Starting Again (A Charles Leclerc Fic)

034 : from korea with love pt3

Bahrain Grand Prix Weekend

Things weren't going as smoothly as they had hoped. Their flight had been delayed twice, much to Max Verstappen's annoyance. He had kindly offered his private jet to them, but they declined. Now, the driver Max had hired was still waiting in the airport parking lot for their arrival. In their defense, Max had already done so much for them—arranging their accommodation, transportation to and from the airport, and ensuring they stayed at the same hotel as Ferrari and Red Bull drivers.

An hour later, they landed in Bahrain. After retrieving their luggage, they rushed to meet up with the driver.

"We're really sorry for making you wait," Katrina apologized.

"No need for the apology, Ms. Hale and company," the driver replied with a smile. "Please allow me to help with your bags." Despite their attempts to decline, he insisted.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hale, but Mr. Max specifically told me to do this. He would be upset if he found out I didn't," he explained.

Max... Katrina couldn't help but smile. She felt incredibly lucky to have him in her life. He was so thoughtful. If only more people could see this side of him, maybe he wouldn't be so misunderstood.

"Okay, thank you for your help," Katrina said, grateful.

They climbed into the car, and after a short drive, they arrived at the hotel. The car was parked at the far end of the lot, and when the driver opened the door for them, they saw Max waiting nearby, his cap lowered.

"Wow, he's fast," Samara remarked. By now, she had learned all the drivers' names, teams, and faces. Max had made sure she remembered so she wouldn't look lost when meeting them.

"How did he know we were here?" Katrina asked, amazed.

"Mr. Max asked me to share my location with him. I'm assuming he's been tracking our progress the whole time," the driver explained.

Katrina, Samara, and Maxie were left in stunned silence.

"Welcome to Bahrain! How was your flight?" Max greeted them, smiling, though his eyes showed signs of exhaustion. The late flight, combined with a hectic media day, had worn him out. It was a long day for everyone—Charles had even warned Katrina that he'd likely be unavailable for most of the week due to the packed schedule. Still, seeing Max, the current F1 champion, waiting for them despite his fatigue made her heart swell with guilt.

"Emilian, you really didn't have to wait for us like this... you've already done so much for us," Katrina said.

Max smiled and opened his arms for a hug, which Katrina happily accepted. If she had to pick the nicest person on the grid, it would definitely be him. Her friends were smiling at the exchange.

"He's not that bad," Samara whispered to Maxie, who nodded and smiled in agreement.

"Emilian, I want you to meet my two best friends," Katrina said. "This is Samara Jade, you can call her Sammy. And this is my original Max, my very own Maxie, Max Versailles."

"It's nice to meet you," Max said to the two girls. "Thank you for convincing this one to attend the race," he added, pointing at Katrina.

"It wasn't easy, but now she's here, so it's a win for all of us," Sammy replied with a grin.

"Hi Max, it's nice to meet you as well. I know it gets confusing since we're both named Max. You can just call me Maxie or Mavi, whichever is easier," Maxie said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you too, Sammy and Maxie. I've heard so much about both of you from Trina," Max said.

"I hope they were all good things," Sammy teased, playfully glaring at Katrina.