TLC (17-20) | ENG

Chapter 17 – Envy

Fez breathed a sigh of relief as he locked his bedroom door tightly. Finally, he got some time alone, just by himself. Spending all day with those three people completely drained his energy. What bothered him was the fact that Isaac had been recruited by Glauber, the Forrier's fiercest rival car team. Of course, he was bothered by that. All this time, Fez often looked down on Isaac on the track, because he knew that Llinos Purvance's team was not a rival to be reckoned with. But even so, Fez seems to have also realized that Isaac's racing abilities might be on par with him. Now, knowing that Isaac will race with Glauber starting next year, it is easy to guess that Isaac will soon become a top racer that Fez cannot take lightly.

Damn it, how could Glauber offer him a contract??! Has Glauber lost their mind?! Fez cursed in his heart. He punched the wall next to him with clenched fists. F*cking hell! He's pretty lucky, huh?! He cursed again full of annoyance and anger.

Fez was now filled with rage. He gets angry because he knows that Isaac's career will certainly be brighter after being recruited by the most prestigious car team in the world, also because he is jealous of Isaac, who is very lucky because he will be Glauber's racer, and also because Isaac has never felt how painful it is to know the fact that he was once 'thrown away' by parents at an orphanage!

His inner voice reprimanded subtly, Don't be overreacting, Fez. This is competition, no need to be jealous or envy over something. Isaac is your brother, your twin! Don't you feel a bit of longing because you've never met them?

And Fez fell silent, thinking about that subtle whisper. Am I overreacting? he said to himself.

***

"Hey... I thought you got lost at Bermuda Triangle, bro. No news from you since the last time we met. Where have you been?" said Royce over the phone, when Fez called that afternoon.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you right away, even though I had promised to inform you soon after meeting Isaac's parents. I think my brain is messed up. I don't even remember what day it is."

"It's Sunday, dude. I think you've poisoned your brain too much with pornography, so you're in a daze." Royce laughed.

"Haha. Yeah, maybe that's one of the factors."

"Why so serious, this is so not like you. Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. Oh, by the way, once again I'm so sorry Royce, I didn't even get to watch your game yesterday. So how did it go?"

Royce smiled. "Yeah… well …."

"From your voice, yesterday's results must have been good! No? Congrats bro! I knew you would win. What's the score?"

"Hmm, 2-0."

"Cool! Brandt is really solid! Invincible! You guys are through to the Champions League final now, I believe Brandt can win in the final!"

"It's the best team that will win later, but I'm amenable to what you believe. So, what happened?"

"Ha?"

"Any news from you?"

"Oh. A big surprise for me."

"You mean?"

"A big surprise because... I finally met the people who made me exist in this world."

"You mean ...."

"Hm... well, it seems that me and they are still destined to meet."

"So... that Isaac, is he... is he your brother?"

Fez smiled weakly. "My twin brother, to be exact. The mystery of me and Isaac's facial resemblance was answered. He's my twin brother."

Royce did not answer.

"All this time I thought my birthday was every October. As soon as I met my biological parents, everything became clear. Haha." Fez laughed bitterly. "I was born in 1993, November 14th. That means we are only a few months apart Royce, so don't you ever act like you are much older than me anymore."

"Oh, Christ. Fez, what happened exactly? Why did you get separated from your own biological family??"

Fez fell silent. "Humph, that's an embarrassing story. I'll tell you later, OK? It's not comfortable talking over the phone like this."

"Okay. Be tough, bro."

***

May 2017.

Indianarolls Circuit, Amerida. An hour and a half before the Grand Prix of the sixth series begins.

Fez, who occupied pole position in the qualifying session the previous day, is now at the motorhome, doing a technical briefing with the team. He, who is usually always ambitious and excited before a race, is now more reserved and has a long face. None of his teammates knew the reason for Fez's unusual change in attitude. But they believe, Fez is a professional racer who will not let changes in his mood and personal life affect his performance in the world-class race that day.

No one knew that at that time, Fez kept thinking about Isaac, who had accepted and signed a contract with Glauber starting in the 2018 season. How cheerful Isaac was when he said that, he wished he could compete healthily with his brother. It was fun, he thought. If possible, they always get on the podium together. And Fez responded with fake smiles and enthusiasm, just to please Isaac. No one knew how much this disturbed Fez's mind.

***

Those two guys met when the racers' parade started. Isaac approached Fez and smiled. "Hey Fez," he greeted.

Fez smiled back, hiding his mixed emotions. "Hey."

"Are you ready? It's sunny today, there's no possibility of rain. And you can start today's race from the pole position. Don't waste the victory that is right in front of your eyes," said Isaac.

Fez smiled faintly. "Never doubt me."

"What happened, you seem not enthusiastic like before?"

"You're just assuming. By the way, how many years is your contract with Glauber?"

"Three years."

"Well, congrats, then. We're going to be tough rivals," Fez said, forcing a big smile, trying to look enthusiastic and positive.

Isaac returned Fez's smile. "Thanks."

"But where's the echo? Such big news like this, I don't hear a thing. The press doesn't know about it yet?"

Isaac shook his head. "It's not time for the press to know yet. Later. Even the other racer friends don't know either. Only you who know about this."

Fez frowned in surprise but chose to remain silent and not comment.

***

Isaac was climbing the steps in the motorhome after the driver parade, about to have one last meeting with the team and mechanics before the race started. But when he arrived at the second floor, he saw a girl staggering, almost falling, not far from him. By reflex he stretched out his arms and held the girl's body before collapsing to the floor, "Miss!" he exclaimed. "Miss, are you all right?" he asked concerned while straightening the girl's body.

The girl smiled. "It's okay. I'm feeling just a little dizzy," she replied. The girl was a beautiful girl around 15 years old who had met and taken a photo with Isaac when Isaac visited the paddock club. The girl's name was Camila Castellano. A very charming young girl. She is so beautiful and has black hair, making anyone who looks at her unable to take her eyes off her. So did Isaac, who was mesmerized by the beauty of the teenage girl who is leaning in his arms.

And Isaac also remembered that he had met the girl before, that was when he visited the paddock club this afternoon. "Well, you were at the paddock club, right? Are you okay? You must be dizzy because of the temperature here. Come follow me, you'd better get some rest first," he offered kindly.

Camila smiled. "Thanks, Ike, you've helped and worried about me. But I'm okay. After seeing you, my dizziness is gone …," she said, looking into Isaac's brown eyes.

Isaac was silent for a moment, then smiled. "What was your name just now?"

"Camila. Camila Castellano."

"Camila, what a lovely name," Isaac complimented.

"Thanks." Camila smiled sweetly.

"Are you by yourself going here? Where's your friend from earlier?"

"Don't worry about her." Camila looked at Isaac with a look full of charm. "For God's sake .…" she said.

"Yes?" Isaac smiled.

"You really are God's most perfect creation, Ike! You know how many girls out there adore you, fascinated by you?"

Isaac chuckled. Sounds so crisp. "You are a naive girl, no human is perfect!"

"I don't care. For me, you are perfect. I'm crazy about you. Really! I'm willing to do anything with an idol as handsome as you ... Anything, literally, anything for you."

For a moment Isaac was amazed at the courage of the teenage girl. "Camila, Camila! Listen, honey, you are still too young. You have a long way to go in life, there are many things you can do instead of being infatuated with someone who doesn't deserve you."

Camila raised an eyebrow. "Why did you say that? And what's wrong with my age?"

"Because your life path is still long, and, I'm sure there is someone out there who is much more deserving of protecting you than someone like me. You are very beautiful, Cami. And only the best quality man deserves you," said Isaac while caressing Camila's cheek gently.

"Isn't that top-quality man standing in front of me, right now?"

Isaac smiled. "Honey, you are only fascinated by physical beauty. What plays the most role in a relationship is nothing but pure affection, which does not include physical appearance."

"I thought it was just a theory. In real life, guys only look at the girls' physiques! They sleep with girls they find attractive, then after that they left. Moreover, especially for adults, cheating, a one-night stand, or something like that can happen because people nowadays only see the physical, right?"

Isaac paused to stare at Camila. "What a great argument." 

"I know, right?"

"But if I am one of those types of guys, you don't have to bother arguing with me here. Cami, I respect women, I respect women and I respect you too. I don't want to hurt and stain you with a relationship that is only based on sexual attraction ...." Isaac seemed taken aback by his own words. His face blushed slightly, then smiled. "Well, why am I talking about such a sensitive thing."

"Am I not attractive enough for you?"

"Cami, I told you, you are sweet and beautiful. But I don't deserve you."

"You shouldn't say that. Don't we never know who our soul mate is, until we find one? Who knows?"

Isaac answered Camila with a glimmer of a smile. "The perfect man that was meant for you wasn't me, Cami. I had no right to do that."

Camila was at a loss for words to seduce Isaac. "Isaac ...."

"Hey, come on! My crew and my mechanic team are waiting for me, we have to do a meeting right now so that our performance will be more optimal during the race. As my fans, you don't want me to get bad results, do you?" rebuked Isaac.

Camila scowled, feeling irritated and exasperated. "Okay, okay! I won't bother you anymore. It's really hard to seduce you!" she said. She paused for a moment as she looked at Isaac. "You are very adorable," she said again as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed both of Isaac's cheeks fondly.

While the one who got the kiss was silent, he didn't expect it, but he also didn't refuse. He smiled at Camila. "I will never forget fans who are 'naughty' like you. A girl who are smart, reckless, and brave," he said.

Camila grinned.

"I hope you never get tired of supporting me. Bye, Cami," Isaac said goodbye.

"Bye-bye! Good luck, Ike!"

And Isaac left Camila while shaking his head and smiling. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed his hilarious encounters with 'naughty' fans like Camila, and he couldn't deny that he also enjoyed the free kisses he received. He hoped secretly that the kiss was a good sign that would allow him to gain points in the race which would start soon.

 

Chapter 18 – Luck In Misfortune

Two minutes before the match starts. All racers were in the cockpit of their respective cars, preparing to face the sixth race of the season. Fez, who had been silent and daydreaming, still remembered the fact that made him envious of his brother. Fez admits that he can't accept the fact that Isaac will soon be joining the Glauber team, the most powerful and solid Formula Prime team, the GT Forrier team's biggest enemy. He seemed to have woken up from sleep when he realized the race would start soon and immediately focused his mind on the race he was about to undertake. He got ready and drove slowly as the red light went out, while other cars followed behind him. Parade lap, they circle the circuit first as a warm-up before the actual race starts.

During the warm-up, Fez tried to forget all the anger and problems he was enduring for a moment, so he could fully concentrate on the race. He does not want and will never tarnish his shining appearance in the world of jet racing with personal problems that continue to bother him.

Fez arrived on the starting grid first. The cars behind him arrived and they immediately took their respective starting positions. Fez closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He did this several times until he felt calmer and ready to concentrate fully on the race and put all his effort into achieving the best results.

The red light went out, and the race began. Fez immediately drove his car at full speed, he didn't let anyone take his first position in the race that time. And he succeeded. But it doesn't end there. He must be able to maintain his leading position, until the end of the race. So he drove his car at maximum speed, trying to make a long distance with his 'stalkers' behind him so that they would have difficulty approaching him and even overtaking him.

His toughest rival, Alvarez, was right behind him from the start of the race. However, until then Alvarez had not managed to overtake Fez, a talented young racer who had become his toughest rival since last year.

Until the middle of the race, Fez remained ahead. He has already pitted once, and he can still maintain his position. He thought that was very good, considering that Alvarez was always behind him and had enough opportunities to take pole position when Fez entered the pits.

Fez felt it seemed that in the race at that time the goddess of fortune was back on his side. He feels happy and proud, even though he doesn't have the right to be proud yet, because the race isn't over yet.

And sure enough. On the 32nd lap, suddenly Fez's car engine exploded and emitted thick smoke. Fez practically could no longer continue the race. Distraught, Fez exited the cockpit and walked towards the paddock, where his team was waiting.

He was angry and annoyed, of course. He had expected too much from the goddess of fortune who he thought would protect him until the race was over. But in reality, the goddess of fortune left him and let his car engine explode!

Fez sees Isaac's car drive past him, and his mood gets worse. He remembered that starting next season, Isaac would be Glauber's main driver, replacing Alvarez, his toughest rival now. He didn't want to accept the fact that his brother had greater luck in his career.

And he was getting more annoyed and angry. Fez took off his helmet and head covering, and a face appeared that was twisted full of anger and resentment that was rampant. His teammates greeted him in the paddock but Fez ignored them, he quickly left and slipped into his dugout. There he slammed his helmet down hard and spewed all kinds of swearing and obscenities from his mouth.

Having had his fill of swearing at everything that irritated him, he felt a little more relieved. There was a tinge of regret in his heart for getting too emotional, which he knew he shouldn't do.

Fez was silent for a few moments to neutralize his emotions, then he headed out towards the pit wall, wanting to follow the race more intensively with the boss and the team's strategy designers. Currently, Alvarez has dropped to second place after making a few mistakes at the first corner, and Fez's teammate, Shawn Renan, used this golden opportunity to overtake Alvarez and until now Renan is leading the race. After Fez retired, the concentration was fully on Renan and all team members wanted to try their best so that Renan could maintain his position until the end of the race.

After passing on information about what happened to his car earlier to his boss, Gerhard Brautovich, and giving a word or two to the press who intercepted him at the motorhome, Fez decided to take a short walk around the motorhome. Trying to amuse himself by breaking away for a moment from the work in his hand. He is discouraged from following the race at the pit wall; it's not that he doesn't care, he believes in Renan's ability and he believes Renan will be able to maintain his position until the end of the race. He was just feeling a little bored watching the cars passing by in front of his nose while he should also have been struggling in the fight that day if only his car's engine had not exploded!

So he took a stroll for a while, watching the people around his team's paddock club. Immediately he saw a beautiful girl who was watching him. A girl with reddish skin and black hair.

That girl, Camila, was watching Fez. She wasn't so excited about watching the race because Isaac was still stuck in the tenth position. Feeling that his hero couldn't get any better results, she decided to relieve boredom by taking a walk around the club's paddock. Unexpectedly, she now saw Ferris Rutherford, a racer who looked very much like Isaac; a GT Forrier racer whose achievements are flashier than Isaac. Filled with curiosity as to why Ferris and Isaac looked alike, she put her attention to Ferris. Trying to find differences between Ferris and Isaac's physique, whom she adores. Not finding what she was looking for, she only found the fact that Ferris and Isaac looked alike, like a pair of identical twins. Only their height as well as facial hair differentiates between them. And Camila smiled.

Fez, who seemed fascinated by the beauty of the teenage girl, approached Camila and greeted her. "Hi," he greeted friendly.

Camila smiled sweetly. "Hi. You must be Ferris Rutherford, nice to meet you. My name is Camila Castellano," she said holding out her hand.

Fez warmly welcomed Camila's hand. "Camila? Lovely name, nice to meet you."

"Wow! So happy today, I met two handsome racers who both praised my name," Camila said cheerfully.

Fez smiled. "Oh?"

"Yeah! Isaac also praised my name."

Fez raised an eyebrow. "Isaac? Well, I guess you're one of Isaac's admirers, huh?"

Camila laughed lightly. "Of course! Who wouldn't be fascinated by Isaac ...?"

Fez smiled faintly. "I'm not. Because I'm a guy," he said, to Camila's laughter.

"Oh, you're right!"

"By the way, why are you here? Why aren't you watching the race inside?"

"Ah, I'm just bored. And the temperature is very hot, too. Better take a walk here. Why are you here alone?"

Fez smiled. "Just to put my mind at ease, having an engine blow after leading 30 laps isn't nice, isn't it?"

"I see," Camila said. Her face turned gloomy as if she also felt Fez's disappointment.

"Mind if I ask you to stay with me for a bit, Camila?" Fez offered.

Camila smiled. "Of course not! With pleasure. When else will there be a chance to accompany a handsome racer like you ...?"

"You are an expressive girl, I like girls like you."

"Thank you!"

"Is it polite to ask your age? You seem very young."

"15," Camila answered quickly. "So what?"

Fez nodded. "Oh, I guessed right. You're still a teenager. Such a beautiful young girl."

Camila blushed. "Thanks ...."

"And you know what? I'm fascinated by you. Your beauty makes me unable to look away from you. Are you a model, or something?"

Camilla laughed. "I'm just an ordinary girl. I'm not a model or an actress."

"Too bad, I thought you'd be a good model."

"Ah, I have no talent waving on the catwalk or acting. I do not like that."

Fez nodded. "I see. Are you alone, come here?"

"No. I was with my cousin, Jessica. She was the one who made access to the paddock club and Purvance's motorhome so easy."

"Really?"

"Yeah! The owner of Purvance is one of Jessica's father's subordinates. So we are free to go in and out of Purvance's motorhome."

Fez was silent for a moment. "I got it. Looks like your uncle is a man of power, huh? An important man in Amerida. Are you from New Yord?" 

Camila smiled. "Yes. Indeed. And indeed my uncle is a powerful person, but that's not important to be proud of, even though thanks to him I can freely go in and out of places that not everyone can visit. I'm more proud of my father."

Fez smiled back. "Ah, I'm more and more sure, who is the cute girl in front of me right now."

"He? Do you know who my father is?"

"Why should I not know, Cami? I'm interested in your father and uncle's case. Two Castellanos who find fault with one another so they can bring down one another. I was right, wasn't I?"

Camila smiled. "Exactly."

"Then? Where is your cousin?"

"She's inside. I let her watch the race alone. Because I'm annoyed with her. She's too confident and always brags that Isaac will be hers. Even though she doesn't even know Isaac."

"You both idolize Isaac Renauld? Why don't you support other racers, like me? Are my achievements less attractive to you girls?"

Camila shook her head. "It's not like that. You're great, Fez. You're better than Isaac, I know that your car is also more excellent. And you two look alike, but ...."

"But?"

"But ... aren't you a womanizer like they said, huh?"

Fez laughed. "Cami, Cami! You read too much infotainment or something. I'm not like what they write, honey. They're too creative with their minds to create stories about me."

"So it was all a lie?"

Fez looked Camila right in the eye. "I'm a gentle, sympathetic man. I've always treated women with love. I've never intentionally hurt them. Do you trust me more, or do you believe the press more?" he asked as he stroked Camila's cheek gently.

And, just like Fez's strength in charming many women, Camila was mesmerized by Fez's sweet words and the look in his eyes...

 

Chapter 19 – Man Of The Match

"You have a very sweet fan, Ike," said Fez to Isaac by phone that night.

"Huh?"

"Camila. She said you met her at the paddock club this afternoon?"

"Camila? How do you know, did you meet her? When?"

"Yes, this afternoon. What do you think I did post-dnf ( *dnf = did not finish* )? Stuck, doing nothing in the motorhome? No way, I'd better go for a walk. Then I met Camila. Such a sweet girl, huh."

Isaac chuckled. "Damn, you got your eyes on her? So what, have you made her your fan now, not mine anymore?" 

"Wow, I have no idea whether she supports me more or supports you right now. But one thing is clear, she is a very sweet girl, still young and innocent. Nobody has ever touched her."

Isaac was surprised. "Heh, you didn't mess with that girl, did you?"

Fez's turn to laugh. "Why should I not do all kinds of things, if she also wants to be with me?"

"Fez! You bastard, she's still a kid! She's still 15 years old! Not old enough for you to mess around with!"

"Ah, 15 years is old enough. Why, are you angry, to know that I'm taking advantage of your fans?"

"I mean... Camila isn't an adult yet! Are you insane, how come you have the heart to be a bastard like that? Did you sleep with her? You took her virginity?!"

Fez laughed. "As long as she gave me her consent, it's not a big deal, it has nothing to do with whether I have a heart or not."

"Damn. You're such an asshole, you know?! Get your senses right, your behavior is very negative."

"Hm, whatever you say. You don't know how bad my mood was. Even now, when I remember what happened this afternoon, still I can't accept that. What's wrong with me looking for personal pleasure?"

Isaac shook his head, Fez will likely never recover from his negative behavior, he thought. Even with virgin girls, whom he didn't know, he dare to do that?

***

June 2017 Madrige, Slocean.

It has been almost a month since Royce and Eastland's national team have been in Slocean, taking part in a series of Euro 2017 Cup matches. Thanks to their hard work and great luck, the Eastland national team has made it into the semifinals. Their chances of defending the Euro Cup trophy are wide open, and they will try their best to make their dreams happen.

That morning Royce was having breakfast with his national teammates while chatting and joking a bit, releasing their tenses before starting the intense training that they will undergo in preparation for fighting Slocean in the upcoming semifinal.

Royce's cell phone rang. Royce immediately replied, "Hello?"

"Hey, Royce!" Fez's voice was heard from the other side.

"Hey, Fez. How are you?"

"Fine, thanks. Congrats, bro, as I knew from the very beginning, Eastland would make it to the semifinals, and the finals, of course! I watched the live stream of your game last night against the Frenchye. 1-0. You were the top scorer again. You are always able to score such spectacular goals! That's just ... amazing. You are Eastland's hero," said Fez, as if he didn't give Royce a chance to interrupt or answer.

"Are you done yet? Is it my turn now to speak?"

Fez laughed. "Sorry. Yea, it's now your turn!"

"You sounded so happy. Thank God. Your mood had been bad lately. Because of ... that trouble."

"Ah, come on, I'm not in the mood to face my troubles. I'm happy today because my best friend became the 'man of the match' in last night's match. You were born to be a real athlete. Keep up your achievements, bro."

"Thanks. I just got lucky last night. Where are you now, Fez?"

"Broena."

"Oh, haven't you come back yet? Oh yeah, how was the result of yesterday's race?"

Fez sighed. "Well, I was still lucky because I was able to reach third place on the podium. Even though the race got me dying. Can you imagine, I was given a two-second penalty! I was forced to start from position 15! Not to mention that I have to continue to concentrate fully on the race, while the problems that I have to endure seem like they won't let go of my brain!"

"What's bothering you exactly?" asked Royce worriedly. "You know you have such a friend who is willing to hear all of your stories, no matter what it is. You can count on me. Instead of facing it alone, your performance will get affected. You know that very well. Remember 6th series last month? I heard you were having a tantrum at the motorhome. Also the seventh and eighth series earlier this month."

Fez is silent for a while. "Sorry, Royce. It's not that I don't trust you. But this is too personal. I can handle it."

Royce smiled lightly. "It's okay, I believe that you can. Hey, come over here and watch the semifinals!"

"Man, how I wish to watch you fighting for it! You know right, my schedule is full this June. But I promise you, I'll be there for finals." 

"Hey, how can you be so sure about that?"

"You heard me, right, Eastland will be in the finals. Trust me," said Fez enthusiastically.

"Since when did you become a fortune teller? No longer being a racer and painter?"

"Damn it. Seriously."

"Don't you race in early July? What's the date? 7th of July, huh? While the final and the match for third and fourth places were held on 2 and 3 July. Doesn't this conflict with your activities?" asked Royce.

"Nope, don't you worry. Race on the 7th in Cataluna, bro."

"Oh, I see. Slocean Grand Prix."

"Well, on July 7th, it will be your turn to watch the race live on the circuit."

Royce chuckled. "Of course! If necessary, I will bring all my teammates and Eastland supporters to Cataluna."

***

July 3, Euro 2017 final.

Eastland performed brilliantly in the semifinals a few days earlier against Slocean, the hosts. They impressively managed to beat Slocean 2-0, and that made Eastland entitled to go to the final round, which was held today, against another finalist, Iralia.

As usual, the stadium was full of spectators and loyal supporters of the Eastland and Iralia teams. Big events like the Euro Cup always turn the stadium into a sea of ​​people. In one of the exclusive tribunes, Fez and his GT Forrier teammates were already there waiting for the final match to start.

"As I thought before, Eastland will make it to the finals!!" Fez said loudly to his teammates.

"Hey, you've talked like that many times," said Dan.

The two squads that will fight each other for the Euro Cup trophy are out. They stood side by side, and the national anthems of the two countries rang in the air. Then the players shook hands and immediately took their respective positions.

Royce looked around. His teammates seemed to be ready for the battle. The Eastland team captain and the opposing team captain were seen still shaking hands with the referees on duty. He looked towards the exclusive spectator stands in front of him, and found the figure of his best friend, Fez, sitting together with his friends. He squinted, trying to determine if what he saw was Fez.

Fez waved at Royce when he realized Royce had seen him and his friends. Royce returned Fez's wave with a big smile. Fez encouraged Royce by clenching his fists tightly and holding them up. Royce did the same.

The whistle blows.

The match began, accompanied by boisterous spectators who were so enthusiastic. The two countries defended their own so as not to give opponents a chance to score. Several good opportunities for the Eastland squad to score goals, always broken by Iralia.

The first half passed goalless.

In the second half, the match heated up, with both teams trying hard to score goals against their opponents. However, both of them are strong teams in defense and also aggressive in attack, so the final match was a good match and interesting.

Until the 82nd minute, the score of the two teams remained 0-0. The spectators kept on shouting cheers for the two teams that were competing.

Minute after minute passed quickly. At that time, Iralia was incessantly carrying out attacks on Eastland. When the attack took place in the Eastland penalty box, one of the Eastland players tackled an Iralia player who was carrying the ball at the time. The referee blew the whistle and pointed to the penalty spot. Iralia supporters cheered in unison.

A talented young player from Iralia, who got the chance to take a penalty this time, was already standing there, ready to take a penalty kick. The kick is likely to lead his team to win the Euro Cup trophy. Meanwhile, the Eastland goalkeeper, aged around 28 years, who is touted as the most expensive goalkeeper because of his undoubted ability, stands at the goalpost, trying to increase his awareness and foresight in reading the direction of the ball.

The whistle blows. The Iralia player was silent for a moment, before then taking a swing and kicking the ball right towards the goal. The Eastland goalkeeper, who had guessed the direction of the ball from the start, bent his body and raised his hands high, trying to reach the ball.

But the ball went past him. Even though he tried to stretch his arms as far as he could, the ball that was only inches from him escaped ... and resulted in a goal.

The Iralia player who managed to execute the penalty kick ran to express his joy, while his other friends hugged and kissed him. All Iralia supporters also dissolved in the happy atmosphere.

The game is not over yet, and now Eastland is trying as much as possible to make up for their lag. Over and over again, the Iralia goal was threatened by Eastland's increasingly intense and sharp attacks, but unfortunately, things didn't change. Until the referee blew the whistle signaling the game was over, the score remained 1-0 for Iralia.

Simultaneously the officials and all the Iralia players were immersed in joy. Tens of thousands of Iralia fans also joined in, they're welcoming their victory joyfully.

The players shook hands and saluted the fans and spectators. The presentation of the Euro Cup was carried out with great fanfare.

"Runners up, again and again," said Fez.

Another replied, "Yeah, too bad. Eastland should have been able to defend the trophy. That damn penalty should not have happened!"

"Is Royce still able to smile, losing in a big event like this?" Dan asked.

Fez and the others simultaneously paid attention to Royce who was still on the field. They saw Royce's face seemed carefree, greeted and congratulated the Iralia players with a smile on his face. They did not find the same thing in some of the Eastland players, Eastland goalkeepers, and also Eastland national team coaches.

"Well, he's a real football player," Fez said.

"Yes, agreed. He is the darling of the Eastland public. I can't wait for his action at the 2019 World Cup."

"Let's think positively. Royce and the team can show that Eastland is a solid and unbeatable home team," said Dan.

 

Chapter 20 – Racer And Also A Gifted Artist

Hey! See you again, Royce Beauregard here.

Fez has been spending nearly two weeks at his mansion, busy painting. I don't know what got into him, because usually when he has free time, he goes on vacation with his friends, either traveling or playing in Maldines. And today, I intend to visit him at the mansion. Fez's Mansion is located quite far from Leighryn, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and the place does give a sense of comfort, maybe because of that Fez can stand being cooped up in the house for a long time.

When I got there, sure enough, Fez was in his painting room, he didn't even seem to notice my arrival.

"Hey, Fez!"

Fez turned around. "Hi, Royce! How come I didn't hear you coming?"

"How could you realize I'm coming? Maybe if an intruder enters here you won't know either, Fez." I pulled up a chair and sat down not far from him. "This is so not like you. You don't go anywhere on holidays? Aren't you bored?"

"I was in the mood to paint and create a lot of works. It's more fulfilling and relaxes me."

"To release your burdens, huh?"

Fez smiled. "Yeah. I'm in a stressful situation now, I admit."

"And that affected your performance at the Grand Prix, right?"

"Yeah, I regret that. Though I never had the intention to tarnish my appearance. Moreover ... the results of the four races yesterday were far from good and did not help raise my points in the standings. All of this is because of my bad performance and my bad luck since the sixth series, last May. Well, these are the worst times for me. I don't know if I can still catch up on points from Alvarez, and also from the others."

Fez took a breath deeply, it looked like he wasn't done complaining yet. "Huh, even though at the beginning of this year I planned to avenge my defeat to Alvarez in 2016. But in reality now? The gap between his points and mine is getting further away! He always stays in first place in the standings, while I keep getting thrown far back. I couldn't give my 100%, while Alvarez's performances are always consistent and optimal! Sadly, I've become a loser," said Fez flatly. "Plus, I always get a lot of hidden pressure from my car team, which expects me to always win every series. Who expects ... ah, no, that seemed to force me to be able to achieve and maintain a position at the top of the driver's standings, and also at the top of the constructors' standings. Damn, Royce. I can't race like that anymore."

My forehead furrowed at Fez's words. "This is your fifth season in Formula Prime, Fez. You should be used to that kind of pressure. Either the pressure from your team or the pressure that appears when you’re in the middle of the race. You can still handle all kinds of pressure like that, right?"

"Everyone has limits of patience and limits of ability."

Huh? Fez changed. I looked at him for a long time. "This isn't the Fez I know. The Fez I know is always optimistic! Never give up and always willing to try! You're also not the type to give up quickly when you're under pressure! That's why you existed and survived all this time!"

Fez took a deep breath. "Royce, listen ...."

I didn't give him a chance to talk. "Look, Fez! After five years that you have been in FP, and dozens of years you have spent in karting, F3, and all that kind of competition, are you willing to give up, just for the reason 'everyone has limits and patience'?!"

Fez looked at me silently. "Well ... maybe it could be a note for you, that the current Fez is no longer the same as the old Fez."

"I do not believe and never thought you could be like this. Are you willing, your brilliant career is damaged because of the burden of your problems that don't go away? Fez, you know I want to help you."

"I know you mean well, Royce. But thanks, I can handle it myself."

I'm your best friend since childhood, Fez. What secret about you that I don't know, I know your positives and negatives, and now you're not willing to share your problems with me? What the hell is in your mind?

Fez got up and walked to the kitchen. "You want hot coffee?" he offered.

"Sure."

I got up, then walked to the room where all of Fez's paintings were stored. In an instant, I was absorbed in looking at Fez's paintings from school until now.

"Here." Fez suddenly stood behind me while holding out a cup of coffee.

"Thanks. I can have a look, right?"

Fez smiled. "Sure, why not," he said lightly as he focused back on the painting he was working on.

Since earlier, I have not stopped being amazed to see Fez's paintings. Hundreds of amazing paintings. All the paintings he made, whether they were paintings of people, landscapes, scenes, or inanimate objects, surely fascinated me. The detail of each painting is so amazing and makes anyone who sees it fascinated and won't stop staring. Including me, now.

"Why don't you just have an exhibition, Fez? You have so many paintings, and all of them, WOW!"

Fez replied, "Those are not that good."

"This is great, dude. Cool, amazing. It's rare to find an ambitious racer who is secretly good at painting like you."

"Painting is just a hobby for me."

"It's not a bad idea if you sell your painting," I said again. I opened the cloth covering one of the paintings, and I was stunned when I found a painting of a beautiful woman standing on a rock and being hit by the waves while gazing at the sea sky which was starting to get dusk. The woman in the painting is only wearing a thin sheet, showing a beautiful silhouette against the stunning evening sky. The woman looks up at the sky with mysterious eyes and stares, making anyone who sees her think and guess what the woman in the painting is daydreaming about. Stunning detail, coupled with the beauty of the evening sky and the crashing waves .... Jesus Christ. This is a masterpiece.

Fez noticed I was hooked on one of his paintings. "That was made three years ago. Are you interested? Just take it," he offered.

"Who is the model, Fez? I never saw her."

"You don't need to know."

"Come on!"

"Nobody. My creation."

"I don't believe it. A painting as beautiful as this is your imagination? At least you take a picture of a beach atmosphere like this first, then paint it. Is that right? Or do you paint at the exact location of this, and the exact time? How can it be so detailed? What's more, it's only a short time at dusk, do you paint that fast? You are indeed very talented."

"I'm not that artistic."

"Hey? Why so humble? Come on Fez, tell me who the model is?"

"I said she's just my imagination."

"I don't believe you."

"Whatever," replied Fez nonchalantly as he brushed his brush across the canvas. "I hear you were offered a contract by the Slochney Club and the Slocean Club, La Varente?"

I smile. He had heard the news too. "Yeah."

"At what price would they dare to offer you a contract?"

I took a breath. It felt uncomfortable talking about 'price', so I tried to change the subject. "I don't know, I forgot," I replied simply.

"Hmm, you can't forget that. The value of your contract must be sky-high. So, do you want to accept the offer of one of them, or do you choose to stay at Brandt?"

"I'm not going to change clubs. Whatever contract they offer. I have decided that one day I will retire as a Brandt player."

"Glad to hear it."

I sip coffee slowly. "Do you follow the latest news? The serial killer is at it again," I said.

"Really?"

"Seriously, you don't even know the news?" I was wide-eyed. "Just three days ago the discovery of two bodies in the marshes at the end of a road in the suburb of Leighryn! The victims were a husband and wife, quite young, unlike the killer's previous victims. They died by being slashed in the neck before being dumped in the swamps... The method of killing is similar to before, it seems clear that the perpetrator is the same person. It's just, why is the target of his victims wider now? What is he based on choosing victims? Purely random? Did he deliberately create terror so that many people would be afraid? What is his purpose?"

Fez didn't seem to listen to my chatter, instead focused on brushing across his canvas. But soon he replied, "Not caught yet, huh."

"I'm also surprised why they haven't been caught until now, Fez. There's not even the slightest trace. There's news that's widely circulating, the incident three days ago, there was an eyewitness who was accidentally around the swamp where the body was found. He saw a car from the north driving at a speed far above average in the middle of the night. Stopping for a while around the body was found, then step on the gas again. The person in the car didn't come out at all! I don't know how did he drag two corpses from the car and immediately threw them out. It seemed that he was really strong. This eyewitness didn't even think that the car had stopped to dispose of the bodies, he was already fascinated because the driver of the car was ... very good at driving. He also didn't pay attention to the license plate of the car, he only knew that the car was black. Alas. That's all the information the police can get."

Fez seemed to listen to my story.

I continued. "Surprisingly, none of the CCTVs installed on each street have managed to capture the movement of the killer's car. What do you call it like that, Fez? Lucky? Or did he also deliberately sabotage the CCTVs on the streets?"

"Well, he's too smart," Fez said.

"He's too slippery. Whoever that guy is, I think he deserves to become a legend. Not a legend in a good sense, but the opposite. The worst, the cruelest killer … who attacks indiscriminately and without mercy. I hope he'll be caught and rotting in prison," I said.

"I think he will just be more careful in the future so that there are no witnesses. Will he allow himself to be caught? No, unless he wants to end his life in prison," Fez said casually.

"As clever as a squirrel jumps, it will fall too."

"Royce, he's not a squirrel. Just a thug with excess brain cells in his head."