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31_days2008-11-23 11:25 pm
issen4.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2008-11-23 11:25 pm
[Nov 23] [Initial D/Prince of Tennis/Hikago] Slip Roads 23/31
Title: Slip Roads 23/31
Day/Theme: 23 Nov/the end of the world seems much more likely now
Series: Initial D/Prince of Tennis/Hikago
Character/Pairing: previous Takahashi Ryousuke/Fuji Yuuta
Rating: PG-13
------------------------
With a bit of trepidation, Takumi slowed at the entrance of the French restaurant. Almost immediately, the automatic doors slid open, and he took a reluctant step inside. There was a man standing there wearing a suit--they always did--who bowed, not even blinking at Takumi's casual outfit of T-shirt and jeans. "Good afternoon, sir," he said. "Would you like a table?"
That level of politeness only served to make Takumi more self-conscious. He cleared his throat, wishing he was wearing something better. "I'm looking for-" he paused to clear his throat again. "Kuwabara-sensei's party."
The man nodded, not seeming to be surprised at all. Then again, Takumi knew from experience that the staff at such places were supposed to act as though everything was expected. "Ah. This way, please," he bowed again, stretching his arm to the side towards the door behind him.
Takumi had to resist the urge to bow back, and only followed the man into a private function room, where he saw with relief that Shindou, Touya and Kuwabara were seated.
"Fujiwara-san!" Shindou said when he saw Takumi, waving. "Good, I was afraid you wouldn't get here before they served the food!"
"We ordered the daily special on your behalf," Touya quickly added. "The chef is putting it together right now. I hope that's all right."
Takumi nodded awkwardly. "Yes, it's fine," he said. It wasn't as he knew what food to order anyway, at foreign restaurants. He usually asked for recommendations, trusting the waiter to tell him what the food actually was, behind its fancy name. He sat down. "Kuwabara-sensei," he said in greeting.
He wasn't actually sure how he was to take the old pro. He liked Shindou and Touya, and thought they were interesting, but he had been truly taken aback to receive a phone call from the old man the day before.
What was more, after introducing himself, the old man had all but ordered him to act as chauffeur to him, Shindou and Touya, and Takumi had found himself agreeing, out of sheer curiosity. He had driven into Akagi to pick the trio up, and driven them some more to Maebashi, just so that they could go and challenge a Go salon.
Maybe he really ought to get a life, outside of cars...
"And don't worry about the bill," Kuwabara said. "The two of them are paying."
"I hope you weren't bored all morning, Fujiwara-san!" Shindou said.
That was a not-too-obvious way to ask what he had been doing, Takumi thought. He relaxed enough to smile; Touya had mentioned once that outside of Go, Shindou displayed as much tactical awareness as a game of Tetris. "As it happens, I had an appointment to speak with someone about a job. So it's a good thing that I had to come to Maebashi after all."
"What kind of job?"
"It's a short-term consulting position," Takumi said, a bit embarrassed. He got many of them these days, and sometimes, even the police pulled him in when they needed an expert in racing accidents. He didn't feel like a consultant, especially when he recalled his near-total ignorance when he first started racing.
"Ooh, sounds really serious, Fujiwara-san!" Shindou teased.
"Shindou!" Touya said, before his attention turned back to Takumi. "It must be something important."
"Ah..." Takumi thought about it for a moment. "Actually, this might involve the two of you," he said to Shindou and Touya.
"Us?" Shindou pointed at himself, then at Touya.
Takumi nodded. "It's about the accident we almost ran into," he said. "One of the victims' brother is conducting a private investigation into it, and a friend of a friend recommended me."
Their reaction was not what he had expected. Shindou and Touya turned to look at one another, plainly dismayed. Even Kuwabara's eyebrows were raised. "Was... it something I said?"
There was a pause, and Shindou spoke first. "Excuse me, Fujiwara-san, but is the person hiring you named-" he comically stopped as it became obvious that he had forgotten the name, and his expression.
Unwillingly amused despite himself, Takumi prompted, "Yes?"
"It's just at the tip of my tongue!" Shindou said. "Give me a minute." He squinted into empty air and muttered, "Fuku... no, not that. Ponta... nope. Don't think it's Yuji either..."
"It's Fuji," Touya said, though contrary to Takumi's expectations, he didn't give Shindou that exasperated look, but one of indulgence--what had happened here?
Shindou snapped his fingers. "Right! Fuji!" Then he turned to Touya. "I would have remembered it, Touya," he said reproachfully.
"Oh, sure," Kuwabara said, with just the right amount, it seemed, of sarcasm that made Shindou stick out his tongue at him.
Takumi hid a chuckle, then grew serious again. "How did you know the name? I only met Fuji-san this morning."
"Um..." Shindou glanced at Touya. "It's like this-"
Kuwabara interrupted, "Stop hesitating, punk," he said, and looked directly at Takumi. "It's like this. My younger grandson, Keisuke, had a contract to be part of Fuji's investigative team. Fuji's brother, as I understand it, was a victim in that accident. Early this morning, Fuji seemed to have fired Keisuke, saying he had found someone better."
Takumi blinked, pointing the flaw he could see immediately. "But early this morning, I hadn't even met Fuji-san yet."
Kuwabara scoffed. "You were involved in the accident, however lightly. Would you have refused Fuji's request?"
Well, that was true, and the old man had seen to the heart of the matter almost immediately. Takumi shook his head.
"Good."
"That's not very fair, old man," Shindou protested. "Your grandson's out of a job because Fuji-san changed his mind, you know."
Kuwabara gave a shrug. "He deserves it."
Takumi gave a start at the careless tone--he didn't think that Kuwabara disliked his grandson--before his mind caught up with the old man's reasoning. He drew breath to explain on Keisuke's behalf, then caught Shindou and Touya nodding in unison at each other. It was suprisingly cute.
"Oh, I see," Shindou said. "But you aren't sympathetic at all, old man. Where's the family feeling?"
Kuwabara snorted, showing what he thought of that.
It was at the end of the meal--something with cured salmon and fruit, something else with foie gras and beef, then a bowl of something that smelt like tofu had gone bad, and then dessert, a blessedly simple vanilla ice cream--that Takumi realised something. He must have made a sound, for both Shindou and Touya looked up.
"What's the matter, Fujiwara-san?"
Takumi noticed that Shindou, for all his casual manners, was usually the first to express concern and curiosity. "I've just thought of something," he said apologetically. Three expectant looks faced him, and Takumi forced himself to elaborate. "I know you think that Takahashi-san did not do a good job of being a consultant for the accident," he started haltingly, wanting to buy time to get his thoughts in order, "because he didn't even talk to you or Touya-san, and you two were witnesses."
"Yeah. I mean, the police called us up twice," Shindou said.
"But I know Takahashi-san from years ago, when we were racing for a team called Project D."
"I know that!" Shindou said, brightening. "Ryousuke-san told me about it! He said you were his downhill specialist and Keisuke-san was his... uh-oh."
Takumi nodded at the knowing tone in his voice. "We were rivals," he agreed, and frowned. "Even though Takahashi-san's a professional driver now--he's way ahead of me in terms of racing. And people ask me to be consultant just because I'm more familiar with roads in Japan, while Takahashi-san has been away from Japan..." he stopped, helpless.
Shindou nodded. "Bet he's going to be out for your blood when he knows."
(tbc)
Day/Theme: 23 Nov/the end of the world seems much more likely now
Series: Initial D/Prince of Tennis/Hikago
Character/Pairing: previous Takahashi Ryousuke/Fuji Yuuta
Rating: PG-13
------------------------
With a bit of trepidation, Takumi slowed at the entrance of the French restaurant. Almost immediately, the automatic doors slid open, and he took a reluctant step inside. There was a man standing there wearing a suit--they always did--who bowed, not even blinking at Takumi's casual outfit of T-shirt and jeans. "Good afternoon, sir," he said. "Would you like a table?"
That level of politeness only served to make Takumi more self-conscious. He cleared his throat, wishing he was wearing something better. "I'm looking for-" he paused to clear his throat again. "Kuwabara-sensei's party."
The man nodded, not seeming to be surprised at all. Then again, Takumi knew from experience that the staff at such places were supposed to act as though everything was expected. "Ah. This way, please," he bowed again, stretching his arm to the side towards the door behind him.
Takumi had to resist the urge to bow back, and only followed the man into a private function room, where he saw with relief that Shindou, Touya and Kuwabara were seated.
"Fujiwara-san!" Shindou said when he saw Takumi, waving. "Good, I was afraid you wouldn't get here before they served the food!"
"We ordered the daily special on your behalf," Touya quickly added. "The chef is putting it together right now. I hope that's all right."
Takumi nodded awkwardly. "Yes, it's fine," he said. It wasn't as he knew what food to order anyway, at foreign restaurants. He usually asked for recommendations, trusting the waiter to tell him what the food actually was, behind its fancy name. He sat down. "Kuwabara-sensei," he said in greeting.
He wasn't actually sure how he was to take the old pro. He liked Shindou and Touya, and thought they were interesting, but he had been truly taken aback to receive a phone call from the old man the day before.
What was more, after introducing himself, the old man had all but ordered him to act as chauffeur to him, Shindou and Touya, and Takumi had found himself agreeing, out of sheer curiosity. He had driven into Akagi to pick the trio up, and driven them some more to Maebashi, just so that they could go and challenge a Go salon.
Maybe he really ought to get a life, outside of cars...
"And don't worry about the bill," Kuwabara said. "The two of them are paying."
"I hope you weren't bored all morning, Fujiwara-san!" Shindou said.
That was a not-too-obvious way to ask what he had been doing, Takumi thought. He relaxed enough to smile; Touya had mentioned once that outside of Go, Shindou displayed as much tactical awareness as a game of Tetris. "As it happens, I had an appointment to speak with someone about a job. So it's a good thing that I had to come to Maebashi after all."
"What kind of job?"
"It's a short-term consulting position," Takumi said, a bit embarrassed. He got many of them these days, and sometimes, even the police pulled him in when they needed an expert in racing accidents. He didn't feel like a consultant, especially when he recalled his near-total ignorance when he first started racing.
"Ooh, sounds really serious, Fujiwara-san!" Shindou teased.
"Shindou!" Touya said, before his attention turned back to Takumi. "It must be something important."
"Ah..." Takumi thought about it for a moment. "Actually, this might involve the two of you," he said to Shindou and Touya.
"Us?" Shindou pointed at himself, then at Touya.
Takumi nodded. "It's about the accident we almost ran into," he said. "One of the victims' brother is conducting a private investigation into it, and a friend of a friend recommended me."
Their reaction was not what he had expected. Shindou and Touya turned to look at one another, plainly dismayed. Even Kuwabara's eyebrows were raised. "Was... it something I said?"
There was a pause, and Shindou spoke first. "Excuse me, Fujiwara-san, but is the person hiring you named-" he comically stopped as it became obvious that he had forgotten the name, and his expression.
Unwillingly amused despite himself, Takumi prompted, "Yes?"
"It's just at the tip of my tongue!" Shindou said. "Give me a minute." He squinted into empty air and muttered, "Fuku... no, not that. Ponta... nope. Don't think it's Yuji either..."
"It's Fuji," Touya said, though contrary to Takumi's expectations, he didn't give Shindou that exasperated look, but one of indulgence--what had happened here?
Shindou snapped his fingers. "Right! Fuji!" Then he turned to Touya. "I would have remembered it, Touya," he said reproachfully.
"Oh, sure," Kuwabara said, with just the right amount, it seemed, of sarcasm that made Shindou stick out his tongue at him.
Takumi hid a chuckle, then grew serious again. "How did you know the name? I only met Fuji-san this morning."
"Um..." Shindou glanced at Touya. "It's like this-"
Kuwabara interrupted, "Stop hesitating, punk," he said, and looked directly at Takumi. "It's like this. My younger grandson, Keisuke, had a contract to be part of Fuji's investigative team. Fuji's brother, as I understand it, was a victim in that accident. Early this morning, Fuji seemed to have fired Keisuke, saying he had found someone better."
Takumi blinked, pointing the flaw he could see immediately. "But early this morning, I hadn't even met Fuji-san yet."
Kuwabara scoffed. "You were involved in the accident, however lightly. Would you have refused Fuji's request?"
Well, that was true, and the old man had seen to the heart of the matter almost immediately. Takumi shook his head.
"Good."
"That's not very fair, old man," Shindou protested. "Your grandson's out of a job because Fuji-san changed his mind, you know."
Kuwabara gave a shrug. "He deserves it."
Takumi gave a start at the careless tone--he didn't think that Kuwabara disliked his grandson--before his mind caught up with the old man's reasoning. He drew breath to explain on Keisuke's behalf, then caught Shindou and Touya nodding in unison at each other. It was suprisingly cute.
"Oh, I see," Shindou said. "But you aren't sympathetic at all, old man. Where's the family feeling?"
Kuwabara snorted, showing what he thought of that.
It was at the end of the meal--something with cured salmon and fruit, something else with foie gras and beef, then a bowl of something that smelt like tofu had gone bad, and then dessert, a blessedly simple vanilla ice cream--that Takumi realised something. He must have made a sound, for both Shindou and Touya looked up.
"What's the matter, Fujiwara-san?"
Takumi noticed that Shindou, for all his casual manners, was usually the first to express concern and curiosity. "I've just thought of something," he said apologetically. Three expectant looks faced him, and Takumi forced himself to elaborate. "I know you think that Takahashi-san did not do a good job of being a consultant for the accident," he started haltingly, wanting to buy time to get his thoughts in order, "because he didn't even talk to you or Touya-san, and you two were witnesses."
"Yeah. I mean, the police called us up twice," Shindou said.
"But I know Takahashi-san from years ago, when we were racing for a team called Project D."
"I know that!" Shindou said, brightening. "Ryousuke-san told me about it! He said you were his downhill specialist and Keisuke-san was his... uh-oh."
Takumi nodded at the knowing tone in his voice. "We were rivals," he agreed, and frowned. "Even though Takahashi-san's a professional driver now--he's way ahead of me in terms of racing. And people ask me to be consultant just because I'm more familiar with roads in Japan, while Takahashi-san has been away from Japan..." he stopped, helpless.
Shindou nodded. "Bet he's going to be out for your blood when he knows."
(tbc)