Eunwoo slams the door shut, heart pounding so loud in his ears that it drowns out everything else. His face is on fire. He can't even think straight - only the same image replaying in his head on the loop, rent free. 

Noir's body...

His broad shoulders, solid pecs, and those stupidly defined abs. How is he built like that and still have such a small waist? And the sweat - God, the sweat - dripping down his skin in slow trails that Eunwoo absolutely would not mind licking off-

"AHHHH!" Eunwoo screams into his hands, mentally slapping himself. Why is he having such intimate thoughts? It's been so long since he's genuinely found someone attractive - no wonder his brain is short circuiting. He feels like a teenager again. 

He hasn't felt this embarrassed since that one absurdly hot soccer player at his old university. 

"Eunwoo?" Maksim approaches, brow furrowed. "What's up with you?"

"NOTHING!" Eunwoo shoots to his feet, clearing his throat way too loudly. "It's nothing."

"God your face is on fire- do you have a fever?" Maksim reaches out, palm open. 

Eunwoo jerks back like he's been shot. "No! I'm fine." He tugs at his jacket, trying to compose himself. "I just got lost down there, that's all."

"Yeah, it's confusing." Maksim agrees. 

"Are we going back to your place now that the race is over?" Eunwoo asks quickly, desperate to think about anything other than what he just witnessed. 

"I can drop you off there, but I have to attend a dinner." Maksim sighs heavily, obviously not fond of the idea. 

"A dinner?"

"Just a celebratory thing for Noir's win. Laya organizes it every time," He mutters, sounding exhausted already. "She practically forces everyone involved to show up."

Eunwoo contemplates for a moment, lip caught between his teeth. "Does that include me?" He asks slowly. 

Maksim blinks, a bit surprised. "You want to come?" He raises his eyebrows. 

"Is that a problem?" Eunwoo lightly bites, arms crossing. 

"Well no, it's just, I thought you didn't want to go to these things." 

"It's just a dinner right? Not a gala?"

"Well yes but-" 

"Great. I'll go then." 

Maksim stares at him for a moment before laughing softly. "Alright."

-

The restaurant is exactly what Eunwoo imagined the moment he agreed to come. Not that he's surprised - this is Laya, after all. Everything she does seems designed to be extravagant, and she looks the part tonight. 

"Boys! Over here!" Laya waves both arms from a jewel - toned booth, drawing far too much attention. 

"Jesus christ... could she cover up a bit?" Maksim mutters under his breath as they weave past a few servers. 

Eunwoo tilts his head. "I think she looks nice. Why are you acting like a grandpa?"

"I'm not. I just... every time we go out she's always wearing such exposing attire. I don't want other guys getting the wrong idea."

Eunwoo stifles a laugh, which makes Maksim cut him a look. 

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Eunwoo grins. "You're just clearly jealous. Why don't you ask her out already?" 

"Quit it. I won't do such a thing." He huffs, arms crossing. "That would be inappropriate." 

"Alright then. Keep waiting and she'll get snatched up." 

"By who. Noir?" Maksim scoffs. 

"I don't know. Maybe?" Eunwoo frowns a little. Not that he can feel sad at all about that. They barely know each other after all.

"Not a chance. I have a hunch that he's into some weird shit." 

Eunwoo rolls his eyes. Sometimes Maksim still acts like the teenager he once was. 

"Took you two long enough." Laya sighs dramatically once they reach the table. "You guys took so long walking 200 feet that I already ordered dinner."

"You always order dinner for us," Maksim says, settling across from her and placing his napkin on his lap. 

Eunwoo does the same, his gaze drifting toward Noir. The racer's attention is fixed on his phone, thumb scrolling, jaw set. 

Eunwoo lightly bites his lip. He can practically see Noir's physique beneath his button-up. Why is it so tight? Isn't that uncomfortable?

He looks back up, only to flinch when their eyes lock. How long had he been staring?

"You- uhm- look nice." Eunwoo whispers, embarrassed. God. This is horrible, his flirting game needs improvement. 

Noir studies him, unreadable, before looking away. "You too."

It's quiet, almost inaudible, but enough for Eunwoo to hear. 

Really? He thinks that? 

Eunwoo glances down at himself. He dressed up a little today, butit's nothing special like at the gala. 

"Listen... about earlier, I really am sorry-" 

"Ahem." 
Laya suddenly leans in, far too close. "What are you two whispering about?"

Eunwoo bites the inside of his cheek. How long were they listening?

"Nothing important," Noir says smoothly. "Just that Maksim is staring down your chest."

Maksim immediately chokes on his drink. 

"Were you really?" Laya coos, a devilish grin on her painted lips. "Mr. Volkov, that's not very professional of you." 

"I - I wouldn't -" Maksim sputters, eyes darting everywhere but her. 

"Oh, of course not," Laya purrs. "You're far too professional to flirt with clients. 

"You call that flirting?" Noir snorts. "He can't even flirt with a rock if he tried."

"Not true!" Maksim gasps. "You don't know squat!" 

"I know a lot more than you think." 

Eunwoo laughs, smiling widely - and Noir pauses, glancing at him again. 

"This is funny to you?" Maksim bites, frowning. He's not actually upset, but he does feel childishly betrayed in a way. 

"Just seeing you two bicker-" Eunwoo leans against his palm. "You act like siblings. It's adorable."

The table changes instantly. 

Maksim's face falls before he turns to his plate. 
Laya goes still, eyes shifting toward Noir. 
And Noir- 

He sits rigidly, jaw tight. 

Eunwoo's heart drops. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the mood-"  

"No, you didn't ruin anything. Don't apologize." Maksim says softly, though his gaze flicks toward Noir. "What's your problem?"

Noir stares at Maksim with his sharp gaze, not even opening his mouth to speak, but Laya does it for him. "He lost someone, too." She whispers. 

Guilt hits Eunwoo like a punch. 

Oh god. He hurt Maksim... and Noir? 

Maksim blinks, surprised. "Oh. I see. My apologizes for being so insincere." His voice softens. 

Eunwoo straightens abruptly, eyes on the floor. "If you'd excuse me-"

"Eunwoo-" Maksim pushes up from his chair, but laya catches his wrist. 

"Let him go."

Maksim hesitates, then sinks back down. "I feel awful," he mutters. "I know he didn't mean it, but he's going to beat himself up."

"He'll come back when he's ready." Laya assures.

"Yeah- wait, where are you going?" Maksim's gaze follows Noir, who stands abruptly and walks away. 

"Noir! Hey-"

"Sit," Laya says sharply.

"But he-" 

"Now." 

Maksim obliges, going to slump back into his seat with a huff, grumbling something in Russian under his breath. 

- 

It's cold out. A typical Russian night, though Eunwoo is surprised it isn't snowing. 

He sits on a curb behind the restaurant, arms wrapped around himself as he watches headlights roll by. He hasn't done this since he was a kid - sneaking behind buildings with Maksim to smoke, drink, and pretend they were invincible. 

Life was so simple back then. 

"Eunwoo." 

He jumps. "N-Noir?" His heart leaps into his throat. "Jesus- How long have you been standing there? I didn't even hear you-" 

Noir takes a seat beside him, fishing out a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. "Why did you run off?"

Eunwoo purses his lips before turning back to look at the street. "I didn't mean to. I just... feel guilty." 

"What for?" 

"What do you mean 'what for?' Noir-" Eunwoo scoffs weakly. "I dredged up painful memories. For Maksim, and for you. I should've known better."

"Maksim's a grown ass man." Noir says, cigarette nestled between his lips. "He'll get over it. He probably already has." 

Eunwoo sighs. "Maybe. But I hurt you too."

"There's no way you could've known my past." Noir says instantly. "No one does." 

"Laya seems to-" 

"Well Laya never minds her own damn business." Noir mutters, exhaling smoke toward the star-pocked sky. 

"Still... I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Noir nudges his foot. "I might be emotionally fragile, but your words don't hurt me."

Eunwoo blinks. "You say that like we've knonw each other longer than we have." 

Noir only shrugs. "Maybe."

Eunwoo smiles faintly and rests his chin on his knee. The silence settles over them - comfortable for once. 

"I didn't lose a sibling." Noir says suddenly. He flicks ash off the end of his cigarette. "Not anyone important."

"If it upset you, then they must've been important somehow," Eunwoo says gently. 

Noir hums. "Maybe at first. Over time it became.... just a memory. A sharp one." He shakes his head and puts out the cigarette, then stands, offering his hand to Eunwoo. "Come on. I'm hungry."

Eunwoo stares up at him, breath catching. Everything feels slower as he slips his hand into Noir's palm, letting him pull him up effortlessly. 

"Yeah."

-

The weight of the silence sits heavy on Maksim's shoulders. He's typically never alone with Laya - at least, not like this. He's never found himself in a predicament where being around a woman makes him nervous, yet here he is. 

Stiff, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line, he tries his best to maintain a professional composure. It's not that they don't banter - they do, often - but it's always been light, harmless teasing. 

Laya just makes him... nervous. 

Her sigh draws his attention. "What's the matter?" He forces out. 

Laya shrugs, taking a slow sip of her wine, eyes never leaving him - sharp, observant. Like a leopard waiting to pounce. 

"Oh, it's nothing." 

"Ah, alright then." Maksim clears his throat and fidgets with the silverware in front of him, straightening it for the third time. When will those two return? This is becoming unbearable.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" 

The question catches him completely off guard. "A - what?" His ears burn as his thoughts scatter. 

"A girlfriend? Heavens no." He laughs awkwardly, trying to play it off as cool. "I've learned women tend to be... distractions. You know how it is-" 

The laugh dies in his throat when he sees her expression.

God. This is humiliating. Maybe Noir is right. He really can't talk to women.

Laya arches a brow. "That tracks. You act like it's been ages since you last spoke to one outside of work."

"Why do you ask?" Maksim deflects quickly. 

She leans back in her chair, thinking. "I was just curious. You're quite good looking - I assumed you might be married. Or at least taken. But I've never seen a ring."

"Married-" Maksim breathes out, then freezes as the compliment sinks in. She thinks he's good looking?

"And," she adds casually, "you're pretty old to still be single." 

The words feel like a sucker punch to his gut.

"H-Hey now!" Maksim blurts. "Plenty of men my age are single!".

Laya laughs - warm, melodic, infuriatingly beautiful. "Ah, Maks. You get so heated." She tilts her head, smirking. "Why does it bother you so much?"

"Because you- I -" He falters. "You don't even have a boyfriend, so why give me shit?"

Weak. He knows it.

"Mmh?" She hums. "How do you know that?"

"Because, I just do." He sounds awfully sure of himself. 

Laya hums. "I tease you because every time we go out, you can't stop staring at me." 

Yeah. The truth stings. 

Maksim ducks his head, mortified. 

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" His voice is quiet, sincere.  

Laya looks a bit surprised by the question, but even more surprised by his tone, eyes softening a bit. 

Her foot hits against his underneath the table, a playful gesture to help ease him up. He looks up at her, frowning. 

"Of course not." She says gently. 

-

"I'm sorry about what I said." 

Eunwoo exhales, the weight finally lifting from his chest. He'd already apologized to Noir - now its Maksim's turn. 

Maksim glances over, expression soft. "Eunwoo. Why are you apologizing?" He reaches out, ruffling his hair. "You didn't mean anything by it."

"I know but... I still said it."

"Stop." Maksim shakes his head. "I was never mad, alright?"

Eunwoo smiles faintly and looks down at his phone, its battery nearly dead. He sets a few alarms before locking the screen. 

Makism keeps his eyes on the road, thumb lightly tapping at the steering wheel. "So what's the plan for tomorrow?" 

"I'm visiting some schools," Eunwoo sighs. "Redwood first, then Riverside." 

He's been only back in Russia for a week, yet it feels like time is slipping through his fingers. This was the whole reason he came back - to find a job - and yet he's been putting it off. 

"You sound thrilled." Maksim teases. 

"Don't I?" Eunwoo laughs lightly. "I'm shaking with excitement."

Maksim's smile fades. "Why aren't you?"

Eunwoo hesitates. "I don't know. I just feel... overwhelmed." He shrugs. "I'm home, but everything's different. You're working with famous athletes. I'm going to galas and dinners..."

A faint blush creeps up his cheeks. 

He hates to admit it, but he's developing a crush on someone he shouldn't - someone who clearly has no room for nothing but racing. 

Eunwoo doesn't know Noir well, but he knows enough. He knows what it looks like when someone isn't grounded - when they're running from something. And Noir? 

He's lost. 

"It's just a lot." Eunwoo murmurs. "Feels like a fever dream.  

Maksim exhales. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into all of it."

"No, don't-" Eunwoo says quickly. "I'm just not used to it, okay?" He smiles softly. "And... I did meet some really cool people. That has to count for something."