A RACE TO MY HEART (FAN FICTION) (CHAPTER 22)

Silent - Harlem Yu

CHAPTER 22               

 “You know you shouldn’t do this,” Jaejoong said as he watched Fate carefully fold and arrange some of Max’s clothes on the bed.              


Fate tried to smile. “It’s okay. At least, he’s already trying to be civil with me,” she tried to lie.              

Jaejoong shook his head. “Somehow whenever I look at you, I can’t stop thinking about my sisters. I can’t help but think I would do if they were in your situation,” he tried to say.              

Fate looked at him, then smiled sweetly. “Your sisters are quite lucky. They have such a sweet and kind-hearted brother. Thank you for being so concerned about me.”              

“Are you really willing to be treated like this? I mean . . . you just threw away your career for him. And now . . . he’s treating you like you’re his maid or something. I wouldn’t be surprised if he suddenly tells you to do another ridiculous act. Please when that time comes. . . promise me . . . you’ll learn to say no. It’s for your own good, you know,” Jaejoong said with concern.              

Fate smiled bitterly. “Do you know I never thought I would be able to exchange my career with anything . . . especially for someone. I always thought that my career would always come in first place in my life . . . I guess I was wrong.”              
“I . . . I’m sorry to say this . . . but I don’t think he’s forgiven you yet. I think he’s just playing around with you,” Jaejoong said softly. “I know I shouldn’t be saying these kinds of things about him since he’s my friend. But I really pity you. I don’t want to see you suffer so much just for his sake.”              

Fate nodded her head and smiled. “You don’t have to say it. I already know. But I am still hopeful that he will be able to forgive me. I know all of this was my fault in the first place. So I am willing to suffer . . . I just wish that he could find it in his heart to actually forgive me before . . .” she then suddenly stopped talking. She had almost blurted her secret.              

“Before what?” Jaejoong asked curiously.              

Fate smiled. “Nothing. You know you should rest. It’s not like everyday . . . you guys can have some break from all your work,” she said while trying to change the topic.              

“Yes, you’re right. I am a little tired. But what about you? Are you really going to clean Max’s room all by yourself?” Jaejoong asked with concern.              

“Yes, don’t worry about me. Go on and have some rest. I will be okay here,” she answered.              

Jaejoong shook his head and smiled as well. “I don’t think I can sleep anyway. I will just help you clean up.”              

Fate looked at him carefully. “You don’t have to worry about me,” she uttered.              
“I don’t know why . . . but somehow something inside of me is telling me to help you. Maybe it is because I see one of my sisters in your position. So please don’t stop me from helping you,” Jaejoong said softly.              

Fate just lowered her head. “You’re a really very sweet man, Jaejoong. Any woman would be very lucky to have you,” she uttered as somehow her heart ached after remembering the way Max had been treating her. Somehow she started to miss the sweet and caring Max that she fell in love with.              

While Fate and Jaejoong continued to talk . . . somewhere . . . in an exclusive bar . . . .              

“Are you sure you’re allowed to go out?” Mina asked.              

Max just gave her a quick look then carelessly gulped down all the contents of his glass. “I’m allowed to do whatever I want. . . I can do anything I want,” he uttered.              

Mina shook her head. “Are you trying to convince me or are you trying to convince yourself? We both know that’s not true. Tell me . . . why did you call me? Are you really free now? I mean . . . you no longer have any relationship with that racer right?”              

Max sighed. “Honestly . . . . at the moment . . . I’m not clear about our relationship either . . . I’m sorry. But I said that because I don’t want to lie to you. If you think you can’t be with me because of my current situation . . . you’re free to leave. Right now . . . I just need a friend . . . someone I can talk to. I can’t really offer anything more than friendship,” he said as he poured himself another drink.              

The female dancer suddenly smiled. “You know if you were some other guy, I would have left you by now. But I really like your honesty. So I’m going to stay and be your friend for now…”              

Max looked at the girl and smiled. “Thank you.”              

Mina smiled again. “So it’s really true that you’re having problems with her? You know the two of you have the talk all over the studio and the staff members. The gossips got worse after she suddenly announced that she was leaving the racing world. I was shocked as well . . . Did you have anything to do with that?”              
Max nodded. “I asked her to do it,” he simply answered.              

Mina also took a sip from her glass. “She must really love you so much . . . to actually drop her career like that. She’s on top and with just one word . . . she just stops and drops everything. You’re quite lucky. Not everyone can do what she did.”              

Max suddenly stared at Mina. Somehow what she said made him more confused. “Tell me . . . can you kiss a guy that you don’t love?”              

Mina suddenly let out a light laugh. “What a silly question . . . Of course, the answer is yes. But it depends on the girl . . .”              

“For me, I can easily kiss a guy and just forget about it later on. But . . . I love the guy and I kiss him . . . well that is another thing,” Mina answered.              

“I really can’t understand what you mean,” Max uttered.              

Mina laughed again. “It’s like this . . . girls can also play around like what boys do. We can kiss and just forget . . . or we can just kiss and dwell on it as much as we want. A girl can kiss a guy even if she doesn’t like him or love him, the same way a guy can kiss a girl whom he just met in a bar. So there’s no difference . . . We’re already living in a modern world Max. Don’t expect too many old traditions to be present in our daily lives. As of now . . . I really don’t believe there is still a girl who is still a virgin at the age of 20 or older . . . That would be totally unbelievable for me. So kissing someone you don’t love is already normal for me,” she uttered again with a laugh. Somehow the wine she was drinking was already taking effect.              

Something suddenly started to echo in Max’s mind . . .”She was saving herself . . . all this time and she just gave herself to me . . . maybe she really does love me . . . Maybe I am really just over reacting just like what hyung said.”              

Mina stared at Max, then an idea came into her mind. “Max . . .” she uttered.              
“Yes?” Max suddenly asked as he tried to focus his attention on Mina.               “Want to play a game?” she asked seductively.              

“A game? What kind of game?” he asked.              

“The kind of game wherein I can prove to you what I said is true,” she replied with a laugh.              

“What do you mean?” Max asked, more confused.              

Mina smiled, then quickly leaned over where Max was sitting. She then carefully placed her hand over his neck and quickly gave him a very long and daring kiss.              

Max was shocked. But somehow he didn’t know what to do. He was thinking that he couldn’t possibly just push her away. It would be embarrassing for the girl.              

As Mina continued to kiss him, Max suddenly realized what kind of situation Fate must have encountered during the time that Michael kissed her. And somehow . . . he started to understand . . .              

Unknown to both Mina and Max, a guy had been watching them for quite some time and had just placed his cell phone away. He then hurriedly walked out of the bar with a big grin on his face. “Thank you Max. . . I already have a big news for tomorrow.”