Its another day...
The skies were partly cloudy.
Strong winds swept across the city.
Leaves rolled along sidewalks.
Some danced through intersections.
Others became trapped against fences and building walls.
The streets of Fuchu were already buzzing with activity.
Workers were putting up decorations.
Stalls were being assembled.
Banners fluttered loudly in the wind.
The city was preparing for the annual Kurayami Matsuri.
The Darkness Festival.
One of the biggest events of the year.
At Tracen Academy...
The students were also preparing for the festival.
Well...
Some of them were.
At Rudolf's Garage near the Miho Dormitory Parking Area.
The large garage door sat open.
Allowing cool spring air to flow through the workshop.
Inside sat Tokai Teio's FD3S RX-7.
The Sky Step Blue body gleamed beneath the workshop lights.
Its entire body rested on four heavy-duty jack stands.
All four wheels had been removed.
The silver Enkei RPF1 wheels sat neatly against the wall beside Rudolf's stock F40 wheels fitted with winter tyres.
Both sets were covered carefully with protective cloths.
Various tools were laid out across a nearby workbench.
Torque wrenches.
Socket sets.
Brake cleaner.
Copper grease.
Boxes of parts.
And several shop towels already stained black from grease.
Teio crouched beside the front-left corner of the RX-7.
Her hands were covered in grease.
Small smudges of dirt marked her cheeks.
A sign that she had already been working for quite some time.
She removed the lid from a large cardboard box.
The lid lifted away.
Inside sat brand-new brake components.
Freshly machined.
Still wrapped in protective packaging.
Beside it sat another box.
Inside were bright red Brembo multi-piston brake calipers.
The Brembo logos gleamed under the fluorescent lights.
Teio smirked.
"Finally!"
She rubbed her hands together.
"Time to upgrade to a big brake kit!"
Across the garage.
Rudolf was organizing tools on a rolling tool cart.
She nodded.
"With this setup, Teio."
She placed a torque wrench onto the cart.
"You'll be able to brake even later than you're used to."
Teio nodded enthusiastically.
"Exactly."
She stood up.
Stretching her back slightly.
"Considering I ordered them weeks ago..."
She glanced at the boxes.
"I'm glad they arrived only a few days after I collected the car from Kitami-san."
Rudolf chuckled.
She turned slightly and shrugged.
"Better late than never."
Teio laughed.
"True."
She crouched back down.
Reaching into the box.
Carefully lifting one of the front brake rotors.
The slotted high-carbon cast iron disc felt substantially heavier than the factory unit.
Its cooling vanes were clearly visible through the center.
Teio admired it for a moment.
"These brakes should help prevent brake fade too."
She rotated the disc slowly in her hands.
The machined surface catching the workshop lights.
"With the amount of power the car makes now..."
Her ears twitched.
"Brake fade is becoming a real concern."
Rudolf nodded immediately.
"It already was."
Teio blinked.
"Huh?"
Rudolf folded her arms.
"You went from roughly four hundred eighty horsepower to over seven hundred."
She pointed toward the RX-7.
"The faster you arrive at a corner..."
She raised a finger.
"The harder your brakes need to work."
Another finger.
"The more heat they generate."
And another.
"The more likely they are to lose effectiveness."
Teio slowly nodded.
"Fair point..."
She carefully lowered the brake rotor back into its box.
Making sure not to scratch the friction surface.
"Once these are installed..."
She stood back up.
Dusting off her jeans.
"I'm going straight back to Hakone."
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"And begin dialing in my suspension setup."
Rudolf smiled.
"I figured you'd say that."
Teio crossed her arms.
Then looked toward Rudolf.
"By the way."
She tilted her head.
"Is it true they're moving the Hakone Time Trial from November to August this year, Kaichou?"
Rudolf nodded.
She grabbed a dirty rag.
Wiping grease from her hands.
Then tossed it back onto the workbench while walking toward Teio.
"Yeah."
"I've heard the same thing."
"The weather predictions suggest this November could be unusually cold."
Teio blinked.
"That cold?"
Rudolf nodded again.
"Potentially."
She stopped beside the RX-7.
"The organizers don't want to risk ice."
"Or sudden snowfall."
She looked outside toward the cloudy sky.
"The last thing anyone wants is competitors flying off a mountain because the road suddenly freezes."
Teio winced.
"Yeah..."
"That would definitely ruin the event."
Rudolf chuckled.
"That is one way of putting it."
The two shared a laugh.
Then another gust of wind swept through the garage.
Rustling the covers over the wheels.
The hanging light above the workbench swayed slightly.
Teio looked toward her RX-7 again.
A grin slowly forming.
"August, huh..."
Her eyes narrowed playfully.
"That gives me less time."
Rudolf immediately recognized that look.
The same look Teio always got whenever a challenge appeared.
"Which means..."
Teio pointed dramatically at the car.
"This thing needs to be perfect."
Rudolf sighed through her nose.
Already knowing exactly how the next several months were going to go.
More tuning.
More late nights.
More mountain runs.
And inevitably...
More modifications.
That was exactly what Rudolf was afraid of.
The moment Teio mentioned making the RX-7 "perfect," Rudolf already knew the spiral had begun.
Brakes today.
Suspension tomorrow.
More boost next month.
Perhaps aero after that.
And somehow, eventually...
Teio would convince herself she absolutely needed something else.
Then...
Came knocks.
Tok.
Tok.
Tok.
The sound echoed through the garage.
Rudolf and Teio both turned toward the open entrance.
Standing there was King Halo.
Her long bay brown hair swayed slightly in the spring wind.
One hand rested casually inside her pants pocket.
"Hey."
She stepped into the garage.
The smell of brake cleaner and machine oil immediately greeted her.
"I was wondering if you're all free for some lunch?"
Teio blinked.
"Where?"
King Halo answered immediately.
"Shake Shack Gaien in Minato City, Tokyo."
Teio's ears perked up.
She quickly stood from her crouched position.
Dusting her hands against a rag.
"Anyone else coming along?!"
King Halo nodded.
"Nice Nature, Gentildonna and Sirius Symboli are coming."
She scratched the back of her neck.
"Gentil-san is still trying to ask Orfevre and see if she wants to come."
Teio immediately looked toward Rudolf.
"What do you think, Kaichou?"
"Want to join along?"
Rudolf nodded without hesitation.
"Most definitely."
She folded her arms.
"I don't mind having some nice food that isn't from the cafeteria for once."
She chuckled lightly.
Covering her mouth with a fist.
"Not that I'm saying the cafeteria food is bad."
Her smile softened.
"Eating outside every once in a while is nice for a change."
Teio nodded immediately.
"Agreed."
Rudolf then looked toward King Halo.
"Sure thing."
"We'll meet you at the Ritto Parking Area."
King Halo nodded.
"Sounds good."
Then her gaze drifted toward the RX-7.
Specifically.
Toward the brake boxes.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Oh?"
She stepped closer.
"You are installing a big brake kit?"
Teio nodded proudly.
"That's right, King-san."
She looked down toward the bright red Brembos.
"After the increase in power, I stopped driving the car until the brakes arrived."
She folded her arms.
"It got delayed at customs since it came all the way from Italy."
King Halo's expression softened.
She nodded approvingly.
"Glad you're taking safety to the next level, Teio."
Teio crossed her arms.
Leaning slightly against the RX-7.
"After the crash..."
Her ears drooped slightly.
"I'm not taking any more risks with modifications."
She shivered visibly.
"Just thinking about one thousand horsepower still makes me shiver."
King Halo chuckled.
"Taking risks is okay."
She raised a hand.
Slowly pumping the air.
"For as long as you're confident in your car."
"And in yourself."
She immediately pointed a finger.
"Not saying you should do it."
Teio laughed.
King lowered her hand.
"Just trust your instincts."
Then she sighed.
A smile appearing.
"Don't do what Mayano does."
Rudolf immediately closed her eyes.
Already knowing where this conversation was going.
King crossed her arms.
"She follows the line her father taught her."
She cleared her throat dramatically.
"'Don't think. Just do.'"
Teio burst out laughing.
Rudolf lowered her head.
Trying—and failing—to contain her amusement.
"What happened was..."
She covered her mouth.
A laugh escaped anyway.
Then another.
And another.
Finally she gave up.
"She was trying to show off with a burnout."
Teio immediately began grinning.
Rudolf continued.
"And then..."
She pointed dramatically.
"She slammed second gear."
A laugh escaped her.
"And spun out!"
Teio laughed so hard she nearly bent over.
"Man!"
She shook her head.
"She literally lives up to the Mustang stereotype!"
King Halo immediately started laughing too.
Teio suddenly stood upright.
Perfect posture.
Like a soldier at attention.
She pointed dramatically into the distance.
"Fox Three!"
"Aimed for the crowd!"
King Halo nearly doubled over.
Rudolf had to turn away.
Both shoulders shaking.
Teio finally relaxed again.
Still laughing.
"She's very lucky she spun on the road!"
"And not straight into a gutter."
"Or the Grass."
Rudolf nodded.
"Makes you wonder what was going through her mind."
Teio's face immediately darkened.
Silence.
Then.
"Grass..."
Rudolf already knew.
Too late.
Teio slowly looked up.
"Wonder?"
Her eyes narrowed.
She turned toward Rudolf.
"Really, Kaichou?"
Rudolf immediately started laughing again.
"Sorry."
She raised both hands defensively.
"Couldn't resist."
Teio pointed accusingly.
"That was terrible."
"It was."
"I know."
King Halo sighed.
"You two are impossible."
The three shared another laugh.
Then Rudolf glanced toward the disassembled RX-7.
The brake boxes.
The tools.
The parts spread around the garage.
Then toward King Halo.
"Give us a couple minutes."
"We'll meet you by the Ritto Parking Exit."
King Halo nodded.
"Of course."
She turned around.
Beginning to walk away.
Then suddenly stopped.
"Oh."
She glanced back over her shoulder.
"I'd bring the F40 if I were you."
Rudolf raised an eyebrow.
King Halo smirked.
"All of us are bringing our high-end cars."
Teio immediately nodded.
"Fair."
King continued.
"If Nature's bringing the Gallardo."
"And Sirius is bringing the F355."
"And Gentil-san is bringing the LFA."
She pointed toward Rudolf.
"You can't exactly show up in a disassembled RX-7."
Teio sighed dramatically.
"Unfortunately."
Rudolf chuckled.
Swatting the air dismissively.
"Yeah, yeah."
"We'll take the F40."
"Don't worry."
King Halo laughed softly.
"Good."
Then she turned once more.
The spring wind catching her hair.
And walked away from the garage.
Leaving Rudolf and Teio alone once again.
The garage fell quiet.
For exactly three seconds.
Then Teio immediately looked at the Brembo box.
Looked at the RX-7.
Then at Rudolf.
"Think we can install these before lunch?"
Rudolf sighed.
The modification addiction had already returned.
"Teio."
"That's exactly why I was worried when you said you wanted the car to be perfect."
Across the dormitories.
At the Ritto Parking Area.
A small gathering had already formed.
Parked nearby was Orfevre's silver 992 GT3.
Standing beside the driver's door with her arms crossed was Orfevre herself.
In front of her stood Nice Nature, Gentildonna, and Sirius Symboli.
Orfevre narrowed her eyes.
"Come on now..."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Speak."
"Give me your reasoning why I should come along."
Nice Nature immediately glanced at Sirius Symboli.
Sirius caught the look.
Her eyebrows instantly dropped.
"The hell are you looking at me for?"
Nice Nature blinked.
"I got nothing to say."
She then shifted her gaze toward Gentildonna.
Gentildonna closed her eyes.
Took a slow breath.
Then opened them again.
Her gaze landed directly on Orfevre.
"We're having lunch together."
She smiled softly.
"Figured you need some time away from the cafeteria."
A brief pause.
"And away from Golshi's antics."
Orfevre closed her eyes.
One hand rose to her chin.
She thought about it.
Unfortunately...
The first thing that came to mind was the playground incident.
Gold Ship.
The slide.
The absolute humiliation.
Being practically forced down a children's slide while half of Tracen watched.
Her eyebrow twitched.
A very dangerous twitch.
Then she smirked.
A cold one.
She sighed.
"Fine."
Her eyes opened.
Landing directly on Gentildonna.
"Gives me a reason not to see Gold Ship during lunch."
Gentildonna nodded immediately.
"Exactly."
She pointed.
"Who knows what she might be up to next?"
Nice Nature sighed.
Shaking her head.
"Well..."
"Gold Ship's moved on to messing with our cars now."
Gentildonna blinked.
"Huh?"
Nice Nature pointed at her Gallardo.
"She duct taped rubber squeaky chicken toys onto my tailpipes."
Silence.
Gentildonna stared.
Orfevre stared.
Sirius Symboli immediately burst out laughing.
She pointed at Nature.
"It's not like you could hear them anyway."
Nice Nature groaned.
Sirius then pointed toward the Gallardo.
"Your FMU exhaust is so loud you practically can't hear yourself think."
She crossed her arms.
"Or speak."
Gentildonna looked back and forth between the two.
"Wait."
"How loud are we talking?"
Sirius smirked.
Then pointed at the Gallardo.
"Wait until you hear it start."
She glanced at Gentildonna.
"Trust me."
"You'll regret asking."
Nice Nature rolled her eyes.
Sirius continued.
"In fact..."
She pointed dramatically.
"It's the only car at Tracen that can summon the Vice President from three buildings away."
Gentildonna raised an eyebrow.
"Brian?"
Sirius laughed.
"Brian loves it."
She shook her head.
"No."
"It's Air Groove."
"And not in a good way."
Nice Nature immediately groaned.
"Don't remind me."
Sirius smirked.
Then looked at Nice Nature.
"Want to do the honors?"
Nice Nature raised an eyebrow.
"And you'll protect me from Air Groove?"
Sirius immediately replied.
"Like I have a choice?"
Nice Nature sighed.
"Fair."
She walked toward the Gallardo.
The Arancio Borealis paint shimmered beneath the spring sunlight.
She grabbed the door handle.
Pulled.
The lightweight door swung open.
She slid into the bucket seat.
The familiar smell of leather and fuel greeted her.
The Gallardo settled slightly as she adjusted herself.
Outside.
Gentildonna watched curiously.
Orfevre remained completely motionless.
Arms crossed.
Expression unchanged.
Inside the Gallardo.
Nice Nature inserted the key.
Twist.
Accessory mode.
Lights illuminated across the dashboard.
The gauges swept.
She grabbed the gated shifter.
Clack.
Clack.
Left.
Right.
The satisfying metallic sound echoed inside the cabin.
Then she leaned out the open door.
"You might want to prepare yourselves for this."
Immediately.
Sirius Symboli placed both hands over her ears.
Flattening them down.
Gentildonna remained standing.
Still unconvinced.
Orfevre looked entirely uninterested.
Nice Nature settled back into her seat.
Clutch in.
Brake pressed.
Then.
Twist.
The starter motor engaged.
WHRRRRRRRR—
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The 5.0-liter Lamborghini V10 exploded into life.
The sound hit like a physical object.
The entire parking area shook.
The FMU exhaust barked violently.
The Anti-Reversion Chamber megaphones amplified every pulse.
The concrete walls reflected the noise.
Windows rattled.
Birds immediately launched out of nearby trees.
Gentildonna jumped.
Her eyes widened.
Both hands instantly covered her ears.
She practically stumbled backward.
She looked at Sirius.
"IS NICE NATURE'S CAR THIS LOUD?!?!?!"
Sirius leaned closer.
"HUH?"
Gentildonna raised her voice.
Even louder.
"IS NICE NATURE'S CAR ALWAYS THIS LOUD?!?!?!"
Sirius nodded.
"BASICALLY YES!!!!"
The Gallardo continued rumbling aggressively.
The idle hovering high before gradually settling lower.
Meanwhile.
Orfevre remained exactly where she was.
Arms crossed.
Eyes closed.
Not even a flinch.
Not a single movement.
Gentildonna stared.
Sirius stared.
Their jaws slowly dropped.
Sirius' right eye twitched.
"SHE'S NOT EVEN REACTING?!?!"
Gentildonna nodded frantically.
"WHEN I CRUSHED A METAL BALL WITH MY BARE HANDS SHE REACTED THE SAME WAY!"
She pointed at Orfevre.
"HOW IS SHE NOT SURPRISED?!"
The Gallardo's idle finally settled.
Still loud.
But no longer shaking the parking lot.
Nice Nature stepped out.
Leaving the driver's door open.
She spread her arms.
"AND THAT IS WITH MUFFLING FOAM INSERTS IN THE TAILPIPES!"
Sirius groaned.
Gentildonna looked horrified.
The V10 continued rumbling behind them.
Then.
Orfevre's ear twitched.
Just once.
She slowly opened one eye.
Looked at the three of them.
Then calmly said,
"Can you three stop yelling now?"
The silence that followed lasted nearly three full seconds.
Then Sirius pointed.
"There!"
"THAT!"
"THAT WAS YOUR REACTION?!"
Orfevre closed her eye again.
"Yes."
Gentildonna blinked.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Nice Nature burst out laughing.
Sirius buried her face in both hands.
"Why do I even try anymore..."
As if perfectly on cue.
Three more figures approached from behind.
Tokai Teio.
King Halo.
And Symboli Rudolf.
King Halo immediately shook her head as the Gallardo continued rumbling away behind Nice Nature.
"I will always underestimate how loud Nattie's Gallardo is when it's cold."
Rudolf crossed her arms.
Her gaze remained fixed on the Lamborghini.
"So now I know where that noise is coming from on some mornings while I'm sitting in my office."
Nice Nature chuckled.
She walked toward the rear of the Gallardo.
Then crouched.
Everyone watched curiously.
A moment later she reached into both tailpipes.
And pulled something out.
Two large circular foam inserts.
The moment they left the exhaust tips—
BRAAAAAAAP.
The Gallardo immediately became louder.
Not dramatically louder.
But noticeably.
The V10's idle echoed throughout the parking area.
Nice Nature stood up.
Holding both foam inserts proudly.
"Not to mention these are installed too."
Rudolf's eye twitched.
She stared at the foam pieces.
Then at the Gallardo.
Then back at the foam.
"That's with foam inserts?"
Nice Nature nodded silently.
Rudolf blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"Jeez..."
She looked at the Gallardo again.
"Didn't it come with a Tubi Style exhaust when you took delivery?"
Nice Nature walked back toward the driver's side.
She carefully opened the door.
Then leaned inside and placed the foam inserts behind the bucket seats.
"It did."
She straightened up.
"But I swapped it for a Fluid Motor Union exhaust."
She glanced toward Rudolf.
"Then I sold the Tubi system to another Gallardo owner."
A grin appeared.
One that immediately concerned Sirius Symboli.
"So if Air Groove-san tells me to put the old one back..."
Her grin widened.
"I'd be more than happy to."
A pause.
"If I still had it."
Rudolf laughed.
"And what if Air Groove bought one for you?"
Nice Nature answered instantly.
"Then I'd sell it."
The grin never left her face.
"I'm not getting rid of the FMU exhaust."
Gentildonna suddenly covered her mouth.
Trying—and failing—not to laugh.
"If it had the letter A between M and U..."
She raised a finger.
"And another F after the A..."
She nodded seriously.
"The true meaning of FMAFU would be—"
She pointed at the Gallardo.
"Fuck Me And Fuck You."
A moment of silence.
Then Sirius immediately nodded.
"Pretty much sums up Nice Nature starting her Gallardo on a cold morning."
Nice Nature pointed at Sirius.
"Hey!"
Sirius shrugged.
"You know I'm right."
"I am right."
"You are right."
Nice Nature sighed.
"Unfortunately."
Orfevre's ear twitched.
Again.
For the second time today.
She slowly opened one eye.
Then another.
"Are we standing here discussing Nice Nature's car..."
She looked around the group.
"...or are we going to lunch?"
Everyone went quiet.
Orfevre then looked directly at Gentildonna and Sirius Symboli.
"You two invited me."
A glance around the parking lot.
"And yet here we are."
"Still on campus."
Gentildonna immediately looked away.
Sirius scratched the back of her neck.
"Fair point."
Teio blinked.
Then quietly muttered,
"Orfe-san really is so relaxed and serious at the same time..."
Rudolf nodded.
"That's Orfevre."
She smiled slightly.
"She's only soft around Dream Journey."
Teio immediately nodded.
"That tracks."
Rudolf glanced toward Orfevre.
Who had already begun walking toward her GT3.
"And most people naturally bow down before her."
She paused.
"Except Triple Crown and Triple Tiara recipients."
King Halo glanced toward Rudolf.
"What about someone who won both?"
The question immediately caught everyone's attention.
Even Orfevre stopped for half a second.
Rudolf shook her head.
"Not a single Umamusume has successfully attempted it."
She folded her arms.
"Those who tried usually stopped after the first race."
She continued.
"Or they suffered injuries during training and missed the second or third leg."
A small sigh escaped her.
"The schedule is brutal."
"The physical demands are brutal."
"The mental demands are arguably worse."
King Halo nodded slowly.
Rudolf continued.
"It's one of those things that sounds possible."
She raised a finger.
"But reality reminds you why nobody has done it."
She chuckled.
"Fukukitaru genuinely believes it's cursed."
Teio immediately groaned.
"Oh no."
Rudolf laughed.
"No, really."
"She thinks fate itself intervenes."
King Halo snorted.
Sirius Symboli laughed.
Gentildonna covered her mouth.
Meanwhile.
Orfevre had already opened the GT3's door.
Clearly finished waiting.
Rudolf noticed.
Then looked down at Teio.
Who looked equally done with the conversation.
"Can we head back to the cars and grab lunch?"
Teio pleaded.
"Please?"
"I am hungry."
"And the more hungry I get, the more likely I am to buy things for my RX-7."
Everyone paused.
Rudolf blinked.
King Halo blinked.
Sirius Symboli immediately pointed.
"That's actually a valid concern."
Teio nodded.
"Exactly."
"Last time I got hungry I somehow ordered brake upgrades."
Rudolf laughed.
"Fair enough."
She looked toward the others.
"Let's get moving."
Then she turned toward Gentildonna and Sirius Symboli.
"We'll wait for you by the exit."
Gentildonna nodded.
"Got it."
Sirius gave a thumbs up.
"Be right there."
Then.
A familiar voice could already be heard approaching from somewhere across the parking area.
Loud.
Very loud.
And getting closer.
"WHO STARTED A CAR WITHOUT A PROPER REASON?!"
The entire group froze.
Sirius Symboli slowly lowered her hands from her face.
Gentildonna blinked.
Teio's ears perked up.
King Halo immediately looked away.
Rudolf sighed.
"Right on schedule."
And then.
There she was.
Air Groove.
Marching across the parking area with purpose.
Every step looked calculated.
Every step looked dangerous.
Her eyes were already locked onto the source of the disturbance.
Nice Nature's Gallardo.
Still rumbling away.
Still shaking the air around it.
Still proudly announcing its existence to everyone within a two-kilometer radius.
Nice Nature's eyes widened.
"Oh no."
Sirius immediately pointed.
"RUN NATTIE RUN!"
Without hesitation.
Nice Nature dove back into the driver's seat.
The Gallardo rocked slightly as she practically threw herself inside.
She grabbed the door.
Pulled it halfway closed.
Then immediately peeked back out.
"Wait!"
"I didn't even do anything wrong!"
Air Groove stopped walking.
The Vice President's eyebrow twitched.
"You started the Gallardo."
Nice Nature pointed at the car.
"To demonstrate a point."
Air Groove pointed back.
"At full volume."
Nice Nature opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Then opened it again.
"...Fair."
King Halo covered her mouth.
Trying not to laugh.
Teio was already losing the battle.
Her shoulders shook.
Rudolf simply looked away.
Sirius Symboli had absolutely no intention of helping.
"Your Honor."
She pointed at Nice Nature.
"The defendant is guilty."
"Multiple witnesses observed the crime."
Gentildonna immediately nodded.
"I can confirm."
"The noise nearly rearranged my internal organs."
Nice Nature pointed accusingly.
"Et tu, Gentil?"
Gentildonna raised both hands.
"I'm protecting myself."
Air Groove finally reached the group.
She stopped beside the Gallardo.
Looked at Nice Nature.
Looked at the exhaust.
Looked back at Nice Nature.
Then sighed.
A very long sigh.
"You removed the foam inserts again."
Nice Nature immediately pointed toward the passenger compartment.
"They're still in the car."
Air Groove stared.
"You removed them."
"...Yes."
"You know why they exist."
"...Yes."
"And you removed them."
"...Technically."
Air Groove pinched the bridge of her nose.
Teio finally burst out laughing.
King Halo joined shortly after.
Even Rudolf's shoulders began shaking.
Only Orfevre remained completely unaffected.
Standing beside her GT3.
Arms crossed.
Watching the exchange unfold with the same expression she'd had all afternoon.
Air Groove looked toward her.
"You're awfully quiet."
Orfevre shrugged.
"I fail to see the surprise."
She gestured toward Nice Nature.
"The loud car is loud."
A pause.
"The sun is bright."
"The sky is blue."
"Gold Ship is annoying."
Another pause.
"These are all normal observations."
Sirius doubled over laughing.
Gentildonna covered her mouth.
Even Air Groove looked momentarily defeated.
Nice Nature pointed at Orfevre.
"See?"
"Orfe gets it."
"No."
Orfevre immediately replied.
"I am saying your car is obnoxious."
The entire group erupted into laughter.
Nice Nature clutched her chest dramatically.
"Et tu, Orfe?"
"Yes."
The answer came instantly.
Air Groove sighed one last time.
Then pointed toward the parking exit.
"Go."
The group blinked.
Air Groove folded her arms.
"You all have lunch plans."
She then pointed directly at Nice Nature.
"And before you ask."
"No."
"You are not revving the Gallardo on the way out."
Nice Nature lowered her head.
"Aw..."
"Not one rev."
"...Aw."
"Not even a little."
"...Aw."
Sirius pointed toward the exit.
"Come on, criminal."
King Halo immediately laughed.
Teio followed.
And as the group began heading back toward their cars—
Air Groove could only shake her head.
Somehow.
Against all odds.
Gold Ship was no longer the biggest source of chaos in the parking lot today.
Nice Nature had managed to take that title for herself.
Soon.
The group began their drive toward Minato City, Tokyo.
One by one, engines came to life.
The deep rumble of Rudolf's F40.
The distinctive howl of Nice Nature's Gallardo.
The sharp bark of Sirius Symboli's F355.
The refined growl of Orfevre's GT3.
The high-pitched V10 note of Gentildonna's LFA.
And King Halo's Mirage GT leading them all out of the campus.
Before long.
They had merged onto the expressway.
Spring sunlight peeked through the clouds.
The traffic was moderate.
And forty or so minutes later.
They were nearing the exit toward Minato City.
Approaching the Nishi-Shinjuku Junction.
Leading the convoy?
King Halo.
Behind her was Rudolf's F40.
Then Nice Nature.
Sirius Symboli.
Orfevre.
And Gentildonna bringing up the rear.
Inside Rudolf's F40.
The cabin hummed with mechanical noise.
The smell of fuel and leather lingered in the air.
Teio sat quietly in the passenger seat.
Looking out the window.
Watching traffic pass by.
Then.
She blinked.
And spoke.
"Uh... Kaichou?"
Rudolf nodded slightly.
One hand resting on the steering wheel.
"Hm?"
Teio tapped her fingers against her leg.
"Uh..."
She hesitated.
"Once my setup is dialed in..."
She turned toward Rudolf.
"Can you please drive my car before the time trial?"
Rudolf's eyes widened slightly.
"What?"
Teio nodded immediately.
"I want to see my car and the setup at its full potential."
She smiled.
"With a driver that can really push the car flat out."
Rudolf blinked.
The request clearly caught her off guard.
She tightened her grip on the wheel slightly.
"I... I don't know, Teio."
She glanced at her briefly.
Then back to the road.
"I understand I gifted you the car."
"And I understand you have plans for Hakone."
She shook her head.
"But I think it's best I don't drive it."
Her expression softened.
"I don't want to increase the risk of something breaking before the event."
Teio immediately sat up straighter.
Almost bouncing in her seat.
"Come on, Kaichou!"
"That's exactly why I want you to drive it!"
Rudolf raised an eyebrow.
Teio continued.
"The whole point is to find out if something's wrong!"
She pointed forward dramatically.
"If something breaks..."
She pointed at herself.
"I can fix it."
She pointed forward again.
"Then go back and test it again."
She crossed her arms.
"And besides..."
Her voice softened.
She looked out through the windshield.
"I've spent months refining this car."
"Changing things."
"Learning things."
"Fixing things."
She looked back at Rudolf.
"I want to know if all that effort was worth it."
Rudolf remained silent.
The F40 continued cruising along the highway.
The twin-turbo V8 humming steadily behind them.
Finally.
She shrugged.
"We'll see, Teio."
Teio grinned.
"I'll take that as a maybe."
Rudolf laughed softly.
"That's because it is a maybe."
Then.
A familiar noise approached from the right.
BRAAAAAAAP.
Teio turned her head.
An Arancio Borealis Lamborghini Gallardo appeared beside them.
Nice Nature.
Smiling.
One hand resting on the steering wheel.
The other waving casually.
Teio laughed.
And waved back.
Nice Nature grinned.
Then.
Without warning.
She floored it.
The Gallardo surged forward.
The naturally aspirated V10 screamed.
Five thousand.
Six thousand.
Seven thousand.
Eight thousand RPM.
The exhaust barked violently.
Then—
CLACK.
Third gear.
The Gallardo continued accelerating briefly.
Before Nice Nature lifted off.
BANG.
POP.
CRACK.
Small flames shot from the exhaust tips.
More pops followed.
The FMU exhaust reverberated off the surrounding walls.
Traffic several lanes away turned to look.
Teio's eyes widened.
Then she burst out laughing.
"Man!"
"I didn't know Nattie's Gallardo spits flames like that!"
Rudolf shook her head.
"Neither did I."
The Gallardo gradually slowed.
Nice Nature gave another wave.
Then merged back into formation.
Sliding neatly between Rudolf and Orfevre.
Inside the LFA.
Gentildonna watched the display from several cars back.
She chuckled.
Shaking her head.
"What a racket..."
The Yamaha-developed V10 sang quietly behind her.
She smiled.
"But at the same time..."
"The pre-LP Gallardos really do compete for the title of best sounding V10."
She glanced ahead.
"The E60 M5."
She nodded to herself.
"Eishin Flash's car."
Then tapped her steering wheel.
"And my car."
"The Lexus LFA."
Her smile widened slightly.
"It's still incredible that Yamaha's acoustic engineers helped shape this sound."
She gave the throttle a tiny squeeze.
The LFA responded with a crisp, mechanical growl.
A completely different character from the Gallardo.
Yet equally captivating.
Ahead.
The convoy approached the junction.
King Halo signaled first.
The rest followed.
One after another.
The six cars exited the expressway.
Leaving behind the high-speed roads.
And entering the busy streets of Minato City.
Traffic lights.
Pedestrian crossings.
Office buildings.
Cafés.
And crowds preparing for the upcoming Kurayami Matsuri.
The convoy slowed to city pace.
Their destination now only minutes away.
And for the first time all day.
Nobody was talking about tuning.
Suspension.
Horsepower.
Or racing.
They were simply a group of friends heading out for lunch.
Time had passed by again.
Two men walked down the sidewalk of Meiji Jingu Gaien.
The two-lane, four-way road was not particularly busy today.
But the street was famous for one reason.
A hotspot for spotting supercars and sports cars.
Among the machines parked along the road sat a Rosso Bia Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, a red Countach LP5000QV, and an ultra-rare Lanzante TAG Turbo.
One man raised his Canon camera.
The lens focused on the silver Porsche.
CLICK.
"This is quite a sight, man!" he said.
"It's not every day you see a TAG Turbo roaming around Tokyo."
The other man nodded.
"And one of eleven so happens to be driving around Tokyo at times."
CLICK.
Another photograph.
The first man lowered the camera slightly.
Then brought the display closer to his face.
The image was crystal clear.
Perfect lighting.
Perfect framing.
A professional photograph.
"Perfect shot."
The second man leaned closer to look.
"What's even crazier is that whoever owns this swapped the stock Porsche steering wheel for a Momo deep-dish rally wheel."
The first man chuckled.
"Considering this car has a Formula One engine, I'd say it's best to swap it to something a little more race-car-like."
The second man nodded.
"Yeah..."
Then he glanced ahead.
Past the TAG Turbo.
Past the Aventador.
Toward the Countach parked further up the road.
"Say..."
He looked back at his friend.
"Harry."
The photographer turned.
"Hm?"
The man pointed.
"Doesn't that Countach look familiar?"
Harry gently lowered the camera.
His eyes followed the direction of the finger.
The bright red Countach sat low and aggressive beneath the trees.
Its huge rear wing.
Its widened rear arches.
Its unmistakable silhouette.
"Oh yeah..."
The second man nodded.
"Didn't you feature it on your YouTube channel like... last year?"
Harry nodded.
"I did."
The pair began walking toward the two Lamborghinis.
Harry shrugged.
"Well, depends really."
"If the license plate is the same one from the video..."
He smirked.
"Then yeah."
A few moments later they reached the Countach.
Harry crouched slightly.
His eyes landed on the plate.
He blinked.
Then smiled.
"Yokohama Thirty-Three."
"One Nine Seven Four."
His grin widened.
"Nice seeing you again, Maruzensky-san's Countach."
The second man laughed.
"No way."
Harry nodded.
"Same car."
"Same plate."
"Same twin-turbo setup."
He looked over the iconic wedge shape.
"Still one of the coolest Countachs in Japan."
Then—
His friend suddenly raised his voice.
"Harry! Check this Aventador out!"
Harry turned around.
He quickly jogged around the rear of the Countach.
"What is it, Steve?"
Steve was crouched behind the Lamborghini.
Pointing through the rear grille.
"Look."
"Turbochargers."
Harry leaned closer.
His eyes widened instantly.
"Holy crap."
"Yeah."
Behind the mesh grille.
Partially hidden beneath the engine bay.
Were two compressor housings.
Twin turbos.
Neatly packaged.
Beautifully installed.
Harry slowly stood upright.
Then took several steps backward.
Studying the entire car.
The ride height.
The wheels.
The stance.
The proportions.
The silver HRE 520 wheels fit perfectly beneath the arches.
No excessive camber.
No awkward fitment.
Just clean.
Purposeful.
Aggressive.
"Clean build too."
He nodded slowly.
"Has the right lowered height."
Steve crossed his arms.
"You think it's making big power?"
Harry laughed.
"Dude."
He pointed at the turbos.
"It's an SVJ."
"With twin turbos."
"I'd be more surprised if it wasn't making four figures."
Steve winced.
"Fair point."
The two continued examining the car.
Then Harry suddenly froze.
His camera slowly lowered.
Steve noticed immediately.
"What?"
Harry pointed toward the windshield.
A parking permit.
A small card.
Displayed neatly on the dashboard.
Steve squinted.
Then his eyes widened.
"No way."
Harry nodded.
The realization hit both of them simultaneously.
The Countach.
The Aventador.
The TAG Turbo.
Three absurdly rare cars.
Parked together.
Owned by people who clearly knew each other.
Steve slowly looked between all three vehicles.
"Whoever this group is..."
He shook his head.
"They've got ridiculous taste in cars."
Harry raised his camera once more.
The shutter fired repeatedly.
CLICK.
CLICK.
CLICK.
The Countach.
The Aventador.
The TAG Turbo.
Three legends.
Lined up beneath the trees of Meiji Jingu Gaien.
A sight that would probably never happen again.
Then.
The sound of multiple cars inbound.
The two men turned toward the direction of the Aoyama 2 Intersection.
There it was.
A convoy of cars approaching.
Their eyes immediately widened as they spotted the first car.
A Cobalt Blue Metallic Gemballa Mirage GT.
Steve bumped Harry's shoulder.
"Mate."
He pointed.
"Isn't that the Mirage GT that got wrecked during the pandemic years ago in New York?"
The Mirage GT slowly rolled past them.
Their jaws dropped slightly when they saw the driver.
In unison.
"An Umamusume drives the car?!"
The Mirage GT continued forward.
Then the rest of the convoy followed.
A Ferrari F40.
Finished in a unique shade of green.
A shade neither of them had ever seen on an F40 before.
Behind it.
An Arancio Borealis Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.
Its FMU exhaust crackled and popped loudly even while cruising.
Then came a white Ferrari F355 Challenge-inspired build.
A Porsche 992 GT3.
And finally.
A silver Lexus LFA.
The five cars pulled over neatly along the shoulder.
Parking directly ahead of the Countach.
The engines shut down one by one.
Harry slowly lowered his camera.
Still staring at the Mirage GT.
"I've been wondering for almost a decade..."
"Where that car disappeared to."
Steve chuckled.
"That's assuming it's actually the New York car."
The two watched as doors opened.
Drivers stepped out.
The sole passenger from the green F40 climbed out as well.
The group gathered beside the cars.
Steve glanced toward Harry.
"You gonna ask the girl with the blue ear covers?"
Harry nodded.
"Yeah."
He looked at the Mirage GT.
"I'd love to feature it on the channel."
"If it really is the New York car."
The pair began walking toward the group.
At King Halo's side.
King Halo glanced at the lineup parked nearby.
First the Countach.
Then the Aventador SVJ.
Then further down the road.
The TAG Turbo.
"Looks like Maruzensky, Chiyono and C.B are already here."
Gentildonna nodded.
Resting a finger against her chin.
"Seems they had the same idea as us."
Rudolf's eyes landed on the Aventador.
"Not to mention Chiyono seems to have changed the wheels."
She nodded slightly.
"HRE 520s."
Nice Nature chuckled.
"Seems HRE wheels suit almost everything."
Sirius Symboli nodded.
Then glanced at her own F355.
"My 305 Classics still look amazing."
She folded her arms proudly.
"I regret absolutely nothing."
Rudolf laughed.
"Don't forget I also run HREs on my F40."
Sirius smirked.
"Fair point."
Orfevre spoke next.
"They have the aesthetic you're all looking for."
King Halo nodded.
"Right."
She glanced back at her Mirage GT.
"I'm not complaining about my Rotiform ROC-H wheels though."
Gentildonna looked toward the Porsche-based supercar.
"Still an improvement over the stock Carrera GT wheels."
Teio nodded.
"Or the wheels used on the original Mirage GT builds."
King Halo laughed.
"Definitely."
Then she looked toward the restaurant.
"Well."
"Let's grab some food."
The group began climbing the short flight of stairs.
King Halo had barely taken a step when—
"Uh! Excuse me! Miss!"
Everyone stopped.
They turned around.
The two men had approached.
King Halo raised an eyebrow.
Then looked directly at them.
"Yes?"
Harry visibly jumped.
"Uh—sorry for bothering you."
He pointed toward the Mirage GT.
"May I ask who owns that Mirage GT?"
King Halo stepped down from the stairs.
Crossing her arms.
"It just so happens to be mine."
She tilted her head.
"Why?"
Harry immediately froze.
"I..."
"I..."
"I..."
Steve nudged him.
"Sorry."
"My friend is somehow both an introvert and an extrovert."
He pointed toward the car.
"We were wondering if that Mirage GT is the one that was wrecked in New York during the pandemic."
King Halo nodded.
"It just so happens to be."
She glanced back toward her car.
"The vehicle was nearly destroyed."
"The original owner lost possession of it."
She looked back at Steve.
"A collector in Florida purchased what remained."
"He had the chassis straightened in Germany."
"Then sent it back to America."
"The original Gemballa-specific parts were either damaged beyond repair or missing entirely."
She shrugged.
"The partially restored project was eventually listed for sale."
"I bought it."
"I had someone inspect it."
"Drive it."
"Verify everything."
"Then I imported it to Japan and finished the restoration."
Steve nodded.
"And the body parts?"
"Replicas?"
King Halo shook her head immediately.
"Genuine."
"A friend of my friend's father works with Gemballa."
"Some strings were pulled."
Steve's eyes widened.
"Wow."
Harry finally found his voice again.
"So..."
He pointed at the car.
"This really is the New York Mirage GT?"
King Halo sighed.
"I don't usually repeat myself."
"But yes."
"It is."
Harry nodded rapidly.
Then adjusted his camera strap.
"Would it be alright if we filmed a YouTube feature on it?"
He placed a hand against his chest.
"I run a channel called Formula Driven."
He pointed toward the Countach.
"I featured Maruzensky-san's Countach a few years ago."
Then he looked around at the group.
"You all know Maruzensky, right?"
Everyone nodded.
Harry smiled.
"What do you say Miss..."
King Halo nodded.
"Halo."
"King Halo."
Harry immediately corrected himself.
"Right."
"Miss Halo-san."
King Halo lowered her head slightly.
Thinking.
Tapping her chin.
The group waited.
Then she nodded.
"Why not."
"It's not like the car can stay hidden forever."
Harry clenched a fist.
"Yes!"
"Thank you so much!"
Steve nodded as well.
"Any place we can meet later?"
"Around four?"
Harry raised a hand.
"No need."
He smiled.
"How about Hinode Pier Parking Area?"
King Halo looked toward the others.
Then back at Harry.
"I suppose I'll see you there."
Harry grinned.
"Looking forward to it."
King Halo nodded.
Then turned back toward the restaurant.
The rest of the group followed.
As they climbed the stairs she blinked.
"Well."
"That was unexpected."
Inside the restaurant.
The group had barely entered when a familiar voice called out.
"Hey guys!"
"Over here!"
Everyone turned.
At one of the larger tables sat Maruzensky.
Sakura Chiyono O.
And Mr. C.B.
The group approached.
Maruzensky leaned back casually.
One arm draped across the backrest.
"So."
She smirked.
"I guess you met that YouTuber guy."
King Halo nodded.
"You saw?"
Maruzensky laughed.
"Like it wasn't obvious?"
The table chuckled.
Maruzensky then looked toward Teio.
"How's the RX-7?"
Teio smiled.
"It's getting there."
She nodded confidently.
"Kaichou and I are installing the big brake kit after lunch."
Mr. C.B chuckled.
"Good."
She gestured toward the ordering counter.
"Then you'd better grab your food."
Her smile widened.
"The next thing you know, you'll miss your YouTube appointment."
The group laughed.
And one by one.
Made their way toward the counter.
While outside.
The row of exotic machines remained parked beneath the trees of Meiji Jingu Gaien.
Drawing attention from every enthusiast that happened to walk by.
Time soon passed once more.
The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent.
The sky remained partly cloudy.
A cool breeze rolled in from Tokyo Bay.
And now.
The group had arrived at the Hinode Pier Parking Area.
Parked near the waterfront.
Sat King Halo's Gemballa Mirage GT.
The cobalt blue machine occupied two parking spaces.
Not because of poor parking.
But because the car itself was simply enormous.
Its wide stance.
Massive rear haunches.
And aggressive Gemballa bodywork made it dominate the entire parking area.
Nearby.
Steve continued filming.
Moving around the car with a camera mounted on a stabilizer.
Capturing smooth cinematic shots.
Low-angle tracking shots.
Close-ups of the wheels.
The Gemballa badging.
The huge rear wing.
The side intakes.
Every detail.
Footage that would later be used throughout the video.
Further away.
King Halo and the others watched.
Waiting.
King Halo took a sip from her coffee.
Then sighed.
"I can't believe I'm actually doing this."
She looked toward the filming crew.
Then back toward her friends.
Slowly.
She placed her coffee cup on the roof of Nice Nature's Gallardo.
Nice Nature immediately glanced down at it.
Then at King Halo.
Then back at the cup.
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Then sighed.
"I'll allow it."
King Halo chuckled.
She adjusted her hair.
Then fixed her blue ear covers.
Making sure they sat perfectly.
Then she straightened her jacket.
Cleared her throat.
And spread her arms.
"How do I look?"
The group immediately answered.
"First-rate, King."
Nice Nature nodded.
"Always first-rate."
Sirius Symboli smirked.
"Like the majesty standing before her."
Orfevre added calmly.
King Halo's eyebrow twitched.
"You really had to word it like that?"
Orfevre smirked.
"I did."
Gentildonna covered her mouth.
Trying not to laugh.
Teio simply gave a thumbs up.
"You look great."
Rudolf nodded.
"Confident."
King Halo smiled.
"Good."
Then—
"King-san! Let's do this!"
Harry called out.
King Halo turned around.
Then nodded.
"Coming."
She handed the coffee to Nice Nature.
"Hold this."
Nice Nature blinked.
Then found herself holding the cup.
"Hey—"
Too late.
King Halo had already walked away.
Nice Nature sighed.
"I've become a coffee stand."
Sirius immediately laughed.
The group watched as King Halo approached Harry.
The two shook hands.
Then turned toward the camera setup.
Steve raised a thumbs-up.
Then.
Began recording.
He nodded once.
The camera's red recording light illuminated.
Harry straightened his posture.
Then smiled at the camera.
"Hello! And welcome to another video!"
"If you are new here, I'm Harrison Gunnhildr, a former car curator."
He gestured around him.
The Tokyo skyline stood in the background.
The afternoon sun reflected across the water of the bay.
Behind him sat a row of exotic machinery.
But one car stood above the rest.
The Cobalt Blue Metallic Gemballa Mirage GT.
Harry pointed his thumb behind him.
"This is a video I've been wanting to make for quite a while."
"But also one that has been incredibly difficult to make."
He paused.
"Because behind me is a very infamous car."
"A car that was wrecked."
"A car that disappeared for almost ten years."
He raised both hands.
"Where did it go?"
"What happened to it?"
"Was it repaired?"
"Was it crushed?"
His hands fell back to his sides.
He smiled.
"Well."
"The car is right here."
He stepped aside and presented it.
The camera slowly panned across the Mirage GT.
The low nose.
The widened body.
The center-lock wheels.
The carbon fiber details.
The unmistakable shape.
"It still exists."
"And it's back."
He pinched two fingers together.
"Albeit with some changes."
He nodded.
"And joining me today is none other than the owner herself."
He turned.
"Miss King Halo."
"One of the few recipients of the legendary Umamusume Racing Association Triple Crown."
King Halo stepped forward.
Confident.
Elegant.
Composed.
Harry and King Halo shook hands.
"King-san, welcome."
"And thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us."
King Halo nodded.
"Pleasure to be here."
Harry glanced back at the Mirage GT.
"Let's start with the question everyone wants answered."
He looked at her.
"Is this the Mirage GT that was wrecked in New York during the COVID pandemic all those years ago?"
King Halo nodded immediately.
"That's right."
"The very same car."
A surprised smile appeared on Harry's face.
Even though he already knew the answer.
Actually hearing it from the owner felt different.
King Halo continued.
"The car ended up in a police impound lot in New York."
"It sat there for around a year and a half."
"Afterwards it was sold to a gentleman in Florida who wanted to restore it."
She gestured with one hand.
"The chassis was shipped to Germany."
"For inspection."
"And chassis repairs."
Then she motioned the opposite direction.
"Afterwards it returned to Florida."
"The problem was that many of the original Gemballa-specific components were missing."
"The owner eventually decided to sell the project."
Harry nodded.
"And that's where you came in."
King Halo smiled.
"Exactly."
"The car appeared online while I was looking for a project supercar."
"I had a friend inspect it."
"He checked the chassis."
"Checked the repairs."
"Drove the car."
"Made sure everything was legitimate."
She folded her arms.
"When he told me the car was worth saving, I bought it."
Harry nodded.
Then pointed toward the car.
"So from there it went from Florida..."
"To California."
"And then across the Pacific to Japan?"
King Halo nodded.
"Correct."
"The car arrived here missing quite a lot."
She chuckled.
"Honestly, it looked terrible."
That earned a laugh from behind the camera.
Even Steve laughed.
King Halo continued.
"The chassis was repaired."
"The suspension was repaired."
"The drivetrain worked."
"But visually it looked unfinished."
"So I spent months sourcing parts."
Harry tilted his head.
"Now that's the part everyone online has been wondering about."
"The body panels."
"The bumpers."
"The side skirts."
"The rear section."
He pointed at the Mirage GT.
"Those aren't replicas, are they?"
King Halo shook her head.
"No."
"They are genuine."
Harry's eyebrows shot upward.
"Genuine?"
King Halo nodded.
"Yes."
"I was fortunate enough to have connections."
"A friend of mine knew someone whose father had connections with Gemballa."
She smiled.
"A lot of conversations happened."
"A lot of waiting happened."
"And eventually I was able to purchase authentic replacement components."
Harry let out a whistle.
"That couldn't have been cheap."
King Halo laughed.
"It wasn't."
Behind them.
Nice Nature immediately burst into laughter.
Sirius Symboli covered her mouth.
Even Rudolf was trying not to smile.
King Halo noticed.
Her eyebrow twitched.
Harry looked between them.
"I'm guessing that's an understatement."
Rudolf called out from the sidelines.
"Massive understatement."
Everyone laughed.
Even King Halo.
"Yes."
"It was expensive."
Harry nodded.
"Was there ever a point where you thought the project wasn't worth finishing?"
King Halo looked toward the Mirage GT.
The wind gently moved her hair.
For a moment.
Her expression softened.
"A few times."
She answered honestly.
"There were delays."
"There were parts that took months."
"There were shipping issues."
"There were moments where I questioned if it was worth continuing."
She smiled.
Then looked directly at the car.
"But every time I opened the garage and saw it sitting there..."
"I wanted to keep going."
Harry nodded slowly.
"I can understand that."
King Halo crossed her arms.
"The Mirage GT is a special car."
"There aren't many of them."
"And regardless of what happened to this particular example..."
"It deserved another chance."
A few moments of silence followed.
The camera slowly captured the Mirage GT.
The sunlight reflecting across the blue paint.
The polished wheels.
The carbon fiber.
The aggressive stance.
Harry smiled.
"I think every enthusiast watching this video is glad you felt that way."
King Halo laughed softly.
"I hope so."
Harry turned toward the camera.
"Well."
"We've covered the history."
"We've covered the restoration."
He pointed at the car.
"But next."
"We're going to talk about what it's actually like to own and drive one of the rarest Porsche-based supercars ever built."
He grinned.
"And trust me."
"That part gets even more interesting."
Behind him.
King Halo folded her arms and smirked.
"Oh, it definitely does."
The camera continued rolling.
While behind them.
The rest of the group watched.
Some amused.
Some curious.
And Teio?
She was already eagerly waiting for the driving questions.
Because if there was one thing she wanted to hear.
It was what a restored Mirage GT felt like at full throttle.
Behind the filming.
The group watched as King Halo continued to converse with Harry.
Occasionally they could hear snippets of the interview.
Questions.
Answers.
Laughter.
And the occasional instruction from Steve as he adjusted camera angles.
Mr. C.B. blinked.
Then folded her arms.
"So surprising to see the other side of King Halo, ya know."
Maruzensky chuckled.
"King Halo always had that side."
She leaned back slightly against her Countach.
The afternoon breeze gently moving her hair.
"People only notice the proud side of her."
"The competitive side."
"The side that always wants to be first-rate."
She smiled.
"But she's always been capable of holding a proper conversation when she wants to."
Maruzensky glanced toward the filming.
King Halo was currently explaining something while gesturing toward the Mirage GT.
"She has her reasons why she acts the way she does during class."
"Or on campus."
Mr. C.B. nodded.
"Fair enough."
Nearby.
Rudolf found herself in another conversation.
This time with Sakura Chiyono O.
Her attention remained fixed on the Rosso Bia Aventador SVJ parked nearby.
The silver HRE 520 wheels gleamed under the afternoon sunlight.
Rudolf crossed her arms.
"So you really did go all out and turbocharge your SVJ?"
Chiyono O nodded proudly.
"That's right, Kaichou!"
She smiled.
"I had the engine fully built first."
"Stronger internals."
"Improved cooling."
"A few reinforcement upgrades."
She raised a finger.
"And then I had the twin turbos installed."
"They're currently set up to produce around nine hundred-ish horsepower."
Teio visibly shivered.
Her shoulders rose slightly.
"Still thinking about a thousand horsepower gives me chills."
That earned a laugh from several people.
Chiyono O chuckled.
"Relax, Teio!"
She waved her hand dismissively.
"I did all the precautions."
She walked toward the rear of the SVJ.
Patting the rear quarter panel.
"The chassis has additional reinforcement."
"The engine support structure has been strengthened."
"The cooling system was upgraded."
"The fuel system was upgraded."
She nodded.
"Apart from that, most of the car remains as-is."
Rudolf nodded thoughtfully.
"Most twin-turbo Aventadors I've seen are usually pushing well above one thousand horsepower."
She tilted her head.
"Yours being below that."
"I presume it's boost-limited?"
Chiyono O nodded immediately.
"Exactly."
She pointed toward the rear luggage compartment area.
"I have a boost controller installed."
"For daily driving and normal road use, I keep it turned down."
She laughed.
"I don't exactly need four-digit horsepower every time I go out for lunch."
Nice Nature immediately raised a hand.
"Counterpoint."
Everyone looked at her.
Nice Nature grinned.
"I absolutely would."
Sirius Symboli sighed.
"Of course you would."
Nice Nature pointed toward her Gallardo.
"Tell me a single moment where having more horsepower isn't fun."
Orfevre answered instantly.
"Rain."
Nice Nature paused.
"..."
Gentildonna nodded.
"She's got you there."
Nice Nature pointed again.
"Okay."
"One moment."
Teio laughed.
Rudolf shook her head.
Even Chiyono O couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Maruzensky folded her arms.
"You know, this is exactly why Air Groove gets headaches around us."
That earned an immediate round of laughter.
Especially from Sirius Symboli.
"Imagine explaining this conversation to Air Groove."
She straightened herself and imitated Air Groove's voice.
"'Why would anyone need nine hundred horsepower on public roads?'"
Gentildonna immediately followed.
"'Why is the Lamborghini loud enough to wake neighboring prefectures?'"
Teio joined in.
"'Why are you discussing boost levels during lunch?'"
Nice Nature raised both hands.
"Because it's fun."
The group burst into laughter again.
Even Orfevre's lips twitched slightly.
A rare sight.
Meanwhile.
Over by the filming area.
King Halo and Harry were now standing beside the car.
Focused on the stance.
King Halo rested a hand on the roof.
"I had the car lowered slightly."
She pointed downward.
"Then I swapped the wheels to silver Rotiform ROC-H rims."
Harry nodded.
"Not gonna lie."
"The blue, silver, and yellow gold really go well together."
King Halo nodded.
"Thank you."
Harry stood upright.
So did King Halo.
The two headed toward the driver's side door.
Cameraman Steve followed behind them.
King Halo reached for the handle.
Pulled it open.
The door swung outward.
She carefully lowered herself into the bucket seat.
Settling comfortably behind the wheel.
Her hands naturally found the steering wheel.
As if she had done it thousands of times before.
Which she probably had.
Harry crouched beside the open door.
"So."
"What's it actually like to drive?"
King Halo blinked.
Then smiled.
A genuine smile.
One that immediately caught the attention of everyone watching.
Because they all knew.
This was a question she genuinely enjoyed answering.
King Halo rested both hands on the wheel.
"The best way I can describe it?"
She looked at the dashboard.
Then out through the windshield.
"It feels alive."
Harry nodded.
Listening closely.
King Halo continued.
"The clutch is heavy."
"The steering talks to you."
"The chassis moves around underneath you."
She lightly moved the steering wheel.
Just enough to demonstrate.
"You feel everything."
"The road."
"The bumps."
"The grip."
"The weight transfer."
She smiled wider.
"It doesn't isolate you from the experience."
"It throws you right into the middle of it."
Harry grinned.
"That sounds terrifying."
King Halo laughed.
"A little."
The group nearby chuckled.
She continued.
"But that's exactly why I love it."
"When the road opens up and you put your foot down..."
Her eyes softened.
"The car just comes alive."
"The engine screams."
"The throttle response is immediate. The car reacts the moment you ask it to."
"And suddenly everything feels lighter."
She tapped the steering wheel.
"It doesn't feel like you're commanding a machine."
"It feels like you're working together with it."
Harry nodded.
"I think every enthusiast watching understands exactly what you mean."
King Halo smiled.
"That's why I drive it."
She patted the wheel once.
Then looked back at Harry.
Harry nodded.
"Speaking of driving."
"Any other modifications done to the car?"
King Halo nodded.
"The exhaust is still titanium."
"Although now it's made by Boden Autohaus from America."
She pointed toward the rear.
"The intakes were also changed."
"Better airflow."
Harry nodded.
"And how much power does it make now?"
King Halo tapped her chin.
Thinking.
Then looked back at him.
"About seven hundred forty-three."
Harry's eyes widened slightly.
"So about as much as a pre-facelift Aventador?"
King Halo nodded silently.
Harry looked around the interior.
"Anything else?"
"Maybe inside?"
King Halo pointed toward the center console.
"The display."
"The old one was outdated."
"So I replaced it with a modern unit."
"Apple CarPlay."
"Android Auto."
Harry blinked.
Then pointed.
"So."
"It can connect to your phone now?"
King Halo nodded.
Harry laughed.
"That's actually awesome."
He shook his head.
"You think that affects the value of the car?"
King Halo shrugged.
"Don't know."
"And honestly."
"I don't care."
She rested her elbow on the window opening.
"It's my car."
"And what I do with it is what I want to do."
Harry chuckled.
"I respect that."
He nodded.
"So you're one of those people who believes cars are meant to be driven."
"Not hidden away in a museum."
"Or locked in some private collection."
King Halo nodded.
Without hesitation.
She rested her hand at the top of the steering wheel.
Looking through the windshield.
"Cars might just be machines to some people."
"A machine that gets them from one place to another."
She glanced toward the group.
Toward Rudolf.
Toward Teio.
Toward Nice Nature.
Toward Sirius.
Toward all of them.
"But to a lot of us."
"Especially the group I'm with."
"Cars are a form of escape."
"A way to bond."
"A way to create memories."
"A way to extend friendships beyond racing on turf and dirt tracks."
She smiled softly.
"The Wangan."
"The mountain passes."
"The highways."
"The road trips."
"The late-night drives."
She nodded.
"We all enjoy running."
"And we enjoy the pleasures of driving."
Silence followed.
Not awkward silence.
The kind of silence where nobody felt the need to interrupt.
Even Harry seemed to pause.
Taking in her words.
Finally.
He smiled.
"I think that's probably the best answer I've ever gotten."
King Halo laughed.
"Glad to hear it."
Steve lowered the camera slightly.
Then raised a thumbs-up.
"Perfect."
Harry nodded.
"That should do it."
He extended his hand.
"Thank you again, King-san."
King Halo stepped out of the Mirage GT.
Then shook his hand.
"My pleasure."
The interview was over.
The cameras stopped rolling.
The evening sun was beginning to descend toward the horizon.
Long shadows stretched across the parking area.
The sea beyond Hinode Pier shimmered orange and gold.
The group slowly gathered once more.
Teio stretched her arms.
"Well."
"That was fun."
Nice Nature nodded.
"And surprisingly not awkward."
Sirius Symboli smirked.
"King Halo practically carried the whole interview."
King Halo folded her arms proudly.
"As expected of someone first-rate."
Everyone groaned.
Even Orfevre rolled her eyes.
Gentildonna laughed.
"There she is."
"The King Halo we know."
The group began walking back toward their cars.
Engines would soon start.
Another drive.
Another memory.
Another chapter in their lives.
Rudolf paused briefly beside her green F40.
Looking toward the setting sun.
Then toward her friends.
The laughter.
The conversations.
The cars.
The friendships.
Moments like these were rare.
And precious.
She smiled.
Then opened her door.
One by one.
Engines came to life.
The howl of a V12.
The bark of a V10.
The sharp note of a flat-six.
The smooth cry of the LFA.
And together.
As the sun slowly disappeared beyond Tokyo Bay.
The convoy pulled away from Hinode Pier.
Heading back into the city.
Not as racers.
Not as champions.
But as friends.
And for tonight.
That was more than enough.