#protective han

By the end of the week, people had stopped whispering about it — well, mostly. Sean hadn’t.

The garage buzzed louder than usual that Friday. Someone had decided a successful week of races deserved a celebration, which in Han’s circle meant a party. Music blared, cars lined the street outside, and the smell of street food and burnt tires filled the air.

You and Han arrived together — his hand resting casually at the small of your back, the kind of touch that said everything without a word. Heads turned as you walked in. You caught more than a few looks — some curious, some jealous, some downright annoyed.

Sean spotted you first, grinning as he sauntered over. “Would you look at that,” he drawled. “Han Lue, the man who never gets attached, showing up with someone for once. Didn’t think I’d live to see the day.”

Han didn’t even glance at him. “Guess you’re living longer than expected.”

Sean laughed, raising his hands. “Hey, no judgment. Just surprised to see you this domestic.” You smirked. “Relax, Sean. I promise I’m not keeping him on a leash.” Han’s mouth twitched into a smirk. “You sure?”

Sean groaned. “Okay, gross. Forget I said anything.”

You laughed, shaking your head as Sean wandered off to find another drink.

For a while, the party rolled easy — music, laughter, lights bouncing off polished metal. You found yourself leaning against Han’s RX-7, talking with a few of the drivers while Han slipped away to grab drinks.

That’s when it started.

A couple of girls — familiar faces from the Tokyo drift scene — sauntered over, all smiles that didn’t reach their eyes.

“So you’re the reason Han’s been too busy for anyone else lately,” one said, tone light but edged. You tilted your head, polite smile steady. “Guess so.” “Cute,” another chimed in. “Didn’t think he was into… mechanics.”

Your jaw tightened, but you kept your voice even. “Better a mechanic than a backseat driver.”

The first girl laughed — not kindly. “He must really like you. Usually, he’s not the type to—”

“—to what?” Han’s voice cut through the noise before she could finish.

He was behind you, calm but unmistakably sharp, two drinks in hand. The girls froze as he stepped closer, his presence doing what his tone didn’t need to.

“Problem?” he asked, eyes moving from them to you and back again.

The girls exchanged nervous glances. “No problem, Han. We were just talking.” “Mm,” he said, voice low, nonchalant. “Funny. Didn’t sound like talking.”

One of them tried to recover. “We were just saying it’s… new. Seeing you so—” “Happy?” he finished for her, passing you your drink without looking away.

The silence that followed was cutting.

You took the glass, trying not to smile, while the girls muttered quick excuses and slipped off toward the crowd.

Han turned back to you, unbothered, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. “You okay?” You raised a brow. “You didn’t have to do that.” He shrugged. “Didn’t like the tone.” “I can handle myself, you know.” “I know,” he said simply, leaning beside you. “But I like handling it with you.”

You laughed quietly, shaking your head. “Smooth.” He gave a lazy grin. “Always.”

Sean passed by again, catching the tail end of the exchange. “Man, you two are disgustingly cute. What happened to the mysterious loner thing, Han?” Han didn’t miss a beat. “Guess it got tuned out.”

You nearly choked on your drink. “Tuned out?” He gave a half-shrug. “New part, better performance.”

Sean groaned. “You’ve officially gone soft.” Han’s grin didn’t fade. “Nah. Just smarter.”

Later, when the party thinned out and the music quieted, you found yourselves outside, leaning against your Silvia, Tokyo lights painting everything in gold and violet.

“You didn’t have to defend me back there,” you said softly. “I know,” he replied, just as quiet. “But I wanted to make sure they knew.” “Knew what?”

He looked at you — that slow, steady gaze that could stop time. “That I don’t hide what matters to me.”

The noise from inside faded, replaced by the hum of the city and your heartbeat syncing with his.

You smiled, brushing your thumb against the edge of his hand. “You’re getting bold, Han.” He smirked. “You’re worth showing off.”

“You tuned her yourself?” you asked, even though you already knew the answer. He smirked. “Didn’t trust anyone else with your car.” You shot him a sideways glance. “You mean you didn’t trust anyone else to show off with my car.” His grin deepened. “Maybe both.”

The city faded behind you as you wound your way up the mountain roads — familiar routes where you’d once raced, pushed limits, chased adrenaline. Now, it felt different. The air was crisp, still, the world reduced to the sound of the engine and the occasional shift of Han’s voice.

Halfway up, you stopped at a lookout — the same one where, weeks ago, you’d both sat above Tokyo’s skyline, pretending you didn’t feel what you felt.

The view hadn’t changed. The two of you had.

You cut the engine. Silence settled. For a while, neither of you moved. Then Han broke it, voice low, rough around the edges.

“You know,” he started, “the night you crashed… I kept thinking about how stupid it was.” You frowned. “Thanks for that.” He gave a quiet chuckle. “Not what I meant. I meant me. For thinking I could keep things simple.”

You turned to look at him fully. “Simple?” “Yeah,” he said. “You and me. The cars, the crew, the late nights — I told myself it was all just business. Just fun.” He paused, eyes still on the skyline. “But then you stopped showing up. And it didn’t feel like fun anymore.”

Your breath caught — because it wasn’t like him to say things straight out. Han was the kind of man who spoke in metaphors, in silence, in glances that lasted half a second too long.

You leaned back against the hood of the Silvia, heart steady but loud. “You don’t have to say it, Han.” He turned, finally meeting your eyes. “Maybe not. But I want to.”

The quiet stretched between you again, until he stepped closer — close enough that the scent of smoke and mint wrapped around you, familiar and grounding.

“I like what we built,” he said softly. “The cars, the races… but mostly this. Whatever it is.”

You smiled faintly. “You mean the constant bickering and near-death experiences?” He huffed a laugh. “Yeah. That.”

You looked up at him — really looked. The city’s glow caught in his eyes, and for once, his walls were down. You reached out, fingertips brushing his wrist, the same way you had that morning after the crash. This time, he didn’t pull away.

“Han,” you whispered, “you’re terrible at subtlety.” He smirked. “Guess I’m learning from you.”

The air between you shifted — slower, warmer. His hand found your cheek, thumb grazing your jaw the same way it had before, only this time he didn’t stop. The kiss was soft, steady, unhurried — the kind that said you had all the time in the world now.

When you finally pulled back, you rested your forehead against his. “Took you long enough.” He chuckled, voice low against your lips. “You were worth the wait.”

For a while, neither of you moved. The city below glowed like it was burning just for you.

Then Han straightened, that familiar smirk returning. “Come on,” he said, nodding toward the car. “Let’s see if the new suspension holds up.” You laughed, sliding back into the driver’s seat. “You just want an excuse to ride shotgun while I smoke you on the next run.” He grinned, settling in beside you. “Prove it.”

You revved the engine, the night stretching ahead — open road, open sky, no more pretending.

This time, when you drifted through the first corner, you didn’t think about crashing or fear or what could go wrong. You thought about him.

You were sitting on the back bumper of your Silvia, nursing a drink, trying not to look like you were watching him. Han was surrounded — as usual. A couple of local girls had found their way into the mix, one of them perched on the edge of his RX-7, laughing too loud at something he said. Han didn’t seem bothered. He never did. Calm, cool, that half-smile tugging at his lips like he already knew how the night would play out.

You took another sip, forcing your focus back to your car. You’d replaced the brake pads earlier, adjusted the steering column — things that actually mattered. But your stomach twisted anyway.

You weren’t the jealous type. Not really. At least, that’s what you kept telling yourself.

Across the room, Han caught your eye. Just a glance, quick but sharp enough to sting. He held it a beat too long — the kind of look that said he noticed. He always noticed.

Sean wandered over, throwing a rag on your shoulder. “You okay? You look like you’re about to murder someone with a torque wrench.” You snorted, rolling your eyes. “I’m fine.” “Right,” he said, smirking. “Because nobody gets jealous over Han.” You shoved him lightly. “Don’t you have an engine to blow up somewhere?”

He laughed and walked off, and you hated that he wasn’t wrong.

Han finally peeled away from the crowd, walking over at his own lazy pace. His movements were always deliberate — like every step, every word, had already been thought through. He stopped next to you, close enough that the warmth from his body cut through the cool night air.

“Didn’t see you join the fun,” he said, leaning against your car. You shrugged, eyes still on your drink. “Didn’t seem like you needed me over there.” He raised an eyebrow, amused. “You jealous?” You looked up sharply. “No. Why would I be?”

He smiled — slow, knowing, and a little dangerous. “Because you drive better than all of them… but they still think I’m the prize.”

That hit harder than you expected. You rolled your eyes, but your heart wasn’t listening to reason. “You think pretty highly of yourself, huh?” He leaned closer, voice low. “Nah. I just notice things most people miss.”

The tension thickened between you, heavy with the hum of nearby engines and something unspoken that had been simmering for weeks. You could feel his breath when he said it. And then — just like that — he stepped back.

“Race tomorrow night?” he asked, pretending like nothing had happened. You blinked, thrown off by how easily he could switch gears. “Yeah. Same spot?” He nodded, tossing you a small smile before walking away, hands in his pockets, leaving you alone with the sound of your own pulse.