Pitbabe S2, Chapter 32 pg 1
Pitbabe S2, Chapter 32 pg 1
WINNER:
My name means “victor,” and it’s pretty obvious why my parents chose it. Nobody hates winning. Whether you’re in a race or not, victory is always a satisfying outcome. Even if it’s not a clear-cut competition with a defined opponent, overcoming something feels good. Some conquer fear, others defeat illness, and some triumph over themselves. Whatever the form, the mere idea of winning earns applause.
My name means “victor,” but I’m not always a winner. Honestly, I’d say I’m about half and half. Throughout my childhood, I competed in all sorts of contests, varying in type and difficulty. I gave my all each time, but I was never that thrilled about the results. If I won, I’d be happy, bragging to friends for days. If I lost, I’d just shrug and think about what snack to grab on the way home.
My parents cared more about the outcomes of my competitions than I did. Luckily, they weren’t the type to pressure me into fulfilling their every wish. They just wanted me to find something I loved, something I was good at and could take seriously. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I looked, I never found it.
I never knew what I truly wanted.
I had vague goals, sure. I followed the standard path like other kids: deciding what to study after ninth grade, choosing a major and university after high school, figuring out what to do after graduation. Those choices were easy because I never really knew where I wanted my empty life to go.
All I’ve ever done is pick what seemed good enough at the time.
One day, about ten years ago, a twenty-year-old me happened to turn on the TV and stumbled upon a live broadcast of a car race. I stopped to watch because I thought the sleek race cars looked cool, and since I’d never really paid attention to this kind of competition before, I barely understood anything the announcer was saying. The graphics popping up on the screen’s edges were a complete mystery to me. But when I saw the cars speeding forward, aggressively tailing each other like their lives depended on it, I couldn’t help but get caught up in the excitement. I picked one car as my “player,” betting with myself that the red-and-black one would cross the finish line first. A few minutes later, I found myself jumping off the couch, standing and clapping in front of the TV, because that red-and-black beast overtook every rival and claimed first place in the final seconds.
That race was incredibly impressive for a viewer like me, and it’s why I decided (rather impulsively, as usual) that my next goal was to become a professional race car driver.
It was the first time in years that my parents felt hopeful again, after they’d both given up on my aimless, carefree ways.
Because, out of nowhere, this new goal I’d casually chosen showed surprising promise. I joined the renowned Red Racing team, leading the charge and securing victories for the team time and time again. The gap between my losses and wins kept widening, no longer the fifty-fifty split it used to be. I was showered with praise, called a king, and my nickname “Winner” started to feel justified. Everything falling into place made me realize what it felt like to be part of something.
My racing career rose alongside the current king, Pitbabe. We started around the same time. I dominated one circuit, he ruled another. Our names were constantly mentioned together, but we never crossed paths—until The Hollow came along. It was a massive event that brought racers from all corners of the world together. That’s when I finally met Pitbabe, the first true rival of my life.
I’d competed in countless races—too many to list—but Babe was the first to make me understand what it meant to truly want to win. It wasn’t just another race where I had to get to the finish line. It was a battle I never imagined I’d experience. His confident gaze, mocking smirk, and provoking words were all fuel that propelled me forward, erasing the vague version of myself and forging a new, stronger one, tough enough to take on someone as arrogant as him.
I don’t know why I hated Babe so much. All I knew was that my hatred for him made me stronger, so I never thought to do anything about it, even when someone warned me that this intense feeling was eating me alive.
Let it consume me, who cares?
If I end up dying because of this hatred, I just want to beat that smug bastard once, and I’ll die with my eyes closed.
“What’d you find out?” the boss asked flatly, his hand slowly tracing the rim of a new flowerpot, as if assessing whether it was worthy of his beloved bonsai.
“He’s still with Kim. He’s basically staying there full-time now. Even on days he seems like he might stay here, he sneaks out in the middle of the night. A lot of his stuff from the room are gone, too,” I reported, relaying the information I’d gathered after receiving his orders. Lately, I’ve felt like I’m being trusted more. The boss has been assigning me important tasks and sharing information that, in the past, only Kenta would’ve known. I’m practically a second Kenta now, you could say.
“The only people coming and going from Kim’s apartment, besides Kim himself and Kenta, are Babe. I haven’t seen any other Team X members, but Babe doesn’t visit often either. In the past two or three weeks, he’s only been there once and didn’t stay long. Probably because things with Charlie are going well.”
“Going well…” he echoed my words, his thick brows furrowing as if what I said didn’t sit right with him or sounded less clever than he expected. “Going well with Charlie, not with us.”
“But if Charlie softens toward Babe, doesn’t that mean we…”
“Try again,” he cut in, his voice stern. If I closed my eyes, I’d imagine him glaring at me like he wanted to tear me apart. But all I saw was the boss, completely focused on that ridiculously expensive plant of his.
“Are we gaining an advantage or losing ground? Think carefully and answer again.”
He sounded like a patient teacher urging a dim-witted student to use their brain. Honestly, even now, I don’t fully grasp what Tony’s grand plan or ultimate goal is. All I know is that his enemy is Babe, and our enemy is the same. That alone is reason enough for me.
But he told me to rethink… What kind of answer does he want to hear?
Since the original goal was to use Babe as a tool to deal with Charlie, even if Babe’s hardline approach failed spectacularly, they seem to have rekindled a good relationship now. Doesn’t that mean persuading Charlie to give in should be easier?
Or is Babe about to betray us?
Is that what Tony is worried about? If you think about it, those two were lovers. Even if they’ve broken up, it’s clear their feelings and bond are still there. Otherwise, Babe wouldn’t have agreed to the deal in the first place. Maybe he initially intended to sabotage or persuade Charlie, but after getting close again, he might have had a change of heart, swayed by Charlie’s influence. Could Tony’s concern be that Babe is switching sides, putting us at a disadvantage?
“Do you think Babe would betray us, sir?” I asked after racking my brain to come up with a conclusion.
Could Babe be planning to betray us?
Is this what Tony is worried about? If you think about it, those two were lovers, and even if they’ve broken up, it’s clear their feelings and bond still linger. Otherwise, Babe wouldn’t have agreed to the deal in the first place. Maybe the initial plan was to sabotage or persuade Charlie, but he might have had a change of heart after getting close again and being swayed by Charlie’s influence. So, what Tony is concerned about now is whether Babe is switching sides, putting us at a disadvantage, right?
“Do you think Babe would betray us, sir?” I ask after racking my brain for a conclusion.
“Betrayal would be his first choice,” Tony replies with what I think is his peak level of calm. “Babe was never loyal to us to begin with. He’s only doing this because he was forced to.”
I don’t get it.
Why do people like Tony always overcomplicate things?
“I never expected Charlie to give up everything just because Babe asked. That kid’s too stubborn for that. But Babe is the perfect bait. He’ll distract Charlie, make him lose focus, and create an opening for us to work more easily while buying time until the stimulant formula is complete.”
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