In the bustling crowd, no one cared about a GP3 driver. No one cared about an F2 driver, either. In Monaco, surrounded by celebrities, they were nobodies, indistinguishable from any other passerby.
And yet, Charles Leclerc spotted Kai immediately.
Maybe he wasn't the tallest, and he wasn't dripping in jewelry or surrounded by an entourage, but there was a casual, effortless aura about him that quietly radiated light. You didn't even need to see his face; just a glance was enough to make you look back for a second one.
"Kai!"
Leclerc raised his right hand, ruffled his still-damp hair, and strode forward, not hiding his surprise.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Maranello."
Kai shrugged lightly, his face serious. "I received a VIP invitation. It would have been rude to refuse, so I reluctantly came to watch the race. Giving F1 a little face, you know."
His deadpan delivery stunned Leclerc. He actually believed it for a second.
It wasn't until he saw the laughter dancing in Kai's eyes that Leclerc realized. "Ha! You almost got me."
Kai shook his head. "Charles-who-is-pronounced-Charles-in-French, you are too honest. You're going to get kidnapped in Maranello if you're not careful. Lots of swindlers there."
Leclerc: ...
"Haha!" Kai couldn't hold it in anymore. "You should see your face."
Leclerc spread his hands helplessly and looked up at the sky.
Kai laughed even harder but decided to stop bullying the honest guy. "But what about you? Why are you at a hotel? I thought you were from Monaco."
Monaco was Leclerc's home turf. Kai had assumed he would be staying at his own house.
Leclerc waved a hand. "I don't have my own apartment yet; I still live with my parents. I did stay home for a few nights earlier this week. But the race weekend schedule is different, and I didn't want to disturb their routine. My dad hasn't been well lately... he needs rest. So I moved into the hotel with the team..."
As he spoke, Leclerc's expression darkened, the light in his clear eyes fading.
But only for a second. He took a deep breath. "Sorry, I shouldn't talk about this..." He rubbed his eyes, forcing a smile.
Kai returned the smile. "No, you don't need to apologize. Your father... he must really want to see you win here, right?"
Leclerc nodded, shrugged, mumbled something, tried to speak, but found the words stuck in his throat. Realizing he was losing composure, he quickly covered it with a smile. "Yes, he does. They'll be watching from the apartment. You know, we can see the track from our window."
Kai: "Ah, the privilege of Monaco residents. Watching F1 without buying a ticket. Every family here is the envy of the world."
Leclerc chuckled at the teasing tone. "If you want, you can come watch from my balcony. No crowds. And my mom would be very happy to feed you fruit and dinner until you gain five pounds."
Kai remembered last Christmas, when the Leclercs hadn't forgotten to send him a gift. "Actually, that's perfect. My mom insisted I visit your family to thank you personally for not forgetting me at Christmas and New Year's."
Leclerc was confused at first, then realized Kai was being serious, and started to politely decline.
But Kai cut him off. "My mom is serious. She prepared a gift herself. If I don't deliver it, I might not be allowed back home this year. Charles, you have to help me out. Although I highly suspect you won't have any use for the gift... it might just be clutter."
Leclerc looked shy but couldn't help laughing. "My mom is the same."
Kai clapped Leclerc on the shoulder. "Then it's settled. After the race, find a time, and I'll pay a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Leclerc."
Leclerc rubbed his arms, wincing. "'Mr. and Mrs. Leclerc'... oh god."
Kai spread his hands. "I'm trying to play the good boy, okay? Don't blow my cover."
Leclerc snickered, his mood finally lifting. He stopped joking. "Where are you heading? Do you need a guide?"
Kai: "I don't know, do I? I'm going for a jog. I took the early train this morning and haven't done my daily training yet."
Leclerc understood immediately. Kai was lazy and casual about many things—he didn't spend all day in the simulator—but when it came to training, he was the most disciplined person in Maranello.
Quality over quantity. He never missed a session. If he missed a morning run, he made it up later, without fail.
So, while Kai might seem lazy, in Leclerc's eyes, he was also the most self-disciplined person he knew.
Leclerc thought for a moment. "I'll go with you."
"It's a race weekend. Streets are blocked, construction is everywhere. It's easy to get lost. I'll run with you."
Kai wasn't actually worried about getting lost—getting lost was just an opportunity to see new things, that was his philosophy.
But he noticed the restlessness in Leclerc. He was clearly still worried about his father. Maybe he needed to burn off some energy to focus on the race.
"That would be great," Kai said. "Thanks, Charles-who-is-pronounced-Charles-in-French."
Leclerc caught the tease and rolled his eyes.
They left the hotel and jogged toward the coastline.
"So, how was practice today?" Usually, talking while running disrupted breathing rhythm, but sometimes they did it on purpose to increase the load.
Leclerc exhaled slowly. "First."
"Wow!"
"I grew up here. I know every corner of this track. Look, over there... see that? That's my elementary school."
"No wonder. So, can Monaco dream of a home victory?"
"That's the goal. But... sometimes wanting it too much adds pressure..."
Chatting and jogging, Leclerc was opening up. But suddenly, Kai stopped, grabbing Leclerc's arm.
"Charles, look. Is that guy about to fall?"
Following Kai's gaze, they saw a figure standing on the railing of a yacht, teetering precariously, looking like he was ready to fly away with the wind.
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