Love sometimes makes people do weird things. Sacrifice. That's for one. For him, she left, hoping to understand why he loved it so much. Nothing ever really stood in her way. She knew he loved her. She loved him too. Since she couldn't and didn't want to separate Takahashi Ryosuke from his favourite car racing, Rei left. Her parents asked her what the hell she thought she was doing. Kobayashi Rei perfectly understood though. Even she did know it wouldn't really make her happy, she still went ahead. Nothing stopped her. Nothing. For him, she thought she would make the sacrifice greatest of the century, even though it would make her unhappy. But fate sometimes deals a weird hand. She ended up loving it.

Loving what? Cars and racing. When she was with Ryosuke, she had disliked cars. For him, she left Akagi, much to the dismay and surprise of her parents. But she was the apple of their eye, the only daughter. If they didn't spoil her, who would? They never really questioned her. She had already been spoiled half her life. Money was never any problem. How could it, when their gigantic finance company had a turnover of 10 million a year? They could well afford anything. So they let her have her way, as usual, and she left for Todou Juku. Rei had read about it off the Internet and decided to go for it. She couldn't even drive, nor had a license, yet she knew, to deserve Ryosuke's love, she had to match up to his love and enthusiasm for cars. To like cars. And since she always wanted to be the best in everything she did, why not go to the best racing school as she heard it to be? She had always been a strong willed, reckless girl. No one, nothing got in her way. That year, she simply quit Akagi High school and transferred out. She was 17, couldn't care less about consequences, told Ryosuke a simple, ' I can't be with you anymore' and left for Todou Juku.

She begged Todou for hours. He told her a few hundred times that he didn't take in girls. She threatened to sit outside the workshop forever if he didn't take her in. He didn't relent. Money does wonders, however. Rei could easily fork out double the amount stated for lessons. He gave up. He took her in reluctantly, became her sensei.

But he hadn't counted on the fact that she couldn't drive, much less have any skills to polish. He was furious. He was supposed to be tutoring experts, coaching them into future professionals. Now here was a spoiled little girl who hated cars. However, he saw that determination, a drive. She wanted to learn. So he taught her. She eventually fell in love with cars. It seemed melodramatic, but she was 23, in the middle of pursuing a degree at Nikko University. But she knew what she wanted and decided to come back to Akagi. Come back she did.

Rei's POV

Come back I did. My parents were shell shocked that I suddenly wanted to come back. They assumed that I would complete my degree at Nikko and work at either the Todou firm or their finance company. But I told them, never assume. I decided that since I had achieved my initial goal, what I had originally left for, I thought I might as well come back. My goal was to understand why he loved them. I understand now. I wanted to know how he felt. Was he still the same person I knew 6 years ago, or had he changed? I feel less in control of my life than I ever felt.

If he had changed his mind about me, and stop loving me, I would just go back to Todou Juku. After all, there was still plenty I haven't learnt. Sancho did say I was still lousy. But I used to be atrocious. I somehow miss him for all that endless scolding he gave me. He scolded me for hours when I told him I was heading home.

I turned around and lay on my back, on my king sized poster bed. I hadn't really slept much ever since I came back, 3 days ago. I flicked on the table lamplight, and pulled out the latest copy of ' Japanese autosport' from my side table drawer. Funny how I used to dislike them. But people change, don't they? My thoughts wandered off a little. I thought I might drive up Mt Akagi today. Over the past few days, I had badly wanted to but I was afraid the Redsuns might be there. I did want to see Ryosuke, but I didn't think it was the right moment yet. I decided today morning should be fine. The Redsuns are generally nocturnal and the probability of me meeting them would be relatively low. I decided that I should be doing something more beneficial since it was my last day of relaxation. Tomorrow I would resume studies at Gunma University. I got out of bed and went into the bathroom to wash up. I headed downstairs, almost forgetting that this house was so large. I walked from my west wing room to the south wing. For the past few years, I'd been living in a relatively small penthouse in Tochigi, nearby both Toudou Juku and Nikko University, where I took part time courses. My parents had already taken their breakfast. Being the crazes workaholics they are, they were all geared up and ready for work.

' Good morning dear. You dad and I were just leaving for the office.' I nodded.

' Oh. And remember, we have a social gathering tonight.' Typical. Half my life was spent on such stuff. My parents left, I refused breakfast offered by a servant and left for the garage. It isn't really a garage actually, more of a basement car park. My dad owns 2 jaguars, a Mercedes E-class, a Porsche and a Lamborghini. We have a chauffer too. Dad likes cars, but in a way wholly different from mine. He treats them like ornaments. I push mine to the limit. He has so many. I only have one, my precious black Honda civic EK 9 type R. Admittedly, it wasn't my first choice. I had wanted something flashier, like a BMW or something, something tougher, a Nissan Skyline GTR. Sakai-sempai laughed at me, while Sancho insisted I get an EK 9, to follow tradition. I said I would get my way, but he did convince me to change my mind in the end. I revved up the engine and sped out, leaving for Mt Akagi.