The Akinabalu circuit began roaring with engines as the sun rose. Each driver will have 3 laps to complete and set their best lap out of the 24 drivers to qualify for the ROA Cup round 1. About 64 drivers are competing in this edition and Alice and Sugimoto checked the leaderboards to see when they'd be starting. As they looked at the leaderboard, Someone approached them.

"Hey there you two." Kara said as she greeted them.

"Heya Kara." Sugimoto responds as he greets her.

"Hey there Kara, when are you starting for the qualifiers?" Alice asked her.

"Oh I'm starting in the afternoon, how about you guys?" Kara asked back.

"We will most likely start at night, we're the final drivers for the qualifiers." Alice told her.

"I see, good luck for tonight!" Kara told them.

While talking, Kara looked at Richard's garage from a distance and noticed a white 458 Italia parked inside their garage with teams of mechanics working on the car.

"Have you seen Richmond's team? They're quite stacked for today's qualifiers aren't they?" Kara told them.

"Yeah, the Riversons are probably serious about winning the ROA Cup this season." Sugimoto answers her.

"You know Richard too, Kara?" Alice asked curiously.

"Yup, me, Richard, and Asashi here used to race as rivals back when we were in the academy, we were also friends outside the track." Kara told Alice.

"Is that true Senpai?" Alice asked Sugimoto.

"It's true, we used to race against each other since the academy days. I was usually the better driver and always got first place every time we faced each other." Sugimoto said confidently and smirked.

"Don't get too cocky Asashi, I'm here to win and grab pole position for the qualifiers." Kara told Sugimoto confidently.

"Aiming for pole position huh? I wouldn't want to crush someone's dream." Sugimoto said teasingly.

They both stared into each other's eyes with fire in their eyes. The drivers want to up each other in the race to prove who is the better driver. As they finished their standoff, Kara's teammate called her over.

"That's my cue, I'll see you guys later!" Kara said to them.

Alice and Sugimoto waved back and she walked back to her garage and met up with her teammate. After that, Sugimoto and Alice wander together in the garage lot and she feels an uncertain feeling about Sugimoto and Richard's relationship.

"Say Senpai, you said that you used to be friends with Richard, how can you be friends with such a jerk?" Alice asked him.

"Richard wasn't always like that, he used to be quite friendly and really outgoing back then." Sugimoto revealed to her.

"Friendly huh, then why did he become a jerk all of a sudden?" Alice asked him.

"I don't know the whole story, but after his father was found guilty of fraud and bribery, he became a completely different person. He became short-tempered and easily frustrated by the smallest thing. At least that's where I heard it from." Sugimoto told her.

"I see. I guess peer pressure can really affect a guy huh?" Alice told him.

"It's sad really, but at least he's still a talented driver." Sugimoto told Alice.

A few hours passed and the drivers from each team began showing their talents and setting up good lap times. The leaderboard keeps changing after each race takes place.

"Some of these lap times are pretty impressive aren't they Senpai?" Alice told Sugimoto.

"They've finally reached the 2:40 mark. Looks like we have real competition now." Sugimoto said to her.

While they were talking, Alice and Sugimoto suddenly heard a car zooming fast down the track and the leaderboard spiked up the driver's number to the very top of the leaderboard. Then there was an announcement made by the speakers.

"New leader. Number 8. R. Riverson. Lap time 2:34." The announcement from the speaker played.

"Holy moly that's a quick time!" Alice's said with a surprised tone.

"That's Richard for you, he's really good when he focuses." Sugimoto exclaimed.

Alice starts feeling a bit discouraged by the impressive lap time that the drivers are setting, especially the one that was settled by Richard, who she despised. Sugimoto noticed her distress and gave her a gentle head pat.

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"Don't worry kid, you'll beat him." Sugimoto said encouraging her.

"I'm not worried!" Alice said as she was caught off guard and pushed his hand away.

In the afternoon, an announcement was made and it was Kara's turn to set a lap time to qualify for the race. Alice eager to see her race urged Sugimoto to see her race.

"Hey Senpai, can we watch Kara's qualifying race from the spectator stands?" Alice asked Sugimoto.

"Sure, I also want to see how her skills improved over the years." Sugimoto said and happily agreed.

The pair went to the spectator stands and watched as the GR86 drove onto the starting grid and parked by the starting position, waiting for the lights to go out.

"You got this Kara!" Alice screamed from the stand.

Kara notices her at the stands cheering her on and gives her a thumbs up.

"Let's see how she improved over the years" Sugimoto crosses his arm and smiles.

The lights went out and the GR86 sprinted off. The car sped through the long straight and began approaching the triple hairpins. As the car entered the hairpins, the car disappeared from their vision. Their gaze went towards the big screen as they watched the race live.

Kara began coming down the straights as fast as she could and entered the corner. Kara whips her car into the right corner turn and proceeds to the next sector.

"Say Senpai, why does Kara drift on this corner when we maintain grip?" Alice wondered.

"Kara's driving is unique when compared to a normal circuit race. She had developed this kind of style of driving before she started racing in the circuits. It is quite effective in the last few corners of the Akinabalu circuit." Sugimoto told her.

"I see, she seems quite skillful whenever she does that." Alice said as she admired her.

The GR86 exits the final sector of the track and starts approaching the finish line. The car speeds through the straights and crosses the finish line.

"K. Fujiwara. Number 86. Lap time 2:44." The announcement came from the radio.

"Not bad for a first lap, two more to go." Alice muttered.

The GR86 went into the hairpins and disappeared again.

"Do you think she can beat Richard's record Senpai?" Alice asked.

"By the way she's driving, she could beat it by a few seconds or at least get close to it." Sugimoto said.

They continue to watch the race until Kara's race until she finishes her second lap.

"K. Fujiwara. Number 86. Time 2:36." The speaker announced.

"She's in second place in the leaderboards now!" Alice said to Sugimoto.

"Looks like she improved by a lot, let's see if she can beat Richard now." Sugimoto said a bit amused.

The 86 enters the hairpins again and disappears and they gaze back to the big screen. While they were sitting in the stands, Alice began to wonder about certain things.

"Senpai, I've heard from the internet that the GR86 is slow but Kara manages to complete the laps faster than other drivers here. How come that's the case?" Alice asked Sugimoto.

"The GR86 is not the fastest track car on the circuit, but when you put it in the hands of a monster, it would destroy any competition." Sugimoto elaborates.

"I see, a true monster huh." Alice looks at the screen as the car begins drifting into the corners.

After a while, the GR86 appeared from the other side and began speeding towards the finish line. Alice saw Kara's number shoot up the leaderboard and was amazed. Then an announcement was made.

"K. Fujiwara. Number 86. Time 2:33. New Leader." The announcer said from the speaker.

A certain part of the stadium cheered and many clapped their hands seeing a new leader emerge.

"Just a second faster huh?" Alice muttered.

"As expected of her. She has outdone herself." Sugimoto chuckled.

"Let's go meet her!" Alice said excitedly.

The duo walked into the pit area and met up with Kara who just got out of the car.

"That was great driving Kara!" Alice told her.

"Fuh, thanks Alice. I can't believe I only beat him by a second!" She said while wiping her forehead.

"You really improved huh? Usually, I guess England taught you a lot. Usually, you'll just not finish at all" Sugimoto said teasingly.

"That was years ago Asashi, don't underestimate me." She said as she pouted and crossed her arm.

While they were talking, Sugimoto glanced at his phone and noticed it was almost evening.

"It's almost evening huh, wanna grab a bite kid?" Sugimoto asked Alice.

"Sure, I'm starving from watching all these races." Alice said happily.

"Care if I join?" Kara asked them.

"Sure, the more the merrier right?" Alice said to her.

They all walked to a fast food joint called "Borinos" and ordered some food.

"Man, I haven't been here since forever!" Kara told them.

"Last time you were here was about 8 years ago." Sugimoto told her.

"Yep, that was back when we finally graduated from the academy. It's been a while right?" Kara revealed to them.

As they were talking, Alice began munching on some chicken until Kara asked her something.

"So Alice, I haven't really got to know you a lot, I want to know more about you." Kara asked Alice curiously.

"Ah, there's nothing really interesting about me." Alice told Kara shyly.

"Come on we're friends right? So when did you join the academy?" Kara asked her.

"I-I didn't join any academy. My father taught me how to race when I was about 6 years old." Alice revealed to her.

"I see, how old are you now, 12?" Kara asked her.

Sugimoto notices that Kara has made a mistake by assuming her age and he plugs his years getting ready for Alice to yell at her.

"I-I'm 17 this year." Alice answered shyly.

Kara seems shocked by her answer, but Sugimoto is even more shocked and confused that she didn't throw a tantrum at her.

"You're 17 and started racing at 6, you must be a prodigy back then." Kara asked her.

"Yeah, the other drivers back then called me a prodigy since I occasionally beat other racers in go-karts and even some track day racing when I was 11." Alice revealed.

"Ah I see, you must be a pretty good driver then?" Kara asked her.

"Not really haha." Alice said and chuckled.

"She's pretty good, she almost beat me in a one-on-one race when I first met her." Sugimoto told her.

"Really!? That means you're crazy good, I'm looking forward to racing you, Alice!" Kara became excited.

"Haha, if we qualified that is." Alice told her.

"Nonsense, I reckon you could even get in the top 10!" Kara told her.

Alice blushes at her compliments. Sugimoto, being her senpai felt a pang of jealousy seeing his kouhai admiring Kara more. As they eat, Sugimoto's phone suddenly rings, he takes the call and hangs up a few seconds later.

"It's the manager, he said that we should get back and prepare for the race." Sugimoto told Alice.

"Bummer, I guess that's our cue. Glad I could talk to you Kara!" Alice thanks her.

"Same here, I'm going to stick around until nighttime to see you guys race." Kara told her.

"Really? You're going to watch us race?" Alice said.

"Yep, I want to see how you guys race as well. See you there later!" Kara told her.

Alice and Sugimoto waved goodbye to her as they left the fast food joint and went back to the circuit to prepare for their qualifiers.