The Rise of Usui's Ghost
Chapter 21
Usui Pass, Gunma Prefecture
9:38PM
A sigh escaped Reina's lips the moment she clicked the stopwatch to get a read on her brother's latest downhill run in the Levin. It'd been close to three hours since they'd arrived to Usui, and although she had been quite excited at the prospect of watching Yuzuru perform his first official shakedown in the driver's seat of the Eight-Six, she'd grown far more critical of her father's motivations for giving him a task that seemed almost impossible to complete in the short time span of two weeks, let alone a single week.
Ryuji narrowed his eyes on the Eight-Six as Yuzuru spun a full 180 degrees, its rear tires blowing a copious amount of smoke before taking off once again on the uphill run. The sixteen valve engine snarled vociferously, screaming for the next gear as he and Reina watched it blow past them to continue its trek.
"What was his time on this one?" he asked.
"Seven minutes flat, he's losing quite a bit of time on the corners when he shouldn't ," Reina replied.
"Isn't his best time in Sileighty in the upper six minute forty range on the downhill?" The blonde medical student felt the need to point out.
Reina crossed her arms before resting on the hood of his GT-R. "Yes, but when my dad set this task for him he may have not specifically mentioned which time he needed to break. My brother is by no means an idiot Ryuji, and when he told him that he had to surpass his fastest time on the downhill by seven seconds it meant in whichever of the two cars he currently owns."
"Wait you don't mean-"
"Yup; my brother's never been able to break the record he set in the FD with the car he's been driving now. No matter how hard he tries, no matter what approach he takes he's only been able to come a full second and a half away from the six minutes thirty-nine seconds he posted only a week after familiarizing himself with the course six months ago."
The Tokyo native nearly shuddered at the thought, forcing away the disbelief he felt once it dawned on him how his friend wasn't able to break his own course record with the Sileighty despite having plenty of time to harbor intimate knowledge of the touge.
Of all the street racers he ever had the privilege to know among those that honed their skills on the most treacherous of twists and turns in the country, Ryuji genuinely believed that if given the right amount of time and preparation, that Yuzuru would most likely end up decimating them on the downhill behind the wheel of any car he was provided. And yet here he was struggling with doing that in a car that is extraordinarily underpowered compared to either his Sileighty or the FD.
In truth, Ryuji knew he should have expected as much, given the fact that going from a cars boasting upwards of 250 or 350 horsepower, to something producing a mere 150, was a drastic change in response and overall speed. With no ABS, no power steering, and a lower amount of torque and acceleration on tap, it was starting to become clear that the Eight-Six was a machine that continued to be competitive because of the driver's skills, and not the car's capabilities. Sakumo had been very thorough in his explanations and one thing that really struck a chord in him was how the rally racer considered the Eight-Six to be a car that trains its driver.
'I thought all GT-APEX models came with power steering from the factory; this means Yuzuru's father either removed it or he gave express orders to leave it off while the car was being assembled.'
"But I don't see why he's losing speed in the corners out of all things…"
The younger Kurokawa spared Ryuji a short glance before offering a proper response. "The answer is really simple Ryuji. If you ask any seasoned driver the differences in handling between cars that run on forced induction or natural aspiration the first thing they will point out is that a car running on an N/A platform requires a very delicate touch as its acceleration is a direct result of the driver's foot and their control over the gas pedal. This in turn, gives the driver a sort of 'free reign' if you will, because they are able to control the RPM directly by simply flooring it as much as they want."
"And I assume this is an entirely different experience for Yuzuru because he's not used to driving a naturally aspirated car on a regular basis, let alone on a touge," he decided to add.
"You're partially correct," she commended. "But the truth is that Yuzuru's grown too used to driving cars that run on turbochargers. This test our father set for him is one that will exploit each and every inherent weakness his technique has. He's become accustomed to implementing the use of left-foot braking in order to keep the turbo spooling and avoid some lag, but the truth is that he also relies on the acceleration they provide the moment the exits a corner to recover some modicum of speed he previously lost. Now that he doesn't have the power and acceleration a turbo usually provides on the exits he's being forced to compensate by utilizing each and every trick in the book so far."
Ryuji groaned, rubbing the sides of his head in an effort to wrap his mind around the wealth of information Reina just provided him. Despite his love for anything remotely related to cars and racing his mind was never as capable when it came to the technical side of things. This was just one of the few things Yuzuru constantly teased him for relentlessly on several occasions which was ironic in a way, since it was still easy for him to understand the most complicated of subjects when it came to studying his preferred subjects related to medicine.
"Just give me the abridged version," he finally said.
The brunette fixed her cool gaze on the teenager, a frown tugging on her lips as she snorted. She wasn't really surprised when Ryuji asked her to give him the simple version of her explanation.
'Sometimes I wonder how the hell he can be smart enough to be a medical student and not understand something as simple as this,' she inwardly droned.
"Alright how about this, you of all people should know my brother can be fairly aggressive in the way he tackles corners right?" She asked prior to pausing to see if he was still managing to keep up with her.
He offered a silent nod in response, gesturing for her to continue.
"Well in this case, I can tell that he's not being aggressive enough. The most critical factor one has to bear in mind while driving a mechanically tuned car is that the entry point of a corner is by far the most important method of attack. He needs to let go of his inhibitions Ryuji, he needs to discover each of the Levin's intricate little details and adjust his technique to suit the car. Remember, that it is because he's so used to driving a turbocharged car he's now having an obvious amount of difficulty getting attuned to this new and relatively unknown vehicle. Once Yuzuru learns just how to utilize his special set of skills and forget about his time, then I'll bet he will be able to break his record without much of a hassle."
"So you're basically calling him a turbo junkie?" He chortled.
Reina shook her head at his attempt to bring some humor into the situation. "Far from it; you see, the thing is that Yuzuru already understands how differently a car running on a turbo behaves compares to one that is naturally aspirated. But like my father said, he needs to let go of his reservations and simply drive. He needs to be more aggressive and push himself to the very brink and then some, in order to pass this test."
"Again, the abridged version," he replied without missing a beat.
She rolled her eyes, huffing in annoyance before bringing the stopwatch back up to take a look at the current time. "It means that he already has all the skills necessary to push him to the next level. All that's left for him to do is to realize that and in turn, become even faster than he already is."
"Much better," he chuckled as he gave her a 'thumbs up' in return.
Reina sighed, before turning her head just as her ears picked up on Eight-Six's piercing snarl reverberating across the valley. It was still far away she noted, but it allowed her to revel in the sound of a wonderfully tuned 4A-GE in full song along with the occasional screeches provided by the tires as her brother continued to make his way back down.
'Somehow, I get the feeling Onii-chan just may be able to accomplish this after all. The question here however, is whether or not he will be able to get it through that thick and stubborn head of his. We Kurokawa's are known for being extremely prideful in whatever we happen to specialize in and Yuzuru is no different in that regard.'
A small smile formed on her face, as a thought suddenly crossed her mind. So far, her father had made no mention as to when he would depart for Germany again, which left her with plenty of time to pester him for some advice and perhaps a few lessons along the way in the art of pass racing. Aside from a small trip he needed to make to Aichi Prefecture in the coming week, he essentially had almost a month of time to spend freely on his own. This provided her with the perfect window of opportunity for a way to increase her own knowledge and at the same time, give her a better read on her father's numerous plans pertaining to her brother's career as a street racer.
"We really should get going after your brother completes one more run," Ryuji suddenly spoke up after stealing a glimpse from his watch.
"Really? What time is it?"
"Nearly ten now and its Sunday night; you've got school, and luckily I've only got a few classes in the morning. But there's something else I want to take the chance to bring up."
"Go ahead," she waved.
"Well, I don't know if your brother ever mentioned it to you, but tomorrow I'm going to pick up a mutual friend of ours in Tokyo. She needs a place to stay for the summer and I sort of hoped you'd be alright with it."
Reina's eyes narrowed to slits as she turned to stare at Ryuji inquisitively. Since their move back to Japan nearly two years prior Yuzuru had developed a very small and perhaps even miniscule circle of friends, and within that group of people consisting those of when they first arrived to Tokyo aside from Ryuji, were two other individuals she ultimately considered trustworthy. Only one of them however, was also a female.
"Why wouldn't I? She was the friend Yuzuru needed in order to let go of all that anger he felt. I'm just sort of hoping she doesn't show up thinking that she still has a chance with him. They both made their choices and I honestly don't want to see Yumi-nee grow jealous because of it."
The GT-R owner adopted a thoughtful look, arching a brow at the girl's response. He may have been genuinely surprised by her willingness to accept his request, but deep down he knew it wouldn't really pose much of a threat if what he'd seen was anything to go by.
'Yuzuru's become far more reserved now, and although he is more amiable and approachable than he used to be he's also more driven, more focused on accomplishing his goals before anything else. At this point he'd probably say that another relationship is the last thing on his mind right now,' he reasoned.
"I don't think that will be much of a problem Reina-chan. I've spoken to her a few times in the last few weeks and she's been pretty focused on her studies back in the UK. She's got a few friends as well but the icing on the cake is that she's been going to rally school."
"R-rally school?" The girl stuttered.
"Damn straight," he chuckled. "Been taking lessons from this Finn who lives in England for a year now and I'll admit that it makes me curious to see how far she's progressed. Yuzuru and I may have been the ones who taught her the bare bones in regards to the pleasures of driving but she was still green when she left."
Now it was Reina's turn to shudder, as the prospect of having yet another potential challenge waiting for her brother in these most complicated of times gave her enough reason to worry. Between his obligations as a mechanic working for Matsumoto Speed and the race to be held in three weeks in Akagi against the Emperors, Yuzuru already had a great deal on his plate.
"When did you say she would arrive again?" She suddenly asked.
"I didn't, but if you really must know she arrives tomorrow sometime around six in the evening. It's a really long flight and the jet lag will no doubt kill her but if you're alright with it then I guess Yuzuru is ok with it as well. I'll bring her over to my place in Tokyo and drop in on the folks so she can get some rest before we head out to Gunma."
The young brunette smirked in response but offered no inclination as to whether she was truly against this or not. In reality, she did hold a number of reservations in regards to having Kaede stay with them but deep down she could also feel that there would be a great deal of benefits in store for her brother brought forth by her sudden appearance.
Reina knew it would be foolish to deny that one of the primary reasons Yuzuru was able to revert to his usually kind and affable demeanor when they still lived in Tokyo had been because Kaede. After all that pain, that suffering and grief that struck their family two years previously, the one person who still harbored much of it was her older brother and it most certainly was for good reason.
They all had lost someone special, someone dear to them, but for Yuzuru; he had lost two of his most precious and perhaps most cherished people just weeks apart from each other. Even now, to this day Reina found it incredibly difficult to believe that her beloved older brother had been able to keep himself from veering off his current path. Sure, there were some occasions in the past when he acted out and did something stupid in order to help stave his mind off of what happened but his resilience persevered. That strength, that drive and determination she so often admired continued to shine through despite the heavy hand fate had already dealt him, and it was for this reason she looked up to him so much.
"So you're picking her up from the airport? In that case you may have to wait a little longer than usual because tomorrow night Project D are going to run a few tests here with Keisuke-san's newly modified FD. I don't know how long it'll take but we may get back home a little late."
Ryuji sent a small smile her way, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Did I forget to mention that she's also got a car waiting for her as well?"
Reina glared daggers at the blonde medical student for a few moments, more than a little annoyed by the fact that he continued to leave out some of the most crucial details pertaining to Kaede and her pending arrival. Needless to say, the moment her elbow connected against his abdomen Ryuji was suddenly reminded of just how painful the girl's infamous temper could really be.
"Th-that w-wasn't necessary," he managed to groan out whilst still clutching his stomach in a strained effort to recover the wind that was knocked out of him.
"Oh I don't know, I think it was," she replied without any sort of remorse in her tone. "Especially after almost forcing him on a two hour drive when he's got a crap load of stuff weighing on his mind at the moment."
"Wait so you knew all this time!?"
"I guess I did," she flippantly returned, though not before sending one of her evil grins his way.
'Ugh, I guess I should have seen this coming,' he grudgingly thought to himself as he scooted away from the girl in order to put a safe distance between them.
He watched as she raised the stop watch one more time, a radio in her other hand as she called out the latest time to her brother once the Levin sped across the finish line.
"You came in at 6:52 flat on this one Yuzuru, eight seconds faster than your previous time. I'd suggest one final run before we head home since we've all got stuff to do tomorrow. We can pick this up later if you'd like."
"Gotcha, I'll see if I can shave another five seconds on this one before we call it a day," her brother replied before blowing past them on his final run of the night.
Both teenagers watched the Eight-Six disappear into the valley within seconds, as they each allowed themselves to slip into the confines of their mind. Ryuji knew he had other, more pressing matters to deal with in regards to his schoolwork and University career and as a result Reina settled for wondering if her brother would truly be able to break his record in the sole week that was provided for him.
Three weeks. Three weeks was all the time Yuzuru had at his disposal to break his own record in Usui whilst preparing for what would undoubtedly be one of the most challenging, and perhaps most demanding opponents her brother would face in their home prefecture of Gunma. As alarming and downright intimidating the notion was to swallow, she could honestly say that she would have felt a little more secure if Yuzuru had continued to race the FD, even if it meant bringing it out of retirement for just one race.
In this day and age, the Lan-Evo, much like their rival counterpart the Impreza, were considered monstrous cornering machines because of the fact that they came equipped with a relatively light body, turbo, and all-wheel drive. These machines were essentially built for rallying and the Emperors were a team who exploited that inherent advantage on each and every touge they possibly could. With enough digging on her part, and tapping Ryosuke for a number of lesser known details regarding the team, Reina could only remain ever so critical of Kyoichi's motivations when it came to challenging her brother.
While she did not harbor much of a worry when it came to her brother facing Naruse at Akagi, she did know that the Emperors and more importantly their leader, was a man who prided himself on being an exemplary strategist who never left a single stone unturned. This man, who had plenty of experience as a Todo School graduate and a Gymkhana driver, was one of the two most highly regarded drivers in the Kanto region that were best known for their analytical sense and the thought of seeing Yuzuru clash against him was a twisted combination that was appealing and unsettling for her.
Throughout Tochigi and Kanto as a whole, Kyoichi had developed a reputation as a man best known for his calm and collected personality characterized by a resourceful amount of efficiency seldom seen around these parts. He was a driver who preferred the quickest and often the most simplest of ways to take down his opponents by studying them and their methods. The man was like a sponge in that regard; each and every intricate little detail his opponent possessed, each and every habit they had, was assessed and compiled in that strategic mind of his in order to devise a game plan that counted on the information he'd gathered.
Yuzuru on the other hand, was a driver who embodied the inherent weakness that plagued Kyoichi despite his tremendous skill as a street racer. He was a person who was almost always aware of his surroundings. He avoided any kind of flashy displays unless he intended to execute them from the start and although he did place an emphasis on analyzing his opponents before formulating a plan of attack as he drove, he was also prone to thinking outside the box if it meant that he would get an extra kick out of it as well. This rendered him a threat that she held no doubt Kyoichi was aware of.
Nevertheless, this did not mean that Reina was also unaware of how much Yuzuru's driving style had changed in the past eight months. For those two years that they'd spent living in Tokyo she'd grown increasingly conscious of his night time activities and the races he involved himself in. Kanagawa's Kamikaze; the hallowed phantom FD that instantly became a car mentioned in the same sentence as Sidewinder's Shinigami because of its disturbing outright speed and breathtaking displays in the prefecture considered the Holy Land of Street Racing.
It was hard for her to believe, but deep down she knew that during those two years that Yuzuru wandered around in Kanagawa aimlessly he'd been much faster. It seemed that his torrent of emotions, that anger, grief, and pain he felt as he continuously hunted the man responsible for all of their family's suffering was channeled into his driving. Of the few races Ryuji secretly took her to, she'd been able to discern how aggressive her brother had been when he tackled some of the most dangerous corners the prefecture had to offer. To this day, there was nothing quite like hearing that piercing wail, that ferocious growl and the angry roar produced by the screaming two rotor engine as it tore apart the downhill.
'But now that he's been able to cool down, he needs to recover that speed he lost after switching from the FD to the Sileighty. I sort of understand now, dad's trying to force him to push and keep pushing in order to tap into that monster lurking beneath. He needs to bring it out again, but this time it needs to be for the right reasons, not for his selfish desires,' she deduced.
There was one thing however, one small thing that Reina felt the need to be concerned for. Despite the obvious signs that Yuzuru had at least settled down and moved on by focusing on honing his skills as a street racer in their home prefecture of Gunma, she still knew that deep down, somewhere within him; lay that cold and emotionless being her brother once was. There were occasions when that personality surfaced, even when she least expected it, but after what Mayumi described seeing to her the previous night when the Emperors officially challenged Yuzuru she could vividly picture him staring at Kyoichi with the upmost disdain in his brown depths.
The former Todo School graduate had crossed a line and not just any line; it was 'the big one'. The one line no person ever dared to tread upon, especially in his presence. Mayumi had gone as far as expressing her shock at seeing her childhood friend bear a look of unbridled fury, the likes of which she confessed to never seeing before.
'But it's nothing new to me. Kyoichi just got himself on Yuzuru's personal shit list and to top it off I've got no doubt that the man is also gonna dig up as up information he possibly can on him and his past. It won't take long for him to make the connection to our father and the article that was featured two years ago regarding our family and the loss we had.'
Reina bit her lip, a deep scowl marring her pretty face as she tugged at her ponytail in frustration. At the moment, Yuzuru's popularity in Gunma was steadily increasing because of his most recent exploits. With the Night Kids considered as the second strongest team in Gunma shortly after the RedSuns and their recent defeats against yet another Sileighty at Usui, rumors were rapidly beginning to grow.
If Kyoichi somehow ever managed to get ahold of every little piece of information regarding Yuzuru and his heritage, then she wouldn't need to hazard a guess as to how much of a commotion it would already cause by the time his earlier days as Kanagawa's Kamikaze also became public knowledge.
"I may need to speak to Ryosuke-san tomorrow night and see what can be done," she muttered under her breath.
'Because this is one secret that no one needs to know about,' she inwardly finished.
The next day…
Matsumoto Speed, Gunma Prefecture
10:43AM
"What's wrong with him?" Akio asked his boss as the pair stood at one end of the garage observing a certain brown haired teenager pouring over a cylinder block before glaring at it as if it had offended him in some way.
"I don't know," Matsumoto remarked with a tinge of concern in his voice.
As the two mechanics continued to eye their youngest co-worker with careful regard, Yuzuru remained blissfully unaware. Instead, he was deeply immersed in his thoughts as he worked on his third engine that morning.
His mind was still reeling from everything he'd been able to absorb from his first drive in the Levin the previous night and his underwhelming performance of a mere 6:50 flat as his best time left him positively frustrated after spending close to four hours racing up and down Usui with little to show for it.
Not even the newly completed FD sitting in the middle of the garage sporting that stunning RE-Amemiya body kit and a fully tuned 13B-REW now pushing 370 horsepower to the wheels was enough to calm the disappointment that continued to plague him. His father certainly didn't help in the matter either judging by the condescending smirk he gave him the very moment he walked through the door once he returned from his first series of practice runs.
'I pulled nearly every trick in the bloody book and I still couldn't cut down more of my time,' he sulked.
He'd tried everything the previous night, and he knew it too. Left foot braking, the Double Apex, late braking, and even his fastest lines but nothing yielded any of his desired results. Things really didn't look to good at the moment, and with only seven days remaining for him to exceed his father's expectations he was beginning to question his abilities in the worst time imaginable.
Yuzuru cursed mildly, tossing down the wrench he had in his hand after identifying yet another blown head gasket from a 2JZ a customer brought in with his Supra. Several other members in the shop jumped when they heard the loud clang once the wrench met the nearby worktable, but he ignored the casual glances in his direction in favor of scrutinizing the engine some more.
Matsumoto raised an eyebrow at the action, not really needing anymore indications to sense that something was obviously wrong with the boy. It was not typically uncommon to see one of his employees come into work in a bad mood, but it was rather strange seeing someone usually as bright and enthusiastic as Kurokawa walk in with what seemed like a black cloud hanging over his head.
"You wait here Ichinose-kun; Fumihiro should be arriving at any moment to pick up the FD and make the delivery so keep an eye out for me will you?"
The Nagano native offered the older mechanic a nod of understanding. "Sure thing Tencho," he assured.
The Chief Mechanic of Project D and shop owner made his way over to the other side of the garage, allowing his eyes to wander around for a bit and take note that everyone else continued working diligently on their appointed tasks. He then turned his gaze to rest on Yuzuru, who continued to wordlessly inspect whilst sending it dirty looks ever so often.
He chuckled, already knowing of the boy's distaste for anything even remotely associated with all models of Toyota Supras. Despite the little he really knew of Kurokawa's past it was no secret among those in the entire garage that he harbored an enormously deep-rooted hatred for those cars. For the life of him, he truly couldn't understand why as the Supra's consideration as of the fastest and most remarkable machines to ever emerge from Japan rendered it a true beast capable of competing against some of Europe's most famous marques.
"Everything alright here Kurokawa-kun?" He asked in order to make his presence known.
"Hm?" Though he was surprised at hearing his name called out so suddenly he did not show it. He hadn't realized just how engrossed he'd been in his thoughts and he gave the man a courteous nod in return as acknowledgement before continuing.
"In a way I suppose; but I'll admit that I've got a lot weighing on my mind right now," he admitted.
"Want to talk about it?"
Yuzuru hesitantly shook his head. Despite his willingness to open up to Matsumoto, he wasn't entirely sure that his boss was the right man to ask for advice in this given situation. Ryosuke too seemed like another viable alternative, but he didn't exactly know how much information the man already had on him so that option was out as well.
With a sigh, the young mechanic slipped off his gloves and turned to look at the man. "Tell me something Tencho; how much do you know about me? In all honesty what has Ryosuke-san been able to dig up? I'm genuinely curious to know what you've heard."
Matsumoto cocked his head to the side, his astonishment clearly evident when he registered the teenager's questions. Ryosuke had not exactly been subtle when it came to discussing information over his youngest and most talented worker, and with the right contacts in addition to the questions asked, the file he now kept on him was in fact pretty substantial in regards to his exploits and his heritage.
He adopted a thoughtful look, stroking his five o'clock shadow as his employee continued to gauge his expression carefully. Out of the three core members which consisted of Project D's hierarchy, only he and Ryosuke knew practically each and every detail regarding Kurokawa's time in Kanagawa, who his father was, and the numerous battles he participated in the driver's seat of the FD.
"Where is this coming from Kurokawa-kun?" He steadily inquired.
Yuzuru ran a hand across his hair in exasperation. "Nothing, forget I said anything."
"No hold on Kurokawa-kun, it's alright you just caught me off guard. But if you really want to know I suppose I'll tell you," he paused for a moment, taking in the boy's forlorn look and the dark circles underneath his eyes.
'Something's on his mind, and I can tell it's eating at him quite severely,' he observed.
"I know who your father is; it wasn't necessarily difficult for me to connect the dots once Ryosuke was able to provide the missing pieces to the puzzle I needed but in truth I also had some suspicions regarding your surname. On top of that I also needed to consider how your technique heavily leans on rallying side of things; it's a very rare trait, one that almost no other driver this prefecture or the Kanto area possesses."
At that a small chuckle escaped Yuzuru, he was somewhat torn between accepting the compliment as an attempt to mollify his bruised ego and wounded pride, or to provide a response. In the end however, his courteousness won him over and he took a breath in order to gather his thoughts and put them into words.
"So I guess the cat's out of the bag," he mumbled loud enough for his employer to hear. "How many people know?"
"At the moment just Ryosuke, Keisuke, Fumihiro, and myself," he assured.
"Could you make sure to keep this as hushed as possible? I don't want everyone else in the world to know about one of my most closely guarded secrets Tencho, which would just ask for all kinds of unwanted attention if you catch my drift."
"Sure," Matsumoto smiled. "Ryosuke has always been cautious with his sources and those he shares his information with, so you can trust him to keep it to himself."
Yuzuru visibly deflated once he heard the reassurance he needed. Things in Gunma and his challenges were progressing at an almost freighting rate and he continued to struggle in his endeavor to try and take everything one step at a time. His numerous obligations were becoming increasingly demanding and while he continued to enjoy the freedom and experience his job at Matsumoto Speed gave him, his father's test continued to bear a heavy toll on his mind whist delivering a crippling blow to his pride as a street racer.
In just one night, his old man had given him plenty of cause to question his own abilities. As disgruntling and infuriating it was for him to admit he knew that he still had a ways to go before he could claim to be even remotely close of surpassing his father. The road to becoming a full professional was always littered with setbacks and challenges but at the same time it was also rewarding in its own way.
'No,' he thought. 'I need to be faster, I need to keep going. The important thing is to keep trying; if I don't work for my goals, then none of this will ever be worth it.'
With renewed determination, the elder Kurokawa offered his boss a bow to show his appreciation. He smiled for the first time that morning before going back to the inline-six still sitting before him.
"Then you have my gratitude Tencho, so what's the prognosis? Do you need me to do anything else with this engine after taking it apart? It's my understanding that you'll need to order a new head gasket before proceeding with anything else so I suppose I could get that out of the way for now."
"Yes, that would be best, but this brings me to another favor I want to ask of you, that is if you don't mind?"
"Not at all, ask away."
"I want you to take the rest of the day off, no ifs ands or buts is that clear?"
Yuzuru gave Matsumoto a look of disbelief, opening his mouth to protest but he was swiftly cut off by the hand the man place on his shoulder along with the pleasant smile that took shape on his face.
"Don't worry Kurokawa-kun, take the rest of the day off with pay and get some rest because I think you will be needing it for what I'm about to ask of you. Even Ichinose-kun has agreed so it would be in your best interest to do the same; besides, I know how much you love working with anything associated with Supras," he jokingly added.
"Well you have a point," the brown haired mechanic acknowledged. He utterly despised Supras, and nearly everyone he ever worked with knew it too.
"Good; then I'll be seeing you at Usui at 6:30 this evening. All of Project D will be there to welcome you to perform the first official shakedown on Keisuke's FD. You' be surprised to know that he specifically requested that you sit in with him to test the car's suspension and handling too."
Yuzuru could hardly hold back the grin that formed across his lips when he heard this. Finally, after so long we would be able to see Project D in action. Even if it was a day scheduled for testing there was absolutely no way he would be foolish enough to miss this. He'd heard plenty about the team, and the fact that he also knew their two aces only intrigued him more as he had yet to see them in action.
"Then I guess you leave me no other choice but to accept."
Matsumoto clapped his hands together, smiling as he did so. "Excellent! Now if you don't mind me asking, why is it that you hate these cars so much? They produce such an astounding amount of torque on just six cylinders and twin turbochargers in addition to the staggering amount of abuse they can take, so for once, as a fellow mechanic I'm genuinely curious so understand why."
Almost immediately the grin Yuzuru held was wiped off his face, and his left eye began to twitch in an ever so subtle manner. There were plenty of excuses he could give regarding his contempt for any Supra he encountered without even tying into the more emotional family related reasons, but if he were to seriously dwell on it he would admit that it's source stemmed from the suffering that fell upon their family two years prior.
Nevertheless, as much as he trusted and admired Matsumoto's integrity and kindness, he was still hesitant to uncork the bottle that held so many painful memories for him. In his mind, some things were better left unsaid between friends and although he was achingly aware that Mayumi had a right to know about what occurred, he simply could not bring himself to speak to her about yet. Both Reina and his father decided to leave it to him to tell her; and yet, as time continued to progress he was becoming increasingly mindful that it was eating him up inside for fear of what her reaction would be.
A short groan slipped from Yuzuru, and his expression morphed into one of annoyance as he turned to provide his boss with an answer.
"I don't know about you Tencho, but for me there's plenty for me to say about my dislike for them. For one, they're extremely nose heavy, they understeer like there's no tomorrow, they have driveline issues at high power, and oh, here's my personal favorite; almost every single Supra owner I've raced against since my days in New Zealand up until now is nothing but a stuck up and snot nosed ass who thinks they're hot shit for driving one."
And he wasn't lying either. Practically each and every driver he'd faced when it came to racing a Mark IV Supra boasted about the reliability and 'perfection' the car posed as. From Tokyo to Kanawaga almost every single Supra he encountered whilst he searched for his prey always mocked him for driving an FD in those days; something which would eventually come to regret as they would make the front page news when their oh so powerful and magnificent 2JZ would be murdered by a 13B.
'I can still see it now,' he thought in amusement. 'Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Local Supra is Destroyed by Monstrous Rotary Power!'
Oh yes, he thoroughly enjoyed knocking people off their high horse. Even Reina and Ryuji asked him on numerous occasions if he got off on it, and he truly had to wonder if he had some sadistic tendencies whenever he met that one person who had a tree so far up their ass that he felt it was his duty to perform a public service and knock them of their Pegasus. It was almost safe to say he that he felt compelled to do it.
Matsumoto arched an eyebrow in response when he saw his youngest employee's eyes glaze over, an evil grin steadily replacing his earlier frown as he began to wring his hands together, laughing lightly to himself as he recalled one of the numerous ass whoppings he gave to some spoiled rich kids and their Supras in Tokyo.
"Well," the dark haired mechanic began, successfully bringing the teenager's attention back to him. "You make some very valid points, and again I can practically see why Keisuke likes you so much already since you two seem to share the same opinion. But that still doesn't clear up much about your dislike for them."
Yuzuru shrugged. He wasn't ready to reveal the true reason behind his sentiments towards Supras and in particular towards the Mark III model. Whenever he thought of that car and the driver he so incessantly scoured an entire prefecture for, he was only filled with more anger, more resentment and questions as to what led everything to turn out the way it did.
"I just told you my reasons Tencho," he declared evenly.
It was easy for Matsumoto recognize the obvious signs that he was entering unfamiliar and perhaps dangerous territory when he pressed for more information. The flicker of pain that shot through the boy's eyes was not hard for him to miss, as he'd seen it plenty of times from Ryosuke whenever he spoke about his past. Unnerving as it was for him to see someone so young bear the look of sorrow and grief, he could see that it wasn't doing him any favors either. He knew that the longer Yuzuru continued to hold onto it no matter how small of a part it was, then it would only grow worse the longer he waited.
'I've seen that look only on one other occasion,' he noted. 'And that was shortly after Ryosuke's first few years in University.'
He cleared his throat, drawing Kurokawa's attention to him once again but he still avoided meeting his gaze. A small, sympathetic smile touched Matsumoto's lips as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I get the feeling that you're not telling me everything Kurokawa-kun but it's alright. I know we've only known each other for half a year now at best and some don't consider it ample enough time to speak to one another about more personal matters, but I want you to know that I consider you both a fantastic worker and a great friend as well. I think of each and every person in Matsumoto Speed as my own family, so if you ever have any problems and have the need to get them off your chest then don't hesitate to come to me for advice. I will always be here if you ever have the need to talk," he assured.
'God, am I that easy to read?' Yuzuru thought despairingly.
Matsumoto offered him a reassuring pat on the back, turning on his heel though not before stopping to give him one last piece of advice.
"One more thing that I almost forgot to mention; often it is the most unlikely of people in which you will find a spark of something greater Kurokawa-kun. If you're not willing to speak with me yet about some of the things that plague you, then I'd suggest Ryosuke. You're going to find that he is perhaps more understanding and maybe even empathetic to whatever it is that weighs on your mind."
Yuzuru slipped back into his thoughts as he watched his boss walk back to where Akio was standing outside the garage.
'Should I really speak to Ryosuke-san about this? He may know much about my past because of the information he's dug up on me, but he doesn't know about my final months in New Zealand or what happened during the weeks I was about to move back to Japan.'
There was no doubt in his mind that somewhere along the line Ryosuke would uncover the full truth and all of the information relative to the greatest source of the pain that haunted him to this day. Just as there was greater reason as to why he loathed anything resembling a Supra, there was also one defining reason pertaining to why he quit music altogether in the first place.
'And why do I get the feeling things will only grow to be far more complicated than they are now?'
Usui Pass, Gunma Prefecture
6:27PM
Nearly eight days had gone by without any form of action since the Night Kids had suffered yet another brutal defeat at the hands of a much more skilled opponent and Ryosuke could not help but feel a little bad about their recent loss of form in the last few months. While losing to the Emperors and Takumi in the previous year were taken in stride, their failures against Usui's newest downhill hero was met with an even amount of low morale and a great desire to reestablish themselves as one of the top teams in Gunma.
'But I've no doubt that they'll pick themselves up in a matter of time. Under Nakazato's leadership they will strive to push harder and become an even stronger team than they ever were before with the right amount of dedication.'
Ryosuke narrowed his eyes back on his laptop, cutting the direction his thoughts were heading in favor of leaning back into the seat of one of Project D's support vans. Now that he managed to gain a grasp on the vast array of modifications made to Keisuke's FD, he could only eagerly anticipate how the car would behave on its first shakedown since being sidelined for a little over an entire month. As always, Matsumoto had done an excellent job in bringing the car back into tip top shape and heavily improving it in the handling department and overall performance, but he knew very well that this was only possible because of the two young mechanics he asked their boss to bring with him for tonight.
It was a rare occasion for him to call up every member of the team to join him at Usui when just one support van would do, but tonight he wanted to see how both Kurokawa and Ichinose handled themselves in a group that brimming with talent and skill in their fields of expertise before he officially made his proposition to them.
'Originally I figured calling them out to meet me somewhere else would be much easier but this time is as good as any for what I've got in mind,' he decided.
Gathering his notes on the schematics for Takumi's Eight-Six and Keisuke's FD, Ryosuke stepped out of the van and approached a smiling Matsumoto. It was no secret that every accomplished mechanic liked to gloat over their accomplishments every once in a while and this case was absolutely no different when it came to the difference between the old FD and this new and improved version of it.
"See something you like?" He asked.
"Just admiring the body work," the chief mechanic returned. "RE Amemiya really did well with this design and it's incredible to see just how aggressive it can be while still attaining a much lighter frame."
Indeed Matsumoto was right on that count, RE Amemiya possessed some of the most incredible mechanics, engineers, and designers when it came to anything that remotely resembled a rotary engine vehicle. This new styling while being aesthetically pleasing in its own way was also meant to provide the already lightweight body of Mazda's RX-7 with an even flimsier chassis that would play a very crucial part in the next race on the uphill against the Purple Shadows.
There was no doubt in his mind that Kozo Hoshino and his GT-R would be one of the strongest opponents his younger brother had ever faced, and it was for this reason he was more than willing and able to use these new upgrades in order to give him a better fighting chance when the time came. With an increased output, better suspension, lighter body kit and Keisuke's technique, this FD would be a completely different beast to the one he'd known previously.
'But there's another thing that's still bothering me,' he thought whilst turning his gaze to rest on Takumi and his Eight-Six.
'I know Fujiwara-kun has an astonishing rate of adaptability, but this next opponent he is facing is by no means an amateur at what he does. If anything, he reminds me a little bit of Kurokawa-kun's tendency to analyze his situation before formulating his strategy. He enjoys toying with whoever he happens to be racing and is far more ruthless than I or any other street racer in the Kanto region give him credit for. If anything, the most noteworthy part of him is his technique and incredible ability to drive with only one hand to control the car with such subtle and delicate steering that he is known as God Hand by his peers.'
Despite his reservations, Ryosuke knew very well that this upcoming expedition would test their resolve a whole lot more than before. They were officially only two races away from beginning the final stage of Project D's legend, and the challenge they had sent to the Ibaraki based team would be final test both Takumi and Keisuke would receive before they moved over to the Holy Land of Street Racing. Now all that was left for them to do was to properly set up the new suspension and see what else could be done to ensure the Eight-Six was also at its best.
"Any idea when we should be expecting the two to get here? Everyone is here save for them," Ryosuke inquired.
"They shouldn't be too far off," Matsumoto assured. "I gave them half of the day off to get all of their things in order before they made their way here. Anyway, Ichinose-kun should be the first to arrive since he is coming from Karuizawa while Kurokawa-kun may take a little longer but all in all I'd say in a range of about ten minutes tops."
"You seem very sure of yourself; care to put that theory to the test?"
"It ceases to be a theory once you know your employees well enough. They both have a very acute sense of timing and are never late for work no matter what time I call them in. Besides, Ichinose-kun is a pretty good driver on the downhill if I do say so myself. On a good day he can put up quite the fight against Kurokawa-kun if he's not careful."
That statement made dark haired medical student raise an eyebrow in surprise. "Who told you that?"
Matsumoto grinned, amused to see that even the cool and collected Takahashi Ryosuke could still show some other kind of reaction that his usually passive expression.
"Kurokawa-kun himself."
"Interesting… Either way, the person I'm most interested in is undoubtedly Kurokawa-kun, and it's not simply because of his talents as a driver or a mechanic, but also because of his heritage."
Now it was Matsumoto's turn to give his leader a blank stare. Thanks to the newspaper covering one of the most recent concerts held at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall he already knew that his mother was a very famous pianist, but other than that he still had a pretty good idea as to who his father really was. Other than his younger sister, it suddenly dawned on him that he still had very little knowledge on his youngest employee when it came to some details of his personal life.
"What do you mean by that?" There was a certain amount of curiosity that Matsumoto was unable to hold back from his tone, and the knowing smile that Ryosuke offered him gave no indication on whether or not the man would give him the answer he sought.
"You'll see very soon what I mean once Kurokawa-kun gets here. I want him to take a look at the Eight-Six before he sits in for the shakedown with Keisuke, which reminds me; Tomiguchi," he called out.
"Hai," the mechanic quickly replied.
"I want you to sit this one out for just for the first few runs. We're going to have two more mechanics joining us today and I want you to work with them on the FD; see if there is anything you can pick up on from the settings we will test and try to devise the differences in handling and the effects the road conditions have on the car. I've no doubt that today will prove to provide you with a different insight."
Tomiguchi stared at his leader with undisguised confusion, but bowed nonetheless before returning back to the FD and making a small number of observations in regards to its initial set up. He'd heard more than enough from Matsumoto to know that if the chief mechanic of Project D was praising someone else's handiwork then it was for very good reason.
Turning back to his notes, Ryosuke immediately set about to see if everything he had written down coincided with the charts and diagrams displayed on the screen of his laptop. One could never be too careful when compiling set data from previous practices, and it always paid off to be entirely sure of everything before making any changes to the cars.
"Oh, looks like Ichinose-kun's arrived," Matsumoto said as he identified the ever present high-pitched exhaust note of a 4A-GE echoed across the valley.
"Then I suppose that means that Kurokawa-kun should be here any second from now," Ryosuke added with a tinge of playfulness.
Only moments after Ryouske uttered those words, their ears were met with a second and more distinct engine coming up the pass that unleashed a familiar roar that was only followed by a hiss after a downshift.
"Looks like they're both here," Keisuke breathed through his cigarette.
Takumi cocked his head to the side, leaning against his Eight-Six as he listened in on the lovely sound the two engines were able to produce in unison. Where one was completely different in terms of preparation as it was turbocharged, the other was nostalgic in its own way. It had been months since the last time he was able to hear something sound so close to the original engine of his beloved Trueno and it brought a smile to his lips to recognize it once more.
Much to his surprise, the first car that emerged from the corner and pulled into the parking lot was another Eight-Six with Nagano plates much like his own bearing a striking number of differences. While his car was more or less stock in terms of appearances if one set aside the new carbon fiber hood and lights, this one sported a more racing oriented appearance he'd seen in a few magazines pertaining to the AE86.
'What a long spoiler, it looks a lot like the one Wataru-san has on his Levin, and the hood on this Trueno looks similar to the one I have on mine but it serves as a contrast against the panda color scheme,' he mentally noted.
The greatest difference between his Eight-Six and the one that had just arrived however came when he saw the car park in a nearby open space, granting him a lovely view of the different taillight design this model had with his own.
'They're all red; I've never seen that styling before. Is it even original?'
As Akio exited his car with a devious grin plastered on his face, Takumi was only able to look on in confusion once the Sileighty entered the parking lot and parked next to the recently arrived Eight-Six in one fluid motion.
Yuzuru sighed from his place in the driver's seat, sparing a glance in his sister's direction in the passenger side and then over to Akio, who still maintained that cocky grin as he waved over to him nonchalantly.
"Somehow I think you took long in the shower on purpose to make me lose the bet,"he muttered in his kiwi accent.
Reina shrugged, a thin smile on her lips. "Sometimes you should trust no one my dear brother, since I sold you out for half the spoils."
The elder Kurokawa gave his sibling a reproachful look, pulling out his wallet as he exited his car to glare accusingly at his co-worker. "You cheated."
"Well you never named any rules from the get go, so I figured all was fair game," Akio defended.
Yuzuru shook his head in disbelief, mouth agape as he drew out a few bills and slapped them on Akio's outstretched hand. "When the hell did she even get your number?"
"Oh a while back, here's your cut Reina-chan," he said while holding out her half.
"Thank you," she replied in a sickly sweet voice that sent chills down her brother's spine.
'I'll get you back for this one little sister; mark my words you won't see it coming,' he thought to himself before turning over to the group that consisted of Project D's core members. He had to admit, now that he was able to get a good look at them he realized just how well-equipped they were to handle everything that was thrown at them and the air of professionalism they maintained around them at all times. It was imposing, and perhaps intimidating to see some of the most talented individuals in all of Gunma working together to create a legend on the streets of the Kanto Region.
In an instant, he was able to tell that quite a few other members, namely one in a ponytail and another in a red shirt were sizing him up. Their faces betrayed no emotion, but their eyes gave away their curiosity and apprehension in having him around. It was only until he looked to Ryosuke and Matsumoto that he was met with pleasant smiles in return.
Thus he bowed, introducing himself to those who had not met him previously. Akio and Reina quickly mirrored his actions as well.
"Kurokawa Yuzuru, at your service."
"Ichinose Akio, a pleasure."
"Kurokawa Reina, pleased to meet you all."
"It's great to see you three again," Ryosuke greeted. "I have to admit that it's been a while since we last saw one another in such large company, but it was ample enough time for me to come to a conclusion. When I founded this team, I wanted to leave a mark on these streets in the one year of freedom I happen to have left. But what is most important for me above all else, is that I want to develop the skills of Gunma's finest drivers and also that of every single member of Project D and their respective fields… For this reason, I want to extend a formal invitation to both of you Kurokawa-kun, Ichinose-kun, to join our team as our mechanical specialists under Matsumoto. I have seen the work the two of you are capable of doing when you work together and the amount of progress you've been able to make is simply astonishing in its own right. I know for a fact that if were not for you two, Keisuke's FD would not have been finished in time and for that you have my most sincere gratitude and that of Project D as a whole."
Both Akio and Yuzuru stared in silent shock at the man, unwilling to believe what they had just heard. To be asked by the famous Takahashi Ryosuke no less to join his highly skilled team meant that he recognized their talent for what it was and wanted it to help give Project D an even greater boost.
"I-I don't k-know what to say," Akio said in awkward manner.
"Well you can try 'yes'," Reina sarcastically replied.
Matsumoto chuckled, amused by the short exchanged. He knew from personal experience that Akio harbored a deep admiration for team and their exploits and there was absolutely no way he would decline the chance of joining them. Then he narrowed his eyes on Yuzuru, whose brown gaze was cloudy with thought at the prospect of being one of their mechanics.
At the moment, he only had two official wins in Gunma territory under his belt while still having more than enough experience to put some of the best drivers in the prefecture to shame by what he'd seen so far. Despite his unreadable expression, he could tell that this matter was not one he would accept without knowing the conditions as well. It meant that he would have less time to take on challengers and force him to dedicate himself to working underneath a car rather than behind the wheel of one. The challenge the Emperors had formally sent his way coupled with the not so simple task his father had given him of breaking his downhill record behind the wheel of the Levin left him more than a little more than pressed for time as it stood. While Yuzuru certainly enjoyed tuning and modifying anything he could get his hands on, it was no match for driving a car flat out on the downhill of a touge. How Ryosuke would handle this conundrum however, he would wait and see.
'And yesterday's practice in the Eight-Six didn't really go so well either.'
"I have to admit Ryosuke-san, the offer is very tempting. Very few people if any will ever get this chance in their lifetime but at the moment I'm still not so sure if I can agree. As much as I love getting my hands dirty and working to set up a car properly, I also love driving a whole lot more. Taking up the responsibility as one of your mechanics will cut down on the free time I have to race other worthy challengers, and my goal right now is to become one of the fastest to ever race around these parts," Yuzuru indicated.
"And that brings me to the second part of my offer," Ryosuke stated. "As I'm sure you know by now, it will be held in Ibaraki next week and we could use another talented mind like yours to work with us in achieving our goal. I also did more than enough research on you to know that you have the most experience when it comes to racing in Kanagawa and its passes, and that information will play a crucial part when we move to the final phase. Your FD is very well known in those parts from your recent exploits in the past year after all."
Yuzuru sighed, the ghost of a smile playing at his lips as he scratched the back of his head in mild discomfort. He really didn't like playing hard to get and it was not his style, but he knew that this offer was way too good to pass up without some consideration on his part. Thankfully, Ryosuke spoke up once again, still maintaining the smile he had from the moment he arrived.
"I don't need an answer right this minute Kurokawa-kun. I'm willing to wait for your reply for as long as it takes. Now, with that being said I still want you to come to our next race as a spectator and work with us first hand to see if it helps you make up your mind on all of this, does that sound fair?"
"When you put it that way I simply can't refuse. I'll join you this weekend at Ibaraki before I make my decision," was the brunette's response.
"Splendid," Ryosuke surmised as he leveled his calculating gaze on the three men consisting of Tomiguchi, Kenta, and Fumihiro. He motioned for the mechanic and support member to come up and they nodded. Fumihiro adopted a more pleasant expression whilst Tomiguchi remained impassive when he eyed Akio and Yuzuru."
"I'd like you two to meet two more members of our team. Tomiguchi usually handles the mechanics for Keisuke's FD and Fumihiro Hiroshi, the second in command of our little entourage."
Both men bowed as their names were revealed. "I look forward to working with you," they said.
"Doumo yoroshiku onegai shimasu," Akio and Yuzuru repeated in unison.
Ryosuke stepped up to Yuzuru, handing the teenager a stack of notes and data graphs pertaining to Takumi's Eight-Six. "Before we start the FD's proper shakedown, I'd like you to take a look at the schematics on Fujiwara-kun's Hachi-Roku. Scan the performance charts and if you'd like take a peek at the engine while you're at it," he suggested.
Yuzuru nodded, his sight fixated on the first page. He realized that it offered a detailed list of parts that provided him with the car's specifications and for a few seconds he remained entirely nonplussed until he passed the section that read the total output of the car's engine.
'Let's see… It's running on an N/A platform, 1.6L 4A-GE non-original engine with dual-carb setup, 240BHP and Rev Limit set at 11,000RPM. 11,000RPM!? Is this a freaking joke?'
"Hold on a minute," he breathed. "Fujiwara-san, would you mind popping the hood for me a bit?"
"Yeah sure."
For some very odd reason, Yuzuru was instantly reminded of the first time he encountered Takumi's Trueno and the distinct exhaust note it produced even while on a street. It was loud, and sounded much more aggressive than a normal 4A-GE usually did and what struck him the most though, was that these modifications on the engine bore an almost uncanny resemblance to one he worked on before leaving New Zealand as a favor for his dear old man.
Back when he'd received it had already been partially disassembled, given the fact that the engine had been procured by his father thought some of his contacts in Group A as it had been more of a test bed than an official power unit for one of the many teams partaking in the series. He may have not known all the specifics as to how his old man had been audacious enough to lift a perfectly good race engine without having anyone ask questions later, but he did recall with absolute clarity just how much of a beauty it had been.
Very few mechanics would ever forget the sound of a naturally aspirated 1.6 liter 20-valve four cylinder engine boasting close to 240HP screaming through a set of wide open carburetors at such a high RPM and after all of the modifications, the adjustments, numerous tests back in New Zealand coupled with months of work, Yuzuru could say that the project was his crowning achievement despite the five years of experience he had working with cars.
He stepped up to Takumi's Eight-Six and peered over the engine bay before whipping out his cellphone, a scowl taking shape on his face as he speed dialed the phone number to his house. One look was all it took, a simple glance and his eyes were filled with the eerily familiar sight of a silver top race-spec 4A-GE was enough to send his mind into a frenzy after remembering how his father dropped in on him one day to collect the engine without offering a single reason as to why he was kept in the dark if it was to end up under the hood of Akina's Eight-Six.
"Yeah?" He heard his father's lazy drawl answer.
"Old man," he managed to growl out as his brown gaze flared in restrained anger. "We need to talk."
A/N:
This one's a bit of a dozy if I do say so myself! Yuzuru's got a lot of crap going on and in addition he just so happens to find out one of the engines he worked on ended up under the hood of Akina's Eight-Six no less! If some of you may recall, I originally made some very discreet and vague references alluding to it in Chapter 12 and later Chapter 15.
Still, I'm gonna start working on the next chapter tomorrow after I take care of real life and my responsibilities so don't go anywhere! There's plenty in store for Yuzuru coming up soon and you will also notice that there will be yet another new character that will make her debut real soon.
Again, I'd like to thank all you wonderful readers and in particular Daliha for helping me organize the absolute mess my thoughts were and last but not least Avid Reader for urging me to keep writing!
Be seeing ya real soon people!
- SilentAssassin11
*EDIT* - 8/18/15
Just a heads up people! At the moment I'm already hard at work with the next chapter, but recently I was approached and asked about the prospect of writing a short Omake and I simply found it too good to pass up!
Anyway, as a treat I've decided that It will take place a full year and a half prior to Rise of Usui's Ghost. This means that the Yuzuru you will encounter is still in high school and more importantly far more different to the own we've all come to know. In the omake he will be in the midst of his reign as Kanagawa's Kamikaze and it will primarily consist of some good ol' downhill action against one of the many street racers he's crossed paths with in his touge racing career.
Anyway, it should be noted that this Yuzuru you guys will meet is much colder, much darker, and less sociable when it comes to meeting and greeting because many of the things that have occurred to him are still fresh on his mind. What does this mean? It means you can expect some straight up action and yet another small glimpse into his past as he continues to hunt down a certain driver and a A70 Mark III Supra.
In the meantime however, I want to make it clear that this story takes precedent over any other work I have.
This means that I will focus all of my attention to finishing up the next chapter before I even start on the omake. Rest assured, I am and always will be committed to completing this story, so I hope you guys will join me for the ride as things continue to get all the more interesting with Project D and the bumps Yuzuru will hit along the way in the long and twisty road to carving his own legend in his home prefecture of Gunma!