CYNTM CHAPTER 50

It was four in the morning, but Hunter wasn’t the least bit sleepy. His phone still held Winston’s message: Want to go to Dubai tomorrow?

Why did you ask me to travel with you? The world is so big. Don’t you have anyone else to go with? What about your teammates? Do you know that I’ve imagined every scenario with you in my head?

…So annoying!

Hunter grabbed a cigarette and left the hotel room. On the roadside, he leaned against a utility pole, lighter in hand. As soon as he heard a “click,” he instinctively turned his head, expecting Winston to appear beside him.

However, no one was there. Hunter suddenly felt a strange sense of disappointment. He lit the cigarette but hesitated to take a drag, realizing that he had grown used to sharing a cigarette with Winston. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and let the cigarette burn out slowly between his fingers.

Even without a wink of sleep, he didn’t feel tired.

“Hey, are you pretending to be a utility pole?” a voice called out, tinged with amusement. Hunter opened his eyes to see Owen in sportswear looking at him with a towel draped over his shoulders.

This guy again! Hunter’s first instinct was to walk away, but then he thought: the utility pole isn’t Owen’s and he had no right to tell him where to stand.

Owen sat on the ground beside him, probably up early for his workout. As a senior racer, Owen maintained peak performance through rigorous fitness routines. In this aspect, he was incredibly disciplined. Hunter felt a flicker of admiration.

“Give me a cigarette.” Owen gestured with his finger. Hunter tossed him one, and Owen snatched Hunter’s lighter as well. Unlike Winston’s calm elegance, Owen smoked with a certain recklessness.

“What’s bothering you?”

“None of your business.”

Owen smiled, flicking the ash from his cigarette, “You’re thinking about Vann Winston.”

“Just smoke your cigarette.” Hunter regretted responding to him.

“Hunter… when I was your age, I had no idea what I wanted.”

Owen’s voice carried a hint of melancholy, but Hunter wasn’t buying it. Who knew what this guy was scheming? The best reaction was to remain silent.

“No one noticed or understood what I wanted. So, you’re lucky, Hunter. At a glance, I can tell what you desire,” Owen said.

Hunter scoffed, “Oh? I want to crush you underfoot. I want my score to surpass yours and Ciel’s. Isn’t that obvious”

“You want Vann Winston to stay by your side forever. You’re afraid he’ll leave you,” Owen said with a laugh.

All of Hunter’s thoughts were seized by Owen at that moment, leaving him unable to think of anything else. Was he that obvious? Nobody on his team had noticed!

“Do you know the most effective way to keep someone by your side forever?”

This question made Hunter’s eyes well up. He didn’t know. He really didn’t have any idea. If he did, his mother wouldn’t have abandoned him, and his father wouldn’t be gone.

“Hold onto him, starting from right here.” Owen stood up and lightly patted Hunter’s chest. “If you keep weighing the pros and cons and don’t dare take the first step, you’ll always be standing outside the door, never daring to open it.”

“That’s easy for you to say… How can I hold onto him? Ciel wasn’t wrong—only someone strong can attract Winston’s attention! And I’m not… I’m immature, I’m not calm, I get tricked by you over and over, and I’m very gullible! What do I have to keep him with?”

By the time Hunter realized what he had said, it was too late. But so what? At worst, Owen would just make fun of him. Even if Owen mentioned it later, he could claim he was joking. No one ever trusted Owen anyway.

But Owen didn’t laugh. Instead, he turned to observe Hunter. “Do you really not understand what makes you attractive to Winston?”

That’s right, he didn’t understand. When Winston approached him, it was as if he skipped the whole process of understanding each other’s flaws, leaving only tolerance and patience.

“Because you’re immature, you don’t fully understand the world. Because you’re not calm, your reactions are genuine. Because you’re gullible, Winston can hide all his feelings in front of you. Because you’re strong, Winston must overcome all obstacles to move forward and enjoy the glory of being chased by you.”

Owen spoke in a calm tone, leaving Hunter unsure of how to respond.

“But in truth, everything I just said was bullshit.” Owen laughed.

Hunter felt disappointed upon hearing this. So, were those words meant to comfort or mock him?

“Because you’re Evan Hunter, Winston is unconditionally tolerant.”

Hunter suddenly remembered the time he and Winston had a falling out. Even though Winston clearly remembered every hurtful word Hunter had said, he demanded that neither of them ever mention “break up” again.

“Now I’ll give you ten seconds to decide. Do you want me to teach you how to get Winston, or will you pretend I never said anything?” Owen lifted his hand to reveal his sports watch.

Hunter was frozen in place. Did he want Winston? Did he want to take the next step? The real question wasn’t about trusting Owen’s words. It was about whether he wanted to hold onto Winston. Just as Owen lowered his hand, Hunter blurted out, “I want to!”

“Oh… so decisive!” Owen said, wide-eyed.

“I don’t know what you’re planning, but Lawrence Owen, if you dare use Winston to deceive me, I swear I won’t just crush you on the racetrack, I’ll chop off your head and give it to Ciel as a football!” Hunter grabbed Owen’s collar, his cold, intense gaze piercing into Owen’s eyes.

Owen was taken aback. Hunter’s expression was fearless, and Owen even sensed a hint of killing intent. At that moment, he understood why this young man could rise against all odds in the unpredictable world of F1 and secure a top racer’s position despite coming from a small team. It was because once he decided what he wanted, he would never settle for mediocrity but relentlessly pursue it.

“Oh… has Winston contacted you recently?” Owen patted the back of Hunter’s hand, signaling him to let go.

“He asked if I wanted to travel to Dubai with him on our day off.”

“Then agree right away! Dubai is fantastic!” Owen’s smile was anything but innocent.

Hunter tilted his head to observe Owen. He suspected that “fantastic” had more layers of meaning coming from this guy.

Ten minutes later, Winston received a phone call from Hunter.

“Hello? Winston? Our team drank a lot yesterday, so I didn’t notice your message! I need to be in the US by Thursday. What about you?” Hunter tried to suppress his thumping heart, afraid Winston would detect any signs of it, and worked to keep his voice calm.

“I’m also going back on Thursday. So let’s go to Dubai together. You probably haven’t been there before.”

“Exactly! I want to stay at the Burj al-Arab! I want to visit the water park! And the desert safari! And skydiving! And…”

“We don’t have enough time. I’ll book Burj al-Arab first, and we’ll schedule the desert safari for the next day. The team won’t allow skydiving, but how about I’ll take you after we retire?”

Hunter’s heart instantly warmed. He was included in Winston’s post-retirement plans. “OK!”

“We’ll fly straight to New York from Dubai.”

“Your plan is flawless!” Hunter said with a smile.

“That’s only if you don’t mess things up. I’ve rented a car, and we’ll drive to Dubai. You can either sleep in the car or enjoy the desert scenery.”

“Hahaha, great!”

After hanging up the phone, Hunter stood by the window with his hands on his hips, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Regardless of the outcome, he suddenly wasn’t afraid anymore. Winston had said that no matter what happens, they wouldn’t easily say “break up.”

Hunter decided to do what he wanted. This was just like a race in F1: those who only wanted to protect their ranking were bound to be overtaken. Only those always ready to surpass their rivals could be the first to cross the finish line.

About ten minutes later, Hunter received a message from Winston: I’ll be waiting at the hotel entrance. Come down once you’ve packed.

“So fast?” Hunter scratched his head, realizing he hadn’t packed anything yet!

Not wanting to keep Winston waiting, Hunter quickly shoved all his clothes into a bag, threw it over his shoulder, and ran outside. Winston had rented an SUV, and Hunter tossed his luggage onto the back seat before getting into the passenger seat and putting on his sunglasses.

“Seatbelt,” Winston said.

“What?” Hunter, wearing his sunglasses, lazily tilted his head as if about to sleep.

“Seatbelt,” Winston reminded him again.

Hunter pulled out his phone and put on his headphones, ready to listen to music.

Winston leaned over close to Hunter, reaching across to pull the seatbelt. Just as he was about to buckle it, Hunter leaned in and whispered into his ear with a smirk, “Hey, has anyone ever told you that you have really beautiful ears?”

Hunter had eagerly anticipated Winston to cover his ear and raise his eyes to look at him. Instead, Winston simply fastened his seatbelt, adjusted his posture, and started the car, pulling away from the hotel without so much as a change in his expression!

Hmph… Whaaaat… So disappointing… Every time he gets close to me, I feel embarrassed. Why doesn’t he react when I whisper in his ear?

The tricks Owen taught didn’t work at all. The idea that “whatever Winston does to make your heart race, do the same to him, it’s called tit for tat” was completely off. Maybe all the things that Winston did to make flustered weren’t intentional on his part and he didn’t think much of it!

Hunter watched Winston’s side profile through his sunglasses. This guy also wore sunglasses, looking effortlessly stylish. As he watched, Hunter began to feel tired. Before he knew it, he closed his eyes and tilted his head, falling asleep and emitting soft snores.

The car became so quiet that the faint music from Hunter’s headphones could be heard. The wind blew into the car, ruffling Hunter’s hair. The man sitting next to him silently raised his hand, gently touching the ear Hunter had whispered into, letting out a suppressed sigh.

They arrived in Dubai just as the sun was about to set. The car stopped in front of the Burj al-Arab Hotel. Hunter remained motionless, leaning against the seat. Winston ran his fingers through Hunter’s hair to gently stroke him.

“Hmm…” Hunter gradually woke up. As he sat up, his sunglasses slipped down to the side of his face, making him look silly.

“We’re here,” Winston said.

“Oh! This is the Burj al-Arab!” Hunter raised his face. “It doesn’t look quite like in the movies or online.”

“How so?”

“It seems a bit old.”

“It’s not a new hotel, after all.” Winston got out of the car and took both his and Hunter’s bags.

Hunter followed him out and walked into the grand hotel lobby. Then, Hunter noticed that Winston had only booked one room.

“Why did you only book one room?” Though he asked, inside, he was secretly delighted. He could sleep with Winston again, just like when they were at the hot springs in Noboribetsu!

“The Burj al-Arab only has suites. Do you prefer us staying in separate suites, needing to text each other to talk?” Winston said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Of course not! We’ll stay together!” Hunter responded in the same matter-of-fact tone.

Each suite in the hotel came with a butler. Hunter followed their butler to the room. It seemed like the first to third floors were fully booked by other guests. The room Winston booked was quite high up, ensuring a quiet stay.

“I originally intended to book the Presidential Suite, but it was already taken.”

“The Presidential Suite?”

“Mm, on the 25th floor. It has a private cinema, two bedrooms, two living rooms, and overlooks Dubai.”

“Oh… next year during the Grand Prix, I’ll treat you to a stay in the Presidential Suite.” Hunter smugly winked at Winston.

I don’t want to stay in the Presidential Suite! Two bedrooms? Who needs that!

Winston turned his face away, and Hunter moved closer, noticing Winston was smiling subtly.

“What are you smiling at?”

“You’re going to treat me to a stay here?” Winston asked.

“Is that not okay?” Hunter retorted.

“There are even better places.”

“Then I’ll treat you to a stay at an even better place,” Hunter replied.

The butler was about to explain the room’s features when Hunter dashed into the upstairs bedroom. Facing the bed was a floor-to-ceiling window, offering a panoramic view of the Persian Gulf bathed in the sunset, with a crescent moon faintly visible in the distance. Hunter stood before the window and let out a soft “Wow”.

Winston said to the butler, “I know how to use everything. If there are any issues, I will call.”

The butler smiled and withdrew.

Winston leisurely carried both of their luggage upstairs. Hunter was already sprawled out on the large bed, laughing about something. The silk curtains draped down, allowing Winston to see the curves of Hunter’s waist and hips through the gaps as he rolled around.

“Winston! Winston! Come here quickly! This is so funny!”

“What’s funny?”

Winston paused unpacking, pulled back the curtain, and sat next to Hunter.

Hunter pointed at the rose petals arranged in a heart shape in the middle of the bed, “Hahahaha! Is this our honeymoon? Not only are there roses, but there are also chocolates and red wine!”

“This is the standard setup,” Winston replied.

Hunter squinted with a smile and put his hands behind his head as he gazed at the sea view in front of them.

“Do you like it?” Winston asked softly.

He lowered his gaze, looking from Hunter’s legs up to the waist peeking out from under his T-shirt, and then silently let his eyes wander further.

Hunter felt a tickle in his heart. He sat up, deliberately leaning close to Winston, looking into his eyes, and in the same gentle tone said, “I like it.” Then he flopped back onto the bed, rubbing his face against the silk quilt. After rolling around for a while, the rose petals that had been arranged in a heart shape were scattered all over.

Winston stood up and continued unpacking beside the wardrobe. Hunter watched his handsome figure from the corner of his eye. He took out his phone and sent a message to Owen: The tricks you taught me are useless!

Owen replied quickly: Don’t rush, it’s a gradual process.

He also added a cheeky emoji.

Hunter immediately deleted the message to destroy the evidence.

Meanwhile, Winston took a jacket that Hunter had hastily stuffed into the bag, shook it out twice, and hung it in the closet. He could hear Hunter tearing open a chocolate wrapper on the bed. Winston closed his eyes for a moment, gripping the waist of his jacket and exhaling deeply.

“Where are we going for dinner tonight?” Hunter bit into a sailboat-shaped chocolate and walked over to Winston, casually offering another piece to his lips.

Winston turned his head away, leaving Hunter’s hand frozen mid-air in disappointment.

“I don’t eat the chocolate here. It’s too sweet,” Winston said.

“Oh…” Hunter felt disappointed again.

This isn’t following the script at all! At a time like this, regardless of whether he liked the chocolate or not, if he had feelings for me, shouldn’t he eat it? And maybe even kiss my fingers or something?

Winston wasn’t following the script! How was Hunter supposed to seduce him following Owen’s plan!

“I’ve reserved a table at a seafood restaurant. We’ll take a submarine to the underwater restaurant. Make sure to wear a suit, no sneakers.”

“Huh? But my suit and dress shoes are with the PR manager…”

Why does he have to wear a suit and dress shoes on vacation?

“No problem, we can rent them from the hotel.”

“That’s great!” Hunter didn’t want to miss out on the underwater restaurant experience.

Within minutes, the butler had brought clothes to their room. Hunter tore open the bag and was somewhat surprised, “Oh, it’s Versace!”

“It’s the new spring-summer collection. Try it on.”

Winston had turned his back to Hunter and was taking off his T-shirt. Hunter couldn’t help but admire the muscles that appeared on his shoulders as he moved. His muscles weren’t bulky but just right. Watching Winston put on a dress shirt and adjust the collar, Hunter suddenly remembered the scene of Winston undressing last night.

“Why aren’t you changing?” Winston turned to ask.

Hunter stroked his chin, recalling Owen’s key advice, “All the parts you like about him, you have to praise shamelessly.” Hunter pulled out a smile, “Your shoulders and back look amazing.”

“Do you want me to introduce you to a fitness trainer?” Winston asked.

“Even if you do, I still won’t be able to get a body like yours. Just looking at it makes me want to take a bite.”

Winston didn’t turn around. As he took off his jeans, his straight legs were right in front of Hunter.

“Bite everything off,” Hunter said, staring at Winston’s legs.

Winston put on a suit jacket, his figure becoming even more defined. He threw the jacket he’d taken off onto Hunter’s face. “Hang this up. It’s time you change into your shirt.”

Hunter felt disappointed again. How could this guy not react at all even after such a bold statement like “bite everything off”? At the very least, he should have made fun of him?

Just as Hunter pulled the jacket off his face, he found himself staring into Winston’s eyes. Winston, with one hand in his pocket, was looking at him with a gaze that seemed like he was about to kiss him. Hunter was so startled he nearly fell backward.

“What exactly do you want to bite off?”

“Nothing…” Hunter instinctively leaned back.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to bite everything off?” Winston’s voice was soft, each word peeling back layers of Hunter’s defenses.

“I… I was just joking!”

“So, where do you want to bite me as a joke?” Winston continued to ask.

“I was talking about the contours on your back.”

“Oh… what a pity, just the back.”

Winston stood up straight, easing the oppressive feeling. Hunter was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Winston flicked his forehead hard.

“Ouch!”

“Next time you joke like that, it won’t just be your head that hurts.” Winston went into the bathroom.

Hunter tilted his head, thinking that it wasn’t just his head that hurt, could Winston actually hit him next time?

Hunter shrugged off his T-shirt and kicked away his casual pants. Using his fingers, he hooked his shirt to put it on when Marcus called. Marcus rambled about an interview for the American Grand Prix. With the phone wedged between his shoulder and ear, Hunter started buttoning his shirt, only to realize he had misbuttoned it when he reached the second-to-last button.

“Fuck…”

“What? Are you swearing at me?” Marcus seemed to be about to lose his temper.

“No, no, no! I was talking about the buttons!”

“You brat! I kindly gave you some time off, and you curse at me!”

“I’m not cursing you!” Hunter sighed helplessly.

Just then, someone came up beside him, grabbed his waist, and turned him around.

It was Winston.

Lowering his eyes, Winston’s fingers touched Hunter’s shirt buttons, unbuttoning them one by one. Winston’s fingers occasionally brushed against Hunter’s skin, the gentle and unintentional touch making Hunter’s heart race. It might have been an illusion, but when Winston’s knuckles grazed the most sensitive spots on Hunter’s chest, his shoulders twitched during the phone conversation.

Winston’s fingers grasped the hem of Hunter’s shirt and gently pulled it down. Hunter instinctively bowed his head. As Winston raised his eyes to look at him, the anticipation of a kiss intensified.

Hunter’s heart pounded wildly. He had an urge to bite down right then and there.

He could only forcefully suppress the urge, holding his phone and pretending that his neck was uncomfortable holding it. He turned his face away, just as Winston began tying his bow tie. Enduring his pounding heart, Hunter pressed his cheek against Winston’s.

That brief touch made Hunter feel like a thousand fireworks had exploded in his heart. He couldn’t hear a word of what Marcus was saying anymore.

Hunter expected Winston to pull away immediately, but as Winston turned his face, his lips seemed to brush lightly against Hunter’s.

Hunter’s heart skipped a beat. What now? What should he say to cover this up? Or should he just watch Winston’s reaction?

Owen never taught him how to handle this!

But Winston remained composed, grabbing Hunter’s suit jacket and draping it over his shoulders in a motion that felt like a hug.

“Arms,” Winston reminded him.

Hunter was completely dazed. He slipped his arm into the sleeves, with Winston’s fingers guiding the sleeves straight. Winston’s nails grazed against Hunter’s palm, and before he realized it, he was holding Winston’s fingers. Blood rushed to his palm. Hunter could only pretend he hadn’t noticed anything and “concentrated” on his phone call with Marcus.

“I don’t want to answer that question! It sounds too fake!”

“You brat, do you want to die!” Marcus continued yelling on the other end.

Winston’s fingers slipped from Hunter’s palm, leaving him with a sense of loss. Winston then grabbed the waistband of Hunter’s trousers, kneeling slightly in front of him. His fingers lightly touched Hunter’s knee, signaling for him to lift his leg and put it through. The moment Winston raised his chin, Hunter suddenly realized he was only in his underwear! From this angle, Winston’s line of sight should be at the same level as his little Hunter!

At that moment, Hunter felt a sudden tightening in his lower body and nearly had a reaction!

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The author has something to say:

Hunter: The script is useless!

Winston: The script is too shallow.

Hunter: Then I’ll go learn a more advanced one!

Winston: If the script is too advanced, you’ll end up getting hurt.