Secret Talk #44 "Knock Knock"
Han Dae-jin jolted awake at the sound of knocking. He left Min Hee-yeon, still deep in sleep, threw on some clothes haphazardly, slipped into his sneakers, and slipped out of the hotel room.
Standing outside the door was Kim Ji-hyun, already dressed in training gear. Following her to the track, the vast silence of Inje Circuit enveloped the two of them.
Han Dae-jin walked onto the track with Kim Ji-hyun in a brisk training pace. As they circled corner 4, they examined the skid marks scattered everywhere and the track surface, chatting about it. As they passed each corner on foot, Kim Ji-hyun shared insights on their characteristics and key details.
Despite the quick pace, Han Dae-jin managed to keep up without tiring too much.
As they entered corner 16, the brutal, uneven surface of the still-unrepaired Inje Circuit vibrated up through their soles. Yesterday during practice, Han Dae-jin had nearly spun out because of that ridiculous road condition.
"These fuckers just don't have the money," Kim Ji-hyun said.
"Hmm..."
Han Dae-jin and Kim Ji-hyun paused on the wailing asphalt, talking it over for a moment.
"By the way... why'd you bring that bitch along?" Kim Ji-hyun asked as they passed 16 and climbed the uphill to 17.
"She insisted on coming when I said I was going."
"Why? Hoping to get stabbed or something?"
"No way."
"Her eyes say otherwise. You fuck that new hire yet?"
"They say she's great at work but robotic."
"And you've already been eating her up."
Kim Ji-hyun shot back immediately at Han Dae-jin's words, continuing the conversation. Before they knew it, dawn was breaking as they walked.
"What should I do?" Han Dae-jin asked Kim Ji-hyun.
"Time to choose. Keep blindly obeying that bitch, or become a free man."
Han Dae-jin pondered her words. If he kept following Min Hee-yeon's lead, he'd spend his life slaving away at a desk job, dying without achieving a damn thing—that much was obvious. But if he followed Kim Ji-hyun instead? That was uncharted territory no one knew.
"It's your choice. But this decision will shape your entire life, no changing that. From what I see, picking her means you'll spend your days paranoid about her affairs."
Han Dae-jin bowed his head and kept walking at her words. Soon they reached the final corner and made their way back to the pits on foot.
The two slipped through one of the pit doors, collapsing onto the floor for a breather. Kim Ji-hyun pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag.
"Feel refreshed?" she asked.
"Yeah, sure."
"You already look beat. This fucker gonna pass out later?"
"Nah, no way."
Kim Ji-hyun chuckled at Han Dae-jin's response. He stared at her for a moment. Lost in thought, she suddenly pulled him in for a kiss.
Han Dae-jin groped her breasts as they kissed, but Kim Ji-hyun soon pulled away.
"Can't have that first thing in the morning."
Han Dae-jin could only laugh. After a moment's thought, they got up, opened the pit door, and stepped outside. The sun was already up.
Han Dae-jin returned to the hotel room and hopped in the shower. The sound woke Min Hee-yeon. She frowned at his clothes tossed everywhere.
The moment he emerged from the shower, Min Hee-yeon slapped him hard across the cheek.
"What the fuck were you doing with her?"
Han Dae-jin stared at her in disbelief.
"Just morning exercise, master and disciple style."
He raised his voice as he spoke.
"What was that? You snapping at me?"
"How long do I have to put up with your suspicion? If I asked if you've been fucking around with that new hire, what would you say, noona?"
Min Hee-yeon slapped him again at his words.
"You little shit... Do I look like some slut to you?"
Her body trembled as she spoke.
"You're the one painting me like that."
"You're the one making me suspicious! I've never given you reason to doubt me."
"How the hell would I know?"
"I... I..."
Min Hee-yeon was speechless for a moment. She sighed and slumped back onto the bed.
"Tell me. What'd you do with that bastard? Huh?"
Instead of answering, Min Hee-yeon just cried. Irritated, Han Dae-jin shoved her onto the bed, stripped her naked, spread her legs, and thrust his erect cock straight into her without any foreplay.
As Han Dae-jin pounded her relentlessly, Min Hee-yeon screamed a mix of cries and moans. He drove into her so hard she bashed her head against the headboard, but he didn't let up. She glared at him for a while before kissing him and surrendering to the rhythm.
Min Hee-yeon flipped Han Dae-jin onto his back. She lightly choked his neck as she started grinding her hips. Her breath quickened; she threw her head back, staring at the ceiling.
Han Dae-jin roughly grabbed her breasts. Finally, as she rode him furiously to an internal finish, Min Hee-yeon collapsed limply on top of him, panting as she met his eyes.
"I... I..."
She trailed off, got up sniffling, and headed to the shower. As the door closed behind her, Han Dae-jin stared at the empty space she'd left for a long time.
Morning. Down in the pits, Han Dae-jin and Min Hee-yeon arrived. She silently held his helmet and HANS device while he suited up. Only after he donned his balaclava did she hand them over.
Han Dae-jin patted her head, then headed to the car. The moment he climbed in, he burned rubber out of the pit garage like Kim Ji-hyun had the day before.
After Han Dae-jin left the pit lane and completed his out lap, Kim Ji-hyun checked his lap time data streaming to the Three Seconds screen. He was clocking times far faster than Kim Ji-hyun's from yesterday.
She looked mildly surprised. Soon, entering 10-13, the dots on the track map clearly showed him pulling ahead of yesterday's Kim Ji-hyun.
The vice-leader was impressed too, radioing Han Dae-jin to warn him he was going too fast.
Then came fateful corner 16. As Han Dae-jin set up for the corner and braked, he hit that wailing surface they'd seen earlier. His car spun out in an instant.
It flew to the safe zone but barely stopped in the gravel trap. No damage, but a tow truck had to pull him out.
Back in the pits, Kim Ji-hyun comforted him.
"Everyone has off days like this."
She patted his shoulder while Min Hee-yeon silently took his helmet and HANS.
Meanwhile, the N2 car Han Dae-jin had binned arrived back at their garage on the flatbed, caked in dirt and dust. Luckily, it could be driven off under its own power.
The mechanics cleared the stones and dirt, then hooked up the alignment gear to the wheel hubs and checked it.
"Alignment's fine! Ready for the next session!"
The chief called out. This time, Kim Ji-hyun climbed in and took off.
After two days of testing, Han Dae-jin and Min Hee-yeon hit the road home. She hadn't spoken the whole time. Was it the shock from that dawn confrontation?
"What're you thinking?" Han Dae-jin asked.
"I just... wanted to protect you."
"That method..."
"You know why things ended badly with that ex of mine who drove the Avante MD? He started out pure like you, just loving the car. I cheered him on. But as time passed, he poured money into it like a maniac, borrowed everywhere, isolated himself. Even hit me up for cash. I don't want you turning into that. I hate that Kim Ji-hyun tempting you to become that."
Han Dae-jin fell silent at her words. He pulled into an upcoming rest area and turned to her.
"I see..."
"You're already heading that way, and it makes me anxious. Scared you'll isolate from everyone, end up lonely. Just understand my feelings once, please?"
Min Hee-yeon clutched his shoulder, pleading. Han Dae-jin sighed.
"I just want to win..."
"I know how hard you're working here to win. But you can achieve that with effort outside this too. Dae-jin... please..."
She broke into sobs. Han Dae-jin couldn't move.