Autumn is Reina’s favorite season. There’s really no better time of year—winter is too cold, summer is too hot, and spring, stuck inbetween, is much too mercurial for its own good. The falling temperatures offer a welcome reprieve from the oppressive heat and humidity, the wind brisk and refreshing on her face. Just as well, the changing scenery dazzles the eye... Reina will never get tired of all the beautiful reds and golds lining the streets high above her head.
“Ahhh...” The air just feels so much nicer to breathe. “This is the life.”
Another pleasant walk on another pleasant day. There’s nowhere to go and nothing to do for the time being...and ordinarily, that would all but kill the poor girl. But if she has to be stuck twiddling her thumbs, waiting for packages from the south, there’s no better time of year to spend taking things slow. She’s been needing to get out more anyway...and after all those years of being cooped up in classrooms, the freedom of her new life is sweet enough all on its own.
“Alright, I’d better start heading back. You never know who might pop up this time of day.”
Sami is covering for her back at the shop, but she’ll be packing it in soon, leaving Reina to take care of the afternoon shift. Fine by her: in exchange for closing up, she gets to sleep in, and really, what more could you want?
“No more 8 AM classes for me, heh. If and when I go back to finish my degree, I am never making that mistake again. Sleeping in is just too good.”
Reina rounds the familiar bend and walks the familiar stairs, the streets quiet on this unassuming workday. There’s hardly a whisper to interrupt the westerly wind, its cool breath dulling the heat from the sun on high.
Pretty soon, it’ll be jacket weather—and Reina can’t wait for that.
“...Hm?”
Just as the shop comes into view around the corner, though, something grabs her attention, her ears perking in response. A low, lumbering growl, familiar yet foreign all the same... Like the Road Runner’s distant cousin. A little punchier, a little feistier...and perhaps a little smaller. But certainly not left wanting for might.
She knows in a second who it is.
“That sounds like a certain satisfied customer!”
She wasn’t expecting her on this otherwise slow day—and that puts a little spring in her step as she trots back toward the shop. She certainly wouldn’t mind the change of pace!
(Wonder what she’s doing here...?) She imagines she’ll know once she gets back.
In time, the beast falls silent, taking its place just outside the garage door. Reina returns to find it waiting for her, along with its master. It’s been a while since the two of them saw each other... Months, in fact, since their paths last crossed at Fuji. They’ve each traveled long and far in that time—and they can’t wait to catch back up with each other.
“Yuzu!”
“Yo! My turn to surprise you now.”
The girl’s a long way from Obihiro, but she’s been a lot farther this year. Compared to all the new sights and sounds she’s taken in on her travels, the shop makes her feel right at home.
“Well, surprise me you did! What’s the occasion?”
“I’m actually heading out for my next race this weekend. I figured I’d stay a couple days in Sapporo first, though—visit family, stop by your shop, all that jazz.”
“Ohhh! Where are you headed next?”
“Autopolis. Too far to drive, unfortunately.”
“Wow. Yeah, that’s a trip.” Autopolis, on the southern island of Kyushu, is the southernmost circuit in Japan. Can’t get much further from Sapporo than that.
“Well, nice that you could drop by!”
“Yeah! I’ve actually been meaning to schedule my car’s first service too—I’ve really been racking up the kilometers on it. Would now be a good time?”
Reina looks to the empty garage floor and guffaws. “Pfft. Giving me an excuse to work on an Aikawa motor on a slow day? You’re my hero!”
“Nice! I’ll get her in the garage, then.”
With a growl, Yuzu’s Silvia stalks its way into the garage, where Reina can’t wait to give the engine a thorough inspection. There’s always a sentimental value to the first thing you build yourself, after all—and Reina’s eager to see how her handiwork has held up under the command of a rising racer.
“Okay, little more... Little more... Good!”
That’s as far as the Silvia needs to go, prompting the engine to fall silent. That V6 still sounds properly mean, as an Aikawa engine should; that’s an encouraging sign already. Yuzu shuts the door behind her and finds that Reina’s already popped the hood.
“Couldn’t wait, huh?”
“Hah. No.”
It’s still got a lot of its sparkle in there, just from a cursory glance. Looks like Yuzu’s been taking good care of it—a far cry from the previous owner.
“So, how’s she been treating you?”
“Really good so far. I don’t have any complaints.”
“Good!”
“She can be a bit of a handful sometimes—and I dunno what it’ll be like driving her in the winter—but so far, I’ve had a lot of fun.”
“I think what surprised me most is how it’s still really nimble. Like, it’s got a giant engine for its size, but it doesn’t feel all that heavy to drive.”
“Yeah, it’s got a good frame underneath. These Silvias were really popular as street racers back in the day.”
She can’t help but draw parallels to her own project waiting in the wings. It certainly won’t handle as well as a petite mountain racer, but if Tetsukura Chassis’ confidence is anything to go by, it’ll still have plenty to offer.
“So what’ll it be for today? Just a general service?”
“Yeah. Oh, and if you don’t mind, could I watch along?”
“Absolutely!”
Without missing a beat, Reina gets to work. Yuzu’s brought the car here both as a shadow and as a student—she’s done a couple minor jobs herself, and it’ll be nice to have Reina grade her work.
“Okay, let’s get in here...” After months and months of doing maintenance work on modern sedans and kei cars, she’s so happy to have something more mechanic-friendly to work with. Not to toot her own horn, of course, but the difference is like night and day. This is her element, and she can’t get enough of it.
“It shouldn’t need an oil change yet, I don’t think.”
“Nah, not yet. I did take a look, though, and you did it just fine, so all good there!”
“Good. I was reading up on stuff online and it kept making it out to be more complicated than it actually was. I almost felt like I was skipping a step or something...but nope! It runs like a charm.”
“Yup! Once you get the hang of it, it’s hard to mess up.”
Reina smiles. Yuzu’s really coming into her own.
“So where have you been driving?”
“Well, I work part-time at Tokachi now. Passes the time when I’m not out racing. Admittedly I wasn’t sure at first how she was gonna handle commutes like that, but so far, she’s been perfect out on the road.”
“Nice! That’s good to hear.” That brings Reina back to her own former commute—except instead of 40 minutes, her trip to Tokachi takes 3 hours. It’s not for the faint of heart, nor those fed up with four wheels... Luckily, Reina and Yuzu are more than a match.
“Sometimes when I would go out to Tokachi for work, they’d let me stick around after hours and drive the Road Runner out on the track a little, heehee.”
“Y’know, I’ve been meaning to ask about that... Never did figure out how to bring it up with the manager, though.”
“But you want to though, don’tcha?”
Yuzu snickers. “Maybe.”
It’s nice having somebody to shoot the breeze with while she’s working—as much as she loves her job, it can get ever so slightly lonely sometimes.
“On that note, actually: how’s your season going?”
“Better than I could have hoped for.”
“Oooh, is that so? C’mon, fill me in!”
Yuzu’s face instantly softens. She counts herself incredibly lucky to have someone as outgoing and passionate as Reina cheering her on... At this point, she’s more than just a friend. She’s someone she can really confide in.
“Well, don’t tell anybody yet, but...I might have a deal for F3 next year.”
Reina’s eyes widen. “Are you serious? That’s amazing!”
“Nothing’s set in stone yet...and it’ll all depend on how well I do over the last couple races this year. But if I can hold steady, I’ll be in good shape.”
“I racked up two more wins after Fuji, so I’ve got a pretty decent cushion on second place. I just gotta keep it together, and then...”
“Then, you’ll...well, win! Outright!”
“Pretty much, yeah!”
“That’s awesome! Congrats!”
“Thank you...!” For some reason, it feels so much better hearing that from her. She knows Reina’s words come from the heart—not just platitudes from cutthroat businessmen.
“Well, I’ll try not to get in your way too much when the testing phase starts, hah!”
“Oh, don’t worry about that! Honestly, I’d love having something to do in the downtime.”
Needless to say, Yuzu’s pretty excited about Reina’s project herself. Track-testing cars wasn’t even on her radar until Reina pitched the deal to her, but the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes its potential. It’d be a great way to fill in the gaps between race dates, wherever she ends up.
“Maybe it’s just my ego talking...but the fact that you came to me with that offer, it just felt really...really good.” Yuzu still remembers the rush she felt.
“With all my races, I’m always out there fighting to prove myself. There’s always that pressure. It feels good, I think I do my best racing when I’m in the hot seat like that...but you already had faith in what I can do. You could’ve gotten any other driver out there to test your car, but you picked me.”
“It really makes me feel like I’ve made it, y’know?”
“Aww, heehee... I don’t think I did anything special. If anything, I’m happy that you believe in me too. You first took that gamble on me with the Silvia, after all; it’s only fair that I have your back!”
Yuzu lets out a slight chuckle. “C’mon, don’t sell yourself short. I mean, I don’t know anybody else who’s building a whole new car from the ground up and making it work.”
“And I don’t know anybody else who’s about to take an F4 crown in her rookie year!”
...It’s really dawning on them now that they’re both pretty special.
“Really, though, thank you. I owe you a ton.”
“No problem. I’ll give it my best shot once testing rolls around!”
“I’ll be counting on you, then~!”
There’s plenty to be excited about here in the garage. The future is on their minds—once so daunting and difficult to define, but now more than ever, their dreams are within their reach. Yuzu can feel the change in atmosphere from when she last dropped by... The spirits are higher here, the anticipation palpable in the air. That huge stash of boxes in the corner speaks to a bright future indeed.
It’s a little funny, thinking back on it. One girl, stuck in the past out of fear for the future; the other, chasing the future at any cost. They used to be moving in the exact opposite direction, but now, their paths align.
Yuzu smiles. It’s a lot better this way.
“Okay, I think we’ll go ahead and rotate the tires while we’re here. Never hurts.”
“Sure. Up she goes?”
“Up she goes.”
The Silvia looks so much better now as well. No longer plagued by an owner with more money than sense, the underbelly of the car is spotless. Not a leak to be found here!
“If you end up daily driving her in the winter, you’ll wanna make sure to keep the underside clean. All that salt and crud can rust up the undercarriage on older cars especially.”
“Good to know. You said it wasn’t that bad when you first looked at it though, right?”
“No, not at all. There wasn’t really any serious rust on it to begin with—which kinda surprises me for a 25 year-old car in Hokkaido.”
“Maybe the previous owner brought it up from down south or something.”
“Maybe. This thing’s had a life, for better and for worse.”
As Reina continues her work, Yuzu lets her eyes wander just a little bit. She sees the Road Runner is still kicking off to the side—and it looks mighty fine with all the detailing work Reina did. It takes a whole lot of work to keep a car that old all spick and span; Yuzu respects the dedication.
In fact, that’s something she’s really come to admire about Reina: the fact that, in spite of all her trials and tribulations, she looks and feels completely at home here. This is everything she’s ever wanted to do with her life—and as she continues working away at the Silvia, her prowess on display for Yuzu to see, she appreciates the strength of character that’s gotten her all this way.
(She really is perfect for this job.)
And as it turns out, there’s more work on the way...
“Hm?” Reina’s ears perk up. A petite hum rumbles into the lot outside, barely registering above the music playing in the garage. A kei car, her trained ear can tell. She’s never been particularly fond of working on the things—compact cars make for cramped inner workings—but she can’t deny the utility.
She gets a better look from the open garage door as it finds itself a space. It’s an unassuming model with not a blemish on it. That just leaves her curious about who’s behind the wheel...
“Sorry, gotta step out for a sec. Need to get this customer taken care of.”
“Oh, no problem. I’m in no rush.”
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Reina briefly excuses herself from the garage and back into the lobby, where her new customer is about to meet her...
*DING!*
“Uh, hello!”
“Oh!”
That’s a face she recognizes. A fresh-faced college student whose father already knows her well. The memories from that one taxi ride in the rain are coming back to her—has it really been a year already? She wasn’t sure if she’d ever see him again...if she’d ever be able to welcome him back into this little world of hers. But fate has a funny way of bringing people back together—and it’s conspired to drag him back into her humble little kingdom.
“Haruomi! Good to see you.”
“Yeah! Um, sorry I didn’t call in advance. That’s not a problem, is it?”
“Not at all, I’m happy to do a walk-in. What can I help you with?”
This is the young man’s first time getting his car serviced on his own. Or, well, “his” in a practical sense—his parents moved up to something roomier, leaving the kei car as his hand-me-down. They’re all too happy to just leave the maintenance schedule to him.
“Well, I was just wondering if you could give my car a general service. I saw the sticker on the windshield, it says an oil change was coming up soon...so it’s about time for that. Maybe you can look and see if there’s anything else that needs work?”
“Certainly! I’ll go ahead and back it into the garage, if you’re ready.”
“Oh! Uh, sure, if you’re not busy with anything else. I just, erm...”
Haru was hoping he could’ve caught Reina at a slow time of the day, but as Yuzu enters stage left to join them in the lobby, he realizes there’s a line—and that he’s gotta wait.
“I just wasn’t sure how long the service would take—I was hoping I could drop it off and have it ready before this evening. I’ve gotta get over to my job in a bit...”
“Hm. Yeah, routine maintenance is around an hour and change with what we do...and I’ve got another car I need to finish up first before I can get to yours.”
“Hmmm...”
Having never taken a car in for maintenance, he had no idea how long it usually took. This threatens to derail his schedule somewhat.
“Yeah, I might see if I can come back later or something... How long are you open?”
“We’re open until 7.”
“Yeah, that’s right around the time my shift starts. I don’t wanna bring it in right when you’re closing...”
He could just take the bus after dropping it off, but that wouldn’t get him all the way over there—and close doesn’t quite cut it where he’s going. He’s on loan to the resort at Mount Teine for a part-time gig to prepare for the season...and today, he’ll be helping out for a big, all-hands-on-deck project as the first snow nears. His uncle would normally be available to shuttle him, but he’s got errands of his own today, leaving Haru to find a way up the mountain on his own.
Figures he’d pick the most awkward time to bring his car in for maintenance.
“I-If you don’t think it’ll work out, I can just bring my car in some other day. I’m sorry, I should’ve checked ahead of time!”
“No, no, you’re good! I’m just thinking... Where do you work?”
“Over at Mount Teine. I’ve got a part-time job there.”
“Gotcha, gotcha...” The gears in Reina’s head are turning fast.
(I’ve still gotta finish Yuzu’s car...but what if I can call in a favor from her in the meantime?)
One thing Mr. Shimizu really loves about Aikawa Auto is how flexible they are with their clients—in his view, you just don’t get service like theirs with the big name-brand garages. This is another opportunity for her to put herself a cut above the rest.
“...Hey, you wanna do me a favor, Yuzu? All he needs is a ride over to Teine, so if you could drop him off real quick, that’ll solve this. He can come back and pick it up in the morning.”
“Me? I mean, sure, but...my car’s still on the lift.”
“Yeah, you can go ahead and take mine!”
Yuzu blinks. The weight of those words stuns her, barely even registering in her head and almost making her miss the key when Reina tosses it to her. She doesn’t know whether this is a product of Reina’s cavalier nature or their bond with each other—but whatever the case, it leaves Yuzu nearly lost for words.
“I... Your car? You’re really okay with me driving the Road Runner?”
“Well, don’t make me think twice about it!” Reina flashes a cheeky grin. “It’s really not that bad—and besides, you’ve got some experience driving Aikawa motors already. A quick little walk in the Road Runner won’t hurt!”
“Hell, think of it as a practice run for all the Star Rider driving you’ll be doing~”
When she frames it that way, Yuzu can’t help but laugh. This girl really does march to the beat of her own drum—you never can tell what she’s gonna do next. She thinks of a solution to a problem, and then she just does it. Her initiative takes some getting used to, but she can’t deny it gets things done.
And she can’t argue with her here. She’s gonna have to get used to driving the full-size monsters pretty soon.
“...Heh. Well, I’ll make sure to bring her back spotless.”
“Good!”
With that, Reina turns to her client, who’s equal parts confused and relieved. Just what kind of scheme did she concoct?
“Well, I think that’s settled, then! If you’re okay with picking your car up in the morning, I can take it in now and finish it tonight.”
Reina’s disarming smile puts him at ease. How can he refuse?
“Well...alright! If it’s not too much trouble. I think my uncle should me around to pick me up after my shift ends, so I should be able to get back home. I’ll just call him real quick...”
A quick call reveals he’s in luck. The old man’s schedule is blank after he wraps up a few loose ends tonight; the impromptu change of plans will work out after all. If anything, hearing about Reina’s plan only bolsters his pride in supporting the local places.
That just leaves Yuzu, the final cog in the plan. With a knowing grin, she retreats to the garage to awaken the Road Runner from its slumber.
“Anything I should know?”
“Heh heh... Just don’t underestimate her and you’ll be fine~”
Yuzu can’t deny she’s excited to give the beast a whirl. Her own car is a snarling monster, punching well above its weight and giving her all the power she could possibly want in that petite package. To think that’s the smallest of Aikawa Auto’s offerings—that there are tiers of power above that V6 that she’s yet to even fathom. What kind of lunacy can she expect with the one and only 611?
...Only one way to find out.
“Oh, this is weird. This is really weird.” She’s been in this car a couple times before, but never on this side of the giant bench seat. It almost feels like she hasn’t earned the right to command this monster somehow...but that’s just silly. Reina herself gave her the go-ahead. All she has to do is put that key in and twist it. Make it hers.
*RRRrrrRRRrrrRRRrrrRRRRRRRMMMMMM!*
(GOD ALMIGHTY!)
She feels like she has to yell her own thoughts just to hear herself, the Road Runner’s roar overpowering her as it echoes off the walls. True to form, it sounds absolutely, apocalyptically mean...but there’s almost an innocence to that, in a strange way. Other road cars will try to mask their mechanical face with sleek electronics and creature comforts to take all the crudeness out of the experience... But not this thing. All you get with this car is an engine, four wheels and a rush like nothing else.
“...Heh. Alright. I get you, car.”
She finds Haruomi waiting for her outside, who’s treated to the view of a tiger stalking him as it crawls out of the garage. To his uninitiated eye, this...thing is not a car. It is an agent of wanton mayhem, almost as if it came straight out of a movie set.
And it’s still every bit as scary the second time.
“Okay!” Yuzu calls out to him, having to yell over the 611’s low growl. “Go ahead and hop in! I’ll make this quick, promise.”
Whether Haru wants her to make it quick or not, Yuzu shifts into first and commands the car out of the lot just as he gets himself settled in. Reina sees the two of them off with a wave, getting a brief glimpse at what Yuzu might be like behind the wheel of the impending Star Rider... She approves of how giddy she is at the Road Runner’s helm.
“Heehee... I can already tell she’s gonna have lots of fun with that thing.”
***
Sapporo shuffles one block at a time, the dance of traffic busy as ever in the evening glow. For most, the long work week is finally coming to an end—but contrary to the trend as ever, the Road Runner and its two occupants are only getting started tonight. Haru has work on the horizon, and Yuzu’s miniature vacation in Sapporo is only the calm before she dives into the storm down south.
Somehow it just feels more momentous behind the wheel of this thing.
(Well, it is and it isn’t what I was expecting.) She’s grown accustomed to the Aikawa signature: tons of low-down torque and a very, very responsive throttle. But she feels like her Silvia could only have prepared her for this to a middling extent, because this feels like her Pocket on steroids. No power steering on a car this heavy makes fine maneuvers even more difficult—to say nothing of how careful she needs to be on the throttle. Too much gas and they’ll shoot off to Mercury.
It’s a challenge, to be sure—with a learning curve even steeper than the Silvia. But a part of Yuzu finds it...entertaining, for lack of a better term. Like it’s testing her. And true to form, she will master this beast—if not now, than when she reaches the twisties enroute to Teine.
“Have you really never driven this thing before?” Haru can’t help but ask, as she’s holding up a lot better than him.
(...Maybe I don’t wanna know the answer to that, actually.)
“I’ve driven its little sister. Reina actually built the engine in my daily driver—though it’s a much smaller version of this one.”
“Whoa, really? I knew her shop made engines, but I didn’t know they were still doing it!”
“Neither did I...” It all feels like so long ago now, she can’t help but chuckle.
“It took me a while to get used to mine. It really doesn’t drive like a typical car anymore, and it’s not the most practical thing in the world...but it is a lot of fun.”
“I’ve never been in anything bigger than my kei car... I can’t imagine what it’s like to drive something like this every day.”
“Yeah. Not for the faint of heart.”
Yuzu’s a little astonished to hear herself opening up so quickly. She’s not even with Reina anymore, but some part of her outgoing aura seems to have followed them inside the car. Or hell, maybe it’s the car herself... Haru and Yuzu have both been ferried around in it before. There’s still much about this thing the girl’s yet to understand.
“So...Reina was saying something about you doing test driving?”
“Oh. Yeah. Keep this on the down low, but her shop’s got something really big planned. She reached out to me to test drive their new project soon.”
“I... Wow! I had no idea! Do you test stuff for a job, or...?”
“I race in formula, actually.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Heh heh. ’Fraid not.”
There’s something she finds amusing about Haru being so taken aback by her story. She doesn’t even know his, but safe to say he’s far, far removed from the world of steel and engines. That dinky little kei car is more than enough for him...and as she can see just by his posture in the passenger seat, the Road Runner is more than he can handle.
He doesn’t know the half of it yet, but that can wait just a little longer.
(Y’know, it kinda makes me wonder...) The last twelve months have really shifted Yuzu’s perspective. She’s seen firsthand Reina’s dedication, her newfound confidence—and she’s seen what it took for her to get to this point. It certainly wasn’t easy, and it certainly wasn’t glamorous...but in time, Reina clawed her way out of the pit she lay in.
But what does that look like to the uninitiated? To the casual motorist who hasn’t the time nor memory for Reina’s whole life story? Therein lies a greater test than any one junkie or enthusiast: winning the hearts and minds of the greater public.
Perhaps it’s not her place to ponder on that—she’s just a test driver, after all—but she can’t deny she’s curious to hear what other people think about her, and not just people in her immediate circle of friends.
“So just out of curiosity...” Yuzu stares off into the distance, the car starting to drive itself.
“What do you think of her? Reina, I mean.”
“Reina?” Haru briefly hums to himself before his voice trails off, drowned out by the 611’s constant bellow. He didn’t end up talking to her all that much today, but from his recollection,
(Something about her was...)
How could be forget that chance meeting in the rain? After the fact, Haru was left wondering if anything about her was actually real or just some exhaustion-induced dream... She felt like such an aberration, a leap from the norm that he wasn’t ready for. And perhaps it was just his own disorientation, but...it felt like she didn’t quite know herself either. There was a tinge of resignation in her voice, a sign that she might be stuck in the past herself, just like her car that day. And when she carried on into the mist on that gloomy November night, he wondered where she was going...and whether she’d ever make it there.
But the Reina he saw today was a far cry from the old her. At the shop, she exuded a confidence fitting her rebellious exterior. She wasn’t afraid to be herself, because no longer did the future scare her. Whatever happened between then and now, she seems to have found her way... At least, that’s how it appears to Haru’s untrained eye.
“Well, I met her last year, actually. She drove me back home in place of my uncle once.”
“Ohhh, is that how you know her?”
“Yeah. And I think she’s kinda...different now.”
That’s enough to draw a rise from Yuzu’s brow.
“How so?”
“Well... I dunno. When I first met her, she was really...humble. I think she actually apologized for telling me about herself. I didn’t really understand why, though. I mean... I thought she was pretty cool.”
(Interesting...)
“Now I don’t get that anymore, though. She’s really cool and collected... I think she’s way more confident in herself.”
“I dunno, though. That’s just what I got from her. You probably know her better than I do.”
“Well, I do, which is why I asked. I was just wondering what she looked like to somebody other than me.”
She smiles. “It’s nice to know other people can see that confidence too. I think she’s really got it figured out now.”
“When you put it like that, yeah... I guess so.”
“I kinda admire that, honestly... I’m in uni now, but I’m still not sure what I wanna do. I’m just sorta working through gen ed and hoping something hits me.”
Yuzu nods. Perhaps that’s how she would’ve ended up had she gone down that path...but it’s not her place to judge.
“It must be nice to have a vision like that...y’know?”
“Mm...” Yuzu can’t speak for Reina—and she certainly can’t speak from everyone. But from her own personal experience...
“I had to think about that a lot myself. I ended up skipping uni outright because I just couldn’t think of anything I’d actually do there. I think that served me better in the long run, even if it was a big risk.”
“Not telling you to drop out or anything, but you’ll wanna figure that out sooner rather than later.”
“Maybe something with the ski resort. You could be a manager somewhere or something, doesn’t have to be all that glamorous... Just something you’d be happy doing.”
“Yeah... I’ve been thinking about looking at managerial stuff. I’m warming up to the idea of taking over my uncle’s own ski lift.”
“That sounds like as good a plan as any. I’m rooting for you.”
“Thank you...”
This brief heart-to-heart ends just in time, as the road ahead is starting to warp before their very eyes. They’ve finally made it through the urban shuffle to the start of the mountain path—some nine months removed from when the Road Runner last made the trek, and nowhere near as snowy as that white-knuckle Christmas day...but still every bit as twisty. The prospect draws a smile on Yuzu’s face—and a concerned glance on Haru’s.
“Wh-Whoa, hey—!”
“Gotta make up for traffic. Hold on tight, yeah?”
Haru has no time nor backbone to object before Yuzu brings the Road Runner right up to the speed limit—and maybe a bit above it, depending on the angle. He steels himself as best he can, desperately reaching for something to hold onto. They’re probably not going all that fast in the grand scheme of things, but in a two-ton monster like this, snarling and screaming with every downshift, he feels like they’re throwing all caution to the wind.
Not that he’ll complain about making up the time, though...
(Damn, I gotta make sure not to get carried away. This is way too fun.)
It’s one thing to throw a nimble JDM compact through some mountain twists and turns; it’s another to do it with a car that has no business being here. The Road Runner is a fish out of water, a drag car on touge turf, but it doesn’t care one bit. With Yuzu’s expert footwork, delicately balancing throttle and brake, the Ten-Litre Terror carves its way up the mountain pass, striking fear and awe into all who pass by.
Yuzu, after having to adjust at first, is reining in the beast quite well now. It’s a lot more keen to cooperate when it’s moving along at a brisk pace, the momentum helping to offset the lack of power steering. And with a clear, dry road beneath them, the Road Runner is a whole lot more cooperative than it was when Reina threw it up the pass.
In fact, that makes Yuzu want to push it just a little more...
“Wait wait wait, whooooa, no!”
This has to be the most ridiculous commute of his life. He’s been up and down this mountain pass a fair few times now, but it always felt manageable in his quaint little kei car, even with the occasional wind gust buffeting it around. Here, though, he’s on the edge of his seat—and he can swear the car is on the edge of the road. To Yuzu, however, she sees a much different picture painted in the headlights: a fun, controlled cruise through the mountains of Sapporo, and a prelude to her testing tenure at Tokachi next year.
“Sorry, can’t help it. This is too fun!”
It’s funny, she thinks to herself. Usually she has more self-restraint than this. Something about the Road Runner must really be getting to her.
“Okay, we should be almost there.”
(Thank God.)
They have just enough time to appreciate the scenery as they make their final climb—and what a view it is! The setting sun casts rays of golden light onto the autumn trees, amplifying their bright reds and oranges. From their vantage point above, it’s like they’re staring right into a painting...and despite the high-octane antics, Haru finds himself able to appreciate the view so much more as a passenger than as a driver. For a brief moment, he lets his guard down and feels...excited? Pumped? Something alien to him as far as cars go.
Of course, it’s quickly replaced by that familiar wide-eyed alarm once they round the corner.
“Th-This turn is really tight! Be careful!”
“I got it, don’t worry.”
They say confidence kills, but clearly they’ve never met Yuzu Tachikawa.
“Okay... There we go.” At last, she commands the Road Runner through the final turn on their way to the ski complex—and as the lodge comes up ahead, Haru breathes a huge sigh of relief. This has been, without a doubt, the most stressful drive of his young adult life.
...So why isn’t he mad? And why doesn’t he regret it?
“Nice, made good time. Should help after traffic messed us up.”
“Th-Thank you...”
After what feels like an eternity, his feet grace solid ground, and he almost collapses to the floor. His wild ride is finally over...and to be sure, it’s a ride he won’t forget any time soon.
*Ahem!* “Thank you, seriously, for driving me all the way out here. I really owe you and Reina. You sure you don’t want a tip?”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. After I cut a little loose on the twisties back there, I’d say we’re even, y’know?”
Hard to argue with that.
“And I’m sure as hell gonna have more fun on the way back down.”
(All that on the way up wasn’t enough for you...?) At any rate, he’s learned not to question them too much. The ways of petrolheads are simply beyond his understanding.
And just like that, his second brief glimpse of that other world comes and goes in a flash and a snarl. Just as soon as he opens the door to the lodge to start his shift, he hears the Road Runner bellow to life once again, turning around and blasting its way down the mountain path. Within a minute or two, it escapes his earshot, leaving nothing to imply it was ever here at all... It will persist only in his memory.
“Man... Reina and her friends are kinda nuts.” He lets out a decompressing sigh.
“...But I guess that’s not all bad.”
It’s an admirable thing to know what you want to do; it’s a lesson he could stand to learn. As chaotic and even offputting as that trip was, it demonstrated to him the steadfast resolve of two young women—two who have a crystal-clear vision in their eyes.
It’s hard to say if their paths will ever cross again. For now, he will continue his steady march through university and part-time work; sooner or later, though, he’ll have to pick a path and stick to it. Reina has already made that choice for herself...and as the seasons continue to change, as the leaves on the branches give way to threats of snow and ice, her next obstacle on the long, long road grows on the horizon to meet her.
She is more than ready for it.