As usual, the peak car park was full of speculators, fans and racers. The place was filled with finely tuned engines, roaring through out the night. On the other side of the street, fan-girls in their most attractive, sexy dressing were gathering, seemed like they were waiting for the 'idol'.
"Make way, Ryosuke is coming," a young man shouted.
Soon, a white Mazda RX-7 appeared out of the corner, sped through the dark road before pulled over on the side. Takahashi Ryosuke stepped out of the car waiting for his friend to get out too. This young man is known as 'White Comet of Akagi'. He walked toward his opponent of the night before the race started.
In less than 15 minutes, the race began. Most of the people were here for Ryosuke, wanted to see how good he was beside his looks. Fumihiro watched his friend from the top. As everyone expected, Ryosuke won the race again. He stopped at the finishing line, exchanged some words with his opponent. He looked around the crowded car park before getting into his car.
"Rika," he mumbled as he saw someone familiar in the center of the crowd.
Ryosuke stayed his position without moving, waiting for the girl to walk over. Stood in front of him where their eyes met, was the girl who moved heart.
"Please don't get angry, I just wanna see you race." Rika said with a gentle voice.
He reached his hand out, held her hand before he led her to his car. The white Mazda RX-7 slowly pulled out of the road shoulder and disappeared.
…Three Years Ago…
Takahashi's Mansion
Ryosuke was drinking his coffee while waiting for his younger brother to get ready for school. Keisuke ran into the kitchen at almost 7.15am. Ryosuke gave a glare on his brother, as they were late for school again. Keisuke grabbed his sandwich and a bottle of milk before followed Ryosuke to the car that was waiting for some time.
"Sorry, Aniki," Keisuke apologized as soon as he got into the car.
"What time did you came back last night?" Ryosuke asked as he flipped the newspaper.
"Before Midnight," Keisuke replied.
"Oh really! Keisuke, you're lying." Ryosuke told his brother off.
"Gomenne, Aniki," Keisuke apologized again.
"I'll be home early tonight so don't stay out late," Ryosuke said in a softer tone.
Keisuke nodded, "Ja ne!"
Takasaki High School
Keisuke walked toward his junior high school building, while Ryosuke was heading toward his classroom on the other side of the building. His friends were waiting for him at the main entrance of the building.
"You're almost late again," Hideki said.
Ryosuke shrugged. Sakito, who was walking in front, nudged Hideki when he saw a girl on the other side of the corridor. Ryosuke took a glance at the girl, nodded his head a little before he walked pass.
Class 1-A at the Senior High was full of laughter and shouting. It was one of the noisiest classes in the school. The teachers had a very hard time kept the students quiet. This class has no different from those lousiest classes in the school where the teachers were given up on them. However, 1-A was the class where the cream of the Senior 1 studied. The top student was a long hair, nerdy look girl named Namika. The most carefree and happiest girl in the class was Rika, who never had problems in making the whole class laugh. She was the person who always comes up with funny stuff to make the class more enjoyable. Hikari and Makiko were the other two girls in Rika's gang, who were the experts on relationship.
Rika was copying homework from Namika at the desk, which is next to the window. She was quiet bored and looked out of the window. At the back of her table, Hikari and Makiko were talking about the four guys on the Senior High side.
"Look, Ryosuke-Senbai is looking over here," Hikari said.
"Oh, No! He's looking at me," Makiko dreamed.
Rika and Namika sighed at their friends, but took a few glances at Ryosuke and his friends too.
"Chey! What's so good about those guys?" Rika thought.
Ryosuke was staring at the next classroom where his girlfriend, Harumi was studying.
"Where're you going later?" Sakito asked Ryosuke.
"Of course, he's going to date with Harumi. Are you joining them, Sakito?" Tokio asked.
"Hey, where were you this morning?" Hideki asked Tokio.
"Shhh…" Tokio placed a finger on his lip.
Ryosuke shook his head, sighed at his friend who always late for school.
At the lake, Ryosuke was leaning against Harumi as they chatted. Harumi was a quiet girl whom he had been seeing for the past two years. He met her through a friend's introduction and started to date her soon after he broke off with his previous girlfriend. Their relationship was a stable one as they shared a lot of similarity. Harumi was quiet and understanding. She never asked for anything, but just allowed him to have his privacy, unlike his previous girlfriend who always demanded him to spend time with him. He felt very comfortable to have her around.
Hayashi Mansion
Emiko was very displeased with Rika when she saw her daughter's room was in a mess again, Kazuo gave her a smile and told her that he would settle for her once Rika came home.
"Tell Rika that I'll cut her pocket money if I see her room so messy next time," Emiko walked out of the room and went to meet client.
Rika came out from the hiding as soon as she saw her mother left the house. Kazuo looked at his daughter before he rubbed her hair dotingly.
"Gomenne, Otochan," Rika told her dad.
"How's your school?" Kazuo asked.
Rika nodded, "It's fun."
"Rika, you must study hard for your future," Kazuo told his daughter as he prepared to go to his clinic.
"I will Otochan, I will be the next best doctor in Japan like you," Rika smiled.
Takasaki High School
Rika was reading comic at the corner of her classroom. Namika walked over with the drawing board. Makiko was talking to Hikari about her date yesterday with a University student.
"Rika, have you finished your art homework?" Namika asked.
"What's that?" Rika asked back and looked at the drawing board on Namika's hand. "Oh, No!"
She quickly pulled out her drawing paper before ran toward the art room on the other corridor of the building.
Ryosuke stopped at his locker to change his shoes. Rika carried a bucket of dirty water to the washroom. She stopped and checked herself on the mirror. She turned back and accidentally spilled the water on Ryosuke's shoes. Rika's face turn white when she saw Ryosuke was angry.
"Gomenne," Rika said and tried to clean the shoes with her apron.
"No need," Ryosuke replied and kicked the shoes away before he walked off in a huff.
Rika looked at Ryosuke with an angry glare.
Art Classroom
Ryosuke was sitting facing to Harumi. They were sitting quietly, staring at each other.
"Harumi," Ryosuke broke the silence.
"Yes," she replied.
"Would you marry me?" Ryosuke asked.
Harumi was surprised, "Ryosuke… Sorry, are you mistaken anything? We're just a high school student. At this moment, there's nothing to bring up about marriage. You are kidding, aren't you? "
"Oops!" Rika overheard the conversation from the outside of the classroom. "So he's proposed to her! Oh my god, this is a big news."
"I… Harumi, listen. To me, marriage at young age is just a norm. I'm the first son in the family, if I don't propose to anyone first, I'll be ask to marry the girl that my parents arranged for me. Comparing to the girl that I've never seen before, I want to marry with the girl who knows me well like you. We've been together for 2 years now," Ryosuke told her. "I don't have much time left."
"Ryosuke, I don't want our friendship to change because of this issue. Besides that, the responsibility to your family, it's not the life I want. I don't want to put my dream aside and I don't want to regret too." Harumi replied.
"He's got rejected," Rika thought and pitied Ryosuke a little. "Oh! Shit! Why Okachan must call now?" Rika was prepared to run when the phone rang.
"Who's that?" Ryosuke came out and caught Rika. "You! You eavesdropped our conversation!"
"No… I didn't hear anything," Rika said and slipped away.
Ryosuke looked at Rika in frustration.
Hayashi Mansion
Rika came home with her thoughts full of excuses to avoid her mummy's nag. As soon as she stepped inside the house, the atmosphere told her that something had happened. She looked at her grandparents in the living room. Rika almost fainted when her grandparents told her about her parents. Rika looked at her parents with tears. She had lost her dearest persons in her life and what should she do. Her grandparents had planned to go ahead with Rika's marriage as soon as possible.
It had been a few days after her parents' funeral. Rika met with the Takahashi's couple who was her dad's good friend. She did not understand why her parents had arranged this marriage, but only told that it was a promise. Mrs. Takahashi then arranged for Rika to stay at her place before the marriage ceremony, which would be taking place in a month time.
Takahashi Mansion
Ryosuke was waiting in the living room for his 'bride-to-be' as ordered by his parents. He wanted to rebel so much but could not bring himself to do so. Keisuke was not happy too when he knew about someone was coming to be his sister-in-law.
Rika looked at the big house in front of her, unsure if it was the right place for her. She stepped in the house and was surprised to see Ryosuke.
"Don't tell me that this fellow is going to be my husband," Rika thought and shook her head.
"You!" Ryosuke was shocked too.
"What's wrong Aniki?" Keisuke asked softly as he nudged Ryosuke.
"Nothing," Ryosuke replied and walked over to Rika before he showed her the way to her room that was next to his.
"Thank you," Rika said and she closed the door quickly.
Ryosuke pushed the door open and stepped closer, "You'd better behave yourself or else."
Rika gave him a fierce glare back and watched Ryosuke left her room.
"Nah, Aniki! I can see that you don't like that fellow," Keisuke said and asked. "You know her, right?"
Ryosuke smacked his brother lightly for knowing too much.
"She was the one who overheard my proposal to Harumi," Ryosuke told Keisuke.
"What?" Keisuke exclaimed. "So how would she feel? The guy she is marrying has proposed to another girl." Keisuke pitied Rika.
"Don't bother. She's just a parasite that needs our family to support her as her parents had passed away." Ryosuke replied with disgust.
"Aniki, I understand your feeling but she might…" Keisuke said.
"She? Keisuke, there're a lot of girls who wanna be a part of our family because of money and I doubt she's otherwise," Ryosuke cut off.
Rika looked at the teddy bear that her dad gave her since she was young. She knew that it would be tough for her to live with Ryosuke, as she knew that he disliked her. Furthermore, Ryosuke had a girlfriend. She looked at her parents' picture, missed them so much.
"Otochan, I wish you were here." Rika said as tears rolled down her cheek.
End of Chapter 1