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yui_miyamotofandom: Initial D
title: Invincible.
pairing: Ryousuke x Takumi
rating: pg-13
description: Ryousuke suddenly appears at Takumi ‘s house to ask him a favor, but is there something underlying his request? (Note: Shounen-ai)
Disclaimer – Initial D is not my property and this fic made for this title out of pure admiration.
Invincible.
By Miyamoto Yui
Chapter 21 – Ai. (Love.)
Somewhere in this limited space, there is no such thing as ‘time’.
I’ve lost all sense of reality.
The only thing that matters is that Ryousuke won’t let go of me or everything will collapse along with it.
Even when my consciousness was slipping, he sat up and pulled me to sit on his lap, my legs apart and knees pressing into the seat. With weak resistance, I pushed against the black leather, my hands touching each side of his head. My eyelids could no longer fight the tiredness, but I could feel his tongue tracing the line of my collarbone, enjoying it to the point he started to bite.
At the tip of falling asleep, he whispered into my ear, “Good morning, Takumi.”
In that instant, each of his fingers pressed into my lower back possessively. Half asleep, my eyes struggled to open again, but my knees pressed further onto the leather seat.
“Mmm.” My arms suddenly crossed over the back of his neck out of response as I breathed unsteadily into his ear.
The sweat from his left cheek plastered onto my right one.
With zippers already lowered, I felt him even through the thin cloth separating us. Rubbing against me harder, he nibbled on my ear. “Takumi.”
Suddenly, I bit my lip. “Nn~!
My body forced my mind to wake up. In response, I moaned into his ear until I clung on while opening my mouth. “Ah!”
Our bodies began to relax in between heavy breaths. Hugging me protectively, I put my head on his shoulder, embracing him and wanting more.
For once, our hearts resonated, pulsating onto each other’s skin in one rhythm.
Still holding onto me, he reached over to the door and opened it a little. A small stream of cold air came in. The crispness of the air made me feel content.
For now, on borrowed time, we were in our own world.
The serenity calmed me down along with the sound of his calm breathing in my ear. As I tried to see beyond the window, the rain had almost but disappeared.
My arms moved in to hold him a little closer. Soon, even if it was the most gorgeous after a rainfall, the dawn would come.
And I’d have to go home, do my deliveries, and possibly explain what happened this night.
I want to enjoy this small amount of reassurance. Please, not just yet.
He leaned his head onto mine, knowing the spell would surely end.
Our shirts were on the floor mats and even though it was silent, there was no loneliness or heaviness. In this temporary haven, we could only hear each other without words.
Ryousuke’s left hand rose, holding the back of my head as if I were something precious.
I love you.
I closed my eyes because I didn’t want him to see my reflection through the window.
I’m so happy and so upset with myself. It took me this long to figure out what you’ve been telling me all along.
I pulled myself back and my wrists draped over his shoulders. Pushing his hair away from his eyes, Ryousuke’s stare bewitches me all over again. My chest moves forward while pulling on his neck so that I can lick his lips and kiss them before the sky changed its hues.
*/*/*/*/*/00000
I left the car running to save time.
Just play it cool. It’s not like I haven’t come back late before because of Project D.
When I put the key into the front lock, my dad was turning on the light for the shop.
“Good morning,” I greeted as I closed the door behind me.
He stepped into the shop and put on his geta. Then, he stood there rubbing his chin. Looking at my shoes and then up to my face. He did one more take.
“What?”
“Heh.” Smirking, he went past me to start loading the car.
Why does he look so pleased?
I helped him as we went back and forth to put everything into the trunk.
At the end of it, he pushed the trunk down and went back into the house. I sat in the car and waited to do our daily cup ceremony.
Dad came out and handed me the same type of paper cup that he did every morning since seventh grade.
I placed it securely into the holder and nodded my head at him. “Okay, see you later.”
“Wait.”
“Yeah?”
“When you come back, Takahashi will come borrow the Impreza to have it looked over. And I will use it when he returns it.”
“All right.”
“And another thing.”
“Yes?” I covered my hand over my mouth while yawning and rubbing my eyes.
He cleared his throat. “You might want to turn your shirt inside out before you give the tofu. Bye.”
!!!
Beating all previous records, my face turned into a tomato in 0.5 seconds.
Lifting his hand, he turned to go back into the house when I drove off.
Later on, I parked in a place where no one could see me and hastily reversed my shirt. But as I did, I noticed a small…blemish?
A bruise?
I yanked the collar of my shirt and glanced down at my chest in horror. My mouth gaped open.
“While I was sleeping!” My ears turned into a shade of red that I didn’t think was possible, except for sunburn, on human skin.
Takahashi Ryousuke~!
I started the car again and stepped on the accelerator.
We were all wrong. The delinquent isn’t Keisuke, but his brother!
*/*/*/*/*/00000
When I reach my house, Ryousuke, who had already borrowed my dad’s key since last night and that’s how he got into the car, was sitting on the polished FC with his legs crossed. His right hand leaned onto the hood while the other one held a book.
Look at him be all composed! He even changed his shirt!
As I got closer and parked at the side of the house, he got up and tossed the book into the back seat. My dad came out to the front.
“Morning,” I said briskly.
Teasing me with a very small curve at the end of his mouth, he greeted me for the second time that day, “Good morning.”
Amused, my dad first looked at him and then at me, instructing, “You’ll go with him and bring this back to me by 1pm.”
“Uh, okay.”
There was no arguing with that tone.
Sheesh. I know I know! I’m sorry already for coming too close for comfort this morning.
“But give me a few minutes to change. Is that all right, Ryousuke?”
“That’s no problem.”
When I went into the house, I raced upstairs to brush my teeth, wash my face and change in record speed. Leaving them alone made me kind of nervous.
At the threshold, I tied my sneakers and walked towards the front door. From the small window, I couldn’t believe they were talking so naturally, without any awkwardness or age separation. Was it because he was a doctor and my dad was a businessman?
I stepped out of the store while Ryousuke was bowing his head respectfully at my father. “Thank you very much, Mr. Fujiwara.”
“Well, I always wanted to say I was very impressed the last time you tuned the ’86.”
“Oh no, you can’t give me all the credit. My modifications can’t compare to how well you’ve maintained the ’86. It was a great honor for me to study it.”
I blinked at them, wondering if they even noticed that I’d come out.
“I’m ready?” I interrupted with a tinge of doubt in my voice.
“I trust your judgment, but could you give me a written note about what you did this time?”
“Of course.”
With another polite nod, Ryousuke left and I followed him to Matsumoto-san’s.
After returning the Impreza back to my dad, I looked at Ryousuke and told him the truth that today I was supposed to meet Mika. Because I had used the car so much for these past few days, it was Dad’s turn to use it.
If he could bring me to Shibukawa station, then I could get to Omiya on time.
Instead, he went past it altogether and stubbornly brought me all the way.
Inwardly, my apprehension turned to pure anxiety the closer we got to Omiya.
I kept on worrying over Mika recognizing the car because of her friend Tomoko even if she’d never met Ryousuke.
Also, I was tremendously embarrassed because it was hard to look him in the eye. I couldn’t quite separate the man last night with the insatiable appetite and the disciplined one sitting complacently in the driver’s seat.
Throughout all of this, I was also admiring the way he handled his own car. Precisely pressing on the clutch in his confident way, his wrists glided over one another on the steering wheel and gear shift whenever he turned.
If the ’86 is my brother, it’s more than obvious that the FC is his lover.
Even his fingertips are so elegant as he’s driving.
“You don’t have to bring me all the way there. Don’t you have your special project to do?” I put my hand on his forehead. “At least you seem all right.”
“It’s all right.” There was an awkward smile on his face. “It’s not like I’ll see you very much after this anyway.”
I watched the road because whenever I looked down, I’d see the marks on my body and feel my whole body turn into a furnace.
He turned on his emergency lights as he parked in front of a convenience store. Turning to me, he said, “Message me. I’ll be in Takasaki and take you home.”
Then he handed me money.
“You don’t have to pay for the train. I have my own money.”
Ryousuke cupped his hand over mine and pressed it into my palm. “Please don’t be stubborn. If you don’t accept this and take the Shinkansen, I’ll come here to pick you up. This will save me an hour.”
“I can ask my dad to pick me up from Shibukawa Station.”
“Let me do it.”
I can almost hear him say, “While you’re with me, let me spoil you.”
I gave a single nod and put the money into my pocket. “Thank you and see you later.”
He grabbed my hand again while looking at the front. Some people started to notice who he was because his vehicle was unmistakable.
Nonchalantly, his thumb pressed into my palm so it would block anyone from seeing what he was writing. ”A-i-shi-te-ru”.
My head whipped into his direction as my cheeks again betrayed me for the umpteenth time. Quickly, he squeezed my hand and let go.
“She’s waiting for you.” He refused to look at me.
Stunned, I could only stare at his profile. My words were stuck in my dry throat.
He pulled away as soon as I got out of the car.
You’re no fair, Ryousuke.
Facing towards the nearest staircase, for some reason, I looked up at the overpass. Even though I’d come a little early, Mika had already spotted me.
How much did she see?
I crossed the street to get to the stairs. With each step, all the guilt made scratches on my body like sharp knives scraping against my skin.
Mika walked up to me while rubbing her eyes. Maybe it was the jetlag.
We met halfway on the elevated walkway. Holding out her hands to me, she held my fingertips. “Hi.”
“Hello.” I interlocked our fingers.
We looked very tired and it was only three in the afternoon. The magic of yesterday had faded into some other dream.
“Your father didn’t drop you off?”
I shook my head, my thumbs pressing onto hers.
She took a deep breath and nervously asked, “Is that Project D’s leader?”
So Tomoko had told you.
It was hard to talk about Ryousuke without incriminating myself.
“Yes. That’s Takahashi Ryousuke.”
I can still feel the heat from the letters he wrote on my palm…
Mika and I held hands as we walked over to the nearest department store to eat. We decided on an Italian restaurant with a buffet.
As soon as we’re assigned a table, we get some pasta, salad, pizza and drinks before sitting across one another.
“So, you’re being offered a scholarship already?”
Mika smiled and nodded eagerly. “Golf has been accepted as an official sport in the Olympics so I’m going on a special program offered to train.”
“That’s great!” I smiled as I ate some of my pizza. “Congratulations. You don’t have to worry too much about college then.”
“Thanks. Now, I’ll be a little closer to you because it’s in Tokyo.”
I gulped, but she didn’t see as she ate her spaghetti. “So, enough about my adventures. Let’s talk about you.”
I ended up wiping my lips with a napkin.
“You said you had to do one last race?”
“Yes.”
“Where will it be?”
“Hakone.”
“The same place? That’s odd. You said that you conquered that area already.” She toyed with her pasta. “I thought you didn’t repeat courses.”
“We did defeat all of Kanto, but this was a challenge to me from Ryousuke-san himself.”
“Is that why he dropped you off?”
“Yeah.” I was losing my appetite, but ate a little of my salad anyway. The dressing seemed too sour on my tongue.
“Can your leader do that?” Mika sipped some of her grape juice. “Is it even necessary?”
“If he says so, I won’t question him.”
“Oh.” She sat up and blinked at me.
I lifted up my fork and put it back down on the bowl. “What?”
“Nothing, Takumi.”
For rest of the meal, we talked about anything but her college and my race.
I paid for the meal and we went to pray at Hikawa Shrine. We’d made it before the protection charms were being cleared away.
There were some rock barriers that surrounded some trees and so we sat down there. I gripped onto the stone walls for support.
People walked around us and the sky was a very pretty pink with no clouds.
Mika folded her hands in front of her. “You’re not with me anymore, are you, Takumi?”
“What do you mean?” I looked away from the sky and faced her.
“You can stop being nice about everything.” It was her turn to watch the sky. “I’m actually really happy you reserved today for me.”
“Mika?”
“Today was supposed to be the last day we were going to spend together before you left.” Now, she faced the shrine entrance gate.
I remained quiet.
“But it seems you’ve changed since I left to go to that tournament. What happened?” She clenched her hands tighter over one another. “Weren’t we going to make a promise today that we’d try to stay together? That’s why we came to the shrine right?”
“Yes,” was the only thing I could say. “That’s right.”
Looking down to the dirt floor, her voice turned grave. “I tried so hard, Takumi. To make everything work. And honestly, over and over, I’ve thought about why I couldn’t ever compete against Project D.”
I reached over to her hand and held it. She didn’t resist me.
“Isn’t it stupid? To be jealous over your boyfriend’s entire racing team?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
I was too, but for different reasons.
I felt the same with your golf tournaments. You were going around the nation and met so many different people. Because I didn’t go to college and I’m not as savvy as some other guys, I thought you’d dump me eventually.
“But you told me you were fine with it.”
“Of course I was. Every time you came back, I was so proud of you and grateful that you were safe too. It’s what makes you, you.” Mika looked at me and she looked breathtaking with the sky behind her turning into a lighter shade of pink. “And I understand because golf comes first before you do. So it was natural that I couldn’t ask you to put me above your team.”
Wiping some tears that were brimming on her eyes, she said, “Even though I agreed, there was a part me that always wanted to be your top priority. To only think of me without anything else in the back of your mind. That’s what all girls want deep down inside.”
I realized I was holding my breath. “I-“
“Wait. Please just let me say this or else I might really cry and never get to finish.”
“All right.”
“I kept on thinking what I’d done wrong. Why couldn’t he make a move beyond kissing. Was it because I was still in high school? But you didn’t seem dissatisfied so I thought I’d be patient. After all, we’re both shy people. But that day I found out the real reason why.”
“That day?”
“When we were having a date and you were being spacey and fidgety?”
“When?”
“You made a call, I think, to one of the Takahashi brothers.”
“Oh…” I remembered. It was the day before our race in Hakone.
“You were worried about him, weren’t you?”
“Yes because of the ‘imposter’ rumor.”
“I don’t think you really understand, Takumi.” She shook her head and her hair brushed against her shoulders. “I can tell. You’re cool about most things. You concentrate on things one at a time to give them proper care and attention. That includes me.”
Mika pushed some of her hair behind her ear. “But when you got worried or felt sad, it was never with me-“
“Because I’ve always been happy with you. I can be relaxed.”
“That’s just it.”
I didn’t get what she was telling me at all...
“The real you was always with the team. I never had all of you. I realized this when you were talking on the phone. As I watched you, for the very first time since we’d met, your face was so expressive. You looked more than worried, almost depressed. So when you turned to see me through the restaurant window, I was staring at the table and then nervously waved at you. I knew from that moment on, even if you weren’t aware of it, you really cared about that guy.”
Deep inside, my heart knew before I was even conscious of it.
It seems like everyone knew but me.
My thumb rubbed gently on her hand.
“I didn’t want to believe it because I thought we were doing great. But this afternoon, it all made sense. When you came out of the car, you again had that agitated expression. Like your heart would break cleanly in half for him.
When you look forward, it isn’t at me. It’s towards him.”
Her lip quivered and she tried so hard not to cry in front of me though some tears slipped through. She brushed them off as fast as she could. “Why, Takumi? Please tell me why.”
Not knowing how she’d react, I brought her head to rest on my shoulder. While I held her head, she took out tissues from her small purse and blew her nose.
I’m not exactly sure what you want to hear…
“This started when Keisuke-san challenged the Akina Speed Stars to meet the driver of the ’86. At the time, Iketani-sempai went to my dad for help for our team. Instead of going himself, my dad sent me to defeat Keisuke-san. It was all for a full tank of gasoline.”
“Gasoline?” A little chuckle came out of her mouth.
“Yes, it’s true. I was tempted with gasoline, but when I got there, I regretted coming at all. In the end, I somehow beat Keisuke-san and after a few weeks, Ryousuke-san challenged me too. I worried about it from the time I got his note all the way until I had to battle him on Akina. I freaked out. Even though he was a famous street racer who had a perfect record, I didn’t want to lose.
“Most of all, I didn’t want to lose to myself.
“Afterwards, when I was standing in front of him and we were talking, I had this strong feeling inside of me towards him. I didn’t understand why so I tried to ignore it and forget it all together. Then, he showed up again and this time it was to ask me to be on his team. That same feeling, with such a strong force, came back all over again.
“By that time, after my friends showed me a lot of videos, magazine articles, and websites, I’d admired and respected him so much that I wanted to become like him. Maybe I could become my ideal self if I followed this man. That was all I thought at that time. But in the middle of it all, everyone told me I was the best, but I really didn’t know why they admired someone like me. Nor could I explain how or why I’d won. In the back of my mind, I wondered if driving was truly meant for me.”
“You’re obviously good at it, so isn’t it meant for you?”
“Just because you’re good at something, do you have to stake your whole life on it?”
“That’s true. No, you don’t.”
“While figuring all that out, when I was becoming very popular with Project D, the imposter led you to meet me. The girl I loved had left for Tokyo and so when you appeared, you were almost complete opposites. I mean you have one of the cutest faces I’ve ever seen, but I think that’s why it was love at first sight. You’re very strong. You came all the way to see me to stand up for your friend. That totally blew me away.”
“Really?”
“Yeah because I’d do the same for Itsuki.” I gave a small smile. “You know exactly what you want and how harsh it is to develop yourself. To work on your craft every single day. I know how hard you work more than anyone.”
“You loved me because of my strength, but you’re also telling me that you’re breaking up with me because of it. I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not you at all.”
“Yes it is if you’re feeling this way. Two weeks ago, we decided that we would try to make it work. Why are you changing your mind now?”
I took out her present from my pocket and put the small orange crystal butterfly around her neck. “Yes, I know I was the one who said I’d wanted to try to make it work.”
“Weren’t we going to write to each other and call? It’s not like you’re moving to another country. Why does it have to be this way?”
“I’m giving you this necklace because of all the people I’ve met, we were the most alike. You knew me without my explanations.”
Another tear fell down her cheek. “Then why are we breaking up? You still haven’t explained to it to me.”
“He…” I took my hands away and put them on my lap. “He gave me all that he possibly could.”
I can’t tell you…
Time, training, notes, repairs, tuning, sleepless nights…so many things. I can’t count the number of times he’s saved me.
“Me too.”
“But you met me in the middle, Mika. After I had done so many races, I grew into someone that I was starting to like. But the person who made the me that’s sitting next to you now is Ryousuke-san. He forced me to believe in the ‘me’ I would become long before I knew who that even was.”
Please understand.
She held her hand up and slapped me. I hugged her as she shook, crying onto my shirt.
I knew she was a prideful person who hated to cry in public so as she sobbed, every tear dug my heart deeper into the ground.
“I’m sorry.” I had tears in my eyes as my voice cracked. “I never wanted to hurt you because I love you, Mika.”
“Usually a confession is supposed to make someone happy…” She pushed herself away and stood up with her back towards me. “Thanks for telling me the truth. Thank you for everything, Takumi. I really wish you luck for the future.”
“Can’t we at least be friends?”
“No. No, we can’t. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
Even though I didn’t deserve it, thank you for loving me, Mika.
Completely poised, with her back straight and her head looking forward, she stepped away further and further away from me. My eyes strained to watch until there was no more trace of her in front of me.
A part of you will always be here with me.
The night had fallen and with swollen eyes, I finally got up from my place.
In the end, I took the local train towards Takasaki.
Tsuzuku…/To be continued…
--
Author’s note: Sorry for the slow updates. I had been watching the Olympics for the US and Japan until the end! <3
Chapter 21? I was quite skeptical about it lasting this long, but I also knew that I didn’t want to rush either.
Since I enjoy one-shots, I spend most of my time trying to pack a lot in a few pages. But many years later, it gets longer to edit because I want certain details. ;_;
I was very weary of this chapter because in order for Takumi to be with Ryousuke, he has to break up with Mika. I know I could have totally dismissed this matter, but I wanted this to take place in its actual universe, though I’ve mixed both the manga and anime.
I mean, we have Takumi fanboying since their race on chapter 50 and blushes just being next to Ryousuke by chapter 147. (And didn’t notice him in chapter 2. Yes, we know the boy is slow…that’s why I love him…) Mika came on Chapter 428 and he was sighing about her emailing everyday, but is very happy that she calls him cute and popular. They're similar so it’s easy to understand why they connected.
So yes…this puzzled me. It took me years to even write “karisuma” based on that blush in Third Stage.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Mika and think she complements Takumi unlike any other character in the ID universe. Maybe it is because she is completely separate from his driving world.
I mean each of the girls in Initial D have distinctive characters and I like each of them. You remember them because they have a personality. If I think about any manga, this is one of those anime/manga with women I can relate to.
In other words, there’s another part of me that’s dying because any kind of breakup just sucks…and to write about it…is excruciating.
WAH! Takumi I love you SO MUCH in all of anime and yet I’ve made you and Ryousuke to be such jerks in this fic! -_-;;; (Did I really think about this???) Then again, it’s interesting to find more angles within their characters. I kind of like it because they became more human/lovable to me. I hadn’t realized all the hidden things I had thought until I read the chapters again in succession.
Thank you again for reading and all the reviews. It has given me a lot of encouragement as I steer through. I have been writing fanfics for a very long time so I am very happy to know there are still people reading and enjoying my stories. For me, it is a special connection that is unlike any other in the world.
Love,
Yui
8/24/2016 3:20 AM – Los Angeles
8/24/2016 7:20 PM - Tokyo
title: Invincible.
pairing: Ryousuke x Takumi
rating: pg-13
description: Ryousuke suddenly appears at Takumi ‘s house to ask him a favor, but is there something underlying his request? (Note: Shounen-ai)
Disclaimer – Initial D is not my property and this fic made for this title out of pure admiration.
Invincible.
By Miyamoto Yui
Chapter 21 – Ai. (Love.)
Somewhere in this limited space, there is no such thing as ‘time’.
I’ve lost all sense of reality.
The only thing that matters is that Ryousuke won’t let go of me or everything will collapse along with it.
Even when my consciousness was slipping, he sat up and pulled me to sit on his lap, my legs apart and knees pressing into the seat. With weak resistance, I pushed against the black leather, my hands touching each side of his head. My eyelids could no longer fight the tiredness, but I could feel his tongue tracing the line of my collarbone, enjoying it to the point he started to bite.
At the tip of falling asleep, he whispered into my ear, “Good morning, Takumi.”
In that instant, each of his fingers pressed into my lower back possessively. Half asleep, my eyes struggled to open again, but my knees pressed further onto the leather seat.
“Mmm.” My arms suddenly crossed over the back of his neck out of response as I breathed unsteadily into his ear.
The sweat from his left cheek plastered onto my right one.
With zippers already lowered, I felt him even through the thin cloth separating us. Rubbing against me harder, he nibbled on my ear. “Takumi.”
Suddenly, I bit my lip. “Nn~!
My body forced my mind to wake up. In response, I moaned into his ear until I clung on while opening my mouth. “Ah!”
Our bodies began to relax in between heavy breaths. Hugging me protectively, I put my head on his shoulder, embracing him and wanting more.
For once, our hearts resonated, pulsating onto each other’s skin in one rhythm.
Still holding onto me, he reached over to the door and opened it a little. A small stream of cold air came in. The crispness of the air made me feel content.
For now, on borrowed time, we were in our own world.
The serenity calmed me down along with the sound of his calm breathing in my ear. As I tried to see beyond the window, the rain had almost but disappeared.
My arms moved in to hold him a little closer. Soon, even if it was the most gorgeous after a rainfall, the dawn would come.
And I’d have to go home, do my deliveries, and possibly explain what happened this night.
I want to enjoy this small amount of reassurance. Please, not just yet.
He leaned his head onto mine, knowing the spell would surely end.
Our shirts were on the floor mats and even though it was silent, there was no loneliness or heaviness. In this temporary haven, we could only hear each other without words.
Ryousuke’s left hand rose, holding the back of my head as if I were something precious.
I love you.
I closed my eyes because I didn’t want him to see my reflection through the window.
I’m so happy and so upset with myself. It took me this long to figure out what you’ve been telling me all along.
I pulled myself back and my wrists draped over his shoulders. Pushing his hair away from his eyes, Ryousuke’s stare bewitches me all over again. My chest moves forward while pulling on his neck so that I can lick his lips and kiss them before the sky changed its hues.
*/*/*/*/*/00000
I left the car running to save time.
Just play it cool. It’s not like I haven’t come back late before because of Project D.
When I put the key into the front lock, my dad was turning on the light for the shop.
“Good morning,” I greeted as I closed the door behind me.
He stepped into the shop and put on his geta. Then, he stood there rubbing his chin. Looking at my shoes and then up to my face. He did one more take.
“What?”
“Heh.” Smirking, he went past me to start loading the car.
Why does he look so pleased?
I helped him as we went back and forth to put everything into the trunk.
At the end of it, he pushed the trunk down and went back into the house. I sat in the car and waited to do our daily cup ceremony.
Dad came out and handed me the same type of paper cup that he did every morning since seventh grade.
I placed it securely into the holder and nodded my head at him. “Okay, see you later.”
“Wait.”
“Yeah?”
“When you come back, Takahashi will come borrow the Impreza to have it looked over. And I will use it when he returns it.”
“All right.”
“And another thing.”
“Yes?” I covered my hand over my mouth while yawning and rubbing my eyes.
He cleared his throat. “You might want to turn your shirt inside out before you give the tofu. Bye.”
!!!
Beating all previous records, my face turned into a tomato in 0.5 seconds.
Lifting his hand, he turned to go back into the house when I drove off.
Later on, I parked in a place where no one could see me and hastily reversed my shirt. But as I did, I noticed a small…blemish?
A bruise?
I yanked the collar of my shirt and glanced down at my chest in horror. My mouth gaped open.
“While I was sleeping!” My ears turned into a shade of red that I didn’t think was possible, except for sunburn, on human skin.
Takahashi Ryousuke~!
I started the car again and stepped on the accelerator.
We were all wrong. The delinquent isn’t Keisuke, but his brother!
*/*/*/*/*/00000
When I reach my house, Ryousuke, who had already borrowed my dad’s key since last night and that’s how he got into the car, was sitting on the polished FC with his legs crossed. His right hand leaned onto the hood while the other one held a book.
Look at him be all composed! He even changed his shirt!
As I got closer and parked at the side of the house, he got up and tossed the book into the back seat. My dad came out to the front.
“Morning,” I said briskly.
Teasing me with a very small curve at the end of his mouth, he greeted me for the second time that day, “Good morning.”
Amused, my dad first looked at him and then at me, instructing, “You’ll go with him and bring this back to me by 1pm.”
“Uh, okay.”
There was no arguing with that tone.
Sheesh. I know I know! I’m sorry already for coming too close for comfort this morning.
“But give me a few minutes to change. Is that all right, Ryousuke?”
“That’s no problem.”
When I went into the house, I raced upstairs to brush my teeth, wash my face and change in record speed. Leaving them alone made me kind of nervous.
At the threshold, I tied my sneakers and walked towards the front door. From the small window, I couldn’t believe they were talking so naturally, without any awkwardness or age separation. Was it because he was a doctor and my dad was a businessman?
I stepped out of the store while Ryousuke was bowing his head respectfully at my father. “Thank you very much, Mr. Fujiwara.”
“Well, I always wanted to say I was very impressed the last time you tuned the ’86.”
“Oh no, you can’t give me all the credit. My modifications can’t compare to how well you’ve maintained the ’86. It was a great honor for me to study it.”
I blinked at them, wondering if they even noticed that I’d come out.
“I’m ready?” I interrupted with a tinge of doubt in my voice.
“I trust your judgment, but could you give me a written note about what you did this time?”
“Of course.”
With another polite nod, Ryousuke left and I followed him to Matsumoto-san’s.
After returning the Impreza back to my dad, I looked at Ryousuke and told him the truth that today I was supposed to meet Mika. Because I had used the car so much for these past few days, it was Dad’s turn to use it.
If he could bring me to Shibukawa station, then I could get to Omiya on time.
Instead, he went past it altogether and stubbornly brought me all the way.
Inwardly, my apprehension turned to pure anxiety the closer we got to Omiya.
I kept on worrying over Mika recognizing the car because of her friend Tomoko even if she’d never met Ryousuke.
Also, I was tremendously embarrassed because it was hard to look him in the eye. I couldn’t quite separate the man last night with the insatiable appetite and the disciplined one sitting complacently in the driver’s seat.
Throughout all of this, I was also admiring the way he handled his own car. Precisely pressing on the clutch in his confident way, his wrists glided over one another on the steering wheel and gear shift whenever he turned.
If the ’86 is my brother, it’s more than obvious that the FC is his lover.
Even his fingertips are so elegant as he’s driving.
“You don’t have to bring me all the way there. Don’t you have your special project to do?” I put my hand on his forehead. “At least you seem all right.”
“It’s all right.” There was an awkward smile on his face. “It’s not like I’ll see you very much after this anyway.”
I watched the road because whenever I looked down, I’d see the marks on my body and feel my whole body turn into a furnace.
He turned on his emergency lights as he parked in front of a convenience store. Turning to me, he said, “Message me. I’ll be in Takasaki and take you home.”
Then he handed me money.
“You don’t have to pay for the train. I have my own money.”
Ryousuke cupped his hand over mine and pressed it into my palm. “Please don’t be stubborn. If you don’t accept this and take the Shinkansen, I’ll come here to pick you up. This will save me an hour.”
“I can ask my dad to pick me up from Shibukawa Station.”
“Let me do it.”
I can almost hear him say, “While you’re with me, let me spoil you.”
I gave a single nod and put the money into my pocket. “Thank you and see you later.”
He grabbed my hand again while looking at the front. Some people started to notice who he was because his vehicle was unmistakable.
Nonchalantly, his thumb pressed into my palm so it would block anyone from seeing what he was writing. ”A-i-shi-te-ru”.
My head whipped into his direction as my cheeks again betrayed me for the umpteenth time. Quickly, he squeezed my hand and let go.
“She’s waiting for you.” He refused to look at me.
Stunned, I could only stare at his profile. My words were stuck in my dry throat.
He pulled away as soon as I got out of the car.
You’re no fair, Ryousuke.
Facing towards the nearest staircase, for some reason, I looked up at the overpass. Even though I’d come a little early, Mika had already spotted me.
How much did she see?
I crossed the street to get to the stairs. With each step, all the guilt made scratches on my body like sharp knives scraping against my skin.
Mika walked up to me while rubbing her eyes. Maybe it was the jetlag.
We met halfway on the elevated walkway. Holding out her hands to me, she held my fingertips. “Hi.”
“Hello.” I interlocked our fingers.
We looked very tired and it was only three in the afternoon. The magic of yesterday had faded into some other dream.
“Your father didn’t drop you off?”
I shook my head, my thumbs pressing onto hers.
She took a deep breath and nervously asked, “Is that Project D’s leader?”
So Tomoko had told you.
It was hard to talk about Ryousuke without incriminating myself.
“Yes. That’s Takahashi Ryousuke.”
I can still feel the heat from the letters he wrote on my palm…
Mika and I held hands as we walked over to the nearest department store to eat. We decided on an Italian restaurant with a buffet.
As soon as we’re assigned a table, we get some pasta, salad, pizza and drinks before sitting across one another.
“So, you’re being offered a scholarship already?”
Mika smiled and nodded eagerly. “Golf has been accepted as an official sport in the Olympics so I’m going on a special program offered to train.”
“That’s great!” I smiled as I ate some of my pizza. “Congratulations. You don’t have to worry too much about college then.”
“Thanks. Now, I’ll be a little closer to you because it’s in Tokyo.”
I gulped, but she didn’t see as she ate her spaghetti. “So, enough about my adventures. Let’s talk about you.”
I ended up wiping my lips with a napkin.
“You said you had to do one last race?”
“Yes.”
“Where will it be?”
“Hakone.”
“The same place? That’s odd. You said that you conquered that area already.” She toyed with her pasta. “I thought you didn’t repeat courses.”
“We did defeat all of Kanto, but this was a challenge to me from Ryousuke-san himself.”
“Is that why he dropped you off?”
“Yeah.” I was losing my appetite, but ate a little of my salad anyway. The dressing seemed too sour on my tongue.
“Can your leader do that?” Mika sipped some of her grape juice. “Is it even necessary?”
“If he says so, I won’t question him.”
“Oh.” She sat up and blinked at me.
I lifted up my fork and put it back down on the bowl. “What?”
“Nothing, Takumi.”
For rest of the meal, we talked about anything but her college and my race.
I paid for the meal and we went to pray at Hikawa Shrine. We’d made it before the protection charms were being cleared away.
There were some rock barriers that surrounded some trees and so we sat down there. I gripped onto the stone walls for support.
People walked around us and the sky was a very pretty pink with no clouds.
Mika folded her hands in front of her. “You’re not with me anymore, are you, Takumi?”
“What do you mean?” I looked away from the sky and faced her.
“You can stop being nice about everything.” It was her turn to watch the sky. “I’m actually really happy you reserved today for me.”
“Mika?”
“Today was supposed to be the last day we were going to spend together before you left.” Now, she faced the shrine entrance gate.
I remained quiet.
“But it seems you’ve changed since I left to go to that tournament. What happened?” She clenched her hands tighter over one another. “Weren’t we going to make a promise today that we’d try to stay together? That’s why we came to the shrine right?”
“Yes,” was the only thing I could say. “That’s right.”
Looking down to the dirt floor, her voice turned grave. “I tried so hard, Takumi. To make everything work. And honestly, over and over, I’ve thought about why I couldn’t ever compete against Project D.”
I reached over to her hand and held it. She didn’t resist me.
“Isn’t it stupid? To be jealous over your boyfriend’s entire racing team?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
I was too, but for different reasons.
I felt the same with your golf tournaments. You were going around the nation and met so many different people. Because I didn’t go to college and I’m not as savvy as some other guys, I thought you’d dump me eventually.
“But you told me you were fine with it.”
“Of course I was. Every time you came back, I was so proud of you and grateful that you were safe too. It’s what makes you, you.” Mika looked at me and she looked breathtaking with the sky behind her turning into a lighter shade of pink. “And I understand because golf comes first before you do. So it was natural that I couldn’t ask you to put me above your team.”
Wiping some tears that were brimming on her eyes, she said, “Even though I agreed, there was a part me that always wanted to be your top priority. To only think of me without anything else in the back of your mind. That’s what all girls want deep down inside.”
I realized I was holding my breath. “I-“
“Wait. Please just let me say this or else I might really cry and never get to finish.”
“All right.”
“I kept on thinking what I’d done wrong. Why couldn’t he make a move beyond kissing. Was it because I was still in high school? But you didn’t seem dissatisfied so I thought I’d be patient. After all, we’re both shy people. But that day I found out the real reason why.”
“That day?”
“When we were having a date and you were being spacey and fidgety?”
“When?”
“You made a call, I think, to one of the Takahashi brothers.”
“Oh…” I remembered. It was the day before our race in Hakone.
“You were worried about him, weren’t you?”
“Yes because of the ‘imposter’ rumor.”
“I don’t think you really understand, Takumi.” She shook her head and her hair brushed against her shoulders. “I can tell. You’re cool about most things. You concentrate on things one at a time to give them proper care and attention. That includes me.”
Mika pushed some of her hair behind her ear. “But when you got worried or felt sad, it was never with me-“
“Because I’ve always been happy with you. I can be relaxed.”
“That’s just it.”
I didn’t get what she was telling me at all...
“The real you was always with the team. I never had all of you. I realized this when you were talking on the phone. As I watched you, for the very first time since we’d met, your face was so expressive. You looked more than worried, almost depressed. So when you turned to see me through the restaurant window, I was staring at the table and then nervously waved at you. I knew from that moment on, even if you weren’t aware of it, you really cared about that guy.”
Deep inside, my heart knew before I was even conscious of it.
It seems like everyone knew but me.
My thumb rubbed gently on her hand.
“I didn’t want to believe it because I thought we were doing great. But this afternoon, it all made sense. When you came out of the car, you again had that agitated expression. Like your heart would break cleanly in half for him.
When you look forward, it isn’t at me. It’s towards him.”
Her lip quivered and she tried so hard not to cry in front of me though some tears slipped through. She brushed them off as fast as she could. “Why, Takumi? Please tell me why.”
Not knowing how she’d react, I brought her head to rest on my shoulder. While I held her head, she took out tissues from her small purse and blew her nose.
I’m not exactly sure what you want to hear…
“This started when Keisuke-san challenged the Akina Speed Stars to meet the driver of the ’86. At the time, Iketani-sempai went to my dad for help for our team. Instead of going himself, my dad sent me to defeat Keisuke-san. It was all for a full tank of gasoline.”
“Gasoline?” A little chuckle came out of her mouth.
“Yes, it’s true. I was tempted with gasoline, but when I got there, I regretted coming at all. In the end, I somehow beat Keisuke-san and after a few weeks, Ryousuke-san challenged me too. I worried about it from the time I got his note all the way until I had to battle him on Akina. I freaked out. Even though he was a famous street racer who had a perfect record, I didn’t want to lose.
“Most of all, I didn’t want to lose to myself.
“Afterwards, when I was standing in front of him and we were talking, I had this strong feeling inside of me towards him. I didn’t understand why so I tried to ignore it and forget it all together. Then, he showed up again and this time it was to ask me to be on his team. That same feeling, with such a strong force, came back all over again.
“By that time, after my friends showed me a lot of videos, magazine articles, and websites, I’d admired and respected him so much that I wanted to become like him. Maybe I could become my ideal self if I followed this man. That was all I thought at that time. But in the middle of it all, everyone told me I was the best, but I really didn’t know why they admired someone like me. Nor could I explain how or why I’d won. In the back of my mind, I wondered if driving was truly meant for me.”
“You’re obviously good at it, so isn’t it meant for you?”
“Just because you’re good at something, do you have to stake your whole life on it?”
“That’s true. No, you don’t.”
“While figuring all that out, when I was becoming very popular with Project D, the imposter led you to meet me. The girl I loved had left for Tokyo and so when you appeared, you were almost complete opposites. I mean you have one of the cutest faces I’ve ever seen, but I think that’s why it was love at first sight. You’re very strong. You came all the way to see me to stand up for your friend. That totally blew me away.”
“Really?”
“Yeah because I’d do the same for Itsuki.” I gave a small smile. “You know exactly what you want and how harsh it is to develop yourself. To work on your craft every single day. I know how hard you work more than anyone.”
“You loved me because of my strength, but you’re also telling me that you’re breaking up with me because of it. I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not you at all.”
“Yes it is if you’re feeling this way. Two weeks ago, we decided that we would try to make it work. Why are you changing your mind now?”
I took out her present from my pocket and put the small orange crystal butterfly around her neck. “Yes, I know I was the one who said I’d wanted to try to make it work.”
“Weren’t we going to write to each other and call? It’s not like you’re moving to another country. Why does it have to be this way?”
“I’m giving you this necklace because of all the people I’ve met, we were the most alike. You knew me without my explanations.”
Another tear fell down her cheek. “Then why are we breaking up? You still haven’t explained to it to me.”
“He…” I took my hands away and put them on my lap. “He gave me all that he possibly could.”
I can’t tell you…
Time, training, notes, repairs, tuning, sleepless nights…so many things. I can’t count the number of times he’s saved me.
“Me too.”
“But you met me in the middle, Mika. After I had done so many races, I grew into someone that I was starting to like. But the person who made the me that’s sitting next to you now is Ryousuke-san. He forced me to believe in the ‘me’ I would become long before I knew who that even was.”
Please understand.
She held her hand up and slapped me. I hugged her as she shook, crying onto my shirt.
I knew she was a prideful person who hated to cry in public so as she sobbed, every tear dug my heart deeper into the ground.
“I’m sorry.” I had tears in my eyes as my voice cracked. “I never wanted to hurt you because I love you, Mika.”
“Usually a confession is supposed to make someone happy…” She pushed herself away and stood up with her back towards me. “Thanks for telling me the truth. Thank you for everything, Takumi. I really wish you luck for the future.”
“Can’t we at least be friends?”
“No. No, we can’t. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
Even though I didn’t deserve it, thank you for loving me, Mika.
Completely poised, with her back straight and her head looking forward, she stepped away further and further away from me. My eyes strained to watch until there was no more trace of her in front of me.
A part of you will always be here with me.
The night had fallen and with swollen eyes, I finally got up from my place.
In the end, I took the local train towards Takasaki.
Tsuzuku…/To be continued…
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Author’s note: Sorry for the slow updates. I had been watching the Olympics for the US and Japan until the end! <3
Chapter 21? I was quite skeptical about it lasting this long, but I also knew that I didn’t want to rush either.
Since I enjoy one-shots, I spend most of my time trying to pack a lot in a few pages. But many years later, it gets longer to edit because I want certain details. ;_;
I was very weary of this chapter because in order for Takumi to be with Ryousuke, he has to break up with Mika. I know I could have totally dismissed this matter, but I wanted this to take place in its actual universe, though I’ve mixed both the manga and anime.
I mean, we have Takumi fanboying since their race on chapter 50 and blushes just being next to Ryousuke by chapter 147. (And didn’t notice him in chapter 2. Yes, we know the boy is slow…that’s why I love him…) Mika came on Chapter 428 and he was sighing about her emailing everyday, but is very happy that she calls him cute and popular. They're similar so it’s easy to understand why they connected.
So yes…this puzzled me. It took me years to even write “karisuma” based on that blush in Third Stage.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Mika and think she complements Takumi unlike any other character in the ID universe. Maybe it is because she is completely separate from his driving world.
I mean each of the girls in Initial D have distinctive characters and I like each of them. You remember them because they have a personality. If I think about any manga, this is one of those anime/manga with women I can relate to.
In other words, there’s another part of me that’s dying because any kind of breakup just sucks…and to write about it…is excruciating.
WAH! Takumi I love you SO MUCH in all of anime and yet I’ve made you and Ryousuke to be such jerks in this fic! -_-;;; (Did I really think about this???) Then again, it’s interesting to find more angles within their characters. I kind of like it because they became more human/lovable to me. I hadn’t realized all the hidden things I had thought until I read the chapters again in succession.
Thank you again for reading and all the reviews. It has given me a lot of encouragement as I steer through. I have been writing fanfics for a very long time so I am very happy to know there are still people reading and enjoying my stories. For me, it is a special connection that is unlike any other in the world.
Love,
Yui
8/24/2016 3:20 AM – Los Angeles
8/24/2016 7:20 PM - Tokyo
