Loc: Velaria Racing Arena
The racing arena buzzed with electric energy. Floodlights bathed the track in a golden glow, illuminating the thousands of spectators packed into the stands. Their cheers rose like a tidal wave, echoing across the vast stadium. The scent of burnt rubber and engine fuel filled the air, mingling with the thumping rhythm of drums from the crowd. Every banner held high bore one name—Evan.
And then he entered. At just 21, his steps carried the confidence of someone who had carved his name into history. His eyes shone, a spark of triumph and hunger blazing within them. The announcer's voice boomed across the speakers:
"Let's welcome our rising star—Evan! And a very special Happy Birthday to him today!"
The crowd erupted, chanting his name like a heartbeat—Evan, Evan, Evan! He raised a hand briefly, a rare acknowledgment, before sliding into his car. The roar of the engine silenced everything else.
As the flag dropped, he pressed the accelerator. The car shot forward like lightning, each lap cutting cleaner, faster. With every turn, his smirk deepened, his focus unshakable. Near the final stretch, he tightened his grip, unleashed every ounce of power, and surged ahead. The finish line blurred past him in a blaze of victory. The stadium exploded. He had done it again.
Among the sea of faces, Min-seo's eyes never left him. Dressed elegantly, she held a bouquet and a small birthday cake in her hands. As the crowd cheered, she smiled softly, her heart whispering that she had made the right choice in choosing him—her star, her victory.
When Evan stepped out near the exit, she was there waiting. She moved gracefully, offering the flowers and cake.
"Congratulations, Evan," she said warmly.
He took them, but without hesitation, handed both to his manager standing beside him. His expression remained unreadable.
"Evan…" she tried again, her voice soft. "Let's go out for coffee. Just the two of us. You've already won tonight—what's so urgent now?"
His gaze flickered to her, sharp and distant. "It's none of your business anymore," he replied, his tone cold.
The words struck like a knife. Still, Min-seo's smile didn't falter, though her eyes dimmed. He turned away, walking alongside his manager as the cheers of his fans drowned out everything else.
Sensing her pain, the manager offered quietly, "He doesn't mean anything bad. That's just how he is."
Min-seo exhaled softly, a trace of longing in her voice. "And that's why I like him."
But as the lights of the arena dimmed behind her, the night air carried a question only she could answer—
Was it admiration… or obsession?
The roar of engines still echoed in Tae Hyun's ears as he left Velaria's racing arena behind. The crowd's cheers, the flashing lights, the glory of victory—it all dissolved into the night air the moment he turned the key and felt his car surge forward.
He pressed his foot to the accelerator.
Woosh!
The machine responded like an extension of himself, speeding down the streets of Velaria, neon lights reflecting on its polished body. For a brief moment, his lips curved into a smirk, and his sharp eyebrows rose with the kind of defiance only he could wear. He had done it again—proven himself. Proved the prophecy wrong, even if just for one more day.
"What fools… clinging to curses, to fate, to nonsense." He muttered into the empty car. "I'm twenty-one. And yet, I'm alive. Stronger than ever. They can't chain me with words."
But as he sped onto the Flowerknight Bridge, the irony of fate was already unfolding ahead of him.
Loc: Flowerknight bridge
On the other side of the bridge, Sita stood quietly at the bus stop, clutching a small white box against her chest. Inside was the cake she had bought to share with Lili. A simple thing, but her heart was warm with the thought of surprising her. She dialed her phone, pressing it to her ear.
"Lili, are you home?" she asked.
"Yes, I just got in," Lili's voice chimed back.
Sita smiled. "Good. I'll be coming early today."
"Oh, really? Then hurry—I've got something for you too."
The call ended, leaving a sweet glow in Sita's chest. She sat down, the cool evening air brushing against her cheeks. The bridge shimmered under the city lights, the waters of the Velaria River glimmering beneath.
Then, a sound—a faint, pitiful cry.
Her gaze shifted, and she saw it: a tiny kitten, matted with dirt, paw trapped beneath a rusted piece of metal near the roadside. Its small body trembled with fear, its eyes wide and wet.
Sita's heart clenched. She waited, hoping someone else might notice, but the road was nearly empty.
Finally, she set the cake carefully on the bench and hurried over.
The kitten hissed softly, shrinking back, but Sita's hands were gentle. She stroked its back, whispering softly, until the trembling slowed. Wrapping it carefully in her scarf, she lifted it into her lap.
"You'll be safe," she murmured.
The traffic light ahead turned red, cars halting to a stop. She waited for the signal, cradling the kitten, but before she could move—
It leapt.
The little creature wriggled free of the scarf and bolted onto the road.
Sita's eyes widened. "No!" She rushed after it, heart pounding as she saw the headlights of a car approaching far too fast.
Tae Hyun barely noticed his phone buzzing. The screen lit up—23 missed calls from Manager—but his eyes were locked on the road, his foot heavy on the pedal. He was too deep in his thoughts. Too furious.
Then it happened.
A shadow darted across the road. A kitten.
Tae Hyun's instincts screamed—he slammed the brake. But nothing. The pedal sank, useless, beneath his foot. His brows furrowed as he pressed harder, again and again, but the car wouldn't respond.
"Dammit!" he growled.
The speed was merciless.
And then—her.
Sita.
A girl standing in the middle of the road, clutching the kitten, her figure lit by the harsh glare of his headlights. Their eyes met for the briefest instant, and something within his chest stuttered.
It's her.
His grip tightened on the wheel. He jerked it to the side with all his strength.
The tires screamed. Metal shrieked as the car slammed into the bridge railing, momentum carrying it forward until it hung precariously over the edge. Glass shattered. Smoke rose.
Sita had shielded the kitten with her whole body, bracing herself for pain that never came. Her eyes snapped open—and what she saw made her blood run cold.
The car dangled halfway off the bridge. Inside, Tae Hyun's head slumped forward, blood streaming from his temple.
Sita's heart froze. "No…"
TO BE CONTINUED...