Hunter carefully turned over, catching a glimpse of Winston’s face. He then realized that the entire blanket was wrapped around his own body, leaving Winston’s back bare.
And you told me to be careful not to catch a cold! You’re the one who’s going to get sick doing this.
Hunter lifted the blanket and tossed it toward Winston.
“You’re awake?” Winston opened his eyes and looked at him.
“Yeah!” Hunter sat up cross-legged and looked out the window. “I wonder what time it is.”
The moon shone brightly in the soft, luminous night sky. Moonlight fell upon the pond, steam rising from its surface, making everything look hazy and beautiful.
“It’s 10 pm.”
“Huh? It’s ten already and I haven’t done anything?” Hunter’s face showed surprise.
Winston turned sideways and rested his chin on his hand with a smile. “So, what else did you want to do?”
“…It’s so quiet here.”
“Yeah, so if you moan, it will be obvious.”
“…Not this again.” Hunter gave him a half-hearted kick.
But to his surprise, Winston grabbed his ankle. It happened so fast that Hunter couldn’t react in time.
Just as he was about to pull his foot back, Winston pulled him closer.
“Hey, stop playing! What if I get a cramp?”
“Didn’t you do flexibility training?” Winston asked flatly, but his grip on Hunter’s ankle didn’t loosen at all.
“No way! Flexibility training is to prevent muscle strains during races! Who casually pulls their legs up so high anyway!”
“Is this high?” Winston lifted Hunter’s ankle even higher.
His loose yukata pants slid down, giving Winston a clear view inside.
“Let go!” Hunter propped himself up on his arms, trying to scoot back.
But Winston held him tight, not budging an inch.
“How about this?” Winston deliberately bent Hunter’s knee and pulled it in another direction.
“I’m going to kick you!”
Winston still didn’t let go.
Frustrated by his utter defeat in their strength contest, Hunter slightly bent his knee and kicked Winston’s shoulder hard.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you!”
As expected, Winston released his grip. He dodged slightly, and Hunter’s foot brushed past his shoulder. But unexpectedly, Winston caught Hunter’s calf and lifted it onto his shoulder, then slowly leaned towards him.
“Both legs raised on shoulders burn at least 26 calories per minute. Want to try?”
This guy was starting to tease him again.
Hunter angrily kicked his other leg at him, but to his surprise, it was caught once more.
He was so fast! Was this guy Winston some monster?
“You don’t dare kick me with full force because you’re afraid of hurting my shoulder.”
Winston’s smile was thin, but Hunter felt this guy was getting cocky.
“Let go! Or I’ll really beat you up!” Hunter threw a punch.
Winston released Hunter’s calf and quickly grabbed his fist. Hunter had just put his leg down when Winston suddenly pulled, causing Hunter to fall onto him.
Winston held Hunter’s waist and lifted him, placing Hunter’s body on top of his own.
“Sitting position, about 60 calories per minute, but you’ll definitely exceed 150.”
Winston’s voice was right next to Hunter’s ear, his breath warm. Even without turning his head, Hunter knew the other was smiling.
“Do you want to die!” Hunter pushed against Winston’s shoulder and abruptly stood up.
But to his surprise, Winston caught his waist just in time, and his lower body collided with the tip of Winston’s nose.
The moment that part grazed the tip of Winston’s nose, Hunter almost face-planted onto the floor.
“No… It’s not my fault… You tricked me…”
Serves you right! Old pervert!
But Hunter subconsciously felt that Winston wasn’t angry.
Winston simply turned his face away and smiled.
“Smile again, and I’ll really punch you!”
“You can’t beat me in a fight.” Winston calmly stood up and opened the door to the booth.
At this time, a woman in a kimono entered to clear the table.
“Want to go back to the bedroom now?” Winston asked.
This guy was too good at acting like the embarrassing thing from just now had never happened.
“No way!”
Hunter was a little angry.
“Then do you want to burn some calories?” Winston asked with a smile.
Damn it, now whenever Hunter heard “burn calories,” he would think of things he shouldn’t.
Seeing Hunter’s agitated and silent demeanor, Winston patted his shoulder. “Let’s go play ping pong. Do you know how?”
“I don’t! Teach me!”
Hunter followed Winston out of the booth.
The ping pong room required a long walk through a corridor as it was quite far from the guest sleeping quarters.
Hunter walked, taking in the scenery outside the building.
His and Winston’s shadows were cast on the walls of the corridor.
Hunter deliberately reached out and pretended to push Winston, causing their shadows on the wall to merge together.
“You’re such a child.”
Winston suddenly stopped, causing Hunter’s hand to actually press against his back.
“You didn’t just find that out today,” Hunter smiled nonchalantly.
His palm could feel the warmth of Winston’s body.
When Winston continued walking, Hunter’s hand suddenly felt cold, and a sense of loneliness welled up within him.
When they entered the ping pong room, the lights were bright and the space was more spacious than the dining booth from earlier.
There were four ping pong tables in the room, but aside from the two of them, there were no other guests at the hot spring inn.
Winston came to his side, teaching him how to hold the paddle and explaining the points where the ball would hit the paddle.
His hand slowly moved down from Hunter’s shoulder to his waist, gently pressing against him from behind, showing him how to twist his waist when hitting the ball.
If it were American history, Hunter had no talent whatsoever. But when it came to ball sports, Hunter’s athletic skills could be considered fairly developed.
He tried hitting a few balls with Winston. Either the balls didn’t clear the net or he missed them completely.
But Winston was patient, watching Hunter pick up balls all over the court.
Hunter gradually grew more and more frustrated.
“Hey, are you deliberately hitting the ball where I can’t reach it?”
“Isn’t that how ping pong works? If I hit the ball where you can reach it, how am I supposed to win?” Winston asked, leaning against the table.
“…But then I have to keep picking up the ball!”
“Picking up the ball is good exercise,” Winston said.
“You just want to see me tired!” Hunter rolled up his sleeves.
Just wait, soon I’ll make you run around for the ball!
“I don’t want to see you tired. I just want to see you bend over and stick your butt up,” Winston said.
“Huh?” After pondering for two seconds, Hunter’s eyes practically shot fire in anger. “You bend over and wiggle your butt!”
As it turned out, Winston was just intentionally trying to see him “pick up the soap”!
Winston chuckled and hit the ball towards Hunter with his paddle.
Hunter felt that ever since they had reconciled, this guy’s shamelessness seemed to have reached a new level.
He sighed…
Winston waved his paddle, signaling “again”.
Hunter’s shots improved steadily, and Winston could no longer easily defeat him within a few rallies.
“Yay!”
Hunter finally hit a winning shot that Winston couldn’t return.
He thought it was Winston’s turn to pick up the ball, but to his surprise, this guy simply raised his chin nonchalantly, indicating that Hunter should retrieve it.
“Why am I still the one picking up the ball! It’s obvious you couldn’t return it!”
“The ball bounced to your side.”
“I’m not picking it up!” Hunter decided to stick to his principles.
“Suit yourself.”
Winston directly took out another ping pong ball.
Hunter’s frustration grew exponentially.
The ball hadn’t bounced far from him.
Winston looked at Hunter, sighed, and slowly walked over before bending down.
Hunter’s heart leaped: Ohhhh! I’m about to see Winston pick up the soap!
But to his disappointment… Winston knelt on one knee. The way he picked up the ping pong ball was truly elegant, completely different from his own foolish bending over to retrieve it…
Why hadn’t he thought of picking up the ball that way?
But Winston turned to look him up and down, a sly smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“What are you smiling at?” Hunter furrowed his brow.
“Your little Hunter is cute.”
Hunter froze. Did Winston see it through his pants?
As soon as he lowered his head, he realized he’d been tricked again. Given Winston’s height at that moment, there was no way he could have seen through Hunter’s trouser cuffs.
“It’s almost midnight. We should rest,” Winston said, pointing to the clock on the wall.
“Mm, alright. I’ll go take a shower, then it’s bedtime!”
Hunter returned the paddle to Winston and stretched his arms lazily. As he lowered his arms, his shirt collar fell open on one side, the strap having loosened during their ping pong match.
Hunter yawned and was about to open the door to leave when Winston gently tugged on his collar.
“Be careful not to catch a cold.”
Winston pulled his collar back up.
“Thanks.”
“But your shoulders look good.”
“Huh? What?” Hunter turned around, surprised. It was the first time he heard Winston compliment something as good-looking.
“Makes me want to take a big bite,” Winston said, walking past Hunter calmly.
“…” Hunter watched his back and let out a long sigh.
If you’re so good, just tell the whole world you’re a pervert!
The room Winston had booked was a tatami room for two.
The futon was already laid out, and at first glance, it looked very inviting.
“Why is there a rose on the tatami mat?” Hunter asked, tilting his head.
“Probably because when I booked the room, I said it was for two people. They might have misunderstood us as a couple or lovers.”
Winston picked up the rose. “You don’t like roses?”
“…I’m a guy. I don’t have any favorite flowers!”
“Then let’s just throw it away. Having a single rose does seem out of place.”
Winston was about to walk towards the window when Hunter quickly grabbed him.
“Never mind! Since it’s already here, it would be a shame to throw it away without anyone appreciating it.”
Hunter took the rose and placed it back on the pillow.
Some things are born fragile and beautiful, perhaps so they can be protected.
“Hunter, you’re really gentle and softhearted,” Winston said.
“What about you? If it weren’t for me, would you have thrown it away?”
“If something doesn’t suit me or isn’t what I want, I won’t bother with it.”
Hunter lowered his head, vaguely sensing Winston’s resolute and ruthless side.
“I’m going to take a shower!”
“Go ahead.” Winston took out his phone and started browsing the internet.
Hunter quickly rinsed under the hot water, changed into a new robe, and returned to the room.
He dried his hair as he walked over to Winston and found him scanning news about oil and financial contracts.
“Wow, I don’t care about any of that.”
Winston lightly rested his arm on Hunter’s shoulder. “You need to know how to manage your assets properly so they can grow. Otherwise, even if you become a top racing driver earning millions annually, you’ll quickly spend it all.”
“Is all your money invested in stocks?” Hunter asked curiously.
“Mm.”
Hunter was the type to live in the present, but it was clear that Winston had a forward-thinking mindset.
“So, are you planning to go into business someday when you leave Formula One?” Hunter asked, intrigued.
“Not sure, but whatever I do, I need to have plenty of time.”
“To enjoy life?” Hunter tilted his head and asked.
Winston smiled. “Not just to enjoy life, but to keep an eye on a restless heart.”
“A restless heart? Is your heart restless?”
Winston’s smile lingered on his lips. He didn’t answer Hunter’s question and went to take a shower instead.
Hunter followed him. “If that’s the case, how about I give you my salary and you can manage it for me?”
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll run off with the money?”
“No, you wouldn’t do that.”
“What if my business fails and I go bankrupt?” Winston’s voice came from the other side of the door.
“As long as… as long as you don’t become an alcoholic and do something stupid like my dad… we can start over. We can earn money together to pay off the debt!”
“Fool.”
Hunter heard the shower turn on. Winston’s word, “Fool,” seemed to prick his heart.
He couldn’t help but wonder what Winston meant by “fool.”
Did he mean that Hunter didn’t understand money management or that he was foolish for trusting people with financial matters too easily?
Several minutes later, Winston came out. Seeing Hunter still standing not far from the door, he asked, “What’s up?”
“Why did you call me a fool?” Hunter asked.
Winston turned his face away, his shoulders shaking slightly. It was the first time Hunter had seen him laugh.
“What’s so funny? Do you think I wouldn’t be upset about you calling me a fool?”
Winston leaned down, picked up the rose, and gently touched Hunter’s face with it. “You don’t need to give me your money. Do whatever you want with it. Buy back the house you lived in as a child. Most importantly, get a new car. Your old Jeep is prone to accidents.”
“That’s the car my family used to go on trips in. I don’t want to get rid of it.”
“The garage at that house is huge, isn’t it? I remember it could fit three cars. Keep one spot for the old Jeep and buy new cars for the rest.”
“And leave a spot for you,” Hunter said with a smile.
It sounded as if he had already bought the house back.
Winston’s fingers paused, and then he tucked the flower behind Hunter’s ear. “No matter what, as long as you live well, I will make sure you have everything in this life.”
Hunter’s heart skipped a beat.
As he took the rose from behind his ear, Winston lifted the blanket and sat down.
“Hey! Don’t say things like that! It makes me less motivated! And… and it’s like a marriage proposal!”
Hunter lifted the blanket beside him and sat down too.
“Didn’t I say that I would buy you a big diamond ring in Dubai?”
Winston lay down under the blanket and closed his eyes.
“I said I don’t want it!” Hunter stuck his foot out from his blanket and into Winston’s to kick him.
As expected, before he could exert any force, Winston caught his foot.
“Let go.”
“Then take it out yourself.”
Hunter gritted his teeth and sat up, lifting Winston’s blanket to pry his toes free.
After freeing them, Hunter noticed that Winston’s pants were almost completely pulled up, revealing his long, attractive legs.
This made Hunter a little envious. He irritably covered Winston with the blanket and returned to his own.
“Stop playing around. Let’s sleep.” Winston closed his eyes.
“I’m ignoring you. I’m sleeping.” Hunter rolled up in his blanket, turned on his side, and closed his eyes.
The world fell silent, and his body and mind relaxed. Hunter drifted off to sleep.
With the flight back to Tokyo scheduled for the evening, he could sleep soundly until noon.
The next morning, Hunter was awakened by the sound of birds singing.
His eyelids fluttered, and when he opened his eyes, he found Winston’s face right in front of him!
Hunter was about to move when he realized his sleeping position was incredibly awkward.
One of his legs was draped over Winston’s waist. Not only that, but Winston’s arm was serving as his pillow!
He was about to sit up when he saw Winston’s other hand resting on his leg.
Oh my god!
Hunter quickly pulled his leg back and covered Winston with the blanket.
He had stolen Winston’s blanket. He hoped Winston wouldn’t get sick!
Otherwise, if it affected the race in Abu Dhabi, he would feel guilty forever!
Winston didn’t seem to be waking up, so Hunter exhaled and went to the bathroom.
When he returned, Winston was still asleep.
Back in Austria, Winston had slept with Hunter before because he didn’t like the strong smell of his room’s decor. But like every other time, whether they were drunk or talked all night, this was the first time Hunter had woken up before Winston.
He sat cross-legged on his futon, chin resting on his hand, staring at Winston. He reaffirmed to himself that this guy was truly handsome.
The line from his forehead to the bridge of his nose was the most aristocratic feature, and there were the contours of his eyes, which Hunter had never paid much attention to before because, well, he was a guy. But now, looking closely, he realized Winston’s eyes were truly beautiful. His lips, relaxed and soft at this moment, were almost inviting a touch.
Hunter’s stomach growled.
Winston’s eyelids fluttered, and he slowly sat up.
“What time is it?” Winston asked, his voice slightly groggy, which tickled Hunter’s ears.
“Eleven.”
Winston moved his arm, which Hunter had been using as a pillow. “You woke up first? Have you washed up? We can have lunch now.”
“I’ve washed up!” Hunter thought for a moment, then added, “I stole your blanket last night. You could have taken it back.”
“It’s okay. Kids always like to steal things from others.” Winston glanced at Hunter, his gaze lingering for a long time.
“What’s up?” Hunter waved his hand in front of Winston’s face.
Winston lowered his head and smiled. “I complimented your shoulders yesterday, and now you’re showing them off to me first thing in the morning?”
Hunter paused, then understood. He adjusted his collar. “Couldn’t you just say my collar slipped?”
“It’s a shame. When we get back, I won’t be able to see you in a yukata anymore.” Winston stood up and walked leisurely to wash his face.
Hunter grunted and started packing his things, putting on the T-shirt and jeans he had worn on the way here.
After lunch, they left Noboribetsu and drove towards Sapporo Airport.
Winston was driving. The car wasn’t going very fast, and Hunter narrowed his eyes, enjoying the wind brushing against his face.
“Hey… we should go on vacation together again!”
“Sure,” Winston replied.
“Abu Dhabi is super close to Dubai. After the race, we should stay at the Burj al-Arab Hotel1Burj al-Arab: A luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, known for its sail-shaped design.
!” Hunter said.
“The Burj al-Arab isn’t anything new.”
This wasn’t Winston’s first time racing in Abu Dhabi, so Dubai held no mystery or excitement for him.
“I’ve never stayed there,” Hunter said. “I heard the water park there is pretty good. Have you been?”
“I don’t really do those kinds of things, but if you want to go, let’s go together.”
Hunter felt like they were having a father-son conversation.
“So, what are you interested in?”
“Horseback riding, skiing, golf, sailing.”
“Very luxurious,” Hunter murmured.
“You won’t go with me?” Winston turned to ask.
“I don’t know how to do those things.”
“I’ll teach you.”
“That’s better.” Hunter smiled.
“Let’s go together after this season ends.”
“Okay!”
They arrived at Sapporo Airport, exchanged their boarding passes, and headed towards the plane.
As Hunter was lining up to board, someone called out to him.
“Hunter! I didn’t expect to see you here!”
Hunter turned around and saw Audrey Wilson. She had her SLR camera around her neck, a backpack on her back, and wore a casual jacket. The jeans she wore accentuated her long legs.
Hunter smiled. “Are you on vacation in Sapporo, or are you here for an interview?”
“Haha… If I tell you, you can’t laugh, okay?” Audrey walked towards Hunter and whispered, “I heard from someone at Ferrari that Winston was vacationing in Sapporo, so I came here too, hoping I might run into him.” Audrey winked.
Even though it was said in a teasing tone, Hunter could sense Audrey’s genuine admiration for Winston.
“What would you do if you ran into him?” Hunter asked playfully.
The author has something to say:
Hunter: Wow! You have made a lot of investments! Have you invested in bars or clubs?
Winston: Mm.
Hunter: Doesn’t seem like your style!
Winston: As long as it suits your taste.
Hunter: Wow! And hotels too!
Winston: I can conveniently sleep with you anywhere in the world.
Hunter: And even an airline?
Winston: I’ll know where you’ve escaped to.
Hunter: …
![The Rebirth of the Last Days and Return to [Fang] Hao](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/image_2021-09-11_143139.png "The Rebirth of the Last Days and Return to [Fang] Hao")
