Disclaimer: I don't own Initial D (sadly) at all, and I never will. I do take credit for the idea of the storyline though. If you find any similarities in my story, to other stories, then the other story must be damn good!

A/N: hey again! PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU START FLAMING ME!!! Ok well, this is the first chapter (obviously), and it starts at roughly beginning of spring, or it takes off where the third stage ended. Like I said, I've only ever watched the series, so if I get something inaccurate, could u please review and tell me about it, so I can correct it? Plus, if any of you review (which I really doubt) can you please tell me whether you think ryosuke is a cold-hearted bastard or just a plain emotion-hiding dude (maybe playing mysterious for the girls?), and can you also say whether you think ryosuke has bad fashion sense? Just so I can fix up the story according to your thoughts. I'll be asking for more thoughts as I go along, so help me out.

Ok, now I just want all you car-lovers out there to know that in my country, it isn't legal for me to apply for my license for like another counts on fingersfor like another 37 months (sheesh!). That and I'm not really a big person on cars. I will have a lot of battles, it just won't be so detailed that I'll be typing about gear-shifting. Oh, and did I mention that I'm not a 24/7 car-lover? That just means that I won't know all about engines, and good cars and stuff. So if any of you would like to help me out with the cars, send me an email. Just in case you haven't noticed, I changed the skyline to a BMW, for storyline purposes.

Drivers Release

- Chapter One : Friend

It had been two months since Tsugumi had come to stay with the Takahashi's as her parents had gone overseas for business opportunities and they were not comfortable with Tsugumi staying home alone for six or more months. She was entrusted to the care of the elder Takahashi's. At this moment and for the next few days, however, she would be Ryosuke's responsibility – his parents gone on some trip.

Right now Tsugumi was wandering up and down the two-storey home walking and laughing over the phone with an unseen friend. Ryosuke was trying to work out a new theory on Mount Akina but he was too tired. He had gone for a few days without sleep thanks to classes hospital work. He rubbed his eyes and lay in his bed, distantly hearing Tsugumi say good night to her friend. A few minutes later he heard a soft knock at his door.

"Come in"

The door creaked open and Tsugumi poked her head in through the gap. "Err… Ryosuke, I just wanted you to know that a friend of mine is coming to stay over for a while" she said, slightly apprehensive.

Ryosuke raised his head. "What?" he asked, annoyed. Taking care of Tsugumi was ok, but what did he know about this friend of hers? Why did she even invite her friend to come and stay here?

"I told your parents a while ago, and they said yes. I promise she won't be much of a problem! I'll kick her out myself if she irritates either you or Keisuke!" she added for re-assurance.

Ryosuke rubbed his eyes (yet again) and sighed. Tsugumi came over and took one of his hands in hers. "Please?"

"My parents have already said yes, so what would happen if I said no?" he asked tiredly.

Tsugumi grinned. "Then you'll find various pots and pans flying towards your head!"

Ryosuke smiled. "Go to sleep… its one in the morning…"

Tsugumi bounced up and called out thanks before the door clicked shut.

Ryosuke lay a few more minutes before he got up to get changed, then turn off the light. His last thought before he fell into a much-needed sleep was whether he could trust Tsugumi's sense of judgment on her own friend.

--- ---

She lay on top of her sheets, on her side, staring out her window, past the balcony, onto the city lights. The amount of life going on at this time of night comforted her. She was never really made for the quiet life, and she was scared whenever there weren't any small signs of life other than herself. Whether it be the small cicadas outside her window when she was younger, or the hustle-bustle that the city inhibited, she was happy.

She turned to lay on her other side, and her eyes landed on her bags. They were packed. She was leaving to stay with her friend the next day, and she was nervous. She knew she would settle easily, but she was nervous about how quiet it would be. She was a free spirit. Not necessarily outgoing and lively, but she was happy and curious and she didn't believe in going at a slow pace. Perhaps that was why her parents had spoiled her so much, because they had believed she would have the life they didn't. She remembered the time her brother had said he would become an accountant cause of the money (believe it or not, they DO make a lot) and she had cried for a week. It seemed like such a waste of a life to her.

Waste of life. She had had that fear buried within her ever since she had been born. She feared for other people more than she feared for herself. And so she had now made practically a career in prevention of her greatest fear, other than loneliness. For what was life, if not shared? She sighed - she knew she was getting all sentimental on herself again. She pulled the blankets over herself, and closed her eyes, listening to the steady traffic on the streets below.