A/N: Wow...three years. That must be some kind of record for updating delay =/ Sorry to everyone who's been patiently waiting for this second chapter! And I apologize ahead of time if I disappear again. My moods are kind of fickle when it comes to writing and even reading fanfiction, depending on my interests and what I'm up to in life. I know, I know. I'm a really terrible person, but I promise you that I will try my best not to let this story die again.

Anyhow, I know this is short and not much happens, but I hope it's enough to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking and to tide you through until I can get the next chapter posted.

Thanks so much, and please let me know what you think!

~TFATF~

"HIKA!"

The ear-splitting shriek was the only warning Hikari got before she was swept off her feet by a red and black whirlwind. Dazed, she picked her head up off the grass and came face to face with a pair of elated brown eyes. She'd forgotten how strong Jasmine could be when she was worked up, even though the other girl was a full half head shorter than herself.

"Geez, Jasmine," she groaned, "Here I am this poor, tired soul who's just traveled halfway around the world to see you, and all I get for a greeting is a beating and a concussion. And to top it off, I'm deaf now!"

"Yeah, karma's a bitch, isn't it?" Johnny snickered as he came up the walkway dragging one of her suitcases behind him.

Glaring at him as he stood there enjoying the show, Hikari struggled to get up from her position underneath Jasmine. Finding that the other girl wouldn't budge, she looked up again to find herself the object of a flinty stare from two mocha-colored chips of ice, as Jasmine glared down at her with her arms crossed over her chest. That's a cute top she's got there. I like the color, Hikari noted absently as she stared back up at Jasmine in confusion.

"Hey Jas? You mind getting off of me? I know you can't keep yourself away from this amazing body and my animal magnetism and all, but I still need oxygen to live, you know," she wheezed.

Ignoring her, Jasmine narrowed her almond-shaped eyes. "Where the hell were you?" she asked in a deadly calm voice.

Hikari blinked. Wasn't she overjoyed to see her just a moment ago?

"Where the hell have you been Hika? I've been waiting at home since I got out of class. You guys should've been back three hours ago!"

Confused, Hikari stared back up at Jasmine's, whose flinty stare demanded an explanation. Now.

"Hey, it's not my fault! I just wanted to get a late lunch, and that brother of yours decided to take me on a ride all around LA!"

"Oh really?" Johnny spoke up coolly from where he was standing a few feet away. "If I remember correctly, it was you who asked, no begged, me to take you around the neighborhood to check everything out, or as you put it, 'to relive the good times.' And plus, you just HAD to have me drive you to Diddy Riese to get cookies and ice cream sandwiches, right?"

"Fine, so I did ask you take me around, but I just wanted to check things out. You, on the other hand, just had to be all like, 'And look! There's the lamp post I puked under when I got totally trashed after I took you and Jasmine to the races for the first time!' And what was wrong with wanting to go to Diddy Riese? I've been craving their ice cream sandwiches for five years, and that's something that I absolutely will not wait for!"

She tried to cross her arms over her chest, but finding that they were still trapped under Jasmine's legs, she only managed to twitch her hands and wriggle her shoulders around a bit. But her heated glare, which Johnny returned with full force, more than made up for her currently immobile state. Glancing between the two, Jasmine's look of cold fury suddenly melted into an ecstatic smile.

"Whatever. I forgive you," she laughed, clambering up and offering her hand to a thoroughly flabbergast Hikari. As soon as she had climbed to her feet, she found herself enveloped in yet another bone-crushing hug.

"God I missed you, girl. It's been way too long," Jasmine whispered fiercely, with a slight quiver in her voice. Hikari felt her annoyance melt away and found herself returning the hug with equal fervor. She'd missed the spice in her life, and if the creaking of her ribs was anything to go by, the little fireball missed her just as much. The clearing of a throat from behind her brought the two girls back to reality as they moved apart while still keeping their arms slung around each other. Rubbing at their eyes and grinning like a pair of fools, they turned to meet Johnny's thoroughly amused gaze as he idly tapped one finger against the suitcase he was leaning against.

"You know, as touching as this is, I'd really like to get you moved in by next year. Maybe we could take this little reunion inside?"

Glancing at each other, the two girls shrugged.

"Yeah, why not?" Hikari nodded her agreement as both of them turned to Johnny, whose own smirk faded as he saw the identical too-bright-and-cheesy smiles painted on both their faces.

"Yeah, I guess we should. Wouldn't want auntie to get worried would we? Thanks for offering to bring my bags in, Johnny dear. I'll leave your tip on the coffee table."

And with that, the two girls linked their arms together and skipped merrily towards the front door, their heads bent together as they whispered together, the sounds of their laughter floated in their wake. Rubbing his face, Johnny groaned. Either one of the two girls at one time was already a handful, but the two of them together? He'd almost forgotten how the two creative little she-devils could get themselves into trouble and make mischief of epic proportions when left to their own devices. Almost. Even after five years, it was hard to forget the disbelief and humiliation he had felt when he had walked out of school one afternoon only to find his brand new black BMW, his baby, decked out like a wedding wagon, complete with white and pink ribbons and balloons, a string of cans, and "Just Married" and "Congratulations, Johnny and Helga!" painted on the windows. His street cred had taken weeks to recover from the blow, and that was when they'd only been twelve.

Johnny was sure he'd have his hands full looking out for the two of them this time around. After all, teenage girls were known for their stubborn, snappy natures, and considering the circles they and their families ran in, their minds certainly wouldn't have gotten more innocent over the last five years. His mood soured at that last thought. Like hell any guy was getting near his baby sisters. He knew his father's men would never try anything with the boss's daughter, and his stony glare could send most of the racers scuttling for their lives, so he knew that Jasmine had remained relatively innocent and sheltered from people of the male variety. Judging by what he had seen the last time she was stateside, he knew he didn't have anything to worry about when it came to Hikari either. And in case he was mistaken, he was confident that he and Lance could chase off any loser who happened to notice that she was now an attractive young woman. Satisfied with that thought, he waved over a couple of men to lug Hikari's suitcases inside before pulling his car around back to the garage.

~TFATF~

"Oh my god! So are you going to see him again?"

Jasmine shrugged. "I don't know. It was just one night. I mean, it was good, but I don't know if I like him enough to want to see him again and risk Johnny finding out."

"Johnny can go screw himself sideways and shove his big brother bullcrap," Hikari snorted, "You're not a kid anymore. You're in college for god's sake, and you're entitled to a little fun. Besides you said he was way hot, right? And you gotta give some props to a guy who's brave enough-"

"-or horny enough."

"-or horny enough to risk pissing off big, bad Johnny Tran. Either way, I think it's something you can totally take advantage of while it lasts. Believe me, I know." She punctuated her last statement with a waggle of her eyebrows and a wicked grin plastered to her face.

Jasmine burst out laughing at Hikari's ridiculous expression and chucked a stuffed dog at the other girl from her perch in the window seat.

"Dude, what happened to you, Hika? Last I remember, you were the one who hated boys. Look at you now, you dirty whore!"

"What can I say? Keiji Nakatomo can be a pretty convincing guy."

"Wait, did you say Keiji Nakatomo? That skinny, pizza-faced kid with the helmet haircut and glasses? Him? I thought you'd have better taste than that!"

"I do have good taste!" she replied indignantly. "Trust me on this. He lost things where it counted and gained things where it counted even more. Wait a sec, I think I have a picture here somewhere."

Grabbing her messenger bag off the floor, she rummaged around before producing a digital camera. Scrolling through the pictures, she finally stopped on one before handing the camera over to Jasmine. The other girl's eyebrows nearly climbed into her hairline as she whistled appreciatively.

"Damn, how did he get so tall? And check out those abs! Looks like nerdy little Keiji really has grown up!"

The girls spent the next 20 minutes giggling and browsing through each other's photos, pausing to heckle or admire certain individuals.

"Hey, who's that guy?" Hikari asked, pointing to a hulking bald man in a white wife beater, blue jeans, and sunglasses, who was leaning against the side of a gleaming red RX-7. Johnny stood next to him with his hands in his pockets, and both men seemed to be chuckling at some private joke.

"That's Dominic Toretto. He's a friend and business partner of Johnny's. Big time racer with a kick-ass crew. Everyone around here calls him the King."

"Oh I think you mentioned him to me a while back. The King, huh? He's really that good? Has Johnny raced him?"

Jasmine snorted. "Of course! You think his stupid male ego would let him do anything else? Lost by, like, a half car length. I was surprised he didn't go apeshit on the spot. You know how he is, right?"

Both girls rolled their eyes in mutual understanding.

"Anyways, they ended up talking after the race, and before you know it, they're bros and partners. It was weird. I guess they both found an alpha male they could respect instead of having a pissing contest with. I don't get it, but whatever. Dom's cool."

"Oh I'll bet," Hikari grinned as she eyed Dom's broad chest and muscular arms. "Damn, they do not make boys like that in Japan!"

When their giggles finally died down, the two girls lapsed into a comfortable silence as they just savored the happiness and contentment of being in each other's company again. Hikari marveled at how the two of them could pick up right where they left off, even after five years apart. Of course, they had kept in touch by phone and by e-mail, but it just wasn't the same as having Jasmine by her side as her best friend and partner in crime. She smiled to herself. This was how life should be. She only needed one other thing to make her life complete, but that would come in due time.

Jasmine was the first to break their silence.

"Sooooo. You want to talk about it?"

The Japanese girl cracked an eye open and yawned.

"About what?" she muttered from behind her hand.

"You know what I'm talking about."

Hikari sighed and rolled onto her back, her long hair flowing off the edge of the bed as she stared at the purple ceiling.

"Not really. I mean, what's there to talk about?"

"Well, for one, you can start with telling me what actually happened instead of that vague bullshit you gave me over the phone," Jasmine said with a pointed look in Hikari's direction.

Hikari sighed. She shouldn't have expected to be able to keep anything from Jasmine. The girl was perceptive and could smell bullshit from a mile away. She could cut through it, too, like a hot knife through butter. Besides, they knew each other too well to be able to keep secrets for very long.

"Look, Jas, I love you and all, but when I say there's nothing to talk about, there's nothing to talk about. If there is, you'll be the first to know, OK?"

Jasmine eyed her friend for a moment before relenting. She knew when she should stop pushing and just let things be. "All right, fine. But you have to promise me that I'll be the first, all right?"

"Deal."

The two girls smiled across at each other, the brief moment of tension evaporating into memory.

"Your stuff should be in your room already. You want some help unpacking?"

~TFATF~

TBC