CYNTM CHAPTER 79

Hunter’s eyes widened in anger.

“I find your thing cuter than the chocolates from Nicky.” Winston’s voice was soft, yet it carried a hint of ambiguity, like a cello string being slowly tightened.

Hunter’s mood couldn’t have been worse.

“Drink some water,” Winston said comfortingly.

“Oh…” Hunter took the water glass, but Winston’s next words nearly made him collapse.

“Your voice sounded nice last night.”

Winston turned his face slightly, his hair falling slowly from his ear, his eyelashes too close as if they were about to tease his eyes.

Hunter almost spit out the water.

“Your voice was nice too!” Hunter retorted, irritated.

“How about this: if you can beat me on the Sochi track, I’ll make an even nicer sound for you.” Winston tilted his chin slightly, his gaze filled with unconditional admiration for Hunter.

Hunter’s heart felt like it was being pulled into Winston’s eyes.

Winston’s voice… deep, hoarse, and sexy… just thinking about the breaths Winston made while holding him last night almost made his body react again.

At that moment, Winston got up, igniting a fire within Hunter.

“Fine, I’ve seen your striptease. If you say you’ll make an even nicer sound, I want to know what kind of sound it is!”

Hunter had one hand on his knee, his pajama pants falling down as he spread his legs. Winston glanced over before turning away.

Hunter was furious. What’s with this silence?

This race was going to be a showdown!

Amid Hunter’s excitement, the free practice session at Hockenheimring began. Due to the track’s combination of long straights and slow corners, Shen Xi used a stiffer suspension setup, and Shen Chuan led the engineering team to lower the downforce.

Hunter’s performance in the free practice session surprised Marcus as he set the fastest lap time.

This made the entire team look forward to his qualifying session.

As Hunter made his way through the passage with the rest of the team, he bumped into the Lotus team.

After the excellent performances in the first two races, Chen Mobai became a fixed member of the Lotus lineup. He was an opponent to watch out for.

Hunter remembered that this guy had overtaken Owen in the last race.

As they brushed past each other, Chen Mobai had the same meaningful smile.

Hunter wondered why this guy wasn’t at the “bunny boy party.” If he’d worn bunny ears, he would have been a prime target for teasing.

“Are you wondering why I didn’t wear bunny ears?” Chen Mobai asked.

“Eh?”

“Because the drivers who have the ability to catch up with Winston and whom I can compete with include you, Owen, and Ciel. My odds of winning are less than one in five, so I won’t accept Winston’s challenge just to save face.” Chen Mobai left with a smile.

It sounded so reasonable that Hunter was left speechless.

Hunter then ran into the Mercedes team. Ciel, pretending not to see him, was about to walk past. However, Hunter decided to be mischievous and threw an arm around Ciel’s shoulder, acting as if they were close.

“Did Winston make any bets with you for this race?”

“No.” Ciel pulled Hunter’s arm away.

“What a pity.”

Suddenly, Ciel clamped Hunter’s head under his arm and pressed him down hard. “You brat, do you really think you can beat me in this race?”

Ciel looked at Hunter coldly, making Hunter feel the killing intent from this senior for the first time.

“I don’t know if I can beat you, but I tell myself I have to.”

From this angle, Ciel couldn’t see Hunter’s eyes, but his voice was serious.

“That’s more like it.” Ciel released Hunter and gave him a push on the back. “If you manage to beat me this time, I’ll buy you a beer.”

Ciel tilted his chin up.

Hunter stood there looking at him, smiling as he touched his nose. “I suddenly understand why you’ve known Owen for so many years but never had a complete falling out with him.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re afraid of loneliness! With a junior like me around, you won’t be lonely!”

Hunter ran off after saying that.

Ciel was momentarily stunned before his expression changed. “You brat, what did you say!”

Just as the media thought there was tension between Ciel and Hunter, they saw Hunter turning around at the exit, grinning widely at Ciel, while Ciel shook his head helplessly.

Seeing this, Mr. Cacho couldn’t help but laugh. “This kid…”

The next day’s qualifying session was a grueling battle. The “humiliation” from the bunny girl incident in the last race drove all the drivers to push themselves hard for a good position.

Even sitting in front of the screen, Shen Chuan could feel the impact and relentless force between the tires and the ground.

In the first qualifying session, Winston maintained the lead while drivers from all teams kept setting their best lap times. To spectators, it felt less like a qualifying session and more like a competition to see who could reach the sky first. Hunter and Winston were in a final showdown mode, with both cars roaring down the straights with a crushing momentum and then braking simultaneously through the corners. Their synchronized speed and racing lines created a sense of tension and excitement for the audience. By the end of the session, Winston was temporarily in the lead, but Hunter was close behind in second place, followed by Owen and Ciel.

Hunter sensed that Owen and Ciel hadn’t fully unleashed their potential in the first session and were merely observing. This realization made Hunter slightly unhappy.

Before the second session started, he deliberately held up four fingers at Ciel, implying, “Do you want to be passed by me for the fourth time?”

Sure enough, Ciel went wild in the second qualifying session, setting the fastest lap and outpacing both Winston and Hunter. Owen followed closely, just ahead of Hunter. Hunter suddenly realized that his qualifying position was next to Chen Mobai, who had that unsettling smile and hadn’t worn bunny ears!

How could this be?

Remembering how Chen Mobai had tailgated him last time on the track, Hunter immediately focused all his attention and overtook Owen.

“Do you think he provoked Ciel before the second qualifying session?” Marcus asked Shen Chuan with uncertainty.

“It seems so… But he must have some standing in Ciel’s eyes to provoke the Great White Shark.”

“Are you trying to comfort me?” Marcus wished more than anything that Hunter would behave himself.

“…I suppose so.”

The third qualifying session continued in a tense atmosphere. Spectators craned their necks as the drivers approached the corners, instinctively standing up at the sound of the engines. The session even featured a thrilling moment with four cars closely following each other through a corner.

Even the commentator was left speechless.

Finally, the qualifying session ended with Ciel taking pole position, Winston second, Hunter third, followed by Owen and Chen Mobai.

Hunter returned to the team, removed his helmet, and let out a sigh.

The main race would start in four hours.

“Kid, is the goal for this race the championship?” Marcus wanted to pat Hunter’s head, but seeing that Hunter’s hair was damp with sweat, he gave up on that idea.

“Of course.” Hunter smiled.

“Hunter… Although it’s not really the best time to ask this before the main race, but after this race, the Australian Grand Prix will be the final one… Will you stay with our team?” Marcus asked with a serious expression.

“Where else would I go?” Hunter tilted his head back and took a big gulp of water.

“For example, Ferrari, Mercedes, or even McLaren and Red Bull might be options for you.”

“So what? Our contract isn’t up yet, right?” Hunter replied with an expression of “I don’t see what you’re worried about.”

“Breaking the contract penalty is negligible for those big teams.”

“Hahaha! Now you’re finally realizing my value! You have to give me a raise next year!” Hunter patted Marcus on the shoulder.

“Are you really not leaving?”

“Where would I go? A driver needs outstanding opponents to stand out. Winston is at Ferrari, Owen is at Red Bull, Ciel is at Mercedes. I don’t want to go to a team where my rivals are. I’m not willing to compromise for the sake of strategies or team planning. Here, I have a team of mechanics and engineers who consider me their soul, a PR manager who tolerates my temper, and you, the team manager who always worries about me. I know very well that for you, I’m not just a commodity; I’m an achievement,” Hunter said.

Marcus’s eyes felt a little warm.

He responded by embracing Hunter.

“Alright, let’s finish this race and the next one with the best lineup!”

“Absolutely!”

Hunter suddenly started groping Marcus.

“Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing, you brat?”

“Tsk, I’m looking for cigarettes! You’re so serious, you’re making me nervous!” Hunter said with a grin.

“Stop groping! I’ll find one for you!”

Marcus grabbed a cigarette from the instrument technician, Mark, and handed it to Hunter.

“Don’t wander off!”

“I know! I know!”

Although Marcus felt that the technical officer should give Hunter final guidance before the race, he sensed that Hunter no longer needed it.

Hunter had matured in his judgment and developed a strong rapport with the team.

Compared to those big teams, Marcus believed even more in their cohesion as a unit.

Hunter sat in a corner, lightly stroking the cigarette, showing no intention of lighting it.

“Are you waiting for me to kiss you before the race?” Winston sat down beside him.

Hunter smiled nonchalantly. “I’m imagining the amazing sound you’ll make once I defeat you.”

Winston rested one hand on the step, slowly leaning toward Hunter’s ear, and tilted his chin up. “As long as I’m whispering in your ear, don’t you find it pleasant?”

Hunter felt a jolt in his lower body from the warmth of Winston’s breath on his lips. He aimed a forceful knee at Winston, but Winston blocked it.

Winston’s slight smile, even the fine lines at the corners of his eyes, were incredibly seductive.

“So what if I win again?” Winston leaned back slightly, propping up his chin and asking Hunter.

“Then I’ll give you a gift,” Hunter replied.

“A gift? For me, nothing counts as a gift other than having you wrapped up and delivered to me,” Winston said.

His voice was clear and transparent.

“Oh, in that case, I can never give you a gift.” Hunter clapped his hands and stood up. Just as he was about to leave, Winston grabbed his calf.

“Why not?” Winston tilted his head back.

From this angle, looking into his eyes made him feel as if he was being pulled in.

“Because…” Hunter twitched his lips. “I’m already yours. How can I give myself to you twice?”

Winston lowered his head and laughed. He turned his face and kissed Hunter’s calf through his thick racing suit.

All of Hunter’s blood and senses surged toward that spot. Winston’s nose gently touched Hunter’s calf, his closed eyes reverent and persistent.

“I won’t let you win against me.”

“Try and see.”

As soon as Winston’s fingers loosened, Hunter took the opportunity to walk away.

When the main race began, Hunter glanced at Winston diagonally in front of him and smiled.

Thinking back to when he first entered Formula 1, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t grasp the nuances, and the frustration and doubt about his own talent seemed like childish self-inflicted worries.

Back then, the name Vann Winston had felt like a distant myth. Now, he was so close to that guy. The drivers he once admired and aspired to be like, such as Owen and Ciel, were right around him.

Hunter had never felt as clearly as he did today that he had truly become one of the top drivers.

“Marcus, I’m going for it,” Hunter said.

“Good.”

As the five lights went out, Hunter held his breath and took off, smoothly passing the first corner in third gear.

He didn’t rush to challenge Winston ahead but instead kept following and stayed wary of Owen behind him.

Honestly, it was a novel experience to be the one targeted by top drivers. In most cases, Hunter was the overtaker rather than the defender.

After navigating the first corner, Hunter downshifted to second gear for the second corner, executing the braking and line perfectly, making a small threat to Winston.

The battle between Winston and Ciel over the next six laps was nerve-wracking. Winston’s ability to lock onto his opponent while simultaneously defending against Hunter was impressive. Hunter felt he learned a lot from Winston’s line choices and corner control.

On the straight section, Hunter shifted to sixth gear, accelerating to nearly 320 km/h.

He took a stunning line, making a memorable impression on everyone watching.

If it were a previous race, Marcus would have been anxious enough to have a heart attack because the straight led into a Hairpin turn.

Previously, Marcus had worried that Hunter’s lack of experience might cause him to lose control of the corner due to his eagerness to win. But now Marcus understood that Hunter’s seemingly risky moves were part of a meticulously planned strategy for the entire track.

As expected, Hunter smoothly shifted to second gear for the corner, his line flawless. Even Owen, who had tried to overtake, had to remain in pursuit.

Soon, the leading drivers began to pit for new tires.

Hunter pitted after Winston. After rejoining the track, Owen was temporarily ahead of him by a corner.

Hunter’s focus remained steady. He followed Owen closely, improving his lap times as he adapted to the new tires, and began a fierce battle with Chen Mobai, who was right behind him.

Chen Mobai’s control over delayed braking was exceptional. His control over braking limits was so precise that it could push an average driver to the brink of a nervous breakdown. It seemed as though no one could surpass his braking.

But for Hunter, it was like provocation.

After a long 12-second straight, they entered the Hairpin. The clash between their cars was intense, with Chen Mobai and Hunter skirting the edge of a foul. Hunter recalled how Winston had navigated the Hairpin earlier and decided to mimic the maneuver. Although Chen Mobai had managed to overtake him by a narrow margin in the previous corner, Hunter used the shortest line into the next corner, leveraging his driving skills and the powerful torque of his engine to exit ahead.

The move was clean and elegant, like a blade slicing through ice.

“Beautiful—” Mr. Cacho in the audience clapped enthusiastically.

Hunter looked ahead at Owen and smiled faintly.

Your turn now.

Hunter was in top form. In a tight left-hand corner, he found himself side-by-side with Owen. The two cars were almost perpendicular to the track, their tires at extreme angles, sending sparks flying.

The spectators, well-versed in the Hockenheimring circuit, broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that the two drivers might suffer a tire blowout.

Hunter made a sharp adjustment to the steering wheel, using the timing difference to move ahead of Owen. Once on the straight, his speed soared again.

“Little madman…” Marcus said, biting his lower lip.

“If he doesn’t overtake Winston, he’s bound to go crazy,” Shen Chuan replied.

Hunter’s lap times continued to improve, closing in on Winston.

From the start of the race until now, Winston and Ciel had engaged in several rounds of battle. Winston was temporarily behind Ciel, but as Hunter entered the “Stadium” section of the track¹The “Stadium” area is the area of ​​Turn Twelve on the Hockenheim circuit. After passing through the slow Turn Eleven, there is a long straight, causing the speed of the cars to increase., he launched an overtaking attempt on Winston in the most challenging corner.

This overtaking maneuver was highly anticipated, drawing all eyes to the track. Hunter and Winston both entered the corner in first gear. In this slow-speed segment, their judgment and reaction times seemed to stretch into a time-space tunnel, segmented into discrete units.

Though there was a safe distance between their wheels, it always felt as if they were on the brink of colliding, ready to destroy each other at any moment. Their racing lines were strikingly similar as if they had been choreographed by a higher power.

Ultimately, Winston managed to exit the corner first, skillfully shifting to second gear for the next turn. Hunter didn’t give up and remained closely behind.

In this race, Ciel’s performance was flawless, surpassing any performance since the track was built.

He showcased over a decade of glory, pushing his skills to the limit and attracting relentless challengers like gravitational pull, yet he continued to lead.

In the final laps, Winston and Ciel exchanged the lead three times. In the last corner, Ciel delayed his braking to the final 0.01 seconds, risking his current position to secure the optimal line by pushing into the run-off area if necessary.

Ciel, Winston, and Hunter engaged in a final sprint on the long straight, marking their last confrontation on this track.

“Oh—oh—” Mr. Cacho raised his chin.

The audience clenched their fists.

This was the closest finish among the top three in this Grand Prix, so close that no one could determine their final positions as they crossed the finish line.

Marcus pressed his palm firmly against his chest, waiting for the final result.

In the end, Ciel took the victory for this race, with Winston in second place and Hunter third. Owen finished fourth, followed by Chen Mobai.

Hunter exhaled. This wasn’t his first time standing on the podium of a race, but the sound of his heartbeat was still loud.

He had expected Ciel to show a pleased expression, but instead, Ciel looked very serious, lacking his usual arrogance.

When Owen passed by him, he surprisingly raised his arm and gave him a knowing high-five.

“Good job.” Owen said to his ear, “Finally gave those two a taste of their own medicine.”

“Watch your back. I heard Chen Mobai from the Lotus team was giving you a tough time.”

“You should be careful too. Don’t let someone else take the championship at the last race.” Owen smiled faintly.

They were not fading champions. Ciel had once again proven his strength with this race.

During the photo session, Ciel was quite displeased.

Because he was standing between Hunter and Winston, he had to endure their “whispering.”

“You lost to me,” Winston said.

Ciel initially thought Winston was talking to him and wondered why he was being so cocky. He had clearly lost to him, so why was he claiming victory?

Unexpectedly, Hunter pouted on the other side, “Alright, alright. Come back to New York with me, and I’ll give you a gift!”

“Do I have to go to New York to get a gift? Who won against whom, exactly?” Winston’s voice sounded calm and even, but Ciel knew that this tone was only used when he spoke to Hunter.

“Then you don’t have to!” Hunter shrugged nonchalantly.

“I say…” Ciel looked at Hunter, then glanced at Winston. “If either of you wins the next race, why not celebrate with a kiss?”

So annoying! Having to stand together for photos and the award ceremony!

“Do you dare?” Hunter provocatively looked at Winston.

“What’s there to be afraid of?” Winston replied.

“Don’t lose fans over this,” Hunter reminded, pretending to be serious.

“A lot of female fans hope we’ll be together. They might get new wallpaper material,” Winston answered amidst the clicking of cameras.

Ciel rolled his eyes to the sky.

Enough! Even though he was the champion, he felt utterly aggrieved!

He suddenly missed standing on the podium with Owen, bickering behind the media’s backs!

When the race ended and Hunter returned to the team, Marcus hugged him tightly.

“Do you know you’re now ranked fourth in the drivers’ standings?”

“Yeah, if I win the last race, I could move up to third place!” Hunter stroked his chin. “What a pity. It would’ve been great if I was this good when I first entered Formula 1!”

“It’s okay, next year you’ll be driving an even more powerful new car.” Shen Chuan came over and Hunter a high-five.

“By the way… I want to go back to New York after this race.” Hunter scratched the back of his head. “There’s something really important I need to do.”

Marcus paused for a moment and then smiled. “I know what it is. Go ahead.”

“You know what it is?”

“Nonsense. Do you think I only pay attention to your driving skills and not to your personal life?”

“Ah? I really thought you did!”

“Brat, you’re asking for it!”

Thanks to Hunter’s brilliant performance, the Marcus team entered preparations for the final race with great enthusiasm.

Winston accompanied Hunter on the flight back to New York.

The flight took off during the day because they couldn’t do a “night flight” for various reasons. Winston turned his face to the side and fell asleep against the seat.

Hunter knew that Winston had been handling business matters on the way to the airport. Now, he needed to rest well.

Hunter also knew that while he slept on the plane, Winston would watch him. And this guy didn’t like him wearing an eye mask while sleeping because he couldn’t see Hunter’s eyes, so the number of night flights had increased. At this moment, as Hunter looked at Winston’s sleeping profile, it was a rare sight.

Winston’s hand was still holding onto Hunter. When Hunter turned to get a better look at him, Winston immediately opened his eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Looking at you like this makes my neck feel less tired,” Hunter said with a squinting smile.

“When you look at me like that, it feels like you really love me,” Winston said with a faint smile.

“I do love you,” Hunter replied without missing a beat.

“Watch out, or I’ll drag you to the restroom.”

“Sure. But you have to let me out before the plane starts to land,” Hunter continued with his cheeky demeanor.

Naturally, Hunter ended up staying in his seat until the plane landed.

When they walked out of the airport, the familiar air and atmosphere made Hunter close his eyes and take a deep breath.

“Should we go to your apartment first or get something to eat?” Winston asked.

“Of course, eating comes first!” Hunter rubbed his belly. “You know airplane food is never to my liking.”

“Alright.” Winston nodded with a smile.

While they were waiting in line for a taxi, Hunter noticed that many people waiting for a cab were glancing at Winston, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Even dressed in loose sportswear, Winston exuded an air of elegance.

Hunter deliberately pressed his forehead against Winston’s back. Winston turned his head slightly and asked softly, “What’s up? Are you tired?”

“Nothing. Just confirming the ownership of your back.”

Winston’s breathing seemed to carry a hint of a smile. His hand reached back, grasping Hunter’s hand. His fingers intertwined with Hunter’s, slowly drawing him in as if he were holding not just Hunter’s hand but also his heartbeat and breath.

“What are you doing?” Hunter glanced sideways and noticed that everyone was paying attention to their hands.

“Your hand is already mine. Holding it confirms ownership.”

Winston’s voice was calm and indifferent, but it stirred something deep within Hunter.

They weren’t world-famous celebrities, but Winston’s unabashed display of their relationship made Hunter’s heart flutter with joy.

Once in the taxi, Winston asked, “Where do you want to go for dinner?”

“There’s a restaurant I really like. They make the best cheese chicken rolls!”

“Okay, let’s go to that restaurant.”

It was a very ordinary place, but it had quite a few diners.

Hunter and Winston chose a narrow two-person table by the window. Before Winston could say anything, Hunter had already ordered two chicken rolls, his eyes sparkling as if filled with countless tiny stars.

“You’re not preparing for the final race in Australia, but you came back to New York. And…” Winston leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms and looking at Hunter, “You mentioned that if you lost to me in the German race, you’d give me a gift.”

Hunter’s lips curled into a smile as he looked out the window. His expression was calm, a stark contrast to his usual carefree demeanor.

“This is a place my dad used to bring me when my mom wasn’t home. He often said that the cheese chicken rolls here taste the most like my mom’s cooking. Eating here feels like coming back home.”

Winston’s arms slowly fell to his sides as he looked at Hunter.

“Winston, I know you’re really rich. Whether from your earnings as a driver or as a businessman, I can’t compare. But I still want to give you something very important to me before the final race comes.” Hunter turned his face to look into Winston’s eyes.

“Is it an engagement ring?” Winston asked.

Hunter was stunned and couldn’t help but laugh. “What? An engagement ring? Do you want something like that?”

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The author has something to say:

Hunter: I heard Ciel went to see a psychologist?

Winston: Who said that?

Hunter: Owen!

Winston: I heard Ciel confessed to Owen while drunk.

Hunter: What?

Winston: It scared Owen so much that he went to see a psychologist.

Hunter: Why did that happen?

Winston: Probably because we were showing off our love on the podium.

Hunter: I quite like the term “showing off our love”!

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  The “Stadium” area is the area of ​​Turn Twelve on the Hockenheim circuit. After passing through the slow Turn Eleven, there is a long straight, causing the speed of the cars to increase.