-"¡callarse la boca!" -"Hazme."

HoonKi: You look good(but you look better on me)

Sunghoon grits his teeth.

Fuck.

He cannot believe he lost that. He was doing so fucking well during the race—he pushed and pushed and got so close to that guy—Nishimura. So close he even managed to overtake him. But for that, he had to have all four of his tires over the curbs, past the racing lines, against the rules, yadda yadda. He had been biting his lip from the moment he passed him. He was glad—back on pole and ready to bring home the first victory of the season, but he feared it’d get back to him.

Then, over the board radio, he heard his engineer tell him to give the position back: Let Riki overtake you. Don’t risk the penalty.

It was so unfair. “Leaving the track to gain an advantage,” that’s the rule.

So, given the good, professional driver Park Sunghoon is, he gave the position back and did everything in his power to overtake Riki again. To no avail. The Shakir circuit is not a circuit made for overtaking. It’s all strategy—when do you pit, when do you wait, switch positions with teammates, which tires to use now, how long will they last.

Shakir isn’t made for that, Sunghoon knew. He had trust in his team to make the right strategic decisions. He started from pole! He had to bring this home! But Mercedes was smarter.

They weren’t faster, they were smarter.

They weren’t faster, there’s so much potential for the rest of the season—everyone keeps telling him. Sunghoon smiles, Sunghoon nods. Sure, their race-pace is insane this year, the RB16—his gorgeous car—is faster than even its predecessors. The motor is strong, and Mercedes’s motor is strong. They’re so well matched. It promises a lot for this season.

Just the idea of the fights that he and Riki will have on track makes his fingers itch with excitement.

But now, walking through the paddock after he left the stage to get his big, wonderful second-place prize, he feels nothing but frustration.

He’s not angry at Riki, of course not. The guy did nothing wrong. He’s angry at himself and the only person he can take it out on is Riki. Big difference.

So here he is, walking past his own Red Bull part in the paddock and heading straight for Riki’s mobil home. There are a lot of questioning gazes thrown his way, but Sunghoon doesn’t see it. He has a goal, and he just wants to talk.

With balled fists and his cheek between his teeth, he knocks on Riki’s door. It opens on its own as if it wasn’t closed properly. Sunghoon lets himself in, closing the door after him.

Nishimura Riki, 4th-time world champion, undefeatable driver of Mercedes (who even is the other driver, honestly), and absolute vision, stands before Sunghoon. The fact that he’s accomplished that much at his young age is an amazing feat in itself.

He’s leaning against a little bar that Mercedes gave his mobil home. His left hand is on the counter, a glass of water in his right hand, and his race suit is unzipped and hanging loosely on his hips.