Chapter Ten
The Top
Ann had to pry herself away from Akira's lips for the umpteenth time when he dropped her off back at the hotel. Damn, he's a good kisser, she thought as she left him for the evening, tasting his tongue one more time before exiting the car. And his hands… Mmm! She shivered with an excited smile at the thought, still able to feel his strong yet soft hands caressing and squeezing her body, especially in her breasts and butt. Her panties had been soaked through after their long makeout session, and her mind raced as it replayed all her favorite moments from throughout the night, of which there were many.
As she entered the hotel and ascended the stairs, Ann thought back to the lovely dinner, the long walk on the beach, the many photos she needed to get developed, and sitting on his lap for a photo. God, his cock must be big, she thought, smiling again as she remembered her realization in that moment. Marie was a very lucky girl. He's damn hot, but he's also so sweet and kind. He's definitely still got some stuff he's working through, but I know he was putting me first and trying to make me happy, and he did. I just hope I was able to make him as happy as he seemed after all that's happened. He deserves it.
As she approached her room, Ann tried to stifle the smile plastered to her face but found she could not. The involuntary grin was not unlike the one she often got when she would get high: a big, dumb, quivering smile that rebelled against every attempt she made to force her muscles to relax. Ann patted herself on the face to try to compose herself (it elicited only the slightest results) and slid open the door, catching the attention of her friends that were all in various stages of getting ready for bed.
Futaba stood outside the bathroom with a toothbrush in her mouth and green nightgown. She looked to Ann and asked through the brush and toothpaste, "Where hif ya ben?"
Makoto wore a tank top and soft short shorts and was stretching her arms and legs and continued awkwardly, "Did you… enjoy your evening?"
Haru perked up from a book she was reading when Ann came in and beamed at her. "What all did you two do? Was it romantic?" she asked, her voice getting even higher pitched than normal due to her wide-eyed excitement.
Ann waved her hands in front of face awkwardly. "Uh, what are you talking about?" she tried to repress an anxious chuckle. "I-I didn't even tell you where I was going tonight."
Kasumi raised an eyebrow and smirked, stretching beside Makoto by raising her foot to the back of her head as she balanced against the wall. "You really think we couldn't guess? What else could it be?"
Ann shook her head and clutched her fists at her side, more memories of her new boyfriend dancing in her head. The girlish joy she felt was written on her face. "Okay, maybe I went out on a date," she finally admitted, prompting all the girls to jump and squeal in delight. They ran over to her and immediately began peppering her with jovial questions.
"Was he nice?" asked Haru, still beaming. "Was he romantic?"
"Was he respectful to you?" asked Makoto. "I mean, you seem really happy, but I just want to make sure."
"Did he have to fight anyone?" Futaba asked excitedly.
"Yes," Ann pointed to Haru. "Very much," she addressed Makoto. "And no," she said to Futaba. "It was just a nice, normal date on the beach."
Kasumi gently hopped up and down with a goofy, girlish smile. "Oh, that's so wonderful!" she cried out, unable to contain her excitement. "I'm so happy for you, Ann! He seems like a real catch!"
"Oh god, yes," Ann sighed out and hugged her friends in joyful solidarity. "He was wonderful, really. I mean, this technically isn't the first time we've gone out together, but it is our first actual 'date'. And he, well, yeah," she hugged herself. "He was just lovely."
"Is his dick big?" Futaba asked flatly. Everyone stared at her with shock. "What? I just wanna know if he can treat her right. Geez."
Haru asked, in a voice almost maternal, "Aren't you a little young to be asking those questions, Futaba-chan?"
Futaba looked to her with unimpressed confusion. "No."
"Oh."
"Okay, okay," Ann interjected before things could get more tense and awkward. "For starters, no we didn't have sex or anything like that."
"Did you do anything?" asked Makoto.
"Uh, yeah, a little bit," Ann played with her hair awkwardly.
"You made out?" Kasumi asked.
"Yes…"
"And?" Futaba pressed her further.
Ann closed her eyes tightly as all the questioning made her face a fiery red. "Yes, his dick is big! I could feel it through his jeans when we made out! And… when I sat on his lap for a photo," she finished sheepishly.
All the girls, even Makoto, screeched with further joy, and Ann could not help but join in, beside herself as she was.
"Oh my god, you shameless hussy!" Haru teased as she hugged her again.
"I know, I'm pretty terrible," Ann rubbed the back of her neck, though felt distinct pride and validation in herself over the situation.
"Terribly confident," Futaba smirked. "Then again, it probably comes natural to you, doesn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're a busty bitch, bitch!"
"Well, you can thank my mom for that," she smirked back to Futaba. "It's not like I asked for it. But it does have its perks."
Makoto added with decorum, "I'm sure Kurusu-san was quite elated with the whole arrangement, wasn't he?"
"Oh, he's a big softy! Took me quite a bit of flirting and hint-dropping to get him to loosen up. But when he did… oh God, I cannot believe he's only had one girlfriend. Those hands! And those full, soft lips!"
"Sounds like a dream," said Kasumi. "Let's just hope he can keep up the good boy act. And isn't into anything super freaky."
"Hey, that's his journey," Ann replied, "and I can work with it if it's not too out there."
"That somehow fits you," said Makoto.
"We ladies all have our secrets," Ann added.
"Got me there," Futaba added flatly.
Haru looked down at her own generous cleavage and suddenly frowned. "At least you have a boyfriend who likes your body," she muttered, becoming downcast.
"Huh?" Ann asked. "Oh, are you talking about Daigo?" she said, the whole crowd immediately shifting their focus to Haru.
She nodded. "My fiancé thinks I'm fat and says he hates my body for it. He even tried to force me to take up working out on top of all my other responsibilities to make me lose weight."
"Douchebag," said Futaba, and she spat on the ground.
Kasumi said, "But your body is beautiful, Haru! That guy is just a jackass!"
"He is," Haru nodded. "But… I've always wondered if… maybe if was a little more petite, than he might have at least been a little nicer to me. And my father has made his fair share of disapproving comments about my curves as well. Like, sir, you married the woman I got these from! Why is it suddenly a problem when your daughter has them but your wife doesn't! Kasumi, Makoto, I honestly have thought that if I looked more like you, maybe I could have been spared a little bit of their scorn."
"That's ridiculous!" Makoto exclaimed, walking over to Haru and taking her hand.
"Completely!" said Kasumi, doing the same with her other hand.
Makoto began, "Any man – father, boyfriend, whatever – that treats you that way because you don't look exactly like what they want would find any number of other things to complain about even if you did. You can change for them, but they'd never change for you."
"Exactly!" said Kasumi. "You deserve a man who appreciates you for who you are, in and out. Those two are just trying to control you by making you feel bad about yourself. As if your body is your fault, for Heaven's sake. They don't deserve you at all and have no right to make you feel that way."
Haru nodded, taking one of her hand's back to wipe the tears in her eyes away. "Thank you," she mumbled before chuckling through the crying. "That really made me feel better, guys."
"Hey," Ann said, "I found a man who likes me for me. As beautiful and strong as you are, you'll have no trouble finding someone who loves all of you. And… there's certainly a lot," her eyes trailed downward for a moment then back up. "Seriously, what size do you wear, Haru?"
Haru chuckled again, "I don't think the exact number is relevant here," she said through an awkward laugh.
"Alright," Ann nodded quickly. "Mum's the word. But like I said, give it time and you'll find someone who adores you unlike them."
"Don't even think of them!" Futaba proclaimed. "They don't deserve it!"
"Thank you all… so much," Haru stammered, starting to cry again as they all hugged her. Joy and acceptance welled within her like she had hardly ever experienced before in her life, and more tears streamed down her face as a result. "Sorry, Ann, I kind of stole your moment with my own problems, I think."
"Oh, just let us hug you!"
And they did for a long time, laughing and swaying before calming down for bed. Thinking on what her friends had said, Haru felt a bit more confident in her own body, more accepted and loved. She did dearly wish for someone who would not belittle her or shame her for the body she had naturally, who would see the inside and outside of her and love them both in equal, boundless measure.
She wondered if, behind his gruff side, Ryuji might be able to see the inside and outside of her, and love both. Perhaps… An interesting thought…
He is quite cute, and I guess… he's my hero?
My hero… Like Ann with her hero…
A hero might be nicer to me… Might genuinely love me…
…
Akira parked the car outside his home and sighed, his heart and mind still racing as the reality of the situation fell upon him. "I have a girlfriend, I guess," he said to himself, the mere utterance feeling sweet and warm on his tongue, just like Ann's had. He smiled and nodded to himself, sitting back in his seat and listening contentedly to the radio. "I forgot how good this feels," he remarked with a small sigh. He looked up to the sky through the car's sunroof; the night sky was clear, the stars and moon brightly shining. The radio transitioned to a much more rocking song, and Akira felt it rather inappropriate for the calm, relaxing moment, so he turned the radio off and sat in silence in the car, looking up to the moon.
Akira's mind replayed the night's many lovely scenes over and over, his chest and belly filling with anxious, pleasant warmth. The same could rather annoyingly be said for his manhood as he thought about Ann's soft body, her curves filling his hands and pressing against him, the warmth of her mouth and the subtly sweet and alcoholic taste of her lips and tongue… He shook his head, trying to calm himself down and focused on the more innocently romantic ventures of the evening.
Akira remembered many nights with Marie just like this. Long walks on the beach, chatting over piles of food, ending with fleeting but savory moments of passion when they found time alone; he closed his eyes and reveled in the familiar feelings, like a dormant memory awoke within him slowly the whole night, starting the moment he saw Ann coming out to his car in all her beauty. That image of her, with her face brightening up excitedly, though subtly nervously, her blond hair flowing in the evening breeze, her curves and face and eyes backlit by the setting sun – it was something that would stick with him the rest of his days.
The whole drive to the hotel though, darker thoughts intruded on his mind. He wondered if he was worthy of being with such a wonderful woman, after all he had done, what he had become. Still, these thoughts poked and prodded at his mind, his insecurities whispering to him when his focus on his new girlfriend lapsed for the slightest moment. Kamoshida continued to taunt him before, during, and after the date, but his deranged voice had become more quiet, distant, like an echo from down a long hall, now barely perceivable. Whether it was the adrenaline and endorphins from experiencing emotional and physical companionship for the first time in two years, or it was him finally leaving that vile day behind, or both, Akira could not say, nor did he particularly care. So long as his actions, his guilt, and his fears plagued him less, he could rest easier, he knew.
Akira finally exited the vehicle and went into his home, greeted at the door by his cat Mona who jumped right into his arms, brightening Akira's mood even more. Mona immediately began purring as he rubbed his face into Akira's chest affectionately, becoming more affectionate when Akira put him and scratched the side of his head and cheek – his favorite spot.
And at that point, Anri came into view from the kitchen, meeting her son's noticeably happy eyes, which filled her with happiness and relief in turn. Not that she truly doubted her son's ability to go on a pleasant, gentlemanly date, but she knew that he was still troubled after the events in Kamurocho, and she was overjoyed to see him so happy, like he had been before Marie left. As she came to think of it, Anri realized that may have been the last time he was truly happy in a way that just resonated from him like this moment. She said nothing, not wanting to make him feel awkward, and only offered an inquisitive eyebrow and a thumbs up. Akira nodded, returning the thumbs up as he held Mona, and Anri walked into the other room, content in her son's wordless answer. It said all that needed to be said: it was a good night, and he was happy.
The phone rang right as Akira was about to go up to bed and Anri answered it. After a moment, she called out, "Akira, it's for you! It's Ryuji!"
Akira stopped half way up the staircase and sighed, not entirely surprised that his friends were calling him about his date, but still annoyed that he could not just go to bed like he wanted. He walked to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Heeeey, man!" Ryuji's voice drawled on the other line. "Did you have a good night?"
"I did, Ryuji," Akira said, feigning pleasantness. "It was quite a lovely evening."
"Oh, good! We were getting kind of worried when Ann came back alone, thinking it might not have gone too smoothly. But we can hear the girls freaking out through the hotel walls! Whatever you did, they're all pretty excited with her."
Yusuke's voice chimed in, "It appears that your debonair personality is cause for some celebration, my friend. Congratulations on your new relationship!"
"Uh, thanks, guys," Akira breathed out, feeling more flattered. "It's really not a big deal, but thanks."
"Hey, we just wanted to make sure all's good," said Ryuji casually. "So, any juicy details or stories to tell us?"
"Nope. Not a one."
"With the way the girls were squeeing for the last ten minutes, I highly doubt that."
Yusuke interjected, "Such details of his intimacy may only be shared if he feels it necessary, Sakamoto. We mustn't press the matter."
"Dude, have you ever had any real friends? Like total bros?"
"No," Yusuke deadpanned.
"Oh."
"Guys, it's really not that exciting anyway," Akira added awkwardly, trying to dismiss the topic. "We just got some food and drinks, walked on the beach, and listened to some music before coming home. That's all."
"Again, I doubt that. Ann and the girls sounded pretty excited when she got home. You're holding out on us, man."
"Fine, I fucked her in the back of my dad's car until she couldn't walk! You happy?"
A long moment of silence on the other line followed. "…what?" Ryuji asked. "Oh, my man! My boy!"
"I'm kidding," Akira smirked.
"Oh, come on!"
"I guessed that immediately," Yusuke said calmly.
"And I guessed that you probably didn't even know what fucking is."
All three young men shared a good, hearty laugh. "But seriously," Akira said, "nothing exciting to report. It was just a really, really nice night."
"Well, we're happy for you, man," Ryuji said. "Just wanted to check up on ya. Now get some rest. We got a big day tomorrow, right?"
"Hell yeah," Akira nodded. "We're gonna literally drive those dickheads out of town."
"Our victory is already certain," Yusuke proclaimed proudly. "Which means you, Sakamoto, must get to bed at once! Motorsports requires the utmost mental and physical sharpness."
"What are you, my mother?"
"To bed, sir!"
All three chuckled again, with Yusuke taking a moment to realize that what he had said was funny. "Goodnight, guys," Akira said with a smile.
"Goodnight, bro! And congratulations again!" said Ryuji excitedly.
"Indeed!" Yusuke added. "Sleep well. And many happy years to you and your beloved!"
Smiling even brighter, Akira hung up the phone, feeling even more elated over the wonderful night than he had been. He looked upward in thought, still unable to get the image of Ann's beautiful smile out of his head, and he felt most thankful to be able to see it even more from then on.
"You did what in your father's car?" his mother's voice interrupted his peaceful joy from his side.
Akira's eyes shot over to her, suddenly feeling his own mortality weighing upon him, but only for a moment when he saw that Anri was trying not to laugh. "I-It was a joke, Mom!" he blurted out. "They were pestering me about my night, and—"
"I know, hon," she interrupted her flustered son. "I know, I heard. I'm just giving you grief. So long as it is actually a joke. I mean, you're both adults and it's your bodies, but I would prefer you don't begin your relationship that way. Especially in your father's car."
"We didn't do anything like that, Mom!"
"Okay, okay," Anri chuckled heartily. "I believe you. And I'm glad you had such a great night."
Akira nodded, his heartbeat finally reducing. "Yeah, me too," he muttered, smiling softly.
They said their goodnights and Akira finally made his way to bed. He dreamed vividly of Ann that night – her voice, her smile, her eyes, her lips, the warmth of her breath, the softness of her breasts and butt. It was all as vivid as if it was happening all over again, though in his dream they were on the beach, alone beneath a warm summer sunrise. It moved quickly, the dream not lasting long, but Akira could still feel his breath catch and his body tingle when she kissed him deeply.
Ann dreamt much the same that night, though in an extravagant ball instead of on a beach. She and Akira wore complimentary red and black garbs, her own in a flowing, form-fitting dress that showed off her curves, but only he could appreciate them, making his love well known as he ran his fingers through her soft, silky hair as he had on the hood of his car. They danced to an unknowable but beautiful tune in what seemed to be a palace ballroom, her date behaving as befit a dashing prince in his court.
When she awoke in the middle of the night, she hoped she could return to the dream, as they had begun to passionately make out on the dance floor as the song reached its crescendo, but alas she was not so lucky, instead dreaming of the fight with Kamoshida and his men, seeing her new boyfriend's terrifying stare after he had done the deed, lost in some strange otherworld of his own mind as he stared into her eyes, his own unnaturally large and crazed. She tried to calm him, but the words caught in her throat, only producing pathetic, tiny gasps as Akira mumbled something incoherently, continuing to stare at her with… terrifying eyes.
She became lucid enough to pull herself out of the dream and would not fall asleep again for another hour, shortly before her friends began to wake. Ann focused on the more pleasant dream for the rest of the morning, trying to dash the image of Akira's crazed, inhuman eyes from her mind. Whenever she saw it behind her closed eyes, she tried to replace it with the kind yet sultry smile he wore in his princely form in the first dream. She succeeded most of the time, but those eyes continued to plague her, shifting between the two even as she imagined the princely young man.
Ann managed to calm herself in due time, but she feared going back to bed again, should she be plagued by more nightmares like that one. She wished she could return to the ball with her prince, her heart fluttering at the thought, and hoped Akira had found more peaceful sleep than she had.
…
Ryuji leaned against the railing on the side of the road up in the hills over the town, watching the sun beginning to set as he nursed a cigarette. The Ferrari F40 he was now madly in love with was parked behind him, having not accumulated the slightest scratch or other imperfection on his couple of practice laps he took around what would be tonight's track, its red paint shining radiantly in the afternoon sun. He blew out a puff of smoke, his body and mind entirely calm despite the exciting events that lay before him as he waited patiently for his friends to arrive.
Ryuji enjoyed the quiet contemplation before a race, believing it to be one of the most important parts of the event. Going into a race with heightened nerves and a cluttered mind could only serve to make him slower at the very least or cause his judgment to be impaired at a critical moment, resulting in a loss of the race or far worse. A clear mind meant sharper reflexes, more fluid movement in his hands as they turned the wheel and his feet as they applied gas and brakes, and even being able to see better, as he understood it.
When he raced calmly, the whole world seemed just a tiny bit slower, even when at the highest speeds his vehicle could output, and that extremely small margin had decided many of his races. He owed his wins to a clear mind and calm nerves, so he would always take time to meditate with a nice view and a nice cigarette before every race.
He blew out another puff of smoke, letting his thoughts flow freely through his mind, whatever they may be as he watched the sunset. Soon after, his friends pulled up in three cars beside him, with all of Akira's friends accompanying them to come support Ryuji. He threw down and stomped on his cigarette before joining them.
"The man of the hour," Akira approached him with a smile. "How you feeling?"
"Just another race with just another douchebag. Nothing I haven't done before. I'm totally calm about it."
"I like the confidence," said Haru. "I assume my car is up to your standards?"
"More than that," he glanced to the red beauty beside him. "I've always dreamed of getting to drive a real Ferrari, and she handles even better than when I would dream about it. Thanks again, Haru."
"You're too kind," she beamed at him. "I just hope it will be enough to help you beat this guy."
Kanji chimed in, "Oh, there's no doubt about that! You're gonna kick his ass right out of town, huh, bud?" he asked excitedly.
"You're damn right! Even if he tries cheating or slicing turns, I'll still make sure any bets you place on me will be profitable for you."
"We're gambling on this?" asked Yukiko. "I mean, if it's so certain, I suppose it could be a profitable venture."
Naoto added, "Must we really profit off of an enemy incursion on our hometown, guys? Doesn't it seem a bit garish."
"I concur," said Makoto. "I think it would be a bit tasteless at best."
Chie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, then whispered to Yosuke, "How much you wanna put down on him, babe?"
"I just got paid, so how's 10k yen sound if we go halves?"
"Deal. I'll get you the money when we're back home."
"Gotcha."
Ann looked all around the scenery, taking in the winding, narrow road before and behind them and the steep drop off the cliff should someone make a bad turn. "Are you guys absolutely sure about this? I mean, this definitely doesn't look safe."
"It's only unsafe if you can't drive it," said Ryuji flippantly. "It's no sweat."
"Why does that feel like famous last words?" Ann groaned.
They heard the obnoxiously loud roar of engines coming up from behind them as a group of flashy cars approached, each one full of teenagers and young adults. Joji Nakaya, sporting a coat with a graphic depicting fiery demon just as obnoxious as his car, stepped out of the vehicle at the front and approached Ryuji and his friends with cocky swagger.
"You showed up!" he called out with a smirk. "And damn, nice ride! Where was that when we last saw each other."
"Doesn't fucking matter," Ryuji spat back. "Only thing you need to know is that this car is gonna kick your ass on out of this town."
"Is it now? I mean, it is a nice one. God knows how much it cost."
A woman with long black hair with bright blue highlights, gaudy makeup, daisy-duke short shorts, and a low-cut top showing off her large breasts came up behind Joji and wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling at Ryuji provocatively. "You could have the fanciest car in, like, the world," she began in a gratingly tinny, mocking voice, "but you'll never have a chance against Joji-kun, blondie. You can't even guess how many races he's won!"
"Now, c'mon, baby doll," Joji said to her, "there's no need to be too condescending with them. Not like it's gonna matter anyway—"
"Will you two shut up!?" Haru interjected, holding her fists at her side. "You think you're oh so fucking cool and all that, but none of that is going to phase Ryuji, get it!? Save the smack talk for after the race, if you even win!" Everyone looked to her with astonishment, but she did not pay them any mind, just glaring daggers at Joji and "baby doll".
Baby doll chortled like a hyena, obviously exaggerating her laugh. "Who is this, blondie? Your girlfriend? I didn't take you for someone who likes the frumpy type."
"'FRUMPY?'" Haru exclaimed, gritting her teeth as her eyes lit up with rage.
"Yes, 'frumpy'," Baby Doll leaned forward, leering at Haru. "I mean, look at your sweater! You look like an old grandma! And probably have the body of one too."
Haru was about to respond with every curse she knew, but Ryuji got between them first. "Easy there, killer," he coaxed her as if calming a wild beast. "Don't worry, I'll take care of them for you."
"What?" Joji taunted him. "She really your girlfriend or something, Ryuji? Cuz hey, if she wants to ride with you, Baby Doll here is riding with me. It'll keep you from doing anything stupid at least."
"That's not neces—" Ryuji started.
"I'll ride with him!" Haru interjected.
"Haru, what the hell?!"
"Shush!" she glared at him. "I'm racing with you, and that's that! It's my car anyway! And besides, I wanna see it when you wipe that smug smirk off this hussy and her boytoy!"
"Haru, you don't have to—" She got in his face and glared daggers at him. "Okay, point taken," Ryuji raised his arms in surrender. "Let's just get this over with. When do we start?" he looked to Joji.
"Ten minutes. Hope you gassed up before coming here."
"Worry about yourself, dickhead," Ryuji said then flashed his middle finger at him, which Joji and Baby Doll only laughed at. Ryuji crossed his arms and nodded confidently. "I'm going to enjoy this."
"Me too," said Haru. "I want you to make them cry, Ryuji."
"What?"
"Now let's cheer him on for the race, everybody!"
"Here, here!" proclaimed Yu.
"Oh, god, I should've gotten us all cheerleader outfits!" Rise exclaimed. "God, why didn't I think of that!?"
Futaba clenched her fists, saying, "We missed a cosplay opportunity! I could have actually done a group cosplay!"
"Would that really be necessary?" Makoto asked, growing tired of their antics. "We are perfectly capable of cheering them on without such outfits."
"I think you would have looked quite lovely in it," said Yusuke plainly.
Makoto looked back to him with surprise, which he did not seem at all phased by. "I'm quite sure that would not be the case," she said, her face growing warm.
"Nonsense. You and all the ladies would have greatly boosted morale even more than you certainly will as you are."
"Well, you're not wrong about that," she said, turning away as her face grew warmer from receiving such a brazen but respectful compliment from Yusuke. He was quite the oddball indeed, but a strong warrior and strangely sweet, safe man nonetheless.
Shut up, she said to her own inner thoughts and diverted her attention back to the gathering crowd awaiting the race.
The audience of miscreants and thugs congregated on the other side of the road as if in their own assigned section, leering and glaring at Ryuji and his friends. They threw nasty taunts their way, flipped them off, catcalled at the girls, with Akira's blood getting even more heated than it normally would – which would already be boiling at such behavior – when he saw one brutish teenager trying to beckon Ann over. Akira could feel his spirit rising, having to repress so his flames would not appear on his shoulders. Ann put a hand on his arm and looked up to him reassuringly. "They're just assholes," she whispered to him. "You don't need to beat them up yet," she said smiling. "And besides, I'm used to it."
Akira shook his head. "I wish you didn't have to be used to it."
"All girls have to be, unfortunately. But I at least know that I have a hero with me if needed. I can take care of myself, definitely, but you are the one with superpowers." They both chuckled lightly at her joke.
"Still feels so weird to hear that, to think about it," Akira replied. "But I guess it is part of what makes me pretty 'hot', huh?"
Ann burst out laughing. "Oh yeah, it's really hot. Smokin', even!"
"Smoldering?" he smirked at her.
"Makes me melt," she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
"Well, aren't you two adorable?" said a young man's voice from behind Akira, who yelped and jumped as he whirled around to see a hooded man in a Guy Fawkes mask.
"Holy Christ, Terasawa, what was that for!?"
"Shh!" he hushed Akira. "Not so loud, okay? I'm wearing this mask for a reason! Call me Sugiura while we're out."
"Well, alright then, 'Sugiura', if you're so bent on being undercover, what are you doing out here?"
"Uh," Ann interjected, understandably confused, "do you know this guy, Akira?"
"Yeah, basically."
"Basically?"
Akira's other friends came up behind Ann. Yu was the first to ask, "Hey, who's this? What's going on here?"
Kanji said with intimidation, "Never knew an upstanding guy that had to hide his face behind a mask. Especially one so tacky. Who is this guy?"
"Can we tell them?" Akira asked Terasawa.
Terasawa stepped forward and pointed to Akira's friends from Kamurocho. "You guys don't know me," he started, then pointed to his friends from Shimonosuke, "but you guys do. It's me: Terasawa Fumiya."
Chie's eyes opened wide and her mouth gaped. "Teras-!"
"Not so loud!" Terasawa waved his hands in front of her. "I'm wearing a mask for a reason, dammit! Just call me 'Sugiura' for now, okay?"
Naoto asked, "Does that refer to anything in particular?"
"I literally pulled it out of the air, Shirogane."
"Ah. I see."
"What are you doing back?" Yu asked. "And, you know, with a mask?"
Terasawa beckoned everyone to stand closer to him and whispered, "I'm here looking for my older sister, alright? She's apparently dating one of the guys in Komaki's gang, and I came out here to get her home, away from all this shit."
"Wait, that's Emi, right?" asked Yukiko. "I remember her from school. She graduated high school when we were in our second year."
"Yeah, right, and apparently she's around here somewhere, wherever the main gang has been holding up. These guys," he pointed to the racing fans across the road, "are basically just groupies that wanna cause chaos for the hell of it. The people that actually believe in whatever cause Komaki has, and have been with his gang the longest, are held up somewhere near the city, and I might know where they are."
"Where are they then?" Akira asked seriously.
Terasawa glanced back to the racers as they took their positions, the crowd getting more rowdy and anxious. "I'll tell you after the race, okay? Trust me, it'll at least be interesting to you, Kurusu."
"You know," Makoto added, "it's almost kind of sad that none of us are even that surprised by this crazy stuff anymore."
"You guys are used to it?" asked Kasumi. "I still can barely understand what's all going on in our lives now."
"I don't envy any of ya," Yosuke added. "It's like something out of a bad anime."
"I dunno," said Kanji, "I think it might be a pretty cool show, from what I've heard."
"It could be a cool manga," Yu said. "Maybe we should invest in that after all this is over. We could sell it at Junes."
"And Yusuke can do the art!" Futaba exclaimed.
Yusuke smiled with debonair restraint. "It would be an honor to immortalize our journey in art. In all honesty, I've felt quite inspired this entire time. I shall set to storyboarding right when our quest is over."
"Good grief," Akira sighed.
Ryuji parked his car next to Joji's on the road as the crowd gathered around. They threw more insults his way, but Ryuji was unphased, exhibiting razor focus on the road ahead – its curves and inclines all coalescing into a detailed plan in his mind. He felt the vibrations of the car through the steering wheel and pedals as its engine hummed beautifully, and kept his breathing deep and slow.
He's just a big mouth blowhard with, probably with a tiny cock, Ryuji thought to himself. God knows how many of them you've taken down. This'll be nothing special – just another win under your belt.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Haru come up to the car and get in the passenger seat. "You okay?" she asked quietly.
"Perfectly," he nodded. "This guy thinks that revving his engine like a high school trust fund baby that just got his first sportscar will make it go faster, or intimidate me, or both. That tells me he's not really that confident in his driving, wants to get in my head before the race. And that tells me that I've probably already won."
"If you can drive half as well as when you saved me from Daigo, I have no doubt about it," Haru smiled at him.
"Hopefully I won't have to pull any tricks like that again," Ryuji chuckled. "Looking back, driving backwards on the highway like that was definitely not the smartest move."
"But you did it anyway. Had you done anything like that before?"
"To show off for some girls a couple times after a race," he admitted with some pride. "I was just a dumb kid at the time, but it worked out that night. First time I ever really got any female attention, I guess. Not that that's what I had in mind when I did it to get you away from those creeps. The car was going out of control and I had to stay on the road somehow."
"Well, it was impressive anyway," Haru giggled. "I could barely see most of it, honestly, but you should have heard the reactions from Daigo and his thugs. They actually screamed when they saw you."
"And rightly so." Ryuji clutched the steering wheel slightly tighter with anticipation and pride. "This race will be just like that one. I promise. But I won't get too crazy – gotta keep you safe, after all."
"Well, I don't mind a little crazy."
Their eyes met for a moment, the hum of the engine becoming more distant as they inspected each other. Ryuji forgot about the race itself briefly, Haru's "floof" obscuring his view out the window. In that brief moment, it was only themselves in a very nice car. "Then I guess we can get a little crazy," Ryuji muttered, not breaking eye contact.
"Just a little," she affirmed him.
Joji's car revved loudly, pulling them back to reality as they saw Rise walking up between the cars to stand out in front of them, preparing to signal the start of the race with a confident, flirty smile. "She certainly likes the spotlight," Ryuji said. "Guess she is a former idol. Still can't believe I actually got to meet Risette, of all people."
"It's like she's channeling a home field advantage," Haru observed her. "This is their town, after all."
"I don't blame her."
Joji rolled down his window and signaled Ryuji to do the same, which he did with a glower. "First to the river crossing wins!" Joji shouted over the engines. "No holds barred!"
"You're not supposed to touch the other car in these kinds of races, dumbass! That's a forfeit!"
"I thought the boys could use a bit extra entertainment! What? You scared?"
Ryuji slowly raised his middle finger off the steering wheel as if adjusting his hand position just long enough for Joji to notice, then lowered it back down. "Just don't get your girlfriend killed," he shot back. "She doesn't need to get hurt just because you're this retarded."
Joji guffawed as he pressed a button and the top of the car folded back, letting them sit in the open air. "This will be fun!"
Ryuji started to roll the window back up, shaking his head at the reckless behavior of Joji, but Haru pressed another button the dashboard before he could and the top of car folded back as well. "Didn't this was convertible," he remarked.
"Do you normally not like to drive that way?"
"Not really, but I'll make an exception this time," he glared over his shoulder at Joji. "It's a nice night."
He rested his hand on the gear shift, rubbing it with his palm and thumb before feeling a much softer hand gently fall on his own. He looked to Haru, indeed seeing her hand rubbing his. "Kick his ass, Ryuji," she muttered softly, her eyes seeming excited yet almost pleading.
Ryuji looked down to her hand on top of his and rubbed his index finger along her fingers. In that moment, he realized it had been quite a while since he last felt the touch of a woman, and never had he been touched by a woman as classy and kind as Haru. Her hand and fingers were soft, warm, dainty yet with a hint of hidden strength. He nodded and clutched the gear shift harder. "We'll kick him straight out of town."
Rise held her hands up in the air, smiling brightly as the gang members hooted and hollered at her. Ryuji took one last glance at Joji and saw him staring back at him from behind thick-rimmed sunglasses. They returned their focus to Rise as she prepared to signal the start of the race.
"Three!" she called out. Ryuji's foot tensed on the gas, holding down both pedals and making the engine roar to ramp up the gear shift's RPM. Joji did the same, both racers already competing with each other, but only now to see who had the most powerful and beautiful sounding engine. Ryuji's Ferrari was the clear victor, hopefully an omen of things to come. "Two!" His hands tightened on the steering wheel. Both he and Haru breathed deeply as the anticipation built. "One!" Their friends held their breaths and the world slowed for a moment. "GO!"
Both drivers released their brakes and floored the gas, causing their wheels to spin on the tarmac and kick up smoke as they peeled out, the crowd erupting into cheers and jeers as they sped off down the road. They rounded their first corner almost immediately, Ryuji backing off as he sensed his opponent's aggression on the approach; he did not want to total their cars or get themselves killed a few seconds into the race. Joji took advantage of this and sped off up front, barely managing to prevent his car from fishtailing out of the turn, while Ryuji maintained perfect control of his car as he attempted the approach again along the straight.
Ryuji pulled up beside him as they sped on, both driver's meeting each other's gazes for a moment, glaring at each other again. Baby Doll leaned forward, her seat being closer to Ryuji, and pulled down the neckline of her top, revealing her ample cleavage with a teasing yet sickeningly superior smile. Ryuji's focus lapsed for a fraction of a second, but he regained control of himself and looked forward to assess the oncoming hairpin, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Haru lean closer to him as Joji's car creeped closer. She pulled down her own top, looking at both their opponents with a downright savagely gleeful grin as her own cleavage was revealed, indicating, to everyone's shock, even more ample femininity than Baby Doll – and she looked gloriously proud of it.
Joji and Baby Doll were lost in the display for a second, both in different types of surprise. Baby Doll looked to be fuming with indignity and jealousy, which prompted Haru to give her breasts a small shake, right next to Ryuji's face, before sitting back down and cheering for him. He felt a newfound sense of confidence and speed as Joji had slowed down just enough for him to be outpaced as they approached the hairpin, and Ryuji found a perfect line approaching from the outside apex of the turn and cutting Joji off at the inner apex. Joji nearly lost control and crashed, still reeling from the image of beauty he had just witnessed, and Ryuji had pulled ahead at a critical moment.
The audience watched what they could of the race with binoculars, with Naoto having – of course – brought her own high-quality pair. "Ryuji's taken the lead!" she cried out excitedly as she focused the lenses. "And, uh – geez, hers might be bigger than mine," she muttered.
"Her whats are… what?" asked Kanji.
"N-nothing! Nothing!"
Joji floored it behind Ryuji, finding a sufficient line at the inner apex of the following turn. His tires screeched as he turned around the bend, but he was quickly coming up on Ryuji's rear. "Shit!" Ryuji saw him in the rear-view mirror. "This guy's actually not bad."
"You're doing great!" Haru cheered him on. "Just stay focused!"
"Well, you're making it a little more difficult than it usually is when I'm behind the wheel," he chuckled.
"Is that a bad thing?" she smiled at him.
"Not a fuckin' bit!" He came out of the turn neck and neck with Joji and floored the gas, accelerating into a higher gear as they approached the next straight. That feeling he missed so much: the speed, the control, the "pocket" as he was oft to call it; it was all coming back to him now. The world became clearer, his muscles moved more fluidly without needing to think about it. He saw the road ahead, recognized its curves and bends and apexes, and executed on instinct.
It was a drag race between the drivers into the next turn, with Ryuji on the inside this time. His eyes darted back and forth between the road and Joji, and as he expected, he caught his opponent about to ram him from the side in a desperate attempt to either throw off his approaching line or crash him. Ryuji slammed the breaks and pulled back just enough for Joji to miss him completely, but he did not commit all the way and was able to barely recover before crashing. He anticipated that, Ryuji thought. He made a bold move but still accounted for the possibility of it going sideways. This guy's actually raced before.
Ryuji was forced to take the outside line of the turn but Joji's mistake had cost him some critical speed as they entered the last third of the race. This was the most critical moment of all: a blind turn overlooking a ridge driving hard and fast into a decline toward the river. The g-forces of such a maneuver could easily cause a vehicle to lose traction and spin out, especially at such high speeds, and Ryuji had almost made a serious mistake at this turn when practicing.
Joji came up to his side and they were right against each other again as the turn approached, both giving their vehicles everything they had in sixth gear. Haru suddenly felt deciding to ride along with Ryuji for the sake of her feminine pride and to support her friend may have been miscalculated as she saw the approaching turn and the speedometer continuing to climb. It was a chicken race now; whoever slowed down last and could safely take the inner apex first would take home the gold. She looked to Ryuji, seeing his eyes burning with wild fury yet deep focus, his blond-dyed hair blowing in the wind. She prayed silently for their safety as the moment of truth approached.
Ryuji knew Joji may try to juke him out by slowing down early so he could force Ryuji to power into the turn too quickly and go over the edge, or at least take the inside apex away from him. He could try the same, but he could not slow down too quickly or risk handing Joji the race. The turn approached faster and faster, only a few seconds remaining before he had to make a decision. Then he remembered one race just like in his past, with his mentor, with a very similar turn he had stolen out from under him. He had confidence this car could pull it off, but he also know it was not expressly tuned for such a maneuver. But it may be the best bet to take home the win safely, at least for himself and Haru.
"Hang on!" he shouted to her over the engines and slammed the brakes as hard as he could. She screeched in surprise, and Joji and Baby Doll as well were completely shocked as they pulled ahead. But Ryuji then pulled the wheel all the way to the left just before he entered the turn then floored the gas once more, taking the aggressive g-forces into account and using them to his advantage as he sneaked into the inside line with his drift. The reckless beauty of the move threw Joji off and he braked too late on his approach. His tires screeched as he pulled away from the railing, the back-right wheel clipping it as he barely managed to stay on the road.
Ryuji continued to drift around the bend, both of them now screaming in joyous defiance against physics itself instead of in fear. Just like ya taught me, Sensei! Ryuji thought as they came out of the turn. He kept his foot on the gas and advanced back into sixth gear to propel the car back into stability as they rushed into the decline, and he saw in a glance at the mirror that Joji was far behind, barely recovering from his near crash.
Haru shrieked with adrenaline and joy as they pulled out of the turn in perfect safety, and the audience was in an absolutely uproar as they saw Ryuji's car enter the final straight a full five seconds before Joji. "YAHOO!" Ryuji called out.
"They did it!" Naoto cried out. "Ryuji won!"
"Atta boy!" Kanji exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "Won by a freakin' mile!"
"Woohoo!" Chie cheered, wrapping her arms around Yosuke's neck. "That's steak and sake money coming right into our pockets, babe!"
"We're buying him the first round though, okay?"
"Duh! What do you think I am, some upstart boor?"
"Do you want me to answer that, hon?"
"No."
Everyone cheered Ryuji on as he drove over the bridge above the river. He could see them at the hilltop, waving at him and jumping up and down. Both he and Haru waved to them as they crossed over the picaresque blue water before Haru gave him a quick hug in excited congratulation. He hugged her back with one arm, taking brief notice of how pleasantly soft her body was, as well as her floofy hair and rosy cheeks, perfectly framed by the backdrop of the river.
Both drivers made their way back up to the hilltop, with Joji lagging considerably behind. Their friends greeted them with hugs and cheers, chanting Ryuji's name. He felt as if he was back on the track in the big city in the middle of the night, something he always felt was his true home. No clearer, more invigorating air existed for him than that which pulled the tears from his eyes as he sprinted down the track at the highest speeds his vehicle could handle, and he felt just as invigorated and vivified in that moment.
"Great shot, kid!" Akira ran up to Ryuji and slapped him on the back. "That was one in a million!"
"We should have got champagne for you guys!" Ann exclaimed. "Oh my god, we totally dropped the ball on this one! But… ooh, I am so happy for you two!"
Rise grabbed his arm and held it up in the air proudly. "WINNER!" she shouted with glee, and to their surprise, the thugs all cheered for Ryuji passionately. Truly, he was back home.
Joji finally pulled up beside them, glaring at Ryuji, who with his friends had no idea what to expect next from him. Baby Doll was pouting in the seat next to him, but Joji's expression subtly changed as he met Ryuji's gaze. He gave him a short but respectful nod, his glare slightly softening, and Ryuji knew exactly what it meant instantly. He returned the nod without a smile, a joke, or an impolite gesture. Between the two racers was a mutual respect they would carry down any road they travelled, and they knew it intrinsically.
Joji called out to his gang members, "If you ride with Komaki, go back to base! If you ride with me, saddle up and meet me at the rendezvous. Komaki's crusade can go to hell! If you agree, catch my coattails!" He quickly turned the car around and sped off.
The other gang members paused for a moment before returning to their own cars. Some of them glowered at Ryuji and his friends, but only some. Most ignored them, or gave Ryuji their own respectful nods before leaving.
"You think any of them are staying behind?" asked Yukiko. "Most of them seem more attached to Joji than Komaki."
"I think a lot of them are shipping out tonight," said Ryuji. "I saw a lot of real racers and race fans among them. They'll follow Joji wherever he races next."
"Even though he lost?" Yusuke asked.
"He did, but he lost with pride. With dignity. Someone's gotta come in first and someone's gotta come in last. They'll find another road to ride down, see where it takes them."
"Whoa," Futaba ogled him. "He's like an old, max-level hero."
Ryuji could not help but smile at her comment. "Thanks, kid," he nodded to her. "That means a lot. But, uh, who, or what, the hell is this?" he motioned to Terasawa.
"Oh my," Haru said, still seated next to Ryuji in the car. "Who might you be, sir?"
Terasawa replied quietly, "Let's discuss that somewhere quieter. It's important. Besides," he pointed down the road leading into the hills, "we got company."
They all looked to where he was pointing and saw two police cars approaching, still a few minutes off. "We don't got time to deal with that shit," Kanji muttered. "Let's bail before they take us in for questioning."
"He's right," said Makoto. "Back to your cars, everyone. We'll reconvene at the inn."
They quickly went back to their vehicles and drove off, with Ryuji and Haru making the best time of them all in her Ferrari. The sunset was turning to dusk by that time, the deep oranges, purples, blues and blacks painted across the sky. With her hair still blowing in the wind as they kept the top down, Ryuji could not help but admit to himself, Damn, she is gorgeous. And strong. And funny. And cute. And stacked… And she has a Ferrari roadster.
She's… kind of amazing. I wonder if she would go for drinks with… someone like me…
[Thank you for the continued viewership and reviews, everyone. And I apologize for the delay in this chapter's release. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones, you beautiful bastards.]
