Pitbabe S2, Chapter 20 pg 3

 Pitbabe S2, Chapter 20 pg 3

   They shouted back in unison, “No!”

   I felt like an idol or a rock star, even though I’ve never sung anywhere except my own bathroom.

   “It might be a bit crowded, so I’m sorry about that. I didn’t expect this many people to show up.”

   And as usual, they all chimed back in unison, “It’s fine!”

   “Thank you all so much for coming today. I’m not sure if you’re expecting me to dance or sing or anything, but let me just say upfront that I’m terrible at those things. The only thing I’m decent at is probably drifting cars, but if I did that here, it might be a bit too exciting.” Their laughter helped me relax quite a bit. Even though I’m not afraid of speaking in front of crowds, I can’t deny this was pretty nerve-wracking.

   Back when I was a racer, I was somewhat known, but I didn’t have to talk to anyone much. Maybe once in a while, I’d do an interview with the media, but that was just chatting with a small group, and I never had to worry about them not wanting to listen—it was their job to get me to talk. So, that’s nothing compared to what’s in front of me now.

   “Before I got here, I thought there’d be some good-looking folks handing out brochures to everyone. But if anyone hasn’t gotten one, feel free to raise your hand, and someone will bring one over. I put together and designed this brochure myself, so I’d love for everyone to take a look.”

   About a dozen hands went up after I finished speaking. Liu, Phii Touch, Jeff, and the rest of the team immediately rushed over with stacks of brochures. Only Dr. Chris stayed put, as expected. That wasn’t his job. Dr. Chris’s role was to stick by my side and assist me throughout the event. If I were a celebrity, he’d probably be called my manager. But he didn’t take on this role out of concern or a desire to look after me—he just wanted a job that didn’t feel like everyone else’s.

   “Alright, the brochure team is handing them out. I’m gonna get started. If I stand here any longer, I might actually end up singing.” I flashed a sweet smile at the front row, mostly teenage girls holding their phones up at me the whole time, like I was some kind of idol. I don’t get why following me is so exciting. I’m not an entertainer. Back when I was racing, it made sense that people came to watch me drive, but now? I’ve got nothing to show them, yet they seem thrilled just to see me. The world of fans is sometimes hard to wrap my head around.

   “Before I start rambling, I’d like to invite everyone to play a fun game together. This game needs one volunteer. I’ll pick someone myself, but if I choose you and you’re not comfortable, feel free to say no—no need to be shy.”

   I walked around the stage, scanning the crowd for someone who seemed like a good fit. Some people avoided my gaze, nervous, while others locked eyes with me, practically begging, Pick me, pick me.

   My eyes landed on a young girl, found in less than twenty seconds. She looked like she was in late elementary school, with two braids tied with light blue ribbons that matched her simple dress. Next to her was a boy, probably in high school, who looked a lot like her—likely her older brother. They were standing near the front. I walked over to her side and knelt down in front of her, bringing our eyes as close to the same level as possible.

   “Found you,” I said with a smile, looking at the little girl who seemed beyond excited that I was kneeling in front of her. “Wanna come play a game with me?”

   The girl hesitated, glancing back and forth between me and her brother, who was standing next to her with a world-weary expression. I guessed he was just here to chaperone his sister, or maybe their parents forced him to bring her, so he didn’t seem too thrilled. But that’s exactly why I wanted to pick this girl.

   “Phii, can I borrow your little sister for a bit?” I asked for permission. The high school boy looked slightly startled by my words. He made a puzzled face, his eyes darting left and right, as if unsure how to respond. “I promise nothing dangerous. Just a short game, less than a minute, and she can stop anytime.”

   I explained further. He hesitated a moment but finally replied softly, “Go ahead.”

   “Big brother is okay with it. How about you, little one?”

   I turned to the girl with the blue bow. This time, she grinned widely and nodded so enthusiastically her bangs flew, showing that her earlier hesitation was really just worry about her brother’s approval. Now that she had it, she looked thrilled.

   “Okay, then come around and step up this way.”

   I gestured toward the stage’s side stairs. Dr. Chris, who’d been standing off to the side, went down to escort the young volunteer up. She glanced at the doctor and blushed slightly. She probably didn’t know Way beforehand, because if she did, she’d likely have looked like she saw a ghost. Honestly, Chris revealing himself publicly like this carries some risk of chaos, but we already have the names and photos of all team members on the project’s website, clearly stating he’s Chris, the team’s doctor. Whether people believe it, doubt it, or start spinning conspiracy theories is up to them. They can think I dug up Way’s ghost to help with the work—it doesn’t affect my job.

   “Hello,” I greeted formally once the little volunteer stood beside me on stage. “What’s your name?”

   I held the mic to her face. She looked nervous, knowing she had to speak into it, but cooperated well.

   “Jinny.”

   “Jinny… such a cute name.” I smiled at her, and she smiled back, twirling the end of her braid to ease her shyness. “How old are you, Jinny?”

   “Eleven.”

   “Can I ask why you came today?”

   “I… wanted to hear you speak.”

   Her answer was sincere. I could tell Jinny genuinely came to listen to me, because when she said that, it was the first time she looked me straight in the eyes.

   “Why did you want to hear me?” I asked further. Honestly, I didn’t think a kid her age would care about what I say, since some of it is too complex and could easily seem boring. But Jinny seemed to have been following it from the start. “Is there something you want to know?”

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