Chapter 12.1: Big Fish Eat Small Fish, But I Eat Sashimi
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That morning, the soft sunlight spilled over the racetrack, glinting off the metal surfaces of every car. Our vehicles were lined up inside the old wooden garage, its wide doors open to the track. The faint scrape of tires against the dirt as the mechanics made final adjustments filled the air, mingling with the sharp scent of oil, fuel, and dust—the unmistakable aroma of a racetrack.
"Ray, is the car ready yet?" James walked over, hands casually brushing the tires—oops! I mean the car wheels—letting out a light chuckle.
"Yeah, just doing one last check," I replied, laying a hand on the smooth red hood, feeling over the engine, wiring, oil lines, and brakes. I wanted to be sure the car wouldn't leave us stranded mid-race.
Thomas moved to check the gearshift and steering system, his face serious but not unnoticed by our friends. "Ray, brakes tight here, right? Don't just stand there staring at it alone."
Jan and James went to inspect the rear tires, giving them a gentle tap to confirm proper air pressure. The clang of metal on metal mixed with bursts of laughter, and I couldn't help but grin.
Maria carried a clean cloth, keeping an eye on every car as though she were the real track manager. She walked briskly, giving short, clear commands. "Okay, tires checked? Brakes good?"
I made my final round, gripping the wheel, pressing the brakes lightly. The tires scraped the dirt, exhausts roared softly in echo. I nodded, satisfied.
⸻
The track stretched out like a wide, open courtyard, paved with reddish-brown gravel. Wooden barriers lined the edges about waist-high. Flags fluttered in the morning breeze, and the faint scent of oil and dust hung in the air, giving the place an old-fashioned, thrilling charm.
The course twisted slightly, with some tight corners demanding precise handling. Cars of various models lined the sides. Some were classic, curving metal shapes; others sharp, aggressive designs reflecting their drivers' personalities.
Spectators stood along the edge, dressed in vintage elegance—men in suits, women in long skirts and hats. Some held wooden cameras or old film cameras, whispering among themselves, heightening the anticipation.
Across the track, tables and ropes marked the judges' area near the starting line. The occasional rumble of old wagons or vehicles passing nearby added a rhythmic tension. Birds chirped in the background, and the morning sun reflected off the cars' surfaces, blending with dust particles to create a cinematic, retro scene.
People gradually took positions along the barriers, smiling, whispering, sneaking peeks at the teams' cars.
I guided my friends on a light inspection around the track, testing brakes, turning wheels gently to ensure everything was ready. Quiet laughter and chatter filled our team.
"Hey Ray, try braking at this corner!" James called, stepping beside the car, gesturing like a field marshal commanding troops. I nodded. "Yeah, yeah," then went to suit up. Everyone put on full racing gear—helmets, gloves, light armor jackets—ready for the real race.
As teams rolled their cars onto the track, the atmosphere thickened with excitement. Every vehicle had its own colors and style, yet none matched mine: matte black reflecting the sun's afternoon light, giving it a fierce, commanding aura. A red lightning stripe ran from nose to tail, like a panther leaping through a storm.
Competitors' cars lined up beside us—emerald green, deep navy blue, some painted with flowers or gold trim. Beautiful, yes, but still no match for my black beast. The sleek curves and polished metal shimmered in the sunlight. Some were covered with cloths, waiting to reveal their full power.
I walked to the back of my car, noting the number "08" painted white on the round headlights, framed with rough steel grills. Climbing into the driver's seat, it felt just like practice. James sat beside me, holding a large yet ornate cross. Thomas in the rear left seat gripped a wooden rosary. Jan sat in the middle, holding a small Buddha figure, while Maria embraced a tiny Madonna statue. I exhaled, chuckling at their little antics.
My gaze drifted to the competitors: the green team's car had oversized throttle, thick wheels; the blue one had silver lightning stripes like streaks of sky—but none carried my black lion's power.
Khwan-Khao wasn't racing, choosing to sit at the spectator side instead. I lowered the window and raised an eyebrow, smirking, subtly taunting our opponents who were clearly fuming.
The track buzzed with anticipation. Whispering spectators, light footsteps on gravel, quiet laughter—they all watched the impending race. The scent of oil and dust mingled with engine sounds, a perfect blend of classic, cinematic tension.
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, scanning the track and our rivals. James beside me held the cross firmly, his voice calm but tinged with fear. Thomas and Jan nodded quietly, and Maria lifted her hand in sync, her mix of laughter and concern adding to the rising excitement in the air.
⸻
The crunch of gravel underfoot mingled with low murmurs, echoing across the arena. Eyes were turning to my car—matte black, reflecting the afternoon sun without a single gleam, yet fierce enough to make heads turn. The fiery red lightning streak running from hood to trunk made it look like a predator bursting out of a storm.
Some people whispered to each other,
"This Voran's car… it's brutal."
"Look at that lightning streak—just standing there, it's magnetic."
A few spectators nodded quietly, impressed but unwilling to shout. Parents leaned down to their children, pointing and whispering, "That's Voran—he's the one we've been talking about."
Some kids gawked, eyes wide, fingers pointing. One of them whispered, almost breathless, "Black panther! The black panther is going to the track!" Nearby, others chuckled softly but kept their eyes glued to my car.
Reporters and cameramen tried to capture every detail of every car, but when they swung their lenses toward mine, the shutters clicked in rapid bursts, like a studio shoot, drawing everyone's attention.
James, Thomas, Jan, and Maria glanced at each other quietly, proud. Sometimes they laughed at people's exaggerated expressions, but everyone was ready for the track.
A few competitors frowned, muttering to their friends, "This… this is too intimidating." Yet they nodded, concealing their nerves.
Ha! The real thrill was in the race.
I stood by my car, adjusting the mirror slightly, raising an eyebrow at some of the gazes thrown my way. My heart raced, but I felt a rush of fun—so many eyes on me I could barely breathe.
The old bell rang, "DONGGGGGG," reverberating across the arena, followed by the announcer's voice through the brass speaker high above the stands.
"Ladies and gentlemen—!!" His voice boomed like it might shake the grass beneath our feet. "The first Iron Horse race of the day… is about to begin!"
The crowd erupted—cheers, whistles, a cacophony of sound. Children bounced next to their parents. Some waved vibrant flags painted with their favored car numbers. Vendors rushed, selling drinks and snacks, barely keeping up.
I—Voran, or Ray to my friends—glanced at each person in the car, asking in a firm voice,
"Ready?"
"Ready!!" All four shouted in unison, faces as if each were about to be butchered.
Thomas clutched his crucifix until veins popped.
James was sweating before even starting.
Jan gritted her teeth, brow furrowed, pale as if she'd seen a ghost.
Maria… still smiling, yet holding the Virgin Mary statue tight, as if fusing with it.
I smirked, chuckling softly in my throat.
"Hold tight, I'll take care of the driving."
VROOM!
The engine roared through my chest. Steel wheels ground against the earth, kicking dust into a smoky haze. The world seemed to quake. Cheering exploded again.
The two cars beside me revved, roaring, trying to challenge. Drivers leaned forward, squinting, grinning. Some tried intimidation—but I just raised an eyebrow and tapped the wheel casually.
"Yo, Ray! Easy, man! I haven't written my will yet!" James yelled, gripping the crucifix.
"Ahhh, Mamaaa—!!!" Thomas screamed, voice cracking, as the car surged from the start line.
Jan lunged forward, nearly hitting the seat, "Oooohhh!"
Maria shouted over the engine, "Calm doooown! Everyone, breathe!!" yet her arms never loosened from the statue.
The wheels shrieked against gravel—screeeeeech! The first turn threw every stomach into turmoil, bodies flung by centrifugal force.
"Aaahhh! I'm gonna throw up!" Jan screamed.
"My head—ouchhh!" James groaned, head rocking.
"Godddd help meee!!" Thomas moaned, near collapse.
Me? I laughed, grinning, eyes sparkling at the road ahead.
The grinding echoed across the arena. Spectators cheered, standing from their seats, waving hats, shouting my name, "Voran!! Voran!!" Waves of sound crashed like surf.
Competitors tried to tail me. Some nudged too close, steel scraping—CLANG! Sparks flashed—but I floored it, my black lightning beast bursting forward like a black panther cutting through the wind.
"Ray!!! You're gonna crash!!!" James screamed hoarsely.
I laughed, weaving past a wooden post by mere inches.
The audience roared in unison, astonished at the tiny gap.
Inside the car… James's eyes watered, Jan's hair whipped across her face.
Thomas bit his lip until it stuck out. Maria still clutched the Virgin Mary.
I figured I'd have to drive them often for them to get used to it.
VROOOOM!!!
Engine roar, wild and feral, gears shrieking as the car trembled.
CLUNK! CLANK!
The engine shook as if trying to escape the hood. The frame shivered down to the seats. Everyone jolted.
"Shittt!!! Is it gonna blow?!?" James shouted, clutching the crucifix.
"My head's gonna explode!" Jan yelled, pale as a boiled chicken.
Thomas pressed the crucifix to his chest, veins popping, "God… if I don't survive today, tell my mother I love her!!"
"Don't say thaaat!!" Maria shouted, still hugging the statue.
I chuckled in my throat. Engine noise couldn't be drowned out. I pressed the gas harder, and the roar intensified.
BRRREEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Steel wheels grinding—screeeech! My black lightning darted toward the wide turn.
"Ray!!! BRAKE!!!!" James's voice almost broke.
I smirked, "Brake? Hah… never heard of it."
SKRREEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!
I turned the wheel full, car sliding through the turn, dust rising like a white curtain. Tires shrieked—a ten-second eternity.
Bodies slammed to one side. Jan cried, "Woooaaahhh!!!"
Thomas muttered prayers, trembling.
Maria squealed but forced a smile as encouragement.
James's tears fell, "I just wanna go home and eat!!!"
Then… my black lightning car barely cleared the post by inches. The crowd erupted, shouting, "VORAN!!!!"
The engine still roared, seemingly laughing with me.
I raised an eyebrow at the pursuing car, whispering,
"If you wanna pass… you'll need to be faster."
The competitors gunned their engines—VROOOOM! They drew alongside, metal scraping—CLANG! Sparks flew. The crowd gasped, "WHOOOOA!!!"
I stayed calm, hands gripping the wheel like a predator waiting to strike. Inside, my friends still panicked.
"Stop messing around, man!!"
"I don't wanna die before graduation!"
"Mamaaa!!"
VROOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Engine roar hitting the air, accelerator pressed hard, vibrations shaking the ground. My black lightning surged, a wild beast finally free from its cage.
The dust slammed into our eyes.
"Shit!! Dust in my eyes!!" Jan pressed a handkerchief to her face, but still screamed until her voice was hoarse.
James ducked like a condemned man awaiting execution. "Ray!!! All I can see is dust and death straight ahead!!!"
Thomas muttered prayers in Latin, voice trembling, almost harmonizing with the engine's roar.
Maria clutched the Virgin tightly and shouted, "Oh Holy Mother! If I survive tonight, I swear I'll stop eating fried food for a month!!"
I grinned wide. My heart raced in sync with the engine, beating like it was my own.
CLONK-KRKKKKKKKKKK!
The gearbox slammed into high revs. Wheels screamed against the ground—SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
And then… the track narrowed, barely wide enough for one car at a time. Dust thickened into a white curtain, nearly blinding us.
"Fuuuuck!! It's gonna squeeze in—NOW!!" James shouted at the top of his lungs.
He wasn't wrong. The deep blue competitor shot up alongside, metal scraping metal—CLANGGGG!! Sparks flashed like lightning for a split second.
Spectators along the edges erupted, shouting in waves, "Whoa!!" "It's gonna hit!!" "Oh my God!!"
I chuckled low. "You wanna play rough? Fine."
My right hand yanked the wheel, snapping the car into the narrow path. BRRROOOOMMMMM!!! The Blitz Black (Blitz = the black lightning car) slammed through the dust without hesitation.
Inside, my friends screamed nonstop:
"You insane bastard!!" — Jan
"I want out!!!" — James
"God help us—your lambs are turning into meatballs!!" — Thomas
"Waaahhh!!" — Maria
The wheels tore through the dust—SZZZZZZZZZZ!! The engine roared across the arena like a beast. The dust blocked everyone's vision; only the black blur ahead was visible.
I bit my teeth, smirked like a predator, and floored it.
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!
The Blitz Black emerged from the dust first, and the crowd's roar exploded like thunder.
"WARUNNNNNNNNN!!!"
My name echoed across the arena.
Inside, my friends were jostled violently, faces pale as if dipped in whitewash—but I couldn't stop laughing. "Heh… told you to hang tight. I've got this."
Engines roared, each car like a wild beast chasing prey.
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!
The sound shook the ground. Dust rose, half-covering the sky. Spectators fanned their faces, stood on chairs to see who was leading.
"I can't see, Ray!!" James screamed, voice cracking like opera.
Jan clutched the central bar tightly. "D-d-driving like a ghost is following us!!"
Maria moaned as if about to faint. "Oh Mother… If I survive this, I'll really stop sneaking midnight snacks!!"
Thomas still muttered prayers, veins popping as he gripped his cross.
I raised a corner of my lips in a sly grin. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the deep blue car that tried to squeeze past still tailing us. Wheels screamed, GRRRRRRRR!! The crowd gasped.
"They won't let us lead!!" James cursed.
I just replied, "Then we won't let them—we'll drag them along!"
The pedal mashed to the floor. The engine roared like a beast unchained.
CLONKKKKKKKKKKKK!!
Gear slammed into final rev. The Blitz Black surged forward like real lightning.
The crowd went wild. "Faster!!"
"Whoa!! Is that a car or a storm!!"
Ahead… the final big curve awaited. The infamous crescent moon turn, known to devour countless racers. Too fast and you'd fly off; too slow and you'd get overtaken.
I took a deep breath, heartbeat matching the engine's roar.
"Hold tight!"
"No need to tell us—we've got this!!" — all four shouted in unison.
The Blitz Black entered the curve. Right wheels ground against the asphalt—SCREEEEEEEEEE!! The car tilted dangerously, but I held the wheel firm, sweaty palms unmoving.
The deep blue competitor squeezed again. Two cars almost collided. Stones flew toward spectators who shouted in alarm.
"Owwww!!"
James covered his eyes but still yelled. "I don't wanna die like this, Ray!! I'm not married yet!!"
Jan gasped, "You'll marry the Grim Reaper instead, idiot!!"
Maria hugged the Virgin tighter than ever, almost splitting the statue in half. "Help me!!"
I chuckled under my breath. "Heh… this curve… is mine."
Hands spun the wheel with precision. Tires screeched, sparks flashed. The car almost slipped, but slammed back onto the straight perfectly.
The competitor behind lost rhythm, their car wobbled. The crowd roared:
"Woooahhh!!"
"They're gonna skid!!"
My Blitz Black shot onto the final straight. Engine roared like declaring victory in advance.
The engine screamed non-stop. BRRRRRRRRRRR!!
Wheels ground into the cobbled stones, sparks flying. My black lightning car surged down the last stretch, the crowd's roar crashing like waves.
"Go!! Go!! Go!!"
"Lightning!! Lightning!!"
"WARUN!! WARUN!!"
Every shout reverberated, heart racing faster than when I floored the pedal.
Inside, chaos reigned…
James screamed, "Ray!! Don't floor it anymore!! This speed's gonna kill me!!"
Jan held the central bar tight. "Why did I pick this car!!"
Thomas mumbled prayers, voice trembling, stumbling over words.
Maria hugged the Virgin close, tears streaming. "Please survive! Please survive!"
But my face… stretched into a wide grin, eyes locked on the white line ahead—finish line.
The deep blue competitor that slipped the curve before wasn't giving up. Engine roared right behind us, reflection visible in my rearview.
"It's coming, Ray!!" James shouted.
I chuckled softly. "Let it come… I'll show it my 'rear' forever."
I mashed the pedal. Engine erupted. The whole car surged into the wind. BRRRRRRWWWWWWWW!!!
The finish line was seconds away. The crowd stood as one, cheering in unison.
"Go!! Go!! Go!!"
The announcer's voice echoed in the stands, engines screaming. BRRRRRRRRR!!
Vibrations shot up the wheel. Hands gripped tight as my heart raced like it might explode.
"Ready!?" I yelled to my friends, competing with the engine's roar.
"READY!!!" they all shouted—but faces told a different story.
James pale, nearly vomiting.
Jan biting her teeth tight.
Thomas trembling through prayers.
Maria hugging the Virgin like trying to carry her along.
"Then hang on tight! I've got this!" I smirked and floored it.
WHEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!!
Engine screeched like a wild beast. Everyone inside bounced violently.
"AAAAHHHHHH!!"
James screamed at the top of his lungs, "Ray!!! Brake!! I'm gonna fly out!!"
"Oh God!!" Thomas yelled, jumbling his prayers.
"Ave Maria… Ave… wait no!!"
Jan ducked her head. "Are you driving or killing us!!" She shouted over the engine. "I'm not married yet, Ray!!!"
Maria shrieked through tears. "Holy Mother!! This isn't racing, this is driving straight to hell!!!"
But in my ears… all those sounds were the soundtrack, adding thrill like a big blockbuster. Tires screeched, SZZZZZZZZZZ!! Around every curve.
The scent of burning rubber, cheers like thunder.
"Go WARUNNNNNNNNN!!"
The crowd's roar hit like waves crashing against my chest.
The competitor beside me yanked the wheel, trying to overtake. Engine screamed WROOOOOM!! Barely a hair's width from my car. I grinned wide, feeling the track shrink to just me and it.
"Ray!! Don't play crazy!!" James shouted.
I laughed in reply and floored it. BRRRRRRWWWWWW!!! The car leapt forward like a black panther freed from its cage.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
My friends' screams blended into a chorus of death, but to me… it was victory's anthem.
Tires ground the final curve—SZZZZZZZ!!
Bodies hurled sideways, four friends screaming like ghosts on a boat.
James hugged the console.
Jan glared at me.
Thomas green-faced.
Maria sobbing, begging for life.
But the finish line… right ahead.
I mashed the pedal. Engine roared BRRRRRRRRRR!!
Time seemed to freeze. All I saw was the white line and the crowd exploding around.
And my front wheels crossed the line—
SZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!
Bell rang. CLANGGGGG!! Echoed.
Announcer shouted, "Winner—WARUN and team!!"
Crowd erupted. The whole stadium shook.
"Wooooooahhh!!"
"Amazing!!"
I chuckled, hands still gripping the wheel, while my four friends collapsed, completely drained.
⸻
"Hold on tight, I told you so," I muttered quietly, but my heart was still hammering as if the race hadn't ended yet.
The engines had just died, the silence punctuated by the faint clicks and pops—tiiiit… tiiit… poooof!!
(like a beast finally settling down after a full-throttle sprint)
I exhaled deeply, my hands still gripping the steering wheel like I was holding on for dear life. Inside the car, it was nothing short of a battlefield.
James hugged the console like it was a pillow,
Jan's sweat-drenched face muttered under her breath, "I told you… I told you sooo…!!"
Thomas sat folded at the edge of the seat, clutching his wooden cross almost as if he was trying to drive it into his flesh,
and Maria… oh, she was sobbing even harder than before. "Oh Holy Mother… we survived!!"
I chuckled softly. "Well… we crossed the finish line safely, didn't we?"
"Safely my ass!!" James spun to glare at me, his face flushed like he was about to explode. "I almost died three times!!"
"But you didn't," I shrugged playfully.
Then—suddenly—the crowd erupted again.
WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!
The cheers echoed everywhere, sending chills down my spine from the nape of my neck to the tip of my head.
"WARUNNNNNNN!!"
"TEAM LIGHTNING!! TEAM LIGHTNING!!"
Kids were jumping up and down, girls waving handkerchiefs, tanned men snapping fingers to the beat.
Some even shouted, "How the hell did they drive like that??" before bursting into laughter.
Dust still floated from the track, faintly scented with burnt rubber. Spectators surged around the car immediately. Some pounded the hood, slap-slap, like cheering a boxer,
others reached out to stroke the matte-black body as if it were a legendary beast.
"Damn… that's a real black panther!"
"So cool!! That lightning pattern is insane!!"
Whispers mixed with applause.
I slowly rolled down the window and raised my hand, flicking my eyebrow at the frenzied crowd.
Screams exploded instantly as if I'd triggered some fuse.
James made a disgusted face. "Ugh… acting all handsome! I'm gonna puke."
Jan jabbed my shoulder hard. "You idiot! I told you, if I die, you have to drag my corpse away!!"
Thomas still murmured prayers, even after the race.
Maria trembled but held up the Virgin firmly in front of the crowd, as if she were the real guardian keeping our team alive.
The spectators laughed in a long line, some shouting, "The friends in that car are funnier than the race itself!!"
I pushed the car door open and stepped out, crunching the residual dusty rubber beneath my boots. I looked up at the cheering crowd; the sound reverberated inside my chest.
This victory… it wasn't just speed. It was laughter with friends, the screams of the crowd, all making my heart pound endlessly.
The track bell rang, DINGGGG!!
The announcer, in a white suit with a sash, stepped onto the high wooden podium, raising an old-fashioned microphone to his lips. His voice echoed across the venue:
"The winner of today's race is—!!"
The crowd fell silent for a split second… then erupted in unison:
"WARUNNNNN!! TEAM LIGHTNING!!"
I still sat in the driver's seat, hand tight on the wheel, heart pounding like it would burst. My four friends… oh, they were more wrecked than anyone, but cheering loudly anyway.
James snapped his fingers. "Told you! Our team is pure champion blood!"
Jan slapped her thigh. "Still alive!! Still alive!!"
Thomas raised his cross high. "Thank God!!"
Maria laughed and cried simultaneously. "The Holy Mother hasn't abandoned us!!"
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. "You guys… deserve a national comedy trophy instead of the champion trophy."
Applause kept ringing. Outside, people swarmed closer. Servants carried fresh floral wreaths and silver trophies to the stage.
"The winning team, please come up to receive your prize!!"
I stepped out first, climbing the wooden stairs under hundreds of eyes. My friends followed like zombies—James shrugged teasingly at the crowd, Jan's legs still shaking, Thomas constantly folding his hands in prayer, Maria hoisting the Virgin onto the stage.
The laughter and applause grew even louder at the sight of our team. The MC couldn't help but smile, eyes nearly disappearing from joy.
He raised the trophy high. "This is today's track glory trophy! Awarded to… TEAM LIGHTNING!!"
I reached for the heavy trophy. The cold metal touched my skin, and the crowd below roared their approval.
"WARUN!! WARUN!! WARUN!!"
The combined voices made the stadium quake.
I lifted the trophy overhead—WHOOSH!
Clapping, cheering, screaming exploded like a thunderclap.
James held up the cross he'd been carrying all along. "I'll hold the trophy instead; I'm exhausted!"
"Dream on," I shoved him aside gently.
Jan tried grabbing the trophy. "Let me hold it! I almost died!"
Thomas shook his head. "It wasn't 'almost'… we died and came back!"
Maria laughed through tears. "Crazy team, but my team nonetheless!"
The crowd below laughed along. They didn't just see a race victory—they saw friendship, chaotic but unbreakable.
I looked at each friend, smiling fully. "Okay… this time, I really drove us to victory."
James yelled into the announcer's microphone, "Next race, don't drive! I don't wanna die!"
The whole stadium erupted in laughter, like a comedy reel injected into an action scene.
The trophy remained in my hands, but heavier than it was… my heart, full of cheers and laughter.
After receiving the trophy, we walked down the stage. The crowd's cheers continued, but my eyes found my family waiting below—Mom, teary-eyed; Dad, stoic but eyebrows twitching; little brother, practically climbing over the fence with excitement.
"WARUN!" Mom's voice reached me first, trembling but filled with relief.
I paused and bowed slightly, lifting the trophy to acknowledge her, grinning with adrenaline still pumping.
Dad walked over slowly, face stern at first, but when he reached me, he… tapped my head loudly, POW!
"What kind of crazy stunt was that? Trying to kill yourself or what?"
"Dad! I'm the champ, not just playing around!" I rubbed my head, secretly grinning because I knew he worried.
My little brother ran up with a handkerchief. "Here, wipe your sweat, or the girls won't scream for you!"
I laughed, tugging his ear gently. "Shut up. Want to try driving instead?"
Then—suddenly, a familiar deep voice came from behind—
"Warun."
P'Theer… walking in a sleek suit, his face serious but full of concern. No hug, no sudden move like before, just pulling a white handkerchief from his inner pocket, bending slightly, and wiping my temple and the corner of my mouth himself.
I widened my eyes a little, heart racing—not from the race, but from the unexpected closeness.
"You're bleeding a little," he said calmly, eyes never leaving mine.
"Uh… just a scratch," I replied quickly, but my voice trembled more than I expected.
My friends trailing behind could hardly contain their laughter.
James whispered, "Whoa, like a prince and a black knight."
Jan added, "But funny… the knight is a bit smaller."
Thomas sighed, murmuring, "God… am I in a romance novel?"
Maria hugged the Virgin, shaking her head, "Help! I don't want to be in a romance scene but here I am."
Laughter rang all around. Family, friends, all smiling, yet I heard my own heartbeat louder than everything.
I raised the trophy slightly and tilted my head toward P'Theer, voice soft, "Thanks… but if you wipe too hard, half of Ray's face might disappear."
He paused for a moment, then cracked a rare smirk—a smile that almost made me forget I was still standing among hundreds of people.
After the race, the cheers still echoed across the track, but for me, everything slowly softened as P'Theer walked beside me. Silent as ever, but his gaze… it wasn't. He seemed to be thinking something, then said plainly,
"Warun, tomorrow… want to go to Loy Krathong together?"
(Loy Krathong is a Thai festival where people float small decorated baskets on water to honor the river spirits and let go of bad luck.)