Characters/Ship: Baek Jiheon/Jang Wonyoung Tags: Formula 1 AU Permission to Remix: Yes -
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Wonyoung tells Jiheon when she arrives to the cafe, like she hadn’t texted Jiheon five hours ago that her flight would be delayed.
Jiheon had read the text, reacted with a thumbs up, and still went to the cafe at the formerly designated time that they had agreed on. She’d ordered a pastry, which had long been eaten, the plate already taken away.
“It’s fine,” Jiheon says, nursing her cup of now-lukewarm coffee. “I just got here and ordered something. It’s a shame that you can’t control the weather though.”
Wonyoung juts her glossy lower lip out in a pout. “If only,” she says. She lifts a menu with one perfectly manicured hand to scan the items.
Jiheon studies her expression as Wonyoung studies the menu. The girl from karting with the gangly limbs and too-big eyes has disappeared; she’s grown into her height and features, the sheen of celebrity suiting her well.
The waiter stops by their table, and Wonyoung gives him a disarming smile as she orders an iced americano.
“So,” Wonyoung says after the waiter has left, “how was your vacation?”
Jiheon musters up a smile. “Singapore was good. I miss the weather already.” She sighs. “It’s certainly a lot nicer when I’m not overheating in the car.”
Wonyoung’s expression stiffens.
Jiheon takes pity on her and launches into a story about her brother trying to learn padel. “I feel like we should organize a game with Dayeon and Youngeun when they’re back in Seoul,” she says.
Wonyoung brings a hand up to her mouth to cover her laughter. “You’re only saying that because you think we can beat them.”
“You don’t have faith in me?” Jiheon asks. “If Youngeun actually used the padel lessons that I gifted her, I think they might have a chance. Anyways, what have you been doing over break?”
–
Sometime after Jiheon had lost her seat and Wonyoung—Starship promotion evident—had pitched Jiheon to her team, Jiheon had stopped talking about her races with Wonyoung.
She doesn’t like to think about that year. Of course, she’d done what HYBE had asked her to, logging hours in the sim and helping coach Wonhee, in the hopes that her agreeableness might lead her back to a seat.
She could’ve been another temporary face on the grid, there for only a handful of seasons (Luckier than most, she reminds herself), leaving behind a stack of discounted merch items and the odd old trading card pull, forgotten in five years except to be briefly discussed on forum posts about lost potential.
After she had signed her contract with Stone Racing, Jiheon had agonized over how to write a thank you letter to Wonyoung. She had carefully crafted her message, intent on communicating the magnitude of what Wonyoung had done for her. Jiheon had sent the text with shaking hands.
Of course, Wonyoung had written in response.
When Jiheon had walked out on the tarmac during pre-season testing for the group photo, Wonyoung had smiled and waved at her, at ease in her new colors. Standing there in her sleek black race suit and curled hair, she was no longer just an athlete, but also a symbol of the sport.
The change shouldn’t have been so surprising; in that year apart, Jiheon had watched Wonyoung become a GPDA director and brand ambassador.
Still, as Jiheon had raised her arm to wave back, she’d been unable to shake the feeling that Wonyoung had ran so far ahead that she was now untouchable.
–
“Have you seen Sunghoon recently?” Wonyoung asks. She’d introduced the two of them last year, first pestering Jiheon to go on a date with him and later pestering her for details. Jiheon had agreed if only because it had been strange but not unwelcome for Wonyoung to be so invested in her life.
“No,” Jiheon says. “It’s been too busy to plan anything.”
“Will you be going to Worlds?”
Jiheon shrugs. “I’ll try to attend.” She doesn’t know if she’ll add it to her schedule. The mere thought of flying out to Boston and then returning to Japan and readjusting to the time zone difference tires her.
Wonyoung frowns at her.
“It’s okay,” Jiheon says, “you shouldn’t be worrying about me. We know how dating as athletes works.”
“I want you guys to work out though,” Wonyoung says. “You deserve to be happy.”
What makes you think I’m not, Jiheon wants to ask, but she bites her tongue.
“If you want to talk about my happiness,” Jiheon says, “then let’s hope I have fewer crashes this year.”
Wonyoung purses her lips. “Unnie,” she says disapprovingly, trying to stifle her laughter.
“I know the car was bad your first year, but last year’s car was ridiculous.”
Jiheon doesn’t talk about her races with Wonyoung anymore, but she can stick to jokes about how terrible the car is, which allows Wonyoung to commiserate about her own time at Stone instead of hesitating and then discussing her own race results.
Wonyoung has no such hesitations when discussing her disappointment in post-race interviews, but she must feel awkward complaining about P3 after Jiheon’s had her third DNF of the season.
Jiheon tries to pretend that the absence doesn’t matter. She had her chance in a fast car, and she fucked it.
“This season should be good though,” Jiheon says. “I’m excited to have Jiwon-ssi as a teammate. How about you? How’s working with Hyunseo been?”
The media is heralding Lee Hyunseo as the next An Yujin, although Hyunseo’s claws aren’t sharpened yet. Jiheon wants to ask Wonyoung if it’s tiring fending off monsters, first Chu Sojung and now Lee Hyunseo. Monsters? Wonyoung would say now. I think you mean mentors and mentees.
Wonyoung’s lips part as if to speak, but she only reaches for her glass to take a dainty sip of her iced americano, careful not to leave a lipstick stain on the straw.
“Hyunseo’s a good kid,” Wonyoung says. “I don’t have to worry about her.”
She nudges Jiheon’s coffee forward. “You should finish your drink before it gets cold.”
Cyane
Tags: Formula 1 AU
Permission to Remix: Yes
-
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Wonyoung tells Jiheon when she arrives to the cafe, like she hadn’t texted Jiheon five hours ago that her flight would be delayed.
Jiheon had read the text, reacted with a thumbs up, and still went to the cafe at the formerly designated time that they had agreed on. She’d ordered a pastry, which had long been eaten, the plate already taken away.
“It’s fine,” Jiheon says, nursing her cup of now-lukewarm coffee. “I just got here and ordered something. It’s a shame that you can’t control the weather though.”
Wonyoung juts her glossy lower lip out in a pout. “If only,” she says. She lifts a menu with one perfectly manicured hand to scan the items.
Jiheon studies her expression as Wonyoung studies the menu. The girl from karting with the gangly limbs and too-big eyes has disappeared; she’s grown into her height and features, the sheen of celebrity suiting her well.
The waiter stops by their table, and Wonyoung gives him a disarming smile as she orders an iced americano.
“So,” Wonyoung says after the waiter has left, “how was your vacation?”
Jiheon musters up a smile. “Singapore was good. I miss the weather already.” She sighs. “It’s certainly a lot nicer when I’m not overheating in the car.”
Wonyoung’s expression stiffens.
Jiheon takes pity on her and launches into a story about her brother trying to learn padel. “I feel like we should organize a game with Dayeon and Youngeun when they’re back in Seoul,” she says.
Wonyoung brings a hand up to her mouth to cover her laughter. “You’re only saying that because you think we can beat them.”
“You don’t have faith in me?” Jiheon asks. “If Youngeun actually used the padel lessons that I gifted her, I think they might have a chance. Anyways, what have you been doing over break?”
Sometime after Jiheon had lost her seat and Wonyoung—Starship promotion evident—had pitched Jiheon to her team, Jiheon had stopped talking about her races with Wonyoung.
She doesn’t like to think about that year. Of course, she’d done what HYBE had asked her to, logging hours in the sim and helping coach Wonhee, in the hopes that her agreeableness might lead her back to a seat.
She could’ve been another temporary face on the grid, there for only a handful of seasons (Luckier than most, she reminds herself), leaving behind a stack of discounted merch items and the odd old trading card pull, forgotten in five years except to be briefly discussed on forum posts about lost potential.
After she had signed her contract with Stone Racing, Jiheon had agonized over how to write a thank you letter to Wonyoung. She had carefully crafted her message, intent on communicating the magnitude of what Wonyoung had done for her. Jiheon had sent the text with shaking hands.
Of course, Wonyoung had written in response.
When Jiheon had walked out on the tarmac during pre-season testing for the group photo, Wonyoung had smiled and waved at her, at ease in her new colors. Standing there in her sleek black race suit and curled hair, she was no longer just an athlete, but also a symbol of the sport.
The change shouldn’t have been so surprising; in that year apart, Jiheon had watched Wonyoung become a GPDA director and brand ambassador.
Still, as Jiheon had raised her arm to wave back, she’d been unable to shake the feeling that Wonyoung had ran so far ahead that she was now untouchable.
“Have you seen Sunghoon recently?” Wonyoung asks. She’d introduced the two of them last year, first pestering Jiheon to go on a date with him and later pestering her for details. Jiheon had agreed if only because it had been strange but not unwelcome for Wonyoung to be so invested in her life.
“No,” Jiheon says. “It’s been too busy to plan anything.”
“Will you be going to Worlds?”
Jiheon shrugs. “I’ll try to attend.” She doesn’t know if she’ll add it to her schedule. The mere thought of flying out to Boston and then returning to Japan and readjusting to the time zone difference tires her.
Wonyoung frowns at her.
“It’s okay,” Jiheon says, “you shouldn’t be worrying about me. We know how dating as athletes works.”
“I want you guys to work out though,” Wonyoung says. “You deserve to be happy.”
What makes you think I’m not, Jiheon wants to ask, but she bites her tongue.
“If you want to talk about my happiness,” Jiheon says, “then let’s hope I have fewer crashes this year.”
Wonyoung purses her lips. “Unnie,” she says disapprovingly, trying to stifle her laughter.
“I know the car was bad your first year, but last year’s car was ridiculous.”
Jiheon doesn’t talk about her races with Wonyoung anymore, but she can stick to jokes about how terrible the car is, which allows Wonyoung to commiserate about her own time at Stone instead of hesitating and then discussing her own race results.
Wonyoung has no such hesitations when discussing her disappointment in post-race interviews, but she must feel awkward complaining about P3 after Jiheon’s had her third DNF of the season.
Jiheon tries to pretend that the absence doesn’t matter. She had her chance in a fast car, and she fucked it.
“This season should be good though,” Jiheon says. “I’m excited to have Jiwon-ssi as a teammate. How about you? How’s working with Hyunseo been?”
The media is heralding Lee Hyunseo as the next An Yujin, although Hyunseo’s claws aren’t sharpened yet. Jiheon wants to ask Wonyoung if it’s tiring fending off monsters, first Chu Sojung and now Lee Hyunseo. Monsters? Wonyoung would say now. I think you mean mentors and mentees.
Wonyoung’s lips part as if to speak, but she only reaches for her glass to take a dainty sip of her iced americano, careful not to leave a lipstick stain on the straw.
“Hyunseo’s a good kid,” Wonyoung says. “I don’t have to worry about her.”
She nudges Jiheon’s coffee forward. “You should finish your drink before it gets cold.”