"YOU'RE JOKING!"
Kenji practically exploded, pushing the table forwards as he threw a surprised stare towards Riku; body frozen for a moment.
It took him a second to examine his surroundings before embarrassedly pulling the table back and taking a seat--his shock didn't waver though, every inch of his body refused to believe what he'd just heard.
"There you go overreacting again," Riku commented, re-arranging his meal before him, "...and then you wonder why I gatekeep information."
"Don't try and make it seem like my overreaction isn't valid!"
"See...even you agree, stop overreacting."
"For fuck's sake even your past self would be overreacting right now!"
Quickly, Kenji took in a deep breath before widening his eyes in awe as a smile grew on his face.
Riku wasn't denying anything nor was he taking his words back; he meant everything he'd just said...if there were ever a moment to rejoice, no time felt better than now.
"Wait, wait...just wait." Kenji stammered out, quickly shaking his hands in front of him before slamming them back onto the table, "...you mean to tell me you'll actually be joining them?"
"I said what I said Kenji, I mean what I say." Riku confidently let out before taking a bite off of his meal.
"Holy shit--congrats and all...but why now?"
"Why?" was a question Riku himself had been asking himself ever since he thought twice about the offer.
everything within him still felt like a mess whenever participating in Infinity Drive came to mind, but for some reason he had somehow taken the offer in the end.
Perhaps the reason why he did so was because he never had a reason.
Daiki was in it to win, Hiroshi had grown into the sport because it was something he was talented at and Yamato pushed on with it because he had a goal to achieve...Riku on the other hand...
A slight smile appeared on his face for a moment; his mind drifting back to his convo with his father.
He never had a reason to join back in; the only reason he did was to find a reason to stay.
Saying that would probably lower Kenji's morale, which is why he chose to keep it to himself.
"Oh well, it's not like it matters anyways..." Kenji let out, his smile now widened as he reclined on his seat, "...maybe now Japan's icon has a worthy driver."
"You're saying dumb things again, Kenji."
"You'll be hearing dumber things from me since now I know who I'll be betting on."
For a moment, Kenji's thoughts slowed down and a concerned expression quickly pasted itself onto his face.
"Wait, Isn't Nissan known for its poor strategies and shitty car though?"
Silently, Riku nodded as he grabbed his drink; his gaze flying outside the hotel as Kenji's expression quickly sunk into a frustrated one.
"Oh for fuck's sake, what the hell were you thinking!"
"It's different..."
"What?"
"That's what I was thinking."
Before Kenji could throw a comment, he took a quick glance at Riku's expression.
As someone who grew up with him, Kenji could confidently say that the air around Riku felt more than just different.
He was calmer, his eyes were more narrowed and his posture was more relaxed--normally he'd tense up whenever the thought of him being behind the wheel popped up. Regardless of whichever angle he used, Kenji could only see a different version of his childhood friend before him.
One that managed to stick a proud smile onto his face.
"Everything is just too different..." Kenta struggled to let out as he leaned closer to his screen; the glow from the monitor reflecting off his glasses as he pushed them back, "...too different!"
"Of course it is, dumb ass." Daiki responded, his eyes also glued to a different screen; his eyes focused on Riku's on board footage from his past races, "...how exactly he managed to make that difference is another issue."
Daiki's mood was a mix of both joy and fury.
In one half an hour session, Riku had managed to understand a vehicle he had failed to understand throughout the day.
Clocking ahead of him by no less than five seconds with each lap he took.
Every doubt had been cleared up the second he cleared his fast lap; and although respect had now been established, he couldn't help but have a sour taste left in his mouth after been out classed so easily by someone who had retired from the sport two years prior.
The fact that he was holding back due to his own fears made that taste more prominent.
With Riku on their side, the team had a better chance of actually holding their own against every other team--maybe even making it to the top of group 2 before the end of the first stage. But as the first driver, that meant he needed to match up to Riku's skill.
With one driver carrying the team, the other would act as an anchor, slowing it down in the middle of a heated season.
That wouldn't do...and he'd make sure of it even if it meant studying Riku's old driving and integrating it into his own.
There was the first problem though...
"I'm afraid you'll have to find another way Daiki."
Hiroshi's voice easily shook Daiki's concentration as he chucked a can of coffee his way--Daiki effortlessly caught it with a confused look on his face.
A smile then appeared on his face as he watched Riku's recordings, nostalgia creeping back up.
"Brings back memories--glad to see he hasn't lost his terrifying skill." Hiroshi continued before slowly turning the screen off.
"Hey!"
"It won't work, Daiki." Hiroshi quickly cut Daiki's protest short as he shot a calm look towards him, "...there's drivers you can understand and those you can't. You're better off running as you have been so far."
"I'm still slow though."
"You're slower than him, not slow in general."
Quickly, Hiroshi slid some papers across the table, his eyes closed as he crossed his arms; proudly smiling like a toddler who just got praised.
"Compared to your stats last season; you've propelled beyond your own limits."
"propelled" was an understatement.
Regardless of whether or not the car was underwhelming, Daiki's performance clearly tore through his previous achievements.
His current lap record sat proudly at a massive ten seconds improvement from his previous season's.
At first, his eyes widened in awe; his previous worry of being an anchor quickly being waved before another realization sunk him back.
Riku was now fifteen seconds ahead of his previous records.
They were old and, by current standards, outdated; but they were significant to Daiki.
Normally, any other experienced driver would have been left confused--but not Daiki. He was excited.
Far more excited than he probably should have been.
To win within infinity drive, you would need either incredible drivers and moderate cars or incredible cars and moderate drivers--by their performance so far; Daiki felt as though one of those requirements had been fulfilled.
His smile grew back again, easily showcasing his naturally shiny and impressively aligned set of teeth as his gaze quickly darted back up at Hiroshi--who was still in his proud state.
"Kenta, Aya; load me up on the same set-up as usual..." Daiki let out, rising to a stand that exuded more confidence than usual, "...I'm going in for some laps."
For Daiki, a new ray of light had just illuminated them--one that carried an unimaginable level of luck. Regardless of whether or not his body could handle the pressure, he was going to practice his heart out until the official qualifying date would arrive.
For some reason, he held both confidence and pride in his team...a team he once contemplated leaving; and for some reason, he couldn't help but thank Hiroshi for convincing him to stay.
The same could be said about Riku.
For the first time in ages; his body couldn't sit still.
Once you're in the sport, you never truly leave...and once you return, you never want to leave.
He wasn't confident in his own capabilities still; but with only one more week to prepare, there was no hesitating.
On this particular day, every team that was tirelessly preparing themselves for qualifying each felt the same thing.
This season was going to be different.