   that's   interesting.    

his   gaze   catches   on   a   familiar   figure,   just   barely   in   his   peripheral.   tall.   built.   handsome.   jihoon   isn't   part   of   the   chaos,   but   he's   close   enough   to   be   watching.   sinn's   grin   curls   slow   and   easy.   ❝ didn't   peg   you   for   the   type   to   lurk, ❞   he   calls   out,   tipping   his   chin   in   his   direction.   ❝ casing   the   place ?   or   just   here   to   admire   the   view ? ❞   a   pause,   a   smirk—shameless,   as   always.   ❝ if   it's   the   latter,   you   could've   just   said   so. ❞

[wilds1de]

"has my work ever broken your heart? now the doubt in your voice breaks mine." there's a shadow of an amused smile that curves up jihoon's lips, gone as fast as it appeared. he wouldn't be handing it over for testing if he wasn't sure of the end result he's aiming to achieve. and hawk's the perfect person for that. maybe speeding aimlessly would help them. the crew's loss had only pushed jihoon to work even harder than he already did on the racers' cars, experimenting more and more, like he got some burst of inspiration. it's how he copes with the loss, puts it into something meaningful and fruitful and productive. what he did was never merely a job for him, no, and at the end of the day, the competition and the thirst for winning is a push and a motivation, and at the core of what they do. he doesn't need to hop behind a steering wheel and directly engage in a race to feel like he's lost the race, too. and when the prowlers win a race, it means he's won. he does his part, the rest is in the racers' hands. "i think it'll impress you. it's almost done, if you're patient. you got somewhere to be?"

hawk  moves  like  a  shadow,  footsteps  light  against  the  concrete.  jihoon  clocks  him  before  he  can  even  think  about  making  his  presence  unknown,  not  that  he  was  trying  to.  it’s  just  muscle  memory,  the  way  he  drifts  through  spaces  like  a  ghost.  jihoon’s  already  looking  up  when  hawk  meets  his  gaze,  head  tilted,  that  familiar  unreadable  expression  on  their  face.  they  stop  a  few  feet  away,  hands  shoved  deep  into  the  pockets  of  his  hoodie,  expression  even.  unreadable,  if  you  didn’t  know  him.  but  jihoon  does.  kinda.  they  snort,  quiet  but  there,  like  the  smallest  flicker  of  amusement.  he  doesn’t  answer  right  away.  instead,  gaze  flicks  to  the  car,  the  machine  under  the  other's  hands,  the  kind  of  thing  that  makes  their  blood  hum  despite  everything  else.  their  fingers  flex  in  his  pockets.  their  mind’s  already  halfway  into  the  driver’s  seat  before  he  exhales,  tilting  his  head  slightly.  “  yeah?  ”  he  drawls,  eyeing  the  car  with  something  like  consideration.  “  depends.  is  it  gonna  be  worth  my  time,  or  is  it  gonna  break  my  heart?  ”  it’s  a  joke,  mostly...  mostly.  but  there’s  an  edge  to  it,  something  sharp  behind  the  easy  lilt  of  their  words.  the  weight  of  the loss  still  sits  in  his  chest,  but  they’re  thankful  he  doesn’t  ask  about  the  race.  because  hawk  isn’t  in  the  mood  to  lie  about  it,  and  the  truth  is  an  open  wound.  jihoon  knows.  he  takes  a  step  closer,  eyes  still  on  the  car,  then  flicks  his  gaze  back  to  homme.  “  guess  we'll have to wait and see.  ”

[wilds1de]

it's not that he's unfamiliar with the whole concept of models being lucky charms to some racers, but as far as he's concerned, it's all part of the entertainment that comes with racing, even though he's come across racers who religiously believed in it. if he raced, he'd probably have had a favorite model to pose with his car for the fun of it. "do you have some hidden superpowers i'm unaware of?" a pause. his eyes narrow a bit at the reminder that rhi is clearly taking this so seriously. "sorry, i wasn't trying to joke about this. you're not an omen and no one's saying no because of that. i mean, any of the racers would be lucky to have you play flag girl."

                             a   dramatic   sigh   on   the   exhale.    a   manicured   hand   raises   to   wave   in   the   general   direction   of   the   race's   starting   point,    like   that   will   trigger   an   instant   replay.    ❝    i   was   the   flag   girl,   jihoon—    &   both   members   of   our   crew   came   in   last   !    isn't   that,   like,   a   total   omen   ?    ❞    she   looks   up   at   him   then,    distress   written   across   her   features.    ❝    what   if   they   don't   want   me   to   play   flag   girl   anymore   ?    that's   so   fun.    i'll   die   if   they   tell   me   no   next   time.    ❞

[wilds1de]

location: rodani wheels

featuring: rome ( @overdr1ves )

jihoon had just finished doing the weekly check up on rome's car when he spots him approaching. he knows rome's car like his own name, considering he's long been the only rodani mechanic to ever work on rome's car and do the regular check ups and upgrades and such. really, those weekly check up on his good friend's car have been long part of jihoon's routine. but that's the thing with working with cars, you memorize them. you know what could work well for them and what wouldn't. it was never really just a job for him. "barom," he greets the other. "good thing you had to get your car or else i wouldn't have seen you all week," he jokes lightly, quirking an eyebrow in the other's direction. there's no ill-intent behind what he's saying, but there is some honesty behind his words. he hasn't seen the other in a while, especially when they hung out very regularly.

[wilds1de]

location: aventura mall

featuring: victoria ( @anelectrichigh )

if jihoon didn't desperately need new clothes, he wouldn't be standing in front of his usual clothes shops at the mall. but countless hours working with cars has ruined some of his clothes beyond repair and rendered them unwearable. shopping's not quite something he enjoys and his taste in clothes is basic at best. so he figured he'd ask for some help. victoria was also someone he knew would give him her very honest opinion. (maybe brutally, at times, but he appreciated it.) "this is where i usually get my clothes. i'm not looking for a makeover or anything, just reminding you." he looks down at her, quirking an eyebrow.

[wilds1de]

going from zero contact for three years to talking to mari twice in the span of a week is giving jihoon some sort of whiplash. if they're both lucky, no one would come in and mari can leave the same way she came into the auto shop: undetected. he feels that very same mess of conflicting emotions he felt when they talked during the party, but somehow, it's worse right now. it's not like they just ran into each other, no, she came here with a purpose. she wants to talk. the auto shop is also enemy territory for mari, serving as a brutal reminder for jihoon right now that she once used to spend hours with him here while he worked.

if he thought he was confused two seconds ago, it comes nowhere close to what he feels right now. the more mari speaks, the crazier her words sound, eyes squinting and eyebrows furrowing in reaction. he's thought of stopping her around ten times since she started talking, but he can't muster the words, taking aback by whatever she's saying, from some boyfriend he didn't know he had, to said boyfriend being into open relationships. is he being pranked right now? he looks around, expecting someone to jump up and announce he's the victim of some prank. "wait, uh. i'm sorry, what?" is the first thing he's able to say after a while. he lets out a confused chuckle, one that dissolves as fast as it comes out, and shakes his head. "do i have a boyfriend i'm unaware of?" he can't help the sarcasm that slips out, like it's his way to deal with the confusion. "okay. i don't have a boyfriend. so i don't have a single clue what or who you're talking about." he clears his throat. "you don't have to apologize for, um, kissing whoever you kissed on new year's eve." quite frankly, he doesn't want to think about the whole thing. they've long since moved on, haven't they? he pauses for a moment. "—wait. why did you think i had a boyfriend?" unfortunately, jihoon is curious to know who that person she thought was his boyfriend is.

💛   —   she  is  well  aware  she  shouldn't  be  here,  but  something  about  the  way  jihoon  says  it  makes  her  sour.  there  was  no  way  she  could  expect  to  be  welcomed  in  with  open  arms,  but  the  almost  accusatory  tone  has  her  face  twisting.  her  distaste  towards  auto shops  had  long  been  cemented  (  thanks  dad  )  however  only  a  few  years  ago  she  found  herself  in  this  one  again  and  again.  once  upon  a  time  jihoon's  calming  presence  and  company  had  once  been  enough  to  get  her  to  kick  her  shoes  off  and  watch  as  he  worked.  that  time  had  long  passed,  evident  in  the  rearrangement  and  small  differences  she couldn't help but notice around  the  garage.  she  came  on  a  mission  no  time  to  dwell  on  the  past,  "  it's  fine.  i'll  be  gone  before  anybody  even  notices  i  was  here,  "  she's  quick  to  press  off  any  of  his  worry.  she  can't  help  but  wonder  if  his  concern  is  for  his  standing  with  the  prowler  or her  safety.  the  guilt  she'd  been  feeling  bottomed  out  seeing  the  confusion  cloud  his  features.  " well ...  i  guess  he  didn't  tell  you,  "  she  mumbled  under  her  breath  looking  away.  part  of  her  hoped  he'd  have  some  inkling  of  the  betrayal,  it  would  make  this  situation  feel  more  normal  (  if  that  were  possible  ).  with  a  short  huff  she  gathers  her  courage  looking  him  in  the  eye,  "  i  kissed  your  boyfriend  on  new  years  eve,  "  she  reveals  short,  to  the  point.  "  i  totally  didn't  know  he  was,  er  –   attached,  "  the  midnight  kiss  lasting  a  few  moments,  the  few  seconds  after  merely  to  learn  his  name  then  dip.  she  had  some  class,  she  wouldn't  make  out  with  someone  at  midnight  without  at  least  getting  their  name : minkyu.  of  course  she  had  looked  them  up  on  myspace,  that's  just  what  people  did  in  2007.  what  are  the  chances  that  he'd  be  #1  friends  with  her  ex  boyfriend  ?  the  situation  sinking  even  further  seeing  the  comments  plastered across jihoon's page.  from what she could tell they  seemed  to  be  boyfriends.  a  mixture  of  guilt  ( and  jealousy  ) filling  her  as  she  scrolled  through more and more comments.  "  though  you  should  really  talk  to  him  because  he  seemed  into  it  …  if  you  have  like  an  open  relationship  that's  cool  and  all,"  she's  rambling  now,  "  –  i  just  had  to  tell  you and apologize." 

[wilds1de]

🍽️ for jihoon

🍽️  for  jihoon's  comfort  food.

when it comes to food, jihoon's a bit lazy. he'll go for the easy option every time. he spends long hours in the auto shop, that when he's back at the apartment, there's no way in hell he's bothering to cook a proper dinner (not that he's a chef in any way). he wouldn't ever contemplate going back to his life in new york, but sometimes, he does miss the family dinners he had with his parents growing up. his comfort food it tteokbokki. not only was it easy to prepare, minimal effort required, but it does the trick every single time and it's delicious every time. although it was versatile and never boring, he didn't always get creative with it. he'll go for the usual spicy broth and crack open an egg, slice some hot dogs, and sprinkle shredded cheese on it. some might think he adds too much cheese, but that's ridiculous. there's no such thing as too much cheese.

[wilds1de]

yeah, jihoon definitely said the wrong thing. he should've just left when he thought about it, but against his better judgment, he ended up staying. he raises his hands in mock surrender. "you're right. i'm sorry, i didn't mean for it to come out that way. by all means, kick the vending machine." even right now, he should just leave, but he doesn't. there was a multitude of reasons why he shouldn't have slept with mirae, let alone talk to her. but that would go down his list of stupid decisions, even though the former had been a drunken mistake. he blinks when she sizes him up, brows furrowing lightly in confusion. while he can't say he's surprised by her actions, a silence still hangs for a moment. "looking at you how? i'm not looking you in any way," he claims quietly, but he knows very well what she means. he clears his throat. "why are you sizing me up anyway?" he asks instead, in hopes to distract her and stir her attention elsewhere.

jihoon's  feeble  and  meek voice  is  a  little  too  familiar,  mirae  whipping  her  head  around  and  narrowing  her  eyes  at  the  innocent  man.  but  was  anyone  who  jumped  into  bed  with  her  really  that  innocent  anyway  ?  he  truthfully  was  so  much  cuter  when  he  talked  less,  and  his  little  quip  at  the  end  only  has  her  rolling  her  eyes,  leaning  against  the  banged  -  up  machine  with  crossed  arms.  "  thank  you,  captain  obvious,  for  the  amazing  advice.  oh,  what  would  i  ever  do  without  you  mansplaining  how  to  regulate  my  emotions  ?  i'm  so  touched.  "  sarcasm  drips  from  her  voice,  stepping  towards  him.  she  temporarily  abandons  her  plight  for  a  can  of  sprite  in  favor  of  sizing  him  up,  a  feat  that  seemed  absurd  even  considering  the  pair  of  heels  she  had  on.  he  was  the  enemy  in  multiple  ways,  yet  somehow  never  really  someone  mirae  would  feel  remotely  threatened  by.  besides  being  freakishly  tall,  she  was  delusional  to  think  her  odds  against  him  in  hand  -  to  -  hand  combat  were  decent  enough.  "  stop  looking  at  me  like  that,  jihoon.  it's  weird.  "  whatever  awkward,  tense  look  he  had  on  his  face  was  unsettling,  and  mirae  was  wholly  bothered  by  it.

[wilds1de]

🚬 for a headcanon about my muse’s vices.

🚬 for a headcanon about jihoon’s vices.

smoking wasn't always a serious problem for jihoon. it started in college back in new york city. he was more of a social smoker back then, smoking a cigarette or two every now and then. during gatherings, it helped taking smoking breaks. he used it as an excuse to go out and take a breather. it became worse in miami. he began to actually enjoy smoking, and smoking once or twice a week soon became an everyday thing, and not just an excuse. though, it still came in handy when he did want one. he refuses to call it an addiction, but the reality of the matter is, when jihoon passes through times of stress, he'll smoke twice the number of cigarettes he usually does. it helps him pause everything while he sorts out his thoughts. it's not like he doesn't know the long term negative impacts of this, but he doesn't care. he's not really one to think of the future anyway. he takes each day as it comes.

[wilds1de]

"no, it was a fuck ass party. i'm totally agreeing with you there," he says, raising both his hands in mock surrender. sure, he hasn't really brought up the party to tania in any way, but they knew each other well enough. they knew that they both didn't enjoy big, stifling parties, the same way they both knew a bar is more their style compared to a club. "last time i'm designated driver for minkyu, that's for sure." if he ever has to attend a party again, he needs to get drunk and his roommate can secure himself another ride!

"shit, i just got called boring and it's only a couple of days into the new year," he jokes dryly, but it's all in good spirits, evident by the mirth in his eyes and the shadow of a grin that curves up his lips, so small you could miss it if you weren't focused enough. "oh, are you evading the question?" he teases lightly. "what, it is real. i mean, we already lost the first race of the year." and really, a good year for the prowlers is, by default, a good year for him. "maybe i just want an easy year, no headaches. what level of real are you looking for?"

“well,  wasn’t  it  a  fuck  ass  party?  tell  me  you  had  a  good  time  —  i  dare  you.”  the  truth  is  they  hadn’t  seen  much  of  jihoon  at  the  new  year  blowout  from  a  few  days  ago,  but  that  matters  little.  it’s  about  the  principle  of  it  all.  tania  knows  jihoon,  —  the  same  way  they  regrettably  also  know  minkyu  —  which  means  they  know  that  chances  are  he  was  only  there  because  minkyu  was  there.  so,  point  still  stands;  fuck  ass  party.

their  beer  bottle  meets  jihoon’s  in  a  shrill  clink  before  they’re  tipping  the  neck  back  in  the  direction  of  their  mouth  again,  leaning  in  for  a  sip.  there’s  a  brief  lull,  and  then,  “don’t  be  boring.”  it’s  said  in  a  deadpan,  gaze  fixed  straight  on  him.  but  the  corners  of  their  lips  are  upturned  just  enough  that  he’ll  know  they’re  joking,  just  teasing  as  they  knock  the  bottle  against  his  again.  “say  something  real,  hoonie.  something  for  you.  then  maybe  i’ll  start  sharing.”  two  can  play  a  game.

[wilds1de]

for a moment, jihoon's pretty sure he's hallucinating mari's voice, which is insane in itself. because for one, of all the places in the city, rodani wheels is the last place mari should be in, as an ex prowler and all. is that what talking to her during the new year's party gets him? he's been doing perfectly fine putting his entire focus and attention on the cars, so he hasn't thought about it. after all, it's in the past. so, really, none of this makes any sense. but she says another thing and it makes him turn around to face her. nope, not a hallucination. she's here. his brows furrow, confusion evident and apparent on his features. he's quick to scan the room, because if anyone saw mari in here, they surely wouldn't welcome her with open arms. and it'll raise a lot of questions that he doesn't have the answers to. "no, you shouldn't be here. what are you doing here, mari?" is the first thing he says when he's able to muster words. she doesn't belong here. she hasn't in a long time.

she wants to apologize. apologize? apologize for what? it doesn't ease the confusion coloring his features. the list of things she ought to apologize for is a long one, but jihoon's not about to delude himself into believing she's here to discuss what went down three years ago, turning her back on the crew and him, no, he keeps his expectations low. it's for the better. "i... what? what are you talking about?"

📍  the  empty  back  garage  of  rodani  wheels  

🗝️  closed  starter  for @wilds1de

💛  —   mari  really  shouldn't  be  here.  this  was  obvious  enemy  territory  and  to  these  guys  she  wasn't  just  a  enemy  but  a  traitor.  against  her  better  judgement  ( and  any  sake  of  self  preservation )  she  finds  herself  silently  moving  past  the  obvious  entrances.  despite  the  years  that  passed  she  still  knew  the  place  like  the  back  of  her  hand.  and despite  the  even  more  years  that  passed  any  body  shop  still  gave  a  little  twist  to  her  stomach.  it  was  because  she  knew  the  place  so  well  she  found  a  way  to  easily  slip  into  a  side  door of a once frequented garage.  she  had  a  mission  and  could  only  hope  that  her  target  would  be  exactly  where  he  always  was ( or at use to always be ).  surveying  the  open  room  her  eyes  zeroed  right  in  on  an  all  too  familiar  figure.  bingo.  "  jihoon  …  "  her  voice  is  soft  and  hesitant  as  she  approaches,  "  i  know  i  probably  shouldn't  be  here,  "  shooting  a  worried  glance  towards  a  nearby  door,  "  –  i  just wanted  to  talk  to  you  about  something  —  well  i  mean, kinda of  like  –  "  she  was  beginning  to  ramble.  just  get  to  the  point  mari.  "  i  guess  more  apologize  ?  "  she  scratches  anxiously at the  back  of  her  neck.  they  were  already  awkward  but  she  had  to  go  and  make  an  already  weird  situation  even  weirder.  after  all  the  pain  she  caused  him,  this  was  the  least  she  could  do  right  ?

[wilds1de]

if there's one thing jihoon doesn't enjoy, it's running into an ex prowler, no justification needed. sure, he didn't particularly enjoy conversing with the majority of the new nariza members either, but it was certainly easier. something about having to come face-to-face with his former crew mates after the split that drove a blade through the prowlers three years ago brings about a multitude of uncomfortable feelings for he that he would very much would rather not have to deal with or come to terms with. he's zoned out, waiting for his tank of his mazda to fill up when a familiar voice brings him to reality. harvey. great. it's like an on/off switch button with how quickly jihoon just got annoyed, but he'll be damned if he gives harvey the satisfaction. he's no good with small talk generally, and the faster this tank fills up, the better. "why, you been looking and searching for us?" he looks over at him, quirking an eyebrow, before his eyes go back to the to the gas pump meter.

⋆ @wilds1de, jihoon won ⋆ gas station

coming   in   contact   with   any   of   his   former   crewmates   never   failed   to   put   harvey   on   edge.   the   new   prowlers   were   easy,   he   didn't   know   them.    he   hadn't   spent   years   at   their   side   cultivating   friendships   only   to   walk   away   without   them in the end.   even   still,   he   wishes   they   would   come   to   their   senses   and   leave.   sure,   he'd   give   them   shit   for   how   long   they'd   stayed   with   the   prowlers,    that's   just   who   he   is,   but   they would still   be welcomed   them   with   open   arms.   the   racer   doubts   that   would   ever   happen   though.    especially   with   jihoon,    who   he   mistakenly   pulled   up   next   to   so   he   could   fill   up   the   tank   on   his   supra.    once   harvey   noticed   it   was   indeed   hephaestus   right   in   front   of   him,   it was too late. he   figured   it   would   be   a   pussy   move   to   get   back   in   the   car   and   drive   away,   sans   gas...    so   he   starts   talking.   "   haven't   seen   any   of   you   out   in   a   bit.   "

[wilds1de]

"if that helps you sleep at night. be more honest with yourself this year," he teases, imitating her own gesture and throwing a thumbs up sign, too. mostly to tease her a bit more about it. he can't help it. he's grown to really enjoy the back-and-forth playful bickering, even though he does know more than her when it comes to cars, thank you very much! it's his thing, working on cars. "i don't have a cherry coke. but i'll make sure to get you one next time you plan to stop by," he promises, keeping a mental note to do that for next time. "it sounds like you don't believe i can pull the nightmare boss from hell act. don't you trust that i can?"

" oh, i know better, i'm just being nice about it ! " she beams at jihoon, throwing a thumbs up sign like it might soothe the teasing words. well, mostly teasing. brightens at the thought of getting a sneak peek of whatever he's working on. if she couldn't race, she thinks she'd be a mechanic : there was something about being in the shop that made the rush of the world feel a little calmer. like the opposite effect of being in her car. " cherry coke. mm, or diet coke, if you don't have the superior drink. " she was very serious about her coca cola flavor rankings. " i'm kinda curious if you can act like the nightmare boss from hell. hit me with your meanest. "