Pitbabe S2, Chapter 21 pg 4

 Pitbabe S2, Chapter 21 pg 4

   “Hey!” The moment I tried to play nice, this foreign kid got cocky and fearless again. The gap between respect and being a pain in the neck was way shorter for Willy than for Charlie—so short I was tempted to smack him. But if I did that, Phii Alan would probably lose his patience for real. “I go anywhere, and there you are. This event is Pete’s thing—it’s got nothing to do with your team. If you’re not following me, then what the hell are you doing here?”

   “Fair point, but I’m not here as a racer today,” Willy said with a smug grin. He stood there, hands in his pockets, looking so relaxed it was infuriating. Though, I had to admit, today he was annoying in a way that looked better than usual. He was wearing a pitch-black suit, no patterns or details to make it stand out, but you could tell it was stupidly expensive. His white dress shirt wasn’t even fully buttoned, and overall, he looked like someone had forced him into the suit, shoved him into a car, and dumped him here. Still, there was no denying that this annoying kid looked way better than I remembered. “My dad’s a partner with Pete. If I didn’t show up, I’d get an earful.”

   Hearing that, everything clicked. Willy showing up here, his half-hearted attempt at looking polished—it all made sense. Calling him a spoiled rich kid wasn’t far off, since he still had to follow his family’s orders to keep his cushy lifestyle. For a kid his age with no real bargaining power, that was the deal. The more I got to know him, the more I realized Willy wasn’t just some trust-fund brat burning through his parents’ money like I’d first thought. He was just a kid who happened to be born rich and had to walk the path his parents laid out for him. Choices weren’t something everyone got handed on a platter. Sometimes, being someone else’s pawn was just necessary. I got that.

   “Quiet now, huh?” The spoiled kid flashed a cheeky grin. “Embarrassed? Thinking I’m that into you?”

   “Isn’t it true?” Instead of backing off, I figured a kid like Willy needed to be met head-on. I grinned at him, tilting my head with the kind of look Charlie called “cat burglar”—like a sly cat pretending to be cute to steal fish from a market stall. Even though he knew it was all an act, that look always worked like a charm on him. “I’m kinda disappointed. I thought you were really into me.”

   Willy froze. He stared at me, wide-eyed, his ears slowly turning red like someone had lit a fire under them. His lips trembled. I bet he wanted to say something, but his brain had short-circuited.

   Worked even better than it did on Charlie.

   “Heh, I do kinda like you…”

   “What’s that? Just a few words, and you’re already short-circuiting?” I burst out laughing, seeing the flustered look on this cocky kid who’d been so smug just moments ago. He probably thought he could back me into a corner and I’d just retreat. Was he underestimating Pitbabe or what? “Too soft, kiddo?”

   “Huh?”

   The more I laughed, the more bewildered Willy looked, and the more bewildered he looked, the harder I laughed.

   “Were you teasing me, huh?”

   “What else did you think? That I was actually sulking?”

   “Hey… you’re such a jerk, Phii!”

   Willy complained as if my teasing was some life-threatening offense, even though if he were a bit smarter, he’d already know that someone like me would never get upset over something like that. Especially with a kid like Willy—saying a dog laid eggs would probably sound more believable.

   “How can you joke about something like that? That’s not cool.”

   “Yeah, well, that’s just how I am. Why do you even like me, then?”

   But before Willy could open his mouth to argue back, Phii Alan, who had stepped away to take a phone call, returned. He scanned us like he was doing a final headcount of his younger siblings. Seeing that everyone was present, he gave a curt nod, signaling us to head in together. Willy had to shut up because of the captain’s serious expression. He just sulked behind me, muttering something incomprehensible, though it wasn’t hard to guess it was about me.

   Today was a big event for Beyond Group, the main sponsor of Team X. Pete himself had personally invited us two weeks ago, saying he wanted every team member to attend the grand opening of a new mall under the Beyond network. Its logo might even end up on our cars or racing suits next season. Because of that, Phii Alan had stressed that everyone had to show up, and he was fussier than usual about our outfits and appearance, as if he were presenting us as some new celebrity lineup.

   Pete’s new mall stayed true to Beyond Group’s signature luxurious concept but also blended in modern elements perfectly. It had a fun, lively vibe—not so extravagant that people would hesitate to step inside. Maybe because they intended it to be a hangout spot too. I heard from Phii Alan that besides restaurants and shops for spending money, the mall also had a laser game arcade, interest-based clubs, an exhibition floor, a concert hall, and tons of activity zones. Seeing all this, I was pretty impressed that Pete managed to plan so much while still whining about his unrequited love for two years. The minds of businessmen must really work separately from their hearts. I could never do what he does.

   When we reached the event hall floor, a petite woman hurried over to greet Phii Alan. She wore a neat black suit. Though smaller than the other women, her high heels and ponytail made her look sharp and elegant. She smiled brightly and spoke fluently, seeming very close with Phii Alan. I guessed she was probably Pete’s trusted secretary. Phii Alan had mentioned her a few times, but I could never remember her name.

   “Pete asked me to apologize for not coming out to greet you himself. He had to go over a lot of scripts before the event starts, so I am here to welcome you instead.”

   Oh… May, that’s her name.

   “No worries at all,” Phii Alan replied with a friendly smile. His composed demeanor and warm grin could’ve easily made people fall for him back in the day. Hmm… maybe even now. If Charlie smiled sweetly at someone like that, I’d probably feel my chest burn up instantly. But in Jeff’s case, that emotionally numb kid probably wouldn’t feel a thing. Honestly, I bet Jeff’s been indifferent for ages. “But we’ll get to meet him after the event, right?”

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