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The bright Singaporean sunlight seeps through the gap between the curtains, illuminating his hotel room. The warmth forces Chan's eyes to flutter open, stirring him awake. He blinks a few times to adjust to the sudden brightness. Unconsciously, Chan grabs his phone, and checks the time. It's 07:20 and Chan makes mental calculation in his mind, he still has three hours before he has to leave for Media Day. Suddenly, his screen lights up, and it's a call from Hansol. Chan ponders should he pick it up or not, but he eventually answer on the third ring.
"Even my boss doesn't call me at seven in the morning," Chan grunts.
"Grumpy ass Channie. How are you feeling?" Hansol asks from the other end of the call.
Chan rubs his bleary eyes, "Sleepy. Why?"
There's a slight pause before Hansol finally speaks again, "You haven't seen the news?"
"No," Chan mutters.
He opens up Twitter and he feels his heart drops when he looks at the list of trending topics as he sees Jeon Wonwoo's name ranked on number one.
"Hansol, why Wonwoo's name is trending?" Chan asks as unease grows in his mind, but Hansol stays quiet.
Chan clicks at Wonwoo's name and he cannot believe what he reads.
Sky Sports F1 @SkySportsF1
It's official: Ferrari confirms Jeon Wonwoo will join them in 2023 season to replace Choi Seunghyun.
His eyes widen and he tries to read the news, hoping somehow it's just a clickbait tweet playing tricks on him. But apparently it's not. It's not April 1 either. It's real. His heart sinks as he absorbs the news. Wonwoo will leave him and he'll join other team next season. Which means he will no longer be Chan's teammate next year. Chan's hand shakes and the phone slips from his grip.
"Chan? You good, mate?" Hansol calls him out and Chan hurriedly grabs his phone again.
"He leaves? Why?" Chan wails shakily.
Hansol asks, "You have no clue?"
Chan knows Hansol can't see him, but he shakes his head. He has no clue. He knows Wonwoo hasn't renewed his contract with their team, but there's still hopeful expectations in him that Wonwoo will still be by his side next season. He curses under his breath. Only three hours left before Media Day shenanigan where he will meet Wonwoo, in which they have to be happy in front of the media and their fans. Or at least, pretend to be happy. Chan feels myriad of things right now, but he knows for sure that it's not happiness.
Chan was eighteen when he met Wonwoo. After finishing as the grand world champion of Formula Two drivers' champion, McLaren gives him offer to be their new driver for the season for Formula One, and Chan couldn't be more enthusiastic to accept it. When Chan turned eleven, before he blew the candle on his birthday cake, Chan wished to be a F1 driver later when he grew up, and had always been wishing for the same things until his eighteenth birthday. So, when he stepped into McLaren's headquarter for the first time, looked at his car for the new season, and got introduced to hundreds of engineers and mechanics in the building as their new driver for the 2020 F1 season, it finally dawned upon Chan that he finally achieved his dream.
Nothing ever prepared Chan for the wilderness of Formula One, not even his F2 racing experiences. It felt like a spotlight was suddenly turned to him, and the world began to watch every single move he made. As a midfield team, no one expected McLaren to be in the top three teams in F1, but their drivers, Jeon Wonwoo and Byun Baekhyun managed to bring McLaren to finish third in the Constructors' Championship, beating their legendary rival Ferrari in the previous year. When Byun's contract ended with McLaren, he decided to move to RedBull, and Chan was brought in to replace him, and he had big shoes to fill, so much expectations placed on his shoulder.
It was the first race of the season, and even though Chan had raced in this exact same track last year in F2, but it was still nerve-racking. What if Chan fucked up and McLaren's team principal realized that he wasn't worthy of the seat in Formula One? Chan knew how intense is the competition for the twenty seats in Formula One, and Chan can't risk to lose his precious seat, after all he had been through. He nervously fidgeted with his hands, his eyes darting around the garage, then he felt a pat on his shoulder.
"Take a deep breath. Don't worry, Chan. You'll do great," that man said, noticing his unease.
That man offered him a warm smile, and Chan's shoulders relax slightly as he takes a deep breath, his gaze meeting that man's. He was looking at Chan with warm gaze, and it wasn't what he had expected.
When Chan signed up to be McLaren's new driver, he knew he would race with Jeon Wonwoo as his teammate. Wonwoo is notorious for his nickname "Ice Prince" due to his reserved and quiet nature, but he is wild and ruthless on track. When he got interviewed, he would just smile politely and spoke a few words before walking away. But, this man beside him, was far from his Ice Prince persona. Wonwoo's hand was still resting on Chan's shoulder, with a genuine smile on his face.
Wonwoo continues, "You're not alone in this, Chan. You got me. That's what teammate is for, right?"
Chan furrowed his eyebrows slightly, "What if I mess up?"
"You won F2, Chan. You're fire, and you need to show the world how great you are. It's now your era to shine," Wonwoo said reasuringly.
Chan nodded, his anxiety gradually fading away. Chan thanked Wonwoo before he walked away to his car. Chan was taken aback when he heard Wonwoo shouting, "Lee Chan, you got this!", that had all mechanics and engineers turning their head to look at the Ice Prince in surprise, and Chan just laughed. He felt something sparking in his mind, or maybe little butterflies flying in his stomach, but he brushed it all off.
On his first Grand Prix, Chan managed to finish eighth, bringing some points home for the team, despite starting from the back of the grid due to mechanical issues in Qualifying, overtaking many drivers with more race experiences than him. It was exhilarating and a great debut for Chan. Wonwoo finished fourth in that race, and he gave Chan a proud dad smile and thumbs up.
Along the way, he learned that the real Jeon Wonwoo wasn't cold like how the media portrayed him to be. Chan was surprised to see how affectionate and caring Wonwoo was towards him. When Chan had to retire his car due to power unit failure, Wonwoo was there by his side to calm him down. When Chan had to overtake Wonwoo in a race and got his first podium ever, Wonwoo just hugged him tightly, telling Chan how proud he was of him, without any hard feelings. The pair grew closer as time goes by, friendship extending beyond the grid. Sometimes, Chan would feed Wonwoo because apparently the Ice Prince often forgets to eat when he concentrates too much, and Wonwoo would ask Chan to game together or join golfing session with his father when they have down time. Having lived eighteen years as the firstborn of the family, Chan finally has an older brother figure whom he can let go of his guard with.
With Chan, Wonwoo began to let go of his Ice Prince persona. He was willing to participate in more promotional PR videos than before, even he started to give ideas for their McLaren Challenge videos. Chan had so much fun filming those challenges, because apparently, Wonwoo was still a competitive shit off-track, like in a competition to eat the most oranges in three minutes. (Wonwoo won). The fans love the McLaren combo so much, and give them cute nicknames like Wonchan Combo, Fire and Ice, and The Four-eyed Cat and Baby Dino. (Chan said he hate it, but deep down, he secretly liked it.)
Wonwoo actually opened up to Chan one time, telling him the reason why he put up his Ice Prince persona intentionally. He wanted media to focus solely on his racing, he didn't like the unwanted attention, thus, he built a wall. But he said, he liked spending time with Chan, so, he wanted to do all those PR contents.
(It turned out to be a blast, according to him. Wonwoo said to Chan that he started to think that he should let go of his Ice Prince image.)
Interviewer: "Lee Chan, you're one of the most interesting F1 rookies we've got in a while. You had amazing podium finish in Baku and you're currently in the top ten! Can you share your secrets of your success?"
Lee Chan: "There is no secrets to it... It's team effort, it's thanks to all the great people in McLaren team, the engineers, mechanics, trainers, crews, who worked so hard this season, also my family's unwavering support through the ups and downs. Also, shout out to my greatest teammate, the warm Ice Prince Jeon Wonwoo. Wouldn't survive here without his kindness, really."
(GQ Sports, 2020)
Chan gets up from his exercise bike. He wipes the bead of sweats forming on his forehead while he checks notification logs on his phone. He has yet to receive texts from Wonwoo. Probably a bit too entitled, but Chan expects Wonwoo to tell him directly that he will leave the team. It's horrible to let a teammate to find out about this through the news. Chan curses under his breath.
When he steps out of his hotel to get ready for the Media Day, he is welcomed by a sea of excited fans chanting his name. Chan appreciates his fans around the globe so much, who care and support him despite Chan speaking language they don't understand, so he always tries his best to give back all the love he receives. Fans approach him to ask for selfies and signatures, and Chan gladly poses for the camera. But, today isn't the day for Chan. He just wants to race, without doing fan services and mandatory publicity events. He just walks through, smiling politely and gives few signatures.
Chan almost loses it when he hears a fan's scream in the cacophony of voices.
"Chan, the Cat is leaving you alone for Ferrari!"
He has to take a deep breath to calm himself down, and just offers them the widest smile he could give. He starts to walk faster until he finally reaches the paddock. It's bustling in the paddock, he can see some members of PR team is busy on their laptops. Chan opens a door, and he sees the team principal, PR manager, and Wonwoo laughing inside.
"Channie!" Wonwoo beams as he greets the younger guy, and Chan forces a smile.
His team principal, Hong Jisoo, and Wonwoo are talking about going to Universal Studios, and Wonwoo jokes it'd be awesome if he can squeeze amusement park visit to his agenda, and Jisoo is actually encouraging him to do that after the race day if Wonwoo still has energy left, and he laughs. Wonwoo seems normal, as if he isn't trending worldwide right now for his bold move. As if he will not leave McLaren by the end of this season.
"Now that Chan is here, let's get talking," their PR manager starts to talk, "For press con, I'm sure they'll ask about Wonwoo moving to Ferrari. Chan, be neutral with your answer, okay?"
Chan scoffs and challenges the PR lady, "Neutral, how?"
The PR lady seems to be calm and collected despite Chan's response, "Wish him well for his next journey. Thank him for good time together in McLaren. In a neutral way that doesn't put us or Ferrari in bad light."
Chan purses his lips and just nods along. He can feel Wonwoo's gaze on him, but Chan avoids it. He doesn't want to look at him. The short briefing for presscon ends, and Wonwoo gets up from his seat. He puts his hands on Chan's shoulder, and the contact makes sends a shiver through his spine, and Wonwoo gently massages Chan's shoulder.
"Your shoulder is so broad now. No longer baby Channie," Wonwoo chuckles.
Under Wonwoo's touch, Chan wants to run away and disappears into the void. He usually likes Wonwoo's soft touch, maybe a bit too much. Wonwoo is always so gentle and soft with him, treating him well like a brother, and he is still now. Chan wants to scream and takes his frustration and anger on Wonwoo, but if he does, Wonwoo will be hurt and Chan does not have the heart to see Wonwoo being sad. So, he'll lie to himself and pretend that everything is okay.
"The real reason why he leaves McLaren is because he's too scared of me overtaking him!" Chan says and the crowd erupts into laughter, and Chan fake laughs with them.
The press conference goes smoothly. Chan answers expected questions about Wonwoo's departure from the team well, as instructed by their PR manager, and even manages to crack some jokes. Chan still holds his happy facade well during the night fansigning. He is genuinely happy interacting with those fans, especially when they say they look up to him.
But, when he got back in the comfort and solitude of his hotel room, his facade finally crumbles. Maybe, Chan can act in a movie for side hustle. Turns out, he can be a good pretender.
It irritates Chan how Wonwoo treats his departure from the team like it's nothing serious and just acts like his usual self. Chan gets angrier when he remembers how Wonwoo just jokes around with the engineers about leaving McLaren for Ferrari. How can they be so unaffected of the news? Why does it hurt him so bad? He feels a lump in his throat, and his chest feels stuffed.
Chan bites his lips. He knows it's normal for drivers to move between teams. Byun left McLaren two years ago, and Chan was able to get his seat on the grid. This season, some drivers already announce their departure from their current teams. Nakamoto Yuta of AlphaTauri also announced that he will move to RedBull for the next season. Liu Yangyang will also make a move to Mercedes next year. Drivers come and go, it should be normal, right?
Chan wonders, why he is so angry?
He knows eventually Wonwoo or him will leave McLaren some time in the future for better opportunities and growth. They should not stay in McLaren forever until they retire. They have briefly talked about this before. It's just Wonwoo will leave so early.
Is it envy? Is Chan angry because Wonwoo is the one who gets offer from legendary team like Scuderia Ferrari, instead of him? Or, is it because the departure feels so abrupt and Jeon Wonwoo doesn't bother to discuss this important matter with him before? Or, is it because some other things, the things that he is too scared to admit out loud?
The cars line up on the starting grid, each driver ready for the intense battle of Singaporean Grand Prix. This grand prix requires maximum endurance and focus from the drivers amidst the high humidity and heat of Singapore, making it one of the most challenging track in the calendar, but it does not make Chan scared. This challenge thrills him more than it scares him. He and Wonwoo starts at P10 and P4, respectively, and it seems like a long stretch, but Chan is hungry for another podium finish after getting dismal results in previous races. He's determined to do so, hoping his car and the track will love him today.
The lights above the starting line illuminate, one by one. Chan stays focused on the track, and when the lights go out, Chan's McLaren leaps forward, his reflex sharp as ever. His eyes scan the track ahead, sees the pack in front of him, and he races with all his might.
"Show them what you're made of, Chan," his race engineer says through the radio comms.
On the first turn, Chan tries to dive down the inside, and with his fast reflex and lack of fear, Chan brakes later than his competitions, and he manages to overtake three cars. He thinks one of these is a Mercedes. Chan smirks triumphantly, now at P7, Chan feels adrenaline rushing through his veins.
"Chan, gap to Park is 3.1. Keep pushing," his race engineer informs him.
Chan continues to push he limits of his McLaren. His car's engine roars in response to his demands, propelling him forward with blistering speed.
"You're doing great. Current gap to Park is 1.2."
His eyes fixates on the Ferrari in front of him. It's DRS zone, and he activates it, his rear wing's flap opening up. The gap between him and the Ferrari ahead gradually diminishes, and he manages to overtake Park.
The voice of his race engineer crackles through the radio comms, "P6, Chan! Brilliant! Keep pushing!"
"Wait, P5 is Wonwoo now?" Chan asks.
"Yes, he's about 4 seconds in front of you."
Chan is hungry to get another taste of that podium again. He continues his relentless pursuit of his teammate. Laps after laps, Chan skillfully drives through all the turns and twists, his focus unwavering, still managing his insane pace. The crowd erupts in excitement for the race of both McLarens.
As they approach a sharp corner, Chan sees the opportunity to attack. With a perfectly timed maneuver, he dives to the inside, outbraking his fellow teammate and making the pass.
Wonwoo, however, doesn't intend to lose to Chan. He also pushes the limit of his car, and now he is back in front of Chan again. He defends his position with equal determination, leaving no room for Chan to overtake. The two McLaren drivers battle fiercely wheel-to-wheel, fighting with their skills with the same car. The fierce battle continues for few laps, and Chan grows more and more frustrated.
"Chan, it's team order. Let Wonwoo pass," his race engineer says firmly.
"Oh, tell Wonwoo to let me pass! Fuck, I'm the faster car here!" Chan curses through the radio.
Approaching Turn 1, Wonwoo skillfully defends his ground against Chan by moving slightly to the inside of the corner. Chan sees Wonwoo momentarily struggles with his car, and he does not waste the rare opportunity. With unwavering determination and focus, Chan makes an attempt to overtake Wonwoo again. He makes a daring move to the inside, but Wonwoo firmly defends his position.
Chan reaches the peak of his frustration, and there's a lapse in his judgement. The anger and disappointment he has kept to himself and buried deep in his heart explodes. The ugly monster inside of him takes over.
Chan's approaches Wonwoo's car, and Chan isn't sure what happened. The two of them may have collided. The two McLarens spin off, causing irrepairable damage to their vehicles. The incident brought an end to their race, with both McLarens retiring from the Grand Prix.
The tension in the McLaren garage is as high as ever. Chan keeps his head down and his mouth shut. He knows it's his fault. He let his emotions to ruin his rational judgement. He walks and walks, with no courage to look at his crews, and gets inside his personal crib.
Chan hears a soft knock on his door.
"Jisoo?" Chan calls out, but the person on the other side of the door doesn't respond.
"It's hyung," Wonwoo finally replies.
Great, it's Wonwoo. The person he doesn't want to meet the most after his fuck-up. Still, he gets up and opens up the door.
"Are you okay?" Wonwoo softly asks him as he pokes his head inside.
Chan stays quiet and gestures Wonwoo to go inside before he closes the door behind him. The awkward tension fills the room. Chan sits on the edge of his bed, and Wonwoo stands across him, back against the wall.
"Do I look like I am?" Chan rolls his eyes.
"Why are you mad? You're the one who crashed into my car," Wonwoo says calmly, but Chan can sense anger beneath Wonwoo's calm facade.
Chan crosses his arm in front of his chest, "It's an incident. I'm the faster car, and you don't give me space to pass."
"You're being strange, Chan. Is this because you're mad because I'm moving to red team next year?" Wonwoo furrows his eyebrows.
Chan feels his shoulder tensing up. There, there, they finally discuss about this topic.
"What if I am?"
Wonwoo frowns, "Chan, if you have offer from RedBull, you'd take it in a heartbeat."
Chan finally snaps. He cannot take it anymore. Rage surges through his veins, and Chan is sure it's going to turn ugly.
"Maybe I am mad. But not because you left! I found out about your departure from the news, Wonwoo! It's so sudden and you don't tell me anything about it. You never discuss about moving to other team with me, but suddenly, poof, you're going to Ferrari! We are teammates, hyung!" Chan shouts loudly, probably the whole garage hears their argument by now.
Wonwoo stares at him with indecipherable expression. Then, his expression softens, his eyes filled with a mix of understanding and pain.
"Yeah, sorry, it sucks to find out that through media. But it's my intent not to discuss my move with you," Wonwoo says, avoiding to look Chan right in the eyes.
Chan scoffs, "Why? Am I not important to you? Fuck, I thought I am your best friend. Or brother. Or whatever you called me in front of those cameras. Is it just all play pretend?"
"You're very important to me, Chan. That's the exact reason why I keep my move to Ferrari a secret from you," Wonwoo says.
This whole conversation makes Chan grows more irritated as it goes by.
"You know how you're not making any sense right now?" Chan asks.
Wonwoo eyes' dart around the room, as if he struggles to find the right words to answer Chan.
"I already signed the contract with Ferrari so I really can't stay in this team, so I can tell you about it now. You know my dream is to race for Ferrari. They offer me a position to replace Choi, and I was so happy. I really wanted it, Chan. I should've signed the dotted line immediately, but I was thinking of the good time I had in McLaren and with you. So, I didn't tell you. Because, Chan, if you asked me to stay with you, I'd drop the Ferrari offer and stay with you."
Chan's anger gradually subsides as he begins to grasp the weight of Wonwoo's words, and he starts to feel the guilt of his action.
"Sorry," Chan mutters weakly, "Sorry for being mad. Uh, sorry for crashing into you. Congratulations, hyung, for the Ferrari move."
Wonwoo extends out his hand "I'm sorry too, Chan. Are we... Are we good now?"
Chan takes Wonwoo's right hand in his own and shakes it, "We are, I guess."
Chan lets go of the warm grasp of Wonwoo's hand, and he nervously fidgets with his hand, "I have something to say."
"Mmm?" Wonwoo murmurs, a smile gracing his face.
Chan keeps his head down and just looks at the ground, too embarassed to say what he is about to admit out loud.
"I was thinking... when you move to Ferrari, Yoon Jeonghan will be your teammate. He is a great driver, smart, fast, and funny. I am not. He is also so good at golf... Then you will play with him and you'll stop hanging out with me..."
When he finally looks up, he finds Wonwoo staring at him fondly. Wonwoo fixes his glasses, before he approaches Chan, and sits beside the younger guy.
"That's so dumb of you. You're my best friend. Stop selling yourself short, you're also a great teammate. You're kind, witty, and extremely fast," Wonwoo says gently.
"I'm childish," Chan mutters to himself, almost inaudible.
Wonwoo cannot resist the urge to squeeze Chan's soft cheeks, so he does.
"Channie, you shouldnt think that way. You know how important you are to me. Damn, you will not think that way if you know how I really feel about you..." Wonwoo trails off.
What I really feel about you.
Chan blinks and realizes the proximity between him and Wonwoo, and he starts to feel a little bit dizzy. Chan has thought about how he feel about Wonwoo sometimes, but he always stops himself before those feelings turns bigger than it should, because even though Chan is known to be a fearless driver, Chan fears a lot of things in his life.
"What do you feel about me?" Chan asks, his voice trembles.
Wonwoo leans closer, and Chan can feel his breath hitching in his chest. It feels dangerous, what they're going to do, but Chan cannot lie how he has imagined himself in this situation in his daydreams.
"Can I?" Wonwoo asks.
Chan gives up and lets himself loose. He closes his eyes.
Not a second later, a pair of plump lips touches his in a soft and slow gentle kiss, expressing Wonwoo's pent up feelings the younger man. Chan feels his heart clenching, and places his hand on Wonwoo's cheek, kissing him deeper. They break apart after a while, breathless but cannot stop grinning.
"I like you, Chan. I don't know, maybe since last year? When you cooked me those meals," Wonwoo smiles, "I'm so sorry I hurt you."
"I like... I like you too hyung. Since the first time we met in the headquarters," Chan laughs.
"You're still competitive!" Wonwoo pinches Chan's cheeks.
Chan kisses Wonwoo again, wanting to get another taste of his lips. This time, it isn't gentle, it's desperate and hungry. They get interrupted when someone knocks on Chan's door. Chan pulls away hurriedly, and Wonwoo sheepishly laughs.
The door creaks open, and it's Jisoo, his gaze filled with concern, "We heard you two fighting. It's quite intense? Uh, is everything okay?"
Wonwoo gets up first, and politely bows to his team principal, "We resolved the issue. We're so sorry."
Jisoo feels relieved and smiles, "That's good. Now you two, go apologize to the whole crews. You two fucked up real bad, that's like thirty points wasted in a stupid crash."
When Jisoo leaves the room, Chan erupts in giggles, "Resolve the issue..."
Wonwoo playfully hits him, "We did right?"
After bowing and apologizing to everyone in the garage, they head back to the hotel, walking together side by side, showing to the public that there is no bad blood between the Four-eyed Cat and Baby Dino combination.
"I'll still be sad when you're gone, though," Chan says softly after he takes photo with fans along the way.
"I'm still here until Abu Dhabi, Chan. When I moved, I'll also still can wave at you during races. Don't be dramatic, baby," Wonwoo says.
The endearment makes Chan's cheek blush. "You're blushing. So cute," Wonwoo says before he gets hit by the younger guy.
Lily @WONCHANIZED
Wonwoo left for Ferrari, and Chan crashed into Wonwoo's rear. It's official guys, I'm a child of divorced parents.
670 Retweets 34 Quote Tweets 8791 Likes
Lee Chan @theleechan
Quote retweeted @WONCHANIZED's tweet.
"No, you're not." with one picture attachment of a cute selfie of Wonwoo and Chan in Universal Studios.
Wonwoo @jeonraces
No bad blood between the Wonchan combo. We apologize for the mishaps, pure mistakes on our part. We'll come back stronger for Suzuka! (Please pray no one will crash into my rear...)
Lee Chan @theleechan
replying to @jeonraces' tweet
Should've @ me! Love you, bro.
MONACO, 2023
The sun shines brightly in Monaco, as the crowd's scream echoes through the air as the Monaco Grand Prix comes to an end. Standing on the podium is McLaren's Lee Chan, who shows incredible pace in the tiny streets of Monaco. Chan can't stop smiling, unable to hide his excitement and joy, as he looks at the crowds. It's overwhelming to see those fans wearing orange chanting for his name, and Chan basks in the beauty of the moment. For the first time in the 2023 season, he wins Pole during qualifying race, and manages to finish third in the Grand Prix. It seems like a miracle, after his mediocre results in the previous races. He has longed to stand on these podium steps again, it's been too long since his last podium win.
Chan looks to his right, and he sees his ex-teammate slash secret lover, Jeon Wonwoo, now wearing red for Ferrari, also standing on the podium steps. Wonwoo manages to overtake Chan in Lap 40 and crosses the chequered flag as the second place. A wide grin etched across Wonwoo's smile, and it's so beautiful, not to mention how his skin glows as the sun casts golden hues on him. Chan is jealous of the sun being able to kiss him like that.
Wonwoo steps forward to approach Chan. He smiles as he pats Chan's shoulder playfully, “Podium in Monaco. That's brilliant, I'm so proud of you."
He pops up his champagne and showers the younger guy. Chan tries to retaliate but it's no use, so he just let himself until soaked by champagne. The cheers from the crowd grow louder, then Wonwoo pulls the younger guy into a tight embrace.
“Can't believe we finally have podium finish together,” Chan says as he wraps his arms around Wonwoo's broad back.
“You deserve this podium so much. You worked so hard fot his, Channie. You've grown so much. Believe in me, it's about time that you win Grand Prix,” Wonwoo pats Chan's back softly.
Chan wants to hug Wonwoo longer, but he realizes that the public is watching them right now. Before he pulls away, he whispers something to Wonwoo's ears.
“I really want to kiss you here on this podium, but I can't. See you in the paddock.”
When Chan pulls away from the hug, Wonwoo's cheek is so red and Chan just smirks. The crowd cheers for him, and Chan smiles triumphantly. The victory tastes even sweeter now, because he has his lover by his side, who's extremely fast and won't let him win easily, despite being the one he kiss behind closed doors. Wonwoo may wear red instead of orange now, but he has shown nothing but genuine support for Chan. He always got his back, and Chan is grateful for his constant and precious presence in his life.
Realization dawns upon Chan, this is why he races. To win. To become victorious. The journey to reach this moment hasn't been easy, but the taste of success is undeniably great and addictive, and it makes him crave for more. Chan cannot wait to see what lies ahead in his future.