Between Remarriage and Cars #9
Han Dae-jin had racked up 300,000 views after uploading his battle video against 9thsilver. Watching the views climb in real-time sent a thrill surging through him.
And it wasn't long before 9thsilver herself dropped by to leave a comment.
Han Dae-jin didn't fully grasp what it meant, but he pinned it as the top comment anyway.
Before long, the video started buzzing among his coworkers at the company too. But Kim Ji-ho's face wasn't looking too happy.
“Who's that bitch?”
Her blurting it out while they sat together at the cafeteria during lunch was a dead giveaway that it was eating at her.
“Ah... just some noona I met while driving around.”
“You spend all night messing around with her, and what about me?” Kim Ji-ho snapped at Han Dae-jin, her voice dripping with irritation.
“Hey, keep it down—this is the company.”
“Like I give a fuck, you asshole. This ain't your in-laws' house or some shit. Huh? Fucking obsessed with that goddamn car...”
Han Dae-jin just hung his head and silently scooped up his kimchi fried rice with his spoon.
“Fuck, aren't you gonna remarry me? We need to save up for that.”
Kim Ji-ho glanced around for a second, then laid into him again.
“Remarry? Ah... yeah, right. Of course.”
“You little shit, and we gotta raise Miso together too, right? You think now's the time to be fucking around in your car?”
Han Dae-jin's mouth clamped shut like he'd swallowed honey. When another coworker showed up a moment later, Kim Ji-ho got up first, leaving him to finish his meal in silence.
Back home, Han Dae-jin lay quietly on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Remarriage with Kim Ji-ho. What kind of life would that even be? Her in-laws were supposedly loaded landlords... He had no confidence he could satisfy that kind of economic gap.
Remarriage. And raising some stranger's kid—her kid that I didn't even knock up—as my own for the rest of my life.
If we were planning a second kid from now, maybe...
He let out a long sigh. That's when his phone rang—Kim Ji-hyun.
“Yeah.”
“Get out here.”
“Huh?”
“I said get your ass out here. Gimpo Coffee Special by 10—you know the place, right?”
Kim Ji-hyun hung up after dropping the order. Han Dae-jin snapped out of it and glanced between the vintage Seiko watch and Galaxy Watch on his wrists. 8:10 PM. If he left now, he'd hit the time spot-on.
He threw on some clothes, hopped into Science 3rd Unit, blasted past the Buk-Osan IC onto the highway, and floored it like a maniac. At this hour, it'd take under 40 minutes to Gimpo Coffee Special from Osan.
He figured he'd get there early, say hi to the cafe owner couple he hadn't seen in a while.
He pulled up in just 50 minutes, cruising through the vast empty parking lot, parking in front of the cafe with the 'Coffee Special' sign, and stepping inside.
As always, the owner and his wife greeted him warmly.
“Hey, Kiwi boy! Love and war!”
The owner's sudden shout made Han Dae-jin's heart drop.
“Ah... no, that's not...”
“You got some balls, huh? Seducing a married woman and all.”
Even the wife piled on, turning his face beet red as he avoided their eyes. He ordered an iced Americano and sat at the counter, chatting away.
“Heard you got kicked from your car club and started a new one? Everyone's dying to know how to join.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Why? 'Cause you've got that racing girl noona—Jin Na-hee—and the pro racer lawyer noona—Kim Ji-hyun—in there. Obvious, right?”
The owner chimed in, and Han Dae-jin felt a bitter pang. Not a single person was joining for him. They were all coming for Jin Na-hee and Kim Ji-hyun's fame. Looking at him, it was like they saw a puppet boss or a live-in son-in-law. Total chump treatment, just like some pathetic shatta man.
As he listened with that sour taste in his mouth, a few old club members showed up, giving him awkward hellos. He brushed them off casually.
They dragged him out to the smoking area for a bit. He didn't smoke, but he was used to hanging with smokers to chat.
“Dae-jin hyung. We know it's bullshit, but... what can ya do? Oh, and that room got nuked.”
His Avante N mapping dongsaeng said.
“Nuked?”
“Yeah. Members bitched about the management, raised hell again, and they ended up wiping the room. Car clubs never last long—straight facts.”
“Whatever... not my problem.”
Han Dae-jin muttered bitterly, looking away.
“Anyway, hyung, your club's blowing up lately? Everyone's scrambling to join.”
“Why?”
“Why? 'Cause the sub-admins are god-tier.”
Another gut punch. He was pissed but had to swallow it.
“Look, hyung, honestly, with your skills? Nothing special. But those noonas prop you up, so you get to flash some title, right?”
His Avante N dongsaeng kept going, and Han Dae-jin just sighed.
Just then, a cyber gray Avante N pulled into the parking lot. Manual transmission from the shift pattern—especially that reverse blip.
Out stepped a mid-30s guy and a woman around his age. They headed inside, then straight to the smoking area.
Han Dae-jin and the old club guys exchanged awkward greetings.
“Uh, which one's Han Dae-jin from Club Assa?”
The cyber gray Avante N driver asked. Han Dae-jin awkwardly admitted it was him.
“Ah, yeah... what's up?”
He eyed the guy warily, wondering if it was beef from another club.
“Nah, nothing like that. Heard if I meet the room leader, I can join Club Assa...”
“Yeah, that's right.”
“Fast?”
“Yeah, Inje's about 1:53 for me. Manual.”
Han Dae-jin jolted in surprise. Kim Ji-hyun always ragged on him: At this rate, you won't even break 2:15 at Inje. Her benchmark for real pros was 1:50-53. (She said anyone under 1:40 wasn't human—herself included.)
“Wanna check out the car?”
Han Dae-jin led the Avante N guy to his ride. Inside: Sparco FIA-approved bucket seats, 6-point harness, 4-point roll cage. KM hub on the wheel...
He snapped a few pics, then told the guy he was in.
Han Dae-jin let Lee Hyun-woo introduce himself in the chat, then waited a sec before rejoining him and his girl at the cafe table.
“Kim Ji-hyun, our sub-admin, should be here soon.”
He chatted with Lee Hyun-woo about his Avante N. Stock map, stock suspension, Ferodo DS3.12 and Uno pad combo, Alcon brake hoses. Pure circuit setup—the kind Han Dae-jin could actually aim for.
Kim Ji-hyun arrived and slid in next to Han Dae-jin, sipping her ale bath while listening.
“Hmm. Dae-jin, go take a ride with Hyun-woo here. I'll chat with his girl.”
Han Dae-jin blinked in surprise.
“Huh? Weren't you here to meet me?”
“This'll be a good lesson for you. Yeah, Hyun-woo, loop around Dongmak or something and bring him back. Kid's been dreaming of BMWs and shit—show him some real-world stuff.”
Han Dae-jin followed Lee Hyun-woo out. He cleared the passenger seat awkwardly: “Hop in.”
Han Dae-jin settled into the bucket-equipped interior, feeling out of place.
“Whoa... Avante N... Some of the dongsaengs have 'em, but first time riding shotgun.”
“Great car for fun. Best for enjoying.”
Lee Hyun-woo clutched in, shifted to first, eased off smoothly, and pulled out. But the second they hit the main road, the Avante N unleashed a ferocious wheelspin and shot forward.
Han Dae-jin whipped out his phone to film, reveling in the brutal acceleration.