When every day brings a new hurdle to leap, a new goal to reach, it’s easy to forget how far you’ve come already—and all the same, it can lead some signs of the times to strike you. This year, Reina was not content to let the seasons leave her behind, keeping herself busy as a bee...but in the process, she ironically lost track of where all that time went. Before she knew it, spring became a distant memory, and now summer too joins it in the past. The perennial leaves are just starting to show their autumn colors, carrying with them an omen of great change... Indeed, time keeps marching on.

  Only when she stops for this fleeting moment does it really set in.

  “Mmmm...” It starts with a groggy blink or two in bed. Normally at this time of day, she would be out and about already, either at the shop or on the long road to the track at Tokachi. She’s had no shortage of work, especially over the last few weeks...

  ...But today is a peculiar day: at the behest of her mother and the rest of the Aikawa Auto crew, she has taken today off.

  *yaaawn!* “Ohhh, I didn’t realize how much I needed that.”

  She always sleeps so much better once it starts getting properly cool at night. That, combined with her massive endurance test at Tokachi yesterday, made her sleep like a rock well past her usual hours. It still doesn’t feel quite right, taking today off so close to the big day, but the rest of the team insisted: today, Sami is handling business out at the track, and the two old boys are managing the shop in her stead. The Road Runner is in use as well; even if she did have business to attend to, she wouldn’t be able to get very far without it.

  “Man...” Reina cocks her head, her vision still blurry. “When was the last time I had nothing to do?”

  She feels like she should be making up for this somehow, but then, perhaps it’s best not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

  “Maybe she has a point though... Won’t do me any good if I show up to the race all tired.”

  There remains one week until the big day—when mother and daughter will duel to decide the future of Aikawa Auto. In that time, she and Sami have been steeling themselves, practicing day in and day out as much as Tokachi will let them. The searing heat of summer has forged the two of them both...but the question of who will prevail remains as unclear as ever. Neither of them will cede an inch of ground to each other. This race has awakened a fiery, competitive spirit within them both—but at the end of the day, their family bond still burns brighter.

  Naturally, Reina still has some last-minute adjustments she wants to make. She wants to polish any and every imperfection she can find in the car before its big track date—and this last weekend of testing did wonders to help her find those last few trifling faults. She’s thrown just about everything and the kitchen sink at it, from limit-breaking hot laps to hours-long endurance runs, putting the prototype through the wringer without quarter nor relent. That’s the best way for her to know it’ll have what it takes when the big day comes.

  It’s done a lot for her, as well, as she’s shared test driving duties with Yuzu throughout the summer. The latter has a busy schedule herself—but that’s proven to be a blessing in disguise. The more experience Reina gets out on the track, the better prepared she’ll be to face Sami on the starting grid.

  That’s all in the past now, of course. The buildup is written; all that remains is the future.

  ...Just not right now.

  “Ahhh... There we go.” Reina finds her glasses after fishing for them on her nightstand. Her bedhead is, as usual, a mess—and her rumbling stomach begs for breakfast. But that’s the wonderful thing about today: she can take it all at her own pace and just do whatever she wants, without the pressure of timelines and schedules to hound her out of the house. Nothing to do, nowhere to be... It’s almost a frightening thought, if she’s being honest with herself. What is she going to do with all this time?

  “...Hm. Yeah, I have no idea. Maybe when I’m more awake, I’ll figure something out.”

  *VVVRRRRMMMM...*

  “Huh...?”

  A distant growl catches her attention, her ears puckering as she lazily looks toward her window. Whatever it is, it’s not coming from an angle she can see...but something about it makes her think she really should recognize it. She wants to say it sounds like an Aikawa engine, even...

  “That’s...not the Road Runner...” She doesn’t see why it would be the Star Rider either. It sounds...different. A little more shouty in the top end, not as much bass to its song. But it still sounds undeniably mean...so what is it?

  “...Wait!”

  Suddenly, it all clicks. There’s one other Aikawa motor prowling around Hokkaido—one belonging to a certain open-wheel star... But that doesn’t make any sense, Reina thinks to herself. Last she heard, the lass was down in Motegi for a race weekend. She wouldn’t be all the way back up here so soon, would she? The big race at Tokachi isn’t for another week...

  *VVRRRMMMM!*

  ...And yet here she is.

  “...Okay, now I’ve gotta see what this is all about.” Reina hastily gets herself dressed. “Hope she doesn’t mind my bedhead!”

  Seems today has decided her itinerary for her...and you know, that’s not so bad after all.

  ***

  “Right, here we are.”

  The first cat is out of the bag—that Yuzu is back in town, and she’s paying Reina a surprise visit. The second is who’s in the passenger seat.

  “Thanks for waiting at the airport. Stupid flight just had to get held up back in Kanazawa!”

  “No problem. I don’t have anywhere else to be anyway.”

  They each heard about the big event well ahead of time—and since they’re both free from school and other obligations, they figured they might as well take the week to enjoy themselves. One thing led to another, and they coordinated their arrival with Sami to give Reina this little surprise to go with her day off... She’s confident it’ll pay off in the end. Reina’s needed a nice break, the poor girl.

  “Alright!” With that, Yuzu and Akane make their exit, the Silvia temporarily silenced. It’s a bit odd going straight to her house instead of the shop down the road—in fact, for a moment, they were convinced the garage was where she actually lived. She sure as hell seemed to be down there all the time.

  *DING!*

  “Ack! Gimme a minute!” Reina rushes to get herself in a presentable state, her day quickly turning into an event. Just when the two guests think they might’ve caught her at the wrong time, she flings the door open and greets them.

  “Yo!”

  “Morning.”

  “Yuzu! And Akane too?! What the heck are you two doing here already?”

  “I just flew straight back after my race on Friday, and that put me here in Sapporo anyway, so I figured I might as well pay you a visit while I’m here.”

  “Pop and I are taking a little vacation of our own! And we have to go through Sapporo too, so that worked out nicely for us!”

  “Well, dangit, I would’ve cleaned myself up if I knew you two were coming! I look like a wreck right now!”

  “Nah, don’t sweat it!” Akane’s sure she’s looking equally beat up after a rough day of travel.

  “Your mom told us you were taking the day off, so we wanted to ask if you’d be up for lunch or something. Doesn’t have to be too fancy.”

  “Oh!” Reina’s face never fails to light up when you mention food. On account of sleeping in so late, her stomach is getting pretty desperate... If they’re offering, who is she to refuse?

  “Well, I kinda was looking for something to do today—think I’d have driven myself stir-crazy cooped up in the house all day. Gimme a minute to freshen up and then, sure!”

  “Awesome!”

  Reina invites the two of them into her humble abode, pulling out chairs for the both of them while she retreats to her room. They do find it intriguing to get a glimpse into her world like this—a world not even her diehard customers know. Old furniture and picture frames tell a tale of generations lost to time...yet their legacy lives on, plain as day for Yuzu and Akane to see. The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?

  “Y’know, it’s kinda funny. I just started out as her business partner, but now...I’m here.”

  “Heh heh.” Yuzu knows how that feels. The young boss just has a way of bringing people together...even people who might not have given her a chance from first impressions alone. Perhaps even greater than her mechanical smarts and her business savvy, is her sheer, unbridled enthusiasm for what she does. It’s just infectious.

  “Me too, Akane. Me too.”

  “Thanks for waiting!” Reina’s timely re-entrance prompts the both of them to get up from their seats, ready to tackle the town.

  “Anywhere in particular you wanted to go?”

  “I know a place. My family goes there a lot when we’re in town.”

  “Nice! Lead the way, then.”

  Something about Yuzu taking charge is actually rather refreshing. Reina’s been leading the way this whole time, making plans, drafting pitches, forging ahead on the Star Rider project. But just for one day, she gets to take a physical and metaphorical back seat as Yuzu treats her for the afternoon. It’s unusual, for sure—especially on top of the strangeness that is her blue-moon off day—but Reina isn’t complaining!

  “And there’s the old Silvia! Still treating you well?”

  “Well as ever. She still runs like a dream.”

  “I got déjà vu something fierce when I first saw it, but I couldn’t explain why at first.”

  “And then it hit you?”

  “And then it hit me.”

  There are few things on the road today that can make Akane seem...underwhelmed by her own DragStar. A snarling Aikawa engine is one of them.

  “Now I almost want one like that!”

  “Well, if all goes well, you won’t have to wait too long!”

  It really is crazy when you take a step back and look at the whole thing from afar. Reina has blossomed from humble mechanic to rising star, and with every passing day, the dawn of Aikawa Auto’s new age draws closer and closer...

  But for now, she’s just a passenger on a date for lunch with friends.

  *RRRrrrRRRRMMM!*

  “You comfy enough back there?”

  “Yeah, I’m good. You have the seat up all the way, so I’ve got plenty of leg room back here.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Sally go!”

  The Silvia soon joins the highway and leaves her neighborhood behind, bound for a new destination deep in the concrete spider web of Sapporo...and just like that, what Reina expected to be an uneventful day—boring, even—has turned into something wildly different. Serves her right for trying to predict the future, for indeed, you can never truly tell what tomorrow will bring.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  (Man...) Reina thinks to herself.

  (I’m so glad to have these two.)

  ***

  On this Sunday, the streets are abuzz with citygoers of all shapes and sizes. The weekend offers them all a reprieve from the grind, a chance to let go and enjoy themselves—doubly so for Reina, as this is her final weekend before the big day. The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes this really is for the best: it helps take her mind off of the pressure and the grind, and lets her spend valuable time with her friends instead. They’ve been a massive help in getting this far, after all—why shouldn’t they be doing friend group things?

  “It’s still weird coming to this part of the city... I rarely have an excuse to be out here.”

  “Really? You’ve been here for...what, your whole life?”

  “Yeah! I dunno, I just...don’t go places without a reason.”

  “Well, that sounds sad. Now I’m really glad we picked you up! Broaden your horizons a little bit, y’know?”

  “Fair, fair!”

  To some extent, she envies that they can both come all the way out here to see her—and a week early, at that. She extended them invitations for the big race, and she wouldn’t have been offended had they chosen not to come, but they both chose to make time for her anyway. She really appreciates that.

  “I’ve been wanting to tour the city a little more myself. I didn’t really get the chance to when I was last up here with Pop—that trip was all business.”

  “It’s a nice place. And the neat thing about the restaurants is that there’s stuff here you can’t get in Obihiro. That’s why I like trying out new places whenever I’m in town.”

  “This spot is one of your favorites, though?”

  “Yup. When in doubt, I always come back here.”

  Being Japan’s fifth-largest city—and carrying some not-so-subtle Western influence in its architecture and its cuisine—there’s more variety for a foodie than you might expect. The typical Japanese fare is well represented, of course, but there are also plenty of American and European restaurants to choose from...and one German option keeps Yuzu coming back. Fittingly not far from a bridge named after Munich, this hidden gem should scratch Reina’s itch for meat just fine.

  “There we are. Third floor.”

  “Oh! This looks pretty nice.” Reina takes the chance to stretch her still-tired arms before climbing out of the back seat. “When was the last time I had German, actually? I remember liking it...”

  “You really don’t remember?”

  “I... Look, come on, I gotta budget!”

  “Girl, you gotta get out more!”

  “With whose money?!”

  “With ours! Let us treat you, dangit.”

  “Wha— No, you don’t have to pay for—“

  “Overruled, 2-1. It’s the least we can do to pay you back.”

  “Not you too...!” After a brief pout, though, Reina admits defeat. Don’t worry about it; just let the good times roll and let the company of friends make for a lasting memory.

  “Thank you, though. Really.”

  “Heh heh. No problem.”

  It’s a quaint little place, and immediately their visit starts off on the right foot when they get a whiff of the fresh bread up front. And if Reina’s appetite weren’t whetted enough, the delectable aroma of meat sings a sweet, savory song to her taste buds. You can never go wrong with some good ol’ bratwurst—though Reina would very much like to test that theory for herself.

  They’ve come at a lull in the day’s usual cadence, so they’re seated and presented the menu in short order, their table right next to the window. The slender streets of Sapporo snake on the ground below them, the leaves only just beginning to turn. It’s an interesting new perspective for the otherwise hermit in blonde... Outside her immediate neighborhood, she really doesn’t get to see much of her own hometown.

  “Man... You two are right. I really do need to get out more.” Reina lets out a wistful chuckle as she stares out the window. “Taking that trip down to Nagoya really opened my eyes, I think: it showed me just how much I’d been missing this whole time.”

  “Yeah... It’s a big world out there, and pictures really don’t do it justice.”

  “Any plans for the next time you have a big break?”

  “Oh, I have no idea when that’ll even be.” Reina scratches her head.

  “But maybe now’s the time to start thinking about it... I mean, that trip was the first time I’d even been off Hokkaido in years. There’s so much other stuff to do, so many other places to be... I’ve got a lot on my bucket list.”

  “Anywhere specific you wanna go?”

  “Well...” Something funny happens when Yuzu and Akane get Reina’s gears turning. She’s always had that sense of wanderlust, but living so much of her childhood in frugal mode almost permanently pushed it into the back of her mind. She hasn’t had the luxury of planning the future on her own terms in...well, forever.

  But as she’s achieved her dream bit by bit, that whimsical look in her eyes slowly regains its luster. Oh, the places Reina would love to go.

  “...Gosh, where do I begin?”

  “I’d love to go to an F1 race in Suzuka...or just go to Suzuka in general. A proper race date at Fuji would be lots of fun too... And Hell, I’ve never been to Kyoto either—or Tokyo, now that I think about it.”

  “I’ve never been out of the country either, actually.”

  “Really? Not even to America?”

  “Nope. I think we floated the idea of a trip to Daytona when I was a kid, but that never went through. If I went now, though, I think I’d go somewhere else... Maybe see the Grand Canyon, or go visit some of the museums by where the Big Three are.”

  “...I’ve got too many options here!”

  “I think it’s more like you’ve got a lot of catching up to do!”

  “Haha! Maybe, maybe.”

  It’s a dangerous thing to get her worked up like this—it’s got her thinking about life in a post-Star Rider world. A world where the financial woes of the past are but a memory fading in the rear-view mirror, and where she can look to the future with head held high.

  A world she really can find some day.

  “I’d wanna treat my mom too... She deserves it as much as I do. All the guys at the shop, really. I’m so lucky to have them there, always having my back...”

  Reina turns to her friends with a beatific smile. “And I’m lucky to have you two as well... Without you, I wouldn’t be here living my crazy, weird dream here at home. You took the chance on me, as much of an outside shot as it was.”

  “Aww, c’mon... Give yourself some credit too!” Akane blushes.

  “I really mean it, though—from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me... I’ll always remember all the help I got along the way. That means the world to me.”

  Yuzu smiles. How the times have changed... She saw firsthand Reina’s evolution into a wise and capable leader. From the sheltered doldrums she once called home, naive and directionless in her vision for the world...to this. A woman in control of her own destiny, wielding her heritage not as an anchor, but as a map. She has proven her grandmother right, after all these years: when she puts her mind to it, her smarts, savvy and impeccable spirit can make anything happen.

  “Our pleasure, Reina... We’ll always be there for you.”

  “There’s just one little detail you got wrong, though.”

  “Oh?”

  Akane extends her fist for a bump. “It’s not just your dream anymore. You’ve got us on the hype train with you.”

  “Heh heh. Well said.” Yuzu offers her hand as well.

  Reina concedes. She’s not the only one in her own little world anymore; she’s got these two, and a host of others, working to make that dream into a reality along with her. Their world is her world.

  “Well, touché!”

  *BUMP!*

  You know, it’s friends like these that make it all worth it.

  “Food should be here soon, they’re usually pretty good on service.”

  “Good, my stomach’s about to mutiny!”

  It’s almost unfair, having to wait for their meal while all this other delicious food saunters by their table, taunting and teasing them with every whiff. But, as they say, patience is a virtue—and Reina’s got a feeling their order is right around the corner.

  “Oh, is that it? I think that’s my schnitzel!”

  Yuzu vouched for how well they do the dish, so Reina decided to order it—and upon first impressions, she thinks she made the right choice. Her mouth waters as her plate touches down on the table, with Yuzu’s soup curry and Akane’s hearty eisbein soon to follow. Coupled with a set of refreshing drinks, Reina and company waste no time digging in.

  “Mmmm...! You weren’t kidding, that IS good!”

  “Mine too!”

  Yuzu knowingly nods, eagerly chowing down on her own meal. “They do a good job here, don’t they?”

  It’s everything Reina could ask for. The juicy meat, the crispy breading, they’ve got it all down to a science here. It almost makes her want to kick herself for not hitting up the place sooner herself—Yuzu seems to know more about Reina’s own backyard than she does!

  “I was kinda wondering if you ordered too much, but uh...you haven’t have you?”

  “Nope.” Yuzu and Akane witness firsthand Reina’s voracious appetite. Like her cars, it takes a lotta fuel to keep her on the move.

  “Thank you so much for treating me...! You really sure you don’t want to split the bill with me, though?”

  “Nah, nah. Consider it our treat.”

  “Maybe you can pay us back by giving us a discount on a Star Rider deposit?”

  “Haha! You drive a hard bargain... I’ll think about it.”

  How long has it been since Reina just had a calm, pleasant day like this? It’s hard for her to remember the last time her schedule was this...normal. So much tweaking, so much testing, so much relentless practice and poring over parts... There’s always been something occupying her time and her mind.

  But this has reminded her of a valuable lesson: sometimes, you really do need to just take a step back and decompress. All work and no play might not make her dull, but it certainly would tire her out. Perhaps that’s why the trip resonated with her so much, beyond the business of it all... It was the first time she’d given herself a proper vacation in years.

  She’s starting to realize again that this dream of hers, on top of raising the company up, would empower her to live her life however she chooses—both in and out of the garage. What sort of trips could she take, what flights of fancy? What other, more leisurely dreams could she turn into reality next? If she can make this all work, the possibilities are endless...and that is perhaps the true goal of it all: the freedom to live and love for herself.

  Even the freedom to take little treat days in cute, hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

  “Ahhh, that was good...” In short order, the trio finish their meals. Reina washes her schnitzel down with a good swig, hanging out on Cloud Nine with an adorable smile on her face. She really did need this—and did it ever deliver.

  “That really hit the spot. Glad you two liked it!”

  “Hey, thanks for picking this place out! Always nice to find new spots.”

  “You said it.”

  Yuzu can’t help but note how much more talkative she is than normal. She really doesn’t know Akane that well yet, having only met her once before, but she fits in at the table just fine. Having these common interests, this shared goal, really helps bring them together.

  It makes her think about next week...

  “So you don’t have much left to do, do you?”

  “Nope... I could do some more last-minute practice, but at this point, I should probably focus on resting up.”

  “How many people are you thinking?”

  “Not much, if I’m being honest—but I don’t mind that. I sent out some invitations to some of our diehard customers from back in the day, but outside of that, it’s just gonna be us, our families and the guys from the shop.”

  “I don’t mind that. Doesn’t need to be all big and flashy—just needs to prove the point.”

  “Exactly.” That said, Reina pushes up her glasses. “Trust me, though, I’ll make sure it delivers. You won’t regret coming.”

  “Not like we would anyway!” Akane beams. “A chance to see the Reina Aikawa out on the track—and her mom too? Not passing that up for anything!”

  “You flatter me!”

  “I’m sure it’ll be a wonderful time.”

  After paying for their meals—and after Yuzu and Akane make doubly sure Reina didn’t pitch in some yen behind their backs—the group hup to their feet and take their leave...

  Though not before buying some bread to go first.

  “This is a neat loaf here! Don’t think I’ve ever had it before... I wonder how good it would be for toast, or sandwiches and stuff?”

  “What kind do you usually use?”

  “Uhhh... I dunno, we don’t usually have sandwich bread in the house. Hard to justify the purchase most of the time.”

  “Girl, you’re killing me!”

  This loaf, at least, Reina does manage to pay for herself.

  With that, Reina’s off-day-turned-treat-day draws to a close, and she steps back out into the autumn sun with her partners in crime beside her. Stomach full, bread in hand, her nervous heart put at ease for just a little while... She can’t think of a better way to have spent this lazy day.

  It’s such a wonderful thing to have people looking out for you like that.

  “Thank you again, you two... I know I say it so much that it probably doesn’t mean anything anymore, but I mean it each and every time.”

  “No problem, Reina.”

  “It’s nice just being friends like this, y’know? Not just business partners, but girls who get together outside work too!”

  “And I think we’ll be seeing each other plenty after the big day, yeah?”

  “Heehee... Yeah. Not to count my eggs before they hatch, but...” Reina looks to the sky with a burning resolve.

  “I think the future’s looking pretty bright.”

  Seven days. Only seven days separate Reina from the mountaintop. Her final obstacle, a challenger she knows all too well... There would be no more fitting way for her to take her final steps on her ascent to the stars. Past and future will collide on the lonely surface of Tokachi Speedway—and their clash will echo long throughout Reina’s entire world.

  She understands there’s no room for doubt anymore. She carries not just her own dream, but the dreams of others, blazing inside her heart. Her friends want to see her succeed. Her family wants to see her succeed. Her mother, having watched her blossom into the bold young woman she is, would love nothing more than to watch her one and only Reina surpass her. To pass the baton on the track they’ve always called home... It would all be so fitting, wouldn’t it?

  (...I’ve gotta do it.)

  In spite of every obstacle Reina has faced in her tumultuous life, she has found a way to carry on. No storm, no gale, no cruel hand dealt has stopped her thus far. She has always wanted simply to be herself...and to embrace that identity, to hone her heritage as a beacon, has cultivated within her a spirit infallible. Now more than ever, Reina knows her own strength; now, she knows what she must do.

  She will prevail.