The Rise of Usui's Ghost
Chapter 26
Queenstown, Otago Region, New Zealand
4:56PM (local time)
Elizabeth Kurokawa could scarcely recall a time when she found the soaring indigo heights of the ever-present Remarkables, or the smell of fresh water and crisp mountain air to be suffocating. In fact, paying a visit to her beloved hometown after spending such a substantial part of her life living abroad was something she had come to look forward to given her responsibilities as a touring musician and a professor in a world-renown university. Queenstown had always been her home; a place where she could settle down and unwind without sparing the chance of being rudely interrupted or hounded by reporters, agents, and fellow musicians. Here she was incredibly difficult to reach. The peace and quiet she so desperately sought offered her the chance to sift through the great disarray of thoughts swirling in the confines of her mind without any outside distractions.
This tactic had never failed her before, and more often than not she grew to love to love the breathtaking scenic views her home on the banks of the Wakatipu provided year-round, regardless of the season. The sense of ease and tranquility was only further enhanced by the thin blankets of snow that decorated the world around her, reminding her of winters long past and the years she spent living in Queenstown well before she decided to take up music as a profession. June was easily her favorite month of the year in New Zealand, mainly because it invoked a powerful feeling of isolation within her, an almost riveting degree of solitude the likes of which she has seldom experienced anywhere else throughout her travels across the globe.
Perhaps it was the introvert in her speaking, or maybe her own brand of stubborn emotional detachment that enjoyed living in such seclusion if only for the most brief of moments; but now that she was finally here staring out into the vastness of the lake before her, she realized that the typical wave of calm and ease that she so was so easily able to bask in was proving to be frustratingly elusive as of late- especially in the last two years alone.
A sigh escaped her lips, the chill of the frigid air turning her breath into a small cloud of frost that went completely ignored by the Kurokawa matriarch whose usually piercing grey eyes remained distant and unfocused. Her flowing brown locks were left undone, falling in cascading layers over her back and she was clad in a simple pair of flannel lined jeans paired with a rustic winter coat that served its purpose. In her hands she held a steaming mug of oolong tea; the wafting earthy scent filled her nostrils but did little to ease the burden on her mind.
'How long has it been since the last time we were all together as a family?'
She knew the answer…she had always known the answer, and the truth was that it stung far more than she would have previously cared to admit. In the past and especially in her youth, Elizabeth would have probably berated herself for recklessly taking time off her busy work schedule. The dedicated musician and perfectionist within her continued to balk at the foreign concept, repeatedly denying her any semblance of peace she could find in her self-imposed retreat, but this time around she chose to pay it no heed given the emotions that began to course through her once she tore her gaze away from the lake and back through the open sliding glass door that lead to her living room.
On one end, she could see many cups, medals and trophies all neatly arranged by their date and year of acquisition. There were also a great number of photographs added to the mix, all taken by friends or members of the press at one point in time or another during her husband's prosperous career as a driver at the height of Group B rally racing during the early to late 1980s. A brief, almost fleeting smile met her lips, one that did little to hide the sense of nostalgia and pain she so often associated with Sakumo's career and the friends they lost as a consequence of the dangers they faced on rally stages across the world.
Without uttering a single word, Elizabeth allowed herself to be drawn away from her veranda. Her eyes scanned the photographs voraciously, soaking in every single detail they possibly could in an effort to memorize the faces captured so long ago. Identifying Sakumo among them proved an easy task for her and for a moment she swore she felt her heart flutter at her husband's youthful appearance. His bright smiles and the genuine warmth displayed in his brown eyes spoke of his happiness when the pictures were taken.
In one image, she could comfortably discern the sense of accomplishment he undoubtedly felt hoisting a trophy up in the air for all to witness; a moment of glory immortalized. On another, she could see Sakumo's unrestrained amusement. He had been caught in mid-laugh, a byproduct of a joke shared between him, Timo Salonen, and an equally beaming Henri Toivonen. The three rally racers were all still clad in their fireproof overalls, sweat coating their faces after clearing final stage of the day but it did little in keeping them from taking some time to enjoy themselves. The Lombard rally hosted in the UK was known to be one of the longest, most demanding, and grueling even for the most experienced of drivers which in turn meant that any sort of respite was welcome among them.
'It feels like all of this happened only yesterday,' she inwardly mused. 'I find it hard to believe that it's almost been fifteen years since then.'
A final smile passed through her lips although it was fleeting. Deep down Elizabeth knew that Sakumo still struggled with his decision to retire from the sport he had loved so much. Even now, well over fifteen years since the last time he slid into the driver's seat of a rally car he continued to deny such a pivotal part of himself and to a certain extent she regretted being such a strong influence behind his decision to retire after the 1986 season, but the last two years alone had done much to quell this desire.
Losing someone so precious to them left a tremendous impact on each of them in their own agonizing ways and looking back on her actions now, Elizabeth could only feel an undeniable sense of shame for throwing herself into her work to help stave off her inner despair. The logical mind would argue that no parent would ever be prepared for the tragedy that befell her family; that it was alright for her to withdraw and grieve on her own terms if at least to find some semblance of peace in an effort to cope with such a tremendous loss, but inwardly Elizabeth knew that she had failed in her duties as a parent.
Instead of being there for her children, instead of encouraging them and sharing in their grief she chose to close herself off by spending an increasingly large amount of time working on her own. Back in Cologne, she and Sakumo only managed to see each other for moments at a time at best. They spent countless hours focused on their tasks, often working well into the early hours of the following morning to instill some vain perception of accomplishment where they could forget about life for a while but in the end, it took her two uninspiring years of teaching and hundreds of scores later to realize that nothing would ever fill the void left behind by the greatest loss they had faced yet.
'I've been selfish,' he thought with no small amount of disdain for herself. 'I can't even begin to count the number of times I tried to force Yuzuru onto a career in music because it was what I wanted for him. Not once did I consider his feelings in the matter, nor did I attempt to listen to him either.'
Without so much as another glance Elizabeth turned away from the sight of her husband's vast array of trophies and photographs. For a while the only sound that filtered across the living room was the occasional crackle and pop from the flames that continued to dance and curl; swaying as they licked the dry logs of wood she collected the previous day. In the past the mere sound of it would probably have been soothing to her were it not for the restlessness and self-loathing that continued to torment her as of late, and thus she chose to wander around her home aimlessly, willing her feet to take her anywhere across the property with no goal in mind.
For the better part of the next twenty minutes Elizabeth went through five of the eight rooms that dotted the lakefront property she had grown to adore over the years, carefully inspecting each of them to verify that that they had all remained untouched since the last time they had been in use. Aside from the master bedroom which she had claimed as her own upon her return, she had already paid a visit to the one she had set up as her music studio, Reina's room, and the three additional rooms they utilized on the rare occasions they had a guest stay with them for extended periods of time.
By now there were only two rooms remaining and the next one on her list was one she rarely ever stepped into, even when her son had been living in New Zealand. Back then and even well before their family had broken apart Yuzuru had always exhibited a strict aversion to taking up the career she envisioned for him as her successor. The boy had always been stubborn, and at first she had only played it off as a phase in his early years but once he had been forced to accept the joint decision between her and Sakumo to move abroad and settle back in New Zealand it was safe to say that it had developed to full-blown on rebellion by then.
Yuzuru's resistance became more pronounced as he grew older, and this inadvertently led to the souring of their relationship once he began skipping lessons repeatedly. In response to his vehement opposition, Elizabeth even went as far as enrolling him at a music academy to see if private school in Auckland would ultimately end up instilling some sense of discipline in the rebellious youth but once he began to purposely miss classes and even rehearsals, she grudgingly allowed him to return to Queenstown to attend a normal school.
'And that was only the start… for years we rarely ever spoke to one another and I wouldn't be able to name the number of professors I hired to visit Yuzuru here in some preconceived notion that they would be able to straighten him out in a closed environment.'
The brunette bit her lip, the ever-so familiar sting of regret beginning to creep its way within her as she gripped the doorknob and pushed the door open. A loud creak followed, echoing across the otherwise empty house but she ignored it in favor of taking in her surroundings.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains, bathing her son's room in a bright golden hue that served as a reminder that the sun was already beginning to set. Nevertheless, the Kurokawa matriarch pressed on and her cloudy grey eyes scanned nearly each and every single detail that spoke of the previous owner's personality. The room itself was large and spacious, providing ample enough space like most in the rest of the house but one thing that was immediately apparent to her was that nothing appeared to be entirely out of place.
Books and manuals, along with a small tool box were all neatly stacked and lined up in one corner while on the opposite side was a large cabinet with a turntable sitting atop it. A vast repertoire of vinyl albums was neatly arranged among the shelves built into the furniture and once again, Elizabeth felt another smile slowly bore down on her face despite the bittersweet memories she knew her son held for this place. Wordlessly, she stepped in, her feet guiding her across the room to where at least three large cases along with a series of hulking objects were all methodically lined up against the wall opposite to where her son's record collection lay.
Given her reputation as a touring musician coupled with the countless number of gigs and concerts she had performed in the past; Elizabeth really did not need to even give a proper guess as to what her son had left behind. Even for all his resistance and his stubborn refusal to take up the career she wished for him, he was never able to fully reject the side he kept buried beneath his love for cars and racing. Despite all the time he had spent working on his FD along with the development of his technique in the nearby Crown Range, Yuzuru couldn't ignore the appeal music also had to him because of his highly reserved and almost emotionally withdrawn personality.
In most instances, her son was typically the least expressive whenever it came to revealing what he truly thought or felt and in this sense, he resembled his father the most. The only time her husband ever truly gave away a sign or indication of what he was thinking or feeling, was during a race or in some cases, a rally stage. For Sakumo, his aggressiveness coupled with his precision and speed, were usually the best guidelines she had to gauge his state of mind once he had closed himself off from the rest of the world but Yuzuru on the other hand, had a tell.
Regardless of how vacant or even blasé he appeared to be; he was always betrayed by his eyes. This was one of the main reasons why she ultimately gave up trying to lure her son to a music career and as of late she had decided that it was the best course of action. Elizabeth knew that deep down, Yuzuru held a fondness for music, perhaps even a love for it, but it was deeply supplanted by the affection he held for racing and the possibility of following in his father's footsteps.
Nevertheless, Elizabeth inadvertently found herself drawn to the most battered case of the three, a breath catching in her throat at the surprise she felt to know that her son had willingly left the one instrument he would have never left home without in the past. The woman bit her lip, placing one of her delicate hands on the bruised and battered tweed case that rendered to such an old and worn-looking state through constant years of movement, touring, and abuse.
Her grey eyes soaked in each and every detail ranging from the numerous scuff marks, down to the yellowed and almost brown patches of tweed which seemed to be coming undone after being put through a great deal of use. Even as her hand inched towards the case's handle there was no denying the instrument within it was projecting an incredible aura. She could feel it and while most people would have probably thought it to be a trick of the mind, Elizabeth was more than well acquainted with a variety of instruments that gave off their own sort of aura.
Once her fingers curled around the brown handle, Elizabeth hefted the tweed case into full view and laid it on the floor. The three latches opened with audible clicks and the mother of two lifted the lid to reveal a Fender Stratocaster just as worn, old, and battered as the case that housed it. Despite the heavy amount of wear that exposed some of the wood underneath the guitar's finish, Elizabeth could not help but admire the flamed maple neck along with the clash between the yellowed Olympic White finish over the old Sunburst peeking out just below. These two signs made it obvious that it had been refinished before it ever left the factory as a custom order in late 1963.
A small, rueful smile passed along Elizabeth's lips as another feeling of nostalgia slowly enveloped her. Very carefully, she picked up the guitar from its case and marveled at how light it actually felt in her hands. The neck itself appeared to be thoroughly worn in, the rosewood fretboard displaying multiple signs of favor and use but one thing she immediately noticed was how slim the neck was. It was quite comfortable for her even if she had never picked a guitar up in her life. These were all signs that it had been very well favored in the past.
'Once there would have been a time where Yuzuru would have never dared to part with this guitar,' she thought in no small amount of despair.
Memories began to flood her mind, and she could still picture a younger Yuzuru sitting on the floor with his eyes closed wailing away on the guitar as yet another set of more pronounced and experienced series of licks and phrases filled her ears to join her son's playing. Much like in the early days at the height of Sakumo's career, these days had also been much happier times and it had been one of the few instances in the past few years that she had been able to share some common ground with her son even if it meant encouraging him from afar.
'He used to smile so much back then,' she recalled as she peered back to the case only to freeze once she caught sight of a photograph lying face down from where the guitar had been only moments prior.
Elizabeth bit her lip, the breath she had taken still caught in her throat as she reached towards the photograph with trembling hands. It was clear to her now just how deeply affected her youngest son was by all the events that transpired two years prior. The instrument she held in her hands was one that held an extraordinary amount of sentimental value and served as a reminder of some of the greatest times he ever had while living in New Zealand. Kakeru's loss was undoubtedly the final crippling blow that left the boy in quite the state of depression but the largest and possibly the cruelest loss he had in that short timeframe had been in the form of his best friend.
"Rori," she breathed as her eyes watered.
Matsumoto Speed, Matsuida, Gunma Prefecture
2:37PM
Despite his more subdued reaction to the young woman standing before him, Yuzuru could practically feel the aura of pain, wonder and loss she exhibited the closer she drew towards him. From the very moment his gaze fell upon her his injury lay completely forgotten and he could clearly see why. Her aura was incredibly intoxicating, radiating power, confidence, and an undeniable sense of warmth that left him almost breathless. There was a kindness to her, a selflessness that he had seldom seen since his return to Japan two years prior all seemingly hidden away by her youthful appearance and it captured his undivided attention given the fact that he had seen her in a few photographs back when he still lived in New Zealand.
'Yamaguchi Shiori,' he recalled with vivid clarity.
He took her hands in his own, noting the slightly callused feel they had that spoke of many days of hard labor and instantly his regard for her flared even higher. He bowed before her, preferring to convey his feelings through his actions knowing that there simply was no need for words between them. Although this would be their first official meeting, for a moment Yuzuru thought that the two of them were perhaps closer than ever. The anguish her sparkling brown eyes displayed coupled with the air of grief and loss he managed to garner from them was more than enough to draw the same conclusion she seemed to have made when they first spotted one another amidst the noise emitted by the numerous mechanics immersed in their tasks.
"You look just like Kakeru," she whispered, a pained smile slowly making its way across her face despite her tears.
The brown-haired mechanic chuckled lightly, though his voice held no real mirth to it. "I suppose I do."
Shiori shook her head, her smile faltering slightly as she continued to wrestle with her emotions. To see someone so young and vulnerable nearly broke her spirit. All traces of the jovial and open boy she had heard about years before were gone and before her stood a young man on the cusp of adulthood who had endured far too much in such a short span of time.
'It's not fair,' she thought with no small amount of despair.
Indeed, one of life's most enduring lessons and perhaps the most agonizing to deal with was in how cruel it could truly be to some. Yuzuru came from a very affluent family and to a certain extent, royalty in the rallying world and Japanese motorsports due to his father's exploits. One would have expected him to hold a certain air of arrogance to go with his background, but the reality was so much further from the truth.
Tatsuru had described him as a hard worker, kind, driven and humble even if he proved to be a bit reserved at times. A single glance into those brown depths of his however, betrayed the myriad of emotions that plagued him with each passing day, and it was a look she knew very well. For Shiori, it was like looking into a mirror, and the sudden realization struck her like a knife to the heart once she managed to connect the dots. Without further preamble, she closed the gap between them, tugging him down and wrapping her arms around the teenager as she stifled a sob. Yuzuru visibly shuddered in response.
Aside from Reina, he would have never thought it possible for someone to read him like an open book. The very notion terrified him given that he had only just met her but before his mind could even register an attempt to pull back from her embrace he suddenly found himself reciprocating the gesture as he battled the sudden maelstrom of thoughts and emotions that were drawn up to the forefront by her actions.
"It's an honor and pleasure to meet you Yamaguchi-san," Yuzuru rasped. A small smile continued to play at his lips, earnest and heartfelt.
Shiori immediately perked up at the mention of her name, slowly regaining her bearings. She wiped away her tears and drew a breath to compose herself before shifting her brown gaze to meet his own unflinchingly.
"Likewise," Shiori expressed. "I've heard so much regarding you over the years and Tat-chan hasn't shut up about you over the last few days, but the truth is that I really wanted to meet you myself. These last few years have been…difficult. But seeing you here, working on cars and racing the downhill just like he used to do fills me with great joy."
Although barely discernable at first glance, Shiori noted the way his eyes sparkled with an undeniable sense of warmth the moment he registered her words. The corners of his mouth rising to form a wry grin as before giving another chuckle in response.
"He taught me everything I know, and I've built on that since the first time he took me out on a drive through the Crown Range all those years ago. I owe him so much, and it's part of the reason I always push myself to improve with each passing day."
The nostalgia and bittersweet emotions lacing his undertone were unmistakable to the Yokohama native. A fondness and desire to revisit those previous days was easily discernible through his countenance, but it was also difficult to ignore the profound amount of respect with which he gazed at her. It was a look she had seen many times in Tatsuru. She could scarcely describe this unbridled feeling of elation bubbling within her given his resemblance to Kakeru.
'I've barely known him for a few minutes and I already feel like I've known him for longer than that,' she thought to herself.
Before she could continue her train of thought however, Shiori quickly reminded herself that Yuzuru was also his own individual. The time, effort, work, and dedication he must have put forth to develop his technique and carve a name for himself in Gunma was deserving of one's admiration and respect. No ordinary street racer could claim a touge as perilous as Usui as their home course and take down two drivers among one of the strongest teams in the prefecture.
Tatsuru took that as his cue to join in, unconsciously letting out the breath he had been holding onto as warm smile took shape on his previously vacant expression after observing the pair interact.
"We both owe him much as well, don't we Shiori-nee? If it weren't for him, I never would be the racer I am today. I learned a great deal from him, he was a vast repository of knowledge and unbelievably skilled as both a mechanic and a pass racer."
The female mechanic nodded in affirmation. While Tatsuru had cultivated a great deal of his technique during his stint as a student at the Todo School, most of his instructors were often strict and had a very particular way of doing things. For an academy so incredibly well-known for its graduates and capability to produce incredible talent in the racing world, there was a certain freedom and creativity they lacked at times. Students would very rarely question or even criticize their methods, but the first thing he learned from Kakeru was to think for himself and question every instruction relayed.
Where most Todo School graduates had a certain tendency to favor very direct lines straight out of their training textbooks, the man known as Happogahara's Yellow Flash rapidly became renowned for introducing a certain flair, aggressiveness and street smarts that combined a bit of his own temperament and his alma mater's philosophy for speed and precision. Among his peers and those of his generation, he was entirely unique in this aspect, but he had one person to thank for encouraging him to develop his own identity as a pass racer and a professional as well.
"He taught me a great deal as well," Shiori confessed. "Even to this day his knack for setting up any car he put his hands on would always leave me perplexed. His methods were often ingenious and a thing of beauty to behold, but he was also a remarkable human being who cared for others and looked out for his own."
The female mechanic paused to gather her thoughts, her gaze never once wavering as she managed to discern an undisguised affection for the individual they were referring to.
"But above all else he always spoke fondly of you, of his family, and how you would be the one to surpass him when the time came."
Yuzuru froze once again, his smile faltering ever so slightly as he registered her words. From the very moment she uttered those words he felt his blood run cold as a very pronounced wave of despair hit him hard. To hear that the one person he looked up to the most in his life and had such a profound influence on him had really believed he would be the one to surpass him always seemed like a distant fantasy. Despite the all the years and work he had put into making something of himself in his desire to go pro, it had been his greatest hope that at some point he would have been able to race the individual he idolized for his accomplishments in the Crown Range and his return to Japan thereafter.
'For a long time, my greatest desire was to be able to stand alongside you,' he thought to himself as he continued his struggle to contain his emotions. 'I wanted to race with you. I wanted to race against you. I wanted to show you how far I've come along and now…now I'll never get that chance.'
The young man drew in a breath in a strong effort to compose himself. Both Akio and Matsumoto remained by the Fairlady Z, watching the pair interact with undisguised interest. Never before had they managed to see what truly lay beneath Kurokawa Yuzuru's well-crafted façade, but in the span of a few minutes the usually affable and sarcastic mechanic they had all grown increasingly fond of displayed a new side to him.
Traces of regret, sorrow and no small amount of suffering permeated his usually bright and intoxicating aura. It was then they understood that despite his heritage, his age, and his undeniable skill as both a pass racer and a mechanic that there was more to the boy than what he outwardly showed.
'It's the same look Ryosuke has in his eyes at times,' the Chief Mechanic of Project D realized.
Kaede remained silent, standing beside Matsumo and Akio content to observe the trio and their exchange. As one of Yuzuru's few close friends she had come to know him at a personal level that very few ever had the privilege to truly understand. Where most people during their final year and a half in high school encountered a cold, guarded, and reserved individual, she got to know the real Yuzuru beneath it all. Irrespective of his reputation as a delinquent who often skipped class and was on the principal's shit list for throughout the term, she learned very early on that he often hid his true thoughts and feelings behind a carefully built mask.
'He may have told us what really transpired that fateful night two years ago, but the thought of losing someone so close to you and knowing you will never get the chance to see them again is painful. I don't know how he's managed to soldier on after all this time. I don't know how Reina's managed to be strong and look out for him despite knowing how reckless he was during his time racing in Kanagawa,' she mused.
Shiori brought her right hand to rest on his cheek, using the pad of her thumb to wipe away a smudge of oil as Tatsuru placed a hand on Yuzuru's shoulder in response. He trembled again, biting his lip as memories of days long past came to the forefront of his mind.
'I'll never forget the first time he took me on a downhill run at the Crown Range. From the sound of the twin turbocharged rotary down to the incredible speed, control, presence and command he had every time he sat in the driver's seat of that car.'
Yuzuru could vividly recall the first time he sat in the driver's seat of his beloved FD. He had only been thirteen years old then; still growing and both curious and enthralled by the whole experience even if his feet just barely managed to reach the pedals.
"Nii-san."
Tatsuru and Shiori spared spared a glance at each other after hearing the words that flitted across Yuzuru's lips. The raw emotion, regret, and heartache was laid bare in that single sentence and in that very moment they understood just how broken he was by the losses he had endured over the last two years.
"Life can be tremendously cruel," Shiori spoke up. "The wounds we all have run deep but that doesn't mean we should simply give up without fighting to carry on. I've only known you for a few minutes Yuzuru-kun, but ever since I first heard of your exploits, I realized how precious life can also be as well. I loved Kakeru with all my heart and to this day I still love him even if he is no longer with us. The last two years have been tremendously difficult, and I very nearly lost my way. My love for pass racing, my thirst to prove myself and chase after my dreams were things I cherished beyond measure and yet I couldn't find any sort of joy in it as well. It was frightening, and I only realized just how close I came to losing my sense of identity in the depths of my own despair recently."
The Gunma native met Shiori's gaze once more, startled by the revelation after everything Kakeru had told him about her in his past letters.
"What changed?" he asked.
A wry grin settled across her face at his inquiry. She brought her hand down to rest her at side but not before she clutched the necklace and locket resting at her collar.
"You," she replied with no small amount sincerity in her voice.
"Me?"
"Hai," she readily returned. "From the moment I heard your name and everything Tat-chan told me about you I already knew that you were the real deal. Kakeru always said that if anyone would become faster than he was on the touge, you would be the one to do it. He had the upmost faith in you and it never really wavered. You were always a sense of pride for him, and he knew that there would come a day when you would return to Japan to carve a name for yourself."
Steeling his resolve as he took in the woman's words, Yuzuru forced down the negative feelings within him and adopted a more contemplative expression. A part of him felt an immeasurable amount of joy that Kakeru expressed such faith in his abilities but it was tempered by knowledge that he would never truly know what it would be like to race against him.
Nothing could have prepared him for the news he received shortly after he had gone through one of the worse experiences in his young life in New Zealand prior to his departure. He had never imagined or envisioned such a nightmarish scenario, and it served as a reminder of the perils pass racers faced day in and day out on the touge even if in his eyes the cost had been too heavy a price to pay.
'But I will never stop,' he vowed to himself. 'I will continue where he left off. I will make sure my Sileighty and the moniker of Usui's Ghost will be known throughout the entire Kanto region before I go pro. There's so much to see and do. So many talented drivers across Gunma and the neighboring prefectures that I've yet to discover. My time as Kanagawa's Kamikaze may be over, but I will recover that speed and ferocity I've been missing these past few months. Mark my words old man, I will break my own course record with that Eight-Six!'
"Then I will make sure to live up to his expectations. Racing is in my blood Yamaguchi-san, and I never back down from any challenge I receive."
"Spoken like a true Kurokawa," Tatsuru praised before giving an involuntary shudder as the fire within him reignited with the look of determination Yuzuru had on his face.
"I have no doubt you will Yuzuru-kun, but first things first please don't address me with such a formal title. My first name alone will do," Shiori remarked. "It makes me feel too old and that's what people call my mother."
A hearty laugh escaped both of her male companions, the heavy atmosphere from before forgotten in lieu of the Yokohama native's off-handed comment which lightening the mood considerably.
"Very well, does Shiori-nee work for you?"
As soon as the words left his mouth Shiori's expression shifted one more in favor for a bright and captivating smile with an indescribable wave of warmth settling within her at the term of endearment he added to her name. She never would have thought that the young man knew of her past with Kakeru and an insurmountable feeling of joy and elation flowed through her even if was their first official meeting.
Her eyes watered once more, but she hastily wiped away any traces of tears before she nodded to him in acquiesce. For someone so young and only just entering the beginning stages of his adult life he was incredibly kind.
She bowed before him in a display of gratitude. "Thank you."
Matsumoto approached the trio, a small smirk playing at his lips. "It's been a while Iwamura-kun. I haven't seen you aren't these parts in a long time," the man greeted.
"What can I say?" Tatsuru sighed whilst scratching the back of his head in mild embarrassment. "Between my duties with Honda and all the work I've been putting in at the academy I've been a little strapped for some free time."
"Be that as it may," the shop owner returned. "It's very good to see you and I see that you've brought a friend along as well. Care to introduce her?"
Shiori immediately bowed once again before introducing herself. "Yamaguchi Shiori at your service, Matsumoto-san. I have heard many good things about your work as the owner of this shop and as chief mechanic of Project D. It's an honor to make your acquaintance."
"Pleased to meet you," the elder chief mechanic replied.
Tatsuru rolled his eyes at her rather subdued demeanor, choosing to gain some amusement at her expense even if he would undoubtedly be paying for it later. "Don't sell yourself short Shiori-nee. You're also a hell of a mechanic working for one of the biggest shops in Yokohama and probably the best ECU programmer in the entire Kanto region."
The twenty-five-year-old mechanic's eyes narrowed to slits; a fierce glare levelled on her companion. Her identity as the infamous programmer known as 'Tsugumi' was a closely guarded secret and it was one that she took a great deal of pride in.
Before she could come up with a retort however, Matsumoto cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow in undisguised interest.
"Oh? What shop do you work for if you don't mind me asking Yamaguchi-san?" he queried.
"Portside Racing Factory," she responded with subtle traces of hesitance in her undertone.
In an instant three different pairs of eyes zeroed in on the young woman. Akio's mouth dropped open in utter shock while Yuzuru made little effort to hide his intrigue at the revelation.
Although not as well known as Matsumoto Speed, many people in Kanagwa and the surrounding prefectures had heard much about the tuning shop based in Yokohama. For a relatively small shop when compared to the likes of RE Amemiya, Mine's, HKS and numerous others across Japan, Portside Racing Factory (PRF for short) was very well established.
Possessing an almost unparalleled reputation as a producer of custom ECU's, and the only shop in the entire country known to carry those made and programmed by none other than the one referred to as 'Tsugumi', the Black Jewel of Kanagawa, PRF was very well-respected for their innate gift with tuning and modifying anything that came their way.
Their most note-worthy accomplishments however, lay in the track monsters they produced and their rampant success in Time Attack races held periodically in tracks such as Tsukuba, Nikko, and Twin Ring Motegi to name a few.
"Remarkable," Matsumoto declared enthusiastically. "I've only been there a handful of times in the past, but I've seen the work they do firsthand, and they certainly live up to their name. Iwamura-san mentioned that you're also a programmer?"
"The best," the Tochigi native remarked without missing a beat. "She's the only person I trust to work on my car at the moment, and she's an extremely gifted mechanic who possesses an incredible touch in regard to anything she gets her hands on."
'That's because I learned from the best,' she mused to herself.
In all her time as both a street racer and a mechanic, Shiori gained a vast wealth of knowledge and expertise. Kanagawa was a veritable breeding ground known for producing some of the most talented drivers and treacherous courses. There was a reason why the prefecture was considered the 'Holy Land of Street Racing', with both amateurs and professionals alike flocking to its mountain passes to be a part of the action and she was absolutely no different.
During her formative years as on the touge, Shiroi had been a bit of an introvert. She always preferred to keep to herself, a trait she still possessed and rarely chose to interact with those who tried to get her attention by acting all high and mighty simply because they managed to score a win here and there on a local course. Above all else however, she made a name for herself in her home course of Tsubaki Line in the driver's seat of her beloved MR-S. While nowadays it was considered the epicenter of Sidewinder territory, her ZZW30 was very well known for its exploits in the prefecture.
For a time, she had been a proud member of one of Kanagawa's infamous 'Four Lines of Defense,' and had decimated many drivers who thought they had what it took to test their mettle against a highly skilled and organized team as theirs. It wouldn't last; as she soon encountered the driver who had single handedly dismantled these so-called 'Lines of Defense' in the short span of two months in a heavily modified SW20.
Nothing could have prepared her for the way that man had taken her out of her comfort zone. The aura, confidence and raw talent he exuded was unlike anything she had come across before. As infuriating he had been shortly after their first meeting, Shori would find something else to aspire to. Someone who inspired her to work hard; to continue to develop her abilities as a driver and mechanic.
His absence over the last two years would become one of the most difficult things she endured in her twenty-five years of life, and she often found herself missing his presence, his warmth, and enthusiastic demeanor far more than she would have cared to admit.
Yuzuru's appearance on the other hand, coupled with his meteoric rise in Kanagawa behind the wheel of a white FD in addition to his more recent escapades in Gunma at the helm of his Sileighty reignited that passion and fire that had dwindled in the absence of the one person she grew to love and cherish before he was taken from her in the cruelest way imaginable.
'He may be gone, and the pain will probably fade away. But I promise I'll be there every step of the way to help Yuzuru-kun accomplish what Kakeru could not. In his place, I will look after his legacy and help him polish his skills even further,' she silently vowed.
The elder Kurokawa's passive interest flared at Tatsuru's fervent praise. Part of him had been curious to see the young woman at work primarily due to her background and experience, but to have someone of the pro-racer's standing speak so highly of her really struck him. There was no doubt in his mind that Shiori was in fact a highly skilled and gifted mechanic. If her tech-savvy disposition was anything to go by, then he was excited to see what she had to offer.
'You were back in Japan for only a few years,' he thought to himself. 'But in that time, you touched the lives of some very incredible people.'
Glancing back at her, Yuzuru's smirk widened into a rather large grin. "Then how about we take a look at what you've got," he said with a fair amount of playfulness.
Almost immediately Shiori's head whipped back to focus on the brunette, her brown eyes narrowing at the undisguised challenge. A feral grin of her own took shape on her face in response.
"Pass me the laptop and I'll show you just what I can do," she declared.
Takahashi Residence, Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture
3:41PM
Takahashi Ryosuke sat as is desk in absolute silence, his dark eyes being the only indication of the confusion he felt as he set his phone down after the call he had received. A rare day off from his duties as leader of Project D had given him the opportunity to get in touch with his network and more importantly, gather more information on Kurokawa's exploits in Kanagawa.
The amount of information his contacts in Kanagawa return to him with was nothing short of startling, and for a moment he had a difficult time reconciling the young and charismatic street racer known for his friendly disposition characterized by a healthy dose of sarcasm to the cold and calculating individual that roamed the aforementioned prefecture in search of a particular vehicle.
Many people referred to him as a veritable monster. A driver who tore the competition without a single regard for what others thought of him even if he did earn his slew of admirers as a result. To Ryosuke, it quickly became apparent that behind that bright and meticulous mind, lay an incredibly complex individual known as Kurokawa Yuzuru. Underneath it all, there was a darker, more unforgiving personality that made him all-the-more menacing and dangerous to those who underestimated him.
Some said that Kurokawa drove like a man possessed. Some even went as far to say that his aggressive approach behind the wheel of his FD was downright suicidal considering how he even managed to duel the Shinigami to an absolute standstill and come out unscathed over the course of the battle. Were he a different sort of man, perhaps Ryosuke would have felt terrified at the very notion given the man's reputation and his masterful command of his BNR32. But his experience during his tenure as Akagi's White Comet and his own personal history with the man only drew forth a greater curiosity for Kurokawa.
His analysis and comparison between the one who took Kanagawa by storm two years prior and the one who was beginning to make waves in their home prefecture of Gunma had been plaguing him since their previous encounter in Usui during Keisuke's Shakedown with his own FD and although he considered him a true mechanical genius and phenomenal driver in the making, he was also quite young.
Like Fujiwara, Kurokawa had a much earlier start in the world of street racing and while he was certain his father had been a major contributing factor in his decision to hone his skills on the touge there were also an alarming number of signs that the young man's actions and overall demeanor during his stint in Kanagawa were for a much larger purpose than claiming a few scalps against some of the toughest teams in the Greater Kanto.
If there was one thing his previous interactions with the elder Kurokawa yielded aside from his enormous contributions to Matsumoto Speed and Project D despite the short time he had known him, was that he saw much of himself in him even if there some clear differences as well.
In a manner similar to his downhill ace, Yuzuru possessed an uncanny ability to adapt to any given situation thrown at him and learn from it. His patience, calm, and focused demeanor during a battle on the other hand, was a stark reminder of himself. Behind his usually open and welcoming exterior lay a rather wounded and tortured soul. All it had taken was a single glance at his eyes the day Kyochi had Naruse challenge Kurokawa that night in Akina.
It was a look he knew very well, for there were times he still saw it in his own reflection when left to his thoughts for a prolonged period of time. Reina had hinted that not all was what it seemed when it came to her older brother in the last conversation they had shared, and at the time her cryptic statement expressing her desire to keep information about her brother's past under wraps ultimately made him come what he considered a very likely conclusion that only served to reignite his curiosity.
What he found however, was something no one could have prepared him for.
'Kurokawa-kun began to race when most people aren't even old enough to get a learner's permit in some places,' the elder Takahashi mused to himself. 'At merely fourteen years of age, he began to race in New Zealand on his own with no one to guide him in the process. Everything he's learned, everything he;s become are a direct result of the time and effort he spent learning, training, and developing his overall technique and capabilities.'
To Ryosuke, it was incredible to believe that someone as young as Kurokawa possessed the knowledge and expertise needed to tune and setup a car in such a short period of time compared to what most seasoned mechanics normally took. His efficiency and determination were nothing short of admirable, and if one were observant enough it was obvious that the brunette's ultimate goal was to make it to the world stage.
"Yume," he said aloud to himself.
Among his drivers in Project D and the numerous street racers he had encountered during his time on touge, Kurokawa was the first and to date, only individual he had the pleasure of knowing who shared the same answer when asked what racing truly meant to him. The passion and exuberance rolled that rolled off his aura that day at the noodle shop the first time they met had been deeply ingrained in his memory and it would later become one of the major factors relating to his decisions to keep a very close eye on him as he progressed.
'But then there's also his time in Kanagawa to consider,' he reminded himself.
From the few reports he managed to compile along with multiple eyewitness accounts regarding Kanagawa's Kamikaze, Kurokawa demolished practically every driver that came his way with an utter ruthlessness. Save for the Shinigami, he never truly lost a downhill battle but what surprised Ryosuke the most, was the revelation that during this time frame the then seventeen-year-old mechanic scoured all of Kanagawa in search of someone and a very particular car.
'An A70 Mark III Supra.'
While much of his time in the prefecture was spent racing across some of the most treacherous mountain passes Japan had to offer, several of his sources claimed that Kurokawa rarely stuck around after he finished a battle. Few people ever truly caught a glimpse of the FD's considerably young driver save for those who were a part of the strong and more competitive teams in the prefecture along with their leaders and a select few.
Most of the teams save for those in Sidewinder, Spiral and 246 grew ro loathe him for his blunt and inquisitive attitude while on the hunt for the Supra. This last tidbit of information had been more than enough for him to go on as he began to scour all potential leads to track down the red Supra that had been a fixture in Hakone prior to its disappearance just over two years prior.
'But what reason could Kurokawa-kun have to be so hell bent on finding this car?' the man questioned.
Before Ryosuke could continue his train of thought his cell phone began to ring once again, bringing his inner dialogue to a halt. The young medical student grabbed his nearby carton of Mild Sevens, his lighter and his phone as he got up and opened the sliding door of his room to step out into the balcony.
His mobile continued its incessant blaring as its owner chose to momentarily ignore it as he slipped a cigarette to his lips and promptly lit up. He stole a long drag from it, only to release a cloud of smoke as he finally brought his cell phone up to his ear with his free hand after pocketing his carton.
"Moshi-moshi," he answered.
"Ah Ryosuke-san, it seems like you finally picked up. Sorry to bother on your day off,"
"It's alright Fumihiro, how go the preparations for our upcoming race in Ibaraki?"
"Everything's ready. All of the support vans are prepped and ready to go. We've also sorted through all of the parts, spare tires for the cars, and equipment needed to keep them in tip top shape."
"That's good Fumihiro, this upcoming expedition will undoubtedly prove to be our toughest one to date. The new upgrades made to Keisuke's FD along with Kurokawa-kun's adjustments on the suspension have made the car corner much quicker than I previously anticipated. Transitions are smoother all around, the body doesn't roll as much as it did before and there is a definite increase in grip when compared to the last setup. We may need to have him do a few tweaks once our drivers get a feel for the course to better suit the road conditions. The FD has seen a major improvement in handling as well no doubt due to the combined efforts of Kurokawa-kun and Tomiguchi. Keisuke is going to need the added grip and stability on such a tricky course like Tsukuba."
"I agree," Fumihiro conceded. "I drove and walked through the pass multiple times during our previous trips and realized just how bumpy it was. The slopes are quite severe and the high-speed section narrows considerably as well. I can see why you chose Usui as the best location to test make adjustments to both the Eight-Six and the FD."
Ryosuke exhaled a breath of smoke from his limply hanging cigarette, the warm summer breeze picking up as he carefully considered his second in command's assessment. From a certain perspective, he had chosen Usui primarily because it was a far more unforgiving pass when compared to Tsukuba. Despite all of his own experience as a street racer in Gunma and the surrounding prefectures, Usui became one of those courses that he approached with a great level of respect and caution simply because of how difficult it was to race through it at such a high intensity for a prolonged period of time.
Over the last few weeks, he had managed to compile an extensive amount of information regarding their opponents and their two chosen specialists. Both Hoshino and Joshima were considered legendary around those parts, their outright skill and speed on Tsukuba was well documented and while he held no reservations in having Project D face them head on he could not shake the feeling that these upcoming battles would test the endurance and skill of his drivers to their fullest extent.
"Usui has a much more aggressive layout than Tsukuba, and it is characterized by very frequent changes in elevation. Whether it is a downward slope or a relatively steep crest it takes quite a toll on the car and its driver. Tsukuba bears a few similarities to it even though the corners are not as tight or difficult as Usui. Bearing this in mind, I decided to have the FD's first shakedown there primarily because the road conditions are relatively similar as well. Usui is quite bumpy, and at times is known to play tricks on you if one is not capable or resourceful enough to calculate the best lines or gaps when looking to pass an opponent. In some respects, Tsukuba shares this trait as well."
"Indeed," Fumihiro returned. "The motorcycle has been loaded to the support van as well by the way. It's taking up quite a bit of space but it's there for Keisuke-san and Fujiwara to use whenever they need it. Have you heard from Kurokawa about his decision yet?"
"No," Ryosuke readily admitted as another cloud of smoke escaped him. "But I am confident that he will be making the trip to Ibaraki. If all goes well, he will most likely join us by Saturday night. Ichinose-kun will be making the trip with us on Friday which should provide us with a bit of a head start if everything goes according to plan."
Fumihiro chuckled in response. "To think the source of Fujiwara's engine was none other than Kurokawa himself is nothing short of mindboggling," admitted.
To some degree, Ryosuke echoed that sentiment primarily because of the undeniable aptitude someone not even twenty years of age had as both an automotive technician and a driver as well. While Ichinose possessed an incredible skill as a mechanic in his own right and was both hard-working, efficient and extremely dedicated, Kurokawa was a veritable genius in the making even if he did not seem to know or acknowledge the notion.
Keisuke had mentioned Kurokawa's odd habit of picking up all the subtle intricacies the car had and to say that his Ryosuke found this quirk fascinating. This sixth sense he had, this ability to feel every single nuance from the car's balance, to its brakes, tires and overall handling was a rarity. For someone so incredibly young, Yuzuru possessed a certain knack for finding the sweet spot to anything he laid his hands on.
'The scariest part is that he will only continue to nurture and develop these abilities,' he thought to himself.
"When I first founded Project D Fuhimiro, my goal was to take two of the best drivers in all of Gunma and establish our own legend. To leave our name in the hearts and minds of all racing enthusiasts across all of Kanto and develop the skills of these drivers to a higher, more competitive level. We have some of the brightest mechanical minds working on our cars and Ichinose-kun's addition will be absolutely crucial given the amount of work we have ahead of us for our final phase after Ibaraki."
"Once again I find myself inclined to agree regarding Ichinose. He has plenty of experience and before Kurokawa arrived at Matsumoto's shop, he had been his best and brightest. Those two have an almost unnatural capability to understand one another without even verbally communicating. That night we tested Keisuke-san's FD at Usui really displayed how well the two work together as a unit."
"Hai," the retired street racer replied. "Kurokawa-kun is a prodigious talent by all accounts. He bears an astonishing ability to adapt to any given situation thrown at him and knows his way around a car better than most people his age, but he can also be quite puzzling."
"How so?" Fumihiro inquired.
"I presume Keisuke has already mentioned that Kurokawa-kun was the driver of the white FD once known as Kanagawa's Kamikaze, correct?"
"Of course," the elder man answered.
"Then I'm sure you've heard that word around the grapevine is that during his tenure in Kanagawa, Kurokawa-kun spent an extraordinarily large amount of time searching for a particular vehicle. Most of my sources stated that he was on the hunt for an A70 Supra in particular, and there was a certain ferociousness and some even dare-say recklessness that he exhibited in the day he dispatched his opponents. He could be brutal, daring and rarely pulled his punches, but what strikes me the most is that the one we have come to know is quite different," he expressed.
"Perhaps he found what he was looking for," Fumihiro casually offered.
Ryosuke shook his head. "No, if he had, then I'm sure he would have managed to retain the speed and tenacity he had when he raced in Kanagawa. Something changed him. I can feel it, but at the same time many factors could have contributed to such a change in mentality behind the wheel."
Indeed; if there was one thing Ryosuke was certain of, was that the monster that once so callously shattered Yokohama's Lines of Defense still lurked somewhere within him and was waiting for the right time to come out and play again. His encounter with the Emperors on Akina and his reaction to Kyochi's incessant line of inquiry was enough for it to come to the surface even if they had only managed to catch a glimpse of it.
"His switch from the FD he was accustomed to driving for many years to a newer, more unfamiliar car has probably been his greatest handicap as of late," he surmised before continuing.
"But one thing I know for sure is that Kurokawa-kun has the skill and technique to surpass the mark he left as Kanagawa's Kamikaze once he manages to work through his inhibitions. As a driver, he is already a cut above many of those in Gunma and this new analytical approach he has developed in the time since he raced in the neighboring prefecture will help him a great deal all things considered. It amazes me that Kurokawa-kun has evolved so much in the last two years and it shows that he's come a very long way. My initial observations led me to conclude that he was once strongly driven by his emotions. They were what fueled his technique, but now he's adopted a more diverse and rather meticulous driving which I applaud. Once he learns to channel his emotions positively, and combine it with his more systematic mannerisms behind the wheel, he will come out all the better for it."
"Do you think he has what it takes to beat that Naruse kid in Akagi or any of the Emperors?" Fumihiro wondered aloud.
"Without question," the FC driver answered with no hesitation in his voice. "While Iwamura Keigo was not much of a challenge for him during his previous race in Usui, Kurokawa-kun has what it takes to take the fight to the Emperors and come out on top. Three weeks is ample enough time to prepare for his downhill battle, and from what I've been reliably informed, his father has given him the monumental task of beating his own record by at least seven seconds in a severely underpowered car. He has a week to complete the task and I get the feeling he will succeed in a matter of days. It's more of a question of when."
"Seven seconds?! That's insane!" the man on the other end of the line exclaimed.
Ryosuke chuckled lightly in amusement. "If he sets his mind to it, I gather it will not be all that difficult for him. He can compensate for the shortcomings of the car that's been forced onto him with his technique. All he really needs is a shove in the right direction. That car his father is having him train with is most likely a steppingstone for him to move onto the next level."
"How so?"
"Reina-san wasn't all that clear during our last conversation, but supposedly he has been alternating with his Sileighty each day since the previous Sunday. She didn't really go into specifics, but she did mention that the car will train him and force him to discover any inherent flaws in his overall technique. If he discovers them early enough, and works to correct them with each run, then I gather he will most likely succeed before the end of this week," Ryosuke stated.
"That's cutting things a bit close isn't it? He did say he would join us at Ibaraki before the battle at least. Project D could use all the extra hands it can get and someone as talented as Kurokawa is hard to come by."
"There's no need to worry Fumihiro," the team leader assured. "I know he will succeed."
"That's quite the statement coming from you Ryosuke-san but that's enough about that for now. How about you tell me of that young girl you spent a great deal of time speaking to that night at Usui? I know that she's Kurokawa's younger sister, but she seems quite knowledgeable as well don't you think?"
The former street racer paused in his thoughts for a moment, his mind carefully recalling the strong impression Kurokawa Reina made on him since their first introduction.
For a young girl only sixteen years of age, Reina was rather unique, and he found himself enjoying her company immensely each time they met. Although she was quite young, the brunette possessed a very sharp and intelligent mind with a temper to match. She was outspoken, unafraid to voice her opinion and could be quite blunt at times which was a trait he found quite refreshing. Sooner or later, Reina would take up street racing as well, and Ryosuke already knew that he would not miss one single moment of it since he had decided very early on that he would be monitoring her progress closely.
"In time, I have no doubt in my mind that Reina-san will take Gunma and the surrounding prefectures by storm if she sets her mind to it. Her brother will be there to guide her during her early stages of development, and sooner or later I get the feeling she may come to me or Keisuke soon. When she does, I will give her all the guidance I can provide," he answered.
"Hm, she may very well be a future racing genius in the making Ryosuke-san. Only time will tell really but a part of me is excited knowing that Gunma continues to be a breeding ground for some truly special drivers. Anyway, I'm gonna leave you to it. I need to get in touch with Matsumoto for a bit and have him look over some of the data we acquired last time out on Usui. I'll be seeing you soon Ryosuke-san, ja ne."
"Ja ne," the man replied before snapping his cell phone shut. He put out the remnants of his cigarette before heading back into his room.
'I may as well look over some of the data myself,' he thought to himself.
He seated himself back at his desk with a sigh, his eyes breezing through the information before he suddenly came to a halt as a pop-up notification came up on the screen signifying that he had a new email in his inbox. Without further thought on the matter he clicked it, realizing that it had come from one of his many contacts in Kanagawa. The message was short and concise, telling him to click the hyperlink.
Once he did however, nothing could have prepared him for the shock he received once he realized that he had been re-directed to an article detailing an incident that had occurred in Nanamagari. His eyes widened considerably; a rare feat given someone of his composure as he read the name associated with it.
"Kurokawa Kakeru," he breathed.
A/N:
So, it's been quite a while in all honesty and I'm pretty sure most of you thought this story was dead… In all honesty, this chapter sat in my computer for well over three years at this point but it has gone through several versions and iterations before I settled on this one.
Over the last two months I have been slowly re-reading begun the process of editing the first few chapters given the few typos and corrections I overlooked. I will continue to do this while I work on the upcoming chapter.
In the meantime, all I can do is apologize profusely for taking so incredibly long to update this story. For a while I lost my motivation to write and I've lost some very dear people to me in the last three years which is why I struggled to continue since there were more important things I had to deal with.
Rest assured however, that this story will continue, and I've already got a sequel planned out that will pick up shortly after this one ends. I'm pretty sure you can all guess who the main character of that story will be given the hints I dropped in this chapter but that won't come until this story concludes.
To all of those that reviewed and messaged me during this long sabbatical I took, I thank you for the bottom of my heart. Many of you encouraged me to keep writing and were interested in the direction this story would go and now I am glad to say that you will be able to read it soon.
Now, as for updates, the sad reality is that they may be a little slow going. I work full-time in an office and I don't have as much time as I would really like given that I also go to school full-time, but I will do my upmost to publish at least one to two chapters a month.
Thank you all for your tremendous patience and join me on this ride. I promise you all that it will be well worth it.