Hello lovlies. I know I wanted to have all of these chapter rewritten by now but I've had a chaotic last few days. This is always a great chapter to read. I want to be very clear with all of you though, Manami and Han isn't going to be a quick "I now realize I love you let's elope" kind of a relationship. Manami has some serious self image issues among trust issues in general and Han is well, himself. That isn't to say that the two don't have deep seeded feelings which I will be thrilled to delve in on but it isn't going to be an instant relationship.

I loved writing this chapter though and hope you enjoy the extensive amount of Han that has been lacking in the first six chapters. Don't worry though, he'll become more and more important soon though, I promise.

xx


Hara… Hara… Hara… Looking at my newly acquired Corolla my mind plays with the name. I know I've heard it before, but where? She was different from the rest of the women here – determined and intelligent. Not my usual type – she's rather plain and self-conscious… "Hara."

"What's up Han?" Turning around I lean against the grill of the car, smiling my lazy smile Twinkie and Sean are both standing there. "What's a Hara?"

I shrug, "That's what I'm trying to figure out, Twink."

Sean looks lost in thought, "Isn't that the girl that worked for DK at the races?"

"It was." That was another thing that bothered me, why DK? She didn't look like she needed the money; I mean she had an Audi R8. They aren't exactly cheap.

"Hara." Sean now repeats her name and I continue to dig through my memories – I know I haven't slept with her, she's not my usual type of woman that I'd choose to sleep with. Mouse-like, almost.

I remember her from somewhere – I wish I could just remember where. Looking up on the wall I can't help but smirk, her ripped jeans hung on the wall of the garage. "Hara…"

"What about Hara?" Looking up at the loft I see Earl with Reiko behind him, of course he would know – they both worked for her before the races.

"Who is she?" I had to keep my nonchalance; even the models were starting to get curious now.

"She said you wouldn't remember her." She knew I wouldn't remember her? She must not have a very high opinion of me.

"Oh?" It was getting more and more difficult to keep the curiosity to come creeping into my voice.

"Yeah, she said you wouldn't remember and DK wouldn't care." Earl smirks, "She got half of it right."

"Are you going to tell me who she is or not?" I snapped, making everyone's eyes widen.

"Manami Hara." I repeat him, letting the name roll off my tongue. I said it again. And again. It didn't mean anything to me though and made my scowl deepen. How could I not remember someone like her? "Did she say how she knew me?"

"No." Earl was still shocked at my reaction a little while ago.

"What all did she do? She had to tell you what she had done before Tokyo." Nothing. This girl brings nothing up in my memory, and I know it should.

"College in the US. Small business for performance parts. National drag races. Then back here." I scowl, nothing.

"There must be something else." Nothing there rings a bell. "Was she ever in the Dominican Republic? Or Germany? Any of Europe?"

"No. Not the Dominican Republic. Her mother is from England." I have never been to England. My scowl deepenes, there has to be something else. "…She did say something about being in Rio de Janeiro."

I froze. Rio. "Manami Hara." It all comes back to me now. She was the quiet, intelligent and observant girl. She redesigned every engine that we drove on that job. Why didn't I remember her – oh yes, Giselle.

"You know her?" Twinkie seemed curious now.

"I do." My mind returns to the night before the heist, I had managed to slip out from Giselle's gaze long enough to go talk to Manami, 'My garage is always open to you.' And right after that I had probably the sweetest kiss in my entire life, she was so quiet and innocent and that kiss encapsulated it. When I finally shrugged back inside Giselle wasn't the happiest, but I couldn't have cared less. "Perhaps I'll take her up on that offer."

"Her offer?" Earl seemed shocked now.

"She told me I was more than welcome to visit her garage once it opened in Japan."

Twinkie butts in now, "You really think that she'll want to see you after you called her ugly?"

Did I really do that? Curses slip from my lips, I really did.

"On top of that, apparently Manami had quite a night last night." Earl quietly comments.

"Oh?" I shifted, off the front grill of the car – something sounds off in Earl's voice, something that makes me uncomfortable.

"Apparently DK and Kamata were over at her garage last night." He sounded worried, she apparently had quite an influence on both him and Reiko because she looked worried too.

"Well, that isn't too strange, she works for them right?" Twinkie interrupts, unfazed at the weight of what was just said – Kamata doesn't visit his employees. Unless of course, you're about to die.

"She doesn't work for him." Reiko snapped, "The entire time we were there she showed no interest or intention to join Yakuza." She really was worried, my eyes return to the ripped jeans. What did she get herself into?

"She was working for them at the races though." I look up at Sean – it was true

This woman, she was enigmatic and self-contained, so it was always hard to read. "Maybe Kamata or DK is blackmailing her. It could even be both of them." I have to see her now. "Is she in her garage?"

"No." Earl continues speaking, "After I heard what happened I went to visit her and her garage was locked and there wasn't anyone inside her apartment."

"You know where her apartment is?" Why does Earl know where her apartment is? He only worked for her, that wouldn't be relevant information for her to reveal.

"She lives in the garage, like you do." He chuckles, "Her apartment for those who work there are nice than yours though. I've never been in hers though." He seemed to sense my unease. Why was at uncomfortable with the thought of him with Manami?

I had to shrug that off for now, I needed to make sure she was alright – she was the first curiosity in my sight since… well, since the last time I saw her, "Is she okay?"

"She's not answering her phone." That isn't good news; Earl is doing nothing to put me at ease. I had to remain straight faced; they can't know how worried I am.

"Right." My scowl deepened.

"What's up with you Han?" Sean's now grinning, "I've never seen you so fixed on something."

"Old business partner." I lied smoothly.

"An old business partner that you verbally assaulted?" Why won't he just drop it? Did DK take Manami? Or did Kamata make her an offer she couldn't refuse. Or did she refuse and end up… I can't finish that thought.

Realizing I had drifted away from the conversation I correct Sean, "Verbal sparring. She once told me that intelligent was the new sexy." I shrug, "So our argument was testament of that." The lie was paper thin, but Sean didn't say anymore. "Well." I begin to walk towards the RX-7, "I have an old friend to visit."

"What part of you called her ugly did you not understand?" Twink, don't. I scowl, luckily everyone is behind me.

"What part of 'verbal sparring' didn't you understand?" I call over my shoulder, continuing my walk towards the orange car.

"You called her ugly. Most women don't care how long they've known you – ugly is one of the worst words that a dude can use." He has a point. No. I can't let that stop me, the worst she'll do is not let me in, right?

Turning around I smirk slightly at everyone, "Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we?" Opening the driver's side door I slip inside the vehicle and then pause. "I don't know where her garage is." Cursing under my breath as I stand back up I look towards Earl and Reiko, "Send me her number and address. Please."

Pulling into the address that Earl sent me, I parked outside and walk through the open garage door, staying quiet I'm surprised to hear someone singing. "Don't you fret, M'sieur Marius. I don't feel any pain; a little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now." Her voice was soft and controlled, I couldn't help but smile – she always used to sing while she worked, I don't think that she knows that she does it. "You're here. That's all I need to know, and you will keep me safe. And you will keep me close. And rain, will make the flowers grow." As she begins to hum I close my eyes, her voice was delicate, almost afraid. I want to know what happened with Kamata. To know she was okay.

"Just hold me now, and let it be. Shelter me, comfort me." I' decide her voice is beautiful; I don't recognize the song though. Walking a little further into the garage I try to locate the owner and leaning into the hood of her red GTR there she was. Lost in working on something out of sight, "So don't you fret, M'sieur Marius. I don't feel any pain; a little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now." It almost sounds like she's crying, her face is hidden from view though, "That's all I need to know. And you will keep me safe, and you will keep me close. And rain," she pauses I hear her sniffle, "will make the flowers–" She stopped making me frown, wanting to hear more.

More than anything, I want to see her now. Make sure she isn't crying. Make sure that DK and Kamata didn't hurt her. I try the cellphone number accompanying the address I was given, holding my breath I wait, "Manami Hara speaking. What do you need?" Relief flows through me, she doesn't sound like she's crying. What should I say? She pauses, "Is someone there?" I hear someone shout from the loft, it's too muffled to hear but then she responds – her voice further away, "I don't know – no one's speaking."

Before she hangs up I whisper hoping she doesn't hear my voice outside the phone "Is it okay if I come in?" Cursing myself mentally, I didn't introduce myself.

"Han?" Her voice was little more than a whisper.

"…Hi Manami."