Rivalry Stage 1
Act 4: Why me?
By Amaniblue
AN: Thank you for the continuous support. It's always nice to hear from the readers and their thoughts on the story. It's a great inducement too, for me to find time to update in receiving such encouragements. So thank you.
Summary of the last act: Kenta is late to arrive and shows instant hatred towards one of the Aoi Ryu members. One of the newcomers, Sagano Rui, singles out Takumi for ridicule and earns further dislike towards the new group from the Takahashi brothers. In turn, a friendly request for a match now changes to a quest for vengeance as winner takes all.
///Top of Mt. Akagi, same night///
Takumi met the unnerving stare with unease and wondered, why is he looking at me like that?
Unable to read the meaning behind that look at all though, the Hachi-roku driver quickly glanced over to his friend to get some ideas.
Keisuke's brows furrowed at their exchange. He looked at his friend, then at his brother, and a sliver of comprehension hit him. Not liking the verdict, he joined his brother and directed his own scowl at Takumi.
On the other corner of the gathering quartet, Kenta found the change of attention quite refreshing as he also turned his own peeked interest towards the now perplexed Akina Hachi-roku driver. If his guess was correct, Kenta wanted to relish in the other's discomfort as much as possible.
Fidgeting under the trio's scrutiny, Takumi's clueless face began to show signs of irritation that was too late in coming as his mind churned over the previous events. Then it suddenly dawn on him and he became livid with the idea.
"He can't have my car," spouted Takumi forcefully.
The trio immediately face faulted. It took a few moments before they recovered their cool, collected demeanor. In the mean time, the Hachi-roku driver felt embarrass by his outburst. Obviously he had come to the wrong conclusion.
"Try again," Kenta remarked with a smirk.
"No? Then uh… I ah— I refuse to race with him," mumbled Takumi upon hoping that he was right this time.
"Fujiwara," interjected Keisuke with a sigh.
"Yes?"
"It's not your car or another race." Keisuke supplied in annoyance before he flashed his friend, a do-you-get-it-now type of look.
Unfortunately, Takumi did not comprehend at all (judging by the blank look on his face) and so he simply replied with, "Eh?"
"Humph—" Kenta quickly placed both hands to cover his mouth as he tried to stifle the laughter that was bursting to come forth. Unable to contain it any further though, the dark boy turned away from the others and his shoulders started to shake as sounds of muffled laughter was heard.
A tick formed above one of his brows while Keisuke tried to count to ten before he enlighten his friend. Unfortunately, Kenta's outburst didn't help and cause him to shout out his reply instead, "Oh, for crying out loud! It's YOU!"
"Me?" Takumi repeated dumbly as if reciting a foreign word. "Me?"
As that word rolled around in his mind, Takumi's face suddenly lights up with divine enlightenment and gasped, "No...you mean?"
Frantic with that thought, the Hachi-roku driver immediately scan the trio for confirmation. Keisuke nodded in reply as well as Kenta, after recovering from his fit of laughter of course. However, Takumi only received a thoughtful look from the older Takahashi brother. This confused the Hachi-roku driver even further and added to his growing frustration.
"But I'm not into that—" stuttered the round-eyed Takumi when he realized the levity of their meaning.
"He probably is," chirped in Kenta.
"No way—" Takumi blanched upon even the thought of it.
"It's possible—" interject the dark boy happily.
"Hold on a minute here!" Highly uncomfortable with the foreign topic entirely, Takumi abruptly poured out his frustration hysterically. "That's absurd! What does the forfeit have to do with me? Why would you think I'd agree to any of this? Besides, it wasn't me who made the bet! So why does it have to do with me at—"
Keisuke cut in Takumi's mid rant and responded plainly, "You left yourself wide-open, Fujiwara."
"—what?" Takumi stared dumbly at his friend.
Releasing another sigh of exasperation, Keisuke clarified further. "That man obviously seems to have an interest in you. Whether he's joking or not, I wouldn't put it pass him to provoke you further. So, don't leave yourself open to his advances in the future."
Then as an after thought, Keisuke added pointedly with a nod, "Don't encourage him either."
"But I didn't," muttered Takumi as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"It doesn't matter," Keisuke responded softly. "Just be careful next time."
Seeing the still frustrated glow from Takumi's eyes, the younger Takahashi brother tried to lighten the mood. Thus he quipped, "Anyways, I don't think you'll make a good forfeit anyways. You are pretty good fodder for his jokes, but it'll probably get tiring after awhile. So besides your driving skills, what else are you good for?"
The blond driver was rewarded with a warning scowl from his friend. Knowing that his ploy worked, Keisuke continued with a grin, "But have no fear. Even if you are that guy's target, Kenta is here to come to your rescue. He'll be your knight in shining armor riding his stead of steel and whisk, you, the damsel in distress away from the clutches of the evil Sagano bastard."
Both Takumi and Kenta flash Keisuke an indignant glare upon his references. Even Takahashi Ryousuke rolled his eyes at his brother's verbal theatrics.
Knowing that he had the effect he wanted, the blond smiled broadly then continued, "Although, now that I've thought about it. I think you might have a better chance of saving your own virtue by replacing Kenta in the race."
"Keisuke-sempai!" whined the dark boy at his idol's insinuation.
But before Kenta was able to voice his complaint further, he was interrupted by the older Takahashi.
"Keisuke."
The atmosphere immediately turned serious as all eyes once again revered back towards the Redsuns' leader for his take upon the matter. His response was slow in forming though, as the older man took out another cigarette and lit it. After a few puffs of smoke later, he began, "Go back to the shop with Nakamura. Be sure to gather the whole crew and informed them of what has happen. Despite what Nakamura had insisted with the Aoi Ryu, this IS a Redsuns' matter whether we like it or not. Our Project D plans will have to be postponed for now."
The dark boy lowered his head in contrition upon hearing the Redsuns' leader's words. He wanted to apologize then and there, but was too guilt ridden to even move his lips.
Noticing that his words had the expected effect, Ryousuke paused briefly to take another puff of smoke and then turned his gaze to make eye contact with Takumi before he continued, "Fujiwara may I have a word with you before we go?"
After a brief hesitation, Takumi nodded in affirmation.
Keisuke glanced over at his friend in concern then at his brother's resolute gaze on Takumi and felt a pang of apprehension. Unsure of where the feeling was coming from, the blond shook it off and walked over to the self-absorbed dark boy. He grabbed a hold of Kenta's stripe polo shirt from the neck and dragged him towards the still running S14. The blond grinned evilly at his little buddy's squirming and quipped for good measure, "Get in before your car runs out of gas already."
Just realizing that his engine was still running, Kenta jerked out of Keisuke's hold, quickly turned about face, and ran toward his orange S14. When Kenta was about to close the driver side door and drove off however, Ryousuke's following condescending words made him sat at full attention in his seat. "And Nakamura, don't think you're off the hook. Wait for me at the shop. If you can't follow that simple order, don't bother to show your face around here again."
Kenta, stunned by Ryousuke's words just swallowed loudly and gave a nod as answer, having found it hard to speak over the lump of panic in his throat. He looked helplessly at his idol, but was given only a weak yet assuring, lopsided grin for comfort. The orange S14 drove off at a much slower pace then it arrived in as the driver was not looking forward to their leader's retribution at all.
Long after the S14 taillights disappeared around the first curve, Ryousuke remained silent as he organized his thoughts. He moved a few steps toward the guardrail and leaned his back against it with his right knee slightly bent. Taking a quick glance towards the younger man, Ryousuke flicked his current cigarette stub away and dug into his breast pocket to take out another one and lit it. Leaning heavily on the rail, he kept one hand holding the cigarette, while the other rested on top of the rail, fidgeting absently with the lighter. His gaze remain fixed upon the darken silhouette of the face of the mountain as a crescent moon shown high above them. Now and then his gaze would steal towards Takumi and linger when the younger man wasn't noticing.
The habitual goose bumps appeared on Takumi's body upon being alone with Takahashi Ryousuke. He learned to dislike the weird feeling accompany it too since he has no control over that as well. Despite the respect he has for his mentor, Takumi really hated how awkward their exchanges tend to get. Thus, unsure of Ryousuke's current mood and the choice of topic the older man wanted to discuss, the Hachi-roku driver decided to wait.
He glanced over to Ryousuke and noticed the man's relaxing state and chose to emulate that. So he walked over toward the Hachi-roku, sat down on the warm bonnet and reclined his back on top of it. Raising both arms above his head, Takumi folded them to cushion beneath his head and gazed up at the moonlight filtering through the swaying tree tops. The chilly night was quiet except for the faint echoes of tire screeches. Nature's lullaby made its nocturnal creatures and the bristling of the leaves and under brushes hushed in the background.
After taking several calming drags, Ryousuke stubbed the cigarette on the guardrail, placed the lighter in his slack pocket, and turned his gaze back to Takumi's prone form. His brows furrowed together before he cleared his throat and took a page from his brother's tactics and quipped, "Promise me you won't get your underwear cross before I have my say."
The unexpected yet silly request made Takumi smile in response. Ryousuke smirked when his words had the desired effect. He took a mental reminder to note how his brother effectively communicate with Takumi from here on out. With slow, steady steps, he approached the Hachi-roku and loomed over the prone figure atop it. Noticing that Takumi still had his eyes fixed towards the sky, Ryousuke took the advantage and study the younger man further, wondering briefly what Takumi's response would be to his burgeoning question. He hadn't intended to be so direct, but Ryousuke was dying to know.
"Are you— attracted to Sagano Rui?"
Takumi's smile widen even further upon hearing that. If it was his mentor's attempt to carry on Keisuke's previous joking topic then, that was a really good one, he thought. He was about to comment on it but his humor trailed off with uncertainty when he finally realized the odd solemnity of Ryousuke's tone. Takumi turned toward the speaker and saw that the older man was indeed, perfectly serious as his gaze was filled with the same intensity that Takumi had once seen before on that fateful night he joined Project D. And just like the other time, Takumi was entrapped by the pair of mesmerizing blue eyes.
Blinking away his growing nervousness, Ryousuke, unwavering in his intense scrutiny, slowly leaned forward and braced one arm to the right side of Takumi's head with the other near the younger man's waist. He then placed a bended knee between Takumi's parted legs to brace himself above the Hachi-roku driver. His keen eyes took in the response of the younger man beneath him with growing curiosity as a shiver of anticipation ran down his spine while he closed the distance between them to a mere inch apart.
Peering upwards at the intimidating figure, Takumi's earlier steady breaths became shallower as the distance between them closed to a mere inch away. The pounding within his ribcage echoed loudly as the staccato rang between his ears. Lips suddenly gone dry, Takumi absently parted his lips and glided his tongue across the parched expanse. And like before, Ryousuke's gaze drooped to a half lid as he followed the pink trail. Takumi's brows drew together at the older man's response.
Ryousuke in answer to the younger man's silent question raised those intense eyes to focus on Takumi's yet again. Takumi's breath hitched as Ryousuke leaned forward with just a hairbreadth apart from both their lips and spoke within a breath of a whisper, "How 'bout me?"
///TBC - ACT 5: Unexpected Change///