Chapter 24: Midnight Escapades

The world blurred past them as Iris leaned forward, gripping the handlebars tighter as she chased after Luke. The wind howled in her ears, and the rush of adrenaline coursed through her veins like wildfire. It had been too long since she had felt this alive.

Luke was just ahead, his black Harley cutting through the night like a shadow. He glanced back at her, his smirk evident even beneath the dark visor of his helmet.

Iris gritted her teeth. Cocky bastard.

Determined, she twisted the throttle, pushing her bike harder. The distance between them began to close, and as she neared his side, she heard his voice crackle through the comms.

"Impressive, sunshine," he teased, his tone light and playful. "But you're still not faster than me."

Iris scoffed. "We'll see about that."

With a final burst of speed, she pulled up alongside him, their bikes neck and neck as they flew down the empty road. The thrill of competition made her pulse race in a way that had nothing to do with fear.

Then, suddenly, Luke veered off onto a side road.

Iris gasped but quickly followed, trusting his lead. The path was narrower, lined with cherry blossom trees that stood like silent spectators to their midnight race. The city's glow faded into the background, replaced by the soft, pale light of the moon.

Eventually, Luke slowed down, pulling off onto a small hilltop that overlooked the city. Iris followed suit, parking beside him and yanking off her helmet.

"You're crazy," she breathed, her heart still pounding.

Luke chuckled, swinging one leg over his bike as he leaned against it. "You love it."

Iris scoffed, but she couldn't suppress the grin tugging at her lips. She walked toward the edge of the hill, taking in the breathtaking view of Seoul spread out beneath them. The city lights twinkled like a sea of stars, stretching endlessly into the horizon.

Luke joined her, standing just close enough that their shoulders brushed.

"Worth it?" he asked softly.

Iris nodded, exhaling a deep breath. "Yeah. Definitely worth it."

For a while, they stood in comfortable silence, simply existing in the moment. Then, Luke nudged her lightly with his elbow.

"You know, I think this is my new favorite view," he mused.

Iris glanced at him. "The city?"

He shook his head, turning to look at her instead. "No. This."

His eyes, dark and deep, held something unspoken in them—something that made her stomach flip in a way she wasn't ready to acknowledge.

She quickly turned back toward the city, rolling her eyes in an attempt to brush off the sudden warmth on her face. "Smooth, Jeon."

Luke grinned. "I try."

They sat down on the grass, the cool night air wrapping around them like a blanket.

"Tell me something," Luke said after a while. "Something about you that I don't know."

Iris hummed, thinking for a moment. "I used to dream of traveling the world. Just me and my motorcycle, riding from one country to another, experiencing everything life had to offer."

Luke tilted his head. "What stopped you?"

Iris hesitated. Life. But she simply smiled instead. "I guess I just got caught up in other things."

Luke studied her for a moment before leaning back on his elbows. "Well, if you still want to do it, I'll join you. We can ride through Europe, explore tiny towns in Italy, race through the streets of Tokyo."

Iris chuckled. "Sounds like a plan."

And for now, that was enough.