Hashiriya (Volume 2) - Chapter 20 (This Is The End - Conclusion) added 9/11/10!

[NotThePrez]

@ the fight. Good story, keep it up.

 

[DK]

Chapter 15 - Welcome (Back) To Japan​

I was woken up by the PA system. Damn it, I was having a nice dream...but let's not go into details there.
"Go resseki no minasama, watashi-tachi wa Nagoya kūkō ni tōchaku ****a. Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at Nagoya airport."

This is not a poorly censored swear word. "****a" came up when I was translating the sentence, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at Nagoya airport" into English. I hope this has been noticed.

James - "Damn, Hiroto, how can you sleep through that?"
- "Earplugs. They're useful in Japan if you're not used to noise 24/7."
James - "Where can I get some?"
- "Any good shop."
James then turned to Ryosuke.
James - "Uh, Sato-san, when are the cars arriving?"
Ryosuke - "They should be here, at Nagoya, in an hour or two. I have sent some of the team to collect them."
James - "So, do we wait for the cars are do we take the bus or a taxi?"
Ryosuke - "Wait for them. Waiting for your luggage is going to take up some of your time."
James - "Please tell me this airport has a McDonald's."
Ryosuke - "You're out of luck, it has a KFC and Burger King, nothing else."
James moaned, as the idea of a KFC meal isn't very tasty to him.
- "Hey...there's always Burger King. "
James - "Whatever."

About 2 hours and a drive from Nagoya to Suzuka later...
Ah, it feels so good to be home!
- "So, are you guys gonna get a hotel room?"
James - "Sato-san's gonna sleep on the couch. Tomorrow..."
Ryosuke - "Tomorrow I head back to Tokyo. I'm starting to miss everything there."
- "You've been away for, what, about a month?"
Ryosuke - "I haven't seen my son, or my wife, for a month. Think about that before you open your mouth."
James - "Hiroto, do you have anywhere to stay?"
- "Yeah, my parents can put up with me for a while. Besides, all my stuff is there. My landlord doesn't like the thought of an empty apartment, even if I do pay my rent anyway."
James - "See you tomorrow, Hiroto!"
- "Yeah, see you tomorrow, guys."
I watched James' R33 drive off into the distance.

A short drive home later...

- "What's with all the cars on the street?"
The way I said that sentence was barely audible. But, I did have some right to ask what was going on. Then I realised just as I entered my parents' house.

- "Hmm...Dad's R33...normally he has it in storage."
Everyone inside - "Kon'nichiwa!"
I decide to speak in my native tongue.
- "Nani ga okotte iru nodesu ka?" (What's happening?)
Miyu (my sister) - "Wareware wa, chōdo anata ga modotte ureshiidesu!"
(We're just glad you're back!)
- "Watashi wa jiko ni atta yō ni sore wa nai." (It's not like I was in an accident.)
I step outside with Miyu. Seeing as she wants to speak it well, she talks to me in English.
Miyu - "What was America like?"
- "Well, there weren't nearly as many fat people as you think."
Miyu - "Did you see Los Angeles?"
- "No, but we saw San Francisco...for about a few hours."
Miyu - "Did you meet any celebrities?"
I find this crazy, this obsession with celebrities.
- "Since when was Brad Pitt the centre of the universe?"
Miyu - "Since when was Keiichi Tsuchiya the centre of the universe, or Naoki Hattori?"
Naoki Hattori is my personal hero, seeing as he won the Spa 24 Hours in a Nissan Skyline GT-R R32. So, obviously that was a low blow. All I can do is chuckle. In front of my Skyline, I notice a Silvia S15.

- "Who owns that?"
Miyu - "Me. I just passed my A-License exams!"
A huge smile shows on her face. She's obviously pleased with herself.
- "Well, I don't wanna brag, but..."
Miyu - "Yeah, yeah, Mr. IA-License. I have an IA-License, therefore I'm king of the world. You still can't race in Formula GT."
- "But what about the GTWC? You didn't say anything about that."
Miyu - "You wanna know what I've done to my Silvia?"
- "Sure. Why did you get it?"
Miyu - "For passing my A-License exams, duh."
She watches way too much American TV. I watch way too much Initial D and Wangan Midnight. I look inside the car.
- "A bright red steering wheel?"
Miyu - "What, I want it to be unique!"
- "Bright red seat covers?"
Miyu - "Yeah, it looks nice, doesn't it?"
- "Seat covers aren't gonna do much for you. Racing seats, on the other hand..."
Miyu - "...totally 🤬 up your spine and pelvis when you go over bumps."
What can I say, she's good at biology.
- "So, what are your plans? By the way, a racing seat doesn't 🤬 up your spine - hard suspension settings do."
Miyu - "New turbo, a new intercooler, a spoiler...I'm thinking of painting it red, too."
Did I mention red is her favourite colour?
Miyu - "Maybe new brakes and...drumroll...aftermarket rims!"
- "Can you afford all that?"
Miyu - "I think the question is, can Otosan (Dad) afford it?"
She has a habit of using Japanese in the place of some informal words, e.g. Dad.
I then glance at the black Skyline at the other side of the street.

- "Who owns the GTS-t?"
Miyu - "Kazumi-chan. She's here, Hiroto."
The way she said it was almost taunting in a way.
- "Crap..."
Kazumi has a habit of worming her way into my head. As soon as anyone mentions her, I start regretting breaking up with her.
Miyu - "She's got a reputation, you know. Around here, street racers are calling her car the 'Burakkuu~idō', or 'Black Widow'."
- "Why?"
Miyu - "It's...(she looks around for some strange reason)...undefeated. No one has beaten it."
- "Isn't that what undefeated means?"
Miyu - "It's had 23 races, 23 wins. I'm telling you, Hiroto, it's undefeated!"
- "But not undefeatable..."
Miyu - "Is that a word?"
- "Probably not. But what I'm saying is..."
Miyu - "You want to defeat it using a much superior car? Ha, so does everyone else."
Damn all that practice I gave her on Suzuka!
- "What do you mean?"

Miyu - "Earlier today, she went up against 5 really good cars on Suzuka. It was a Japanese Car Championship race. She kicked their asses, by about 3 seconds. 2nd place went to a Honda NSX. Rumour has it that it was Miki Watanabe in that NSX."
I grit my teeth. Miki was the school bully back in high school, and the son of the owner of a rival garage, Watanabe's (no relation to the rim manufacturer). We had...let's just say, frequent arguments which often resulted in bloodshed. I once broke his nose, and in retaliation he rammed his old Integra into my Silvia, and I had to pay for repairs. Neither one of us wanted to end the war by transferring to another school or by leaving each other alone. Both options would be considered a loss. The war between us ended in a late-night duel on the touge, after which, Miki, being a bad loser, tried to set fire to my car.
Miyu - "You still hate him, don't you?"
- "Well, considering that he made some outrageous claims regarding either you or Kazumi, yes, I do hate the bastard."
We were then greeted by the sight of a Suzuki kei car.

Oh boy, Grandma Tanaka, and my own grandmother. In their puke-green/yellow Suzuki MR Wagon Sport. What a misleading name, don't you think? It's an FF, not an MR, and there's jack-🤬 that's sporty about it.
Me and Miyu - Konbanwa, sobo to fujin Tanaka guddo. (Good evening, grandmother and Mrs. Tanaka.)
Of course, they completely blank us. Grandma Tanaka is probably around 90-95% deaf, and my grandmother is deaf in one ear. They're like two pieces of gum fused together in your mouth, as they're always together. Grandma Tanaka has always been suspicious of me, and she stares at me with a really suspicious look on her face. Well, they're both about 80 years old, so they'll be dead within 5 years.
- "Should we head back inside?"
Back inside, I was greeted by a young man with a shiny, bald head. That's Toshi Sagata for you, my friend since kindergarten. Toshi has a bottle of cheap Singaporean beer in each hand.
Toshi - "Dō ****a no?" (What's up?)
I have a feeling that Toshi didn't drive here, but rather he walked. He walks everywhere, as long as it's within 3-5km of where he started walking from.
- "Watashi wa amerika kara modotte kitada." (I've just came back from America.)
Toshi - "Dono yō ni ōku no shibō no hitobito aru tokoro?" (How many fat people were there?)
- "Shōsai wa kochira, tonikaku yori." (More than here, anyway.)
Toshi - "Ōku no orokana hitobito ga soko ni ita nodesu ka? Hōmāshinpuson no yōna?" (How many stupid people were there? Like Homer Simpson?)
- "Orokana hitobito no hotondo wa sōzō sa reta." (Most of the stupid people were creationists.)
Toshi bursts out laughing. He then staggers to the door, and shouts, "Sonogo, otoko!" (Later, dude!) I have a feeling that he won't be able to walk home in that state. I decide to walk to my room, to see if anything's missing. I notice that the disc case for Grand Theft Auto 4 for my PS3 is missing. Oh, wait, there it is, under my mattress/bed. I walk out of my room, and suddenly hear this from Kenji's (my little brother) room:
"Woo-hoo! Watashi wa sore o kyatchi ****a!" (I've caught it!)
He must be playing Pokemon. He runs out of his room as fast as he can and shouts to the whole front room, "Watashi wa Mewtwo o hiita!" (I've caught Mewtwo!) Just to humour him, some in the room start applauding and saying a few congratulatory words. As the party dies down and people start going home, I go to bed. That flight took a lot out of me. I get a text, and it's from Kazumi. Oh boy. I may as well leave it until tomorrow, so I just press the "Read" button and then the "Exit" button.

 

[Rykon Zero]

Oh boy! Tripping the swear filters without meaning to! It's great!

Cool chapter. Can't wait for something to go down.

 

[DK]

Chapter 15.5 - Bad Feeling
During the night, I had a bad dream. A really bad dream. I tend to think of it as akin to Anakin Skywalker's premonitions. I had a bad dream when we (me, James and Ryosuke) were flying over to America. It was of my old friend, my S14 Silvia, having a catastrophic engine failure. Back in the Silvia Sisters championship, Keiko Yamamoto had a reputation. Her philosophy, and that of Yamamoto Racing School, which is run by her father, is to push the car to its absolute limits. She obeyed that like a religious fundamentalist obeys their holy text. She scares me like no other driver does. The race at Trial Mountain plays over and over again in my head. All I can see is the back end of Keiko's TVR.

I admit that with aftermarket parts it's a much better car, even better than mine. I just can't stand it when a faster car beats me. I start doubting my own skills. I fail to consider that it has more horsepower, less weight, better handling or all three. I have never, ever lost to a car that is inferior to my Skyline. If I were to lose to, let's say, an Integra, I'd kill myself. Even if it was tuned by Spoon and given an FR layout. Personally, I think the Integra should have been an FR. But then...

- "No..."

- "No..."

- "NO!!!"
I wake up screaming "NO!!!" like a Christian fundamentalist looking at proof of evolution. I hear Miyu shout, "Watashi-tachi ga me o samasute kurete arigatō!" (Thanks for waking us up!) Oh boy, I'm screwed. Kenji is probably still awake, playing Pokemon on his DS. Miyu yells again, "Watashi wa gakkō o motte...(she pauses, maybe to look at her watch)...Kyō, baka!" (I have school...today, idiot!) I just remember that I haven't read Kazumi's text. So, I fumble around for my phone, and check my inbox. That moment, I get another text. It's from a number I don't know. I read it.
"Hiroto, theres[sic] Japanese Car Championship races @ Suzuka on Thursday. R u goin 2b there?"
I reply, "Sure, I feel like fattening my wallet."
I have this strange feeling. I don't think it's a very good one, though. I check my phone, to see what time it is. It's 6:21am. Well, Miyu was going to wake up in a few minutes anyway.

Tokyo, around 9am
NOTE: "#" means that this person is on the phone.

Receptionist - "Yamamoto-san, watashi ga denwa ****e iru. Kore wa, Satō-san karada." (Mr. Yamamoto, I have a phone call. It's from Mr. Sato.)
Mr. Yamamoto - "Supīkā ni kare o irete kudasai." (Put him on loudspeaker.)
# Ryosuke - "Yamamoto-san, is that you?"
Mr. Yamamoto - "My English...not so good. But, I can try. Why are you call?"
# Ryosuke - "That should be, 'Why are you calling.' You need to work on the English."
Mr. Yamamoto - "Why are you speak...(Mr. Yamamoto then remembers what Ryosuke said a few seconds earlier)...ing English?"
# Ryosuke - "My son speaks it all the time. He speaks it better than I do, if that were possible."
Mr. Yamamoto - "Let's, how you say, cut to chase. Why are you calling?"
# Ryosuke - "Japanese Car Championship. There's a race at Suzuka on Thursday."
Mr. Yamamoto - "I not race any more. Keiko and my students, they race."
# Ryosuke - "Exactly! Send out your two best students, and I will send mine."
Mr. Yamamoto - "Keiko has already proven herself. Did you know, that a team from Europe...where they from...well, I don't know where, but they have offered a drive to her? In touring car championship? She's graduated from my school with...eh...top score. Your students...can't match her. Nor can they match my son, Satoshi. I'll send them...but it will be like German invasion of Poland. Overkill, I think is the word."
# Ryosuke - "You always rub salt in old wounds. Sayonara."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I felt that I really couldn't call this a chapter. It's just a filler for the next one. As always, comments will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Watchman]

I like this story so far. Keep it up.

 

[DK]

Chapter 16 - Reconnaissance​

I check my calendar. It's Monday, June 15th 2009. No wonder Miyu's pissed off, she still has school. I sort of chuckle to myself. I also remember that means that Kenji has school too. But, even though he was probably awake for most of last night, he has insomnia and it barely affects him. An hour or so passes, and I hear two engines starting almost simultaneously - that of my mother's Nissan March, and that of Miyu's Silvia. I hear some muffled shouting, and then Miyu's SR20DET being turned off. I can imagine her moaning, because she wanted to show off her new car. The moment I decide to bother to get up, I receive a text. It's from James. It says, "headin 2 suzuka, gettin some practice." I reply, "cool, c u on thursday." I decide to play my PS3 for a while. Isn't controlling a Serb hell-bent on revenge such fun? When I looked at my phone after I was finished killing Russian mobsters, I noticed I had one missed call. It's from Kazumi. Oh 🤬.

About half an hour earlier...

? - "This Mazda RX-7 FD3S? I love it."

?? - "You're lucky. I have to use my own car, a Subaru Impreza."
Mr. Yamamoto - "Satoshi, you should not be...
Satoshi - "...Ungrateful?"
Mr. Yamamoto - "Yes, that's the word. You bought this car with your money."
Satoshi - "Yeah...I guess so..."
? - "Come on, this his home turf. If I can win here, against him, then it's game over for him."
Satoshi - "Keiko, I know you're referring to Matsuda-san."
Keiko - "Ha. I can't believe you have respect for him."
Satoshi - "Why, because I still refer to him as 'Matsuda-san'?"
Keiko - "Yeah, he's absolute crap. My RX-7 is better than the Skyline GT-R R32 in every way."
Mr. Yamamoto - "I won't be sure about that."
Mr. Yamamoto showed an article motorsports magazine to Satoshi and Keiko.
Mr. Yamamoto - "Hiroto Matsuda, 23, from Suzuka City in Mie Prefecture, stunned watchers..."
Keiko - "I think you mean spectators..."
Mr. Yamamoto - "...in Seattle after beating field of high-speed sports cars, including Lotus Esprit and BMW M3 driven by young German racer Maria Meyer."
Keiko's face turned sour upon hearing that name.
Satoshi - "You're still hurting, aren't you?"
Keiko - "She ended my winning streak."
Mr. Yamamoto - "I think saying is...we win some, we lose some..."
Keiko - "But not me. This RX-7 is a new car. I want it to win its first race. Easily."
Satoshi - "And what about me?"
Mr. Yamamoto - "I'll try to get Satoshi in race against this Canada driver...his name...I think is Harris."
Keiko - "Wow, way to set up a tense scene..."
Mr. Yamamoto - "I'm trying to think of word to describe what you are saying."
Satoshi - "It's called sarcasm. It means that you are saying something that you don't really mean."
Keiko - "Can we get going already? I have to get some practice."
Satoshi - "I've never been done the whole circuit before, only the East Course."
Keiko - "(under her breath) Well that's obvious..."
Satoshi - "What?"
Keiko - "(under her breath) Never mind..."

1pm, Suzuka
That missed call from Kazumi reminded me to check the text message she sent me. It read, "Watashi wa Mogi ni reddoenburemu no rēsu no tame ni iku yo. Watashi wa watashi no muhai kiroku o hoji suru koto ga dekimasu ne!" (I'm going to Motegi for the Race of the Red Emblem. I hope I can keep my undefeated record!) I decide to reply. Our breakup wasn't a really bad one where we ended up trying to ruin each other's lives. My reply was, "Watashi wa anata o jinkusu o surunode, ashi o yaburu hitsuyō wa arimasen." (I don't want to jinx you, so break a leg.) The burakku-ido has to maintain its reputation somehow.

The next day, Suzuka
I'm starting to get a real craving for Coca-Cola. So, I drive to a shop to buy about 10 or so 0.5 litre bottles. All that caffeine in the system is probably going to make me need the toilet...a lot. My phone rings, and this time I recognise the number, even though my phone doesn't. It's James.
- "Mushi mushi." (Hello)
James - "You're not going to believe this. Yamamoto Racing School are here, at Suzuka."
- "Nani?" (What?)
James - "Sorry, what does that mean?"
- "It means 'what'. I can't believe this. I can't believe they would come here."
James - "I'm sorry to say this, Hiroto, but you don't own the Suzuka Circuit."
- "Of course. I'm not stupid, nor am I arrogant."
James - "Come on, we can watch them practice."
To me that's like watching your partner cheat on you.
- "Okay...but..."
James - "Sorry man, I'm about to run out of credit. How about, we meet in the paddock, near the entrance, in...is 30 minutes okay?"
- "Yeah, it's oka-"
James ran out of credit just as I was about to finish speaking.
- "Damn it!"

1:30pm, Suzuka
I see him, and he's wearing a BC Lions Canadian football jersey.
James - "So...do you know anywhere where we can see all the action?"
- "No. We'll have to sit in the stands."
James - "Crap!"

A few minutes later...

James - "Who owns the RX-7?"
I have a strange feeling. It must be Keiko in that RX-7. I even glimpse the helmet. That's Keiko's helmet, alright.

- "Can't see the RX-7 any more, it's gone around First Corner."

Keiko - "This car...it feels so much better than that TVR!"

# Satoshi - "Let the Z through."
Keiko - "For 🤬 sake..."

# Satoshi - "I thought I told you to let it through!"

Keiko - "There, I heeded your retarded advice. Happy now?"

A few laps later, Keiko, after holding back for a lap, relentlessly hunted down the Z, and passed it at First.

Then, she passed an RX-8 and a Mk III Supra at Dunlop.

As she passed a Lotus Esprit, I realised that she knew the course well. She has raced here before.

James - "And across the line!"
- "That's from Top Gear, isn't it?"
James showed me his stopwatch. 2'23.5. It doesn't do hundredths or thousandths of a second. Oh crap.

We stuck around for a while, and watched a black Impreza set a time of 2'26.9.
- "Looks faster than your car..."
James - "Shut up, this is serious."
The session was abruptly ended by a Chevrolet Chevelle spinning out.

Chevelle driver - "Don't you 🤬 dare do this to me!"

That looked painful...and expensive. I can imagine Keiko laughing about 1.6 tons of American muscle spinning out of control.
- "I can only imagine how fast that Impreza could have been if the session wasn't ended so abruptly..."
What I said scared the crap out of James.

 

[Rykon Zero]

Poor Chevelle. In my proper GT profile, I just won a Chevelle. Same color, too.

I already hate Keiko, am I supposed to?

 

[Watchman]

Poor Chevelle. In my proper GT profile, I just won a Chevelle. Same color, too.

I already hate Keiko, am I supposed to?

Me, too.

Hope to see a new chapter soon, because this is getting more and more interesting. 👍

 

[DK]

Chapter 17 - Wager​

Wednesday passed like it didn't even exist. Nothing much happened then. The crews were still clearing Suzuka, though, after 1.6 tons of American muscle plowed into a solid steel wall. So, Yamamoto Racing School couldn't get any practice. I decide to do a bit of research on Keiko, and I delve into my files on my laptop. It turns out that she won a Japanese Championship race here in her S15 Silvia, which was modified specifically for the event. I try telling myself that the S15 and the RX-7 FD3S are two different cars and both handle differently. I keep telling myself that she probably hasn't raced it before. As dawn broke over Suzuka, I felt that today's race will be the most important of my life.

A Burger King, near Suzuka Circuit
Satoshi - "Do you know what they call a Big Mac with cheese in France?"
James - "Okay, I guess you do have some knowledge of Western pop culture. By the way, the answer's a Royale with cheese."
Satoshi - "Yesterday sucked. I can't believe they were still clearing that Chevelle."
James - "It's a heavy car, that's for sure."
Satoshi - "Unnecessary, too..."
James - "Still, everybody likes different things. Otherwise the world would be a very boring place..."
Satoshi - "If Keiko knew that I was talking to you...she would go crazy."
James - "Well, it's not like I'm an American soldier and you're a Taliban member."
Satoshi - "Keiko spent yesterday watching laps of the track from Formula 1, Formula GT, Super GT, Best Motoring, hell, even Gran Turismo 5 Prologue!"
James - "I guess...she doesn't want to lose..."
Satoshi - "Do you want to know what happened when I beat her at Gran Turismo 3, when I was 11? She punched me. Right in the jaw. It hurt like hell."
James - "I suppose she'll consider our meeting akin to high treason. Well, it was nice meeting the opposition, and, seeing as you're not a bitch like your sister, I look forward to our race."
Satoshi - "Are you gonna finish your Coke?"
[COLOR]James - "Nah, you have it."[/COLOR]

On the grid, 2:35pm
- "You talked...to Satoshi?!"
James - "He's not like his sister. I guess personality isn't hereditary."
Ryosuke - "Hiroto, at least James is maintaining positive relations between himself and his rival. Your relationship with Keiko is like that between the two Koreas, you both want to knock the 🤬 out of each other, but you don't want to incur the scorn of others."
James - "Well, let's cut to the chase. I want to race."
- "Nice rhyming."

James - "Let's see...an Evo 8, a bug-eye Impreza, an R34, an R33 and a G35. Something tells me the R34 driver isn't all he's cracked up to be..."
R34 driver - "Come on Godzilla, show me what you can do...you're a barely-driven prize car, anyway."

GO!!!

James easily passed the other R33 at First.
James - "Ha, I love you, Godzilla!"

He then dived down the inside of the R34.
R34 driver - "I thought this was the best Skyline ever?!"
James - "Reminds me of what that hick from Tokyo Drift said...it's not the ride, it's the rider."

James then passed the G35 at Second. He has a nickname for G-series (G35-7) Skylines, that being "The Banker's Skyline."

James - "Locking on..."

James - "...And FIRE!!!"

At Degner, James displaced enough gravel to make a sandcastle.

Evo driver - "Sayonara, kyuban!" (Goodbye, sucker!)

James - "Never mind, there's always Spoon, 130R and Casio Triangle."
Evo driver - "Chikusho!" (Damn it!)

Little did James know, the Evo was faster than him on the straights. But James knew that a great driver is faster in the corners.

Evo driver - "Chikusho! Andāsutea!" (Damn it! Understeer!)
This is where the ATTESA ET-S system comes in handy, carefully controlling understeer and oversteer.
James - "Adios, amigo!"

# Keiko - "Satoshi, what the 🤬?! He started at the back of the grid and already the bastard's caught up!"
Satoshi - "Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap..."
# Keiko - "All the craps in the world aren't going to save you from my foot kicking your ass!"

Satoshi - "Keiko, there's just gotta be something up with that car!"
There is...it has new brake pads and a racing seat. That's about it.

Satoshi stretched the gap over the straights, but James caught up in the corners.

Satoshi - "He's all over me!"
James - "Smile for the cameras, there's gonna be tons of people taking pictures!"

Satoshi - "No..."
# Keiko - "NO!!!"
James - "Yes!"
- "YES!!!"

# Keiko - "How dare you call yourself my brother..."
Satoshi - "Keiko, I'm sorry!"
# Keiko - "You have a chance to redeem yourself...shunt him. Now."
Satoshi - "Anything to avoid being kicked in the groin..."

*BUMP!*
Satoshi - "I'm sorry..."
James - "There's no way Satoshi would do that on his own initiative, intentionally...Keiko must have had some input."

# Keiko - "Again!"
Satoshi - "If you insist..."

James held on to the lead, from the Hairpin curve to Spoon curve at least.

James was passed on the back straight, but something tells me he won't be 2nd for long...

...as Satoshi had to deal with some understeer, allowing James to take the inside line...and the lead.

Meanwhile, "The Banker's Skyline" was engaged in a duel with the Evo.
G35 driver - "If that old R33 can beat you, so can I!"

I watched the race on the monitor in the garage, and I knew that the race was over. James had won, and it would take a monumental 🤬-up to throw the race away.

Satoshi - "I better brace myself for the worst ass-kicking a woman can give out..."

Satoshi, under pressure to catch up, started making mistakes. 2nd might not be a dead cert for Yamamoto Racing School.

He caught up on the straight leading up to Spoon, but then fell back under braking and during cornering.

Again, on the back straight, the Subaru benefited from being faster.
# Keiko - "Keep that jackass behind you!"

At Casio Triangle, the G35 passed the Impreza.
Evo driver - "Chikusho!" (Damn it!)

By then, James had passed the Subaru. I just thought of something right there.
- "That V35 (NOTE: the chassis code for the G35 in Japan) certainly is quick."
Ryosuke - "I have a feeling that the G35 will challenge the Impreza on the last lap...tyre wear can make a difference here..."

Again, the Impreza is able to catch up on the straights.

However, James' calm driving, and good braking skills, are able to lose him.

Satoshi - "I can't believe it...Keiko's actually going to kill me.
# Keiko - "Kill you? You don't feel pain when you're dead."

Again, Satoshi caught up on the straight. But it still wasn't enough.

Satoshi - "One last chance...but I'll fail anyway..."

After 130R, Satoshi checked his mirrors.
Satoshi - "How the...the V35...how did...it...manage...to...catch up..."
# Keiko - "Yes, and how did my foot get lodged in your ass?"
Satoshi - "There's no foot lodged in my ass..."
# Keiko - "There will be."

G35 driver - "Ha...you look worried. I'm not. I'm relaxed. I don't mind coming in 3rd."

James - "Oh yeah! Checkered flag, baby!"

After the race...
*SLAP!*
Keiko's palm met Satoshi's cheek, whilst travelling at, according to Google, 40km/h. Ouch. Still, no sign of the aforementioned ass-kicking. Oh wait, there it is. He won't be able to sit down for a while. My race, meanwhile, isn't on for another hour. I have to find some way to kill time. Then, I hear Keiko.
Keiko - "Hiroto!"
- "What?"
Keiko - "Don't 'what' your superiors. I'm better, and faster, in every way than you."
- "What do you want?"
Keiko - "Well, I've always hated GT-Rs. I know the kind of ass-wipes who drive them. You're no different. I'll look forward to kicking your ass in 60 minutes."
- "What, so the loser gets their ass kicked by the winner, and not just metaphorically?"
Keiko - "Better. The loser..."
She then whispers her proposal in my ear. What she said left me speechless.
Keiko - "...and of course, the GT Association don't mind it."

 

[Rykon Zero]

Nice update time. I posted my chapter 15 minutes after you.

Anyway, does Keiko actually have any redeeming qualities?

 

[Watchman]

Interesting chapter. I like the contrast between the two battles. 👍

 

[DK]

Chapter 18 - Race Of My Life​

I know this sounds cliched, but my heart wants to beat out of my chest. I'm so nervous. I take a look at my car. I just want one last look at my car which has been my faithful partner for 2 years. I bought it after winning my 2nd race in the Silvia Sisters championship. Memories come flooding back. My first victory in it, for example, at the Tokyo R246.

And of course, its only loss so far, at Trial Mountain.

If I lose...I'll never forgive myself.

James - "What did Keiko whisper in Hiroto's ear?"
Ryosuke - "I think I know. And if he loses...I doubt he'll ever forgive himself."

This next bit is from Ryosuke's perspective.

A good driver should always have some love for their original car. I remember mine. A Corolla E30, built from 1974 to 1981. I cherished it. I miss it, though. I also had an AE86, built from 1983 to 1987. I sold that, too. I dreamed of teaching my children how to drive using it. But I never got the chance. During my time racing for Nissan, I developed a fondness for rotary engines. My FD3S is a monster. Its engine has been tuned to produce nearly 500hp. Ryosuke, my son, learned how to drive in it. Well, that and a Silvia S13. Hiroto has feelings for his S14. He has feelings for his R32. If he loses today...it will break him.

This next bit is from James' perspective.

That R32 has beaten me, fair and square. I've always wanted to see how he'll do if we both drove the same car. I'm pretty sure Ronnie (Thompson) knows a few friends who won't mind lending their car to Hiroto. He wouldn't mind me borrowing his one of his Evos, that's for sure. A good driver can adapt over time. A great driver can adapt nearly instantly. Hiroto has shown that adaptability many times. All he had to go on was videos on YouTube of hot laps around the tracks we were going to race on. Organisms evolve. Animals are organisms. Humans are animals. And racing drivers, no matter how great they seem, are humans. Racing drivers evolve into better drivers. And how do they do that? They adapt to their surroundings. Hiroto has certainly adapted to this circuit.

There's the grid. Keiko, in her RX-7. A 1st-generation Honda NSX. A Mazda RX-8. A Subaru Impreza. And, last but not least, a Skyline GT-R R34.
- "Only fitting that I have to qualify alongside my worst enemy."
Keiko - "Take a good look at my car's ass...it's all you'll see."
She sticks up her middle finger at me. Nice to see she's still her same bitchy self from Trial Mountain.

The RX-8 was easily passed. At least I can't come last, if the RX-8 is so easy to pass.

*BUMP!*
Keiko rammed into my left side. This had the unintended effect of giving me the inside line.
Keiko - "Damn it!"

I then killed two birds with one stone along the S Curves, as I passed the NSX and the R34 within seconds of each other.

I was ready to take the lead.

But then, I ran wide at Dunlop.
- "Damn it..."

However, I still held 2nd.
Impreza driver - "He's good, if he can keep up driving a Skyline R32."

At the Hairpin, the Subaru and I almost touched each other's bumpers.
Impreza driver - "He must have balls of steel..."

However, he sped away on the straights.
Impreza driver - "Sayonara..."

Impreza driver - "Damn...he must be faster than me at the corners..."

- "Oh crap...the back straight..."
Impreza driver - "This is where I lose you..."

I then ran wide at 130R, but suddenly...

- "Damn, I don't want to do Arab drifting right now!"

Keiko - "You're not worth colliding with, you piece of 🤬."

I fell to 4th, behind the NSX.
NSX driver - "Wasn't he leading?"
Yeah, for a few tenths of a second.

I passed the NSX easily at First.

Keiko refused to yield, and didn't give a damn if she was putting her car in serious danger.

Impreza driver - "Who's driving that Skyline? Michael Schumacher?"
No, Hiroto Matsuda.

Keiko attempted to get by on the grass. This didn't work.

At Casio Triangle, I took the lead under braking.

However, as the inside became the outside, and vice versa, the Impreza took back his lead.
- "Damn...back to square one."
Keiko was feeling the pressure.
Keiko - "Must...not...lose...to...🤬...driver..."

Keiko was momentarily 4th.
Keiko - "Get lost!"
NSX driver - "Sweet, 3rd."

I passed the Subaru along the S Curves. Life just can't get any better, can it?

Then at Degner...
Impreza driver - "🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬!"

He did a 180-degree turn, and was right in the way of the NSX.
NSX driver - "BAKA!!!" (IDIOT!!!)

Keiko - "That's what I call an epic fail."

Impreza driver - "That's it...I'm 🤬."

Impreza driver - "Oh, great, the RX-8 will pass me."

The Impreza was neutralised. He won't be a threat to my lead any longer.

Keiko, meanwhile, managed to pass the NSX, and was hot on my tail.
Keiko - "This is where the fun begins..."

Over the corners, I stretched my lead. Keiko, however, couldn't be shaken off. She's like gum on the sole of your shoe.

- "I can't shake her..."
Keiko - "Ha...I can't believe you're going to lose..."

- "Crap..."
Announcer - "Matsuda wa, rīdo o ushinatta!" (Matsuda has lost the lead!)
Keiko - "Banzai!"

Keiko - "What the..."

Keiko - "No..."

Keiko - "You piece of 🤬..."
# Satoshi - "You have to get your comeuppance some day..."

By now, the race was lost. Keiko had no-one to blame except herself, for braking too late.

At this moment, she reached the tipping point. The car's spin couldn't be stopped.

NSX driver - "I wasn't expecting 2nd place to be gift-wrapped for me."

Keiko parked the car on the grass on the inside of Spoon corner.
Keiko - "I'm 🤬! I'm 🤬!"
She proceeded to bang her head repeatedly off the steering wheel after taking her helmet off.

At Casio Triangle, the Subaru passed the Skyline for 4th.

The NSX followed me home in 2nd, as I picked up the win and 1,000,000 yen. The RX-8 finished 3rd. Keiko was listed as "DNF". Mainly because she knocked herself unconscious, after hitting her head repeatedly off the steering wheel.

After the race...
James - "That was what Keiko whispered to you?!"
Ryosuke - "See, what did I tell you?"
We were approached by a GT Association official.
Official - "Matsuda-san, although the Gran Turismo Association does not approve of these wagers, they are still recognised as legal by us. Here are the keys to the Mazda RX-7 of Keiko Yamamoto."
- "Domo origato." (Thank you.)
The official walked off.
- "Well, that felt satisfying."

---THE END---
I'm planning on making a 2nd volume to Hashiriya. However, I would prefer to leave it until GT5 comes out, so I can use that for pictures, races and storylines. I feel that Hashiriya Mk. II was much better than Mk. I. If Mk. I were a KPGC10 Skyline GT-R, this would be a Formula 1 car. It's so much better than Mk. I. I enjoyed writing this, and I hope that you, the reader, have enjoyed reading this. Until Volume 2 comes out, Hiroto Matsuda will be taking a little break.

 

[tankuroded]

That's so good. The Hiroto vs Keiko race war seems good to me.

 

[NotThePrez]

Good ending! Onward to Volume 2!

 

[Watchman]

Epic! - That's all I can say. Thank you for this. 👍

 

[Rykon Zero]

Good! I like how this went!

 

[DK]

Hashiriya - Volume 2
Chapter 1 - Easy Victory​

Two days after defeating my nemesis, I totally dominated a 2 lap race at Suzuka. My confidence is through the roof. The prize was 100,000 yen. I'm going to eat well tonight! Then, my phone rang.
- "Mushi mushi?" (Hello on the phone)
Miyu - "Come on, Kazumi's at Motegi. I want to do my racing lessons."
It dawned on me why Miyu wanted that S15. I can't blame her, it's a nice car.
- "Where are you?"
Miyu - "The...'Team Sony NISMO Formula GT' tent."
- "Oh, I see you."
I hung up. It was only a 20 second walk from where I was to where she was.
- "OK, where's your car?"
Miyu - "The pits."
- "So, how's training going."
Miyu - "Last week I made Kazumi puke."
- "Why? How?"

Miyu - "Uh...I spun."
- "Where? Degner? 1st? 2nd? Gyaku Bank? Spoon?"
Miyu's face turned red.
Miyu - "Casio Triangle."
- "What, did you get a rear wheel on the grass?"
Miyu - "Sorta..."
- "What do you mean, 'sorta'?"
Miyu - "Uh...it started at 130R."
- "Uh...how the 🤬 did you manage to keep it out of the wall?"
Miyu - "I just turned the steering wheel the other way."

Kazumi - "Miyu...I feel queasy..."
Miyu - "Not in the car! Not in my car! No...NO!!!"

No wonder the car smelled like chlorine.
Miyu - "You wouldn't want to smell this car after last week's lesson."
- "What did it smell like?"
Miyu - "Regular vomit with a hint of noodles."
- "Damn...that does sound disgusting."
It dawned on me that seeing as she didn't get any practice, that she might spin again.

After a flying lap...
Miyu - "How good was I?"
- "Meh...2 minutes, 34.947 seconds."
Miyu - "OK, Senna-san, let's see how good you are!"
- "Am I a charitable, Brazilian 3-time Formula 1 Champion who met his untimely end doing his job?"
Miyu - "Are you a man who would eliminate other drivers to win a championship?"
I was only 4 when that happened! I actually remember seeing the crash between Senna and Prost with my own eyes, and then seeing my mother gasping in shock.
- "No. Do I look like Keiko Yamamoto?"

After my flying lap...
Miyu - "Crap...2 minutes, 27.032 seconds."
- "Banzai!"
Miyu - "Whatever, it's my turn now."

- "Meh...all rookies go off at Degner."
Miyu took one hand off the steering wheel to give me the finger.

One lap later, she made the same mistake.
Miyu - "Chikusho!" (Damn it!)

On the same lap, we had a scary off-road excursion on the straight leading to Spoon.

Miyu - "That was close..."
My stomach has being slowly weakened by Miyu's unrefined driving skills.

But then, along the S-Curves...

Miyu - "Uh-oh..."
As if to prove I've spent too much time watching American TV...
- "Dammit, Chloe, we're running out of time!"
Miyu - "Huh?"
- "Oh, nothing."

And just then, I hit my head off the door.

- "Where...am...I?"
Miyu - "You hit your head off my door. At least, unlike Kazumi, you didn't puke."
I stand up. Immediately I feel nauseous. And almost instantly I puke.
Miyu - "You missed a call."
- "Really? Who from?"
Miyu - "Ryosuke Sato."
- "Just great..."
I pick up my phone and call him.
- "Sato-san! Is that you?"
Ryosuke - "You missed the meeting. What happened?"
- "What meeting?"
Ryosuke - "I called you about 2 hours ago. What made you miss the meeting?"
- "It's a long story."
Ryosuke - "Well, I'll cut to the chase. Edospeed is no more. Well, I'm referring to the racing team. The tuning brand still stands. Good luck. Sayonara."
The line goes dead.
Miyu - "What was that about?"
- "I don't know."
My phone rings again.
- "Oh, Sato-san, what a nice surprise."
Ryosuke - "I forgot to mention...my son is racing at Fuji tomorrow. I would appreciate it if you could make it. James is already returning to Canada."
- "I've got nothing planned."
Ryosuke - "Well, in that case, I hope to see you at Fuji."
- "Sayonara."

Yes, I know I was planning to put this off until GT5's release, and make it using source material from GT5, such as tracks and cars, but my brain is overflowing with creative juices. I can't even last 8 days without posting! Jesus tapdancing Christ, what's up with me?

 

[NotThePrez]

It's called having a very good story. 👍

 

[DK]

Chapter 2 - Ripped Off​

After watching Ryosuke Jr's first two races, I returned to Suzuka. Upon returning to my apartment (my landlord decided not to rent out my apartment when I was in America), I received a phone call.
- "Toshi! How are you?"
Toshi - "How the 🤬 do you think I'm doing? I lost two 90's Challenge races! One at Special Stage Route 5, the other at Grand Valley Speedway! I came 5th, 5th of all places, at Grand Valley Speedway!"
- "Oh, I saw the race at Special Stage Route 5. I wasn't there for Grand Valley Speedway. When did the race end?"
Toshi - "I'm in the paddock now."
- "Right..."
Toshi - "I can't believe it...I'm going to get a new car. THe Prelude's a piece of crap."
- "OK, is that all then?"
Toshi - "Hai. Sayonara, Matsuda-san."

Two days later

The phone rang again.
- "Toshi?"
Toshi - "I found this R34 for sale. GT-R. For 4 million yen."
I jump off the couch.
- "SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!"
Toshi - "Where did you get that from?"
Don't blame me, blame those hours watching Comedy Central in America.
Toshi - "So, I should tell you the dealer's local."
- "Huh?"
Toshi - "The seller bought the cars at some sort of liquidation auction. These were owned by a small tuning company."
- "In that case, 4 million for a R34 GT-R...that's a bargain!"
Toshi - "Are you happy for me?"
My smile fades.
- "You're buying it?"
Toshi - "Why not?"
- "Well, let's look at your automotive CV..."

- "Your first car was a Honda Civic EG6."
Toshi - "It was, what, about 1, maybe 2 seconds, a lap slower than your Silvia..."
- "With me at the wheel. Around Suzuka East, not the full course. And it was modified, my Silvia was stock. With you at the wheel, you were lapping in the 1'08s. Crap, considering that I did it in 1'02.420. The Silvia, meanwhile, had a best lap of 1'01.019."
Toshi - "Yeah, but I never crashed in it!"
- "You sold it for 1.2 million yen."
Toshi - "It was a smart economic decision."
- "You bought it for 1 million yen. Those upgrades probably cost in the region of a further 500,000 yen. You made a loss."

- "Your second car was a 200SX, the S13 model."
Toshi - "Don't remind me..."
- "It ended up with its ass lodged in a tyre wall. Plus, the oil was never changed, and the left sideskirt was missing."
Toshi - "Stop nitpicking..."
- "Also, you bought it for 450,000 yen. Suspiciously cheap, in my humble opinion."
Toshi - "OK..."
- "Including repairs and finding parts, you spent 150,000 yen on it. You sold it for...750,000 yen. OK, you made a profit there."
Toshi - "I can't believe I got you to do my accounts..."

- "Your third car was a...Mazda MX-5 NB? Were you going through a "phase" there, Toshi? "
Toshi - "Shut up..."
- "We both know how that ended..."
Toshi - "I don't, actually."
- "That's because you passed out. But then again, 150km/h crashes seem to do that, don't they?"
Toshi - "Go on, what's the damage?"
- "Bought for 1.6 million yen. Sold for parts for 500,000 yen. Insurance company refused to pay. I can't really blame them."

- "Car number 4...a Mitsubishi Evo 1."
Toshi - "I can't resist a bargain..."
- "600,000 yen sounded way too good to be true."
Toshi - "Still, I made some money."
- "You spent about 1 million yen tuning it. And yet it still understeered like a front-wheel drive Hummer."
Toshi - "Thank 🤬 for cheap tuning!"
- "You sold it for 2.5 million."

- "Car number 5, my least favourite, the Mark 3 Supra. What the 🤬?!"
Toshi - "I couldn't resist 750,000 yen!"
- "Sold after two weeks, after simple engine tuning, for 1 million yen. You complained that you couldn't handle it. Mainly because it had around 270hp."

- "And of course, your current car, the '96 Prelude."
Toshi - "Bought for 800,000 yen."
- "Upgrades include...DVD player, racing seat for the driver, shiny metallic gearstick, leather steering wheel, drilled accelerator, brake and clutch pads made from recycled Coke cans...sorry, I mean aluminium...Toshi, this car sends a very confusing message..."
Toshi - "What is it?"
- "It seems to be stuck between racer and luxury land yacht."
Toshi - "It also happens to have new brake pads, and a completely reworked engine."
- "How much power does it have?"
Toshi - "Uh...around 225, maybe 230hp?"
- "Anything more than 200hp going through the front wheels will cause problems. Understeer, wheelspin, torque steer...it's all bad. Real bad. Toshi, your past history probably rules out any chance of you fully utilising the greatness of a GT-R."
Toshi - "Then I'll take the IB-licence exams!"
- "Toshi, you will barely scrape through. A driver of your skill, or rather lack of skill, will barely be able to even get a bronze in your tests. It was a really close call for your A-Licence final exam. How much did you beat the bronze time by, about 5 thousandths of a second?"
I can just imagine the sad look on Toshi's face upon hearing what I think is the truth.
Toshi - "I don't need your permission! I'll buy that GT-R myself!"

The next day...

I can't believe Toshi managed to drag me into this. There are three men excluding Toshi and myself, two of them white and of the two white men, both had eastern European accents. I could figure out that they were bodyguards for the dealer, who was Chinese.
Dealer - "Gentlemen, which car you interested to buy?"
Clearly he needs to work on the English.
The man to his left gave me an intimidating stare. It's as if he knows that I was going to ask why the dealer needed bodyguards. However, Toshi didn't seem to notice the intimidating stares.
Toshi - "Why do you need these two white guys?"
One of the bodyguards turned to his colleague, and started speaking in some eastern European language that I didn't understand.
Dealer - "Many people try steal my cars!"
- "OK...this is Japan. We have a 99% conviction rate for crimes. Car theft is virtually non-existent here. Why are you so scared of this? And by the way, how many people tried to steal from you?"
Dealer - "We catch one last week!"
- "Really..."
Dealer - "You think I lie! No one dare say Chun Mei lie back in Hong Kong!"
- "Is that your name?"
The dealer is getting nervous.
Dealer - "No. Chun Mei name of business partner!"
One of the bodyguards makes an "Ahem!" noise while coughing.
Toshi - "I want to buy the GT-R."
The dealer smiles. And not in a good way.
Dealer - "Why you no say so?"
Toshi - "I have 4 million yen, right here."
Dealer - "I very sorry. We have lot of bidder. Price now 5 million."
Toshi - "OK, sure, I'll pay it...in cash!"
I give Toshi a fierce look, as if to say, "Buy a GT-R somewhere else!" Unfortunately Toshi isn't very good at heeding warnings.
Dealer - "We have deal. Especially since you pay cash."
Toshi and the dealer shake hands. Toshi hands the dealer a stack of money containing 5 million yen. This is where we part ways, and I head home in my GT-R, and Toshi heads home in his.

That evening...

- "Mushi mushi." (Hello if you're using the phone.)
Toshi - "Hiroto...my Skyline has a problem..."

Special thanks to drvac for his awesome editing work.

 

[Rykon Zero]

I'm surprised there wasn't an MR2 at the end. In white.

 

[DK]

Chapter 3 - An Inconvenient Truth
- "Wait a second...why didn't you refer to your Skyline as a GT-R?"
Toshi - "It's because...it's not."
- "Toshi, you sound drunk. Stop drinking Tiger beer!"
Toshi - "It's not a GT-R! Sōichirō wa, koko ni ki!" (Soichiro, come over here!)"
Soichiro is Toshi's brother, and he's 17 years old. He drives a Silvia Q's S14, because he prefers NA engines. Soichiro got on the phone.
Soichiro - "Hey, Hiroto. Haven't seen you since my 17th."
He speaks perfect English, also, and he's currently learning Korean and French. Odd mix, don't you think?
- "So, what's the problem?"
Soichiro - "Man, have you seen NHK news recently?"
He also watches a lot of American shows on the Internet, hence the use of words like "man" and "dude".
- "No, why?"
Soichiro - "There's been reports of gangs selling counterfeited cars."
- "How can you counterfeit a car?"
Soichiro - "People say that about movies and DVDs, and yet it still happens. They use body kits to disguise the car as a higher level model. You could have an entry-level Mercedes C200 passed off as an AMG model, or a non-turbo Skyline passed off for a GT-R. Unfortunately, Toshi fell for the latter. His Skyline is a GT in a GT-R's clothing. The GT model..."
- "...Has the RB20DE NEO, an environmentally-friendly engine."
Soichiro - "Jesus Christ dude, if there was some sort of game show where you had to answer questions on a specialist subject, you would win the top prize if you answered questions on the Skyline. So anyways, it's been tuned to 190hp. It has numerous modifications, all of them cheap."
Toshi - "They told me it was an aftermarket exhaust that made it sound different!"
Soichiro - "The fact is, Toshi, that you're not really smart. You've been scammed, bro."
- "So, what happens next?"
Soichiro - "Well, Toshi can go to them to get his money back. In the highly likely case that he fails, he can report them to the police."
- "So, how do these gangs operate?"
Soichiro - "Usually, there are people willing to make body kits that make an entry-level model look like a top of the range model. Plus, there are people stupid enough, i.e. American teenagers who think they're P Diddy, or Toshi-"
Toshi - "🤬 YOU!"
Soichiro - "Toshi, you barely passed your final exams. Now, I'll continue. There are those who are stupid enough to buy these counterfeited cars, with the seller claiming 'Oh, it's a new suspension,' 'Oh, it's a new exhaust,' or 'Oh, those are new brakes, they haven't been worn in yet.' All of that being total bullcrap, of course. To make sure you don't get suspicious, they usually sell the car at around the recommended price for the higher-level model. You can expect to see a counterfeited GT-R R34 sell for 4 to 5 million yen."
- "Right...well, it was nice talking to you guys."
Toshi - "WAIT! I want you to come with me to get my money back! You've got nothing planned tomorrow, do you?"
- "No. What the hell, I'll go. But only because of you."

The next day...

What the? Where's my car? Oh wait, there's a note, where my Skyline once was. It read,
"Hiroto, your car needs work. While you were recovering from hitting your head off of my car's door, I checked the engine. It needs work. Dad agreed, so, it will be a few days before you get it back.

Your loving sister, etc.,
Miyu."
That bitch! How did she get my keys? I crumple up the note and throw it at the ground in frustration. At the same time, a man stares at me, as if I have some mental disorder. I pick up the note and put it in the bin.
Toshi - "Mushi mushi?"
- "Toshi, my car's in the garage, bring the fake GT-R. I'm in my apartment's car park."

You have to admire their work. That Skyline GT really looks very similar to its bigger, much more powerful brother.
Dealer - "You want money back?"
Toshi - "If you don't give me my money, I'll go to the cops!"
One of the dealer's two bodyguards says something to the other, yet again in an unrecognisable eastern European language. Maybe it's Russian, it doesn't sound like Polish to me.
Dealer - "In Hong Kong nobody ask for money back!"
- "This isn't Hong Kong."
Dealer - "You funny man? You Mr. Ricky Gervais?"
- "My friend wants his money. I want to sit at home playing video games. The sooner you give us the money, the better."
Dealer - "Come back next day. I need get money from bank."
- "You better give us that money."
Dealer - "Leave car here."
- "No."
Dealer - "You want money? I want car."
Toshi - "OK, sure, whatever."
As soon as we left the warehouse, I called Kazumi.
- "Kazumi? We need a ride home."
Kazumi - "And I need a back massage."
- "Seriously, Kazumi, we're outside the old Miyagi Seafood Concern warehouse. Can you pick us up?"
Kazumi - "If you're willing to watch me practice..."
- "OK."

An hour later...

What the hell? It's still daytime and she's practicing on a touge?!

? - "Boss, target is on a pass at Mt. Kasatori."
# ?? - "That's right where I wanted her, Mikhail."
Mikhail - "Do you think we should deploy Operation Valdez?"
# ?? - "Sure..."
The driver of the Mercedes hung up. He then dialled another number.
Mikhail - "Dmitri, do you have the oil?"
Dmitri - "Not only that, but it is Japan's slippiest!"
Mikhail - "Very good...deploy it now...she's returning from the uphill to do another downhill run..."
Dmitri - "OK, Operation Valdez is go!"

Kazumi froze. The car wouldn't slow down. I froze, and so did Toshi, as we realised what had happened.
Kazumi - "OIL SPILL!"
- "OIL SPILL!"
Toshi - "OIL SPILL!"

 

[NotThePrez]

Good chapter! I like that you now have the mafia in your story.

 

[DK]

Chapter 4 - Ambush​

Everything was blurred. Kazumi's face was blurred. Toshi's face was blurred. Toshi was slumped over in his seat, having blacked out under the stress of many G-forces.
Kazumi - "What's that in the mir-"
Suddenly the windows on the driver's and passenger's sides were smashed. I was dragged out of the car. The next few seconds were a blur. All I can remember of that was being kicked violently and repeatedly in the stomach. I then saw a car pull over. My vision was too blurred to see what it was.

Then, a Mercedes pulled over.

Two men got out of the white car. One man got out of the black car. I was then hauled up to my feet. All I remember was that I received a blow to the stomach.
? - "Who am I?"
- "I...(*wheeze*) don't...(*wheeze*) know..."
? - "Wrong answer."
I felt a blunt object strike my left leg.
? - "I'll give you a clue. Who called your sister a 'slut'?"
- "Miki...Watanbe?"
? - "Correct. Your prize is a kick to the groin."
- "ARGH!!!"
? - "Now, who said Kazumi Tanaka would do anything for a quick buck?"
- "Miki...Watanabe..."
? - "Correct. I think you've got an idea of who I am now."
- "Miki?"
Miki - "Yes."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Toshi being thrown into the Mercedes. The Mercedes then drove off.

Miki - "Hiroto, I once heard that your braking skills are legendary. I wonder...how much can you recover when your left foot has a bullet lodged in it."
Miki pulled out a gun. He loaded it, and in the blink of an eye...
- "ARGH!!!"
Miki - "Goodbye, Hiroto. May our paths never meet again."

I started falling in and out of consciousness. The pain was unbearable.

I saw a Mercedes 190E Evo 2 pull up. A man got out. This is it, I thought. They've called out an assassin to finish me off.
?? - "Hmm...this road is unusually quiet. And slippery."
He then crouched down.
?? - "You don't look like a normal crash victim."
He picked me up and dragged me over to his car. As soon as I was sitting in the passenger's seat, I fell unconscious.

 

[Rykon Zero]

Oh dear. That's not gone well.

 

[NotThePrez]

No, it hasn't.

 

[Rykon Zero]

Wait, holy crap. My next chapter is eerily similar to this chapter.

 

[Anathema]

This has taken a turn for the worse - it will be interesting to find out how this turns out.

 

[Tonystew42]

Wait, holy crap. My next chapter is eerily similar to this chapter.

Well thanks for ruining it for us. Joking. But this chapter, it's changed the story a little bit. Also, am I screwed up, or did someone else get a laugh out of him winning a kick in the nuts?

 

[DK]

Chapter 4.5 - Bereavement​

Ugh. I feel groggy. I look around. Instantly, I can tell that I'm in hospital. At the other side of the ward is a comatose old woman. I'm not really sure, but seeing as there's lots of tubes around her, I guess that she's not just having a nap. I take a look at my left leg. My left foot, right up to just above my ankle, is encased in a plaster cast.
- "Oh, that's convenient."
I see a crutch leaning against the bed. I reach over to grab it. I look at myself. I'm wearing what patients normally wear in hospitals, I just can't think of the word. I see a note on a bedside locker to the left of my bed.
"Hiroto, the garage was vandalised last night. Your car has been stolen. Dad was there, he was attacked.

Miyu."
Those are 5 words I never want to hear. Well, that and "North Korea invades Japan." Oh wait, that's 4 words. I'm obviously not thinking clearly. I feel my head. Just above my left eye, there's a massive bruise. It's painful to touch. I wince as I touch it with my index and middle fingers. I don't know how, but I managed to limp my way to some sort of waiting room. There's a TV there, and NHK News is on. The room is almost empty. The only other occupant is a middle-aged woman.
# Newsreader - "This just in, a car has been discovered submerged at Nagoya Port. Michio Tsukamori is there at the scene. Michio, any details?"
# Reporter - "Thank you, Ami. The car appears to be a silver Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 V-spec II, with Mie Prefecture plates. Two bodies were discovered inside, one female, the other male. Both are believed to be in their early-to-mid-20's. The male has been named as Toshi Sagata, 23, of Suzuka City. The car was reported stolen from MT Autoworks, a garage in Suzuka. The female has also been named, as Kazumi Tanaka..."
The reporter continued, but I didn't care about what he was saying.
- "No...no...NO!!!"
With my left foot, I kick the wall repeatedly. I can't feel anything in my left foot, anyway. I collapse into a sobbing heap.
- "They're gone...they're gone..."
# Newsreader - "Are you telling me that her killer, or killers, have absolutely no respect for the dead? They did THAT to her...oh, sorry, we have to go to a commercial break."
# Advertisement - "Subete no kazoku to issho ni, Nintendō no Wii o tanoshimou!" (Have fun with all the family, with the Nintendo Wii!)

-----------------
Huh? Where am I...oh, wait, I'm back in the room. A nurse is standing next to my bed. I notice that the bed across the room is now empty.
- "Nani ga rō fujin ni okotta ka?" (What happened to the old lady?)
Nurse - "Kanojo wa ta no yunitto ni tensō sa rete iru." (She has been transferred to another unit.)
Next to her is Miyu.
- "Miyu...what the 🤬 happened?"
Miyu - "I don't know what you're talking about."
- "What did I do to get my friends killed and a bullet in the foot?"
Miyu - "What did I do to be called a 'slut' by Miki?"
- "Touché. What time is it? What day is it?"
Miyu - "It's around...(looks at watch)...11pm. It's the 6th of July. You were unconscious for about 10 days after the shooting."
- "When was the garage..."
Miyu - "It was burned down. Everything is ruined. Dad's R33, Tanaka-san's (Kazumi's father) new 350Z, a few cars that they were repairing and tuning...they're all gone. Your R32 was stole-"
- "THANK YOU CAPTAIN 🤬 OBVIOUS!!!"
Am I turning into Keiko?
Miyu - "I'm going to ignore that. Here."
She handed me a plastic bag, with shoes, a jacket, a t-shirt and a pair of tracksuit bottoms inside.

Oh, am I glad to see one slightly familiar car.
- "Holy 🤬, you had it re-sprayed?"
Miyu - "And, I threw out the back seat - well, actually, all of the seats, and had the passenger's and driver's seats replaced with racing seats. Plus, it has a new suspension, a turbo, a racing chip, new transmission parts...I say it could break 2'20 at Suzuka."
For no logical reason, I start crying.
Miyu - "What's wro-"
- "That was Kazumi's dream. She wanted to break the 2'20 barrier so badly..."
Miyu - "You're not the only one dealing with a loss. Grandma died yesterday."
I say nothing. Which is a monumentally huge mistake.
Miyu - "YOU SELFISH BASTARD!"
- "Oh come on, I have a father!"
Miyu - "YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR OWN GRANDMOTHER?!"
- "Oh come on, you were the same when Grandpa died! Grandma was always cold towards me!"
Miyu - "SHE LOVED ME LIKE THE GRANDDAUGHTER I AM!"
- "Exactly, she always favoured the girls."
For the duration of the journey from the hospital to my apartment, there were no more words exchanged between us. I sat down on my couch and stared into space. The phone rang.
- "Hello?"
??? - "HELP ME!!!"
The line went dead.

 

[NotThePrez]

That's cold, which was probably what you were going for.