November 8th, 199█
I woke up with the memories of the other night still fresh in my mind. The thrill of racing once again ran through me upon the witnessing of an adrenaline pumping race such as that one. I was skeptical at first of the boss’ proposition, but so far? It’s turning out not to be a bad idea, despite all that we knew.
As fun as I might have thought it was, it sure was a tiring weekend, needing to prepare for everything that came to us then. Working with the police was something I really had not expected to happen, but this is X we’re talking about, after all. Someone who can seemingly make the impossible possible, all for their own very selfish desires.
But for making that impossible possible, I’m glad they finally decide to give me a day off.
“What should I even do today?” I asked to no one in particular as my eyes finally gazed open, staring at the unchanging ceiling of my apartment. I turned my head towards the window, which showed nothing but the neighbouring buildings of the lone street.
Right, I’ve been so busy with working for that X that I’ve more or less never thought about what I should do on a rare day off like this. The clock said 06:54, which was about the usual time I would get up for work, which means my circadian rhythm has been totally messed up by my work.
The sun was barely even up, and honestly? So was I, so like any logical person I shut my eyes and decided to lay in bed for another hour whilst listening to the dreadful ticking of that 800-yen timekeeper.
・・・
My stomach began to grumble at me after what seemed like barely even an hour, but in reality it’d been nearly two, and the sun was shining well over the horizon by this point. Eventually I decided to get up and do the usual routine of getting myself cleaned up from whatever I had been drooling onto my pillow the night before. I felt like cooking today, as I hadn’t done so in a long time, but since the last time I cooked was… too long ago, safe to say there wasn’t anything for me to really make something out of in the fridge.
As such, I grumbled my way through my wardrobe to get something that at least works for the weather, and after checking all the doors to the apartment, I grabbed my keys and…
…keys…?
Let’s just say I was a bit surprised when I noticed a particular set that usually wouldn’t be in my possession. A black-and-purple Y-badged fob was connected to it, and immediately I knew what was up.
I rushed out of the apartment, and there it was. A black Yamada coupe in front of the sidewalk, more or less blocking half the street. The sides were pelted with whatever street racing modifications, and very un-secretly, X decals that lined its bodypanels.
“Are you… are you fucking kidding me?”
There was a note taped to the side of the window, and already ill tempered from just the sight of this in my usually peaceful neighbourhood, I grabbed it and read it.
“Hi Sigma, it’s X. I’ve personally decided to give you the company car for your day off. I figured you’d want something to go around in. You can turn the car back in when you return for work tomorrow. Enjoy your day! ~X”
Whatever kind of sick joke that was. Turns out the day off is just an unpaid day for me to babysit X’s toy. I sighed as I crumpled the paper uttering curses to myself.
That goddamn brat, I swear I’ll get back at them for this some day.
My annoyance was interrupted by someone greeting me seemingly out of the blue, and my heart dropped the moment I recognized the voice. After all, it was none other than my next-door neighbour Takamoto, who came holding a paper bag that I could smell fresh bread coming from. I hid the crumpled paper behind my back and smiled at him.
“Motoko, good morning! It’s rare to see you out like this, something good happening?” He greeted with his usual delightful tone. Indeed, it is rare for me to be out this morning, but I can’t exactly tell him about my work, it’s secret after all.
“M-morning… T-Takamoto…” I awkwardly wave back at him. “Nothing really, just a day off, I guess? Ehehe…”
As usual, he’s unfazed with a lot of things, even with the mysteriously loud coupe in front of me. I was hoping he wouldn’t bring it up, but he did anyway.
“Is this your car, Motoko? I never even knew you drove! Did you get permission from the landlord to park it here?”
Absolutely not. To both those questions, it’s a no.
“It’s my… um…”
Shit, gotta come up with an excuse. Who do I shift this onto…?
“…my… ah! It’s my brother’s car!”
Who the hell is your brother?! You don’t even have one, dumbass!
God, please tell me he’d take it.
“Is that so? I assume your brother is here right now, then?”
Why do you have to ask so many questions?! If you weren’t so cute I would’ve decimated you right here and then! I had no choice, from this day forward I’m going to have to come up with this false illusion of an “older brother” if I want to keep talking to him. There’s no other way around this!
“N-no, actually! He left the car with me because… well… he’s in… Tokyo right now? For work!” I said as truthfully as possible. For whatever reason, outside of work, my usual lying skills never seem to activate.
He looked at the car for a bit, eyeing it down with what I assumed to be curiosity. He took especial notice at the numerous X decals around the car, and the windshield decal that screamed everything right there and then. The “Secret” Society X.
Secret my ass!
“Well, it’s a nice car, isn’t it? 1997 Rhythm RS-GT. My dad had an older Rhythm before he got too old and bought a Hakaru. If your brother left it with you, I assume he’d be fine with you using it.”
Oh yeah, he’d definitely want me to use his six-hundred horsepower decision maker to run groceries and go to the local ramen shop. What a nice brother-! -Not!
“I wouldn’t exactly call it nice, the exhaust is too loud, and it rides really harshly. He just wants me to babysit it for today since a friend of his will be picking it up tomorrow.”
He seemed to take the bait, nodding his head at every word I said. I crumpled the ball of paper in my hand further, hoping that he would eventually go on his way. I was starting to get quite hungry at this point, and it would only be a matter of time until…
…ah, there it is.
My stomach growled once more in its eager quest to digest a meal to start the day off, and rather embarrassingly, I’m sure Takamoto heard it too.
“Ah, have you not eaten breakfast yet, Motoko?” He asked as he began to dig through the paper bag in his hand. “I just bought some ingredients from the bakery down the street to make a meal. Care to eat with me?”
With him asking me so sincerely, can I really say no?
・・・
Breakfast with Takamoto was fun. Never would I have expected him to be such a good cook, and I guess that’s just one of the few things you find out when you’re not working the entire day, or even the entire night.
“Say, Motoko, I never really got to properly know you until now. What do you actually do for a living?” He asked me as he finished up washing the dishes.
Of course, I can’t answer this question, my work is highly classified. I’m gonna have to continue building up this fantasy idea for him to not blow my cover.
“U-um… I’m… a secretary…”
That sounds too close to my actual job! But that may have its perks too for when he might ask more things about my job.
“Secretary, huh? Is a secretary supposed to be out late until three in the morning?”
“Not really, but my boss is just, really strict I guess.”
Not wrong there.
“Is that so? You should worry about your health more. Your lifespan will get cut short if you keep overworking yourself like that.” He said as he finished cleaning the last of the dishes. He’s such a caring guy, whoever ends up being his wife is surely going to be delighted!
“I suppose I should, ahaha~!” I said as I looked over towards the clock hanging on the wall. “Thanks for the meal, Takamoto. I really appreciate it.”
“Oh yeah, no worries! I’ve actually really wanted to spend at least one morning with you like this. It’s my way of thanks for that time you defended me from the landlord because of that stray cat I brought in.” He said. Ever since I moved into this apartment complex, Takamoto was always this nice man who was eager to help out anyone who seemed in need. Whether it was when Ms. Ogawa she locked herself out, or that stray cat he saw by the side of the road, even if the situation didn’t favour him, he was always there to help out.
Oh, how I wish I could spend more time with him!
“Say, Motoko, didn’t we agree on being a bit more friendly with one another now? You still refer to me as Takamoto, so are you uncomfortable with me calling you Motoko?”
“A-ah! Not really… I don’t mind you calling me by my first name at all… T-Takeshi…”
That’s right, we’re friends now… friends… But wait… he doesn’t refer to Ms. Ogawa by her first name, nor does he refer to Mr. Yamada… C-could it be?!
“That’s more like it! Oh, yeah, sorry to end it right here, but I’ve got to go to work in about an hour,”
It’s over already?
“I-is that so…? I suppose I must be going then!” I said, getting up from my seat and bowing politely. He then escorted me to the door, and we said our parting words as we went off for the rest of the day.
So far, this day off isn’t turning out that bad! A breakfast with Takamoto… I mean, Takeshi to start the day off, my mood was in great spirits until I stepped out of his apartment and came back to the realization of what my situation was.
That damn car isn’t going to disappear from here unless I do something about it.
I went back into my apartment and thought for a moment, looking around the place to see what exactly I could do, and with a deep sigh, I went back out to look at the car. I could hear the metal still ticking from the heat, which means the car was likely just delivered to my doorstep this morning…
Whatever the case, I shrugged it off and hopped into the car, plugging the key into the ignition and giving it a twist. The engine roared to life, unfortunately quite loudly. Even from the inside, I could smell the expensive, high octane fuel burning richly in the air. A sign that I really should get out of here.
・・・
Lunchtime eventually came around after driving for a bit around the ever-busy streets of Yohaku, with plenty of stares acquired by the loud-looking, and loud-sounding coupe, which was uncomfortable to experience to say the least. But once my stomach began to grumble, and the sun rose high into the cloud-dotted sky, I’d decided to hit the pass to make my way to none other than Yamitani’s finest.
Before that though, I’d have to head all the way up the eleven kilometres of high speed Shiromine road.
Entering the highway, it was clear, and the wind was practically nonexistent. The track conditons were great, and the tyres warmed from the hours of leisurely driving about Yohaku.
I think by this point, I figured out what X was trying to get me to do.
My foot heaved on the throttle, and the four cylinder breathed its five-hundred horsepower glory to the front wheels, and the car lunged up the hill as the revs climbed to well over 9000 RPM. The mountains lived with the glorious sound of a turbocharged mechanical beast that prowled up the asphalt, and here I felt everything that the boss wanted me to feel.
The ecstasy was unimaginable, and it filled me up with a goodness immeasurable. The speed crawled through my peripheral vision, and I felt the car’s suspension in contact with the most sensitive portions of the road. My pounding heart was bouncing in desire through these emotions as I wrestled my grip on the wheel.
The fight with the car up the hill was sickening, but pleasurable. A dominance battle between control and power, as I eased my foot up and down, left and right, and the tyre’s moans sounded through my ears as the tango between driver and car persisted.
Our bodies felt intertwined as one as we rode up the kilometres of uphill winding highway, and by the end, I realized…
I wasn’t even going full throttle even once.
Yet it all felt so…
…perverse.
Ahem! That aside, I saw the exit at the top of the pass, where I was sure I’d be led to the one and only Yuzuki Ramen. I rolled the window down in hopes of getting a whiff of the mixture of ingredients being cooked and served, but once more, the only scent I caught was that of the gasoline engine, and the slightly worn tyres sizzling from the heat of action.
The store was not at all busy, likely due to it being a weekday, but parking the car into a spot, and memories would climb back into my mind. The restaurant had only been established when I was little, yet it still remains popular to this day due to its unmatched recipes.
Entering the old-looking building, and I was finally greeted with the enticing scent of broth, and by the owner’s ever-sweet and nostalgic voice, both in person, and through the songs that played on the old radio by the counter.
“Welcome to the restaurant!” Called out the voice of a surprisingly youthful storekeeper. “Oh, Motoko! You’re back! Will you be having the usual?”
Leaning over the counter was none other than the restaurant’s owner, the ever beautiful Takamoto Yuzuki, or Yuzuki as she prefers to be called. She dressed casually, with her short brown hair being let down, but even then her maturity as a woman shone through dazzlingly, not just through her looks, but through her demeanour and voice as well.
Indeed, the store was named after her, and is funnily enough, themed after her. With the walls lining posters of a bygone era when she was still in the idol industry. These posters were not placed by Yuzuki herself, however, but her rather obsessed husband.
“Yes, please, I’ll have the usual.” I said, sitting myself down at the counter, and nearly instantly I was delivered a hot bowl of masterfully prepared ingredients by Yuzuki’s husband, Keiichi, someone who was equally as elegant as their spouse.
“Here you go, House Special Tonkotsu Ramen, just the way you like it!” Keiichi said, placing the bowl down in front of me. I bowed as a thanks, before tying my hair up into a neat bun to prepare myself for eating the meal.
“By the way, how’s our son doing? Made the moves on him yet?” He said, chuckling right after.
I tried not to think about it, but the events of this morning flashed through my mind quickly, making me pause right before taking a gulp of the noodles right before me. I tried to hide my embarrassment, but it appears Yuzuki had managed to catch right on.
“Oh my! Dear, it appears we may be getting a daughter-in-law soon!” She giggled.
My face turned red right there, as much as I denied it.
“W-with all due respect, t-that’s not happening! I’m already married to my work!” I blurted out quickly, which caused the noodles to fall right out of my chopsticks and back into the pork bone broth with a small splash.
Both of them seemed to have a small laugh right after I said that.
“Ah, Motoko, you’re really reminding me of how it was back in the days. I did say that at one point, but look where I’m at now!” Yuzuki said, bumping her husband with her elbow. “Speaking of which, why not just become an idol? You have an adorable face, a great singing voice, and you don’t mind working hard. Certainly could lead you somewhere than that secret society of yours…”
“…idol, huh?”
She did have a point, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to work under X. It’s not like I’ll be able to rise through the ranks in there, it’s a dead-end job, and I’ll be working until I hit the coffin most likely. The idol industry is harsh, but there’s no way it’ll be harsher than the work I do in this company.
Whatever X’s dirty laundry is, I’m always his first pick, aren’t I? Almost like a top idol already, just minus the fanfare, happy songs, and concerts…
“I still have my connections to my old agency, I could become your manager, y’know?” She said. I could barely even tell if she was joking or not. “This song really takes me back, I remember you singing this song quite well, Motoko.”
This song, huh? How contrasting to my daily work…
It was clear at this point, the mentioning of my job had a negative impact on my mood. They noticed it too, but shrugged it off. To be completely fair, it’s always been like this, and they know how it is anyway.
I slurped down the rest of the broth, and respectfully bowed my head once I finished the meal, with the bowl taken by Keiichi right after.
The lyrics continued midway through after a short bit of instrumental, and I found myself humming along, my spirits being slightly lifted away. As much of a joke the idol thing is, it may as well be plausible.
“Oh yeah, don’t worry about paying for your meal today. We do have one favour though.” Yuzuki said as I was about to grab my wallet. I looked up at her, and she seemed to be staring off into the distance, but the truth was she was just looking at the company car parked in the lot in front of the store.
“Care to do some delivery for us?”
