Tokyo Xtreme Racer Stage 1

Act 14 – Kevin’s Secret


Haruhi weaved through traffic, trying as best she could to stay focused. She did her best to avoid looking in the rearview mirrors as well. Looking in the mirrors was always her greatest weakness. She always lost focus that way, even back in the mountains. She did her absolute best to focus on the road ahead and the traffic that blocked her sprint to victory.

This race was extremely important to her. This opponent was the reason for so many deaths, including those close to her. It was still the cause of so many deaths. She had an obligation to defeat it. To destroy it.

As they began to enter a long, right turn, the Phantom took the outside, ready to strike. Haruhi blocked it, but as soon as she did…it cut to the inside and passed her! Just like that! Her eyes were wide with surprise…and terror. Then the question she had earlier came up for some reason: who is the fastest on the highway? She had thought about it last night. Is it…possibly…him? As she attempted to keep up with the Phantom, she began to reason with facts. The fastest on the highway…when Iceman didn’t answer…maybe it was because he knew that she already knew the answer.

She had driven with him long enough to know for sure. He was undefeated. Yeah, it had to be him. Kevin.

She looked at the Phantom in front of her. It was beginning to pull away. She gritted her teeth and pressed harder on the pedal. But it was already pressed as far as it would go. She definitely needed more horsepower. This wasn’t enough. Gradually, her head began throbbing. She began to feel drowsy, and even a bit dizzy. She tried her best to stay focused. But it was no use.

As they came up to a sharp left corner, her car suddenly refused to respond. Her heart stopped. The wheel wouldn’t turn, the brake pedal wouldn’t go down, and the accelerator was still glued to the floor, even though she wasn’t pressing on it anymore! And she was headed right for the divider wall! She began to panic. At the last second, she remembered what Rusty had said. The handbrake! She yanked it in a split-second, but it was too late. She took one last look at the Phantom, and saw something that made her muscles twitch. “That license plate! It-“

She was cut off mid-sentence as her right rear fender slammed against the divider wall with extreme force, snapping the rear axle. The car immediately flipped around, and the left corner of her rear bumper smashed into the wall. She had lost consciousness mid-way through the accident.

Within the hour, she was laying in a hospital bed, with a bandage wrapped around her right arm. She was still unconscious, but when she woke up, Kevin would make sure he was there to give her a lecture. What was she thinking?! He sat there, watching her breathing and waiting for her eyes to open. He was angry that she would do such a thing as sneak out. She was sick! She had a fever! He specifically told her not to leave the house! And she did it anyway! Was this what it was like to have a kid? That seemed like something a child would do.

When she finally did wake up, Kevin was at a loss for words. All he could say was, “I’m glad you’re okay. I was…worried.” But Haruhi didn’t seem too excited about the fact that he actually cared. She seemed upset. Even a bit freaked out. She quivered as she asked, “Kevin…the Phantom…who was its driver?” The question surprised him. “I…c-can’t say…” he replied. Haruhi made absolute eye contact with him as she continued to talk. “That car…I saw…” She closed her eyes tight, unwilling to say what she knew was the truth. Finally, she shouted, “That Phantom’s license plate is the same exact one on your S30! 997-XNE!”

Kevin closed his eyes, unable to speak. Haruhi looked at him with a look of desperation. “Kevin…who was the driver of that FD?!” There was nothing but silence for what felt like an eternity. Kevin didn’t want to say anything, but for some reason, he felt like he had to. It was none of her business, really. No one was supposed to have found out. But he felt like he could trust her with this secret. “A year ago…I was an anonymous racer out on the Wangan. Nobody knew who I really was. All they knew was that a menacing RX-7 was prowling the Wangan.”

He paused for a second, then continued, remembering the past as he told the story. “This RX-7 had defeated everyone it challenged. It was undefeated. No one could stand up to it. People wrecked and died attempting to defeat it. Soon it developed the nickname of the “Phantom RX-7.” Rumors spread that it was a ghost, but back then, it wasn’t. I…I was the pilot of that ferocious car. I had bought it not long after I stopped mountain racing. It was a wonderful car. It responded the way I liked. It never lost control. Until that one night.”

By this point, Haruhi was no longer upset, and instead she was quite intrigued by his story. “What happened, Kevin?” Kevin frowned sadly. “One night, I was out racing…and I challenged a racer way out of my league back then. I midnight blue S30Z…the Devil Z.” Haruhi cocked her head to the side in confusion. “Devil Z? What’s that?” Kevin continued the story, answering her question. “A year ago, in November, it came out that night while I was racing. It was a midnight blue 240Z with an L28 mod twin turbo engine swap and some other modifications. It was a car with unimaginable power. That night, I raced it. Around a tight left corner, my tires slipped. My right rear fender slammed into the divider wall, and then the car did a reverse spin and slammed into the Devil Z, causing it to crash as well.”

Kevin closed his eyes and continued. “Me? I was fine. But my car…well, it was destroyed. But it looks like its spirit has come out seeking revenge or something. Maybe a lost race counts as unfinished business…” Haruhi didn’t ask anymore, satisfied with the story. Then Kevin said, “Please…keep this a secret. Okay?” Haruhi nodded. “Mhm. Okay.”

That night, Haruhi was able to go home due to only minor injuries. Over the next few days, Kevin assisted Haruhi with daily living while her arm healed. Although he really didn’t need to do much. Mostly because Haruhi wanted to show him that she could do everything she always did, even with a bad arm. She just about refused his help completely…except when her arm began to hurt. Meanwhile, her FD went through a complete reconstruction. The entire body had literally bent in half from the accident. Haruhi had also ordered a 710hp engine, already pre-tuned.

All the while, Kevin had been considering what were to happen if the Phantom were to challenge him. Of course, any strange powers it was rumored to have wouldn’t affect him due to the fact that it was pretty much his spirit. Maybe he’d race it after all. Maybe he’d race his old friend. He was curious as to what it would be like to race against himself. He tried to remember what it was like back then with the FD. Did the fact that it was a spirit now make it faster than it was back then? He didn’t know, but it wouldn’t matter anyway. He would never lose in his S30.

He looked over at Haruhi, struggling to eat her soup with her left arm. For some reason, he couldn’t wait for Haruhi to be able to race again. He wanted to teach her a great technique for getting through the turns quicker. But right now she couldn’t even eat soup right, so driving was out of the question for a while.

Meanwhile, Rusty had bought a new car in secret. It was his secret weapon for the Wangan. He was absolutely thrilled that he was able to actually get it. It was an icy blue S30Z. With it, he would destroy the competition. He grinned as he took a good look at it, sitting in the storage garage. He felt strange switching from a 4WD to an FR so quickly. Not that he’d get rid of the GT-R. He’d use it as a backup car just in case. But the S30 was to be used as his primary car. Frostbite was coming back. Bigtime. He’d get Ayaka to tune it up, and then it would be truly unstoppable. If only he knew how to control! But he would soon enough.

Back at Kevin’s house, it was dark outside, but Kevin had to stay home with Haruhi to make sure she didn’t attempt another escape. And to take care of her, of course. If she hadn’t run out in the first place, none of this would have happened. She was still sick too. That might’ve been why she wrecked as well. You’re not supposed to race if you’re sick. The money to repair her FD was coming out of her pay again.

Haruhi went into his room to change into her pajamas while he cleaned the house a bit. Then he decided to go into his room and get a movie to watch. He kept his movies on a shelf in his closet. As soon as he opened up the door, Haruhi had just taken her bra off, and she gasped and screamed in embarrassment, covering up her bare chest. Kevin, however, remained calm, not even paying attention to Haruhi as he casually walked over to the closet. Haruhi continued to scream in embarrassment. As Kevin passed by her on his way out, he pulled a bottle of Motrin out of his pocket and stuck it in her mouth, shutting her up. She was surprised by the pill bottle being shoved into her mouth. Kevin walked out, closing the door behind him.

Oddly enough, Kevin didn’t find it difficult to ignore her. He decided not to think on it and popped the movie in the DVD player as Haruhi came out. Although she wasn’t invited to, she decided to watch the movie with him. She fell asleep during the credits, so Kevin had to pick her up and take her back to the bed again. As he laid with her, watching her sleep made him tired.

As Kevin fell asleep, the Wangan was alive with racers of all kinds. Cecelia was one of them. She continued to test out her S30, tweaking it until she found the correct balance. For the past month, she had yet to find the balance, and spent most of her time attempting to find it. Maybe it wasn’t the car, but her driving style. If that was the case…then she might as well give it up now.

She wished it was the way it was when she first started racing. Back when people didn’t tune their cars so extremely, and she could keep up with them alright. Back when it was fun. Back when there was no true “fastest” person. Back when…when her boyfriend knew who she was. Before the wreck that erased all of those precious memories from his head. She had never expected such a thing to happen. She couldn’t live without him, and now she was forced to. Nothing compared to the torture she suffered every second now. She drove for him. For the memories. She loved him so much, and she missed him so much.

It was time to go home. Home…where she would lay in bed alone.

Act 15 – Passion

In the late morning, around 8:00 a.m., Kevin awoke. He looked over at Haruhi. She was still asleep, and her midriff was showing. No wonder she’s sick. He tickled her to get her to wake up, which she did with a jolt and an “Eep!” Kevin got out of bed and said, “Dreams are so strange. What was your dream?” Haruhi blushed and remained silent. She had no intention of telling him any of her dreams. “A girl’s dream is to remain secret. Don’t you know better than to ask such questions?” Kevin frowned and looked away. “Considering how you reacted to the question, I’d say that your dream was a mischievous one.”

Haruhi immediately blushed and began to laugh embarrassedly. “No it wasn’t! I just don’t want to tell you about it!” Kevin had already left the room, already no longer interested in Haruhi’s “blabbering.”

The truth was, her dream was sort of mischievous-ish. She looked at the empty room as she thought about it. It was a dream about him. She always dreamed about him. She wished he’d do the same for her. But by now, she was convinced that although sometimes he acted like it, he really didn’t care all that much about her. Every once in a while he’d show some slight compassion…maybe…but that was all, and it didn’t happen very often. Kevin was mostly coldhearted and blunt, and it was obvious that he lacked any real interest in her.

But he just didn’t know! That was all! All she had to do was keep reminding herself of that. That…and how she still refused to let him know. If he knew, he’d treat her better for sure! Right? Remembering the dream she had assured her…somewhat. In her dreams, she’d always end up telling him of her feelings for him, and he then showed her everlasting compassion. Or something like that. She wanted to go back to sleep and continue dreaming about him. The dream Kevin was much better than the real one anyway. And what was stopping her? Her arm was still in a bandage, so she couldn’t really do anything anyway.

She gently laid her head down on the pillow and drifted off to sleep again. As she slept the day away, her FD sat in Kevin’s work garage. He frowned at the wreck. When was she going to stop crashing and become skilled? Or…when was she going to stop racing? It still seemed like she didn’t have a reason to do it. Why was she racing out there? Why did she begin racing at all?

He looked away from the FD. He didn’t feel like fixing this car anymore. But he knew that if it were him, he’d want his car fixed so that he could go back out. But the cost was definitely coming out of her pay again!

Around 11:00 p.m., Kevin decided to go out on the Wangan. To this day, no one could truly keep up with him if he went all out. Opposition on the Wangan was sadly disappointing for him. He was glad that Nightwing had returned, but it wasn’t enough. The more he thought about it, the more he began to realize what he really wanted. He wanted Haruhi to become a real challenge. Like back in the mountains. Back then, her driving was so perfect and so smooth that it was nothing short of art. Her driving was like a masterpiece back then. Now…now it was like the paint never left the bucket. He wanted to see her beautiful driving again.

He blinked; lights were flashing behind him. But it wasn’t Nightwing, Zero, or Iceman. No. He knew who it was. He knew perfectly well. He felt it. So familiar. That RX-7 that he had known for so long. An old friend, come back to visit. The Phantom pulled up beside of him, ready to battle. He didn’t really feel like battling, but even so, this would be interesting, he knew.

Back at the house, Haruhi decided to change into something more comfortable. Earlier on, she had bought a black extra-extra-extra large shirt. She took off what she was wearing and put it on. It was indeed comfortable. Very roomy. She was tempted to take off everything underneath it, but decided against that. Well…she’d at least leave her panties on. She went out and sat on Kevin’s recliner. She was after comfort for some reason. She really wanted to relax. She hadn’t been able to in so long.

While Haruhi relaxed at home, Kevin and the Phantom went side-by-side down the highway. No matter what happened, neither one passed the other. Kevin wasn’t going all out, but he knew that the Phantom wasn’t either. He knew that because…well…the Phantom was…in a sense…him. They were going over 290 km/h now, with the streetlights and traffic whisking by. You could hear the wind whooshing past at the speeds they were going. They were like to blurs on the road. They were in a different world. A world where nothing else mattered.

Flames burst from both cars’ mufflers at the same exact time, and they both went into a long, right turn, side-by-side, in and out of it. Neither one passed the other. They whisked past the slow-moving traffic, nearly clipping the sides of the pedestrian vehicles as they rocketed down the expressway. Would the Phantom actually be a match for Kevin? Kevin knew it wouldn’t be. He already knew the limits of that RX-7, and his S30 surpassed them. He had pretty much already won. But it didn’t matter who won or lost. Neither opponent cared. All that mattered was what was going on at that very moment. Both cars continued into the night…together.

Back at the house, Haruhi was feeling so cozy. Then she began to think about a few things. Things that she planned to do in the near future. She wanted her job as a waitress back, or at least a job. She hated changing oil everyday at a garage. She also wanted to make her car faster. A more powerful engine was fine, but she wanted more than just 710hp. She wanted to be able to drive with Kevin again, like she used to be able to do back in the mountains, staying on him all the way to the end.

And…she wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him how she felt about him. She felt like she should just get it over with.

She began to get drowsy around 1:46, and was about to fall asleep when Kevin walked in. He looked at her…and she looked at him. Without saying a word, Kevin went into his bedroom. He felt…at ease. The race with the Phantom ended the way he had expected, but it felt different from when he usually won a race. Anyway, Haruhi didn’t need to know. No one did. The Phantom was finally put to rest. Satisfied. Just as he was. That secret battle would forever be in his memory. His first fun Wangan battle. And perhaps his last.

Haruhi walked in wearing the really big, black shirt. Kevin sighed. Did she want attention that badly? He hoped she was wearing something underneath it at least. The bottom of the shirt only stopped halfway at her thighs, after all.

He thought about the battle with the Phantom as he laid in bed. He had fun…but he still wished that Haruhi could drive like that. She had a similar car. The Phantom was faster than he remembered it was. Perhaps because it was a ghost, it could go faster than it normally would have. Still…it was fast even back when he used it. He knew that Haruhi had to be able to do the same some day.

By the next month, Haruhi’s arm had completely healed, and her car was completely repaired. She immediately went back out to the Wangan on Saturday night. She still didn’t understand exactly why she drove. She wanted to find out why. Her engine now had about 790hp; enough to destroy anything that attempted to take her down. She was getting serious now. No more wrecking. No more being weak. It was time for her to make her mark. She defeated two untouchables by now, and she was raring to defeat more; to prove her worth on the highway.

She was going to aim to become an untouchable.

And what about Kevin? It was obvious to her now that he was the fastest on the highway. If she managed to defeat him, then that would mean that she was the fastest. Either that, or she was really lucky. She had to try sooner or later, and with so much power at her disposal, maybe she’d have a chance. Back in the mountains, she promised Kevin that she’d be the first person ever to defeat him. She intended to keep that promise. She wanted to show him that she could still keep up; that she was still skilled. But…was she?

Just then, two pairs of headlights raced up behind her. By now, she had recognized the sound of Kevin’s car, and he was one of the cars coming up. The other was that Porsche. The one known as Nightwing. The one that she blew her engine racing that night. She wanted a “rematch” against him more than anything right now, and she was going to get it!

As soon as they passed by her, she flashed her lights at them. It got Nightwing’s attention first. His eyes narrowed. “Hmm…” He accelerated as Haruhi pulled up. Flames burst from his 930’s mufflers, and the battle began. Kevin pulled ahead, keeping the lead. Haruhi cringed slightly; a three-way battle. She didn’t want to join a three-way battle, but it was the only way to defeat Nightwing at the moment. All she had to do was ignore Kevin’s S30 and she’d be fine.

She pulled up to Nightwing’s rear bumper in an attempt to pressure him, but it didn’t work. Nightwing wasn’t intimidated by her at all. He wasn’t even going all out! Haruhi kept on him around a right turn, waiting for an opportunity to overtake him. Her eyes narrowed. She wasn’t weak anymore. She wasn’t going to crash or anything anymore. It was time for her to show them who they were really dealing with!

Around a left turn, Nightwing took the outside lane. Haruhi waited for a split-second, then decided to make her move. Just as she began to cut to the inside, Nightwing cut to the inside, blocking off her line. But she continued to stay on him, not letting up for a bit. In his S30, Kevin watched from his mirrors. The greatest things about Haruhi were her determination and perseverance. Not only that, but he could tell that she was beginning to analyze now…analyze the situation and the opponents. From his car, he could almost feel the gaze of those analyzing, brown eyes of hers. But was it enough?

Her eyes closely watched the 930’s tires. It was an RR; if Nightwing went in even a little too fast, it would oversteer. If he went in too slow, the 930 might understeer due to the front lifting up. As she watched closely for him to slip up, she noticed that something felt familiar. This was a lot like when she raced in the mountains! Maybe it wasn’t so different after all. She needed to calculate her highest cornering speed in order to know how to pass the 930. Because of her car’s set-up, if she went in too fast, she would lose grip completely. But that wasn’t going to happen. She wouldn’t slip up. She’d remember everything…she’d drive like Kevin did!

She held on tight, the tightest she had ever held on to an opponent’s tail. She felt different tonight. No…she felt the same. The same as she used to feel. Back when she was desperately chasing the rear bumper of that silver Beetle up in the mountains. She wouldn’t make a mistake. She didn’t even have to worry about it. She knew she wouldn’t make a mistake.

She heard the S30’s engine rev as Kevin downshifted. It was a short, right turn. The 930 in front of her downshifted, and she did as well. All three cars whipped around the corner in exactly two seconds. Kevin’s S30 slowly began to pull away. The streetlights flashed by, three streetlights a second, as the three cars rocketed down the expressway. The 930 looked to be in control…which meant he wasn’t pushing it yet. Haruhi’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t pushing it either. Good. She could really do it this time. She could win!

In his 930, Nightwing gritted his teeth, seeing the FD behind him keeping on him like a shadow. “Stupid, crazy, persistent bitch…” He accelerated some more, flames bursting from his car’s mufflers in a ferocious manner. Haruhi noticed the 930’s increased pace, and increased her pace as well, flames bursting from her FD’s muffler. From now on, it wasn’t about power. It was how you used it! They were entering the C1 Inner Loop!

Kevin looked in his mirrors again. Nightwing had always been the closest thing he had to a challenge on the Wangan. Would Haruhi finally take his place? He began to get excited. This was turning into an amazing night after all!

In her FD, Haruhi’s hair seemed to reflect sheen of the streetlights as she passed them by. Her eyes, mirroring the night back, were locked on the road now. She was ready to overtake the 930. But it wasn’t as easy as just pulling up next to him, she knew. She needed to wait for the opportunity. And she had a growing feeling that the opportunity was fast approaching.

Suddenly, she saw it: the 930, distracted by a van changing lanes up ahead, forgot to set itself up for the next right turn! Nightwing cursed under his breath as he suddenly realized his mistake. “Shit!” He slammed on the brakes and downshifted, hoping his rear tires would hold on to the road. Luckily they did, but all of this gave Haruhi the opportunity she needed. She pulled up on Nightwing’s right. However, she didn’t completely pass him, and the two of them emerged from the turn side-by-side. The 930’s recovery was quicker than Haruhi had anticipated, but it was too late. She was beside of him now. All she had to do was completely pass him. She saw Kevin’s S30 up ahead. After she passed the 930…he was next.

Cool... The Phantom was a Spirit Racer... a vehicle powered by a the spirit of it's original driver, remaing in the physical realm only to locate them and rejoin... sweet story so far, Fettman.

is this spose to be 4 a movie or something ?

This is a novel Fettman is writing. He's posting it here for us to read. Didn't you read the first post?

Yes. And as they say in the other forums I am a part of...HERE'S MOAR!!!


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Act 16 – True Potential


As the race continued into the night, Haruhi began to feel slightly fatigued. It was really the intensity of the race that was getting to her. But it was the good kind of fatigue. The kind that you got while you were doing something you enjoyed and just couldn’t stop. Nightwing refused to let up, still running beside of her. She just wanted to be done with him already. She was quickly turning her attention to the red S30 in front of her. She just wanted it to be him and her, Kevin versus Haruhi.

She had almost overtaken Nightwing, and did her best to resist the urge to pass him with her car’s full power. It just wasn’t enjoyable that way. Plus, she didn’t want to reveal her car’s true potential to them just yet. But it was so hard, hiding it like this. Their cars were so powerful. They were so fast. Kevin…was so fast. But he just had to be defeatable! She could see that Nightwing was defeatable; she was going side-by-side with him, and she could overtake anytime she wished. Surely she could do the same with Kevin. On a long straight, she gradually began to pull in front of Nightwing, to his dismay.

She focused her eyes on the red S30 in front of her now. She felt a strange feeling as she eyed it. She felt almost as though it was…waiting. Waiting for her. She was afraid of the car. It was just like racing that Beetle back in the mountains. Kevin always had a way with antique cars. The cars he drove were devastating monsters. Why was she always chasing after such a menacing opponent? Why?

Because she wanted to be noticed. By him. She wanted him to notice her. But why? Why did she want to be noticed by him so badly? Why did she…like him so much?

She started to remember back then…and even now. She was always in a slump. No job, no attending college; her life was going nowhere. Most of her friends moved on without her, getting degrees and certificates, earning great jobs that they deserved due to their hard work and dedication. But Haruhi…it was like she was lost. She had nothing. Then she met Kevin that one night on the mountain pass. He gave her something to chase after. Something to live for. Even if it didn’t really help her life. She had a goal to chase after. She felt like she was really going somewhere in her life every time she got closer to him, even if her life stayed the same.

Wait…was that it?! Was that why she drove? Was that it? Was it that simple?

By now, she had completely overtaken Nightwing, and she was moving in for a battle with Kevin. A battle she was quickly becoming hesitant about. He hadn’t ever lost a race before. What made her think she could change that? But did that really matter? Wasn’t all that mattered was that she tried? It was time. The battle had to start now. She flashed her lights at the red S30 and sealed her fate.

Nightwing, who wasn’t going all out and was about to pass her again, witnessed the girl’s bravery, and decided to back off. He smirked; for once, he hoped his opponent would beat the Z. He didn’t understand why…but it was just how he felt.

Haruhi’s hands began to shake, and she struggled to remain calm. She couldn’t afford to get excited. She had to focus in order to keep up with him. She felt as though she was walking a tightrope, and one mistake would ruin her entire performance. She was holding back…but so was he. Should she do it? Should she make her move?

She decided to do it. She pressed further on the accelerator, and her FD roared up next to the S30, then passed it. She let out a sigh of relief and relaxed her muscles. She did it. Just like that, she passed him. The battle was going good so far. Now all she had to do was keep him behind her!

Little did she know that as soon as she overtook him, she had lost the battle. Because Kevin knew exactly how to defeat her. Her weakness was that she couldn’t focus on driving if she was being pressured from behind. Her eyes would automatically dart to her mirrors. After a while she’d lose focus and her driving would become poor. When she screwed up, he’d pass her and end it. Until then, he’d just sit behind her, watching…waiting. Actually, he could pass her anytime he wished, but he decided to make it interesting. Plus, he wanted to see if she had really improved at all. As he watched, he came to the conclusion that she had improved, but most of it was due to the upgrades made to her car, not her driving skill.

Still…her skill had improved as well. The rear of her car wasn’t slipping around the corners anymore, and she had her car very well in control for the most part. But she still had a lot of room to improve. She had a long way to go before she could be good enough to keep up with the best.

Haruhi glanced in her rearview mirror, as if she was making sure he was still behind her. She felt as though she should have pulled away by now. He was sticking with her extremely well. He always did that. He never gave her a break. She remembered how the large, circular headlights of that Beetle would bear down on her up in the mountains, not even giving three inches of a gap between the two cars. Back then she was afraid to hit the brakes because he stuck so close. He didn’t do that out on the Wangan, but he still stuck with her. The gap hadn’t widened yet, and she doubted it would anytime soon. This was a battle of skill and endurance now. Could she make a big upset and defeat the fastest on the highway?

She lightly turned the wheel to the left, balancing her speed as she went through the corner, which bent down to a lower height than the level they were currently on. It was the corner where she first wrecked out on the Wangan. She had it down now. Kevin still stuck with her through the corner though. She grimaced; there was no way she would widen the gap like this. She was doing her best, and he still stayed with her. She wished she could do the same to him someday, just to let him know how it felt. But she was in front, and she really wanted to stay in that position for as long as possible.

Kevin sat behind her, casually feathering his accelerator as he cruised the Wangan with Haruhi. It was a soothing feeling, but he still wished she was faster. Kevin wanted to see Haruhi drive with everything she had. He wanted to see her passion. He wanted to see her at her best! He knew she could do better than this. She just didn’t have the motivation to go all out. She wasn’t really trying. He could feel the weakness in her driving. It greatly disappointed him. But what could he do? She just didn’t care enough to be one of the fastest on the highway.

This wasn’t her full potential he was seeing. It was starting to frustrate him. He gradually pushed down on the accelerator and pulled up on her left, to her surprise. The road had two lanes now, and they were going side-by-side. Up ahead, two big trucks took up both lanes. There was room in between…but only for one car. Who was going to let up? Kevin or Haruhi? They both raced towards the small gap, neither letting up. At the last second, Kevin slowed down and turned to the left as Haruhi went through the gap. She did it! She beat him!

She felt like she could relax, but a sense of dread was beginning to overcome her as she emerged from the gap in between the two trucks. Her eyes flicked to the left, and life seemed to go in slow motion. He couldn’t have! But he did.

Kevin’s S30 came out side-by-side with her, using the tiny gap in between the truck on the left and the wall. That was suicide at that speed! It was…amazing. At that moment, Haruhi lost her will to drive with him further. She wasn’t even comparable to him. He passed her and began to lead the way, roaring through the C1 Inner Circuit with perfection. Haruhi felt like stopping, but she just couldn’t. She had become entranced by Kevin’s driving. She wanted to follow. She wanted to drive like this with him forever.

But Kevin had different plans. Gradually he began to pull away from her. If she wouldn’t go all out, then she wouldn’t keep up. He knew that. He’d force her to be the best she could be! Flames burst from the S30’s exhaust pipe with a loud “thoom,” and the car shot forward, leaving the FD behind. But he didn’t need to worry…he was almost certain that he’d see her again.

Haruhi saw that he was starting to pull away, and her heart sank. “No…I don’t want it to end…I want it to go on forever! It…can’t end now…it…it won’t!”

As Kevin continued to run, he noticed that Haruhi was sticking with him. Yes! This was it! This was what he wanted to see! Her passion! The way he remembered her back in the mountains, doing everything in her power to stick with him. He wasn’t going all out, but still…she was amazing. Her driving had completely changed. She stuck with him through the turns and pushed herself to stay close. It was like beautiful art.

But to Haruhi, it was a huge struggle. Her stamina was waning now, but she just couldn’t stop. She didn’t want to stop. She wouldn’t stop. It didn’t matter if she got tired or not. In his S30, Kevin was glad to finally see Haruhi going all out. Haruhi stuck with him very well, weaving through traffic and barreling through the turns. But one of her weaknesses was brake timing. She always hit her brakes a little too early and slowed down too much on the harder turns.

On the Wangan, even on the C1, there’s a trick to using your brakes as less as possible and still being fast. Being the fastest on the highway, Kevin knew the secret. But Haruhi didn’t. She was still accustomed to mountain racing. Still…she was not to be underestimated. The reason why he became the fastest was because everyone underestimated him. The reason why he was still the fastest was because he didn’t underestimate anyone.

Really, in the big scheme of things, what happened out on the Wangan wasn’t important at all. It’s not like he had to win. But he wanted to. And that was all took.

Haruhi was concentrating as best she could, doing whatever she could to keep up with Kevin. There had to be some kind of trick that he used in order to be so fast. But what was it? And how did he end up learning it? And…most importantly…could she learn it and end up doing it too? The way she thought about it, the only way she could learn it is by driving exactly the way Kevin did. And to do that, she had to focus and concentrate on his car completely. She had to hear the engine, the tires…she had to watch how the car moved, how it swayed, when to hit the brakes, when not to hit the brakes…she had to observe everything that he did. This was the only option she had left.

Kevin turned left, letting up on the accelerator to 5,000 revs, and Haruhi did the same. Out of the turn, Kevin accelerated, and Haruhi did the same. Unbeknownst to Haruhi, Kevin was not going all out. To Haruhi, it was already hard enough to keep up with him. It was almost as if he got faster each second they ran. And on top of that, a pair of headlights appeared in the rearview mirror. Nightwing was back.

Act 17 – Separate Roads


Nightwing was doing a time attack run and caught back up to Haruhi and Kevin. This amused Nightwing. The only way he could have caught back up to them while they were still racing was if Kevin wasn’t going all out. He chuckled; it just wasn’t fair how he was playing around with that poor girl. But why? Why didn’t he just leave her in the dust?

Also, something about Haruhi surprised Nightwing: her line had changed drastically since he last saw her about fifteen minutes ago. Was she…copying Kevin’s line? Nightwing frowned. That was the worst mistake she’d ever make. You couldn’t just copy the line of someone like Kevin. Copying his line as a beginning driver was extremely dangerous. Kevin combined his line through the corners and his line through traffic, creating one beautiful, flawless line through the metro!

Nightwing was itching to tag along again just thinking about it. He couldn’t resist, and pulled up to attack. Just like Kevin, he was undefeated. What was he thinking back there, just letting them go like that? He wasn’t going to let Kevin steal all of the fun. He’d beat this girl with him! Nightwing easily passed Haruhi on the inside while going through a right turn, then pulled up beside of Kevin’s S30, staying side-by-side with him as they continued their race.

Haruhi gritted her teeth in frustration. She didn’t want to race Nightwing anymore! But…it couldn’t be helped.

Flames burst from the 930’s mufflers, as if taunting her. Flames burst from the S30’s muffler as well, announcing the car’s superiority over hers.

Following Kevin’s line was becoming increasingly difficult for her. Why did she have to follow his line to keep up with him anyway? Why couldn’t she just follow her own line? What did he do so differently? What made him so much faster? The gap was gradually widening. His line was becoming more complicated. He was increasing his pace for sure. Her eyes couldn’t keep up anymore. But she could still beat him! She could feel it!

Around a long left, Kevin took the inside, and so did Haruhi, boxing out Nightwing and overtaking him as he was forced to the outside. Up next was a series of turns, two of them creating an S-shape. That would be where she’d attack. She’d use her brakes late and surprise Kevin!

They went through the first turn without using their brakes, taking the outside lane, then cutting inside through the left turn and downshifting, coming out back on the outside to set themselves up for the right corner coming up. Both were going about 215kmph. This was it! Haruhi timed it as best she could, hitting her brakes super-late…and was met with one of the most shocking scenes she had ever witnessed.

Kevin didn’t hit his brakes.

Time seemed to go in slow-motion as he went through the entire S-turn at 220kmph, not using his brakes at all. Haruhi was so shocked that she didn’t notice that Nightwing had done the same thing, passing her in the process.

How? How did they? How could anyone work up the nerve to do something like that?! She quickly fell behind. They just kept pulling further and further away. There was only one thing left for her to do if she wanted to stick with them…if she wanted to win. She had to risk it all. The afterburner.

She thought she’d never use it. She didn’t even feel that she needed it. Right now, she felt weak for doing so. But she was desperate. She wanted to beat them so badly. And she was so close. Just a little more power…a little more speed. It was all she could ever ask from her poor, hard-working car. It was all she’d ever ask for.

Kevin made sure he didn’t pull ahead of Nightwing, just for the sake of having fun. But then he heard something that he didn’t expect to hear: Haruhi’s RX-7. And she was coming up fast. Either she had been holding back by a lot…or she just used the “bad luck knob.” Anyone Kevin knew that used their afterburner in a race on the highway had crashed in the process. It was almost like a kamikaze run. A last ditch effort for the win. It was extremely dangerous. Especially in a high-powered car like hers. Still…now he knew for sure that she was dedicated to this.

But…how long would she last with that afterburner on?

Every second was extremely painful for Haruhi. It felt like her car was dying on her already. But it was working. She was catching up. She felt almost like she was cheating. But if she defeated them like this, then a win was a win. No disputing it. As she approached the two cars, she suddenly was overcome by a sense of dread. What was going to happen when they came up to a corner? She wasn’t going to be able to control her car. She was pushing it past its limits. She knew she’d wreck on the first corner, which was coming up fast.

A long left. She let up on the accelerator and readied herself to touch the brakes as she approached the turn. There! She lightly pressed down on the brakes and then balanced the throttle, holding it for as long as she possibly could through the turn. She felt her car struggling to release itself from her control. It was like the outer wall was a strong magnet, attracting her car with incredible force. She was almost all the way through the turn. She could see the straightaway up ahead. Just a little further and she had them! She was beginning to get excited. She could do it! She could beat them! She pushed the accelerator down all the way as she began to exit the turn…and her wheels spun too much.

The sudden acceleration caused the rear wheels of her FD to spin too much, and they instantly lost traction. The rear of her car suddenly slid outward, slamming into the outer wall. The force of the impact caused the car’s weight to shift the other way, and the back slid the opposite way. The front of the car smashed into the outer wall, busting the right headlight bulb and crumpling the front bumper and right fender. A small crack appeared in the lower right of the windshield, and the car slid to a stop, defeated. Up ahead, Kevin stopped his car on the side of the road and reversed until he was in front of Haruhi’s car as Nightwing continued on.

Kevin got out and walked up to Haruhi as she got out of her car. Neither of them said a word for what seemed like forever. The traffic casually drove past them as they stood there. Haruhi knew what he probably wanted to say, and Kevin knew that Haruhi already knew. She wasn’t good enough to take him on. Nightwing either. It was reckless of her to try. But…she didn’t care. She’d keep on racing him until she defeated him. And she desperately wanted him to understand why. She couldn’t take it anymore. It was time so say something.

“When…when I found you over here…you told me…you told me that if I can’t race without you, I should stop racing.” Kevin closed his eyes and nodded. “Yes…I remember saying that.” Haruhi hesitated, then said, “But…what should I do if I can’t live without you?”

The question very much surprised Kevin. He didn’t really know how to answer it. He had never really thought about anything like that before. What could he say?

Haruhi clenched her fist. She needed to be strong. “I’ll keep on chasing you…even if it kills me!” She looked at her battered car as a reference. Kevin frowned. “You know…you’re annoying. And persistent. And reckless. And you need to get your life back in gear.” Haruhi clasped her hands behind her back. “Too bad for you then!” She smiled and blushed, happy that she finally told him. “Because I love you.”

That was the first time Kevin had ever been told that. It felt strange, but in a good way. All he could think of to say was: “Thanks…” Then he closed his eyes and said, “But you still suck at racing on the highway.” Haruhi laughed embarrassedly. Was that humor she just heard from him? “Uhm…well…I…I mean, I know you probably don’t feel the same way as I do, but…I mean…I…I’ve been suffering. Suffering for so long. I think I may have felt this way ever since I first saw you. And for so long…for so long, I’ve dreamt of getting…just one…just…one…”

Kevin raised his eyebrow. “Just one what?” Haruhi closed her eyes and blushed. “Just one…kiss.” Kevin blushed at hearing the request. “Oh…” He had never kissed a girl before. But…she just told him one of her deepest, darkest secrets. She loved him. She really cared about him…even though he did absolutely nothing to encourage such feelings. They slowly made their way to each other, closed their eyes…and kissed.

For Haruhi, it was almost like a dream. It was too good to be true. It was…the happiest moment of her life. It seemed to last forever…and when it was over, she said, “Make me a promise, okay?” Kevin raised an eyebrow, and Haruhi elaborated. “When I beat you at racing, you have to marry me. Okay?”

Kevin smirked and replied, “Yeah, sure. But if that’s the case, you’re going to be single for a long time…” Kevin’s “humor” was quickly getting old for Haruhi. “Oh, I’ll beat you someday. I…I’m going to leave your house now. I think it’s for the best. I’m sure you agree. I’ve raised enough money to make it on my own. I’ll go out and become the fastest on the Wangan. Then, someday, we’ll meet again, and I’ll defeat you! Until then…I’ll deprive myself of you…to give myself more motivation…” She clenched her fists. “I have a goal now! And I will see it through!”

Although Kevin didn’t show it, he was very happy. Haruhi was completely different now. She was responsible! And she had a racing passion now! She was going to race because she wanted to. And…although he’d never say so…he was actually sad that she was leaving.

She had a long way to go…but he’d be here waiting. On the Wangan.

Haruhi was actually able to smile as she sat by her car and watched Kevin’s legendary red S30 drive away. This was just the beginning of her story. And she was just fine with that.


Stage 1 End