Disclaimer: I don't own the Takahashi brothers or any other character, if I did, I'd not be writing this, I'd be making videos and uploading them on u-tube

Rating: M (language; since it's supposed to be a looooong story, I guess a good many different things may happen, and I bet you know what I mean by 'different')

Author's notes: I don't know how far it will go, how far my fantasy and dreams will lead me, don't know how many chapters there's gonna be, don't even know how often I'll be able to update. Anyway, have patience, my dear reader, some day it'll have one short word 'owari' at the end

The two brothers, their parents, friends, people they meet, habits and behavior may not coincide with what is shown in the anime and told in the manga, the fic is purely my POV on the events, and contains lots of missing-scenes, hence its title

Also, forgive me for possible mistakes and don't forget to read and review.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Part One

I. The Beginning

"Oi, Aniki, you think the dumbasses will make it, huh?"

A tall blond-haired guy dangled the keys in his pocket before protruding them and sticking into the keyhole afterwards. The lock clicked twice and the door gave in, letting the two young men enter the spacious hall of the house.

Their stance and looks, movements and speech had one and the same effect on all and sundry – they screamed money, chic and sheltered life. Les garçons riches, as the French would say.

"Don't you find it high time you got a curse book, Keisuke?" the second man commented on his brother's question, obviously irritated by the cuss word used.

"I have a course book, what's wrong with it?" the addressed one wondered not seeing the point.

"Ah, forget it," the dark-haired guy dropped the subject even more upset at how dim the younger was at times as to miss the difference between the two sounds.

Witty phrases Keisuke spouted were not at all bad, but spicing them up with never-ceasing swear words got on his nerves.

Meanwhile said blond was already helping himself to some hard drink, waste of time never among his habits. Whatever were his previous activities he would come home and set off to the bar immediately, finding alcohol one of the best ways to unwind. These were apparently their father's genes since he never stood against a couple of shots, or even more than a couple. Keisuke's appearance, however, reminded that of their mother, always energetic, tornado-like woman with hundreds of important things to do here and there and everywhere, while in reality there were hardly one or two truly urgent matters, all the rest proving minor. Impulsive, imprudent, impatient, immature – the list of 'im's' lasted on and on as year after year Keisuke added more and more 'im's' to his personality, and now by the age of 21 he's collected a good many not-so-favorable traits of character, much to the other family members' frustration.

The second of the two brothers, Ryousuke, two years senior, was born a complete opposite: perfectly-built, rather pale in the face, with excellent manners and obsessed with cleanliness, the raven-haired man was usually calm, controlled, admiring peace and quiet after a busy day; reliable, responsible, respectful – this case of 're's' seeming much more pleasant to deal with in all his forms, all meanings of this expression. Once called genius, he wasn't going to argue it, thinking the nickname flattering and nice to hear. Unlike Keisuke, the elder of the kyoudai was good at any occupation he took up, whatever field he studied, deciding to engage in biology in the end, thus laying hope for entering a medical university. Not that medicine attracted him more than other subjects, nor was he naturally gifted at human anatomy to make it his cup of tea - it was so because his father had said so; the head Takahashi needed a son to become his right hand at his clinic. Like it or lump it, the genius's destiny was quite predetermined as he was brought up to become a doctor. Once made, the decision was not negotiable.

The two of them got enough financial means from dear mommy and daddy to be called spoiled, or more precisely, spoiled brats, as their numerous acquaintances preferred to call them(while the brats themselves were not around, of course). Always with money on them, often more than absolutely necessary, always dressed with the latest fashion, not too flashy but clearly different from what others wore, always good-looking, a bit too perfect for their own good, with their personal secrets of instantaneous fascinating and seducing people, always having new models of cell phones, bright glistening things everyone in their circle jealous of, simple little objects arising so much envy, girls especially pry where the phones went after the brothers bought next ones. They seemed to never stop and be living life to the fullest, visiting clubs and parties to glow and shine and impress the public, they were changing and their road was never straight with its twists and turns high and low. There was one thing, however, the seldom-separating kyoudai were faithful to. Their passion for cars, road racing, mountain drifting was that very joint. Although different in appearance and nature, Ryousuke and Keisuke had this favorite topic they could discuss for hours on end.

Being racers themselves, they took part in competitions, challenging local celebrities, winning contest after contest, victory floating by their side. Well-tuned cars, high octane petrol together with first-class drivers and crew provided them with huge success all around the neighborhood, setting the Akagi Redsuns – their name – high on the list of unbeatable teams, giving them fame and popularity and all the good things therefore. With each next race won, each rival defeated, each corner brilliantly tackled came recognition of them as stars.

The legendary Takahashi kyoudai, that was their story. The everlasting dream of local paparazzi and stalkers, both creeping on the guys only to get nothing, the security system of the Takahashis' mansion like that of famous rock singers or Hollywood actors. The two cared little about what crazy reporters and not-less-crazy fans said about them, either in lousy papers or in the streets, what they cared about was racing, impossible without a full tank of gasoline and their impeccable Mazdas, Keisuke's yellow FD being the centre of overall attention wherever he chose to go, Ryousuke's white FC, however outdated, striking with its speed, helping the man gain yet another nickname of the White Comet. Nevertheless, both were happy to lead the lives of well-off boys, amusing and having fun, finding their early twenties the most exciting period, and their age most suitable for entertainment.

" 'd you like anything to drink, aniki?"

The younger was unbearable as he got on Ryousuke's nerves every so often with his constant repetition of the 'aniki' word after almost every sentence addressed to him; but on the other hand, occasionally it pleased him, for he saw how fraternally-tenderly Keisuke treated him.

Hearing no reply, the younger helped himself to a next portion of whiskey, the drink he, for some odd reason, had taken to, hoping to encourage his dear brother to another prank,

"A cigarette then? You seem somewhat tense."

"I don't smoke," Ryousuke chopped it off.

"Since when?" he stared at the guy, astounded to receive such a response, knowing his brother has been smoking for ages.

"Since then," another harshness to assure Keisuke he was in no mood for any of his little mischieves; instead, he sat down on the plush sofa in front of the TV set.

And while the blond continued staring at him with a glass glued to his palm, Ryousuke explained,

"It's not porch or balcony, you can't smoke in here."

He stressed the last word as a clear hint for Keisuke to not even pick up a lighter.

"Oh come on, kaa-san and tou-san are out, so what's the problem, aniki? Aniki!" all attempts to attract Ryousuke's attention vain - the elder was already walking off and up the stairs without a glance at the one near the bar-stand.

Ryousuke knew the imp would now curse aloud, hit the half-empty glass against the counter and take the pack of cigarettes back into his pants' pocket - the behavior quite in Keisuke's style. Although self-willed, he wouldn't contradict the authority of his brother, aniki was aniki, he loved him too much to make a scene, perhaps even twice too much.

"Kusou," the young man swore and told Ryousuke. "Bon voyage to your room."

The joke triggered a smirk on the elder's face. There was no doubt they had different approaches to coping with problems, active and passive ways: Keisuke sticking to full oblivion with a bottle, Ryousuke favoring for a serene evening in the company of a book. But there was no way he would let the blond get drunk and set the house on fire. He was a mindful brother, after all, and responsible for the other's actions; besides, he was positive of that, Keisuke would be there in his room in a couple of minutes after the fit of anger subsided and another sip of whiskey taken. 'I don't like good booze wasted,' it was what Keisuke kept saying on a regular basis.

He barely got into his study when the door handle turned – this time without two habitual knocks – and the voice noted,

"Aniki, you are such a turn-on."

Ryousuke pshawed, thinking how silly as well as a little dumb the younger became when under the influence,

"You're quite tipsy, Keisuke," was the response.

The blond meanwhile was dancing across the room, swaying his hips in a girl's fashion. True, he felt really weird when hazy, but it hardly mattered now - Keisuke strong and almighty after two-plus whiskey's, the brown liquid setting him on top of the world where he stayed brave and courageous for a good couple of hours until inevitably going downhill, returning to the previous state as soon as alcohol lost its effect, the condition he despised the most.

"I'm pretending I'm a scared kid who came to share one bed with dear brother," Keisuke went in circles about the room, craving for attention.

"We never shared one bed, not even one room, our parents rich enough to get us different places in the house," Ryousuke made it clear, although what he said was as plain as day. "I can see you off to your bedroom in case you forget where it is. Not too far, should you wonder."

"Yamete aniki!" Keisuke might have been out of his head but not completely, so he did not miss the mockery.

For Ryousuke he has always been a younger brother, foolish, naïve sometimes; for him the elder still remained a goal, a mountain peak to climb to, meaning both his driving skills and something else, that very 'something else' he feared to reveal to himself, let alone relatives or friends.

"Look, Keisuke, could you simply leave, or else I'll have to use air-freshener since you've been staying here for too long, and I don't want to die of alcoholic vapors coming from you."

Seeing no reaction from the other, he added in a sterner tone,

"Or air-gun."

Grudgingly the stinking obstacle dragged his feet back to the door, catching Ryousuke's parting words,

"Have a good nourishing dinner, then go for a walk, and then take a shower, then go to bed and sleep well. Until you grow up I'll keep on treating you like an infant, seeing nothing but a naughty five-year-old instead of what you should be, an adult."

With a very deep sigh the blond Takahashi exited the study, upset and grumbling as he descended the stairs in slow lazy steps, directing towards the bar,

"A naughty five-year-old… That's my only problem aniki, my only problem."