Disclaimer: This is just a story I wrote of initial d. I don't own initial d whatsoever, and I am not making a profit. ;)

A/N: hello again… sigh ok, I REALLY need the answer to the Ryosuke questions from last chapter, and I wont be able to update until they're answered… actually, I could keep writing the stories, but then somebody might flame me about warping the characters so THERE! breathes in and out ok… now I gotta tell you people that I'm not Japanese, so I don't know any phrases, or any like… you know… how you're supposed to act or whatever. So if like, you find something wrong, review me, and teach me. If you have any ideas for my story, please review me, 'cause there's a very strong chance I'm gonna take it into consideration. Just be sure to keep reading the author notes for voting of storylines ok?

Also, I live in Australia, so I might write words like university instead college and stuff alright?

Drivers Release

- Chapter 2 : Dirty Laundry

Tsugumi woke up with a bursting heart. She opened her eyes to a shining sun and decided that someone 'up there' was definitely on her side today. Today. Today her friend was coming.

Tsugumi seemed to float in and out of the shower in a daze. As she was choosing what outfit to wear after school, she planned the night. She had no idea what time her friend was arriving, but she was sure it was after 5pm.

She hummed as she thought about it. If she were lucky, maybe her friend would arrive early. She would hug her, and take around the two-story home. Perhaps she would introduce her to Ryosuke and Keisuke if they were home. They would eat the dinner the maid had cooked. Knowing her friend, she would – Tsugumi froze, in the middle of buttoning her school blouse. She shrieked and ran out of her room.

---##---

Ryosuke's eyes snapped open abruptly. He looked over at his clock. It was 6:55am. He wondered why he was awake. His alarm hadn't rung (not that it was even on, it was Saturday, therefore a late day and classes wouldn't be starting until 11), and as far as he knew, Keisuke hadn't just banged into the house, wasted after a night out drinking with friends. Nor were his parents due back yet. Then he realised there were heavy footsteps headed towards his room, along with hysterical ramblings sounding suspiciously like 'Oh God, this can't be happening…'

As Ryosuke sat up in bed, Tsugumi burst in through the door without so much as a knock, looking as frantic as a bride who had lost a pretty glass slipper. "The maid has arthritis!" she cried, before she dropped to dropped to the floor in a kneeling position, buried her head in her hands, and began to wail and groan as though the world was about to end.

Ryosuke was stunned and confused. Nothing in university had prepared him for a cousin who had suddenly started caring for an arthritic person.

Keisuke came in, rubbing his eyes, his words slurred from sleep. "Bro, I think there's been a bloody murder. There was a bloodcurdling shriek and I woke up"

He finally noticed Tsugumi sitting on the ground in a heap, wailing and shaking her head (buried in her hands) at the floor. Keisuke looked from Tsugumi to Ryosuke.

"Oh," he said inadequately "Did something happen?"

"The maid," she sobbed "has arthritis!" came a muffled reply from Tsugumi. She continued with her odd wailing.

The Takahashi Brothers shared a look. Why had their cousin suddenly developed feelings for their maid?

Keisuke squatted down next to Tsugumi and patted her awkwardly on the back. "It's OK… arthritis isn't life threatening" Keisuke comforted. Then he stopped. "Is it?" he asked uncertainly.

Ryosuke shook his head in reply. They flinched when Tsugumi broke into dry sobs.

"This can't be happening! Not now! Why? Why now?" she wailed helplessly.

Ryosuke finally got out of bed and kneeled down next to Tsugumi, placing his hand on her shoulder. He silence Keisuke with a look when he noticed Keisuke looking at him funny. He knew where it was coming from, and he'd explain later.

"Tsugumi, you knew the maid's arthritis was starting to act up weeks ago. You also knew that she had called in sick a few days ago, and that she would be gone for the next few weeks. Why do you think Keisuke's stomach grumbles so? Or why there's a clothing shortage coming up?" he said reasonably.

Due to the maid's departure, no one had been eating properly, which was due largely to the fact that no one could cook. They had split simple chores between themselves evenly, but no one had taken the job of laundry cleaning (or toilet cleaning) and the laundry room was largely avoided (unless it was to dump more clothes).

Ryosuke continued.

"This was all predetermined, and yet now you lie here in a crumpled heap on my floor, moaning about how it's happening and why it's happening now… why is this?"

Tsugumi continued to shake her head at the floor. Keisuke moved to his older brother side and said gravely

"I think it's finally gotten to her, bro. Her brain is slowly dieing of malnutrition" Right on cue, Keisuke's stomach began to growl its agreement. Ryosuke could feel the beginning of hunger pains himself and it didn't take him long to make the decision.

"I'll go make some reservations at a restaurant. Tonight we're eating out"

Keisuke's usual scowl vanished and Tsugumi's hands dropped.

"Really?" came two voices.

The proposal had invoked a more hopeful and desperate reaction in Tsugumi.

 "Really" Ryosuke answered annoyed. He had woken up with barely six hours sleep after three days with none, on a non-racing night, by a hysterical cousin and a very hungry little brother. He hadn't had a coffee, a cigarette, or a shower and he was pretty sure his hair was sticking up at the back.

 "What are we eating, Ryosuke?" sniffed Tsugumi, her eyes bright. Ryosuke in turn looked at Keisuke. He knew that whatever place he chose to go to, his little brother would most likely call out smart arse comments about his choice being 'prissy' and he was not in a good enough mood to take it mildly. He was, however, in a good enough mood to enjoy mixing Keisuke's hair wax with pink glitter stars, hide his car keys in Tsugumi's underwear (Tsugumi would have to help him on that one though) and maybe drug him with diarrhoea tablets. His mood lightened as he remembered how a few years ago he had glued fluffy pink fabric onto the yellow FD after the owner had told all that he was 'planning' to paint his white FC pink with sparkles in order to attract a male into the backseat… of course, his mother had hidden his car keys for a month. He was snapped out of his thoughts by a voice.

 "Seafood" Keisuke stated, after much frowning and thought. "I feel like something fishy"

"Yes, let's!" Tsugumi cried out, shocking the other two. "I'm sure my friend would love that!"

"Friend?" Keisuke asked with much confusion.

"Friend" Ryosuke grated out, remembering.

"What's this about a friend?" Keisuke asked the both of them.

"Oh, errr… my friend is coming" Tsugumi answered.

"Coming where?" he asked.

"Coming here"

"Oh," he said, "Whatever". He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms as though this was too much to take in at this time in the morning. Silence. Ryosuke looked at Tsugumi.

"Tonight your friend can come with us, but after that, she is your responsibility, OK?"

She nodded solemnly "of course"

"Good… now get out of my room and get ready for school" his voice showed how tired he was.

Tsugumi stood up and walked out the door, leaving it open. Keisuke however, remained where he stood, looking at his brother questioningly.

"What?" Ryosuke asked irritably.

"Why are you wearing the orange boxers Kenta bought you for Christmas?"

"Because I wanted to feel special… now get OUT!"

Before Keisuke fully disappeared onto the other side of the door, he cast a last glance at the orange boxers and grinned stupidly. A pillow came at his head.

Ryosuke grabbed a towel and made his way towards the shower, wondering why Tsugumi was so desperate to impress her friend.

---##---

She looked around her bedroom and sighed. It was going to be a while before she came back. She noticed a card on her bedside table and hastily put it in her backpack. She inhaled deeply, almost as though savouring the smell, before she walked out, shutting the door behind her.

She got off the elevator and instantly spotted her beloved BMW, waiting for her, with her clothes packed inside. She drove off, missing her stuffed-animal-filled room already.

---##---

A/N: ok I realise I'm putting a second author note ok? So anyway… I just want you to know about the characters. Ryosuke is a little off cause well… wouldn't you be a little off if some person just burst into your room, and started crying about nothing? Especially if you hadn't had a lot of sleep lately? And ALL little siblings tease the elder(s), it's a fact of life, I should know, after all, I was born with the instinct.