Page 23 - A New Road Ahead
A week after the race, what had transpired is still a hot topic among blog sites, racing analysts, and in social media. The 4 of them are also bombarded with interviews and they reveal their tricks of the trade and their past as well.
They have returned to Japan, save for Ricky and Axel since they went home to U.K. and Germany respectively; and they have a long break from racing. One evening, the Kanonji family is readying for dinner in their home.
Takanori: "Aniki!!!! I'm starving to death here! Hurry up!"
Takuma: "Why don't you do the cooking, you little shrimp!"
Dinner is served, and everyone is at the dining table. As Takuma opens up the sukiyaki pot...
Takanori: "Itadakimasu!"
He immediately grabs the contents of the pot.
Makoto: "Oh dear, my husband will gorge on that whole pot, for sure."
Takuma: "Don't worry, just like in racing, one has to go at the pit stop."
Takanori: "There's no pit stop when eating your delicious cooking! Hah!"
Takanori just keeps gorging on the bowl with his chopsticks quickly.
Tomoko: "Easy... Hahahahaha."
Ben: "Wow, Daddy really is a great chef! Why don't you open a restaurant?"
Takuma: "I still prefer racing over cooking, boy. I do have recipe videos in my YouTube channel, though."
Suddenly, they hear a loud idling exhaust note from the outside.
Takanori: "Eh? Who could that be?"
Then they hear it revving.
Takanori pauses his eating and checks the outside.
Takanori: "Eh??? Elise?"
Sayuki steps out from the Elise and throws the key to him.
Sayuki: "There, it's fixed."
Takanori: "Whoa, really? You..."
Sayuki: "Don't thank me. Thank those guys from TI Racing who did further extensive modifications of the car. Though I was the one who found a spare 1.8 liter engine from the Toyota Celica and tuned it the same way as before."
Takanori: "TI Racing... I know that shop. They tune on Lotus cars, mostly."
Sayuki: "The whole body is carbon fiber now, the gear ratios have been shortened, and they equip the car new racing brakes and suspension as well. It's time you do the proper shakedown."
Takanori: "Thanks a lot, Sayuki! I owe you..."
Sayuki: "Let me know if you need help, okay? I'm always on your side, for our family."
Takanori: "You will always be a part of the Kanonji family. Thank you for your kindness."
Sayuki: "Well, so long! Don't break it, crybaby!"
Takanori bids his hand goodbye as Sayuki walks away. Takuma also heads outside to check on the car as well.
Takuma: "A new color again, huh? So, what's new in this car?"
Takanori: "A lot. I'll do a proper shakedown tomorrow at Suzuka Circuit."
Takuma: "Let's go in. Let's finish dinner."
Upon heading in, Takanori then calls the attention of everyone while eating.
Takanori: "Um... Makoto and I have decided to move out from our condominium unit in Ropponggi hills. We will be moving to our new home in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. The new house is complete, and we will be moving there next week."
Tomoko: "Yokohama? Isn't it a bit far from here?"
Takanori: "Unfortunately, yes. It's 45 minutes away from Tokyo. But don't worry, We would still visit here 3 times a week! We just need a bigger house to live in, especially that we are expecting our 2nd child and my car collection has gotten a bit bigger."
Takuma: "Besides, you don't want to get stressed all the time in Tokyo's bustling streets. Yokohama is a perfect place to go home from work in Tokyo."
Tomoko: "Well, we will support you in whatever decision you make, Takanori. That's just one of the things that a family does."
Takuharu: "Papa..."
Takanori: "Yes? What is it, my little racer?"
He approaches his son and tickles him.
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And so the next day, Takanori and Hiroyuki test out the resurrected Elise in Suzuka Circuit.
Takanori: "This accelerates better."
Takanori: "And it doesn't twitch as much as before! I can have full control of the car!"
Hiroyuki: "Glad to hear it. And besides, the guys in TI Racing sure know what they are doing."
Takanori: "I can troll supercars all day with this!"
Then they stop by at the 130R corner. They look at Nobuhiko's framed photo and a plaque.
Takanori: "The Frequent Visitor, huh?"
Hiroyuki: "What really melted my heart is the fact that Nobuhiko used to stop here very often and think about me. This time, I am the doing it... thinking about him."
Takanori: "You did more than enough to make up for your past mistakes. Your son is very happy now."
Hiroyuki: "My wife and I are in speaking terms right now."
Takanori: "That's very good to hear! Nobuhiko would love hearing that too!"
Hiroyuki: "I have to thank you, Takanori-kun. If I hadn't met you, then I would be lonely forever. You know, people would love meeting you because you can change them."
Takanori: "Hehehehehe.... You're welcome."
They look up at the bright sunny sky.
So much has happened. Through all the tears, laughter, success and failures, these experiences helped us shape into not just faster racers but also better persons. A year has passed, and we take our own paths, but rest assured, we would make it a point to keep in touch.
Aniki's cooking channel in YouTube has garnered over 1 million subscribers. Even well-known chefs across the globe recommend his channel. His adopted son, Ben, has started taking up Karting in his free time. Aniki's charity work is booming as well. Takuma's Proteges has received tons of donations and all the children in that orphanage have been granted scholarship.
Ricky-san is now an in-demand car reviewer in Europe. His car reviews in both magazine and video are garnering positive comments and car enthusiasts always rely on him for consumer advice as well. Here's the best part, we can converse each other in Japanese!
Hiroyuki-san and his wife have finally reconciled and I am actually invited to their upcoming second wedding! Nobuhiko would surely be the happiest man in the heavens. I just wish them the best. As a family man, you have to keep your family in check, right? Even if trials rise on the way.
As for me, well...
...my wife gave birth to our baby girl. Her name is Reina or "Rei" as Takuharu calls his little sister. We now live in a bigger and better home in Yokohama, with 2 floors of basement garage! My car reviewing stint is still on-going, and I am actually honored to find out that all the people who own the Takanori Edition R35 GT-R have converted them similar to my racing-spec R35! In the same color! Man, I can't tell which is which. Haha! Oh, and also...
...I am helping out Kazunori-san train the upcoming GT Academy racers. I share with them my experiences. Happily, they are all doing good so far and they are more determined to achieve their goals.
THE END
The reason behind the Elise's new color:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMnv8yYhDPI