Hello to all, this is the ClicheInLife bringing you a new and improved version of Chapter 1. It's quite a bit longer and doesn't cover as much ground, but it gives a more descriptive version and better sounding version of what I was trying to say two years ago. So, I hope you all choose to reread this now as it sounds a million times better than when you first read it. I promise you that. Plus, Mi-chan is more sassy and less Mary-Sue like now, so that's another reason to read. I'm going to start on Chapter 2 right now. So, let me know what you guys think and if there are any changes I should make to this chapter.

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The garage was hot, almost uncomfortably so, removing the last of the bolts holding the transmission to the engine I tightly grasp the center of it with my right hand. I grunt, the weight was more than I expected, reaching out from underneath the Audi I grab what is usually an engine lift and drag it over to the car – feeling stretched in doing so. The lift met the resistance from the side of the car and looking up I see the hook above me quickly I reach up, the arm of my right hand was beginning to shake under the immense weight of the transmission.

"Manami? Manami Hara? Are you here?" The sound of two sets of footsteps at the edge of the garage echoed through the almost empty garage, my attention goes to the two at the door. Looking away my left hand slips from the hook, I curse silently and reach my hand up again, hoping to reach it this time.

"I guess she isn't. I guess we'll come back later."

No. Don't go. I need these two to stay, but I need to get this stupid transmission hooked on here so that it doesn't smash onto the floor of the garage. I stare intensely at the hook, come on, almost – yes. Grasping the hook tightly I pull it down to the undercarriage and tightly attach it to the transmission. "Wait! Earl, Reiko. I'm here." Pushing myself out from underneath the car, I continue, "I'm sorry, I was kind of focused on the car."

Standing up I walk over to the two teenagers, wiping my hands on my shorts I hold it out and smile as the man grabs and shakes my hand, "Pleasure to meet you." I can't help but smile at the British accent and quietly mutter a 'you too,'. So he had lived in England or an English household, perhaps mother knew something of his family. As I let go of his hand the girl bowed slightly and I mirrored her and we both greet each other in Japanese. "So, you want to know about our engine tuning?"

I nod, "Yes. I recently returned from the US and haven't had the chance to hire anyone else to permanently work here and would appreciate your services for the time being." Motioning towards the loft the three of us make our way to the plush couches, "Of course, I'd be willing to pay the best rates in Tokyo for your time."

I watch amused as their mouths drop open almost comically, "Seriously?" Earl, still stunned found his voice first, "Why us?"

Before sitting on the couch I walk over to the refrigerator and grab three bottles of water. Handing one to each of them I then take a seat on the opposing couch, "I've heard you're the best. I would do it all myself but I unfortunately don't have time enough for that currently." My eyes lock with Earl's; I know he works for Takashi and Han, both of whom are extremely large players in the drift scene in Tokyo. There's no need to reveal that I know their other two employers now though.

"Alright." Now Reiko chose to speak, it was obvious that she wasn't comfortable speaking in English and I told her if she preferred, she could speak in Japanese. "How long would you need us for?" The transition made our conversation much faster, "We have other obligations at the end of next month."

To hide my smile I attempt a pensive look, "I'm not sure really," so Han makes sure to book them right before the races, "Once I finish my Audi, you should be free to go. I won't start the GTR for some time."

"And you'll have that finished within a month?" Both Earl and Reiko look stunned once more.

"Obviously." Now it was almost impossible to hide my smile, so bringing the water bottle to my lips I take a large drink and then use my hand to cover my mouth, "Also, while working here the two of you are free to accommodate yourselves in the apartments above the garage."

"Really?"

I shrug, "I'm not using them, am I? Plus I need someone to tell me if there's anything that I forgot when I was furnishing them."

"So we're your guinea pigs." Earl's voice was a mixture of amusement and disgust.

"More or less. You're free to say no. I'm sure that I can find other people in Tokyo to take them."

"Are you eventually going to charge rent?"

"They'll probably always be for the people that work with me; they'll get room and pay."

Pushing my glasses back up the bridge of my nose I study their facial expressions carefully, finally Reiko decides to speak up, "What about school?"

"There's a train station three blocks from here. Or I can take the two of you." Too young for Japanese licenses, that was obvious. "Your choice."

"You'd be okay with taking us?"

"I have business to take care of most mornings anyway." I shrug again, "It would make sure that I was awake."

"Oh." The collective almost sigh from the two teenagers makes me smile.

"Right, so, do we have an accord?"

"How could we pass it up?"

Reiko punches him slightly, "I guess there goes any sort of negotiation."

"I'm always open for that." Scanning both of their faces I continue, "you free to start now?"

"Of course." Walking back down to the garage floor I can't help but smile at their ability to answer questions in such a synchronized way.

Putting my bottle of water on my work bench, I look up at the two of them, "I have to finish pulling the transmission and then the engine then ripping off all the side panels and the interior." Grabbing a piece of scrap I outline the details of what all needs to be done.

"Wait, are you getting all new parts for the car then?"

"Obviously. I want to drop as much of the weight as I can – the car becomes much faster and well as more controllable."

"Perhaps we should have asked this before taking the job, but what exactly are you planning on doing with these cars?" Reiko interrupted, glaring at Earl all the more.

"A little of this and a little of that," I shrug slightly and make my way over to the car and begin to lift the transmission out of the car, pulling it over to my work bench I pull off my glasses and begin to take the transmission apart.

"What would you like us to do?"

Spinning around on my chair I look at their outlines, "What are you best at?" Reaching around for my glasses I grab them and smile as everything sharpens as I slide them up my nose, Reiko is obviously not amused at my avoidance of her questions, "Do you both want me to pull the engine for both of you? I'll need all of the pistons pulled so that I can forge new ones." Kicking off from the side of my work bench I begin removing the rocker arms around the engine, making sure not to scratch any of the interior surfaces removing all of the external mounts for the engine I walk back over to my work desk and grab a small engine mount and slide it over to the car, correcting its placement I rise it so that it cradles the engine. Grabbing the right tools I remove the last of the extremely difficult to remove bolts reaching for the lift, which I had unfortunately left over my my work bench. Listening, I smile as I hear footfalls leading over to where I left it and hear the sound of the wheels resonating through the garage. As the cool metal brushes my hand I grasp it tightly, "Thank you, Earl."

"How did you know it was me?" My grin widens at his apparent shock.

"Reiko is," I pause hand gripping the wrench tightly I give one final tug and the engine comes free of the frame, "not pleased in my avoidance of her questions. So there was no way that she'd be willing to come over here and lend me a hand, not until she has at least some answers." Looking up I see her glaring at both Earl and myself, "Thank you for the help, Earl." Flashing him a smile I push the engine over to the work desk parallel to my own. "Work at your leisure, when you're hungry we can call for pizza or whatever you guys are hungry for." Hands wiping at my shorts again I walk back over to the car and grab my spinning chair and set it back in front of my work bench. "There's also a stereo system in the garage, feel free to put on whatever it is you want."

Taking off my glasses my eyes return to the transmission, my mind running through all of the different scenarios of what I can do with the engine and transmission. Returning to the scraps of paper I begin to work out the different ratios of horsepower and overall dynamic of the car versus the amount of work that will have to go into rebuilding and the frequency of having to rebuild it. Before I know it, I've taken up ten sheets of paper figuring out the mathematical and engineering factors.

Looking up I realize that the clock now reads almost ten pm, looking over to my right I realize that Reiko and Earl seem to have completely taken apart the engine in the last six hours. "Alright you two," They both look over at me, "you must be starving. Let's order some pizza and relax in the loft for a while, I have to let the two of you know what set up I'm planning for the Audi." Looking over at the scowl that was still present on Reiko's face I sigh, realizing that some concessions have to be made to make all of this work. "I may even indulge you in some of my personal details."

"Okay, so let me get this straight," the look on Earl's face was telling enough, I might as well have two heads right now rather than having him believe what I just told him, "You were valedictorian of not only the most prestigious high school in Tokyo, but one of the best engineering schools in the US."

"Correct."

"And you went to Rio de Janeiro the summer break of your junior year to work with a group of 'nameless people' to rob the richest drug dealer in all of South America."

"One of the richest, but yeah."

"And then you went back to the US with your incredibly large sum of money, graduated, got a doctorate and were still a multimillionaire when you decided to work on the crew of one of the most well known drag racing teams in the world."

"More or less."

"More or less?" Reiko interjected, she was no longer as cold toward me – I think after she realized that I wasn't some mass murderer she was fine.

"Well, before joining up with the drag racing team I went and worked for this private aftermarket parts company where I developed safety equipment, mainly for use in stock car racing." I smile slightly, "With the right knowledge though, it can be adapted to almost any car."

Grabbing another slice of pizza I look up at the two of them and wait for them to ask more, "What are you doing here then?"

Mid-bite I pause, what was I doing here? "The US got boring, I guess." Shrugging off the question, "I didn't really have time for friends in the US and back here, I know that there are people that'll be willing to drink a few beers and go to a few bars."

Earl stared at me blankly, "But the work."

I shrugged, "What about it?"

"You were working on some of the most powerful engines on the planet, and now you're here, working on some piece of shit Audi."

"Excuse you," scoffing loudly I roll my eyes, "My Audi isn't a piece of shit."

"Right now it looks like it."

"Stand in a corner."

"What?" He was amused now.

"Corner of shame for insulting my Audi."

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry."

I smile slightly, "Not forgiven, but pardoned for now."

Earl rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

"Back to the topic and hand though, working for people and working for you are two completely different things. I don't have to work on a schedule now. I can do what I want, when I want. No one can tell me otherwise either. It's nice." Clearing my throat I try to clear the sentiment from the air, "Right, about the Audi. What do you guys think about my plans?"

Grabbing the now empty pizza box I throw it in the garbage can on the other side of the refrigerator and running back down to my work bench I grab the schematics for the engine and transmission. Putting them in front of Reiko and Earl they each take a handful, walking over to the refrigerator once more, this time I grab a beer and sink back into my spot on the couch and begin flipping through one of the many carbon fiber catalogs in front of me, "Wait," I look up as Earl continues, "you just did all of these?"

"Yes. And?" I fold the page of the magazine down; that body kit would do nicely.

"These would have taken the two of us days to do."

I smile slightly, "That children, is the difference between a PhD and a high school degree." Looking back down at the catalog I scowl, that one was nice too, "I'm particularly fond of number seven myself. It isn't the most horsepower but it gives the transmission a break and is the most likely to handle the best."

"Well, if you told us what the car was for we could help you decide." Reiko had a point, but I enjoyed seeing her aggravated and she made it far too easy.

"You're not helping me decide. We're doing number seven. I just wanted a second pair of eyes to check to make sure that my math was right." Looking up from my catalog once more I am pleased to see that Reiko once again looks moderately displeased with my answer. "Fine, fine. I plan on racing."

Dead silence. Not sure if that's good or bad, perhaps I should tell them that I know who else they're working for, "Racing?" Earl's voice heard a certain stutter; it made a grin spread widely on my face. "You mean like professional racing?"

"Uhm, no." The two of them immediately look quite alarmed, putting down my magazine I sigh, "Relax. Han and Takashi aren't going to find out."

"You know Han and Takashi?"

"Obviously. I just told you their names, didn't I?" The two of them are back to spluttering again, "Calm yourselves please. Takashi won't say anything and Han won't remember me. So, you're fine in working for me." Standing up I look back and forth between the two of them, "So, are you two ready to work? I would like to have everything rebuilt and put back into the car tonight."

"Tonight?" They were speaking in unison again.

"You sound surprised. Yes tonight. I have to quickly go place an order for a new body kit as well as the other materials I'm missing and have it delivered tomorrow – well perhaps mid-week if it's shipping from the US. Plus it's a weekend and I'll pay you double."

Earl now unfazed shrugs, "Sounds good to me."

"Fantastic, I have to go grab the materials to forge the pistons then I'll place the order." I pause and walking over to my work table I press the button of the projector screen and smile as a projector screen drops down in front of the loft, "You may want to scan those schematics into the computer and send the image to the projector, that way we don't have to share a single piece of paper."

Nodding the three of us all go our separate ways in the garage, taking care of at least some of what I had just said.

That night was more or less a blur, when exhaustion would hit the couch became everyone's best friend, the engine and transmission were done that night, as I had planned and after that we began rerunning the exhaust and running nitrous lines to the engine. By the time that was done the sun came up and we all agreed that we deserved at least a few hours of rest before starting on the other components of the car.

When I finally managed to crawl out of bed I heard what sounded like the delivery that I expected back in the shipping docks, so without a second thought I bolted down the stairs of my apartment and into the garage, by the lack of sound I doubted that Reiko and Earl were awake. Opening the back docks I was greeted by a bored-looking man with a rather large amount of packages in the back of the truck, "Are you Manami Hara?"

I nod slightly, trying to hide my excitement, "That would be me."

"…Right." He was obviously put off by my obvious excitement, "So, I have about fifteen packages here for you, I need you to–" but before he could continue I snatched the clipboard from his hands and signed on the dotted line.

"There. Can I have my packages now?" It took every ounce of my self-control not to bounce up and down on the balls of my feet.

"…Sure."

After they were all placed inside the docking bay of the garage I thanked the poor delivery man who was forced to carry some of the heaviest packages known to man into my garage and as soon as he was gone I ran back to my car and began removing all of the exterior paneling, careful to keep the noise down so not to wake Reiko and Earl.

By the time I was joined by the two high school students everything aesthetically was gutted from the car. "You don't waste time do you?"

Looking up I see Earl leaning over the metal bannister observing the state of disrepair that my car was in, back focusing on the many boxes that are in front of me I begin opening the custom roll cage I ordered, "Nope. My stuff arrived and therefore, I'm awake working on it." Looking back up I notice Reiko at his side, looking almost worse for wear, "Reiko, don't we look lovely this morning?"

Glaring down at me she mutters something along the lines of 'shut up' and 'I don't know how you are possibly this much of a morning person' as well as a long list of expletives.

"Morning to you, too." I'm more than a little tempted to sing, "There's fruit and milk in the fridge and cereal in the cabinets above the sink. Feel free to dig in." I pause, lost in thought as I begin looking around for my welding kit, "There's a coffee maker somewhere around here too if you're interested and a tea pot. I don't know exactly where though–" Finally seeing it beneath one of my many wheeled tool boxes of the garage I let out a relieved sigh, "ah, there it is." Now to find the gas container that goes with this welding kit.

"Manami, what are you doing?" Earl this time, it sounds like they found the fruit.

"Welding."

"Welding what?"

"My roll cage."

"Now?"

"No, Christmas. Of course now. Why do you think I gutted the car?"

"What about food?"

"Food can wait. I'm working."

Finding the correct gas container I grin and run past Reiko and Earl, "Now where are you going?"

"To change. I can't weld in pajamas, now can I?"

The welding goes by quickly – thank whoever decided to make custom roll cages, I wasn't particularly looking forward to building one myself. At about noon I'm joined by Reiko and Earl. "Are you designing it with a backseat?"

"I'm not, Reiko. It adds unnecessary weight to the car. I want it to be fast, light and handle well." Looking around at my packages I frown, my seats haven't come in yet, none of my interior, minus the roll cage has. "I suppose we'll have to work on only the performance of the car today."

"Oh?" Earl peeks into one of the already opened boxes, "Why is that?"

"Do you not get along with your parents?"

"What?"

"You're obviously from England."

"Really? How did you know?"

"Shut up. I was thinking about you this morning." I pause and then quickly continue, "And no. I wasn't thinking about you in any other way than the fact that your family must be that of a socialite background. I then realized that my mother is friends with an English man and his Japanese wife who recently returned to Japan after buying a large amount of stock in a Japanese company because they found out that the woman's mother was gravely ill." Looking up, I smile at the amazement on Earl's face, "I also remember being told that they had a son, who would be about your age – I didn't pay any real attention to it though as it was a Caucasian name, but when I thought about it more and more I realized that it must be you."

Earl continued staring for the longest time, "I, uh, yes. I suppose you're right."

I chuckle, amused at the look of absolute confusion on his face, "Now, are you going to help me redo the suspension and the brake lines or are you going to continue looking like a gaping fish all because my mum knows your dad?"

"Your mother?"

"Is British. Now, can we please get working? We have so much work to do in so little time."