Disclaimer: I don't own Initial D; it is one of my favorite comics. I hope that my fanfic won't offend any Initial D's fans. I have created a female Takumi instead under the name of Tatsuki; I hope you will like them. This is a fanfic. All characters except for Initial D's characters are all imaginary characters. Most of the details are fictional and any similarities are coincidence.
The first and official expeditionary battle of Project D was scheduled on Momiji Line in Tochigi prefecture with Team Seven Star Leaf. Keisuke was watching the video footage on the television, trying his best to familiarize himself with the course. As for the other driver, she was still at her Shinjuku office, reading piles of documents that she had to approve. She just done with her piano and violin performance at the National Theatre which earned many good reviews and credits from the media. She took a quick glance at the calendar, two more days.
Ryosuke was just finished his revision of his studies before he turned to his racing theory. He did not know if Tatsuki had noticed the gutters on this course. What he knew was that she must still be somewhere in Tokyo. He occasionally saw her news on television and radio broadcasts. Her new album was overwhelmingly popular and hit another record. Her new look had become a trend overnight.
Tatsuki packed an overnight bag with her white and black apparel for a two-day trip. She got a key for a vacation home at Shiobara. She came down in her white shirt and black jeans in the morning. She had a light breakfast with her father. The girl left before noon with Kaito as the driver.
The Panda Hachi-Roku arrived at Matsumoto garage just five minutes before the departure time. Her creamy blonde hair was so standout that the guys stunned every time they saw her. Especially, when Kaito was standing beside her. The duo blonde showed how real troublemakers looked like. She took a glance at the bright yellow RX7 with a despised expression.
"So, you're going to bring him along to every race?" Keisuke asked curiously.
"Whenever he's free," Tatsuki replied and turned to Matsumoto. "Shall we go?"
Matsumoto looked at their leader and gestured the team to get into their car. Tatsuki opened the door and strapped in her seat. Soon, the two cars and three vans drove off the garage. Tatsuki was resting her chin on her left hand while Kaito was driving, following the Project D van. Ryosuke saw how relaxing she was in that car, especially when she was enjoying the cool breeze along the highway. Unlike Keisuke, he was very excited about the battle. His two drivers were on the opposite end.
They stopped at a restaurant in the evening for dinner before heading to the course. Tatsuki sat down next to Kaito and opposite of Ryosuke. She pulled her cap lower as she looked at the menu.
"Don't you think it's so inconvenient?" Keisuke asked.
"Not at all, I chose this myself," Tatsuki replied plainly.
"So, you'll be in disguise for every battle. I think you'll draw more attention," Keisuke said.
"Or you want my fans to flood wherever we go and even on the Project D website," Tatsuki replied with an expressionless tone. "Let's make it big!"
"Keisuke-San, do you know how provocative your team website is?" Kaito chuckled when he looked at Tatsuki's current style of dressing.
"She's right. We don't want so many spectators," Fumihiro tapped on Keisuke's shoulder. He thought of their website that was designed in a provocative manner.
She ordered her food and obediently listening to the guy's' conversation. It was quite a boring topic for her. She was having difficulty understanding the car related stuff. She somehow hated making new friends. They also reminded her of the last year school trip.
"Have you watched the course video?" Ryosuke diverted her attention after observing her.
"Forty times, I guess," she replied.
"So did you notice anything interesting on this course?" he said.
"Quite similar to Akina, except..." she paused as the waitress brought their food. "Oh, the food is here. Let's tuck in."
Tatsuki turned her attention to her rice set in front of her. She had some sips of the miso soup before she slowly chose her next bite. She finished all her food for the first time with the team. She told the guys that she would be waiting outside, waving her phone in her hand. She went to the cashier to settle the bill for them and walked out of the restaurant. Ryosuke watched every single moment of her, concerned when she would give her answer to his request. He heard from Matsumoto about the amount of money she gave him for tuning her car.
The Project D arrived at the Momiji Line before 9pm. They met with the Seven Star Leaf team with Fumihiro as their coordinator and team communicator. The sight of a Hachi-Roku had surprised them. The two mechanics were working on the two cars as soon as they got ready. Fumihiro introduced the two Project D's drivers to Toru and Atsuro. The Seven Star Leaf noticed the two blonde drivers with one having a black mask covering the face. The two drivers stood in front of Ryosuke and listened to his instructions for the first practice session. The two cars sped off immediately.
Tatsuki replayed the video in her mind as she drove down the pass, examining any discrepancies that she could find. She saw the uncovered gutters that she should be able to use. She must think of the way, maybe she could play with the shifting of the weight from front to rear to lift the wheel while turning at the corner. She had to assess the actual spot in daytime to see the actual track before she could make the move.
After the practice session, Ryosuke was talking to Tatsuki about what he wanted her to think about as it had to do with the race results. The Project D packed up and headed back to Gunma to rest. Tatsuki and Kaito was headed the other way to her vacation home nearby. She told Fumihiro to look for her at her place tomorrow afternoon when he planned to check out the gutters together.
Kaito and Tatsuki got into the house with her assistant, Gina, was waiting. She got a bath immediately, thinking about what Ryosuke had said about the course. She went to bed shortly after light meal while the Project D was still on their way back to their home.
Fumihiro told Ryosuke that Tatsuki was staying at her house near the course tonight. Ryosuke did not say anything. He knew what her father could do for her. He knew her father was more than just a hotel chain owner.
Fumihiro went to Tochigi in the afternoon to meet both Kaito and Tatsuki at the house. She had a full recharge and woke up an hour ago. He parked the van at her house before she drove him to the course. She recalled Ryosuke's theory and thought about the possibility while examined the gutters. She was sure that it would work with certain conditions. Fumihiro told her to trust Ryosuke as he never wrong.
Tatsuki made themselves dinner before they met up with the rest of the team. The downhill battle was to begin first. Toru looked at the masked 'boy' in front of him as he introduced himself.
"Fujiwara Tatsuki," she shook his hand after introducing herself.
He was shocked to learn that this was a female driver and her aura was so strong that he could not stop shaking. The chasing race began with Tatsuki followed Toru. She slowly studied his driving style and techniques as the crucial point was towards the last section of the course. She knew their differences though with some doubts. As they reached the gutter area, Tatsuki was looking for the exact spot where she could use. A sudden vision of how her car could overcome the gutter just appeared in front of her eyes. She knew that was it and stepped on the accelerator. She was at the right entry point and maximum speed. The Hachi-Roku was hanging her front inner tire over the gutter, shifting its weight to the rear, as she turned and overtook Toru's Roadster, leaving him startled at what had just happened. She repeated the same technique at the next corner which gave him the chance to duplicate her technique but he failed badly. The roadster crashed and flipped before it came into a stop. Tatsuki stopped her car immediately and ran over to checked on her opponent. With the concern for the driver, she forgot wearing her mask. Toru was stunned at the face of the current top singer. Not only him, the crowd that gathered at this corner were staring at her too. They were wondering if that was really Luna, the singer. She bowed politely and got into her car. She swore that she would not take off her mask even when driving.
Tatsuki returned to the starting point shortly after. She told Ryosuke about what happened and apologized for any inconvenience that she might cause. He assured her that it would be fine. The uphill battle began almost immediately. Tatsuki leaned against her car, sipping some warm water. She was listening to Ryosuke explained to her about the technique she just used. A few people approached her for an autograph. She had to wear her artist role and signed the autograph for them. She then slowly found a quiet place to wait for her time attack session.
Ryosuke was very pleased with their results for tonight. Tatsuki left immediately with Kaito driving the car after Ryosuke dismissed her. The Hachi-Roku was seen speeding down the road back to Gunma as she could not wait to go back and practice.
Tatsuki's life after high school was not as busy as her high school days. She was still doing the tofu delivery in the morning followed by her driving practice. After breakfast, she would be either in her Tokyo offices or Akina warehouse buried herself with work or taking a stroll in her herb farm and orchard. At night, it was her physical training time, dance practice and her piano/violin practice. All her friends had left for their overseas studies. However, she never felt lonely with herself so occupied by her daily life.
The battle at Momiji Line was still lingering in her head. She sat on the couch, staring at the newly renovated warehouse. It was a minimalist style with only a few furniture pieces on the ground floor. There was a garage at the back of the warehouse, separated from the main building. There was a recording studio on the second floor of the garage with musical instruments in a large room. At the second floor of the warehouse, there were large bedroom with en-suite bathroom and onsen tub, a walk-in wardrobe, a library and an office space with game room. Her mind was drifting away with the memories of how she met Ryosuke. It had been weeks since she told him that she would think about their relationship.
At Takahashi residence, Ryosuke was updating his website with the results of the battle and the new battle information. The fourth-year medical student was fully utilized his time balancing his studies and racing team.
The next race was scheduled with Todo School in Tochigi. At a blink moment, he saw a flash of his downhill ace face. This race would be a tough one for both of his aces. However, it was necessary to push their limits.
It had been two months after their first Project D meeting in February. She always kept a distance between herself and him during the expeditionary. However, she still agreed to meet him whenever she was free in Tokyo. The only difference was she kept within "friend zone". She had not given him her answer yet and he was getting impatient as time went by. He looked at the books borrowed from her library and the Project D website. He could have done something outside Project D with her. He did not see her smile for a long time. He knew that she was very reserved with him and his team. He repeatedly thought of Kaito's words about her past. It would be a different story if he knew her past. He would never turn down any of her requests. He began to think about how could he speed up things around them.
Tatsuki hugged Bunta before leaving for another race on Friday afternoon. She mischievously told him to be good and work hard while she was away. She slowly narrowed her eyes when she heard that her father was going to get another 'practical' car. She waved him goodbye and drove off.
Project D team was waiting for their downhill driver to arrive before they could leave. The panda Hachi-Roku showed up on the dot. She followed the RX7 toward their destination. They stopped for dinner before heading up to the course. Tatsuki was as chilled as she was always. She had a very clear mindset about joining the team. She just wanted to learn more about racing and to see how she could improve under Ryosuke's guidance. She only had the image of the course in her mind, ignoring who she was racing with. Her attitude towards every battle was so different from the rest of the team. She preferred not to know the drivers that may clouded her mind.
She sat a corner of the table with her headphones on her neck. She was quietly eating her dinner. She got up to wait outside after finished the dinner. Ryosuke followed her to cashier when she paid for their food. They got out of the restaurant and were talking. Ryosuke told her that she did not need to pay for their meal. Tatsuki told him that it did not cost much. Ryosuke told her that his birthday present that she had given was more than enough to fund the team. Tatsuki nodded. He thanked her for the dinner and waited in his van while Tatsuki got into her car. The rest of the team were looking at their leader and the driver with some curiosity about their seeming 'cloudy' relationship.
Project D arrived at Enna Skyline at 9pm. The atmosphere at the site was stifling with a group of Todo School students were standing on the other side. They came to see them and soon they left, unbothered to check on Project D. Tatsuki was looking at Matsumoto tuning her car. She was waiting for her practice session to start. Ryosuke called the two drivers and gave his instructions for the first session. They did a few more rounds after some adjustments before they had their rest. Tatsuki offered her vacation home nearby for the team. Ryosuke accepted and they followed the Hachi-Roku to the house. Tatsuki led them to the house and showed them their rooms before she got into her own room for a shower. Fumihiro saw a chef in the kitchen, preparing some soup and meal for them. Gina walked over to the guys and told them that there were new clothes in the room for them to change.
Tatsuki walked down in her cotton pajamas and straight into the kitchen, looking for food. Her chef had prepared some soup and light meals for them. She sat down at the end of the dining table, talking softly on the phone. Kaito was updating her about Zyne Racing team practice sessions yesterday. The guys were curious when they saw her assistant passed a file to her. Tatsuki flipped over within seconds and signed off. Gina then sat down briefly go through her agenda for next week. Tatsuki finished her breakfast shortly. Ryosuke thanked Tatsuki for her hospitality and reminded the rest to rest well for tonight's battle.
Keisuke heard loud cheering from the surrounding in the afternoon. The team walked over to see what was happening there. They saw their downhill driver in a white basketball jersey was on the court challenging the locals. Tatsuki looked very happy when she zigzagged through the court and made a shot. Her smile was so captivating that made the Project D realized how reserved she was with them. She was now drenched in sweat and waved the locals goodbye as she walked back to her house. Gina gave her a big towel and Tatsuki threw it over her head. Her sweat was dripping as she walked past her teammates. She took a quick glance at them and quickly get into the house. She washed up and changed to her usual black outfit before she left with Fumihiro and Matsumoto to recce the course before sunset.
The battle began with downhill chasing race manner. Tatsuki felt that her opponent was incredibly fast just from a glance. She listened carefully to Ryosuke instructions. She obliged to his instructions strictly, not to disappoint him even she was under a tremendous pressure. She was very focused on her driving with full concentration as she led Daiki EK9. At the second round, she had a good chance observing Daiki's driving technique. She passed him once she saw the chance before her eyes when the EK9 tires were losing its grip. She felt contented with her results, especially when Ryosuke complimented her good work. She could feel that he was happy.
Tatsuki was slowly getting used to Project D teammates. She learned a lot from them which made her had a better understanding about cars and driving techniques. They got along better than before. Keisuke was her teammate as well as her competitor. She never once slacked off on her daily practice. Moreover, she was seen driving Hachi-Roku more often recently.
She hung out with Matsumoto frequently especially when she had to bring the Hachi-Roku for him to work on the setting. Sometimes she even spent the whole day at his garage, observed how he was working on her cars. The mechanic found the girl was very friendly, different from how she always portrayed herself. They were closer than the rest of the team. Tatsuki was keen to recruit this mechanic for Zyne Racing.
With another race coming up, they had scheduled a meeting every Tuesday. Ryosuke called for a meeting with the course footage done by himself. The team was waiting for their youngest driver. Tatsuki shove the pink S2000 into the parking space as she was late. She got out in her black business suit. She apologized for being late. Her teammates were surprised to see her coming in her sleek suit.
Ryosuke told the team that they would be racing with a professional driver next weekend which excited them except Tatsuki. She just stunned at the first instance and returned to her normal self. She slowly loosened her necktie as she listened to Ryosuke's briefing. They had a private chat after he was done.
Tatsuki told him that Tuesday meeting was little too much for her. If she had to be in Tokyo which was very likely for the next few weeks, she would not be back in time. She asked if he could make some other arrangements for her. It was not a special treatment for her, she just needed some choices. Ryosuke agreed to think about it for her. He then asked if she had taken her dinner. Tatsuki shook her head and he took her out for dinner. He could see how tired she was at the moment. She was completely swamped with the Yokohama project currently.
Ryosuke still cared for her though she kept a distance between them. He looked at the girl in his passenger seat with a thought of tearing down her barrier between them. She was curled up in the seat, nodding off. He knew that she still felt safe with him and that was why she was always nonchalant when she was with him. He exited his car and walked over to Matsumoto who was waiting. Keisuke was looking for Tatsuki when he did not see her. Ryosuke told his brother that she was still in the car and warned him not to disturb her. He discussed with Fumihiro and Matsumoto on her issues with Tuesday meeting. They knew how concerned Ryosuke was about Tatsuki.
Tatsuki slowly opened her eyes after a nap. She realized that she had dozed off in his car again. She got out of the car and walked towards the guys in the garage. She apologized to Ryosuke. The rest of the team members were looking at their leader and the driver with anticipation of what would come next. Ryosuke told her about his arrangement for her request earlier before dismissing her home.
Tatsuki appeared in Fuji Speedway circuit on Friday morning with her brother. It became her routine to dropped by whenever she had her weekend off from Project D. Zyne Racing team was a very young but full of potential especially when they have a few "monster" drivers. Tatsuki recruited Yasui Yun, a twenty years old Japanese driver who was introduced by Masashi during winter last year. Yun was a very fast driver, competing in GT500 series and Formula 3. Another driver was a sixteen years old boy, Matsuyama Eric, who the Fujiwara siblings picked up from a Formula 4 circuit and put him in Formula 3 events this year. The last driver was a young female driver from Kanagawa. Tanaka Yui was recruited by Kaito who had followed her on and off circuit races in the past two years. She was competing in GT300 events.
Tatsuki looked at Kaito in his white racing suit, preparing for the practice round. He was participating in Super GT series this weekend. He had won the first race of the season fortnight ago. He got into the Mazda RX7 FD3S and drove off. Yui was getting ready in her Honda NSX and left with thirty minutes intervals. Yun got ready for his practice session in the afternoon. Tatsuki stood in front of the monitors, watching the two drivers speeding down the track. She spent her weekend in Shizuoka.
Another race with Todo's graduate professional driver was very overwhelming especially for Keisuke. Tatsuki was in her usual relaxed manner as she looked at Matsumoto working on her car. The atmosphere within the team was tensed when Ryosuke chose to take a sleep in the car, leaving Fumihiro in charged. She just did her best at the practice session. This week was her first time resting in her car instead of her vacation home. She parked her car next to Matsumoto's van. She was not used to it especially when she wanted to take a shower after a long night of practice. She could not understand how these guys could go on without any showering till the next day.
Matsumoto noticed the Hachi-Roku drove off before dawn. Tatsuki walked into one of her family's hotel resorts to get a bath before she went back to the car park again. The receptionist was almost declined her request but eventually got her a room after a direct order from the management. She was now happy and refreshed. She fell asleep in no time. Keisuke looked at the slumber girl in her car, surprised at how deep her sleep was. He could hardly nap for more than three hours.
"Ouch!" a loud cried was heard as the Hachi-Roku shook a little.
Most of the teammates turned their head at the Hachi-Roku immediately. They could not hold their laughter when they saw how silly the youngest driver was. Tatsuki forgot that she was in the car and banged her head on the roof as she tried to stand. She was rubbing her head as she stood outside the car. It was another side of the famous super cool singer. She was fully awake now. The team then noticed that she had changed her clothes but when and where did she do it. She went to the restroom and came back refreshed with an ice pack on her head.
Tatsuki swore to herself that she would never sleep in the car like them again. She would rather be in her comfy bed than in the car. She was following Matsumoto and Fumihiro to see the actual course before sunset. It was unlikely that she would be the driver tonight but she knew she required to do what she should do. She did not understand the excitement and stress within the team for this particular race. She told the guys that she preferred to go and race without knowing who the opponent was. Furthermore, she told them that putting too much concern on the opponent was a waste of time and energy. The two men were looking at their driver with different perspectives when they heard her opinion. She was totally unaffected by the professional driver. She looked up at the sky, wondering if this driver was better than Kaito. Their racing team had won races consecutively from the beginning of the season. Zyne Racing attracted the media attention at this moment, securing the top two podium finish in all categories she participated in.
Ryosuke woke up in the evening with a clear mind after a long sleep. He was looking through the practice information of both drivers. He had decided that Tatsuki would be the driver with Keisuke's protest that he should be the one. Tatsuki got into Ryosuke's car as instructed and he drove off. Keisuke was frustrated and sulking in his FD right after Ryosuke left. It was a big gamble for Project D to accept this challenge. He trusted his simulation theory and outwitted the Todo school in the most boldly way.
Todo boss and Tachi Tomoyuki were caught off-guard when they saw the Hachi-Roku was lining up next to their demo car. Tatsuki was leading Tomoyuki and focused on the road. She knew how fast he was and it was not easy for her to keep him behind. She was surprised when the car just disappeared from her rear-view mirror and passed her at the inside of the hairpin. She was now concentrating on keeping up with Tomoyuki while finding her overtaking point. She turned off the headlights when she entered the tunnel, thinking of how to make her car disappear liked what he did earlier. He was caught off-guard when the Hachi-Roku turned on the headlights while driving side by side with him. She returned to lead Tomoyuki again. He attacked her at the hairpin which caused her to lose her momentum and fell behind him again. Tatsuki was still looking for her chance to get back at Tomoyuki. She did another blind attack technique at the last turn before she emerged as the winner with less than half car length. She was not sure what made Tomoyuki swerved out of the way a little at the last corner. Tomoyuki told her it was just merely lucky and unlucky kind of thing. She gave her name card to the older man, guessing that he might need her help. Tomoyuki looked at the name card and was caught by surprise when he saw the words "Zyne Racing" on it. It was a very simple name card containing only the team's name and a phone number. He began to wonder how she was related to the rising racing team. The young racing team that had a huge funding from Japanese top organizations and made up of mostly young staffs.
Tatsuki was happy when Ryosuke praised her and his acknowledgment was very important to her. Furthermore, it was a very fun experience when she learned a few new things during the battle. She was beaming while walking to her car and waved at the team as she was leaving. The upbeat music from the Hachi-Roku was cheering as the car sped down the course.
"She's on a high-spirited tonight," Kenta said as he watched the car disappeared.
Ryosuke grinned at her reaction. He knew that why she was so elated. She was just a little girl after all. He had a sudden idea in his head and got into his car. Matsumoto had a hunch that their leader was chasing after the driver this time. Keisuke and the rest of the members were confused by Ryosuke's sudden change of behavior.
Ryosuke was speeding down the course, trying to catch up with the Hachi-Roku. Tatsuki, who was on the cloud nine at the moment, was driving faster aligned with the rhythm of music that she played. He caught up with her car at the last hairpin of the course. He sped up and overtook her car before coerced into a stop along the side parking space. Tatsuki was confused by his compulsion. She stepped out of her car and stood in front of him.
"I have something to talk to you," Ryosuke said.
"Oh! Ok, go ahead," Tatsuki replied, with all ears.
"Follow me," he cued her to get into her car and followed him.
The white RX7 was leading the Hachi-Roku towards Maebashi where his house was located. Tatsuki was perplexed by his intentions of bringing her to his house. She watched him parked his car in the garage before he got into her car.
"Let's find a quiet place for a little chat," he said while she was driving.
"Akagi?" Tatsuki asked.
"Don't you prefer Akina so you can do the delivery later?" Ryosuke replied.
Tatsuki was still puzzled about what he wanted to say. She sped up the Akina and stopped at her cottage after half an hour. She parked her car at the parking lot before opened the gate. They sat down on the white bench overlooking the lake. He gently held her hand, interlocking their fingers. He asked if she had the answer for him. Tatsuki's eyes were on their hands for a long moment. She knew she loved him and no matter how long she kept him waiting, the answer was always the same. He pulled closer trapped her in his embrace. He repeatedly apologized for upsetting her earlier. He asked if she could give him another chance to make it up to her. This time he explained to her that it was not going to be easy for them as he might not have time for her. He might not be able to be there for her when she needed him. Tatsuki nodded, told him that she knew. She knew from the first time they knew each other. She understood the work of a doctor especially for the first ten years of his career. They were sorted out their problems. She did have her set of concerns if they were in a relationship. She had a few hidden identities that she could not just reveal to him. She did not know if he would be able to withstand her surprises in the future. She looked up into his eyes before telling him that she had many secrets and asked if he would be able to accept it if he knew them one day. He nodded, knowing that she was not a simple teenager. He thought of her artist identity and her work as an executive officer in a few companies. Her close friends were all very outstanding in their own fields. She briefly told him about her plans for her life. She preferred to work behind the scenes instead of the frontline like she was doing now. She asked if he was fine to do an "underground" relationship for the time being. Ryosuke agreed and held her tight in his arms.
"Do you want to visit her?" Tatsuki asked, as she thought of Kaori.
"Will you visit her with me," Ryosuke replied.
"So... will you be my girlfriend... lover... wife... life partner?" Ryosuke officially asked with his hot breath blowing along her neckline.
"It's ticklish," she tried to push his face away.
"Or..." Tatsuki sealed his words with a light peck on his lips.
Ryosuke smiled and cupped her face with his hands. He placed his lips on her, from featherlight brushing to a deep kiss. Her mind went blank as he nipped her lips asking for deeper kiss. It was getting more passionate. Tatsuki clenched his shirt tight. She was almost breathless when he pulled his kiss away. His eyes were gazing at her, burning with desire. She began to realize that she was playing with fire, waking up a sleeping bear. He carried her up and put her on his lap. His hand held the back of her head as he invaded her mouth with a more heated kiss. She parted her lips allowing him to explore her as he wished. His free hand pulled her closer against his chest. She buried her face in his chest as she held him tightly.
"You're so sweet," he whispered in his husky voice.
Tatsuki was blushing from head to toes once she realized what they had done. It was not their first kiss but it always stepped on the redline. She had been cautioned herself not to allow him to go this far, but it never succeeded. She tried hard to regain her composure for a moment before she met his gazes.
"I got to go," she stumbled over her words.
Ryosuke chuckled at how her shy reaction. They walked to the car hand in hand. Bunta stunned when he saw Ryosuke got out of the Hachi-Roku with his daughter. He noticed her unusually blushing face when he gave her the cup of water. The two men were standing next to each other while watching the car disappeared into the street.
"Fujiwara-San, I... I would like to ask for your permission to see and date your daughter..." Ryosuke asked and told the old man that they were going into a relationship.
Bunta took a few puffs, knowing that sooner or later they would be together regardless of what happened. He nodded and told the young man to take a good care of her. He stated in his serious manner to return his daughter to him if their relationship did not go as they expected. He stepped into the shop with a heavy heart, especially when he felt like losing a part of his precious thing.
Ryosuke was standing there dumbfounded when he heard Bunta's words. He would be the dumbest person if he ever let her go. Three months of her dissuasion was enough. He did not want to think how his life would be if she left.
Tatsuki came back after twenty minutes and went straight to see her father. She knew that he must be upset at this very moment. She gave her father a big hug and told him about her underground relationship. She assured Bunta that he would be the utmost person in her life, ahead of Ryosuke. Bunta rubbed her head with adoration. The three of them had breakfast together before Tatsuki and Ryosuke went back to the warehouse on Akina. Bunta left the house to see his wife. He had tons of things to update to his late wife on their daughter.
After spending the whole Sunday in bed, Ryosuke and Tatsuki returned to their busy lives on the next day. Ryosuke was now at the Tokyo University Hospital, doing his clinical work at the emergency department. Tatsuki was sitting in the boardroom listening to the updates on the company's progress. She was a little relaxed today when Bunta was taking over her role for a day. They had some discussion over lunch on their Yokohama project. They were just business partners and not father-daughter when they were in office. He returned to his office while Tatsuki left for another meeting in her own company at the building next to his.
Ryosuke had just knocked off clinical work in the late afternoon. He went to Tatsuki's penthouse trying his luck to find her there. Tatsuki had changed into her sports bras and leggings. She was workout in the gym since she came back. With just a towel on her neck, she walked into the living room like she usually did. Ryosuke looked at the well-toned girl at the door with some irritation at her attire she wore.
"Can't you put on a t-shirt? It's too revealing," Ryosuke asked with an annoying voice.
"Let me have a shower first," she moved aside before he could catch her.
Tatsuki quickly ran back to her room for a good shower and allowed him to cool down a little. She stood at the stairs looking down at her boyfriend on the sofa, smiling. He was too possessive of her since they stepped up their relationship. She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind.
"Jealous?" she walked over and sat on his lap.
He looked at her silk spaghetti straps blouse and shorts. He could smell her sweet flora scent shampoo from her damp hair. He lowered his head and gently nipping along her neckline.
"Don't leave marks," she whispered.
"No promise... you're too enticing," he replied.
Tatsuki pushed him away and gave him an angry glare. She still remembered how panicked she was when he left hickeys that time. Ryosuke smiled and pulled her closer. After a long moment in his arms, Tatsuki got up to prepare dinner. She asked Ryosuke about his day at emergency department. She told him there were books that could help in her library. Ryosuke began his report writing in the library. They had their dinner while they discussed his studies related subject. She was his treasure girl. She watched him working on his report while updating her on Project D next battle. They left the penthouse around 9pm.
Keisuke was pacing around in front of Ryosuke's room as he waited for his brother. His brother was acting strange since Saturday. He didn't come home that night and no one knew where he was. Ryosuke raised his eyebrow when he saw how anxious Keisuke seemed today. He entered his room with Keisuke in tow. Keisuke asked where had he been for the past few days. Ryosuke did not answer his questions but turned on his laptop, began to work on the Project D website. He had no intention to tell anyone about his romance relationship with Tatsuki. He suggested to Keisuke to get something to do if he was too free. Keisuke was startled by Ryosuke's words.
Ryosuke and Tatsuki met each other at the penthouse almost every day. He began to get used to her daily routine and sometimes joined her for some workouts in the gym. She would massage his head if she noticed he spent too much time on his studies and laptop. She always prepared their meals. She tried to be there when he needed help.
Tatsuki was leaning lazily on the sofa, watching the course footage on her large screen. Ryosuke just got into the house after his afternoon shift. It became a usual welcome sight to see her in her skimpy clothes in this penthouse. She was so focused on the television screen that she forgot to greet him. He sat down next to her and pulled her on to his lap.
"You've forgotten to welcome me home," he said as her attention turned to him.
Tatsuki kissed his lips lightly as a reply. However, it was not enough for him. He claimed her lips the way he always wanted, leaving her breathless and worn out. She was panting in his arms.
"Ahem!" a loud cough echoed from the entrance. Kaito was leaning against the door, looking away from the living room.
Tatsuki pushed Ryosuke away as she jumped out of his lap. She looked at the entrance with her blushed face. Ryosuke was startled when he saw a key card on Kaito 's hand. So, he was not the only one who had her apartment key.
"You're such a distraction!" Tatsuki pouted as she walked over to Kaito.
"You ate your words, girl," Kaito teased as he handed her a bag of groceries.
He followed Tatsuki into the kitchen and put the rest of the groceries on the counter. He then greeted Ryosuke who was still sitting on the sofa, embarrassed by his appearance.
"No such things... you know what kind of person I am..." Kaito was teasing the girl who was preparing dinner. He laughed at her irritated facial expressions.
"It's only taken you three months to go back on your word... that's fast," he whispered as he saw Ryosuke was walking over.
Tatsuki slapped Kaito's arm, cueing him to stop teasing. Kaito sat on the high stool as he told her about his racing results for the past two weeks. She nodded and advised him to continue his studies. Ryosuke joined in their conversations, surprised at his excellent results as a new professional driver. The two guys were sharing their experiences and thoughts about cars and racing.
Tatsuki set up the dinner table for them. They were just enjoying their meal together for the first time. She then did her piano practice after that while Ryosuke spent his time in library with his studies. He had to finished his homework and reports before tomorrow. Kaito left shortly afterwards. Tatsuki came into the room with a cup of coffee. She helped him with his reports. It had been his curiosity to know how could she had so much knowledge of medical science and yet not interested in this field. Her notes were the most valuable and would help many people to understand the concept easier.
In spite of they being together, Ryosuke did not notice something off about Tatsuki. Her mind was a bit clouded by her recent defeat on her own turf a week ago. She did not tell anyone about her encounter.
Kaito and Tatsuki were on Omotesando area this morning. Tatsuki had her camera on her neck and another one on the tripod. She looked at Kaito in a new Aint summer outfit, adjusting his clothes while talking. They spent the morning doing Aint photo-shooting in the area. They moved to Harajuku for Tatsu's collection. Kaito shook his head every time he saw his poster on the street. He could not believe he had come this far. Modeling job was just a pastime for him. He did not need to worry about his clothes and accessories after he signed his 'life' to Tatsuki. She was the most generous boss that he had ever known.
Tatsuki spent all her time on Friday morning with her driving practices and workouts before a short nap in her warehouse. She put bags of latest summer season clothes in the boot. She looked at herself in the mirror, a white singlet with short bomber jacket and black denim. She chose a white mask, cap and her aviator mirror sunglasses.
The Hachi-Roku stopped at her house in Shibukawa at noon. She had lunch with her father. Bunta gave her the key to the house in Saitama. She gave him a long hug, acting like a spoiled child. He patted her back and told her to get moving. She gave her father a peck on his cheek and ran into her car. Kaito bowed to Bunta before he got into the driver seat. The duo blondes were on their way to Maebashi.
Matsumoto was surprised when he saw the Hachi-Roku was first to arrive at his garage. He helped her with the bags while she gave him his bag. She told him those bags were new season clothes for them. Another surprise was when he noticed her attire. Both Kaito and Tatsuki were in a light color clothing today. He could feel the change in their image from a cool troublemaker to a sunshine teenager. She was definitely in a good mood today. She sat on the chair, listening to music from her headphones. The Project D members slowly coming to the garage. Matsumoto asked Fumihiro to give out the bags of clothes from Tatsuki. They looked at the girl who was lost in her world, moving her body with the rhythm. When the Takahashi brothers arrived, they were wonder what the guys were doing when they saw everyone was standing outside the office. Kaito tapped on her shoulder, waking her up from her world. She pulled down her cap and jacket before she walked out of the office. She nodded at the team and got into her car. Ryosuke looked at her summer attire with some silent vexation.
Akiyama Nobuhiko and his team were at Sadamine Pass waiting to see the Project D. Iwase Kyoko was also there as she was the fastest uphill driver for this course. The sight of the yellow RX7 FD3S leading the convoy to the parking space staggered Kyoko.
Tatsuki stood by her car with her headphones on, while watching Matsumoto did the setting. She looked up at the other side of the parking space and was surprised to see a female driver. Ever since she joined the team, she never met any female drivers so this was a rare opportunity. However, that was not her opponent. She was quite interested to Kyoko's reaction when she saw Keisuke.
The practice session started in no time with the Project D drivers were on the course. Keisuke felt motivated whenever he passed the Hachi-Roku. Tatsuki reminded him of her constant improvement and his defeat. On the other hand, Tatsuki was on her little chilling side as she did her practice rounds. She was still giving her best but her mentality had changed.
After the practice session, Tatsuki was talking to Kaito as they were looking around the parking space for Kyoko. She was delighted to see Kyoko was still staying at the opposite side of the parking space. She grabbed a large paper bag and slowly walked over towards the older girl. Kaito sighed when he saw the mischievous spark in her eyes, knowing what she was up to. Kyoko looked up at the taller boyish girl, anticipating her intention.
"Hi, I'm Fujiwara Tatsuki. This is for you," Tatsuki said in her low voice.
Kyoko was staring at the Project D driver in her admiration. She never met such a cool girl in her life. She knew that this girl must be very beautiful without her cap and mask. It seemed that there were many attractive people in the team. She noticed another blonde man with mask as well. He was a little taller than her crush. She knew that he must be even more handsome than Keisuke.
"You like that FD guy, right? He's an idiot so don't give up so easily. Ganbatte ne!" Tatsuki whispered and gave Kyoko a kiss on her cheek.
Kyoko was bewildered by the Hachi-Roku driver's behavior and dropped the bag, unconsciously. Her face went red with embarrassment and shocked. Her teammates and the Project D team were also shocked by the act of the driver. Ryosuke darted his fierce gaze at his girlfriend when he saw her 'flirting' with another girl. His fist turned white as he clenched so tightly. Kaito was laughing out loud in the car when he saw the fury in Ryosuke's eyes. Tatsuki did not stay long. She finished her act and slowly walked back to her car with a smile. She had totally forgotten about the punishment she had received the last time she created such scenes.
"What do you thinking you are doing?" Keisuke asked Tatsuki when she flirted with his opponent.
"Let's have a private talk NOW!" Ryosuke muttered and pulled Kaito out of the Hachi-Roku.
"Best of luck, girl!" Kaito said as he was smiling broadly.
Tatsuki dropped her head and followed their leader to her car. She knew from Ryosuke's face that he was very angry. The Hachi-Roku sped off among their teammates' astonishment, especially when the driver was Ryosuke. They knew that he must be very angry at the moment. It also the first time their downhill ace was flirting with their opponent, though it was a friendly intention. Yet this was not appropriate for their team. Tatsuki was not very composed as she usually was today while Ryosuke was a little impetuous when dealing with her. Kaito had no choice but to ask Keisuke to drop him off at the base of the Pass.
Tatsuki led Ryosuke to her house which was around the base of this pass. She dared not talk to him at this moment. His stern face was very scary and this was the first time she saw how angry he was. She looked back at her car and softly apologized to it when Ryosuke slammed the door shut. Ryosuke was standing at the foyer waiting for her. He pinned her to the door as soon as she stepped in.
"Have I ever told you not to do that to any girls again?" Ryosuke murmured as he nibbled on her neckline.
"Sorry," Tatsuki apologized softly. "Don't leave any marks please,"
He bit her neck lightly and gently before he sucked her skin hard. Tatsuki tried to push his massive body away when she felt the pain as he imprinted his claims on her. She was scared of his current state. She was shivering with tears rolling down from the corner of her eyes. The taste of saltiness droplets woke him up from his anger. He looked down at the girl in his arms. She was rooted on the ground in dazed.
"Tatsuki... I'm sorry..." he said softly, trying to wake her up to her sense.
He switched on the light and immediately saw what he had done. The kiss marks were all over her neck.
"You're so scary... I don't like you like this... I..." she cried as she tried to express her feelings.
"I'm sorry... very sorry..." he kept apologizing.
"I know what I did pissed you off. But... I really want to make friend with that girl..." she explained why she approached Kyoko.
They sat down on the sofa, talking. Ryosuke stared at her when she told him that she was defeated by an unknown car on Akina recently. She had no idea what car was that. He was so negligent that he did not notice her trouble. All her friends were now overseas and she should be making more friends at her age. She even told him that Kyoko had a crush on Keisuke. Ryosuke rubbed her head fondly, messing up her hair.
"I prepare some food. You go and take a shower first," she said and walked into the kitchen.
He looked at her with some worries, uncertain if she was really fine. Luckily, this battle was meant for Keisuke. If not, he might screw up a big time. Kaito walked into the house after an hour waiting for the storm to pass. He looked at the downcast girl in the kitchen. His eyes were bewildered by what he saw and quickly made his way to his room. Ryosuke came down in his pajamas after a while. He met with Kaito as the younger boy got out of his room. Kaito gave him a thumb up and set the dining table.
Tatsuki took her turn to get her shower. She stunned in front of the mirror when she saw her neck. She closed her eyes, thinking about what to do. She gave her stylist a call, asking her to come to Saitama immediately. Ryosuke was standing outside the bathroom, anxiously when she spent too long inside. Tatsuki came out after an hour. She gave her boyfriend a fierce glare, telling him not to talk to her for the time being. They were having their meal in silence. Kaito decided to vanish himself from this awkward situation. He got to bed in his room. Tatsuki slept on the sofa, waiting for her stylist, Jen. Ryosuke was resting on the bed after she chased him to his bedroom. Jen came to the house at 8am. She met with a sleepy boss who just opened the door for her and went back to the sofa. Jen looked at her boss and shocked when she saw the marks on her neck.
"Boss, you...you..." she stuttered as she did not know what to say.
"Let me sleep first. Wake me up at 3," Tatsuki told her stylist.
At the parking space on the Sadamine Pass, Keisuke was napping for a few hours in his car. He could not sleep when he was thinking where the Hachi-Roku went. Not only him, the guys in their team were all questioning too.
Matsumoto and Fumihiro were at a restaurant in the afternoon. They were discussing about the two missing persons. Matsumoto was also waiting for the Hachi-Roku driver to meet him to see the course before it got dark.
Jen woke her boss up at three in the afternoon. Tatsuki woke up with a foul mood as she did not sleep enough. She got into the bathroom for shower. Ryosuke came downstairs with his laptop. He was looking at the simulation for tonight's race. Tatsuki came down in her singlet and denim pants. She sat down on the chair, allowing Jen to do her job in covering the hickeys. She even asked Jen how she did it as she still needed to do it herself until it faded off. Jen left the concealer and some cosmetics for her. Tatsuki send Jen off.
"See what you've done!" Tatsuki crossed her arms, looking at the man.
This should be the sorriest words that he ever said in his life. He stood up and wrapped his arms around her. She pushed him away and told him that Matsumoto was waiting for her. She had to see the course before sunset. He packed up his laptop and followed her to the car. Tatsuki called Kaito to come along as he had no transportation. The trio stopped by a restaurant in ten minutes. They walked over to Fumihiro and Matsumoto. Tatsuki left with Matsumoto immediately, leaving the guys there. Matsumoto checked on the driver if she was fine as he could see some tension between the driver and the leader. Tatsuki assured him that she was fine. She pulled over along the roadside and walked around. She just did what she had to do. She went back to restaurant for dinner.
Keisuke met with Kyoko along the pass when her car broke down. He was quite annoyed by her negligence in maintaining her car especially when she had a race in a few hours from now. He left to get Tomuguchi to fix her car.
Their uphill battle started on the dot. While Keisuke was battling with Kyoko, Tatsuki was standing still in her cool composure. She had no eagerness to watch the race when she knew that Keisuke would eventually win it. The quiet and cold Hachi-Roku was back to the team. Keisuke and Kyoko came back after the result was determined. She walked over to introduce herself to Akiyama Nobuhiko. As she walked back, she stopped by Kyoko and told her that she had something to talk to her after her battle. Kyoko nodded in response. Her teammates were startled when she stopped by Kyoko, fingers crossed that she did not do anything weird again.
Ryosuke gave his instructions and she got into her car. She obliged to his instructions. She kept Nobuhiko at her back until the first hairpin. She then sped away, trying to see how fast she could go. It was too easy for her as her opponent was not here to do the battle with her.
Tatsuki walked over to Kyoko after she finished her time attack session. The two cars left the pass to meet at a 24-hour cafe. Kaito and Tatsuki found a table by the window with Kyoko sitting across her. Tatsuki apologized for her behavior earlier. She emphasized to the older girl that she was really wanted to be her friend. She took off her mask, revealing her face. Kyoko covered her mouth astonishingly when she saw her idol was sitting in front of her. Tatsuki introduced Kaito to Kyoko as her brother. Kaito took off his mask, revealing his face and nodded. Kyoko bewildered at the rising pro that she had seen in many auto magazines. Kyoko had a few photographs with her two idols. Tatsuki asked if she could wear those clothes and slowly it became their girl talk. They exchanged their contact before they went home. As Kyoko was driving home, she still could not believe that her idol, Luna, was a street racer.
To be Continued...