Chapter 4

After another day of school finally closed, I walked out to my Mazda RX-8 that sat in its typical spot opposite the entrance. There was however a change in scenery as a black and orange RX-7 parked in front of it-alongside the road with Han leaning against the side of it with a purpose. I locked eyes with Han instantly and I could feel his eyes run over my uniform, with emphasis on my short skirt. I rolled my eyes as I crossed the road towards my car, not intending to speak to Han at all. My brother warned me against associating with him even though I found him to be a compelling mystery to me.

I reached my car door, trying to ignore Han's sweeping eyes on me. He didn't make a move to walk over to me either. I looked back over my shoulder and saw Sean just exiting the building, he suddenly slowed when he saw Han waiting for him and reluctantly started to make his way over to him. Suddenly it made sense for Han to be hanging around the high school. I sighed and walked the few feet over to Han. We stood about a foot away from each other when I stopped; Han looked at me in surprise but didn't bother to engage in conversation.

"Go easy on the boy." I said with a raised eyebrow and Han simply looked at me before moving his eyes to look at Sean who was half way to our spot.

"The kid owes me a car." Han replied while turning back to look into my eyes.

"You gave him the keys, take some of the responsibility." I said as Sean slowly approached us, respectfully letting us finish our conversation even though I said everything I needed to say to him. I walked away and Han and Sean followed my movements. I got in my car and started up my engine with a powerful roar, I zoomed past Han and Sean as soon as I put it in gear. I need to go for a nice long drive after that conversation, I don't know what it is about Han but he unsettles me and I can't help but be drawn to it- like a drug.

It was later that day that I found out how Han was planning for Sean to pay off the cost of the car he wrecked. I was aware that Han worked with my brother when it came to fixing up cars and Takashi getting a cut from the money made on his turf but I expected Han to keep Sean out of that side of the dealings, obviously I was wrong. I wasn't in Takashi's office when Han and Sean turned up to give Takashi the money owed from this week's profits but world spreads quickly around Tokyo, or at least my close circle of friends. Han's RX-7 was still parked outside Takashi's arcade building that housed his offices upstairs. I observed as Sean exited the building without Han, no doubt Han was hanging back to talk more with Takashi about their business dealings. I usually do not get involved when it comes to my brother's affairs but I had a bad feeling that a storm was beginning to brew around here.

Sean headed to the phone box, making a call that did not last long before he became distracted by Neela who just came back from shopping.

Han came out at the same time and looked at Sean and Neela's interaction with a resigned sigh. I sidled up to him in silence, he didn't even notice me next to him before I spoke.

"You need to keep a shorter leash on Sean, he's playing with fire." I commented, not exactly making him jump but I could see that I startled him.

"Do I look like his keeper, princess?" Han answered back a second later.

"Yes, you've taken him under your wing." I replied with annoyance at his nonchalant response and the nickname. I could tell that Han knew I was becoming irritated as he had a small smirk at the corner of his mouth.

"I wouldn't go that far." Han said while keeping his hands busy with folding and unfolding a piece of paper. By now Neela and Sean had noticed us talking together and were staring over at us in surprise.

"I would." I quickly witted back with a narrowing of my eyes as I kept eye contact with Han. Han chuckled in amusement before Sean began to walk away from Neela and towards where we are standing. I started to walk towards Neela before parting from Han with a roll of my eyes.

"Can't you find a Japanese girl like all the other white guys?" I heard Han ask Sean as they started to get in the RX-7.

"Can't you?" Sean countered in the same tone. I heard nothing more as they sped away from us.

Neela was looking at me with narrowed eyes as she assessed my face and body language.

"What's going on with you and Han?" She asked in a suspicious voice as we quickly made our way to Takashi's office, through the arcade hall first.

"Nothing, what's going on with you and Sean?" I countered, not letting my voice betray any of my feelings.

"Nothing." She answered back, more subdued than before.

"Good, then it's settled, nothing is going on with anyone." I said, ultimately finishing the conversation just before we entered Takashi's office with him sitting behind his desk and Morimoto was on the couch with a few girls. Neela and I just looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Somethings just never change.

I was doing some math homework when I got the call from Twinkie to meet him at a fishing dock. He explained that Sean convinced Han to teach him how to drift and try as I might, I just could not even consider the thought of not watching. I have watched many people learning to drift and most of the time, it was amusing to watch so I did not even think about not attending.

When I arrived in the RX-8, I cringed as Sean nicked some fishing boxes stacked up. I parked behind the couch that Twinkie, Han and others decided to use as a front row seat to the disaster that was happening before our eyes. Han's eyes caught mine first as I climbed out of my low car, my high heels clicking on the ground. Twinkie was the one who greeted me first with a friendly hug before he tugged me to the couch with glee. I sat on the arm of the sofa with my arms crossed as I looked at Sean's frustration as he failed yet again to continuously drift.

"Want to sit on my lap, Princess?" Han said, mockery in his eyes. I scoffed in annoyance at his arrogance.

"No, I'm fine right here." I answered back, noticing Twinkie looking left and right at both of us in confusion before he slouched down more into the couch.

I cringed again as I heard Sean's tyres squealing as he knocked into another object and he hit the steering wheel in frustration. Sean then got out of the car and walked over to us, grabbing a bottle of water as he furiously chugged it down. He finally noticed me after he finished the bottle.

"Ava." He greeted me with a head nod.

"Sean," I answered back in a similar fashion. I was nowhere close to being friends with the American and I was not inclined to push him towards Neela since it is my brother that she is dating, my own flesh and blood, fugitively speaking of course. But I seemed to have a feeling that Neela would be caught up in the drama surrounding Sean Boswell even without my intervention. So, I had decided to let things be and to let the future take its course.

"Terrible performance out there, my grandmother can drift better than you." I continued cheerfully with a smile. I heard Han let out a small chuckle that he disguised with a cough. The others weren't so considerate as they openly laughed at my comment.

"Did you just come here to insult me?" Sean asked me with a scowl. I shook my head in denial at his question.

"Not really, I can't help it sometimes." I replied as I uncrossed my arms and started eating a unopened packet of sweets that were lying on the ground. By the glare I was getting from Han, I figured that they were his. I smiled sweetly at him as I chewed the sweets slowly- winding him up in the process.

"Why don't you teach me how to drift?" Sean asked, annoyance still in his voice.

"Because that's Han's job, not mine," I answered back quickly as I stuffed more sweets in my mouth with a smile.

"I'm just here for the entertainment." I added before leaning back comfortably and crossing my legs. Sean walked off with a glare aimed at me. Twinkie and the others soon followed as they needed to switch Sean's well used tyres. That left just me and Han.

"What are you doing here?" Han asked me as soon as everyone was out of hearing range. I slipped down from the arm of the chair, to the cushioned part- next to Han.

"Twinkie called me, I needed a good laugh." I replied lightly as I watched Han's crew working together to change all the tyres on the red Evo.

"Does your brother know that you are here?" Han asked as he looked at my face, searching for something.

"Does it matter?" I retorted back with a raised eyebrow as I glanced back at him, getting lost in his eyes.

"Maybe, maybe not- he's your brother." Han replied as he broke away from the eye contact.

"Yes, he is my brother, not my keeper." I answered back with irritation. What is it about this man that irritated me every time we have a conversation together.

Han's hand brushed against mine as he relieved the packet of sweets that I had in one of my hands. I kept very still as he slowly disconnected his skin from mine. I heard Han let out a sigh and I looked over to see his face screwed up in discontent.

He then turned his head to me and caught my watching eyes. I lifted an eyebrow questioningly.

"You ate nearly the whole packet." He explained with a roll of his eyes. I let out a laugh in surprise. Sometimes I feel like I had this man figured out and other times he takes me by surprise in the strangest way.

I got up without a word and made my way over to the others who were hovering over the Evo, feeling Han's eyes on me the whole time.

It was not till supper time that I got home. Sean tried drifting a few more times, burning through another set of tyres before he decided to call it a day. The others wanted to go and get some food and they invited me to join but I couldn't and I soon made my departure.

I got through the door of my apartment and turned on the lights, I was not however expecting a familiar figure to be sitting on my couch with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Where have you been?"