At long last, Golden Week comes to a close. The weekend offers two more days of rest and relaxation before reality sweeps back across Japan. The holiday season has truly come and gone—soon, the long summer march will begin, and it won’t let up until the next public holiday more than two months away. The hot summer sun will test students and salarymen alike as they put their noses to the grindstone in their cubicles and classrooms...
Not Reina, though. She’s going her own way.
“Aaaalright! Got out nice and early. At this rate, I should be able to get through Tokyo before the lunch rush.”
600 miles stand between her and the sandy shores at Honshu’s northern edge—a full day’s drive, from dawn to dusk. She’ll catch the ferry the next morning, marking her long-awaited return to Hokkaido. Sami and the gang back home have already heard from her about her negotiations with Tetsukura Chassis and Makoto Shibuya...and that only heightens their eagerness to welcome her back home. They can’t wait, and neither can she.
She wishes she could’ve stayed for the Super GT race at Fuji later today, but the timing just didn’t work out. She’s got things to do, places to be...dreams to chase on the wind. And at any rate, she’ll be getting plenty of racing action at Tokachi soon—which, if her deal pans out, will serve as their dedicated proving ground.
But first, she has to get back home. Cue the music!
“Oh yeah! That’s the stuff!” There’s nothing like Mötley Crüe for a road trip. Reina’s always been a sucker for chugging guitars and soaring vocals—it’s just so much fun to listen to. With luck, it might even make outer Tokyo traffic tolerable!
“...Man, am I glad I don’t live here though.”
Immediately upon clearing the mountains, she’s thrown right into the thick of the Tokyo sprawl. She’s over 20 miles west of downtown, but the metropolis just keeps going and going as far as the eye can see... She’s sure it’s lovely, but just passing through is enough for her.
“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to Tokyo...” All her family vacations as a kid just took her elsewhere. “Maybe one of these days I can sneak in a visit... Definitely by train, though. I would not wanna drive a car through there.”
Her route today takes her through the outer ring commuter town of Hachioji—still Tokyo, and still massive. Even in the morning lull, she’s mixing it up with plenty of cars on the highway here, the open road choked like a busy artery. She’d rather not get any closer to the urban core than this.
...It does feel fun watching them all stare, though.
“Probably stop for lunch around Utsunomiya or thereabout. I wouldn’t want to get caught anywhere in Saitama once it’s lunchtime. Blegh.”
The peaking sun introduces more and more traffic on the sprawling highways—weekend workers, opportunistic shoppers, families returning from trips to the mountains. It’s quickly turning into a mechanical menagerie out here.
Just a few more concrete rivers to cross, thankfully, and Reina can turn to the north, where more open roads await. Not that she has anything against Saitama or its surrounding prefecture, but it’s not where she needs to be.
“There we go! Finally. Now we can get moving!”
After getting a good night’s sleep, the Road Runner is more than happy to stretch its legs again. The open road invites Reina to push the gas just a bit harder, settling the engine into a low rumble as it cruises up the road. With Tokyo in the rear-view mirror, she’s back to driving at her own pace.
The scenery starts to treat her again as well. It’s just not as fun when you’re boxed in by concrete sound barriers on both sides; now that she’s started to escape the metropolis, the road ahead opens up and gives her some quaint little mountain views. It serves as a little appetizer for what’s to come...
And speaking of appetizers, this is as good a place as any to stop for some fresh food.
“Man, this brings back memories...” Utsunomiya was a popular stop when Reina and the family would travel. Sami always drove, and she insisted that Reina could just fly with Dad instead of being cooped up in the car for a day and a half. But Reina always hated flying; a trip with Mom in the car was so much more appealing to her. Those trips became little adventures with her in tow: they would visit museums, take scenic routes, find new favorite restaurants... Sami would even let Reina get away with riding in the front once or twice.
It’s so nice to make some new memories on the road now. It’s been far too long.
“Should be able to find a nice place...” To some, this town of half a million is nothing to write home about—just a stepping stone on the way to the more picturesque town of Nikko. But it does have one very important thing in its corner...
“Ooooh. That looks like a winner.”
Gyoza. Call her a simple girl, but that’s all she needs.
The weekend buzz has already taken the city over—and for want of room, Reina resorts to the unthinkable. She pulls the Road Runner off to the side and, for the first time in actual years, performs the unenviable task of parallel parking a land barge.
“I knew this would come in handy some day! Take that, Mom!”
Time itself seems to slow down as the spectacle unfolds. Every agonizing inch of room is stretched to its limit as Reina threads the needle between two gray sedans. There’s only just enough room for everyone here—and the Road Runner’s clutch isn’t too fond of this balancing act to begin with. But with time and effort, she manages to squeeze the car into the gap. The nearby cook at the counter is tempted to applaud.
He’s taken aback somewhat when he sees who’s driving—and when he sees she’s headed right for him.
“Hello!”
“O-Oh! Ah, hello!”
The nice thing about gyoza is that you barely need to stop for it at all—many of the shops face right out toward the street. All you have to do is park, get out and walk on up to the window. Reina’s got places to be, and on top of already being one of her favorite foods, it’s just the thing for a girl on the go.
“How can I help you today?”
“Two sets of pork gyoza and a thing of juice, please!”
“Well, certainly!”
The other nice thing about gyoza is that it’s fast. Reina barely needs to wait before her food is ready—and with a quick slip of cash, her order is done and dusted.
“Thank you! Have a good one!”
“You too!”
And just like that, Reina disappears around the corner as soon as she arrived. There’s a park nearby where she can chow down and unwind before she carries on to the north. With a cute smile, Reina beelines for the bench...and the owner is left wondering whether this was real or just some crazy fever dream.
(Who the heck...?)
She’s the most unique customer he’s ever had, for sure.
***
“Ahhh... That’s the stuff.” There’s just nothing like the salty, meaty crunch of a dumpling. Utsunomiya’s pride and joy does not disappoint; these are a far cry from her local joint back up in Sapporo. No wonder why she fell in love with this city as a kid—she’d always ask to stop here on trips with Mom.
It’s so good to be back.
“Boring, my foot. This town’s great!”
Between refreshing glugs of juice to wash it all down, Reina chews through her double order in record time, bite after bite an explosion of flavor. She can’t help but nod her head on instinct. There’s this rush of power from knowing she dragged herself here. No riding along, no asking Mom to stop, no nothing. This is her treat on her terms.
“Ahhh... Heh heh heh.” It’s the simple joys in life. Reina was hoping the town would still have hopping gyoza, and is she ever glad to have been right.
“Man, is it weird that I was looking forward to this...?” Indeed, this isn’t what most have in mind when they think of Tochigi prefecture—and now that she thinks about it, it might be just a bit silly to plan her first break based on that. For a brief moment, she waffles over the thought...but when she takes another bite and the gyoza hits her taste buds, she makes up her mind in a flash.
“...Nahhh.”
Her trip, her rules.
“Mmm-MM! That’s some of the best I’ve ever had. Absolutely worth it!”
Finally, she has had enough gyoza for one day. The bag empty and her stomach full, she’s ready to get back on the road and give the Road Runner a meal of its own. For a moment, she returns to the corner of the shop cook’s eye, and he can only watch dumbfounded as this apparition of a woman nonchalantly fires up her tiger. With effort, she negotiates it out of its close-quarters parking space and commands it up the road with a roar.
He may never see her again...but he’ll certainly remember her.
***
Soon, the plains of Kanto start to thin. These pockets of sprawl only reach as far as the mountains will allow—and when they close in, the cities are driven back and compressed into a thin, winding funnel. In the distance, two-tone green and white cover both sides of the picture, the narrow valleys between carrying the roads on their backs. Indeed, the spine of Japan is a rugged place...
But all the same, it’s beautiful.
“I could stare into this all day...” Reina appreciates how the views keep her company. They linger just long enough to appreciate the details, but they go by just quick enough to keep the horizon fresh and exciting. She’s finally free from the chaos of the city, and she couldn’t possibly be happier.
“Time flies, huh...?”
It’s a weird thing, this feeling on the road. For some people, the act of driving itself is innately therapeutic—and when the conditions are right, they can find themselves lost in an almost meditative trance. The body goes on auto-pilot, and the mind wanders the endless sky above. There’s no one to talk to, and no one to answer to... You simply go as your body and heart desires.
Reina gets that now. She used to wonder as a kid how Sami could pull these long-distance trips without breaking a sweat...but she’s amused to find she’s the exact same way. Were it not for the Road Runner’s need for frequent fillups, she reckons she could drive all day, all night long.
(Car people really are a different breed, aren’t they...?)
And so, Reina continues her absentminded cruise. It’s all muscle memory, really—the gentle turns, the lane changes, the little blips of throttle... She has it all down to a science. Everything else just seems to melt away for a little while...and it takes a momentary itch in her head to bring her back into the fray.
“Hmmm... It’s about time for a fillup, isn’t it...?”
Reina moves her hand to check on the fuel gauge. The light is on.
“Yeah, it’s about that time... Alright. Let’s find you a pump, okay?”
She’s gotten used to the cadence of her fuel stops. The Road Runner is quite the thirsty car, even on the highway—it may cruise at barely over a thousand RPM, but those ten litres still chug gas like nothing else. She’s learned how to stretch that mileage as far as she can, but she can only kick the can so far down the road.
“Well, it’ll be nice to stretch my legs, at least.”
They do a good job peppering gas stations along the road at regular intervals; she should have enough gas to get her to the next one. She settles into the left lane, keeps her eyes peeled and prepares to disembark.
“Oh, there’s the sign. Should be coming up right...” The words come into view.
“...Here?”
Closed—or so the sign says. Something about unexpected maintenance. Her confusion turns to blunt disappointment, and the awkward reality of her situation begins to set in: she’s in a bit of a rut now.
“Ohhh, shoot. That’s not great. They probably had signs about that earlier, but I must’ve driven right by them.”
The next gas station on the expressway is a good 20 miles out, at least—and she doesn’t quite have enough gas to make it there.
“Well, uh, guess I’m finding a pump somewhere else, then! Just gotta be gentle on the throttle until I get there...”
She was hoping she could avoid getting into this kind of pickle—and she was hoping her near miss back in Hakodate would be the worst of it. But alas, with a car this thirsty, a close shave with the gas tank was all but inevitable. Reina sighs and shakes her head, a wry chuckle escaping her mouth.
It’s just not an adventure without a little mis-adventure, now, is it?
She doesn’t have to wait long for the next step on this misadventure, thankfully. The next exit comes a few miles up the road, and Reina promptly takes it. No cars follow her off this interchange—and combined with the relative lack of signage, that tells Reina all too much about where she’s ended up. Once she clears the toll gate and makes it off the expressway, she finds herself in unfamiliar territory...
“Yeah, this is, uh...kinda the middle of nowhere.”
There’s a town a few miles out, but at this stage, every last foot is a precious commodity. All Reina can do is point the car toward civilization and hope for the best. A red light stops her at the end of the gate, but there’s no one around...
(Do I...?)
In the time it takes her to mull over her options, though, the light turns green. Precious seconds worth of fuel already wasted.
“Ah, too late!” With a grunt, the Road Runner is gone.
The drive quickly becomes an exercise in babying the throttle. The nice thing about having all this torque is that she barely needs to give the car any pedal...but, of course, that monstrous torque comes from the sheer volume of gas it needs in the first place. There’s just no winning when you’re trying to be economical in this thing.
*VRRRMMM... POP!*
“I know, girl, I know...” Reina pats the wheel. “Just get me a little further, please...”
She can feel the car starting to lose power. The throttle isn’t as snappy, the cylinders starving. It’s starting to look more and more like she won’t make it to the pump... She’ll either have to gas up and coast as far as she can after the engine cuts out, or crawl as slow as she can to keep the car going longer. Neither is a particularly appetizing option...
*PUTT!*
“Yeah, I dunno how much more she has left... Thank God I brought that jerry can in the trunk, because I think I’m gonna need it.”
The Road Runner tries its best to soldier on, but with the tank dwindling, more and more cylinders are starting to miss. The tach flutters, exhaust trembling. To Reina’s alarm, the engine cuts out as she tries to power out of a turn.
“Ack! Not yet, car!” Reina hastily shifts into neutral and twists the key, only to get a brief splutter from the engine. It’s just too starved...
“Come on, please...!”
Reina tries again, this time pumping the throttle to try and get those last drops of fuel from the tank. For a suspenseful moment, the engine refuses to respond, the starter whinnying frantically as the cylinders look for fuel that isn’t there. With patience, however, and a little pull of the choke, she manages to get the engine going again. For how long? She has no idea. She only knows she’s on borrowed time.
“I think we’re getting close... Just a little more.”
With labored steps, the Road Runner trudges onward, trying its damnedest to make it to that elusive gas station. She reasons she has to be close by now...but she can’t see it on the horizon yet, and there’s a rather daunting reason for that.
There’s a hill coming up.
“Oof...” Reina just about resigns. “Yeah, I don’t think we’re gonna make it.”
She knows she can’t crawl up the hill—she has to give it gas. And she does try, putting her foot down to wring out what fuel is left in the tank...but she gets an anemic rev in response, and not much else. There’s just nothing left to give the struggling engine...
*PUTT! VRRRMMMmmm...*
“Yup. That’s it.”
Reina makes it to the base of the hill, and not much further. Gravity stops her in her tracks, forcing her to pull the Road Runner off to the side of the road as silence floods the cabin. Just to confirm, Reina grips the key one more time, pumping for a few seconds to see if there’s anything left...
*RRRrrrRRRrrrRRRrrrRRRrrrRRRrrr...*
“Nope.”
She’s out. However close she is to the station, she’ll have to go the rest of the way on foot.
A previous Reina might have been distraught. Kicking herself, perhaps, for letting such a preventable blunder derail her trip. Always struggling to prove herself, always scrutinizing every little thing she does...
But today’s Reina? Well, all she can do is laugh.
“Hahaha! Boy, you’ve gone and done it now, haven’t you, Reina?”
She knows it will be fixed. All she needs to do is get the jerry can out of the trunk and take a little stroll to the station. This will pass, and she’ll be back in her way within the hour. There are bound to be missteps on this long, long road...but she’s come so far already, and she’s done plenty of incredible things so far.
She can cut herself some slack for that.
“Alright!” Reina hoists the trunk open and retrieves the emergency can. “I’ll be back in a bit with some gas for you. Just be patient, okay?”
All things considered, she’s picked a pretty nice place to break down. She’s far enough from the big, built-up expressway that the endless noise of cars cruising by doesn’t quite reach... The sounds of the city haven’t made it to her ears yet either. As she starts to climb the hill, she’s met with a much different soundscape. The birds chirping, the branches rustling, the cicadas yet to arrive... It’s like she’s walked into a nature preserve.
“Man... What a beautiful day this turned out to be.”
Something about having this panorama all to herself really puts her at ease. On this lazy Saturday, traffic is light as a feather—she hasn’t even seen another car coming through this stretch of road yet. It’s just her and the welcoming warmth of nature.
And when she reaches the top of the hill...
“Ahhh...!”
The view here is just magical. The trees give way to a quaint little town by the river, flanked by farmland and forest with the mountains towering in the distance. The spring luster gives it a charming atmosphere, like a painting in motion. Reina almost stops walking entirely and loses herself in the landscape, her eyes begging to wander along the sky forever...
And to think she would’ve just driven right by this place otherwise.
“Oh, and there’s my station right down there... Pfft. I was that close.”
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Not that she minds at all. This is a big part of why she wanted to go on this trip in the first place: to make new memories and unearth hidden gems lying outside her daily routine. This might not be a super touristy hotspot, but it’s humble and quaint in a way Reina can appreciate. It’s like food for the soul.
“Hey, maybe the next time I do a trip like this, I’ll stop here for food.”
With only a downhill stretch between her and the gas station, Reina makes quick work of the road with her jerry can in tow. Thankfully, this station is open, and not afraid to show it.
“Mm?” Only one attendant today, things have been pretty slow. When she sees Reina coming up to the pump, her first reaction isn’t the usual dumbfounded ogling, but a sigh of relief instead.
(Thank God, something to do.) This girl coming up looks to be a few years her junior...and peculiar indeed, but that’s not her place to comment. Service comes first, after all.
“Hello there! You, uh, here to fill up?”
“Yup!” Reina waves her can. “I would’ve stopped on the highway, but the station up the road was closed for whatever reason.”
“Ohhh, yeah, that’s been a thing.” Add to that she’s walking on foot, and the attendant puts two and two together, her face briefly softening out of pity.
“Hope you didn’t have to walk far!”
“Well, I’m on the other side of that hill! My car almost got me here, but it was just a bridge too far.”
“Aww, poor thing.”
Nonetheless, the attendant is happy to get the ball rolling for her. She takes the can and gets to work, pulling the nozzle down to fill it up five gallons high.
“So you’re passing through, I take it?”
“Yeah. I’m coming back from a Golden Week trip.”
“Ahh, gotcha. Where are you headed?”
“I’m headed back up to Sapporo!”
That response makes their eyes bug out every time. “Really?”
“Yup! It’s been a long trip, but I’ll be home late tomorrow-ish.”
(And if that wasn’t enough, just wait until you see my car.)
“Well, dang! You’ve really been driving the wheels off your car, huh?”
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it. Heehee!”
Now that the attendant gets a good look at her, the novelty is finally settling in. She’s quite young to be taking a big road trip all by herself—and from Sapporo, no less! Most would just fly from that far north... Just who the heck is this girl?
“Well, there’s your tank!” Just in time, the jerry can is filled to the brim. The attendant lugs it up and hands it back to Reina, who immediately surrenders a chunk of change.
“Thank you so much! You’re a lifesaver. I’ll get back to my car, get filled up and then I’ll be back here in a bit to fill the rest of the tank.”
“Wait, you’re leaving already? You’ve gotta be tired from all that walking!”
“I’d love to relax for a bit, but I’ve gotta get back on the road. Thanks for the offer, though!”
“Oh, no no no! Let me drive you back to your car. It’s the least I can do!”
“I— Really? Is that okay?”
The attendant is very kind to offer, but Reina feels just a bit guilty dragging her away from her post just to lend her a hand. It’s really not that far to walk anyway...
But then, best not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Lugging this gas can up and down a hill would just be miserable.
“It’s fine, really. I’ve been dying for something to do anyway.”
“I would really appreciate it!”
With that said, the attendant hangs up the nozzle and temporarily clocks out. She ushers Reina over to her old Honda sedan—reliable and economical, if not particularly stunning. She’s never thought much about her car, really; it’s a means to an end, and not much else. She can tell Reina cares deeply about hers, though... She just has that air about her.
“It’s good you had that jerry can. You know the ropes on road trips, eh?”
“Well, sorta. This is my first big trip by myself, really. I didn’t wanna have to use it, but that station forced my hand!”
“Yeah, no, not blaming you for that one!” Her own car fires up without a fuss.
“Does pay to be prepared, though.”
“Yeah.”
Compromising though her position may be, Reina isn’t all that fussed about getting a hand like this. She planned for this contingency, and it all worked out just fine. She’s even made an acquaintance in the process!
“Thank you again for this.”
“Oh, no problem. Honestly, it’s nice getting to meet new people. Can’t say I know anybody else from Hokkaido!”
“And you’re the first person I’ve met from this town too! If all of you are this nice, I just might stop here again.”
“Hey, we’d be happy to have you!”
It’s funny, the attendant thinks to herself. This girl’s about as far off the beaten path as one could possibly be, but they’re already getting along just fine. Something about her just puts her at ease—whether it’s her humble demeanor or her earnest passion for living life on her own terms. It’s an admirable thing...and though they may never see each other again after this brief meeting, she feels like she can stand to learn a thing or two from her.
“Oh, actually, I don’t think I ever asked your name!”
“Oh! Reina Aikawa. Nice to meet you!”
“Aoi Konishi. You too!”
Aoi’s car crests the hill at last, the Road Runner almost in sight. It’s almost a shame she has to get back on the road again, actually—it’d be nice if she could stay here a little longer. This would be a nice place to kick back and take it easy for a bit.
Maybe next time.
“Okay, is tha... You’re kidding. THAT’S your car?”
“Yes it is! And she’s very thirsty.”
“Well, I can imagine!”
Reina’s all too happy to give Aoi the family history as they approach the waiting car. Aoi can only listen spellbound—every new thing she learns about Reina takes her profile in a completely different direction. It’s a familiar song and dance for Reina, but if she’s being honest, she can’t get enough of it. It’s so liberating not having to be self-conscious about any of this anymore!
“Alright! Just gotta get the gas in the tank, and then she’ll be all set.”
“I’ll stick around just to make sure it works.”
“Oh, don’t you worry~!”
She’s not a mechanic for nothing. There’s only one thing holding the Road Runner back, and once it’s taken care of, it’ll be back to its normal self. The hill certainly won’t beat the car twice!
“Oookay... There we go.” Reina gives the car the gas it pines for, making sure to get every last drop out of the jerry can. Five gallons in all—and they’ll be gone in a flash, but Reina’s hard-pressed to care. There’s just one thing left to do.
“Alright,” Reina coos as she slots herself back behind the wheel. “Let’s get you started back up, okay?”
Reina pumps the throttle vigorously to get the fuel moving. It’ll probably take a hot minute for the gas to make it through the pipes to the starved cylinders, but she just has to keep with it.
*RRRrrrRRRrrrRRRrrrRRR...*
“Come on, you can do it!” Reina maintains her rhythm on the pedal. Slowly, surely, the gas moves on through, the cylinders waiting eagerly. The anticipation builds with Aoi watching on, wondering if the car’s having some other trouble as well. But then...
*RRRrrrRRRrrrRRRMMMMMM!*
“There we go! Welcome back!” It’s so nice to hear that 611 at full strength again. Hypermiling just isn’t its style.
The fuel needle settles a quarter of the way up the scale—lacking, but more than enough to get her to the pump and then back on the road. Soon, she can put this all behind her...and she won’t need to stop again until dinner time.
Reina flashes Aoi a thumbs up out the window...and it takes Aoi a moment to respond, because she’s completely shellshocked by the racket the car is making. She thought her Honda was loud with its suspect exhaust, but this thing turns her growly sedan into a meek, purring kitten. She can’t even hear Reina shouting “Thank you!” from inside.
(...This girl’s absolutely mad.)
Aoi watches Reina charge up the road and into the horizon, the sound of the Road Runner gradually fading behind the hill. Eventually, she can hear her own car and her own thoughts again...but her mind is blank. Words fail her. Nothing about this entire scenario has made any sense—almost like she daydreamed this whole exchange while sitting idle at the pump. But she knows it’s all very real...and that Reina, for all her eccentricity, exudes a candor she can’t dispute.
This will go down as her most eventful day on the job, by far.
“Wide, wide world out there.”
In time, Reina will finish her business at the gas station—and grab herself a quick snack from the konbini—before disappearing over the horizon like a big red arrow. Aoi can only chuckle as she watches her go... She could tell this story to every single one of her coworkers, but not a single one would believe her. Reina is just something that needs to be seen with one’s own eyes.
That’s a real strength of hers, she’s come to realize. Putting yourself out there and embracing who you are is what makes the biggest splash. It’s a valuable lesson to bear in mind once this project kicks into high gear... This eccentricity will serve her well.
“Now...” Reina looks ahead to the highway, with a renewed vigor and her head held high.
“Let’s knock out the rest of this leg.”
***
Up and down the corridors of Japan, the travel frenzy is starting to taper off. The trains bid travelers farewell as they find their stops, the highway convoys thinning. Journeys end with the setting sun, the comforts of home calling out after a long day on the move. Soon, it’ll be business as usual for all those trendy tourist towns, all those hotspots dotting the landscape—and the new week will bring with it a new beginning.
Reina too is nearing the end of her journey...and though she still has a ways to go, she can see her progress written before her: she finds herself in the midst of familiar scenery.
“Wow... I know it was just a week, but it feels like so long ago.”
The Hakkodas welcome her back to Aomori after a week down south. She remembers well her episode tearing up the mountain roads... She’d love to try that out again some time. Today, though, there will be no mountaineering for her and the Road Runner—she’s had her fill of exercising the engine for the time being.
She has just one more stop for food and fuel before she reaches Oma—Honshu’s northernmost point—where the ferry will depart for Hokkaido the following morning. But even from the other side of the strait, something about this place already feels like home. When the mountains shrink, the coast laid bare, the rugged beauty of Japan’s north reveals itself for her to see... It reminds her of that cold, hardy island she calls home.
“I’d love to come by again one of these days... Aomori really is a lot like home. Maybe I’ll go and pick apples in Hirosaki or something...”
...Reina stifles a chuckle as the thought crosses her mind.
“Geez, what am I thinking? My first big trip hasn’t even ended, and I’m already planning the next one?” A smile blooms on her tired face. “I’m just a glutton for punishment, I tell ya.”
She’s made good time on this leg of the trip, the Road Runner cruising like the well-oiled machine it is. After a quick stop for food and fuel just outside the port town of Hachinohe, she’s back on the road again, the sun starting to dip below the horizon in time for her approach to Oma.
“About three more hours... I can handle that.” She tries and fails to hold back a yawn that threatens to undermine her point...but she carries on anyway. This has nothing on her big shifts back home.
After a complicated series of interchanges and overpasses, Reina bids the toll road farewell. It’s served her well on this trip, save for the one hiccup—and though she’s racked up quite the bill, she still vastly prefers it to flying, flaws and all. There’s just nothing like being able to take the trip on your own terms, at your own pace. And the leg room? Killer.
“Alright! Not much further now.”
Slower she goes up this humble highway, but time is still flying by. The moon has come out to play, peeking up from the coast and emboldened by the cloudless sky. Its dance with the sun presents a feast for her eyes as she journeys north, the horizon above caught in a whirlwind of golds, purples and midnight blues.
There’s something Reina finds innately comforting about this—not just the sunset, but the remoteness of the countryside around her. She may be a city slicker born and bred, but when she thinks about home, she ascribes an atmosphere much different to the cosmopolitan buzz of Sapporo. Hokkaido is a much calmer, much slower place... It isn’t flying at a million miles an hour like the industrious heart of the country.
No, Hokkaido is much more like this, the very northern edge of Honshu. This is what she thinks of when she thinks about home.
“Come to think of it, this is the longest I’ve been away from home in a good while... Makes sense when I think about it. It’s been forever since I really took a big vacation like this.”
...Reina didn’t think herself the type to get homesick. Is that what this is, perhaps? The more she drives along, the closer she gets, the more at ease she feels—and she’s drawing blanks in trying to figure out why.
“...Maybe I’ve still got some growing to do, after all.” Reina ponders as she drives along. For most of her life, she’s been in the company of her family—be it riding in the car with Sami on long trips down south, or tinkering away in the garage with Clara. She’s always had the shoulders of giants to stand on...and this is the first time she’s really stepped off to chart her own course.
That’s something she’ll have to think about going forward: she’s not alone on this path to the stars, but there will be stretches that require her to step up and lead the charge. All this week, she’s had the wind to lift her up, but she had to be the one to spread her wings and fly. No one else can do that for her.
(...But I still did it.)
In her view, that was the goal of this trip all along: proving to the world that she can stand up on her own two feet. Standing on the shoulders of giants is what got her here...but from here on out, it’ll be her own strength that takes the company forward. It has to be.
But she’s got what it takes... This, she knows.
“Ah...!” At last, she can see the northern coast again. Mutsu Bay welcomes her and the Road Runner, the waxing moon shining on the water. It will soon open up into the strait that divides Honshu from Hokkaido...but for now, it’s only a picturesque backdrop to end her day on the road.
With its intrusion, the road sweeps out to the east before curving its way around the mighty waters. Here, Reina’s CD conveniently stops...and she’s only got one more unplayed album in stock with her. A fitting end for her journey tonight.
“I’m not sure why Mom suggested this one... Was it really sitting in storage all this time?”
Reina’s heard all these songs plenty of times before, but this one band flew under her radar. From what her mother was telling her, Clara loved the band...though Sami was never as impressed with them. So was this album consigned to the dusty drawers of Clara’s laboratory until the day it could be unearthed.
“Maybe you’ll get a kick out of these guys more than I did. It’s an acquired taste, I guess!”
Reina is certainly curious. She pulls the CD out of the glovebox, squinting to make out the faded art on the cover.
“Grand Funk Railroad... ‘I’m Your Captain.’ Never heard of it.” Nonetheless, Reina pops the CD into the player and lets it work its magic.
“Well, if Grandma liked it, maybe I can find something in it too.”
It starts with a flub. The guitarist doesn’t get the opening riff quite right, and the band whispers amongst themselves before setting up for take two.
(What kinda CD is this...?)
The band doesn’t let it get to them. They laugh it off, knowing they’ll get it right this time. Funny, that.
Sure enough, the tape rolls anew, and they fire off a classic riff with that timeless 60s flair. It’s funky enough, for sure—guitar, bass and drum in a groovy blend. Reina’s very tempted to start tapping her finger on the wheel as she drives along.
Everybody, listen to me, and return me, my ship!
I’m your captain, I’m your captain; though I’m feeling, mighty sick!
Reina chuckles. Figures she would put the song on when she’s coming up to the water.
I’ve been lost now, days uncounted, and it’s months since, I’ve seen home...
Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Or am I, all alone?
Now the resemblance is getting amusing. As the song continues, it paints a forlorn picture in her head: a captain lost at sea, sailing through unfriendly straits in a desperate bid to reach his home. This endless expanse of blue is all that’s left for him to know—the notion of “home,” the world he knew, has vanished without a trace. He’s left to fend for himself here in the dark, well and truly alone.
...Something about this gives Reina pause. It strikes a chord she wasn’t expecting. All the time she once spent on her own wayward voyage, all the turbulence she had to face... As the proverbial captain of her own ship, she led an embattled voyage on a sea where she wasn’t welcome. And with Clara gone, and Sami having taken a backseat due to her own rocky health, she was left all but alone to man the helm.
Those were awful years... Through sheer stubbornness and force of will, she was able to ride out the storm—but for days uncounted, she had no idea where her home truly was. A ship with no course, chasing a future that never was.
(Maybe I’m just reading too much into it, but...)
She can’t help it. These things are an integral part of who she is.
Am I in my cabin dreaming, or are you really scheming, to take my ship away from me?
You’d better think about it; I just can’t live without it! So please don’t take my ship from me!
Reina couldn’t go on without her own ship either—even as the world itself tried to tear it down before her eyes. It was all she knew, but she didn’t have the strength to accept it. She just kept hoping and hoping land would magically sprout on the horizon, and the awful nightmare at sea would come to an end...
But it was never going to be that simple, in hindsight. No, Reina had to step up and take things in a bold new direction—her direction. Standing on the shoulders of giants not as a crutch, but as a launch pad. When she spread her wings, she found a way to leave the baggage of the past behind... That was the only way she would ever reach her home again.
I’m your captain, I’m your captain; though I’m feeling, mighty sick!
Everybody, listen to me, and return me, my ship!
“...Man.”
It seems so obvious what the answer was in retrospect, but all the tension, all the melancholy of the past is still fresh in her mind. She can’t forget the mistakes she made... They motivate her to keep her head up and look to the sky. She knows she has to keep moving forward, no matter what.
I’m getting closer to my home...
And so, the first movement of the song ends. The tempo slows to a contemplative stroll, gentle bass notes tickling her ears. She hears the sounds of seagulls, and waves lapping on the shore. The road brings her ever closer to the water’s edge...and the foliage clears to the north to grant her an unspoiled view of the bay.
I’m getting closer to my home...
The lights of Noheji gradually shrink in the distance. This tiny sliver of land reaches out like an arm toward Hokkaido, dotted by fishing burgs and humble docks. She can almost taste the salt in the air, aided by the timely flute from the band. The rumble of the Road Runner’s otherwise boisterous engine seems to soften just a tiny bit.
I’m getting closer to my home...
The view is perfect. With what little sunlight remains, she can see the mountains in the distance, wrapping around the bay like a giant cauldron. On the other side of the peninsula, the stars make their grand entrance, with not a cloud in the sky to block their path. And as night finally reigns, and the sky above calls out to Reina, Grandma’s song begins its refrain.
I’m getting closer to my hooooome!
Nothing else seems to matter anymore. Reina finds herself alone on the road, the music overpowering everything else. Her eyes are drawn to the sky, clear as crystal, the stars shining down on her like gems of purest white. The waves cheer her on in the corner of her eye, bringing her ever closer as she carries on. Ever closer to home...
I’m getting closer to my home...
There it is again. This time, the accompanying flute takes on a lower register, evocative, ethereal. The music is only building, brimming with something—but it isn’t intensity. It isn’t threatening anything. It’s only bringing her closer...
I’m getting closer to my home...
Like a siren’s song, Reina finds herself entranced. This isn’t anything like what she expected from the album... She wasn’t expecting it to match so well.
“What is this...?”
All this time, she just wanted to know where home was. Where to go, what to do, how to save herself from the storm all around her. Only after months of trial and tribulation did she get that glimpse she sought. At long last, she has the answer.
I’m getting closer to my home...
The mantra carries on. To the song comes a low, pining cello, the notes drifting up and down as it tries to resolve the chord. She can hear the drums all around her, bursting with energy. She can only describe it as the musical equivalent of catharsis—to have spent so long and struggled so hard in search of a single dream. To have drifted at sea, haggard and sopping wet, and to know that it was all worth it.
I’m getting closer to my home...
What is this around her now? In the dark, these streaks of light like shooting stars. Not knowing where they’re going, only watching in awe as they surround her. Some streak high in the sky, ephemeral flashes doomed to fade...but others tickle the corner of her eye, as if visiting her on her journey. Guiding her...
I’m getting closer to my home...
“O-Oh...!”
The orchestra comes alive. A procession of soaring strings and woodwinds like whispers from the stars themselves. She sees the light alongside her, those glimmering meteors. They join her on the road as the mantra carries her on...
I’m getting closer to my home...
Reina’s eyes widen, her breath quivering as the dream breaks free. A beast on four wheels so familiar, racing along the lonely road at her side. It sheds its light in streaks, but its luster refuses to die. It rumbles faster and faster, goading her to continue. Goading her ever closer...
I’m getting closer to my home...
She hears the voices echoing around her. The captain jubilant, finally sighting home, emotion overflowing in his voice. She sees too the captain of this phantom, this apparition of pure white. She speeds up to catch it—to draw alongside the dream that she may finally see its face. The Road Runner is weightless.
I’m getting closer to my home...!
There is only black and white, dream and reality. She wants so desperately to catch it, inching ever closer with each and every beat from the drums. The music is cheering her on.
Finally, she catches the ghost in her eyes. The sky is ablaze with streaks of white, as if the stars themselves are crying with joy. The fateful moment arrives, and as time itself stops for a fleeting moment, Reina turns her head to meet her.
“I-I...!”
Once upon a time, Clara Jennings drove this same road. Her very first trip in the Road Runner, fresh off the import floor down in Tokyo. Round the bay, along the water... She knew from the moment she fired up its engine that it was the car for her.
That was where so much began. The golden years, the dreams of wonder... Fate and fortune intertwined, and the same music spurred her on as she reached ever closer.
Now, the stars align once more.
I’m getting closer to my home!
Reina wants to cry. She knows in her heart of hearts this can’t be real, knows it’s nothing but a fleeting dream, but it all feels too real for her to take. This is the dream she’s been chasing all this time, the example she’s fought so hard to match...and here she is, racing alongside it at last.
I’m getting closer to my home!
She wants to speak, but her body won’t listen. The dream is unbound by that same vice. Reina can only watch, eyes watering, mouth agape as the dream turns her face to her. She has one last thing to say to the true successor of Aikawa Auto... To the light of her long and happy life... To her granddaughter.
“Go get ‘em, Reina... It’s your time now.”
Reina doesn’t want the dream to end, but it’s already come true. Clara’s purpose here is done—she has watched Reina prove herself to her greatest inspiration.
Slowly, the dream fades back. Reina is outrunning the past, forging her own path ahead as Clara watches from behind. She is at peace. All she ever wanted to see with her old eyes was the day her beloved granddaughter finally surpassed her...and even if in spirit only, she is overjoyed to experience that moment at last. There’s nothing left for her to do...
And thus, the dream of the past comes to an end. It’s time for the present to take its place.
“I...!”
The light disperses, funneled into the Road Runner. The moment ends, and time resumes. The music finally closes, the voices fading into the distance. There are no more songs on the CD.
I’m getting closer to my home...
At the end of the dream, Reina is left speechless, wondering if anything she just felt was real at all. She’s on the road, on the water’s edge, like nothing even happened... The stars still shine bright, the moon staring down at her. Everything it as it was, save for the tears in Reina’s eyes.
“What...was that...?”
She slows the car, staring out into the horizon with trembling breaths. Eventually, she decides she needs to stop to gather herself; with a gentle rumble, she brings the car to a stop with the bay in sight beyond her.
The crisp night time breeze feels refreshing on her face. There’s nothing left in her ears from that transcendent episode—only the growl of the engine and the lull of the waves. She takes a seat on the hood of the car, and stares out into the night.
“I... I’ve never had a dream like that before... But it wasn’t a dream at all, was it...?”
The phantom is nowhere to be found. It’s only her out here on the shore.
“...How did Grandma know that song would hit me so hard?”
Perhaps it was her final gift to her—her final master stroke in a far-reaching gambit... Or indeed, perhaps it was nothing more than déjà vu. Reina doesn’t think she’ll ever fully understand just what happened to her this night...but then, perhaps she doesn’t need to. All she needs is the memory of that moment, of the dream she made her own, to light the fire in her heart.
To bring her home.
“...Thank you, Grandma. For everything. I promise, no matter how long it takes me, how much work I have to do...” Reina looks up to the sky.
“I’ll make your dream—MY dream—come true.”
When all is said and done, Reina will have covered nearly 2,000 miles in pursuit of this dream. A journey that itself marks the end of a long and lonely road...and the beginning of something far greater than herself. The sky above is clear as ever—and so too is her heart. She knows what she must do.
It is only fitting that, after all this travel, she finally comes home.