Author: Here is my 'Stage 2' that i mentioned at the end of my very first fanfiction. I've actually been working on this second installment for a while and I can really see an improvement. I hope you guys will like it as much if not better than the first. There will definitely be some serious drama in this story, but I don't want to give too much away. Don't forget to review and tell me what you all think, it really helps encourage me to write more! c:
' ' thoughts
" " dialogue
Chapter 1
Three loud knocks came from the door as Ryosuke started to wake up, he noticed he had fallen asleep on his desk again.
"Come in" he said as he rubbed his eyes.
"Hey bro, fall asleep on your computer again?"
"Yeah, just some school work."
Keisuke took his usual spot on his brother's bed and picked up a car magazine from the side table.
Ryosuke checked his watch and could see he needed to head to school.
"I'm going to school so I'll see you later. I'm surprised you're not with Kyoko today Keisuke."
"Well she started school again so I won't see her until she gets off work later." Keisuke sighed.
Ryosuke smiled at his younger brother.
"You'll be alright. I'm going now."
He went downstairs to his newly fixed FC. The rear and new paint made it look brand new.
Even after all this time practicing and racing against Rin Hojo, Ryosuke still felt strange driving with the super charger. It didn't have the same kick that his turbo had.
He arrived at the University about ten minutes before his first class. While walking through the hall way, he saw a girl drop her canvas book bag, books, and several assignments all over the floor. Everyone seemed to ignore her and Ryosuke could not believe how rude some people could be.
He knelt down to help the girl pick up her books when he noticed a child development book just like his.
"Thank you" said the girl as she took her belongings.
"It's not a problem. Do we have a class together? I have this same version book." He asked.
"Yeah I think we do. If you'll excuse me I need to get to my class."
"Would you like some help? My class is in the same direction." he offered politely.
"No I'm fine" she answered quickly.
The girl took her books and briskly walked away from him.
Ryosuke walked to his class puzzled. He had the impression that she didn't want his help in particular.
After his first two lectures it was finally third hour, Child Development.
Ryosuke walked into the classroom and immediately spotted the same girl from that morning sitting in the middle of the room.
Attempting not too stare, he took a seat a few rows back.
He thought he would remember the face of such a pretty girl. Since the death of Kaori he never noticed girls, but after his last race he could finally be at peace with what happened. He noticed this girl though. She reminded him of a porcelain doll: skin as pale as the moon, pink cheeks, and pretty brown eyes.
Throughout the entire lecture he was distracted by her. He would catch himself staring at her petite figure and long shiny brown hair.
Once the lecture had ceased, the girl quickly left the room. Ryosuke tried to catch her at the door to talk to her, but she was already gone.
His shoulders fell in disappointment as he walked back to the FC; he strapped himself in his car and didn't understand these strange feelings he was having.
'Perhaps it was not meant to be' he thought.
Not long after, Ryosuke was driving through a nearby residential area when he noticed a very petite girl walking alone.
He recognized the canvas shoulder bag and long brown hair. As Ryosuke slowed down, he opened his passenger window and called out to her.
"Hey it's me from earlier. My names Ryosuke Takahashi and-"
"Yes I know who you are" she said cutting him short.
He was taken aback by her abruptness, but ignored it.
"Well you just seem to be carrying a lot of things so I could give you a ride if you're walking far."
"Is there a reason you're doing this?"
The girl asked this as if Ryosuke was offering some kind of charity.
"I only thought you'd appreciate a ride. I guess I was mistaken; if I offended you in anyway then I'm sorry."
Ryosuke was about to drive away when she quickly grabbed the window.
"Wait!" she said quickly, "I'm sorry please excuse my rudeness. My name is Mizuki Ishikata and I'd appreciate a ride very much."
Seeing her polite smile melted away Ryosuke's annoyed feelings.
"Sure" he told her.
Mizuki gave Ryosuke directions to her home which was about five more miles away from where they were parked.
"Were you really going to walk all the way home? It is quite far from the school."
He never liked the idea of girls walking long distances alone. Ryosuke would never want Tsugumi to walk alone.
"I missed the bus that would have taken me most of the way home. I didn't have much of choice." she explained.
He did not reply and they drove only a few minutes in silence until Ryosuke spotted the address.
"Thank you for the ride"
As Mizuki stepped out from the car, Ryosuke quickly ripped a paper from his note book and scrawled his phone number on it.
"This is in case you need a ride again" he said handing the paper to her.
"Oh okay…thank you" she said surprised.
Whatever on Earth possessed him to do that, he did not know.
Back at the house Keisuke was starting to lose his mind. He had done everything possible and still, Kyoko wouldn't be off work for another hour.
He had hung out with Kenta, read at least five different magazines, cleaned his room which he never did, and even attempted to cook himself an instant udon soup.
Keisuke sighed.
He took the pot of burnt noodles and dumped it in the trash. If he hadn't fallen asleep at the kitchen island then his soup would have been pretty good. He didn't like the house maids waiting on him all the time so as encouraged by Kyoko, he tried to cook himself.
After he cleaned the pot, he remembered that Kyoko had given him a key to her apartment. He jumped in his FD and made his way to Saitama.
He let himself into the apartment and set a bouquet of roses on the table that he had bought for Kyoko.
"Hm?"
Keisuke saw a black leather bag on the table that he didn't recognize.
'Maybe it's new' he thought.
He opened the fridge and bent down to pull out some left over rice balls when he felt something hit him hard on the head.
"Ow!" he yelled.
Keisuke looked up from behind the refrigerator door and saw a girl with a large text book in her hands.
"Who are you? What do you want!" she yelled.
The girl began swinging the book frantically at him and he ran behind the table for safety.
"Hey! Calm down! What are you doing in my girlfriend's apartment?" he yelled.
The lock on the door began to wiggle and in the door way stood a bewildered Kyoko.
The crazy girl quickly grabbed Kyoko and placed her behind her protectively.
"Careful Kyoko this freak came into your apartment!"
"Freak!" Keisuke complained.
Kyoko had her hand over her eyes, obviously upset.
"Ayame, this is my boyfriend Keisuke. Keisuke this is my cousin Ayame. Seriously, if you want to knock out an intruder then use the breaker bar behind my bed; not my text book."
She ripped the book from Ayame's hands and tossed it on the table.
"Are you okay Keisuke?"
"Yes, I'm fine don't worry" he said handing her the roses.
She smiled at him and for a moment they had forgotten all about Ayame.
"I am so, so sorry Keisuke. I guess it is nice to meet you." she said extending her hand.
He took it grudgingly.
"Right" was all he said.
"I'm sorry to both of you. I should have told Keisuke that you would be here."
"I think I'll go visit my parents now Kyoko. If you're tired then Keisuke could take me." Ayame suggested.
"No!" Kyoko exclaimed' "I mean no, no I'll take you. Let's go." She said trying to recover.
'That was weird' he thought.
The way Kyoko nearly yelled about him taking her cousin was very strange indeed.
Keisuke sat on the sofa and watched a random game show until Kyoko had finally come back. She dropped on the sofa next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Kyoko if you were so tired then I wouldn't have mind taking Ayame."
"Ha no way" she said dryly.
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"I'll explain over some dinner. Do you mind if we go out?"
"Sure. I'll drive." he offered.
After Kyoko had changed from her work clothes, they drove to the family's restaurant where they had first met.
When the host saw them come in he told them to sit anywhere. Everyone was always so polite when Kyoko came in, she was a regular.
"Alright, so tell me what's the deal with your cousin?"
Kyoko sighed.
"My cousin and I are the same age so we were always together even throughout high school. For some reason anytime I got close to a guy, Ayame seemed to sweep them up. She has this flirtatious personality and she was always popular. If you remember that story I told you about my formal dance and my cousin bringing the guy I liked, well that was Ayame. Eventually dating became less important and racing was my main focus; that is until I met you."
She half smiled and he took her hand.
"Come on, that was a long time ago right? Why is she staying with you and not her parents?"
"I guess she wanted to stay at her old apartment or something I don't know. Ayame lives in the states right now, but her parents still aren't too happy since she left." She explained.
"See she won't even be here long. I don't see how other guys would put her over you anyway."
"I love you" she said with a warm smile.