RACING HEARTS BTS KIM TAEHYUNG FANFICTION

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Tom good to see you," he greeted the pit chief.

Normally he would linger and chat with Tom for over an hour listening to his ideas for the fleet. The man had no formal training but soak up real life skills from the elite in the business.. 30 years of hard hot work solidified Tom's experience and reputation as one of the best pit chiefs.

Taehyung continued through the warehouse, letting his staff see him on the floor engaged with their individual subsection of Kim's Enterprise. Occasionally he stopped and chatted. In all their time together he had never laid off or terminated anyone. Somehow they all got along and did an excellent job.

"Boss?"

"Yes Annie?"

"The staff like me to ask a question."

"Shoot."

"It's going to be nine-eleven in another week. I know we've never done anything like this, but we were wondering if we would have a dinner for the military families in the town whose spouses or children are active in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Taehyung didn't need to think on that for one second. He nodded. Again, she looked out on the floor with pride.

"Fantastic idea. What do you need from me?"

"We'll plan it. Of course if you have any ideas we will run with it. Not everyone would like to be involved and then there is the money"

"No problem. Send me a budget. We will look it over together."

Annie beamed. "Thanks boss" .

After annealing and started spreading the good news. Namjoon stepped up next to Taehyung."Nine-eleven is the day after the race. Are you going to feel it up to it?.

Taehyung knew. How could he not know the day that he wanted to race? I'll be fine. Maybe since a lot of the families will be attending memorials we should have the dinner after the race".

"Are you sure?.

Taehyung nodded. His neck and head still protested with occasional soreness that wasn't intense but carried enough punch to catch his attention. He shrugged off the annoyance and continued meeting his staff. Tomorrow he would be a therapy 15 minutes early to get a gentle workout before therapy began.

Although Taehyung had met with everyone, the staff had come to the middle of the warehouse where he normally would hold the company-wide announcements. He sensed their needs for closure on Sam Handfield's case. He needed to get them focus and united. "Just wanted to tell you that you're doing a fantastic job. I did manage to get Gerald Simpson to stopped in next week.

As you know he has been chief and then crew chief for the king of race car driving before retrieving after 40 years.

We are lucky to have him share his expertise. He wants to roll up his sleeves and see what you all are doing. Be sure to make him feel welcome. We're going to close the season strong things to all of your hard work and long hours. Let's not have everything or anyone shift us from our agenda."

Not even Jade "the doc" Park.

The second after her name sprang up in his mind, images of her voted haphazardly around his head. He'd better wind up his speech or he risked sounding like his concussion had caused severe impairment.

Why the heck couldn't she stay out of his thoughts?

The smallest reminder brought up her name. He was like a kid with his first crush who couldn't concentrate on a darn thing. Problem was that he wasn't a 16 year old with acne.

His irritation roast at being invaded by her. Didn't he have a strong immune system that block any obsessive behavior? This behavior was not his style.

Plus she wasn't his type. This time the denial was weak. He frowned. Quite perturbedd over what was supposed to be a fact. She wasn't supposed to be his type. Obviously he'd underestimated her. Shed implanted in his consciousness like an invasion of the body snatchers deepening her hooks to stay in vulnerable space like in his heart.

He rubbed his face furiously in an effort to erase any more thoughts of her.He ignored Namjoon worried looks. No one needed to know the turmoil occurring in him.

Finally he walked to past what used to be Sam's locker in the rear of the building. He open the door and look into the empty space. Not that he expected to see anything. Yet he felt hollow that one of his staff had to be fired. Plus he didn't realize that the young man had problems.

Already he wanted to give Sam a second chance. Behind closed doors he earned the reputation as a pushover. His supervisors, especially Namjoon got on his case more than once about his approach to personal issues.

Maybe he could assist with a detox program.

This business wasn't a multinational corporation for glass ceilings existed between each rank on the corporate ladder. Had he become so far removed while dealing with his medical issues that he'd missed catching Sam before he made his fall?

"You know, boss, he can be easily replaced"Namjoon whispered in his ear.

"That's hardly the point." Taehyung stepped away from the offensive remark.

"You can't manage everyone and focus on racing".

"You have been around me too long enough to know that i don't operate well with the word "can't" Taehyung restrained himself from having a full-blown argument, not when some of the stuff watch them with keen interest. He closed the locker and walk away wishing that he could as easily escape the feeling of dissatisfaction with himself.

His week only mindly improved with addition of John Lewis to his team. The young man had enormous potential and a keen mind. Taehyung saw afamiliar signs of an overachiever. He look forward to harnessing the spunk developing the energy to be a more powerful and effective instrument. He hoped Lewis like hard work.

The therapy sessions continued with Jade and her cool professional detachment. He notice right away that her routine was to start the therapy and then excused herself after giving him an update with Janice the Giant taking over.

Once he couldn't stop himself and he reached out and grabbed Jade's wrist before she exited the room. He wanted to plead his case or some signs of mercy from her glasier effect. The small embrace caught from the P.A nadged him to behave. He muttered a half-hearted apology.

By the end of the week, his body had responded well to the intense rehab for workouts. The waves of dizziness had diminished. The deeper aches in her back or not as intense and he figured that at this point the muscles needed additional time to heal. But every time he got in the car to do his practice runs the fire to push his body and conquer any limitations grew stronger to the point of headiness.

Maybe he was an adrenaline junkie who sought the risky and dangerous to fuel that fire. On the track he look forward to the zone where he settled low becoming one with the car as he navigate treacherous speeds. In his personal life, he didn't have to similar state of success. Too many rules. Too many codes of conduct. Too many restrictions that made the simplest act turn into a minefield.

He couldn't walk away. The cowardly streak had never resided in him and never would. One step in front of the other, he had get to the other side where Jade sat perched in an untouchable fortress.

She jokingly called him a knight once. According to her he lacked the credentials to meet the definition as an elite warrior sworn to uphold values of faith, loyalty, courage and honour.

Well he'd see about that.