The Yellow Sweater
an Initial D fanfic by inky
Prologue:
In which Keisuke does some raiding, and Ryousuke receives a yellow sweater
---
"Oi, Aniki," Takahashi Keisuke said to his absent brother. "We've got to do something about you. Your clothes are so boring."
Keisuke scratched his bare chest and peered once more into the closet. It seemed hopeless, but there had to be something wearable in it. He pushed aside three navy polo shirts, a navy button-down shirt, and a navy sweater vest to reveal--he couldn't suppress his shudder--two white polo shirts, two white button-down shirts, and a white sports coat.
"Great. What am I going to do?"
This was Tsugumi's fault. Tired of her endless gibes about his sloppiness, he'd cleaned his room.
Well, to be precise, he did not clean it so much as ... consolidate the mess. He'd shoveled all of his dirty clothes into one pile. He would never do such a thing again. This morning, he'd tripped and spilled soda over the entire pile. Now, he was reduced to raiding his brother's closet.
He took a white shirt and sighed.
"Aniki, we need to get you some variety in here."
+ + + + +
"Oi, Aniki, I'm coming in."
Ryousuke minimized a window on his computer as Keisuke entered the room.
"Here," Keisuke said.
Ryousuke swiveled his chair around and crossed his legs. Keisuke was holding a paper bag out to him. It looked like it had spent a month or two on the floor of his room. Ryousuke wasn't sure which made him more uneasy, the crumpled, coffee-stained bag or the expectant look on his brother's face. Either way, he wasn't ready to touch it.
"What's in the bag, Keisuke?"
"It's a present." Keisuke dropped it into his lap. "Happy Birthday."
"It's not my--"
"Yeah, yeah. Just open it already." Keisuke flopped down on the bed and watched him.
The bag was from an auto parts store. Keisuke had sealed it with a piece of electrical tape.
"Nice wrapping paper."
"I used what I had. Now open it, Aniki. Please?"
Ryousuke smiled. He had to open it now. After all, how often did the brat say "please"?
He tore off the tape, reached into the bag, and paused. This was some sort of soft fabric. What was Keisuke up to? He brushed his hand over it again. A sweater--his brother was giving him a sweater? He pulled it from the bag.
"Yellow? A yellow sweater, Keisuke?"
"It's hella soft, isn't it? The sales girl couldn't keep her hands off it. I got her phone number, too, but that's not part of the present."
"Yes, it's cashmere. It's very nice, but..."
It's yellow. Not as bright as your FD, but...
"Why yellow?"
"Aniki, all you ever wear is navy and white. You could use a little color. Give the fan girls a thrill, you know?"
"I don't want to give anyone a thrill."
Keisuke jumped up and approached his closet.
"Okay, we'll work on that, but look at this!" He flung open the door. "Do you see any colors in here?"
"I'm supposed to take fashion advice from you? You're wearing mismatched socks."
Keisuke posed with his hands behind his neck.
"I may not be fancy, but I always look good. When I'm your age, your fan girls will be all over me."
"There's a hole under your left sleeve."
"Eh?" Keisuke poked his finger into the hole, then shrugged. "It's part of my charm."
"Yes, I suppose it is. Thank you for the gift, Keisuke, but ... perhaps you should concentrate on your driving for a while instead of your charm. The girls may be all over you, but the guys won't be impressed unless you improve."
"Aw." Keisuke grumbled as he left. "Who cares about the guys, anyway?"
Ryousuke didn't answer. He turned and restored the active window on his computer.
"Back, sorry about that," he typed.
EvoKing: what's up?
DocMazda: Not what you're hoping.
EvoKing: give me 2 minutes and I'll fix that ;)
Ryousuke double-checked his bedroom door; it was closed. He gave EvoKing his two minutes ... and then some.
Disclaimer:
initial D is © Shigeno Shuichi, Kodansha, to'max, OB Kikaku. These characters do not belong to inky.
Notes for the Prologue:
This is the story that made a liar out of me. I'd always said that I would never write fanfic.
I started this fic within a month of first watching Initial D. I'd seen all of First and Second Stage through only four times at that point. The characterization is solely based on the anime (although I did pick up some random information about the manga from a friend).
After getting the manga and reading some translations, my take on the characters has changed. I've decided to continue this fic, however, for the people who remained interested in it--even during the year I did nothing with it. Thank you.
"DocMazda" is adapted from a screen name suggestion by Kourin; "EvoKing" was suggested by Mizu.
Ryousuke and Keisuke are twenty-three and twenty-one at the beginning of the series. This fic begins about two years prior to the series.
For those of you unfamiliar with the manga, Tsugumi is Ryousuke and Keisuke's younger cousin. She lives with their family.
And, yes, Ryousuke wears a navy shirt for most of First Stage.
Began: Sept 2001
Last Revised: 29 Jan 2003
Illustrated Version: Archived at http://www32.brinkster.com/kyouichi/sw/sweater00.html
an Initial D fanfic by inky
Prologue:
In which Keisuke does some raiding, and Ryousuke receives a yellow sweater
---
"Oi, Aniki," Takahashi Keisuke said to his absent brother. "We've got to do something about you. Your clothes are so boring."
Keisuke scratched his bare chest and peered once more into the closet. It seemed hopeless, but there had to be something wearable in it. He pushed aside three navy polo shirts, a navy button-down shirt, and a navy sweater vest to reveal--he couldn't suppress his shudder--two white polo shirts, two white button-down shirts, and a white sports coat.
"Great. What am I going to do?"
This was Tsugumi's fault. Tired of her endless gibes about his sloppiness, he'd cleaned his room.
Well, to be precise, he did not clean it so much as ... consolidate the mess. He'd shoveled all of his dirty clothes into one pile. He would never do such a thing again. This morning, he'd tripped and spilled soda over the entire pile. Now, he was reduced to raiding his brother's closet.
He took a white shirt and sighed.
"Aniki, we need to get you some variety in here."
+ + + + +
"Oi, Aniki, I'm coming in."
Ryousuke minimized a window on his computer as Keisuke entered the room.
"Here," Keisuke said.
Ryousuke swiveled his chair around and crossed his legs. Keisuke was holding a paper bag out to him. It looked like it had spent a month or two on the floor of his room. Ryousuke wasn't sure which made him more uneasy, the crumpled, coffee-stained bag or the expectant look on his brother's face. Either way, he wasn't ready to touch it.
"What's in the bag, Keisuke?"
"It's a present." Keisuke dropped it into his lap. "Happy Birthday."
"It's not my--"
"Yeah, yeah. Just open it already." Keisuke flopped down on the bed and watched him.
The bag was from an auto parts store. Keisuke had sealed it with a piece of electrical tape.
"Nice wrapping paper."
"I used what I had. Now open it, Aniki. Please?"
Ryousuke smiled. He had to open it now. After all, how often did the brat say "please"?
He tore off the tape, reached into the bag, and paused. This was some sort of soft fabric. What was Keisuke up to? He brushed his hand over it again. A sweater--his brother was giving him a sweater? He pulled it from the bag.
"Yellow? A yellow sweater, Keisuke?"
"It's hella soft, isn't it? The sales girl couldn't keep her hands off it. I got her phone number, too, but that's not part of the present."
"Yes, it's cashmere. It's very nice, but..."
It's yellow. Not as bright as your FD, but...
"Why yellow?"
"Aniki, all you ever wear is navy and white. You could use a little color. Give the fan girls a thrill, you know?"
"I don't want to give anyone a thrill."
Keisuke jumped up and approached his closet.
"Okay, we'll work on that, but look at this!" He flung open the door. "Do you see any colors in here?"
"I'm supposed to take fashion advice from you? You're wearing mismatched socks."
Keisuke posed with his hands behind his neck.
"I may not be fancy, but I always look good. When I'm your age, your fan girls will be all over me."
"There's a hole under your left sleeve."
"Eh?" Keisuke poked his finger into the hole, then shrugged. "It's part of my charm."
"Yes, I suppose it is. Thank you for the gift, Keisuke, but ... perhaps you should concentrate on your driving for a while instead of your charm. The girls may be all over you, but the guys won't be impressed unless you improve."
"Aw." Keisuke grumbled as he left. "Who cares about the guys, anyway?"
Ryousuke didn't answer. He turned and restored the active window on his computer.
"Back, sorry about that," he typed.
EvoKing: what's up?
DocMazda: Not what you're hoping.
EvoKing: give me 2 minutes and I'll fix that ;)
Ryousuke double-checked his bedroom door; it was closed. He gave EvoKing his two minutes ... and then some.
Disclaimer:
initial D is © Shigeno Shuichi, Kodansha, to'max, OB Kikaku. These characters do not belong to inky.
Notes for the Prologue:
This is the story that made a liar out of me. I'd always said that I would never write fanfic.
I started this fic within a month of first watching Initial D. I'd seen all of First and Second Stage through only four times at that point. The characterization is solely based on the anime (although I did pick up some random information about the manga from a friend).
After getting the manga and reading some translations, my take on the characters has changed. I've decided to continue this fic, however, for the people who remained interested in it--even during the year I did nothing with it. Thank you.
"DocMazda" is adapted from a screen name suggestion by Kourin; "EvoKing" was suggested by Mizu.
Ryousuke and Keisuke are twenty-three and twenty-one at the beginning of the series. This fic begins about two years prior to the series.
For those of you unfamiliar with the manga, Tsugumi is Ryousuke and Keisuke's younger cousin. She lives with their family.
And, yes, Ryousuke wears a navy shirt for most of First Stage.
Began: Sept 2001
Last Revised: 29 Jan 2003
Illustrated Version: Archived at http://www32.brinkster.com/kyouichi/sw/sweater00.html