It was 8 p.m. in the Grey-Husson facility, and everyone was ready to retire for the night after a long, exhausting day. Luca had eaten a large meal that still adhered to his strict diet and then indulged in a long, hot shower, reflecting on the day's events.
After drying off, Luca entered the room he shared with Harry, who was waiting for his turn in the shower. Luca dressed in his nightwear and collapsed onto his bed, crossing his legs as he stared at the ceiling.
The sound of Harry's shower, the steady rhythm of water hitting the tiles, played in the background while Luca drifted deeper into his thoughts. "System display," Luca suddenly commanded, his voice low and tired. "Show me my Status—focus on Physical Information and my skills," he added.
[Hosts status generating....
[..... Generation completed]
[Physical Information:
Weight: 71kg / 154 lbs
Body Fat Percentage: 11%
Luca nodded his head, his lips folded as he took in the figures. He was glad that he had made significant progress and was determined to make even more.
[Skills & Techniques: (Current skills and techniques are given to you by default) Total Grade - D
"System, what do you say? How am I doing?"
[You are doing wonderfully well, host. Your graph seems exceptionally promising]
That's nice to hear, Luca thought as he rolled over and picked up the telephone on his nightstand. It was finally time to call his mother, knowing it was assured now he wouldn't see her until fate decided otherwise. Now that he had made it into the selectable seven, all he had to do was wait for offers from the scouts, and soon he'd find himself signing a contract.
The phone call stretched on, just like Harry's endless bath. Mrs. Rennick wasn't eager to drop the receiver, and neither was Sophia, who insisted on speaking to Luca alone.
But their voices, once comforting, now felt like they were draining him. He hurried the call along, cutting it shorter than his mother would have liked, and finally, the line went silent.
Moments later, a knock echoed from the door, and Luca called the person in. Mallow stepped into the dim room, still in his navy blue tracksuit.
His eyes briefly skimmed the room—the clutter on Harry's side contrasting with the neatness of Luca's—before he crossed over toward Luca's bed. "How's the body holding up? Tough day, huh?"
"I swear," Luca muttered with a soft chuckle, blinking away sleep as he yawned. "Thirty-four laps is no child's play."
"Sure isn't," Mallow agreed, placing a foot on the stool next to Luca's bed. He leaned on his knee, peering at the tired brown-haired boy. "And winning a thirty-four-lap race isn't a child's play either."
Luca rubbed his eyes and glanced at Mallow's shadowed face. "Wait, you think I got first place?" he asked.
"I know you got first place, kiddo. They could rig it however they want, but the truth will always come out," Mallow said with a shrug. "Just don't dwell on it. You'll encounter similar challenges in the world of business and Formula 1 racing. As we said, none of this is child's play."
Fucking tyrants, Luca cursed inwardly. I knew they were aware I finished first. Why would they do it, heh?!
"Sure, sure," Luca muttered, feigning understanding. "I could have taken it if I'd noticed that not all the cars had the same potential. Did you know that?"
Mallow was taken aback, his brows furrowing in confusion and surprise. He had assumed that all the single-seaters were selected based on an average performance level, preferably, the same model just like the F2 division. "I definitely did not. And even with this, you still emerged number one..."
Luca chuckled softly, the drowsiness of sleep making him feel slightly drunk and delirious.
Mallow leaned in closer, lowering his voice as he studied Luca's brown hair again. "I see the way you race, son. You're a natural, you're magnificent, and you're bursting with potential," he said quietly. "By any chance, is your last name 'Rennick' the same as the 'Rennick' I know? Aldo Rennick?"
Luca nodded casually. "Yes, my father was Aldo Rennick. You must know him; he was a very good F1 racer," he replied.
Mallow shook his head in disbelief. There was no way Aldo Rennick's son could be Luca, right? Aldo Rennick was incredibly good then and wealthy; how could his son be struggling to break into the business? "Shouldn't you have had a million-dollar inheritance? What about your mother? She should..." Mallow protested.
"How can Aldo Rennick's family be living in an apartment?!"
Luca shrugged, brushing his feet as he sank deeper into bed. "I dunno, do you know? I guess no one really recognized his family after his death. Gradually, we became poor," he said.
Mallow shook his head, still unable to comprehend the situation. He pondered for a moment and concluded that no one could have simply overlooked them. "Your father's agents did a terrible job, or they deliberately hoarded funds away from you and your family."
Luca fell silent, Mallow's words sinking in and weighing on his mind. Remembering what Mallow had said about the results today, he chuckled ironically. "If that was the case, I wouldn't be surprised," he finally said after a pause.
Mallow studied the boy for a moment before taking his foot off the stool. He promised himself he would look into this. "How long will Harry take in that bathroom?! Come out, Harry! I want to tell you lads somethin'!"
Luca's gaze dropped to Mallow's silhouette. "Tell us what, sir?"
"Well, your hard work has paid off, Luca. We've received offers for both of you."
Luca shot up from the bed immediately, his heart racing. "Are you serious, sir?" he asked, disbelief clear in his voice.
"Yes, I am. We have four Formula 2 teams ready to offer good and swift deals for you and Mr. Shower over there," Mallow said proudly. "Tomorrow, we'll meet with them to discuss the next steps to take.
Luca's mind reeled with possibilities, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as his excitement grew. "I—I don't even know what to say," he muttered, barely able to contain his joy.
Mallow stood upright, sliding a piece of paper into the pocket of his tracksuit. "Just go to bed, kiddo. You've accomplished something today that I could never imagine doing. Sleep and let your body rest. I'll come for you boys early in the morning."
Luca nodded, his gaze drifting into nothingness as he settled back onto the pillow. He mumbled a goodnight to Mallow, who pounded on the shower door before leaving the room.
I will become a racer?! Formula 2 teams?! Coming for me?! Hehe!
Despite the fatigue screaming through his muscles and the heaviness in his eyelids, Luca couldn't sleep. He couldn't shake the excitement coursing through him; he was another step closer to achieving his dream of becoming a successful motorsport racer.
A/N: Character art is now available.