Chapter Text
Seokjin could imagine his life passing him by. No, he wasn’t dead at least not on the outside, he wasn’t. These socialite parties weren’t his thing at all. Sadly they would come around more than he cared for, as Jaehwan had gone and acquired himself a pretty petite red-head. He didn’t have anything against blondes, brunettes, red-heads and whatever hair colour was available these days. He was just sulking in his corner because he was supposed to be the guest of honour. Which translated to him having to carry a pretty petite someone too. His latest petite someone had just banged the phone in his ears having told him in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t available.
That bruised him somehow. He knew his ego wasn’t fragile but it wasn’t steel. Yet. She had said “I speak to your secretary more than I speak to you.” Whatever that was supposed to mean. If they expected him to be emotionally involved, too bad he didn’t swing that way. The only place he felt alive were boardrooms with an acquisition taking place. His tie was on too tight. He had to get out this party.
He navigated the throngs of men and women clamoring to speak to him. That’s when he spotted Byul-yi. Byul-yi otherwise famously known as the rapper Moonbyul. They had been fast friends since their teenage years. They had even tried dating once.
“Seokjinah!”
“How have you been? How is the marriage?”
“Yeah the husband is great although he can learn a few things to keep me happy if ya know what I mean.”
“Byul-yi, I always know what you mean. Please don’t launch into the graphics.” It was a running joke amongst them, Seokjin had been a green boy when he had started dating Byul-yi. To help him with the motions of what actually happens between two consenting adults Byul-yi had launched into a very graphic and physical description.
“What about you? You look worse for wear. That bad huh(?)”
“Listen I need to ask you something, when we were dating did you spend more time talking to Elise than to me?”
“Well, Elise kinda was my bridesmaid so you take a guess.”
“Ouch!”
“Yeah! No problem though, you and I weren’t meant to be. We are great friends, and you are kinda my go to guy. Though it isn’t like you are ever present for the relationship. You’re a workaholic and that’s kinda always been your thing. It would take one heck of a person to actually distract you from your mergers and acquisitions. It’s the deep rooted desire of yours to be better, smarter, stronger than your brother.”
“Thank you for your blithe insight into my psyche.”
“Well you asked and I’ve never been one for mincing my words.”
“Yeah, yeah. What do you think of this party?”
“You look like you could bail any minute, and you are the guest of honour. I guess I should bail soon too.”
“So you feel the same way. I just don’t want to hurt Jaehwan's feelings.”
“He’s a big boy he can make do. Bail if you wanna.”
Byuli’s words were all the encouragement Seokjin needed. He made a beeline for the exit. He had almost made it to the foyer when he remembered that he didn’t have a car. He hoped that Jaehwan had kept the keys to his car in the bowl at the entrance because he sure wasn’t going back to the party. Sure enough the keys were in a little bowl on the console. Since there were too many keys to choose from, Seokjin chose one at random and hoped for the best.
Just his luck the keys he had picked up were to a spanking new Ferrari 812 GTS in Ferrari Red. He really wondered what was Jaehwan’s obsession with the colour Red. He had heard of people fearing being middle-aged but Jaehwan had been taking it to a whole new level. They were just starting their thirties!
Jaehwan had the cut-throat ruthlessness to close a deal and it became one of the biggest reason they were still associated with each other. They had been friends in college, Seokjin a business major and Jaehwan a law major. It had seemed like a match made in heaven. Seokjin could smell the blood from a mile away when a company was bleeding stocks, assets and were in a path to liquidation. Jaehwan would swoop in with his affability and cinch it legally for them. Somehow Jaehwan was changing, while Seokjin still remained clinically distant with every company that he turned, Jaehwan had become more ruthless. His initial affable mask fell away faster.
Seokjin didn’t mind being the bad guy in any deal they were striking but Jaehwan had started making it personal. They were still business partners, though off late Seokjin had started pulling away a little. Uneasy at the thing that Jaehwan became during negotiations.
It may also be the personal changes that Seokjin could see Jaehwan going through that made him uneasy. Jaehwan had gone and got himself the flashiest car, the flashiest girl, the hottest property in Gangnam. He wouldn’t have cared what Jaehwan did if not for his family’s long standing distaste of the nouveau riche. “Only a fool flashes his wealth, the wealthy never have to assert their wealth” was his father’s favourite saying.
He should be glad he supposes, whatever Jaehwan was changing into, he was still one of the few people whom Seokjin could call his friend. It wasn’t easy for Seokjin to have friends, most people would just hang around him because of his family’s wealth. Jaehwan had understood his need to make a name for himself. He did not question Seokjin why he wanted to break away from the family business. Just like Byul-yi, Jaehwan had hung around him when his business was just a one-bedroom apartment.
Seokjin mulled over these things as he drove aimlessly on the streets of Seoul. He didn’t even realize he had driven to Texas Mairi until the engine of the Ferrari stalled in front of lean stockinged leg.
“Hey Mister! You almost ran over me but you are pardoned because that’s a sweet, sweet car.”
The stockinged leg, Seokjin realized, belonged to a blonde. The blonde hair was neatly arranged in a bob. Thick eyebrows and eyes hidden by cheap sunshades. Lips that were coloured by a trashy pink lipshade. In the corner where the Ferrari had stalled, the blonde cut an picturesque figure. As if drawn by an existential artist. Even the voice was as if something had mellowed inside of Seokjin himself.
The boy lowered his shades to seriously appreciate the Ferrari.
“How much does it give?”
Seokjin was blind-sided by the eyes. They were mismatched. One eye had a mono-lid and the other had a double eyelid. The boy literally was like an artist’s rendering of beauty. So Seokjin should be forgiven for staring at the boy like a fish out of water.
“Hey! Mister I am talking to you. Geez did you steal this beauty? Then too you should be forgiven, I would have stolen it too if given half a chance.”
“I didn’t steal it. My friend owns the car. Damn thing stalled as soon as I rounded this corner.”
“This is a Ferrari 812 GTS, it doesn’t stall. Don’t talk smack about this baby. You should be ashamed blaspheming. She will fly with the right driver.”
“Whom do I apologize to you or this tin can?”
“Oh no you didn’t, take it back. You don’t want the Gods of Speed and Horsepower smiting you, do you?”
Seokjin did not know which God’s were actually making him flirt with this boy. All he could clearly state was that for the first time that day he was actually having fun.
“I will apologize profusely but I need to get home and your beauty seems to be more interested in sleeping. Anyway I can persuade you to guide me there?”
“My good Sir, of course, I insist on my service. Though I should tell you in advance it will be expensive.”
“Would you do it from the goodness of your heart?”
“The goodness of my heart shall be no less than 25000 won.”
“You drive a steep bargain but I shall bear it. Please get in.”
The boy happily slid into the car. Deeply inhaling as soon as he got in. “Mmmm… nothing beats the smell of new leather seats.”
“I don’t know your name.” Seokjin blurted out as he couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that he had “borrowed” Jaehwan’s car and the first he did was to invite a male prostitute into it.
“V. Nice to meetcha.”
“Bwi? Just one letter?”
“Yeah for 25000 won that’s all you get.” Came the cheeky reply.
“Fine. I won’t ask just guide me to the Josun Palace.”
“Josun Palace? That dig costs mega bucks…must be nice to be rich.” V said in a wistful tone.
“Well it isn’t that great.”
“Just something that the rich say. Ooh look at all this money… ooh I am such sad little rich boy…boohoo!”
Seokjin laughed despite himself. He hadn’t yet met a person who had no filters around him. All his friends and acquaintance would tip-toe around him and maybe that’s the reason he had needed to get away.
“Now do you seriously want to know how to drive this baby or what?”