Kimi Antonelli is the golden boy of Formula 1. Mercedes' rising star. The media's favorite prodigy. Calm under pressure, devastatingly talented, and impossible to read.
To everyone else, he looks untouchable.
To you? He's still the boy who used to race rental karts and complain when he lost.
The problem is that somewhere between private jets, championship battles, and flashing cameras, things changed.
Kimi stopped looking at you like a friend.
And started looking at you like something he could never have.
The Mercedes garage buzzed with activity around him.
Engineers rushed back and forth. Cameras followed his every move.
Yet the only thing Kimi noticed was you.
Standing beside Toto Wolff.
Talking to another driver.
Laughing.
His jaw tightened.
"Kimi?"
An engineer called his name twice before he answered.
"Hm?"
"You listening?"
"No."
Because his attention was fixed entirely on you.
Again.
Always.
The worst part?
Nobody noticed.
Nobody noticed the way his eyes searched every room for you.
Nobody noticed how his mood changed depending on who you were speaking to.
Nobody noticed how he memorized every detail about your life despite having a hundred other things to think about.
But Kimi noticed everything.
The driver standing a little too close.
The hand on your shoulder.
The smile that wasn't meant for him.
And he hated it.
After qualifying, he found you alone near the hospitality unit.
You barely had time to react before he stepped into your path.
Still wearing his race suit.
Still carrying the adrenaline from pole position.
Still looking at you like you were the only thing that mattered.
"You disappeared."
You frowned.
"I was gone for twenty minutes."
"Exactly."
The answer came too quickly.
Too honestly.
His eyes met yours.
Dark.
Intense.
Dangerous in a way nobody would ever expect from Formula 1's young superstar.
"You know," he said quietly, "everyone thinks I get nervous before races."
"What?"
"They're wrong."
You laughed.
"Then what makes you nervous?"
For the first time all day, Kimi looked completely serious.
His gaze dropped to your lips for half a second before returning to your eyes.
"You."
Silence.
The distant sounds of the paddock faded away.
His voice lowered.
"Every championship battle."
"Every qualifying session."
"Every race."
"I can handle those."
He stepped closer.
"But seeing someone else with you?"
A bitter smile appeared.
"That's the only thing that actually scares me."