I had been dreaming of this moment for years—the chance to drive for Red Bull's main team. After all the tests, all the improvements, I thought I had done enough. I could almost taste it, the glory of sitting beside Max Verstappen, battling for victories and titles. But when the announcement came, it shattered everything. Liam Lawson, not me.

I had done well in the tests. No, scratch that. I had done exceptionally well. Faster than most of the others, confident behind the wheel, pushing myself to the limit, just like I always do. But it wasn't enough. They didn’t choose me.

The weight of disappointment crushed me. It wasn’t just another race where I could try again. No, this was it—perhaps my only real chance to be part of a top-tier team, a place where I belonged. But instead, I was stuck with their worse team again, the second-tier Red Bull team, a step away from greatness but never quite reaching it.

I stared at the ceiling, lost in the noise of my own thoughts. This was it, wasn’t it? I was never going to be good enough for the main team. No matter how much I tried, how fast I was, it wasn’t enough for them. I could beat all my teammates, outdrive every competitor on track, and yet, it would never matter. Red Bull had already made up their mind.

I heard a knock at the door, but I didn’t bother to get up. The sound of the door creaking open barely registered. Then, I felt a presence in the room. She was here—my best friend, the one who always knew when something was wrong.

Without saying a word, she sat down beside me on the couch. She didn’t need to ask how I was feeling. She already knew.

“You’re not going to let this defeat you, Yuki,” she said softly, her voice calm and reassuring. But I couldn’t bring myself to respond. What was there to say?

I finally broke the silence, my voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll never be enough for them. I can be faster than everyone, outdrive every teammate, and still, it won’t matter. I’ll never get that seat."