[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 13
Eating together and chatting while walking around was all good.
It was all good, but…
“What is it? Is she a celebrity?”
“She’s really pretty. I don’t think I’ve seen her on TV, is she a model?”
“Isn’t she a trainee from a big agency?”
No matter how much I pretended not to notice, the incessant attention was everywhere.
All of those comments were directed at me.
I understand.
Yooihyun possesses a beauty that could shatter the harsh and rational plausibility of this capitalist society.
With this face, even if she wandered around picking up scrap paper or worked in a logistics center unloading packages, she would somehow succeed.
I wasn’t unaware of that, but experiencing Yooihyun’s external charm firsthand outside was quite embarrassing.
“Oh my, you’re so pretty. I’m not just saying this, you really look good. It’s hard to look this good.”
“When I tell customers this is yours, it’s really yours because you’re so beautiful, whatever you wear looks perfect.”
From common folks to salespeople.
“I’m Jeong Yong-hwan, casting director from JPY agency. Are you considering becoming a celebrity?”
“Excuse me, are you currently affiliated with an agency? If not, please contact us.”
And various management casters.
Every step I took passed unfamiliar people whose gazes were directed at me.
I’ve experienced being the center of attention as an F1 champion before, but this felt different.
The attention on Jin Hyun-woo was about admiration and respect for skill.
Right now, the gaze on Yooihyun was a pull toward the beauty inherent in human nature.
It was a gaze toward pure and perfect beauty itself.
And with her attire simplified to jeans and a white tee, her original beauty was more pronounced.
“She’s practically a celebrity.”
“Stop talking nonsense and let’s go.”
Embarrassed by Jihyun’s teasing, I led my companions outside.
It was early spring, so outside felt cool and a bit chilly.
The sun was setting, painting the sky with rainbow pastel colors.
The happiness and leisure of weekend-goers and the refreshing breeze tickled my ears, easing my previously heavy heart.
“Where are we going now?”
“If we walk along the park, we’ll come across the For One Korea representative team building. Want to check it out?”
“I wanted to walk a bit, so this works. Let’s go.”
I didn’t particularly want to see anything related to For One after coming out, but the park looked beautiful, and the three people apart from me seemed to like it, so I followed along without objections.
The park was connected by a trail around a large lake.
Jihyun and Park Ha-jin walked ahead chattering, and I naturally ended up walking side by side with Kang Ho-yun.
“It feels different walking in a park like this after only seeing each other at the circuit.”
“Right? We’re always talking about braking and DRS, and now we’re walking in a park.”
Looking up at Kang Ho-yun, I realized how close we had become in such a short time.
A relationship that began with a contract based on mutual interests had transformed into one of trust and belief.
That was because our passion for For One and F1 was the same.
When I felt that he was a human like me, I thought how nice it would be if someone like him were a colleague.
“Feel free to speak comfortably.”
“Yeah. I always found it awkward calling you senior. Should I just drop that, Ho-yun?”
“Do as you wish.”
For me, who suffered from an indescribable discomfort every time I referred to Kang Ho-yun as a senior, it was a satisfying proposal.
“What are your thoughts on the official For One competition starting in two months?”
“The official For One competition? What’s that about?”
“It’s a tournament held by For One. It’s almost similar to real F1. Teams made up of two drivers compete in qualifying rounds, and a total of 20 teams advance to the main event.”
If it’s similar to actual F1, it’s easy to understand.
Since this is the 31st year, there will be 31 seasons, and I don’t know how many Grand Prix races will be held, but it will roughly be divided into about 20 races over 10 months.
1st place gets 25 points, 2nd place gets 18 points…
The one who accumulates the most points by the end of the season wins the championship.
“But if there’s a For One Korea representative team, how can you participate? Don’t you need to be part of the representative team to join?”
“That’s not necessary. As long as you’re in the top 100 of F2, you qualify to participate.”
For One indeed prioritizes skill, even for first and second places.
By the way, there must be a reason Kang Ho-yun brought up this topic with me.
“Then, oh… I’ll just call you senior. You’re participating too, right?”
“Yeah. But I don’t have anyone to pair with. So, about that…”
“Are you suggesting we team up?”
I interrupted, as the follow-up was too obvious.
Well, I’d think the same if I were him wanting to team up with someone like me.
Looking at Kang Ho-yun’s expression, it was colored with a mix of remorse and embarrassment.
It’s understandable since even now, although he ranks higher than me, achieving F2 and beyond to F1 is just a matter of time.
I’ve dominated him at the Paul Ricard Circuit, winning overwhelmingly while being ranked around 500.
Asking someone of such a different level to team up must be a bit embarrassing for him.
Knowing that, I interrupted.
And I had already made my decision.
“I…”
I intentionally paused to tease him, and his expression turned anxious and worried, which was quite amusing.
“I want to be on the same team as you. But…”
“But?”
“What’s the purpose of entering the competition? It’s to win. Realistically, it’s possible we could even get eliminated in qualifying. I’m not doubting your effort, but results don’t always equate to effort.”
That was reality.
Even if, by some means, I made it through the qualifying rounds with a solo performance, trying to win with Kang Ho-yun, who ranks around 500, in a competition where two people make a team would be impossible.
If I genuinely wanted to win, he would have to rank at least within the top 100, ideally in the double digits.
I stopped walking and said to him in a low voice.
“At least top 50. If you make it into the top 50 by the time the qualifying rounds happen, then we can participate together.”
In my heart, I was thinking that even making it into the top 100 would be enough, but when negotiating, I needed to set a higher goal.
Depending on whether he accepts or declines it at this point, I could gauge his eagerness.
And I knew he wouldn’t decline.
“I’ll try. I’ll even push myself to get there.”
“Good. I’ll help you out, so see it through to the end.”
We held hands at the edge of the park.
*
*
*
As the sunset faded on a weekend afternoon.
A special event was underway in front of the For One Korea representative team building.
The event’s name was, Beat the Driver!
If you raced against a representative team driver and won, you would receive an outrageous prize, but no matter how good you are, you can’t possibly beat a driver.
In reality, it was an event meant to provide fan service, allowing fans to race on the same circuit as the drivers.
“Next, if anyone wants to race with Han Juhyeok, please raise your hand! We’re running this with a temporary account, so it’s fine if you don’t have an account.”
To show the popularity of For One, the place was crowded with people standing shoulder to shoulder.
The event host’s voice echoed through the speakers, and numerous hands shot up in unison.
With so many applicants, it was challenging to choose just one.
The host found himself in a dilemma.
If the number were small, he would have people play rock-paper-scissors to reduce the numbers, but there were too many, making it impossible to control, so he passed.
If there were seating numbers, he could call out the numbers, but given that it was an impromptu event and far more people showed up than planned, that was also impossible.
That said, selecting just one individual would inevitably lead to complaints.
In such circumstances, it was ideal to pick a noticeable participant to draw attention away from the crowd.
Being noticeable usually meant being good-looking or having a great physique.
The host, who was scanning the crowd for a participant to quell potential criticism, quickly found the perfect candidate.
Amid the swarm of people resembling ants, a woman with a striking white face stood out like a full moon, radiating brilliance.
“That beautiful woman in the center with long black hair and a white tee!”
Even though she wasn’t raising her hand, that detail didn’t matter to the host.
The woman was awkwardly fidgeting, unsure if she was being called.
“Yes, is that you in the middle? Please come up!”
The crowd turned to follow the host’s finger, and there stood a beauty who looked more like a celebrity than an actual celebrity.
Jin Hyun-woo was Yooihyun, and Yooihyun was Jin Hyun-woo.
So, it was her.
*
*
*
Walking through the park and watching the For One Korea representative team event was all good.
It was all good until then.
Until the host pointed at me.
“Come on up! You need to come up quickly so we can have one more! You seem shy, let’s give her a round of applause!”
The cheers and applause of the people urged me on.
This situation was so burdensome and embarrassing that I didn’t know what to do.
“Yooihyun, quickly, go up!”
“Ah, this is funny. With this many people, how could you get chosen?”
The three were clapping louder than anyone else, enjoying themselves.
No, at least you, Jihyun and Kang Ho-yun, shouldn’t be doing that.
You know who I am.
KING, that’s who.
Still, I was relieved that it would be a temporary account, so my identity wouldn’t be revealed.
The thing I worried about the most was myself.
I couldn’t reveal my skills in front of so many people, so I’d have to restrain myself, but racing against a representative team driver ranked 79th, would I be able to control myself?
When I meet a skilled opponent, my competitive spirit ignites without regard for the situation.
“No, Jin Hyun-woo. You have to hold back, hold back…”
No!!!
I can’t hold back!!
“Hold back!!!”
It felt like an endless struggle between Bruce Banner and the Hulk for control, as the conflict raged on.