Late afternoon.
Clouds began to part, revealing soft streaks of orange in the sky. A school bus rolled calmly through the city streets. Inside, Brian Marcos sat by the window, headphones around his neck, his chin resting in his hand. His eyes stared blankly outside, worn down by a long day of classes and assignments.
Suddenly—
The low rumble of a sportbike engine echoed beside the bus, catching the attention of a few students.
Brian glanced to the side and nearly jumped—Jack was riding alongside the bus on his sleek black sportbike, wearing a half-face helmet. He tapped twice on the bus window, then gave a hand signal toward the road ahead:
"Get off up there—let's eat."
Brian smiled, stood up quickly, and patted the driver's shoulder as the bus slowed at a red light.
"Hey sir, I'm getting off here!"
A few minutes later, outside a small roadside eatery.
It was a humble place—clean wooden tables, steel chairs, hanging lights, and the aroma of fried rice and curry filling the air.
Jack sat down first, helmet placed on the table, leaning back casually.
Brian walked up, clapping his hands together with a grin.
"Man, I didn't think I'd see you today. Tapping on my bus window like you're in an action movie."
Jack shrugged.
"I didn't feel like cooking. Bet you didn't either."
Brian sat down and waved to the server.
"You're paying?"
Jack tossed his wallet on the table, dropping some cash.
"My turn today. You're next."
Brian laughed. "Deal."
They ordered simple food—two plates of fried rice with extras, iced tea, and crackers. The atmosphere was light, far away from school pressure or heavy talk about racing.
Brian glanced at Jack, stirring his spoon.
"You know, Zeke mentioned something about T-Garage earlier…"
Jack looked up, his expression shifting slightly.
Brian added, "But chill, I'm not jumping into it. I'm just curious who's already involved."
Jack finally replied, his voice low and calm,
"You don't need to know. Just focus on school. That world's like quicksand."
Brian stared at Jack for a second, then smiled.
"You sound like your dad. But I respect it, bro."
Jack didn't respond, just sipped his iced tea. But behind that silence, something unsettled stirred inside him. He knew—no matter how far they tried to stay from that world, it always found a way to pull them back in.
That night, at Brian Marcos's house.
The bedroom lights were bright. Brian sat at his desk, staring at his laptop screen with pure frustration. Books were spread out everywhere—clearly flipped through multiple times without success.
He scratched his head with both hands.
"What even is this question… integrals, graphs… like who even uses this in real life?"
He muttered while typing random stuff, then let out a long sigh.
Suddenly—
Music thumped softly from outside his window.
A lo-fi beat mixed with laughter and voices.
Brian stood up and peeked through the curtain. Jack's house next door was lit up. A few shoes were scattered by the front door, and the living room window was slightly open.
Brian squinted.
"What's he up to…?"
Meanwhile, at Jack's house…
The living room was alive with relaxed chaos. Jack was sitting on the carpet, a PlayStation controller in hand. Zeke was slouched nearby, laughing as he raced through a car game. Two other guys—Rey and Damon, friends from the garage scene—were there too.
A portable speaker played chill music, and soda cans cluttered the coffee table. It was a typical laid-back teenage night, bored but not ready to sleep.
Jack glanced at the door, as if sensing something. Sure enough—
Brian appeared in the doorway, knocking lightly.
Jack turned and gave him a crooked smirk.
"Your paper done, 'Mr. Genius'?"
Brian chuckled awkwardly, leaning against the doorframe.
"Yeah, yeah. It's done. Can I join you guys?"
Jack narrowed his eyes, unconvinced.
"You sure? Calculus assignment and that history essay… all wrapped up?"
Brian faked a yawn and shrugged.
"I work fast. Swear. I just need a brain break."
Zeke looked back, laughing,
"Let him in, man. It's heating up! Turbo monster race right now."
Jack nodded slowly, still eyeing Brian like "I know you're lying."
"Your call. Just don't cry tomorrow when the teacher's breathing down your neck."
Brian grinned and stepped inside, grabbing the spare controller.
"Let's go. But if I win, you all owe me burgers next week."
Rey quickly replied, "Deal. But if you lose, you're buying breakfast."
The music was still playing softly in the background. The living room was lit with a warm glow. Brian and the others were laughing as their racing game got more intense—digital cars crashing and drifting all over the screen.
Suddenly, without looking up from his controller, Zeke spoke with a calm, focused tone.
"Hey... you guys know Han Lue, right?"
The room quieted just a bit. That name wasn't unfamiliar. Especially not to Brian and Jack—they'd heard it often in stories from their fathers and Uncle Dom.
Rey answered first, still gripping his controller, "You mean the Han from Tokyo? The drift king?"
Zeke nodded, eyes still on the screen.
"Yeah, that one. Legend on the streets. But what most people don't know... he has a kid now. Goes to school in Tokyo. Name's Kai."
Brian turned sharply, raising his eyebrows.
"Seriously? Han has a kid?"
Jack stayed quiet, but his attention sharpened.
Zeke continued, "Yup. Word is, the kid's not that different. Quiet. Doesn't talk much. But he's already hitting local tracks out there. Drift style's clean—almost too clean. Like father, like son."
Damon let out a laugh, still playing. "Man, if that's true, imagine it. All the kids of the OG legends showing up. It's like... we're the second generation of all that chaos."
Brian smirked. "Or the generation that has to fix it all."
Jack set his controller down slowly and stood up to grab a drink from the fridge. He said without turning around,
"If that's true... then the old world is waking up again."
Zeke glanced over at Jack. "I'm not saying the kid's starting trouble. But listen... there's been talk. Big talk. Underground channels. Some kind of international event coming."
Brian crossed his arms. "Like what?"
Zeke set his controller down and leaned back on the couch.
"Something like... an international underground meet. Track, drift, time attack. Young teams. Not illegal, but not exactly clean either."
Jack muttered, his tone cold,
"And you think we're gonna get pulled into that?"
Zeke shrugged. "I'm not saying anything for sure. But think about it—if the sons and daughters of the legends are stepping up, you really think you can just stay 'normal' forever?"
Brian and Jack exchanged a glance. In an instant, the light-hearted gaming session turned into the beginning of something heavier—something bigger than them.
They weren't just teens anymore. They were inheriting a legacy that came roaring back at full throttle.