ACT 7 – 7000RPM 'See You Again!'

After months of competition, our campaign was finally over. Or was it? I admit, it was a really great experience. I had been able to learn a lot of things, not only about cars and racing, but also about others around me, as well as myself. Kumiko, Ling, everyone… including my sister and Hyuga as well; they all did their best to help me be strong. I was so naïve way before then. Maybe I still am. But times have really changed. Fortunately, even though our mission was over, it was not goodbye.

I continued my work as both Shireishou X and as a waitress in my sister's restaurant. I felt like I was training to do everything. During the day, I do my cooking, cleaning and washing, and during the nights, all I gotta do is fly.

I know it was a relaxing time for everybody, but not for me. My sister Maya knew about this. She knew about it for a long time. For months, I have not taken you away from my mind for a single moment, Chuan Fu Huo…

The mysteries of KYOKO and everything she had shown me up to now was still a bit vague. However, it was been a while since I had time to relax too. Maya was kind enough to shout me a full tank of gas, if I were to take her crusing one day.
It was around the afternoon, Maya and I had left the café in the hands of our colleagues. They were kind enough to give us a break, which we could have asked for frequently, but didn't.
And thanks to the profits I had earned during my first operation with Zui Hou, I could finally get back to shopping again! It's certainly been a while.

('I Only Want To Be With You' – SWITCH/Heartsdales/Koda Kumi)

We went out for a drive, top down, music turned up while crusing around and about the highways. We were not speeding or anything. I had just started to get used to KYOKO's navigation system. It was very handy. I had actually found many routes in which I have never even knew about before. Some were very convenient, and some I would not even need.

"You're much smoother with you car control, Minako," complimented Maya.

Although what she said was true, I was not really in the mood for talking about driving or cars again. I just wanted to do it though. Better to drive than talk about it. I continued along the roads, having the visor down as the sun's glow slowly began to fade into the sunset.
I cruised along in third gear as the music continued. I looked over to my sister, who seemingly to have been enjoying herself cruising with the top down, sunglasses, and wind breezing through her face.

"I just hope you've finally found what you really wanted to do." Maya explained on, "But of course I'm proud of you, hun. However, have you got any other plans for the future?"
"I'm not sure yet," I replied.

We continued on, enjoying our full tank of gas on the car. Fortunately, KYOKO was all in order. She would always warn me of my speeds and any incoming traffic, as well as keep me a little… sane. It was indeed much better than that helmet anyway. The visor actually looked kinda cool. I guess I needed to relax a bit myself and enjoy this spare time while I still can. Let's see… where should I shop today?

Moments later, a rather familiar vehicle pulled up beside us on the highway…
Oh great. It was the last person I had ever wanted to see. I feel like just driving off and ignoring him.

"Lookin' hot, you ladies are! From head to toe, or I'd say, from the tyre to the roof! Where'd you get a car like that?"
"Um… please leave us alone,"
"Leave? Oh, I can't afford to do that, babe. So ya finally got a better car than your boyfriend's crappy Lancer, eh?"
"He's not my boyfriend, and I'm sick of all this car talk."

This Ohjay fella was so annoying. I want to get out of here! Perhaps I should tell Hyuga to have the cops bust him for harassment?

"Hey listen, I have no time for you right now. So if you don't mind, I'll get going…" I told him.
"Oh, no no, not so fast!" he insisted.

I took off from the lights, changing lanes out of the intersection as I overtook a number of vehicles. Much to my surprise, that Ohjay had begun to follow me. This is the last thing I need right now. It was too early in the day for breaking traffic rules.

'Life's what you imagine,
Kagiri nai uchuu no you de
Mitsuketa mono wa tatoe nakushitemo'

With the intent of losing that guy in my mind, KYOKO had taken notice and somehow altered the settings briefly while I increased my speed slightly. Perhaps I should just rip out my gun?
No… KYOKO tells me it would be more fun to lose him on the highways…
But I might be caught…? We'll handle that part…

'Searching for the moment
Sagashitsuzukete itai ne,
Sou kigasumu made'

Losing Ohjay was all I had in mind. But KYOKO wanted to actually compete with him. We rushed through the highway, passing a number of vehicles left and right as Ohjay continued to follow us. I guess he was up for it as well. I guess now I have to consider him as… an opponent.

'Life's what you imagine,
Misugoshite mo aru beginning
Furikaeru no wa iki teku hint dakara'

KYOKO treated this like it was a little game. We shot up the bridge, going past another bunch of traffic, dodging cars from different lanes. I was shown that Ohjay's gee-see-eight was still after us. If this was a race, then fine, but if he's stalking us, then that's getting out of hand.
I made an aggressive u-turn just at the end of the fly-over, quickly changing direction going back.

'Searching for the moment shinjitsu
Isoide yuku yo, jiyuu ni naru yo'

Ohjay was now above us, going in the opposite direction. KYOKO was handy. She had shown me this path that I took, below the fly-over bridge was another route going elsewhere, but right now I had really no place I really had to go. We watched Ohjay exit the bridge and continue along the highway as we finally lost him.
I backed out with the Honda, continuing down town at cruising pace.

'visions never clear
Tooku heto saratte yuku Keshiki nomikonde
I bellieve, I'm me, nobody but me,
Dare no iki shou de monai'

I stopped at the lights, as I finally realized where I was. The shopping centers were just around the corner. Wow, I am good…

We had finished that afternoon, while I finally dropped my sister off back at the cafeteria.
She really loved her business, even more than she loved her involvement in street racing. I guess even despite her childish attitude, she is actually still the sane one out of us.
I rolled in slowly with my car, seeing off my sister.

"Thanks. Take care, honey." said Maya.
"You too. I'll see you later then."
"Much later. I've got work to do! See ya!"

I drove off, yet there was still something in my mind. It was a little itch, that quickly grew into an urge. Something that KYOKO was telling me. She said that it was not over. What is not over?
The campaign… there was still one thing left to do. I could feel it within me… It was just something I had to do…

Later on that evening, I had no other plan in mind, so I gave Miss Kumiko a call. I consider her a good friend who was on my level, even though her reputation may state otherwise. I wanted to see her that evening, probably just for a little chat. I had been with her a lot during our DOLLS campaign across the regions entering drift events, track battles, and motorshows. However, it was quite clear that Kumiko wanted to give much of her spotlight over to me, as she suggested Auto Salon to take me instead of her for the next photo shoot. Kumiko placed it all on me. Just by making me take her own races was a sign that she wanted me to take her place. Was this what KYOKO was telling me?

I met up with Miss Kumiko on top of the parking lot building next to Zui Hou HQ. It was just the two of us that night, and it seemed that Kumiko herself was also in the same situation as I was. We had both nothing else planned for the rest of the night. So we spent much of our time talking – something I had not very often done. I'm not really that talkative, compared to other women. But Kumiko was just somebody you'd want around to chat with. I began to understand what people say about her charisma.

"Miss Kumiko… There's also something else I wanted to talk to you about." I began.
"You seem worried. Something wrong?"
"No… I'm not worried about anything. It's got something to do with KYOKO."
"KYOKO? So has she shown you any future to choose from yet?"
"Um…"

It was clear to me that KYOKO was not just some machine. I do not know what words to explain it. But this thing had made me realize a lot of things. The mind is very fragile, much more than we all think. Despite all it's controversy, KYOKO is really truly a masterpiece. A total engineered genius invention.

"…A battle?" said Kumiko.
"Yes… the original Shireishou X was to be your equivalent if not your heir. That is what KYOKO showed me as Fu Huo was once to be. Therefore, I cannot consider myself Shireishou X… if I cannot do or live up to Fu Huo, KYOKO, or Shireishou X in the first place."
"So this is what you have chosen." continued Kumiko.
"Please understand." I know that Kumiko was planning to retire. She still acted as Neo-DOLLS' brains, while I was the limb.

Kumiko smiled to herself. She had the look on her face like she expected me to say what I did. It was like she knew this all along. She always seemed to have had everything figured out. That's her kind of presence. I guess it's just her style.

"I see. And what are your conditions?" asked Kumiko.
"Our home course… Route D1. No stipulations. We'll take the downhill route. We start at the same time."
"That's fine. How about this weekend?"
"That's good. Thank you."

At last, I had now made it this far to challenge Miss Kumiko herself. Route D1 seemed a little more crowded on the weekend. Many people came to watch, mainly because Kumiko was yet again in another battle. I guess there are still a lot of fans that are loyal to her.
Though much to my surprise, there were also a lot of people cheering for me. The Shireishou boys also came to watch, as well as the BXD, whom were also invited to spectate the race. It was more like a party, and to celebrate the completion of our campaign, we have decided to end it with a race.

('To Be One' – Koda Kumi)

My sister watched me on from the galleries, as Kumiko and I shot off from the starting point, with Kumiko leading the take-off with her four-wheel drive advantage.
The battle was already at a tight pace. From the first corner, our angles were almost evenly matched and speeds were almost comparable. I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, as KYOKO told me that this race would be like no other. No matter what happens, I have to give this one everything I have to offer. Whether I won or lost, the outcome is not very important.

'ikite ireba iroiro aru kedo
omoi doori ni yuku wake ga nai
wakaru ki mo shinaku nai keredo
sore ijou nani mo kawaranai'

There was almost clearly no difference in our techniques. I watched Kumiko hauled her vehicle sideways through the hairpin at such great velocity and yet so beautifully. I had forgotten how good drifting really looks from the outside. I downshift quickly, while entering the corner at high speed, understeering the vehicle beyond the car's limited grip in order to break traction.

And there I was, almost parallel to Kumiko's angle. She and her GTO were truly amazing.
'hitori de ireba dare demo
warui hou bakari kangaeru kara'

KYOKO then was already beginning to push me to levels beyond, while still trying to keep up with Miss Kumiko's GTO. We followed her closely, as I steered quickly yet smoothly through the S curves, following her lines as precisely as possible.

'sore yori heya wo tobidashi
sugu oide koko ni iru kara'

As tough as the battle was getting, the more I realized how fun this game really was. By then it was more than just a game, however. Though there were differences in our vehicles, some of our techniques were rather different. Kumiko slows down a little during entry, taking note of her braking lights just as she does so, but she picks up a lot of speed on the exit, while my car seemed faster at the point she slows down, it was difficult to match her speeds on the exit. I used the high-speed skidding technique I which I let go of the throttle for just a moment while traveling at a higher speed than I usually would, then quickly turn in, using the vehicle's loss of throttle and sudden movement to break rear traction.

'to be one
keep on singing, dancing and smiling
tozasareta hazu no kokoro ga'

Kumiko somehow was able to match everything I got. She was a lot better than I thought. My techniques almost seemed insufficient. Everytime I saw an opening, I went for it, but she always seemed to be able to reverse the situation just as soon as I try. It was quite clear that she really has not lost her touch.

' utau koto de hodokare tara
itsuno manika egao koboreteru'

This is so exciting. This feeling… Kumiko is so good! I feel such adrenaline even as I just try to keep up. I was able to come back at her as much as she was able to do with me. Such precision…
Though her GTO is great, so is my NSX-R.

'to be one
keep on singing, dancing and smiling
kangae sugiteta jibun ga'

Just by racing Kumiko like this, I feel so carefree, so alive. Winning or losing was not a key factor anymore at this point. All my struggles in the past have come together to bring me this one glorious moment…

'odori akashiteiru uchi ni
umare kawareru youna ki ni nareru'

The next few sections were simply electrifying. It is so rare to have a battle like this. I can finally test my absolute limits against Kumiko and KYOKO without any worry. Now I understand why. This is the feeling Fu Huo always talked about.

'ashita no asa yoru ga akeru koro
kitto chigau sou kimi ga iru hazu
nanairo no sora wo miagete
koerareru ki ga shite iru hazu'

Eventually, without noticing it, the both of us have exceeded speeds in which we usually span. KYOKO said that our current section times are around 3-4 seconds faster than usual. Little by little, I had finally closed the gap, as I continued to follow the GTO.

'mayoi nayanda jikan de
shirazu shirazu ni tsuyoku nareru mono
itsuka dokoka de furimuki
warai tobaseru hi ga kuru kara'

It took a while, as we were managing our tyres delicately and our center of gravity towards our vehicles almost mirrored each other, I was now side by side with Kumiko. Our cars and techniques paralleled each other, with no one managing to go ahead of the other.

'to be one
keep on singing, dancing and smiling
watashi nara koko ni iru kara
onaji shunkan wo kanjite
hitotsu ni naru sore de wakaru kara'

It was now clear to us both. We were both on the same level. KYOKO had proclaimed that I was Kumiko's equal. We are the Neo-DOLLS after all. We continued along down, without being able to get ahead of one another. My car pulled up right beside the GTO. This is a great feeling. It was like all I've worked for; all I've endured in the past was all finally worth it.

' to be one
keep on singing, dancing and smiling
tozasareta hazu no kokoro ga
utau koto de hodokare tara
itsuno manika egao koboreteru'

I realize there are many forms of expression just through driving technique. Emotions and feelings fly about through each twist and turn. KYOKO showed me the both of us. Kumiko was also grieving inside about Fu Huo just as much as I was. We both used this battle to let out all our anguish loose and finally take ourselves higher. I do not know a better explanation, but this battle alone had a lot of meanings.

'to be one
keep on singing, dancing and smiling'

All I've done on the road… Basically everything I've learned on the street… I made it this far because of everyone, though there was one thing that really kept me going, kept me motivated even through the worst of all the moments, and that was you, Chuan Fu Huo. Even in death, you comfort me as much as you do when you are around. You have given me the unparalleled tenacity that nothing can ever tear down. Kumiko and I… the Neo-DOLLS, our glory is all in honour and memory of you.
Your spirit will live on through KYOKO and I.
I thank each and everyone who have supported me throughout my campaign and also the brighter part of my life.
Thank you for everything, Chuan Fu Huo. Rest in peace, my admirable friend.

This is my story. My name is Kouda Minako. See you again!