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English
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Published:
2025-10-02
Completed:
2025-10-11
Words:
2,735
Chapters:
3/3
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25
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Back to that time, that summer day when I fell in love with you

Summary:

Rain makes you emotional.
Even it makes you get in your thoughts, sometimes.
A short fic, about the time after the movie.

Notes:

DISCLAIMER: This is my first fic. And I am NOT good at writing , so I think I might let you down. But... I also hope you enjoy this. Special thanks to APXGP discord server. You guys give me courage... you are the best!!!
Beta read by : Leonora_Acker (thank you so much!)
Title from Song Calc.
lyrics by Jimmythumb-P -translated in english byまど＠実写リロ

Chapter 1: downpour

Chapter Text

“Heavy rainfall is expected across the United Kingdom starting today. In particular, Surrey is forecast to see the heaviest downpour…"

Awakened by the sound of the television, Sonny stared blankly at the screen. The weather forecaster’s words went on, but his ears had stopped at the part about the storm. Lately, he’d been spacing out a lot. Whenever talk of F1 came up, or Apex GP, or even just a passing mention of Surrey, his attention seemed to snag on it. He thought to himself, I’ve gone completely mad.With that, he turned the TV off with the remote and lay back down on the bed. Sleep was unlikely, but unless he pretended, he felt he couldn’t endure these emotions. He hadn't felt like this since he was young, and that was way far back into the past.

Youth, adolescence—that time had passed long ago. And with it, he'd thought, his most reckless impulses and immature emotions, namely love. Back in highschool, he had felt his own kinds of “love.” Of course, it had never been pure or eternal. Usually, it began when the other confessed first, and then fizzled out. Or else it ended with both of them exhausted, leaving behind only bitterness.

That kind of love was tedious. Human desire naturally chases pleasure, and if it brought no joy and only pain, what was the point? So in his life, love had never been serious. He would enjoy it for a while, and when he grew bored, he’d simply let go first. Then both could walk away without deep wounds. Or so he thought. At least, until he stumbled upon love in Apex.

At first, he hadn’t liked her. When Ruben told her to treat him like the plauge and avoid him,, he had thought, If only he’d said that to me instead. To him, she was just another person on the team. When she criticized him at every turn, he found her annoying. But… somehow, that annoyance wasn’t entirely unpleasant. That was the problem. Even when she rejected him, it didn’t wound him. Strangely, he felt drawn in. He found her accent attractive. Her eyes sparkled like some unnamed gem. And when his thoughts piled up and reached their end, he realized the truth: he loved her.

Once he realized it, everything felt easy. He only needed to tell her how he felt. Even if she pushed him away, it didn’t matter. One day he would reach her, as long as he kept at it. Like a drizzle soaking through clothes, he thought he could slowly seep into her heart. But drizzle that soaks clothes also seeps beneath the fabric. He was seeping into her as well. And at last, when they became lovers, he could finally bare his thoughts to one woman. To him, Kate was like a dock that appeared before a storm-battered ship, a place to rest. Just her understanding—something he had never once felt before—was enough to make it feel like he had found a home.

But when he finally began to soar, he left her. As he always did, because he had won. There was no longer any reason to stay. Yet when he said his final goodbye, his chest tightened. A casual farewell wouldn’t come. For the first time, he gave her a heartfelt parting and kissed her. In that moment, he almost wished the night would stop there forever. But he left, and as planned, began anew in Baja. In his last race, the one he had wanted, he felt the soaring sensation he had craved. He was living within the things he had always desired. - So why did it feel so hollow?

He had never known such longing before. Perhaps what he left behind on that road wasn’t only Kate. Perhaps he had left his whole heart there. Slowly, he was coming to accept that. He missed her achingly. That country road where he first saw her. The tasteless beer they shared. The night view of Las Vegas they took in together. The way her smile gradually changed. The embrace they shared in victory. All of it seeped painfully into his memory, like wounds drenched in rain.

Sonny closed his eyes in surrender. Even with his eyes shut, that summer shimmered like a heat haze. Outside, the rain was pouring down in torrents.

Chapter 2: before the rain ends

Summary:

rainfall can be end,
when you get an umbrella to stop it.
kate's side.

Notes:

Hello. Actually I wrote this chapter with the previous chapter, but I think this chapter isnt not satisfying to me, so I take some drafts.
Please enjoy with this small, short fic!
And also there is some headcanon here... if it bothers you, you can stop reading it. Im sorry...
Thank you!
Beta read by ZhangYuLian (thank you so much)

Chapter Text

“Um, Miss McKenna?”
Kate didn’t hear her name being called, too focused on the summer rain that had plagued most of their time here. Some sun would have been nice, but it seemed nature had other plans. The schematics of their latest upgrade sat abandoned on the table in front of her.
“Miss McKenna?”
A series of knocks followed.
That broke Kate out of her trance. Twisting towards the voice, she was greeted with the sight of the youngest member of her tech team staring at her, holding up an APEX jacket in her hands.
“Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts there,” she said, flashing her a sheepish smile. “What is it?”
“Since it started to downpour, the temperature’s gotten very chilly. Everyone’s taken out last year’s jackets from the team storage unit,” the technician explained, handing Kate her own.

Last year.
The words caused her mind to spiral, disrupting the once calm waters that was her heart.
Last year, she had met a man who barreled into her life and flipped her entire world upside down.
Despite swearing to herself that she would never believe in something as trivial as ‘love’ again, Kate decided to give herself the permission to
believe in it, for one more time.
Every moment she spent with Sonny had been nothing short of lovely. Like when he had finished in last place at the Hungarian Grand Prix,
having kept his promise. The way he spoke to her, his tone relaxed and smooth, unlike the one of a usual driver.
Then there was their little secret hand signal after Kate upgraded the car, just as he had suggested. It won them points in Zandvoort, then Suzuka, and into Mexico City. Each time they raced, they climbed higher. Every time, he’d lift her into the air in a tight embrace and spin her around in abandon. Little by little, Kate had fallen for Sonny.

But if true love meant putting someone else’s dreams more valueable than your own desires, then Kate already knew as she fell for him deeper and stronger. Although part of her longed to keep him by her side, seeing him finally take flight showed her that letting Sonny go was the right thing to do. After he had left, Kate knew she couldn’t just simply go back to how life was before, not after he showed her what was possible, both on the track and in her heart. At first, the longing was constant, even though his belongings were no longer at APX headquarters. His posters had been replaced with the faces of their newest drivers, and soon, everyone else moved on. Accepting her reality for what it was, Kate too moved on. But it didn’t stop the bitterness from coming up from time to time, or the concerned gaze Ruben would give her on occasion. As a way of accepting her new reality, subconsciously she didn’t bother to reach out to Sonny, even though she had saved his number. Preparing for the next season had eaten up most of her time. And given his lifestyle and understanding it too, Kate didn’t want to disturb the life he had. She clung onto his words, that they’d meet again someday, and replayed her answer to him when she accepted his offer.
Until then, she had to be patient. It didn’t make soothing the sudden bursts of loneliness or longing any easier.

“We’re all out of the smaller sizes. I managed to find one that’s one size bigger, if that’s okay with you?” Kate took the jacket and muttered a quiet “thanks” before turning back to her work, clearly dismissing the technician. She’d have to be more mindful, Kate thought to herself. The last thing she wanted was to appear pitiful or unfocused.
As she held the jacket, she felt a strange familiarity in its scent. She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but it somehow calmed her even as it made
her heart race. Certain it was a fragrance she knew, she straightened her clothes and slipped her hands naturally into the pockets. That’s whenshe felt it—a paper. Perhaps the jacket hadn’t been washed since it was last used, because the paper felt stiff. Too thick to be a receipt, too light to be a torn page from a notebook. Curious, she pulled it out.
It was a crumpled, faded note. Just by the look of it, no one could deny it resembled an ancient relic that had been around for years. Unlike how it felt in her hand, it was a note well-worn with traces of touch. Even so, the words written there could still be clearly read. But the contents were more than enough to blur her vision.
It was the note where she had once written down her phone number and given it away. The roughly scribbled name and her own number stood out, preserved almost perfectly on the old paper - as if that part had been protected from fading. Even when she forced her eyes toward the window, the haze didn’t clear. She couldn’t tell if the blur came from the mist outside, from the tears pooling in her eyes, or from the wild storm churning inside her. Beyond the window, the lake echoed her heart, churning noisily as the rain splattered against its surface.

Kate picked up her phone. Scrolling all the way down her message app to the contact that had left untouched like an old memory, her fingers raced desperately across the keyboard. Her chest tightened with urgency. The longing she had stacked away over time now poured out like rain from a cloud heavy with vapor. What she had once dismissed as mere selfish desire collapsed completely under the weight of a single drawing he had always kept in his pocket. Allowing herself a moment of hesitation, her mind swirled with one question. What would she say?

She paused at the consideration, thinking. Should she start with something light, like a casual greeting? Would it sound weird, after all this time?
Kate analyzed every option, warring with her emotions. Finally, she settled on keeping it short, but authentic. Like the man who had stolen her heart a year ago, and left her aching for more.

[I miss you.]

 

.
.
.

 

Sonny had his eyes closed when a ‘ding’ chimed on his phone. He reached over, grabbing the device off the table. The screen informed him he had a new message in his inbox.

Quickly, he opened his inbox. His chest tightened at the name that he never forgotten.

Tapping the number, he read the single line of text.

[I miss you.]

The ache in his heart pounded. A mix of surprise, guilt, and longing swirled in his heart. It was enough to move him, grabbing his car keys along the way.
A moment later, the sound of the engine coming to life, followed by screeching tires filled the lot, and then it was gone.
Sonny didn’t have to think about where his next destination was going to be.
He already knew.

Chapter 3: after the rain

Summary:

after the long rain.

Notes:

FINALLY.
the final chapter of this fic.
No beta read (I AM SORRY... but i didnt have times when my work starts again)
please enjoy...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Time went by. The surprise of seeing the “Read” mark on her message faded quickly, replaced by silence — no reply, no call, nothing. He had always been a hard person to understand, but why did he have to make himself even more unreadable now? Thinking that, Kate took a sip of freshly brewed coffee. Through the steam, she watched the view spread out before her and murmured, almost to herself,
“…I wish I could just understand. Then maybe I wouldn’t have to think like this.”
“What’s got you thinking like that?”

Startled, Kate turned around. Ruben, dressed in his usual fine suit, was looking at her with a mix of teasing and concern in his eyes.
“…It’s nothing. Just wondering when the rain will finally stop.”
“Well, it’s been pouring nonstop since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, so it makes sense. It’s been raining in your head every day since then, hasn’t it?”

It could’ve sounded like a joke, but she knew better. It was worry — genuine, careful worry — only dressed up in humor so she wouldn’t get sadder. Soon his eyes grew serious.
“Kate… this is why I told you to stay away from him. Because once he was gone, of course you wouldn’t be able to forget. And watching you hurt because of that— that’s the hardest thing for me as your boss. And not just that… as your friend. You know it too, right? You can’t stay trapped in that moment forever. I know I can’t tell you what to feel, but… you’ve seemed more lost lately. If you miss him that much, do you want me to call him for you?”

Kate took in every word. It wasn’t just the concern of a boss — it was one person to another. That thought calmed her a little. She managed a small, steady smile.
“No, I’m fine. I’m sorry for worrying you. It’s just… with all this rain lately, I guess I’ve gotten a bit sentimental.”
“…If it ever gets too hard, just tell me. That’s what I’m here for.”

With that, Ruben gave her one last worried look and headed back to his office. Kate turned again toward the window. The rain was thinning into fine drizzle.

---

Back in his office, Ruben found himself, for the first time, resenting his friend. Every time he saw Kate’s vacant expression lately, it cut into him. Every time that cloud crossed the usually serious, kind face of the technical director, his chest turned into a full-on thunderstorm — thunder, lightning, and a blaze of anger. He should’ve split those two up back that time. Might as well have turned them into mortal enemies. Maybe then… Kate, his other precious friend, wouldn’t have been so hurt. But then again, Sonny would’ve been lonelier.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, his phone rang — that mix of a enemy and best friend calling. He answered, grumbling,
“You idiot, I was just about to call yo—”
“Kate. Is she still working there?”

Ruben froze. Never mind the bluntness — what the hell did he just hear? He blinked, disbelieving, and then his expression shifted. So the great Sonny Hayes is asking me this now. A grin crept up his face. Man, if you were that into her, you could’ve shown up ages ago.

Feigning nonchalance, he replied,
“Where are you right now?”
“Just tell me if she’s there or not. I’m starting the engine.”

Ruben chuckled.
“Why don’t you come see for yourself? Stop wasting your time.”

---

Unlike the storm inside Kate, the rain over the lake had stopped as if nothing had happened. She’d stepped outside for some fresh air, but somehow her chest felt heavier instead. Maybe because the path she was standing on — between the garage and the building’s entrance — was where she’d first met him. That probably explained it. She glanced toward the entrance out of habit. *Not that I’ll ever see him again,* she thought.

And then—
“It’d be nice if this were that road down there, don’t you think?”

Kate froze. No way. That voice— It must be a trick of her mind, born of missing him too much. But then she heard footsteps. And then—

A familiar silhouette appeared in the distance. The same as that first, worst meeting. The same as that day. Seeing him walk toward her made her nose sting. She told herself not to cry.
But the tears brimmed anyway. Through blurred vision, she saw him take off his sunglasses, walk up to her, and pull her into his arms. His scent, his warmth — all the things she’d missed poured back in. Fighting her trembling voice, she tried to smile and asked,

“Did you come… because of me?”

He just smiled — that clear, gentle smile, like summer sunlight after rain. It was enough to melt away the storm in her heart. Then he answered quietly,
“No. I came because of me. I missed you too much.”

No more words were needed.
It was the sunlit end of summer.

Notes:

First of all... thanks for reading this fic. I was lack of confidence and courage to write a fic... but you gave me this. Thanks for commenting and give kudos...
I think I will write some fics when my work isnt busy.
And lastly...
Sonny and Kate i really like you guys... you are my OTPs!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Suzuna.