Riding for Ferrari had never been easy with Lee Heeseung being your hot, grumpy, and unpredictable teammate. Heeseung's reputation for being hot-tempered and unpredictable preceded him wherever he went. And with you, his temper often reached new heights.
That's why he pins you to a wall in an empty garage after a particularly heated argument during practice. You can practically feel the heat radiating from his body as he leans closer to you, making you breathless and unable to look away from his intense gaze.
The silence in the empty garage is deafening, broken only by the sound of your racing heartbeat and Heeseung's heavy breathing. "You think you know everything, don't you?" His words are laced with venom as he stares you down, his jaw clenched with rage. "Always trying to prove yourself, always trying to one-up me. But guess what? You're not as good as you think you are."
Your back is pressed firmly against the cold concrete wall, his grip on your shoulders tight and unforgiving. "Is your ego this fragile, Heeseung?" You respond, refusing to let his aggression unnerve you. "Or are you just threatened by the idea that someone might be on par with you?"
He scoffs, a bitter and cynical laugh escaping his lips. "On par with me? You're delusional if you think you can even come close. You're just a wannabe racer who got lucky a few times."
His words sting. You know he's so damn good, and you know he knows it, but all you've been wanting was his approval. His approval was like a holy grail in the world of racing, and you had been chasing it relentlessly. But now, as you stand face to face with him, it's probably out of reach.
Your relationship with Heeseung has always been... tense. From wanting him to despising him, your emotions towards him have been a rollercoaster ride since the day you joined Ferrari. Yet, deep down, you can't deny the desire and want you feel whenever his eyes are on you, or whenever your hands brush for the briefest moment during strategy meetings.
Even now, with him so close to you, it's hard to ignore the way his gaze drops to your lips for a fleeting second and goes back to your eyes. Over and over again.
"I'm working hard too." You swallow a lump and lift your chin to meet his eyes. "I've put in the hours, the sweat, and the tears just like you. And maybe I haven't won as many races as you have, but I'm not giving up. I'll prove myself on the track, not in some meaningless argument in a garage."
"You don't understand, do you? I don't want you as my teammate." His tone is final and it feels like a punch to your gut. "Spare me the trouble and quit. You'll only end up with broken limbs or worse if you continue racing with me."
Oh, now that's a low blow. But beneath the anger and frustration, there's a flicker of something else—something raw and vulnerable—in Heeseung's eyes. It's fleeting, gone almost as soon as it appeared, but it's enough to give you pause.
"You know, Heeseung, for someone who claims not to want me as their teammate, you sure do spend your time staring at me. Do you think I didn't notice how you eyefuck me whenever we're in the same room? How you keep on licking your lips like you're doing now?"
His expression darkens, a scowl forming on his face as he takes a step closer, closing the gap between you once again. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea. You want me, don't you? That's why you're all pissed off and acting like a complete jerk. You can try to deny it all you want, but the truth is right there in your eyes."
With that, you get out of his grasp and step out of the garage, heading to take your car for a spin on the track. If he thinks you're not worthy to ride with him then all you have to do is prove it to him.
