Daarin | ダーリン | Oscar Piastri

S2 E8: Her

"Whether you're in your teens, twenties, or fourties, love makes everyone act like fools."

-It's Okay, That's Love

8 June 2024
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Oscar pulled out a chair, looking like he had just woken up. His hair stuck up at weird angles, and his shirt was wrinkled. His arms had the marks people got after taking a really good nap. His voice was raspy with sleep as he slid into his seat.

Matt and Kim shared a mischievous glance before looking back at Oscar with mock disappointment plastered on their faces. They shook their heads slowly, playing up their act.

"Of course, what else would we expect from Mr. P4 Pastry?" Matt quipped, turning to the brunette next to him and throwing his hands up in exaggerated motions, clearly enjoying himself.

Kim, who sat across from Oscar, raised an eyebrow. "Sleeping?" he asked, a knowing grin tugging at the corner of his lips as he brought a glass of water to his mouth.

"No, napping," Oscar replied in his usual monotone, rubbing his tired eyes.

Both Matt and Kim sighed dramatically, rolling their eyes. "Well, order up. The early birds have already caught their worms," Matt said, gesturing between Kim and himself, the table already filled with appetisers.

◇

"Hello? Earth to Oscar?" Matt's voice snapped him back to the present. He was waving a hand in front of Oscar's face. Both Matt and Kim were staring at him with concern.

"Hmm, what?" Oscar blinked. He glanced down at his hands. His burger was practically falling apart from how hard he had been gripping it. "Ah, crap," he muttered under his breath, dropping the burger back onto its plate.

"Are you still thinking about her?" Matt asked, his tone tinged with a mix of concern and curiosity as he passed a piece of tissue for Oscar to wipe his hands.

"Her?" Kim furrowed his eyebrows, his mouth full of pasta.

Oscar shook his head. "I mean, yes? I don't know, I'm so confused."

Ever since that night, his mind replayed the same thing over and over again-his kiss with Emiko. His memory was foggy due to being drunk that night, but he clearly remembered her eyes, filled with a mixture of hurt, confusion, and... longing. But the way she pulled away from him and never contacted him since showed a possible grudge she held against him. He knew she was upset because he hadn't kept in touch, but he was at a loss to understand the depth of her reaction and the impact it had made on her.

He had tried to rationalise the situation, telling himself it was probably just a misunderstanding. But the more he thought about it, the more he was haunted by the thought that he had done something wrong. He tried to backtrack every single interaction they had since they were 16, but the only thing that had gone wrong was them losing contact. However, he doubted that was what caused her to hold a grudge. They had both considered the possibility they would lose contact after that month. So, what could it have been?

"What? Do you still feel a pull towards her? The same pull you guys had when you were 16?" Matt narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Maybe it's the invisible string theory. If that's the case, no worries, your paths will cross again."

Oscar let out a scoff, shaking his head in disbelief. "Okay, Mr. Invisible String. What about Kotoko?"

Matt shrugged, trying his best to look unaffected by the girl's name. He cleared his throat awkwardly before replying. "What about her?"

Oscar's eyebrows quirked up, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Don't act dumb with me. I saw how you looked at her during the party. Your face was green with jealousy watching her dance with that guy. You looked like the Grinch."

Kim let out a sudden burst of laughter, nearly choking on his food. Matt's face flushed slightly as he struggled to find a response.

"That's not-" Matt started, but Oscar waved him off, taking a bite of his now-dismantled burger.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

"So, you two boys have a love interest each. Kotoko and... let me guess, Emiko? They seemed really nice when they came for the Japanese GP. Want some tips?" Kim grinned mischievously. "I used some pretty slick moves to win over my wife, you know."

"No thanks, Dad," the two younger men said in unison, knowing the... out-of-date things Kim had done for his wife. They did not want to be like him, throwing rocks at her window and holding a boombox, blasting her favourite song, to ask her out. They might go to jail for that now.

◇

Dinner finally came to an end, with Kim making his way up to his hotel room earlier, since his wife and children had called him, while Oscar and Matt lingered a little longer, stepping out onto the balcony of the hotel. The night air was cool, and the city lights twinkled below them, casting a serene glow over the landscape.

A comfortable silence filled the air. However, there was a weight to it.

Matt seemed to sense that there was more beneath the surface. "You want to talk about it? Sometimes, it helps to get things off your chest."

Oscar shook his head, though he appreciated the offer. "I'm fine. I just need to figure things out on my own, I think."

Matt nodded and patted Oscar on the shoulder. "Alright, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me. I'm going to head up first. You should, too. We have an early day tomorrow."

Oscar hummed, muttering a goodnight as Matt left, leaving Oscar alone. He leaned against the railing, his eyes scanning the horizon. The distant hum of the city below seemed to echo the chaos in his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the image of Emiko from his thoughts.

Race day was tomorrow, but tonight... and the past few nights, all he could think about was her.