Racing Hearts : Co-Authored by Seychella, Chu, and Sleek Stratos
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who offered to help me on this story! I am forever grateful!. I have found two wonderful writing partner people and am working hard on getting the next chapter out!.
Sey. :)
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"Chapter One"
It was late. Ryosuke laid wide awake in bed while sleep eluded him. It was a common occurrence ever since he had raced Akina's Hachi Roku. Not that he minded being defeated, it was actually a much more refreshing experience than he had expected. How different he was now compared to his outlook from only a few years ago. It was on sleepless nights like this one that he recalled that night so clearly, the night that changed his life...
~~ Flashback ~~
"AHhh.. I won!" Sumi giggled playfully after exiting her grey-violet RZ at the bottom of Mt. Akagi. She skipped over to Ryosuke's FC, which was parked only a few meters away. Ryosuke hated losing. Why couldn't he beat her on the downhill? He was the one who taught her how to drive! He should be just as good as she was if not better. But instead, Sumi always won when they raced. He exited his car and put a cigarette in his mouth while reaching for his lighter hoping it would calm his nerves. However before he could find it, the cigarette was snatched from him and replaced with a pair of soft luscious lips. The kiss ended quickly, it was chaste yet left him wanting more. She always had that affect on him.
"It's bad for you." She said matter-of-factly while confiscating the rest of the pack from his breast pocket.
"Sumi..." he almost pleaded. Losing the race was still fresh on his mind, he wasn't sure weather to act angry and annoyed or to just sweep her off her feet and kiss her to sunrise. He really needed a smoke. "Let's go for another round."
"Oh? Ryosuke...Can't stand loosing to your girlfriend?" She teased him with a nudge.
Although she was just joking, Ryosuke knew that there was truth behind the statement. He couldn't stand losing especially to her. "Lets go."
Sumi looked taken aback but none the less got in to the driver's seat of her car, and followed the white FC up the mountain. Another round ended but the results were the same. Ryosuke REALLY needed a smoke.
She didn't cheer at her victory this time, nor did she tease him about losing, she simply walked over and questioned him directly. "Why are you so distant all of a sudden? What's wrong?"
Should he tell her the truth? That the fact that she was a better driver than he was tearing him apart? "You are right Sumi, I don't like losing."
"Why is it such a big deal? To win I mean."
"Why shouldn't it be? Why do we do this at all? To be the best isn't it? How can you race if you have no desire to win?"
"Ryosuke..." Understanding seemed to have dawned on her expression. "I drive because I love driving. It makes me feel so free. Sure it feels good if I win a race, but if I lose a race, it just means I have something to improve on. Train harder and try again. No matter how good you are, there's always someone better... that's how things work in this world. Your only real opponent is yourself. Besides," she added with a giggle, "if your not at home staring at your computer, then your with your beloved FC, I'm starting to get jealous! This is the only time I ever really get to spend with you"
"Sumi, you have never lost a race. You don't even know what it feels like to be the last one across that finish line." He shouted at her, feeling a bit guilty when he saw the hurt expression on her face. He turned and braced his arms against his car not wanting to face her, "I WILL train harder, and I WILL become the best. And not even you can stop me."
Her voice shook as she spoke, "What's happened to you? When did you become so obsessed with this idea of being better than everyone else? You can't always win in your life, and you have to learn to deal with defeat at some point in time."
"No!. I won't!" He felt her arms around his waist as she ran forward to embrace him.
"Ryosuke..." She was crying now. A pang of guilt hit him. He had made her cry. Since he received his Mazda for his 18th birthday, she had been with him, supporting him in his goal of becoming a street racer. Every step of the way she helped him which ever way she could. She had received her car half a year later for her 16th birthday, and although she was two years below the minimum legal driving age, he still taught her the basics of driving. Thinking back to those days, she really was spoiled. Her parents were the owners of a large international exports company, and she being the only child, always got what she asked for. Together, they practiced their skills, quickly improving and moving up the ladders until no one was a match for them on Mt Akagi. Although Sumi never raced openly, she never failed to leave Ryosuke trailing in the dust. He was her only opponent for two years and even after she received her license. She didn't flaunt her skills down the mountain paths unless Ryosuke was with her. And now, after all this time, he was still unwilling to admit it - Sumi was just a better driver than he.
"Ryosuke, your title is undefeated, what more can you want?"
"But it's just a lie; you and I both know that."
She let go of him and backed away her tears were running freely down her cheeks now as Ryosuke turned to face her once again.
"Just go, I want to be alone right now." He didn't know why he said that but that line he would regret for a long time to come. His mind was a blur. He rarely ever become emotional like he had tonight. The guilt for upsetting her, coupled with his anger with himself for losing and his extreme desire for a cigarette did not help his situation.
"Fine, if that's what you want Ryosuke, I promise that you wont be seeing me again. Until you lose against someone else, until you learn to accept it and move on, you won't be seeing me again."
He was speechless as he stared after the disappearing form of her RZ. Had they just broken up after a four year relationship? She had made a promise and if he knew one thing about her, Sumi never broke her promises.
Keisuke pulled up beside him just in time to see the RZ's departure. "We're calling it a night already aniki?"
"Keisuke, I need a smoke."
"You're so tense," he chuckled at his older brother while handing him a cigarette, "Sumi took yours again huh."
"I'm heading home, you can stay if you want." With that, he got in his car and drove off leaving a rather confused Keisuke behind.
~~ End Flashback ~~
Indeed he had not seen her again. After that night two years ago, after he realized what he had lost, he tried desperately to get her back into his life, but she was stubborn. She changed her cell phone number so that he couldn't call her. She would simply hang up if he tried her home phone, and if he rang her doorbell, she merely ignored its imploring request. Eventually he gave up and tried to move on. Easier said than done.
Two years have passed, and he had long ago learned his lesson. He had matured greatly during the last two years and realized his faults. Losing wasn't the end of the world, what she said was true; it only meant he'd have to work harder to improve. Now it was his turn to explain it to his younger brother, and he can see why Sumi had been frustrated. Keisuke was even more hotheaded than he was, and sometimes it was difficult to calm him down if he was in one of those moods. However, with Keisuke it was different. They were apart of the same team, Keisuke looked up to his brother more than anyone else in the world. It would always calm him to know that if he lost a race, Ryosuke would avenge their team.
Two years have passed and he was still thinking about her. Although he learned his lesson, his pride did not allow him to lose if he could win. Unfortunately for him, it took another two years for him to find an opponent who could defeat him. Two years was a long time. He briefly wondered where Sumi was at that moment, was she asleep in her bed? Or out driving down the mountains? She never liked an audience, and she always seemed to know when the roads would be deserted. He may not have seen her again after that night but Ryosuke doubted she would have given up driving.
It was silly he knew, to be dwelling on the past like he obviously was, but he missed her dearly. He and Keisuke had become rather famous in the racing world, being featured on magazines, and being ogled by countless fans, but there has never been another girl in his eyes that could compare to her. She had been his first kiss, first girlfriend, first love, first everything. It's hard to forget someone like that.
Now after his loss to the young Fujiwara Takumi on Akina, he really couldn't help himself but think about her even more. Her terms had been fulfilled; would she come back into his life? Two years was a long time, doubtlessly they have both grown and changed, but he still had hope.
The blue letters on his alarm clock flashed 5:34 am. He wouldn't be sleeping tonight, might as well get an early start as he crawled out of bed and headed towards the shower.
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Leave a review! Tell us what you think ^_^
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who offered to help me on this story! I am forever grateful!. I have found two wonderful writing partner people and am working hard on getting the next chapter out!.
Sey. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Chapter One"
It was late. Ryosuke laid wide awake in bed while sleep eluded him. It was a common occurrence ever since he had raced Akina's Hachi Roku. Not that he minded being defeated, it was actually a much more refreshing experience than he had expected. How different he was now compared to his outlook from only a few years ago. It was on sleepless nights like this one that he recalled that night so clearly, the night that changed his life...
~~ Flashback ~~
"AHhh.. I won!" Sumi giggled playfully after exiting her grey-violet RZ at the bottom of Mt. Akagi. She skipped over to Ryosuke's FC, which was parked only a few meters away. Ryosuke hated losing. Why couldn't he beat her on the downhill? He was the one who taught her how to drive! He should be just as good as she was if not better. But instead, Sumi always won when they raced. He exited his car and put a cigarette in his mouth while reaching for his lighter hoping it would calm his nerves. However before he could find it, the cigarette was snatched from him and replaced with a pair of soft luscious lips. The kiss ended quickly, it was chaste yet left him wanting more. She always had that affect on him.
"It's bad for you." She said matter-of-factly while confiscating the rest of the pack from his breast pocket.
"Sumi..." he almost pleaded. Losing the race was still fresh on his mind, he wasn't sure weather to act angry and annoyed or to just sweep her off her feet and kiss her to sunrise. He really needed a smoke. "Let's go for another round."
"Oh? Ryosuke...Can't stand loosing to your girlfriend?" She teased him with a nudge.
Although she was just joking, Ryosuke knew that there was truth behind the statement. He couldn't stand losing especially to her. "Lets go."
Sumi looked taken aback but none the less got in to the driver's seat of her car, and followed the white FC up the mountain. Another round ended but the results were the same. Ryosuke REALLY needed a smoke.
She didn't cheer at her victory this time, nor did she tease him about losing, she simply walked over and questioned him directly. "Why are you so distant all of a sudden? What's wrong?"
Should he tell her the truth? That the fact that she was a better driver than he was tearing him apart? "You are right Sumi, I don't like losing."
"Why is it such a big deal? To win I mean."
"Why shouldn't it be? Why do we do this at all? To be the best isn't it? How can you race if you have no desire to win?"
"Ryosuke..." Understanding seemed to have dawned on her expression. "I drive because I love driving. It makes me feel so free. Sure it feels good if I win a race, but if I lose a race, it just means I have something to improve on. Train harder and try again. No matter how good you are, there's always someone better... that's how things work in this world. Your only real opponent is yourself. Besides," she added with a giggle, "if your not at home staring at your computer, then your with your beloved FC, I'm starting to get jealous! This is the only time I ever really get to spend with you"
"Sumi, you have never lost a race. You don't even know what it feels like to be the last one across that finish line." He shouted at her, feeling a bit guilty when he saw the hurt expression on her face. He turned and braced his arms against his car not wanting to face her, "I WILL train harder, and I WILL become the best. And not even you can stop me."
Her voice shook as she spoke, "What's happened to you? When did you become so obsessed with this idea of being better than everyone else? You can't always win in your life, and you have to learn to deal with defeat at some point in time."
"No!. I won't!" He felt her arms around his waist as she ran forward to embrace him.
"Ryosuke..." She was crying now. A pang of guilt hit him. He had made her cry. Since he received his Mazda for his 18th birthday, she had been with him, supporting him in his goal of becoming a street racer. Every step of the way she helped him which ever way she could. She had received her car half a year later for her 16th birthday, and although she was two years below the minimum legal driving age, he still taught her the basics of driving. Thinking back to those days, she really was spoiled. Her parents were the owners of a large international exports company, and she being the only child, always got what she asked for. Together, they practiced their skills, quickly improving and moving up the ladders until no one was a match for them on Mt Akagi. Although Sumi never raced openly, she never failed to leave Ryosuke trailing in the dust. He was her only opponent for two years and even after she received her license. She didn't flaunt her skills down the mountain paths unless Ryosuke was with her. And now, after all this time, he was still unwilling to admit it - Sumi was just a better driver than he.
"Ryosuke, your title is undefeated, what more can you want?"
"But it's just a lie; you and I both know that."
She let go of him and backed away her tears were running freely down her cheeks now as Ryosuke turned to face her once again.
"Just go, I want to be alone right now." He didn't know why he said that but that line he would regret for a long time to come. His mind was a blur. He rarely ever become emotional like he had tonight. The guilt for upsetting her, coupled with his anger with himself for losing and his extreme desire for a cigarette did not help his situation.
"Fine, if that's what you want Ryosuke, I promise that you wont be seeing me again. Until you lose against someone else, until you learn to accept it and move on, you won't be seeing me again."
He was speechless as he stared after the disappearing form of her RZ. Had they just broken up after a four year relationship? She had made a promise and if he knew one thing about her, Sumi never broke her promises.
Keisuke pulled up beside him just in time to see the RZ's departure. "We're calling it a night already aniki?"
"Keisuke, I need a smoke."
"You're so tense," he chuckled at his older brother while handing him a cigarette, "Sumi took yours again huh."
"I'm heading home, you can stay if you want." With that, he got in his car and drove off leaving a rather confused Keisuke behind.
~~ End Flashback ~~
Indeed he had not seen her again. After that night two years ago, after he realized what he had lost, he tried desperately to get her back into his life, but she was stubborn. She changed her cell phone number so that he couldn't call her. She would simply hang up if he tried her home phone, and if he rang her doorbell, she merely ignored its imploring request. Eventually he gave up and tried to move on. Easier said than done.
Two years have passed, and he had long ago learned his lesson. He had matured greatly during the last two years and realized his faults. Losing wasn't the end of the world, what she said was true; it only meant he'd have to work harder to improve. Now it was his turn to explain it to his younger brother, and he can see why Sumi had been frustrated. Keisuke was even more hotheaded than he was, and sometimes it was difficult to calm him down if he was in one of those moods. However, with Keisuke it was different. They were apart of the same team, Keisuke looked up to his brother more than anyone else in the world. It would always calm him to know that if he lost a race, Ryosuke would avenge their team.
Two years have passed and he was still thinking about her. Although he learned his lesson, his pride did not allow him to lose if he could win. Unfortunately for him, it took another two years for him to find an opponent who could defeat him. Two years was a long time. He briefly wondered where Sumi was at that moment, was she asleep in her bed? Or out driving down the mountains? She never liked an audience, and she always seemed to know when the roads would be deserted. He may not have seen her again after that night but Ryosuke doubted she would have given up driving.
It was silly he knew, to be dwelling on the past like he obviously was, but he missed her dearly. He and Keisuke had become rather famous in the racing world, being featured on magazines, and being ogled by countless fans, but there has never been another girl in his eyes that could compare to her. She had been his first kiss, first girlfriend, first love, first everything. It's hard to forget someone like that.
Now after his loss to the young Fujiwara Takumi on Akina, he really couldn't help himself but think about her even more. Her terms had been fulfilled; would she come back into his life? Two years was a long time, doubtlessly they have both grown and changed, but he still had hope.
The blue letters on his alarm clock flashed 5:34 am. He wouldn't be sleeping tonight, might as well get an early start as he crawled out of bed and headed towards the shower.
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