Disclaimer: I don't own Initial D. The original characters are mine.

CHAPTER NINE

Present day, six years later

"Oi, Takumi!"

Itsuki waved as Takumi got out of the 86. Iketani also caught sight of Takumi and headed to where Itsuki was standing.

"Well, this is a surprise. Don't you have work today?" asked Iketani as Takumi neared them.

"Yeah, I do but I asked to take the day off," answered Takumi.

"Why? Do you have a Project D meeting?" asked Itsuki excitedly.

Takumi shook his head. "No. My cousin's coming home from America today and I was supposed to pick her up at the airport."

Yuuichi overheard Takumi and approached the group. "Miharu's coming home?"

Takumi was slightly surprised. "You know my cousin, Tencho?"

Itsuki and Iketani turned to the manager with interest.

"Of course. Bunta talks about her all the time. She used to babysit you too. Sweet girl, she was. Very pretty. I wondered why she left," Yuuichi replied.

Takumi merely shrugged but Itsuki's and Iketani's curiosity were piqued because of Yuuichi's comments.

"How come I've never met this cousin of yours?" asked Itsuki.

"How old is she? What does she look like?" pressed Iketani.

Takumi backed away slightly from his friends. "Look, I'll just bring her over here after I pick her up."

"Oh, yeah. I thought you were going to the airport. Shouldn't you get moving?" wondered Itsuki.

"As I was saying, I was supposed to pick her up at the airport but she called right before I left and said to just pick her up at the train station. She said she wanted to explore the city and view the sights for a bit since she's been away for a long time," explained Takumi.

"Is she single? Maybe we can set her up with Kenji-senpai," snickered Itsuki.

"Yeah, maybe then he'll stop bugging us here and finally get a life," chimed in Iketani.

Takumi coughed lightly in response. Yuuichi started to shake his head in disapproval.

Iketani sighed. "He's standing right behind us, isn't he."

Itsuki and Iketani both turned to look behind them and saw Kenji with his arms crossed, glaring at both of them.

"You two are unbelievable. I don't see the two of you with girlfriends either, you know," said Kenji.

Itsuki and Iketani laughed uneasily.

"Anyway, what's all this talk about anyway? Who are you setting me up with?" Kenji asked grudgingly.

Takumi scratched his head. "I don't think my cousin would appreciate being set up with anybody."

"Why is she coming home anyway? She's still going to Harvard Medical School, isn't she?" Yuuichi asked.

"Harvard Medical School?" Itsuki, Iketani and Kenji said in unison.

Takumi shrugged. "Miha-chan called me about two weeks ago and said that she had some important business that couldn't be put off any longer. She'll be here for a few months then she's going back to America to finish medical school. I couldn't really ask for more details since she seemed to be in a hurry and she did say we'll talk once she gets here so I left it at that."

"Must be pretty important if she took the time off from Harvard to do it. I hope it's not family related. Did you hear anything from Junko?" inquired Yuuichi.

Takumi shook his head. "I don't think oba-san even knows that she's coming back. I mean, Miha-chan asked if she could stay with us."

"That's strange. I hope it's nothing too serious," replied Yuuichi.

"I'll know when she gets here. Speaking of which, I better get going. I just wanted to stop by and see if you guys wanted to meet her. She's been asking to meet you," said Takumi.

"Yeah, we'll be here when you get back. And remember to put in a good word for Kenji!" said Iketani, earning him a not-so-light punch from Kenji.

Takumi nodded, got into his 86 and drove off.

I can't believe I'm here again.

Miharu inhaled deeply as she got off the train. It felt great to be back home again but she couldn't help feeling a bit out of place. After all, she had been gone for six years. A lot has changed and she was unsure of how to handle it. At the same time, she was excited to see and experience everything.

She wondered about the people she'd left behind as well. How was her family? Taku-chan? Kei-chan? Ryosuke? How much have they changed? What did they look like now? Talking to them on the phone isn't the same as being really there and she was anxious about meeting all of them again.

But right now, she had to find Taku-chan. She stepped out of the train station and tried to pick him out from the crowd of waiting people and cars.

She spotted the 86 first but she was uncertain that it was the one she was looking for until she spotted the Fujiwara Tofu Shop sign on the driver's side door. She waved her arm as Takumi stepped out of the vehicle.

"Taku-chan!" Miharu called out.

Takumi walked over to where Miharu was. "Miha-chan?" he asked.

Miharu suddenly engulfed Takumi in a tight hug. "Oh my gosh, Taku-chan! I missed you so much! I can't believe how much you've grown. I feel so giddy I just might scream!" she squealed.

Takumi let out a small chuckle and returned the hug briefly. "Speak for yourself, Miha-chan. Where do you get off being taller than I am?"

Miharu let go of Takumi and stepped back a little. "Am I? I think it's just an inch though. But wait, I can't believe that's the first thing you noticed! Aren't you glad to see me?"

Takumi laughed then. "Of course I am. Come on, let's get your things in the car then we can talk."

Miharu glanced at the 86 and said, "That carbon hood sure looks great. I wouldn't have recognized the 86 if it wasn't for the tofu shop sign. Kinda makes the car look a bit meaner. Oji-san changed the engine, right? After your Akagi run?"

Takumi nodded as he loaded Miharu's bags in the trunk. "Yeah. It's a lot faster than before. And the carbon hood and headlight covers were Ryosuke-san's idea. You remember I told you about him, he's the leader of Project D."

Miharu smiled. "I remember. But we'll talk more on that later. I want to meet those friends of yours at the gas station."

Takumi and Miharu got inside the car and left.

"Miha-chan, these are my friends Itsuki, Iketani-senpai and Kenji-senpai. Guys, this is my cousin, Miharu," Takumi said as he pointed to each of his friends.

Miharu bowed and said, "It's a pleasure. I've heard so much about you from Taku-chan."

Itsuki, Iketani and Kenji all stared at Miharu with jaws dropped and eyes wide open.

Yuuichi spotted Miharu and called out, "Miharu-chan!"

Miharu turned around. "Yuuichi oji-san?"

Miharu laughed when she saw the manager and ran towards him. She immediately hugged him and started talking to him. Itsuki, Iketani and Kenji took this opportunity to pull Takumi aside.

"OK, spill it, Takumi. She's not really your cousin, is she? She's too beautiful to be your cousin," growled Iketani.

"How come you've been hiding her from us?" Kenji asked.

Itsuki just kept on nodding in agreement.

"I haven't been hiding her, Kenji-senpai. Like I said, she's been in America for the last six years. And yes, she really is my cousin. How can you say something like that, Iketani-senpai?" grumbled Takumi.

"But you know," said Itsuki thoughtfully, "I think I've seen her somewhere before. She looks familiar."

"Haven't you been listening, Itsuki?" asked Iketani impatiently. "Miharu has been away for six years. How can you have seen her?"

"I know that," replied Itsuki defensively. "But she really does look familiar."

"Maybe she looks like the subject of one of your, ahem, nighttime ventures?" joked Kenji.

Takumi choked out, "Kenji-senpai, this is my cousin we're talking about!"

They laughed as a furious Itsuki chased after Kenji.

Later that evening, Takumi and Miharu sat across from each other in a small restaurant. They had just finished ordering dinner and Takumi eyed his cousin speculatively.

"OK, Miha-chan. Now that we're alone I want you to tell me what this is all about. Why'd you suddenly decide to come home?" he asked.

"What makes you think something's up? Maybe I just wanted to come see you guys," replied Miharu with a cheeky grin.

Takumi raised his eyebrow. "Oh, come on. We both know you wouldn't just pop back here without reason. And you already mentioned something about some unfinished business that couldn't wait."

"Oh fine. I never could hide anything from you," pouted Miharu.

Takumi chuckled. "I just know you too well."

Miharu let out a sigh and said, "OK. I need your help with something but first I have to ask you if you remember the reason why I left in the first place."

Takumi furrowed his brow in thought. "Of course I remember. But what does that have to do with anything?"

Miharu rolled her eyes. "Try to think about it and tell me what you remember."

"You left because the guy you were in love with turned you down. Wait, don't tell me you're back because of that guy. You're still in love with him?"

"More importantly, I want you to try to recall the name of the guy."

Takumi shook his head. "Miha-chan, that was six years ago. And we never talked about him again after you left."

"Taku-chan, it's Ryosuke."

Takumi's eyes widened. "Hold on. You're not saying…"

Miharu nodded. "I am. It's Ryosuke Takahashi."

A/N: Whew, that took a while. Thanks to Kumiko-chan for helping me with this one. I swear, for a while there I was stuck.