Chapter Text
The Formula 1 championship is a spectacle for those who know how to appreciate it. Many people don't understand why it is so beloved by millions; to them, it's just high-speed cars going in circles on a track. However, for those who invest time in watching more deeply and understanding all its intricacies—the ten teams and all the intrigues behind the scenes—Formula 1 becomes captivating and addictive. Its is a massive bubble, and once you enter and get attached, it's impossible to leave.
The drivers, on the other hand, were a show of their own. While the cars were the main stars, it was the drivers who made them shine. They had to be the best, with a thirst for victory and a high level of competitiveness. They needed to prove their worth in every race, as Formula 1 heavily relied on performance, and if the drivers didn't demonstrate it, they were unfortunately cut, with others taking their place. Winning or staying in the top ten positions was what drove them, and they didn't care if they had to go over others to achieve it. After all, it was a competition, and they couldn't lament losses—only move forward, trying to improve.
In that specific season, something not seen in the championship for a long time was happening. Two teams had cars with practically equal power and performance, and fortunately, they had two main drivers who could put on a show on the tracks, creating intense battles. Ferrari and Mercedes, two well-established and respected teams, were competing for the championship that year. It was impossible at that moment to predict with certainty which of them would win. The cars were flying, and Lee Heeseung and Kim Sunoo, the only two Koreans on the grid, were fighting with everything they had to win.
Lee Heeseung was already in his sixth year in F1. He started as a Mercedes gamble, and shortly after, he showcased his potential. Initially brought in as the second driver, in his second year, he demonstrated what he was capable of—winning the championship easily and doing the same the following year. Heeseung was loved by all; despite his aggressive driving style, he was very respectful and earned equal respect. He was someone who would be remembered for a long time.
In his fourth year of the championship, however, Kim Sunoo emerged. He was already known to Heeseung, and to everyone, for that matter, as the current Formula 2 champion. Signing with Ferrari to debut in his first year in the competitive F1, all the spotlight was on him. Sunoo was known as one of the most skilled drivers of his generation. He was cheerful and animated, but on the tracks, he showed his aggressiveness. He was not someone who easily gave up on a race; he fought hard to win, and that's what people admired most about him. And that's what helped him win the championship in his first year and the following year, surpassing Heeseung.
Heeseung and Sunoo had known each other for a long time. Despite a two-year age difference, as pre-adolescents, they raced together in karting championships. When Heeseung was called to race in Formula 2 at the age of 17, they stopped racing together. By the time Sunoo entered the category, Heeseung had already been in Formula 1 for two years and soon won his first championship. However, it was only a matter of time before they would meet again on a track. Both were certain that it would happen in the future.
And in their first race together, they showed what it would be like in the following years. Heeseung and Sunoo had a neutral relationship—not best friends, but not enemies either. They were colleagues and mostly respectful. However, they had exchanged jabs and some insults because no one was perfect. Everyone knew that when the two raced together, there were frictions, and the last one they had was in the race in New Zealand in the previous championship. It was perhaps the worst they had, and after that, their relationship took a different and unexpected turn for others.
Sunoo was leading, and Heeseung was trying to catch up. Sunoo was already comfortably leading the championship, but Heeseung didn't care about that; he wanted to win, and he knew there could always be excitement on the tracks with Sunoo. They were one lap away from the finish, and Heeseung was trying desperately to overtake, but Kim didn't give him an opening. Then, in a split second, everything changed. The front wheel of Heeseung's car touched the rear wheel of Sunoo's, causing him to lose control and go straight into the tire barrier.
"Damn!" Sunoo shouted on the radio, as his car was wrecked in the front, and he had lost the race, as the finish line was already in the next turn. He saw the fireworks go off and pounded his hands on the steering wheel.
"Are you okay, Sunoo?" he heard over the radio, and at that moment, he swallowed his tears. Heeseung was a jerk. "Sunoo?" he heard again, and he sighed.
"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm sorry for this," he apologized with sadness in his voice.
"It's okay, Sunoo. The important thing is that you're okay; the crash was nasty," the team boss said, and he sighed, watching the safety car medic appear right in front of him. He got out of his car and was escorted to the medical car, which took him back to the paddock.
He was a bit dizzy from the crash, but nothing to worry about. As soon as he was released from the medical area, he found Heeseung outside, standing and talking to Charles, his teammate. Then Lee stared at him, with expressions like an enigma for Sunoo, who knew that if he heard the older man's voice, he would explode, and that was almost inevitable.
"Sunoo..." he started, but he saw the younger one's eyes ignite at the sound of his own name. Obviously, he was angry. Heeseung would be too if that had happened to him.
"Sunoo, my ass, Heeseung. Get out of my way," he said louder, pointing his finger in the older man's face, drawing the attention of some people nearby. "You're dishonest, fuck you!" he said, but he didn't believe that; he was just too upset and didn't know how to control himself completely in those situations.
"Watch your language, I'm not like you!" Heeseung responded, the anger growing in him. He could have handled it better, after all, he was the older one there, who had been in that championship for a long time.
He had gone after Kim to apologize, even knowing it was a bit impossible for him to accept it at that moment. Sunoo was angry, hurt by being knocked out of the podium at the end after fighting the entire race for that first place. And he was rightfully angry; Heeseung acknowledged that he had lost control on that lap, but he was as stubborn as his rival and let himself be carried away by the moment, saying things that weren't true, just like he had done.
"Yeah, if you were like me, I wouldn't have ended up in the damn tires and gone to the last place in the race, Heeseung, you screwed up my race," he replied sharply, his body a bit trembling. Heeseung took a deep breath, thinking about how to get out of that situation.
"I came here to apologize for that, Sunoo. I didn't intend to do that, I swear to you," he said, staring at him. Sunoo looked deep into his eyes and knew he wasn't lying; he knew Heeseung's character better than anyone and could never truly call him a villain because he wasn't. But inside, Sunoo was screaming and crying with anger. Heeseung might not have done it on purpose, but he won the race because of it.
"Shove your apologies up your ass," Sunoo thought that maybe that wasn't the most sensible and mature thing to say. However, he wasn't happy or in the mood for that conversation; he was stressed, and it heavily influenced his mind.
"You're impossible," the man sighed, shaking his head. "You manage to be a damn idiot every single time. I don't even know why I came here; you don't deserve my apologies."
"Well, I really am, Heeseung. I thought all these years we've known each other would have already shown you that," he smiled and approached, putting his hand on the man's shoulder. "But remember it's this idiot here who, even with this accident, is still beating you, for the second consecutive time," he said, knowing that it would hurt Heeseung, as despite being a great driver, his season wasn't going well, especially because of his car.
Heeseung's gaze was terrible, and Sunoo felt regret for his words right after, but he didn't let the smile leave his lips.
"You're a real son of a bitch, Sunoo," Heeseung approached him, feeling Charles' arm holding him back, but he let go and got close to the man who was shorter than him but still didn't feel intimidated and maintained his smile. Heeseung pointed his index finger close to Sunoo's face, who crossed his arms. "You're going to regret this."
"Learn to accept others' opinions, I didn't tell any lies." Sunoo lightly pushed him and left after giving him one last look; that had already generated enough, and he didn't want to stay there anymore.
"Learn yourself, Sunoo, you piece of shit!" he said for Kim to hear; Sunoo just waved without looking back as he left the place.
People around started moving again, and a few hours later, their fight was already being reported on some sports channels and Formula 1-focused websites. Heeseung left the place with heavy steps, not talking to anyone and not answering calls. Sunoo did the same, and they became unapproachable on that matter. They were asked about it at a press conference where they were together with other drivers, but they refused to speak.
They never talked about it again, or even spoke to each other. Their contact became only on the track from then on.
In fact, that's what they showed and implied.
Sunoo won the championship for the second time, and Heeseung got the second place, just like the previous year. Heeseung congratulated Sunoo with a handshake in the last race, and Sunoo returned it with a smile, saying he had been great too. Despite that, Lee was extremely hurt by the defeat, and even knowing that the blame wasn't entirely his, as his car had also had numerous problems throughout the year, he took that loss as motivation to win the next championship, and nothing would take that prize away from him, not even Sunoo.
So, after almost four months, the racing season began again, the sixth year for Heeseung and the third for Sunoo. And both would fight for a third championship. That year, Mercedes and Ferrari were side by side with their engines, and it was up to their two main drivers to fight on the tracks. Sunoo felt a bit threatened in the free practices before the official start, but it only fueled his desire to be better, and Heeseung felt more confident than ever.
The beginning had been favorable to Mercedes; Heeseung won the first two races, leaving Sunoo in second. But in the subsequent race, Sunoo came back with everything he had, secured his first victory, and won the next two as well, quickly surpassing Heeseung in points. In the thirteenth race, both had the same number of victories, six each. They had given no chance to anyone else, and their on-track duels were breathtaking. No one knew who would actually win because they were fierce competitors, fighting for the podium as if their lives depended on it.
Even though they had had that fight earlier, they hadn't clashed as they did that day, respecting each other on and off the track. For those expecting intense fights, there hadn't been any more face-to-face exchanges of offensive words. Just a few complaints on the radio, but overall, it was a 'friendly' competition. They even praised each other in interviews, as incredible as it may seem.
The fact was that they knew each other very well, understanding each other's techniques and driving styles. Heeseung and Sunoo were keys to each other's growth, even if they didn't want to admit it to others most of the time. They knew it themselves; they just didn't like to externalize the situation. It was visible to outsiders the effort the two put in when they were side by side, fighting for a podium.
"Sunoo is 0.9 seconds behind," Heeseung heard on the radio and snorted. Sunoo was feisty; there were two laps left in that race, and they had exchanged the lead a few times already. Now, Heeseung would do everything to maintain his position and win. Despite the stress of holding the position, Lee loved that adrenaline, loved competing with Sunoo on the tracks, felt alive and crazy for something, crazy to win. "Sunoo is 0.8 seconds behind," he heard again and smiled, stepping on the accelerator.
"Not here, Kim Sunoo." Lee responded to the team and managed to hold off the overtaking attempt by number 24, who, even with the DRS open, didn't find a good opportunity to pass Heeseung. "Haha, Sunoo, not today," he whispered to himself. He knew Kim must be furious, but that lead was his, and he would keep it; he would win that championship. And he would rub it in Sunoo's face at the end.
Heeseung crossed the finish line first, and shortly after, Sunoo crossed it too. Fireworks erupted behind them, and they watched the bright lights through the rearview mirror. Heeseung returned to the top of the championship, and he was ecstatic. Sunoo took a deep breath and clapped his hands on the steering wheel as he saw his rival's car ahead.
"Sorry, guys, you were great today. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but next time, we'll give it our all again," Sunoo said over the radio. Heeseung, damn it. He laughed, shaking his head; his rival had better be ready for the next race.
"It's okay, Sunoo; you were amazing as always. We'll be with you in the next GP," he heard over the radio. Next week, he would crush Heeseung; his victory motivated him to be better, and at that moment, he thought about what people said about their disputes and could only agree. As if he didn't already know, but he would keep those statements deep in his mind.
The two parked their cars in the designated spots. Sunoo felt his head spinning and his legs weak; the race had been demanding, and he wouldn't lie if he said he was afraid to get out of that car and have his legs not work, as he was sure they were as wobbly as jelly. He took a deep breath and got out of the vehicle, thanking the heavens for having some stability, but his head gave a slight shake again, and he held onto the car for a few seconds.
He took off his helmet, placing it on the car, and as he turned, he came face to face with Heeseung. His hair was stuck to his forehead, and his face was red and sweaty, probably like his own. Sunoo gave a subtle smile. He almost told him to go to hell just because he seemed so confident, but he held onto that feeling; he would take it all out on his accelerator next week. Heeseung saw Sunoo's red face and his challenging eyes; he would come worse in the next race, and that's what he wished.
"Good race, Sunoo," he gave that stupid smile of his, and Sunoo let out a laugh from his lips. Heeseung observed him and saw him leaning on the car, an air of superiority taking over his face. He wanted to beat Sunoo, just as Sunoo wanted to beat him. They exchanged a handshake and a half-hug. A significant evolution that everyone questioned, but they didn't talk about it anywhere.
"You did well too, Heeseung," he replied, being sincere. Sunoo left to go get weighed. After talking to his engineers and giving his post-race interview, they were already in the waiting room for the award ceremony. "I thought you had lost control at that moment," Sunoo said, looking at the images on the huge television, seeing Heeseung's car make a slight turn to the left but quickly return to a straight line. He remembered thinking he would crash when he saw that in front of him.
"I thought that too," Charles, who had finished third, said. Heeseung laughed.
"I almost lost it; my wrist wanted to give up on me right then," he said, sighing and massaging it because it still hurt a bit. "This race is very exhausting, it's so hot, I was frying in the car," he commented, taking a sip of his water, and the other two agreed; it was very demanding, and all the drivers suffered in it.
"Yeah, my legs are like jelly." Charles sighed, kneading them with his hand.
"Same here. I thought I wouldn't be able to get out of the car; my legs felt so weak," Sunoo said, looking at the man beside him.
"So, is that why you took so long? I thought you were upset about the loss," Heeseung stared at him with that mischievous look he had, and Kim rolled his eyes. They had learned to tease each other without wanting to kill each other in those months, and maybe that was the best thing they had gained in that tumultuous relationship.
"I'm going to kick your ass next week, Heeseung; you'll see, you little shit." Sunoo pointed his finger, he was indeed upset about not winning, but he smiled, not giving Heeseung the satisfaction of knowing that, and the older man laughed, taking a sip of water. He liked Sunoo's foul mouth, and he liked seeing him irritated like that; they played without the desire to hurt each other and be nasty for no reason.
They were called for the award ceremony, and it was all as it always was. At least the national anthem was always theirs. The two were the pride of motorsport in South Korea, and they were happy to bring more visibility to the sport there, as it wasn't very traditional for them. After the champagne celebration, they went back down to the paddock. Sunoo felt his leg give way on the stairs, and he couldn't hold onto the railing in time because his head quickly became dizzy, as it did before inside the car. When he thought he would hit a step with his face, he felt something hold him.
"Hey, Sunoo! I don't want you dropping dead on me; I can't beat you that way," he heard from Heeseung and saw his face above his; he held him with one arm, and Charles on the step below turned to help too. Sunoo wasn't feeling well at all, and he had more certainty of that there because it was impossible for Heeseung to be so handsome like that. He stared at the older man's face, who frowned and looked at Charles. "He's not okay, hold this." Heeseung gave the trophy to his friend, who took it, and he quickly put Sunoo in his arms, taking him away from there. Sunoo seemed out of that plan.
"Sunoo?" he heard a familiar voice, but he couldn't concentrate on anything at the moment. He saw Heeseung's beautiful eyes one last time before passing out in the man's arms, who touched his face, getting no response, and that made him panic a little.
"He fainted, fuck, Sunoo?" Heeseung said, touching his face, holding him tighter, and ran with Jules, Sunoo's teammate, who had called his name earlier.
"What happened?" Jules asked as they walked through the paddock corridors to the medical area.
"He lost his balance on the stairs; I caught him before he fell. Then he just stared at my face like an idiot, and I realized something was wrong at that moment." Heeseung replied, and Jules rolled his eyes. They entered the medical area, startling the doctor who was sitting there looking at some papers.
"He probably passed out from seeing your ugly face, Heeseung." Jules laughed, saying, and saw Lee put the man on the stretcher with the utmost care.
"I'm sure he thinks I'm a hottie, Jules. You're the ugly one in this story." Heeseung winked one eye at the other, who shook his head, giving him the middle finger.
"I'll call our team boss." He said and left the room; Heeseung watched the doctor working on Sunoo.
"I think the race drained him completely," he commented, and the doctor agreed. Sunoo seemed to be sleeping, perhaps that was the calmest Heeseung had ever seen him. His features were tired, and he seemed paler than usual. His lips, which were always a vibrant red, were colorless.
Heeseung had a brief mental argument about why he had thought about that specifically, but he was brought back by the doctor's voice.
"Yeah, this track is very challenging, it's very hot outside, making the heat you already face in the car increase." the man said, performing some small procedures on Sunoo, such as checking his blood pressure and eyes. "He's probably dehydrated. Thank you, Heeseung; I'll take care of him from here, you can go if you want." the man said, and he agreed, taking one last look at Sunoo before leaving the room.
Jules and their team boss were hurrying down the corridor. Both thanked Heeseung, who just smiled, saying it was no big deal. He headed to his part of the paddock and changed his clothes; he really wanted to sleep, feeling very tired. After his engineers gave him another round of congratulations, he walked to where his car was. That day, he didn't want any celebration.
He didn't want anyone bothering him. He enjoyed going to celebration parties; they were moments to release the tension that took over him during those three race days. Unfortunately, he wasn't in the mood, and the next weekend, he would have another race, so he wanted to rest.
He started the car and drove to the hotel where he and most of the other drivers were staying. The next day, he would have to travel again, but at least he would be heading to Monaco, where he currently lived and could stay in the comfort of his apartment. Jake and Sunghoon, his two friends who were part of his personal team, were already there, preparing everything for his arrival, and he couldn't wait to see them, as they didn't always accompany him to all the races.
"Congratulations on the victory," he received a pat on the back as soon as he entered the elevator and turned to see Jay.
"Thanks, Jay," he punched his friend's arm and smiled.
Jay Park was a driver for Alpine. Jay was the son of an American mother and a Korean father, and he had lived his whole life in the United States. Despite that, his Korean was excellent, making Heeseung and Sunoo feel very comfortable in his presence. Although the two were almost never in the same place outside the paddock or the tracks, Jay always managed to bring them closer to him, and in one of those instances, he got the two to reconcile after that fight in New Zealand.
Heeseung remembered that night well. They were in Brazil; it was raining heavily on Sunday night, just as it had been during the afternoon race. They were leaving the next day. He received a message from Jay telling him to go to his room; he had bought some food to try and wanted Lee's company. He tried to refuse, but he ended up being convinced. As soon as he passed through the door, he saw Sunoo sitting on a chair by the balcony door, with his legs up on the seat, looking at his phone without much interest.
"Really?" Heeseung asked with a smile, and the younger one just pulled him into the room and pushed him towards the table.
"I knew you were going to call him; you always have something in mind when the three of us are together," Sunoo said without taking his eyes off the phone.
"I have nothing in mind, Sunoo, you think too much," Jay said, going to where he was.
"How did you know it was me?" Heeseung asked as he sat at the table; Kim turned off the phone and stared at him. Heeseung would never admit it, but Kim Sunoo was beautiful.
"I felt the atmosphere getting completely shitty, so it could only be you, dear Heeseung," Sunoo replied with a smile, and the other forgot what he had thought seconds ago, replacing it with 'Sunoo is an asshole.'
"You're a piece of shit," Heeseung sighed, leaning back in the chair. He didn't say that out of anger; it was just a trivial observation he felt like making, and Sunoo smiled, really unaffected by it.
"Stop it; you guys are my friends, and I want to have a moment of peace with you two. Can you grant me that wish?" Jay asked, looking at them from the other side of the table, and they agreed, moving closer to the food.
"And what do you have for us today?" Sunoo asked excitedly. Soon he began to describe what he had ordered, and his friends watched with complete attention. After a while, they were already savoring all the different dishes there and sharing some drinks. "This beer is so good, and I didn't even plan to drink today," Sunoo said, opening another bottle.
"You didn't plan to celebrate the loss?" Heeseung stared at him while eating some meat from one of the dishes and felt a paper ball hit his head. He laughed quietly and looked at Sunoo. The two of them had lost the race that day, decidedly.
"I wanted you two to be friends," Jay sighed, taking a sip of his beer.
"No way." They both said together.
"Actually, I called you guys here with something in mind..." Jay admitted with his hands crossed on his chest, and his smile made his friends roll their eyes.
"I knew it! Predictably gay." Sunoo spoke, and Heeseung let out a laugh from his lips. "Jay, you think I don't know you, but I know your look of idiotic schemes." Sunoo swung the bottle in his hands.
"Sunoo..., apologize to Heeseung," Jay said, and Sunoo laughed amusingly as he took another sip of his drink.
"No, what a dumb plan of yours," he replied and looked at Lee. "You knew I wouldn't accept your apologies, Heeseung. I know you were sure of that, and I don't understand why you showed up there." He said a little indignant.
"I wanted to check if you were okay, Sunoo!" Heeseung blurted out a bit loudly and agitatedly. In the same instant, he regretted it; the alcohol in his bloodstream was having some effect. Sunoo stared at him for a while, contemplating how he had spoken those words to him.
"Just apologize already; I hate walking on eggshells because of your stupid feud," Jay confessed. They looked at each other and turned to their friend. "And I know you guys don't hate each other. Only someone who doesn't have a close-up view believes that. You just have your heads too far up your own asses to admit that you admire each other," he added, and both avoided his gaze. It was easier to lie and continue with that play when Jay didn't speak truths to their faces.
"Sorry," Sunoo said after a long sigh. Heeseung thought he was apologizing to Jay, then realized Sunoo was looking at him. "For calling you dishonest and saying those other things about you losing. I intended to hurt you, but it was ugly of me. I shouldn't have said those things to you...," he said, and Lee widened his eyes a bit. Sunoo was sincere; he had genuinely felt bad about what he had said later.
"It's okay, Sunoo. I also lost control with you. It's all right," he said, shaking his head, and Sunoo gave a small smile that quickly disappeared as he ate a bit more of his food.
The end of that night was spent sharing more beers and desserts. Sunoo and Heeseung felt a bit more comfortable, and Jay was very happy that it had worked out. They agreed to leave all that friction behind, and after that, they started treating each other more respectfully. It was strange for those on the outside who weren't there that night; they never touched on the subject again, neither did Jay. They just started acting as they should have all along. It was a weight lifted off both of their shoulders, and deep down, they thanked Jay like never before.
"Where's Sunoo? He always comes close to you. Did you see him leaving?" Jay asked, looking at his phone. Heeseung realized that no one besides him and the people close to them at that moment knew what had happened to Kim.
"He was in the medical wing when I left, Jay. He passed out in front of me," Heeseung said, and they walked to the floor where their rooms were.
"Really? Wow, I'll call him later then. See you later, Hee, you were awesome today," he patted his friend on the shoulder, who smiled.
"You were awesome too," he replied and headed to his room.
He went to the bathroom, took off his clothes, and soon found himself under the shower. His body ached and throbbed. He sighed, feeling the water fall on his skin, and could definitely fall asleep there. After a while, he returned to the room and lay down on the bed. His sweatshirt covered him entirely, and he curled up in the blankets. He turned on his phone and posted on his social media the text sent by his team about the celebration. He stayed there, scrolling through a few more things until a message arrived.
sunoo lil shit:
i didn't die
don't celebrate too soon, okay?
anyway, thanks for not letting me fall face-first on the ground
but i'll still rub your face on the asphalt next week
have lovely night, jerk :D
Heeseung chuckled while reading the messages and shook his head. At least, the guy was awake and well, very well, indeed. If Sunoo was cursing him and/or threatening him, he was in his most normal state, and that, in a way, put Heeseung at ease. He opened the keyboard to reply.
heeseung:
you're welcome
unfortunately for you and fortunately for me, all you'll see next week is the back of my car, loser
have a speedy recovery
gn :)
sunoo lil shit:
you’re such a scaredy-cat, huh?
you know you can lose to me
and you will lose to me you lil shit
so don't cry, ok?
heeseung:
go to sleep sunoo
i'm not afraid of you
if i want i can beat you with my eyes closed
fuckin’ brat
sunoo lil shit:
boo hoo heeseung is scared
starting to curse at me shows your weakness
knew it? haha, i know
very well
heeseung:
i hate you so fucking much.
you know that too, right?
sunoo lil shit:
yesssss I do
and I hate you even more
heeseung:
it's time for you to go to bed loser
surely, the fainting spell messed with your head
sunoo lil shit:
you go
dream about me crushing you on the track
heeseung:
🖕🏼
Heeseung rolled his eyes and closed the conversation. He was sure that anyone looking at them from the outside would think those messages were exchanged by two teenagers, but no, they were from two renowned drivers in the category. Sunoo made him act that way, and he knew he was probably laughing at that moment for getting him worked up. Heeseung never learned, and Sunoo took advantage of that. He laid his head on the pillow and easily fell asleep.
Sunoo was already arriving at the hotel and hadn't received any more messages. He sighed; surprisingly, he didn't like it when Heeseung got tired too early. But he knew he had probably irritated him, and that was worth something. He followed Jules to his room, supporting himself; when he woke up in the medical wing, he didn't remember anything. The doctor explained what had happened and mentioned that his blood pressure had dropped. He prescribed some tests for him, to clear any doubts.
Sunoo hated hospitals but would go there just not to be impolite to the doctor. He curled up in his bed after taking a shower, already thinking about the race the following week. He would make Heeseung eat his dust and cry on the podium, he fell asleep with that thought.