The Rise of Usui's Ghost

Chapter 8


Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

8:48PM

Throughout the remainder of the afternoon, Yuzuru and Elizabeth never breached the subject on the scholarship offers again. Their lunch had been a more awkward and uncomfortable ordeal while Reina tried her hardest to keep things civil and light hearted.

Although they spent much of the two hours they had left in the restaurant, Yuzuru's appetite had diminished considerably. He left his first two seafood appetizers untouched and only ate from his salad when Reina urged him to eat. By the time the house special steak arrived he could only take a few bites out of it before he asked for some tea.

Reina could tell her brother's thoughts were entirely elsewhere, and in her mind there was absolutely no doubt that he had already put their argument behind him. Instead, he seemed far more occupied about his race tonight and the fact that Ryuji was waiting for them at his parent's home before they met up on the expressway.

As of now however, the concert was still in session, and she occasionally looked around to see the reactions those in the audience had to the stormy movement of a piece written by their own mother.

It was obvious to her that their mother was giving this particular performance her all, and from their front row seats Reina could clearly see the passion and talent her mother was displaying on the sleek black Steinway in the center of the stage.

Her hands glided through the keys effortlessly and the fast, almost lightning pace she used with such extreme precision came across as a long continuous flurry of notes that seemed to capture everyone's undivided attention.

Some had their eyes closed; some had already been driven to tears. But Yuzuru remained unperturbed by the piece. He would occasionally glance to his watch before fixing his eyes back to his mother with mild interest, listening to what he already knew to be the climax of the composition.

'With luck, the concert should end around 9. That only gives me an hour to get there on time and I still need to stop and get gas; it's only got a quarter of a tank left and it should be enough to get me to Matsuida, but nowhere near enough for the race. Why the hell do we have to cut things so close?'

As Elizabeth brought the third movement to a close, Yuzuru instantly realized that she had begun to improvise freely over her piece; it seemed as if she was intentionally prolonging it and throwing in something that was entirely out of character for his mother. She was always someone who followed exactly what was written and even more so if it were her own.

Yuzuru used his trained ears to carefully pick out the various key changes and dissonant chords she utilized and found himself quickly appreciating her specific choices, they fit the piece extremely well and for the first time he found himself somewhat interested.

A sudden thought found its way into his head regarding his old piano before he promptly killed it, shaking his head viciously before choosing to fix his attention on his cell phone when it vibrated.

"Screw it, I couldn't wait back home any longer. You know there's another reason I chose to move and study away from home! I'm parked outside by the garage where you told me. I brought my little brother with me. He wants to see your race too."-Ryuji

Yuzuru read through the e-mail and chuckled before typing back a response.

"Serves you right and you brought Daisuke? Last time I checked you're only a year older than him, so I don't happen to think he's that little."

His friend's response was almost instant, and he could literally sense the disgruntled tone oozing from the message.

"Well at least I don't take to drive his sorry hide all the way back to Tokyo and then to Gunma. He's got his own license and his own car now. You'd be surprised to know how hard he's been practicing on his own. He gave me a hard time when we drove to Hakone."

The brown haired mechanic cocked an eyebrow when he read that part, withholding a smug laugh in favor of a cheeky grin.

"And here you are bragging about driving a GT-R; what does he drive?"

"My old 180SX Type X and screw you by the way, I know for a fact that if you weren't in the middle of that concert right you you'd be laughing your ass off."

Yuzuru had to smile when he read that the 180 Ryuji once owned now fell under Daisuke's ownership. He recalled several times the fondness the younger Aizawa displayed for the car, so it really was no surprise to discover that he now drove it.

"Now that makes a lot more sense, since I was the last person to tune that car. I'm tempted to say something about your skills as a driver now that Daisuke gave you a run for your money, but I'll let it slide."

There was a prolonged moment of silence in which Yuzuru patiently waited for Ryuji's response, knowing that the blonde medical student was either fuming from his implication, or seriously considering on acknowledging the hit.

Finally, he received a reply, "Touché Kurokawa, it made me realize that I've still got plenty of work to do before I can officially challenge you and evidently, Daisuke is aiming for you as well."

"I've been driving since I was 14. I don't think I need to tell you that I have more experience than the two of you combined."

"It's not like I ever had someone to teach me everything I needed to know Yuzuru, I'm entirely self-taught." Ryuji defended.

Under normal circumstances, Yuzuru would have kept their banter going and rectified his friend's assumption, but Reina shot him a scathing look before he could continue any further. He rolled his eyes and stuffed his cell phone back into the coat pocket of his blazer, turning his head back to what was left of the performance.

Despite his attempts to focus on what his mother way playing, Yuzuru still found his thoughts continually drifting back to what Ryuji had mentioned only moments before. He could recall with vivid clarity that nothing was ever handed to him on a silver platter when I came to his technique. The only two things he did manage to pick up were his heel-and-toe and how to shift the car's weight properly in order to attack a corner. From there, he was left to pretty much fend for himself and develop each and every part of his technique.

It was frustrating at first, having to resort to the few teachings Kakeru gave him before leaving New Zealand, but with time he managed to pick up everything on his own and through tips of other more experienced drivers and watching other races at the Crown Range, he managed to beat the record time set by Kakeru right before he turned 17.

'And I never got to show him what I've accomplished.' He added as an afterthought.

Yuzuru winced and doubled over in pain the moment he felt something hard collide against his abdomen, he turned his head to meet the stern glare of his younger sister as he gasped for breath.

"What the hell Reina!" He hissed through clenched teeth.

One thing Yuzuru wasn't fond of was being on the receiving end of one of her utterly dangerous blows and being caught by surprise generally made it worse when he had been so absorbed in his train of thought to notice people were beginning to clap.

"Pay attention! She's about to start her last piece for the night. I know all you really care about is your race tonight, but you should really listen to this next composition. I think you may even enjoy it." She said with a bit of enthusiasm.

The mechanic grumbled under his breath, before fixing his brown gaze back on their mother who for the first time in the entire concert stood up to address the audience.

"Konbanwa," she began. "I hope you've thoroughly enjoyed tonight's concert performance. I'd also like to take the time and personally thank each and every single one of you for attending such a joyous event in my career; it's been so long since I last performed here in Japan and it warms my heart to see that I'm still recognized in the country I consider my second home."

Many in the audience erupted into applause, and Elizabeth bowed graciously before bringing the microphone to her face once again.

"Now, I'd like to warn you all that this next number will be something entirely different. It's something special that I happened to pick up from someone and after I got through it I simply couldn't stop playing!"

She paused for a moment and waited for the collective chuckles and laughs to subside.

"Now, allow me to introduce to you my son, Kurokawa Yuzuru and his original composition titled KY's Boogie."

Reina looked expectantly at her older brother and noticed that he remained frozen in his seat, all color had drained from his face as he gaped at his mother and then at the second piano in the center of the stage.

She couldn't hide the amusement she felt and buried her face in her hands as she struggled to keep her laughter at bay.

Elizabeth on the other hand, smiled at her son before one of the stage crew managed to pry him from his seat and he unconsciously walked up the stairs, only one thought ran through his mind continuously as he finally nestled himself by the Steinway.

'Son of a bitch!'


Joshin-etsu Expressway, Gunma Prefecture

Keisuke had grown restless in the past two weeks since he first met Kurokawa, and now by far happened to be one of those moments he desired to sit behind the steering wheel of his beloved FD and just go for a drive on any pass flat out.

He certainly wasn't enjoying the fact that he had to wait for all of the new upgrades on his car, but he knew that the end result would be a drastic improvement in almost every aspect for the RX-7. Handling, acceleration, power, torque, suspension, every little detail would be approached with extreme precaution. With two enormously talented mechanics undertaking the project and now, the addition of a third with Ichinose Akio made them far more efficient than Ryosuke could have previously calculated.

Although he had not been to the shop since in what he viewed to be a long time, his brother had already confirmed that all the parts had arrived. The new wide body kit from RE Amemiya had arrived from their shop in Chiba and all other upgrades that were to be made to the engine also arrived on time and they had started work on it virtually from the moment they received them.

The blonde haired man was already itching to see how much progress had been made on the car but due to Ryosuke's conflicting schedule and his university classes, they hadn't really gotten the chance to pay them a visit.

Matsumoto had even enthusiastically declared that the car would most likely be finished in a month and a half rather than the two months originally predicted, and that was good. But Keisuke still felt a growing anxiety within him, the kind that could only be quenched once he went for a drive.

On the bright side, he had bumped into Kyoko one afternoon when he visited Saitama with Fumihiro to purchase a few more parts for his FD and by chance, she happened to work in the garage he was getting the parts from.

At first, she had been hesitant to even face him or tend to him as a customer, but he managed to gather up the courage to ask her out for lunch and clear a few things. He never liked the way they had parted ways the night he gave her a ride through Akagi in the FC, it had left a bad taste in his mouth and now he was given the chance to correct what he considered one of his greatest mistakes.

It had been a long time since his last relationship and as may within the Red Suns and Project D knew; it ended on a very sour note. This time around he was determined to follow his brother's advice and told her that she could come to all of the races. He admitted to liking her, but told her that he was still focused on Project D as his priority.

The smile that lit up on her face warmed his heart, and he smiled when he recalled her answer.

"Then I'll wait," she had said. "I'll go to each and every race you have and train myself to become an even better street racer in the meantime."

Ryosuke took a moment to glance at his younger brother and noted the faint blush he had on his cheeks, a smile also played at his lips and he chuckled, realizing that his uphill ace was once again immersed in his thoughts.

He cleared his throat before deciding to start up a conversation to pass the time. After all, the drive to Usui would generally take a little over an hour from Maebashi and they were currently only half way there.

"Something seems to have you in a good mood Keisuke, would you mind sharing?"

Almost immediately, Keisuke shook himself out of his reverie and stared out the window and took note of their distance from Matsuida.

"Nothing aniki, just recalling something important," he responded evenly.

Ryosuke's eyes remained on the road before he casually shook his head and let out a snort.

"It's that girl isn't it?"

"Wh-what?" He sputtered. "How did you know?"

The older Takahashi laughed softly, enjoying the sight of his sibling trying to disguise the shock from his spot on assumption.

"It's written all over your face Keisuke and judging by how rare it is when you smile, it must have been a really good memory as well."

Keisuke sighed, giving his older brother a withering glare that he didn't even bother to register as he was too busy changing lanes. Nevertheless, Ryosuke could feel the disbelief that was coming off of his co-pilot and he decided to tell him the full truth now that he had his fun.

"Fumihiro told me everything; it's good to know that things turned out well. At least it gives you a bit of a distraction while we wait for all of the modifications to be done on your FD. She seems like a nice girl Keisuke, so don't treat her coldly like you did before alright?"

He remained silent, but nodded nonetheless, rolling his eyes at the mention of Fumihiro's name and made a mental note to have a word with the second in command of Project D regarding his love life. The last thing he needed now was for it to spread across all members of the RedSuns and Kenta in particular, since the kid sometimes proved to have something of a big mouth.

With no other choice but to accept the facts, Keisuke crossed his arms and shifted his gaze from his passenger window to one of the side mirrors. Other than Kenta's orange S14 and surprisingly, Fujiwara's own Eight-Six being closely followed by an S13 with an Akina SpeedStars sticker on the hood.

Knowing that his brother would eventually drag each and every detail out of him one way or another, he decided to quickly change the subject and avoid any more questions.

"What do you think will be the result of today's race Aniki? Undoubtedly Kurokawa is a force to be reckoned with as a driver and mechanic, so he already has an advantage over Nakazato aside from Usui being his home course."

Ryosuke had certainly considered this when he had been comparing the probabilities and the data collected from his initial meeting with Yuzuru. Even if Nakazato had a more powerful car, one thing he had not added into his calculations until recently, was that he had been training at Usui almost daily for the last two weeks under the guidance of the woman who happened to once be the co-pilot of Usui's first Sileighty. She may have not been a driver herself, but there was no doubt in his mind that she had come up with the best line on the course while still factoring in some of the disadvantages the R32 possessed while exploiting those which gave it an upper hand.

"To be honest Keisuke, this race could go either way. Kurokawa-kun may be enormously talented in studying his opponents, but I don't know if he's has the capability to adapt and jump for that narrow window when all other options have failed. I could be wrong of course, but for now that's one very big detail that sets him apart from Fujiwara-kun."

Keisuke gave his brother a quizzical look, "There's something you know that you're not telling me. Besides, Kurokawa strikes me as the type to give it his all to anything related to cars. That stunt he pulled on you when he pulled away was the first time I ever saw it. I don't know what it was, but he knows the course well enough to attempt several other methods to get through it faster and compensate for the short turbo lag his car suffers when exiting a corner."

"Hm, I know. I managed to deduce as much when used that karting technique and you'd be surprised to know Keisuke that it's one of the most relied upon by professional drivers all the way from Touring Car Championships to Formula 1. It's extremely basic, and the truth is that I just wasn't expecting it when he managed to gain a lead on me."

"What?" He interjected.

"Can you tell me what it was that you felt at that precise moment Keisuke? I want you to describe the overall feel of the car when you sat beside Kurokawa-kun?" Rysouke asked with a bit of amusement in his voice.

Keisuke leaned back into his seat and placed his elbow on the door panel before resting his head on his fist, carefully mulling over the fine details of that afternoon.

"Now that I think about it, for some strange reason I felt that the car was almost understeering a bit. It was very little and Kurokawa seemed to counter it with just enough oversteer and grip to get through the corner easily. One thing that really surprised me however, was how the car seemed to enter the corner and exit it at a much higher speed. I don't think I even felt a short lapse of turbo lag either."

"I see," Ryosuke started. "Then it confirms what I had already suspected. He used a technique known in the racing world as the Double Apex. It's not really a technique, but more of a change in line that the driver utilizes to increase both corner entry speed and exit speed at the expense of the mid corner speed; in other words the apex. Usually, it's always best to use this technique for corners that require a very significant amount of steering. Nevertheless, there are various ways to apply its use and depending on the attitude of the driver it can often be seen as either aggressive, smooth, or a combination of both."

For a moment Keisuke readily took in all of the information relayed by his older brother. Now he realized exactly why the technique had seemed entirely foreign when he first witnessed it. Because he was a street racer that honed his skills on the pass, this particular concept wasn't something he would have encountered before against other opponents. Kurokawa may have admitted to not being a kart racer, but he did say that the person who taught him how to use the Double Apex did have that experience, so I didn't come to him as much of a shock before adopted a grin.

'This may just give me a bigger edge on my next race at Ibaraki. I'm up against a very tough opponent and if I have to resort to using a technique I picked up from a racer younger than me I have absolutely no qualms about it. If Fujiwara can pick up the 'Blind Attack', then I see no reason why I shouldn't use the Double Apex.'

To those that knew him, Takahashi Keisuke had always been a prideful man. But for the first time without any prior advice, he decided to set it aside along with his ego and accept that he had learned something invaluable from the likes of another enormously talented street racer that deserved his respect.

Someday, be it soon or even years later he would face Kurokawa Yuzuru; of this he was certain. Much like Fujiwara, this young man had garnered his undivided attention and unlike his brother, he harbored a desire to race him and see who the better driver amongst the two was.

Ryosuke may have been interested in the kid because of his natural flair both in and outside the car, but there was something else that also managed to capture his scrutiny. Keisuke had yet to place it, but almost every time he did manage to get a better picture of the kind person Kurokawa happened to be. Sometimes the similarities between him and his brother floored him. Ryouske may be more centered and serious, but the brown haired mechanic displayed the same intoxicating aura and charisma that drew people to him.

He may be a bit ignorant and care free in regards to the world around him, but Keisuke knew that if given a bit of time, Yuzuru could climb the ranks from being the average street racer, to one of the best professional racers to come out of Japan. This was something that he would never admit to anyone; he had his own agenda and aspirations to go pro after all.

'Looks like there's another name that's been added to my official list,' he thought eagerly.

'Just like Fujiwara I plan on crushing you before I take the step to go pro. Be very careful Kurokawa, 'cause I'm aiming for you and all of those that stand in my way. We'll settle this on the touge after I help aniki realize his dream.'

Another moment of silence passed between the two siblings. Only the smooth purr of the FC's rotary engine filled their ears along with the music that happened to be airing on the radio at the moment, and Rysouke let his eyes drift to Keisuke for a split second before spotting another road sign that told them that they were now only 10 kilometers from Matsuida. The determined glint he managed to see in his brother's visage was something that made him smile.

'It's a good thing that we met Kurokawa-kun when we did. Now it seems to me that Keisuke has also found another challenge to look forward to after we conclude all of our goals within Project D. It's incredible to see all of the raw talent these young drivers of Gunma have at their disposal. Today just so happens to be the debut of another racer who crafted his technique on the slopes and crests of an entirely foreign country before returning home. I've never felt this excited to see another battle in such a long time. Perhaps one of these days before I officially retire I may consider having one final race at Akagi against those I know who will eventually surpass me.'


Usui Pass

9:05PM

It had been a long time since the Night Kids had officially gone out of their way and challenged another driver; since their losses against the Eight-Six at Akina, they had chosen to dedicate more of their time to refining their technique and polishing all aspects of their skills.

Shingo had arrived to the course a bit earlier than most in his team, and when he chose to make a single downhill run he found himself noting just how severe the slopes were along with the perilous corner that was C=121.

Now that he was making his way back to the top, he noticed just how packed the galleries were becoming. It was almost unnerving for him to see cars coming from as far as Saitama and Tochigi to witness the race that almost everyone had been talking about for the past two weeks.

To some extent, he hoped dearly that all the practice Nakazato put in would pay off and allow him to pull a win over this unknown Sileighty.

Under normal circumstances, Shingo would have been fuming over his loss against any car, but one thing he had managed to get better control of was his temper. He now raced fairly, even made an effort to be gracious and more respectful to those around him.

Ever since his own loss against the Eight-Six the year prior, he had changed his ways and now become a more honest and better reputed street racer. His pride as a member of the Night Kids made him more tolerable of the decisions Nakazato made as their leader and as a result, one could say they had begun to "get along" a little now that they had managed to get past their differences.

That being said, it did not mean that he whole heartedly supported all of his decisions and positions as the team leader; but he now understood that Nakazato held the best interest of those in the team at heart.

'Sayuki knows this course like the back of her hand, the experience she gained here is simply invaluable after so much time and practice with her partner. She knows the best lines to take and the best ways to attack certain corners with precision and efficiency. The only thing I believe that may result in a bit of a problem is the amount of strain Nakazato's driving style puts on the Three-Two's front tires. If he manages to curb his aggressiveness and adopt a much smoother line, then he will be able to walk away with a victory.'

As soon as he reached the top, he picked up his radio from the passenger seat and parked his car in one of the designated areas that held almost the entirety of the Night Kids. Once he stepped out, he flicked the on switch and set it on the roof of his EG.

"Any news on Nakazato?" One of his teammates asked.

Shingo turned around to see Nagase approach him with a concerned look.

"No not yet, though I wouldn't worry. Something tells me that he's on his way back from Maebashi already. If you'd like, just ask those in the checkpoints to be on the lookout for both a Sileighty and an R32."

Nagase took the radio and did as instructed, "This is Nagase coming in from the top; status report please."

"Sakamoto from C=121, so far no sign of either the Sileighty or Nakazato's Three-Two from here."

"This is Izumi from the bridge, no sign of either car yet."

"Kamada reporting in from the base; Nakzato raced past me and he's climbing up at lighting pace. Hold on, is that?"

Shingo's eyes remained rooted to the radio and he heard a few muffled voices from the other end of the still broadcasting radio.

"There's another set of car's approaching the base but at a much lower speed. I can see a white FC at the head of the pack. It's Takahashi Ryosuke followed by Akina's Eight-Six! Two members of Project D are here to watch this race tonight!"

The number two driver for the Night Kids raised his eyebrows in surprise, not expecting this race to generate such an outstanding audience with the likes of Fujiwara and Takahashi. He knew that it had been the talk of almost all of Gunma's racing community, but for some reason a little voice in the back of his head rationalized that it was because people were far more interested in seeing another Sileighty from Usui in action and whether or not he and Nakazato were actually defeated by it.

As soon as he heard the steady growl of Nakazato's Skyline growing closer, he leaned on the fender of his car and continued to listen to the reports relayed by his teammates from several different checkpoints.

One thing that did bother him though, was how little they had all heard of the Sileighty's driver. According to Sayuki, they had managed to set up the race through a mutual friend, but as of now he still saw no traces of him showing up either.

'Not that I know who he is,' he mentally added.

Shingo watched as the black GT-R parked beside his EG and noted the traces of a smile on both Nakazato and Sayuki as they exited the vehicle; letting out a laugh of his own when he realized that he had been playing matchmaker for the person he had considered his fiercest rival on the touge.

"Ah Shingo," Sayuki greeted. "Any news so far on the Sileighty?"

He shook his head. "Not at all, but hopefully he'll get here sometime before ten. However, you'd be surprised to know that both Takahashi Ryosuke and Fujiwara Takumi are on their way up. They should also be here any second."

Takeshi may have looked none too impressed about that bit of information, but Sayuki was more vocal about it. "Takumi-kun's here? It's been so long since I've seen him, but I never thought he would show up to a race that didn't directly involve him."

The way her face lit up did concern the Night Kids leader a bit, but knowing Fujiwara's personality and his tendency to keep to himself quickly put those thoughts to rest.

And sure enough, the sound of two very loud and high pitched engines followed by a more subdued third drew progressively closer, until at the head of the pack he identified the very well reputed FC and the equally famous Eight-Six close behind it.

'The new engine's a lot louder than the old one. It even sounds so much stronger than before too. I wonder if those rumors of it having a race engine sitting under the hood are actually true or not,' Sayuki idly thought to herself as she noticed a very familiar S13 park in the area that held members of the Akina SpeedStars.

"Never thought I'd ever see him again," she mumbled. "Better go say hi to that group before I get back to you Takeshi. In the meantime, try and see if you can get I contact with Aizawa-kun or Yuzuru-kun and see if they're coming at all."

"Yeah, I'll try again. I don't know about Kurokawa, since he never uttered a word about coming here tonight, but Aizawa said he had some business to take care of in Tokyo before heading over, so he may be on his way right now."

Sayuki quickly disappeared and Shingo slipped a cigarette to his lips before offering one to his leader. Takeshi's eyes darted back and forth to the shrinking form of Sayuki and the cigarette repeatedly before he took it and lit it with the proffered lighter.

He sighed in delight as he exhaled the smoke and felt his heart beat decrease, relaxing now that he had his much needed smoke; a detail that his companion readily observed before chuckling in undisguised amusement.

"What's the matter Takeshi? Is Sayuki-chan forcing you to quit smoking or you doing it on your own to impress her?"

The man shot him an annoyed glare in response but nodded nonetheless as he took another puff.

"A bit of both," he admitted. "But I'm failing miserably at it. I think I lost count how many times I wanted a smoke before we even hit the mall. But let's just leave it at that, I've got a call to make and the scheduled time is approaching soon."

Joshin-etsu Expressway, Outskirts of Tokyo

9:14PM

Reina had never seen her older brother so absorbed in his own thoughts that he completely ignored all of his surroundings after they stopped on the shoulder of the highway. She would have thought him to be far more concerned with the fact that their mother had made him perform a duet with her on one of his own compositions, but he didn't seem to care at the moment.

Instead, he stood before his Sileighty with its hood raised as Ryuji shined a flashlight on the exposed engine bay and Daisuke stood by idly, staring with gross interest as Yuzuru made his final routine checks on the oil level with the dipstick before placing it back.

'Ugh, now I need to drive insanely fast in order to get to Usui in under an hour! Of all the freaking bloody days today just happened to be the one the concert fell upon!'

"Everything's in order," he closed the hood before turning back to his friends and sister with a look of fierce determination in his eyes.

"But will we make it in time?" Ryuji asked with a bit of worry in his voice.

Yuzuru rolled his eyes as Reina glared daggers at the blonde medical student.

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't accepted this race for me in the first place you moron; truth be told I think we can make it, but only if you follow me closely at my speed."

The brown haired mechanic stressed the last part in an attempt to scare the two brothers; both men seemed to casually cast each other awkward glances. There was a bit of fear that Reina managed to place as well and she laughed at that.

"What exactly would you consider your speed?" Daisuke asked while drawing quotation marks in the air for the last bit.

Ryuji shook his head and gave his younger brother a look as if to say: "Do you even need to ask?"

"The bare minimum would be under 210 km/h. I'm going to push the living hell out of it, so I suggest driving as fast as you can but be very wary of any other car you see. You don't have to follow me closely to know where you're going anyway, remember that this isn't the Wangan."

Yuzuru walked over to the driver's side of his beloved Sileighty and Reina moved to the passenger side as well. Ryuji and Daisuke scrambled over to their own cars as Yuzuru patiently waited for them to get ready. He eyed his gauges wearily, soaking in all of the readings to assure himself everything was in perfect order before noticing the amount of fuel he had at his disposal.

'A little over half a tank… This will get me to Matsuida with no problems, but I'll need to stop at one of those self-serve gas stations on my way there so I'm good for the race.'

Another thing that settled itself into the back of his mind was the call he received from Akio right after he walked out of the concert hall. The tall and dark haired mechanic currently happened to be waiting for him at the nearest gas station he specified so that ty would meet up and make the trek up the pass. His co-worker had been adamant about going to the race to support him and he saw no reason to turn him down.

As Reina finished up with the racing harnesses that strapped her to the bucket seat she fixed her grey eyes on her brother, who seemed to be shivering in his seat and gripping the steering wheel with a lot more force than usual.

"Something up Onii-chan?"

Yuzuru turned to face her and she saw his trademark smirk plastered on his features, along with the blazing fire that seemed to radiate within his brown eyes.

"Nothing at all, I'm just excited for the upcoming battle. I'm shaking because of how much I'm looking forward to this Reina-chan! It's been a very long time since I've been able to feel this way and today is when this car makes it's official debut at Usui."

Before Reina could provide an answer, Yuzuru lowered the emergency brake while giving the engine a few revs. She had to admit, the growl that came from it was utterly incredible. The car was tuned to absolute perfection, and the knowledge she had gained from her car crazed brother also played in part to what she already knew about performance.

She smiled and watched him carefully engage the clutch to set the car in first gear. The rear tires spewed smoke as they grinded against the asphalt and the engine's very audible roar grew much louder when the car launched from his place. The torque and acceleration provided by its single Garrett turbocharger made it redline at precisely 9000RPM as he shifted the car into the next succession of gears, the needle on the speedometer climbing past 100km/h in mere seconds.

Ryuji's Midnight Blue R33 and Daisuke's black 180SX both took off, hot on the heels of the silvery streak that the Sileighty was rapidly becoming on the long stretch of highway.

Daisuke himself wasn't as familiar with Yuzuru's erratic driving and he strained to catch a glimpse of the car as it weaved through the two-lane road at a very frightening pace. Thus, he decided it would be better to follow his older brother closely, who seemed to be having a hard time keeping up with their friend's sharp movements.

'If this is what he's like driving in a straight line when he's in a rush, I'm almost scared to think how insane his driving is on a mountain pass. I've really got my work cut out for me on this… It will take an incredible amount of practice and dedication to even reach the level he's at. It almost makes me wish I was sitting beside him right now.' The youngest Aizawa mused.

At this point, Ryuji had put forth almost all of his concentration to following the Sileighty to the extent of ignoring the vibrating cellphone in his right pocket. He had no doubt that the person on the other end of the line was most likely Nakazato, but at the moment he was straining to even keep up with Yuzuru on the long straightaway as they blew past a sign that indicated that they had just slipped into Saitama Prefecture.

The fact that they had already gotten out of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area didn't even register within him as he became more in tune with avoiding any cars that happened to be slower as he switched lanes repeatedly. It had only taken them as little as 10 minutes to reach Saitama, and he knew it was because of the head start they had gotten right after they left.

'At this rate, we may even be able to reach Gunma in less than half an hour. It's amazing to think that a trip that normally takes two hours may even be cut down to about half that time if we're extremely lucky. There are some toll roads that may come up soon, so it's better to make the best time possible but it'd be foolish to think that we may get there on time.' He managed to deduce.

Within moments, Ryuji noticed how there now seemed to be far less cars ahead of him and his eyes narrowed at the upcoming curve. Yuzuru had cleared it at a reasonably high speed without sending the back end into a drift, and soon enough he tapped the brakes lightly and descended into fourth gear with the use of his newly developed heel-and-toe.

The Skyline's response was instantaneous, and he felt the ATTESA-ETS easily take control of the situation; powering him through the bend as he let his right foot exercise a very careful use of the throttle that let him combat the car's natural understeer.

Ryuji nearly shivered when the loud roar of its RB26DETT drowned out all other noise in the car. The sound of its spooling twin turbos followed by the air released by its blowoff valve was something he would never grow tired of; and the smooth, almost delicate manner in which his GT-R handled was equally just as appealing to him.

'This car is nothing but perfect in almost every way. From its powerful six-cylinder engine, 4WD system, ATTESA-ETS, and handling, this car was made to tear almost everything apart. To me its weight is just about the only weakness it has. It offers nothing but the absolute best in performance and reliability as well. I've seen monsters like these with more than 1,000 horsepower and reach over 320km/h on the Wangan.'

For the life of him, Ryuji couldn't even hazard a guess as to why Yuzuru held a certain disdain for GT-Rs in general, but he did enjoy the unconvinced look his friend had almost every time he laid eyes on his R33. If there was one thing he enjoyed more than driving his Three-Three, it was riling him up instead. He had learned in in during high school as third years that Yuzuru as a person who always crafted an easy going and all around patient personality. There were very few things that ever set him off and from what he had managed to gain through experience, anything related to his family life (other than his sister) and his cars, there seemed to be little that managed to get him angry.

It was all part of the reason why he had been so popular when they were in school. From his foreign looks and laid back temperament, many girls had chosen to be around him. He had even been unknowingly elected the Vice-President of the Student Council!

Ryuji had to bite back a laugh, remembering the sole reason he even became the vice president was because he had written him up right before the elections were about to be held as another one of his pranks, and the girl who ran for president chose Yuzuru because of her crush on him.

'Good times,' he recalled fondly.

His eyes flickered every once in a while between the Sileighty that seemed to be a few paces in front of him and the few cars that littered the other lanes, slipping past them with relative ease before gazing at his side mirrors for a moment. What he saw would have shocked him before, but now that he had raced his younger brother, he had learned to quell his surprise. Instead, his eyebrows disappeared underneath his bangs.

'This kid's literally riding on my ass. I never thought he'd have the balls to drive this fast on a highway, but I can see he's been practicing in both Hakone and the Wangan.'

"Not bad little bro, not bad at all."


Suzuki Motors, Shibukawa, Gunma Prefecture

After an excruciatingly long day at work that was equally just as exhausting, Masashi was certainly looking forward to going home and digging in to the warm meal his wife had no doubt prepared for him now that he was closing up shop.

Business was very good as usual, with his loyal customers coming in for their routine maintenance and those who came in for tuning as well. None of them had ever so much as criticized his work or found any form of flaw in it. This was something that he always prided himself in and even Bunta, who happened to be the pickiest of the bunch always found he was more than satisfied by the work done on his cars.

Just before Masashi was about to shut off the lights to his garage, his eyes drifted to the only car currently occupying the garage. It was draped under a thick and protective black cover that betrayed no details as to what it was. Years had passed since that car had seen its owner, but the man who left it to him happened to be one of his best friends and he called once in a while to check up on him and his vehicle.

Masashi had taken great care in preserving the car over the years, and it surprised him how it showed almost no signs of wear or age. It was rust free for its age, and the mileage happened to be at a measly 4,000 kilometers. Every once in a while, he would fire it up and take it around the block in order to allow it to 'stretch its legs', but now something told him that it's owner would be coming back to claim it very soon.

He chuckled and stroked his goatee when he heard the deep, throaty rumble of an oddly familiar boxer engine.

"Just as I was about to go home," he sighed exasperatedly.

Only seconds later, he saw the striking Sonic Blue Mica Impreza he had sold to his friend pulling in to the garage's otherwise empty parking lot. The two-door coupe eased closer and stopped a few meters from the entrance to the garage before its engine was promptly cut by its driver.

Bunta emerged from the driver's seat, his filtered cigarette hanging lazily from his lips as he lit it before leaning down to look at the person sitting in the passenger seat.

"Are you gonna stay there all night Yuichi? All I said was that I was going to push it a little." The man said in a monotonous drawl.

Masashi couldn't help but laugh when he saw one of his oldest friends slowly open the door and ease his way out of the car; shaking. Yuichi was sweating profusely and he lifted his carton of cigarettes to his mouth and slipped it to his lips.

The gas station owner fumbled with his lighter for a few more seconds and his other two onlookers could only stare at him in vivid amusement once he finally managed to complete the menial task.

Yuichi took a long drag and sighed, letting the smoke calm his racing heart and the fear of god Bunta had put in him during their spin down Akina. "You call that pushing it a little?" He asked incredulously after he shut the door.

Bunta could only shake his head, already having expected the usual outburst.

"In all the year's you've known me Yuichi, I'd have thought you'd already be used to the way I drive. I wasn't even throwing my all into it," Bunta exhaled through his smoke.

At the mention of that, Yuichi paled considerably. He certainly had not even considered the idea that Bunta was merely trying to give him a scare by driving slower than he normally did.

'If he calls that slower,' was his mental remark.

Masashi made his way and patted Yuichi on the back, then inclining his head in Bunta's direction as a form of greeting.

"It's good to see some things don't change after all these years. How have you two been doing Bunta? Yuichi?"

"Nothing much," Yuichi replied in kind. "Every day is pretty much the same when you manage a gas station but I can't complain business is good."

"How about you Bunta? I heard that Takumi has now taken up with a racing team that has gone undefeated in both Tochigi and Saitama. Is this true?"

"Yeah," Bunta answered casually.

Both Masashi and Yuichi gave each other unsurprised looks when the older Fujiwara downplayed the accomplishments of his son. They also happened to know of the 4WD complex he induced on the poor boy shortly before acquiring the Impreza and the insecurities that came with it in relation to the performance of his Eight-Six against the newer cars and those which harbored 4WD systems in general.

"You don't seem all too thrilled about this Bunta," Masashi declared pointedly.

"Don't get me wrong," Bunta started. "I'm thrilled the kid's working his ass off to pull off even some of the most impossible wins, but as of late he seems a bit too absorbed in beating the Impreza in almost every way possible. I'm glad he's trying to compensate with his technique but I want him to realize something about cars in general. It's one of the most basic lessons that he himself is proof of and yet he's almost entirely oblivious about it."

Although Masashi was a bit puzzled about the cryptic answer Bunta gave them, Yuichi immediately perked up when he heard this. Normally, he too would not have understood what the tofu shop owner meant but this time around he managed to pick up on the small hint that was dropped.

"The monster isn't the car, but the driver." He deduced.

"Precisely," Bunta concluded.

"This plays in to what I told Takumi earlier today when he stopped by during his lunch break. It's just as you said Bunta, he grows increasingly frustrated every time he thinks back to the Impreza but he also seems to be realizing this himself. I admit I'm surprised he hasn't mentioned this to you yet."

Bunta simply shrugged, "Who knows what goes on in his head. The kid's stubborn as a mule, but it's something crucial that also adds to his determination."

"Right," Masashi thought aloud. "Stubborn just like you."

Yuichi laughed at the last comment while Bunta ignored the barb altogether. Instead, he opted to walk inside the garage to scan its neatly organized interior. He would occasionally nod appreciatively when he saw how meticulous his old friend happened to be in regards to his tools and machines. Then, he turned his half lidded eyes to the car that had inhabited the garage for almost ten years now. He remembered the last race he had with its owner before he officially retired from street racing all those years ago.

'If I recall correctly it was at Irohazaka, his home course and Kogashiwa happened to be the only other participant. Damn that was such a long time ago…'

Bunta moved closer, lifting the cover a bit to see that it was still I pristine condition. He marveled at how it exhibited almost little to no wear or tears on the body before covering it back.

Yuichi and Masashi both watched him with smiles on their faces as they remembered that legendary battle that took place. It had been the final one, the one that counted for everything and Bunta won. Kogashiwa would end up tying with the third and final participant of the race.

"I got a call from him yesterday," Bunta breathed as he put out the remnants of his cigarette. "He says he'll be back in Japan sometime within the next two months Masashi; and he wants to make sure the cars' in perfect order before he takes it on a spin. Apparently his son just recently moved back to Gunma along with his youngest. I don't know what his plans are, but we all know just how unpredictable he can be."

Yuichi could hardly contain his excitement when he heard that his friend would be returning to Japan after so many years of living abroad. One could argue that he had been the most successful out of all of them. Yet the price he paid in the end for sharing his passion with his children had left a deep wound that would never heal.

His smile quickly became far more pained, "It's been a long time since I've seen any of their children. They must be all grown up now as well. How time flies eh Masashi?"

"Yes," the mechanic managed to say. "I remember that his son, Yuzuru I believe was his name; he was always so fascinated by almost anything that was related to engines and cars. The kid had natural talent for it too, because he managed to pick things up so fast that it even floored me."

"Mattaku, you're both starting to sound like real old men." Bunta jokingly said.

"You know its true Bunta; that kid Yuzuru is his son after all. I wouldn't be surprised if he also happens to be as much of a genius behind the wheel as he is outside the car. In fact I think he's about the same age as Takumi as well."

"He is," Bunta confirmed.

"Interesting," Masashi declared with no small amount of intrigue. "I'd like to see if he also inherited his father's talent much like Takumi takes after you."

"A year ago Takumi showed up out of nowhere and conquered Akina and all other opponents he faced. And now, I learn that Yuzuru is also here in Japan. I get the feeling that he's going to cause the same stir your son did when he first took down that FD eh Bunta?" Yuichi spoke up.

"Who knows?" The man in question replied.


Matsuida, Gunma Prefecture

10:03PM

Just like Yuzuru had hoped, they had managed to make it back to Matsuida in exactly one hour. Ryuji and Daisuke both stood outside their vehicles with canned coffee in their hands. Now that both men had been introduced to Akio, they had struck up a conversation over their preferences in cars and different tuning methods.

Daisuke was immediately attracted to the Trueno that happened to be the Nagano native's pride and joy. Unlike his older brother, he held a certain fondness for older cars and he had always liked Eight-Sixes in general due to them being among the most reliable and incredible drift machines in the right hands.

The high school student carefully studied the car and soaked in each and every detail his eyes could take. From the carbon fiber hood to the N2 rear wing and its identifiable 'redline' taillights, it looked incredibly well taken care of. He also happened to love the contrast the gold ten spoke SSR Dori Dori Mesh wheels gave with its panda color scheme.

"They're 16s right?" Daisuke asked with keen interest.

"And wrapped in Yokohama rubber too," Akio added.

Reina too had enjoyed looking at the car quite a bit and complimented her brother's senpai for keeping it in such pristine condition. "It's been a long time since I first saw a Trueno. They were very scarce when we lived in New Zealand. But I'll be honest, I love both the Levin and the Trueno; they're timeless classics."

"You know your stuff Reina-san; I see your older brother has rubbed off on you," Akio joked.

"Tell me about it," was her candid reply.

Yuzuru looked up from his place at the pump and rolled his eyes, unable to believe his friends could be speaking so casually with one another when he had a race to get to.

"Hey," he shouted. "How about you guys head up the pass ahead of me? That way you let Nakazato know I had to stop for gas Ryuji."

Ryuji looked up from his cellphone and nodded, seeing no reason to argue with the logic. The Three-Two driver was becoming far more impatient and he couldn't wait to see what his reaction would be when he discovered that the infamous Sileighty was piloted by none other than Yuzuru. His side as a natural prankster had gotten the better of him and he was thoroughly enjoying it. He couldn't even recall the last time he had pulled one on his friend, albeit this was to a much smaller scale.

"Alright, I'll go. You coming Daisuke? Ichinose-san?"

"Hai Nii-san," Daisuke eagerly replied. This would be his first time going to a different mountain pass other than the one he frequented in Hakone. The excitement he felt only intensified when he remembered that this was Yuzuru's home course.

"Yeah sure, but I suggest that you two follow me closely. This also happens to be my home course and I drive on almost every day to get to and from work. I know you have GT-R Aizawa-san, but power alone doesn't help here; not even on the uphill."

Ryuji suddenly felt the urge to glare at a snickering Yuzuru, knowing that his friend had said pretty much the same exact thing only a few weeks prior. He then set his gaze on his younger brother to address him, "Daisuke, I want you to follow me closely and be very careful on our way up the course. Since it's your first time at Usui I want you to be very cautious with the way you attack the corners. Got it?"

"Understood Nii-san," he turned around, idly wondering whether the girl beside him would join them to avoid another roller coaster ride at the hands of her older brother or not.

"I'll stay with my brother then," Reina declared with an air of finality.

As each person finished up their drinks and climbed in to their respective vehicles, Reina made her way back to her brother, who happened to still be leaning against his car with an impatient look crossing his normally passive expression due to the large amount the tank was taking to fill itself up with high octane.

The two siblings watched as the Trueno eased out of its parking space, followed by the R33 and then the 180SX. All three cars shot down the long stretch of road and Yuzuru appreciated the lovely sound they produced in unison.

'I think I'm starting to feel some fatigue. I really should have just set aside the awkwardness and eaten a bit more.'

Reina took note of her elder brother's pale complexion and quickly raced to the nearest vending machines and purchased another can of coffee. Then, she walked in to the still open shop and scanned the aisles for some of the packed lunches and quickly picked up a sandwich from the cold section before approaching the counter to pay, ignoring the curious look the cashier gave her due to the dress she was in.

Once done, she rushed back out and winced, remembering why she hated wearing heels so much. Yuzuru was still stuck by the pump, staring at the numbers indicating that the sale would be a bit pricey.

"Here," she shoved the sandwich and coffee into his hands. "Eat and drink. You should have listened to be me at the restaurant when I urged you to eat onii-chan."

"Yeah sorry," Yuzuru bit in to the sandwich and offered her the other split half.

She took it with a small smile, knowing that this would be more than enough to bring his reflexes back to tip top shape before the race.


Usui Pass

10:17PM

Takumi stood in silence amongst the few members of Project D that had come to see the highly anticipated race. He didn't even know who this driver was, but Nakazato's patience seemed to be wearing thin. His black R-32 was already parked at the starting line and the scowl he had on his face was not pleasing to the eyes.

According to Ryosuke, the race was supposed to start at 10 but the Sileighty wass till a no show. The crowd was beginning to grow far more restless and everyone was waiting for the three cars that were on their way up.

"There's an Eight-Six heading the pack and they're coming in pretty fast. By the looks of it, it's got Nagano plates and it's being followed by a blue GT-R and a black 180. Both carry Tokyo plates," the radios blared out.

Takeshi perked up when he heard this knowing that Aizawa was already among those who were arriving late.

'You better have some news for me Aizawa. I think I've waited long enough for your friend to arrive.' Takeshi mentally groused.

Keisuke allowed a groan slip through his lips and Ryosuke chuckled, knowing that his brother was just as tired of waiting as everyone else. "How long is this kid going to take? We've been here for over an hour now and he's still not here."

"Apparently, Kurokawa-kun also has a flair for being fashionably late. Patience Keisuke, he'll be here soon." Ryosuke calmly admonished.

"Besides," he continued. "If they're almost here I'd imagine that Kurokawa will be on his way soon."

Matsumoto could only laugh out loud, knowing very well that his employee would probably come up with some dramatic way to show up.

From her place beside Nakazato, Sayuki remained completely unperturbed. She continued to listen to the bits of information those stationed at the checkpoints happened to divulge and waited patiently for any other news of an incoming Sileighty.

"Calm down Takeshi," she reprimanded. "For all you know he may even be doing this on purpose to make you lose your temper. It's a pretty underhanded tactic but even Mako and I used it whenever we really wanted to make a point."

The Night Kids leader sighed and visibly relaxed, realizing that she was right. He sent a small glare in Takumi's direction, knowing that the younger man had done the same thing against him and Takahashi Keisuke when they challenged him at Akina.

Shingo however, decided to take advantage of his rival's frustration. "Don't get all your feathers ruffled over someone being a little late Takeshi. If you let your anger get the better of you, your driving will suffer. Who knows, it may even lead you to cause another accident."

Takeshi immediately laid a hand on his much beloved GT-R, knowing all of the hard work and dedication he had put into developing his technique as a Three-Two driver for the last few years. The car had seen only two crashes, and in each one, he was sure he felt them to the bone. That sudden reminder instantly made him far more conscious that his anger could eventually cause more harm to his car and those crashes, were twice too many.

Sayuki gave Shingo a thankful look that went completely unnoticed when the galleries erupted into loud, voracious cheer.

Everyone immediately turned to their respective radios and ignores the three cars arriving in favor for the news that was continuously being delivered.

"I repeat! The Sileighty is here! It just blew past us on the long straight and he's heading up the pass extremely fast! He's going even faster than before! Is anyone timing this hill climb cause-holy shit! He cleared the bridge in one long continuous drift! What a monster!"

For the first time in the entire time since ahis arrival to Usui, Takumi was beginning to feel a strong wave of excitement course through him. He had not heard much about this mysterious street racer but from what those at the checkpoints managed to describe, this guy was enormously gifted behind the wheel.

Iketani, Itsuki and Kenji all shuddered when they heard that the Sileighty was racing up Usui at an astonishing rate. They all knew how difficult this course was, Iketani's spin the year prior proved how dangerous the corners could be and now, someone was tearing up the pass like he were driving a Formula 1 car instead.

"Oh my god, and here I thought Mako-chan was the only person who could keep up this kind of pace on a normal day," Iketani managed to comment.

Sayuki may not have heard him say that, but in her mind she happened to be thinking the exact same thing. Even more of a surprise to her was when one of the onlookers reported to her that the Sileighty had managed to complete a full drift through the bridge. Only two people had ever managed to do this, and so far, Sayuki knew that only one of them currently happened to be in Gunma.

'But Yuzuru-kun drives an FD…'

"He's almost to C=121! The speed this guy has when he exits the corners is just unreal! I just wish I had a stop watch to see what his time is."

Nakazato could only grin in delight, knowing that the challenge had been craving for had finally arrived.

"About damn time," he said.

Akio, Daisuke and Ryuji all sat on the guard rails, patiently waiting for their friend. Ryuji could only shake his head as he snorted. His eyes were full of mirth when he heard the following broadcast.

"Does this guy have any shred of sanity in his head?" The voice asked with disbelief.

There was a bit of a scuffle on the end of the line as another voice came on the line to describe what had just occurred.

"The Sileighty just cleared C=121 with the use of an inertia drift! I've never seen someone exercise so much control on a car before, it looked like he was only centimeters away from hitting the guardrail!"

At this point, all of those who happened to be locals at Usui blanched when they registered that the Sileighty had just passed the most infamous corner on the pass with nothing but utter precision. That, coupled with the knowledge that C=121 happened to be the second to last checkpoint before reaching the top meant that person driving the Sileighty had just gotten through ¾ of the course in under ten minutes.

"Like I thought earlier, Kurokawa-kun undoubtedly never ceases to amaze me." Project D's chief mechanic spoke in absolute glee.

Keisuke grinned broadly; already anticipating what he knew would be a very big clash.

"That makes two of us Matsumoto," Ryosuke confessed.

Kenta too looked very much excited about the long awaited arrival but Takumi remained absorbed in his thoughts, feeling better that he now had a name to associate with the silver Sileighty had had everyone abuzz.

Ryosuke, ever the perceptive man immediately sensed this and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll introduce you to him one of these days Fujiwara-kun; you have my word on it. Who knows, you may even find something in common with one another."

"More like many things in common," Keisuke mumbled under his breath.

Matsumoto was the only person who laughed at the smart remark while Kenta fixed his mentor a confused look.

"Uh thanks…" The downhill ace managed to say.

Ryosuke nodded and like everyone else who stood by the starting line glanced in the direction where a loud, piercing roar seemed to reverberate from somewhere very close by.

A discernible hiss escaped from the engine, which to those who knew about cars signified that it was the sound of air being released by the blowoff valve of a turbocharged car. Bright headlights also began to emerge from the darkness that consumed the rest of the touge as it grew closer.

Those who stood in the way or over the guardrails quickly jumped back for safety as the Sileighty finally appeared from behind the tree line that obscured it from view.

Many people erupted into applause, cheers, whistles and calls as they all looked on appreciatively to the sight of the lustrous Sileighty and the sleek body work it exhibited.

Sayuki could only stare at the car in undisguised fascination, its screaming engine continually growling on a rapid succession of downshifts that were indicative of a very polished heel-and-toe.

She felt a sudden chill overcome her once the car passed by them, stopping only a few meters ahead of them on the other lane before completing a full 180° handbrake turn on the spot. The car then eased forward slowly before it finally stopped beside Nakazato's GT-R.

From the passenger seat, first emerged a young girl which no one managed to recognize. She gazed around in sudden curiosity before she closed the door just as the driver stepped out from the opposite side. Many wondered why she would be so lavishly dressed and some of the women in the crowd reflected upon this amongst themselves in hushed whispers. Soon enough however, all eyes were on the young man who stood beside the Sileighty that was also fashionably dressed in a suit that to the eyes looked relatively expensive.

Almost all of the members of the Night Kids who had been at Usui two weeks earlier froze when they were able to identify just who it was that had turned out to be the person piloting the vehicle.

Shingo, Sayuki and Takeshi all stared at the mechanic in shock. The trio was completely taken aback by the revelation that the person they had been seeking had been right under their noses the whole time.

"Kurokawa?"


A/N:

This by far has been the longest chapter yet and to be honest the reason it is so, was because I really wanted to wrap the whole concert and the Yuzuru's arrival to the race in one fell swoop.

Anyway, Bunta's finally appeared and another subtle hint was dropped into Yuzuru's background. I hope there are some of you who manage to catch it.

I'm working my ass of as it is on the next chapter already and I want to apologize for allowing it to take me so long, between proof reading and editing this thing it took me approximately the whole day after I finished it and I really hope there aren't any mistakes. I hate it when I preview all of my work and see something misspelled or whenever something doesn't flow right, I'm a bit of a grammar nazi and for this reason I always go back and check everything. Granted, there's bound to be something I missed 'cause this thing is approximately 23 pages long, so feel free to point it out please.

On that note, I'd like to thank all of my readers and reviewers for following my story and eagerly expecting updates, your comments are the sole reason I push myself to work on the story as often as I can.

Please read and review! I'd like to see what you think of this chapter and wish every one of you that is college student well since my semester starts this upcoming Monday and also those of you who started high school this past week.

My warmest regards,

-SilentAssassin11

P.S. To answer your question Ghost, I have indeed read/watched SAO!