Intertwine (Strings of Fate)

"That is right, we have 4 laps to complete."

"What!? 4 laps to complete with this speed!? Are you insane!?" I retorted with anxious voice.

"Don't worry, I will not risk our lives this time."

"I know, I trust you." I whisper.

"What did you say?"

"It's nothing." I fib.

"Ok, hold on a bit." She pushes a green button on her stirring wheel, then a small satellite shot out from the sky.

"Map On." The screen swift with the map of the area, as I saw the area where we located. The track was composing of several sharp curves with 100 km from the starting all the way to the mountain until to the finish line.

"That's ridiculously insane circuit."

"Of course, they need this in this kind of situation. By the looks of it, I think this is not just an ordinary racing. The curves are sharp and located in an unsafe area of the terrain. Just one mistake and you'll die." I felt all my energy was draining by the sight of it. How can we win in this kind of situation. And I think that they already memorize every curve and techniques they use.

"What will we do, about this?" I desperately said.

"Don't worry, just trust me."

"Then, can I hold your hand?" EHH!? Why did I said that, I didn't mean it to say that. I was just slip. What will she think about me? A pervert? I should return what I said, but I don't know how.

"Ok." She suddenly said. She laid her hand towards me, I hesitated at first but I took it, as I intertwined our hands. Her hand was warm compared to me that it's oozing cold from nervousness.

"Your hand's so soft." I whispered.

"What did you say?"

"It's nothing." Below this helmet, my lips form into a smile. My negative feelings been fading away every minute that her skin touches mine. I felt my cheeks are burning.

"From here on, well get steady, until the last lap."

"What are you saying were are getting steady, isn't this car fast enough?"

"Not yet, we still have enough time to get prepared until we boost up."

"So you mean, we just tail behind them until before the last lap?"

"Yes."

"But, you sure to win this? Aren't we slacking enough? Maybe they will get away this instantly."

"Don't worry about that, it's now or never."

"O-ok, alright. I believe you." She suddenly turns to me, but turn back to the road, when suddenly Zakurai's car drastically speeds up on us, so our distance has been increasing in just a short time.

"We're falling off behind him." I croak.

"He knows how to play the game. We're speeding up too."

"Eh!? W-wait--."

"Just hold on to my hand and never let go." I was fallen in daze as I see fearless in her eyes. Eyes that never let anyone in her sight hurt. Eyes that is willing to do anything for anyone. Eyes that didn't hesitate to sacrifice. What is in your mind right now, Alexis? What's feeding you up to go this far for us? Why do I always fall in love with those eyes of yours? Why do I always love to see true happiness in them? I want to protect you. So as long as I live, I will hold on to your hand like this. I firmly presses my hand to hers and she step on the accelerator to decrease the gap between Zakurai. We are entering the vicinity of the forest where almost half of the track is in. Fog is forming and it is hard to see the road without a good headlights. Because it is getting darker by the time and so is the temperature is dropping intensely.

"It would be hard to slow down right now." I said.

"Precisely, we have to tail him. And the fog is getting thicker as we draw deeper in the forest."

"We are getting nearer at a dangerous curve."

"And I'm excited."

"Eh!? You are not that tense at all?"

"Nope" She cheerfully said.

"What am I doing here?"

"Hold on!" However, before I knew it, she stirs the wheel rapidly to the right without decreasing the speed at the same time. She made a perfect drift.

"Woah! I thought were gonna die! But it feels good!"

"Haha, told you, right? It's just getting started."

"Yeah, I think I'm getting used to it, let's sped up a bit."

"You sure about that?"

"I'm perfectly fine with it."

"Ok, as you said, let's show him a bit of us." She steps on the accelerator and the speedometer read 190 km/hr, faster than the last time. Zakurai must've have anticipated what we will do as he sped up to just to maintain our gap from him. We are still tailing him when we past the forest and passing through the field again and that the first lap ended. 

Yobosaeyou! Yobosaeyou!

"What's that?" I asked by the weird sound echoing inside the car.

"Oh! it's my phone, somebody must've calling. Can you answer it for me?" I open up the dashboard where her phone is, I push the answer button.

"Moshimoshi?"

"Nee-chan?"

"Jiro! Oh yokata bujida! You two are ok right?"

"Ne, bujidayou, we're fine here."

"I know you two are alright, it's just that, we are sick worried here. What about you Alexis?"

"I'm fine Meter senpai." Alexis answered.

"Ok then, connect us to your computer."

"Alright then. Aesir, you know what to do." 'Connecting....'

"We got you. Switch you monitor so that we could see you."

"Ok, screen on." Then, a screen in the windshield pop out and Meter nee-chan's worried face greeted us.

"Nee-chan.."

"I know Jiro, we want to see you just to make sure you are ok." Then Ayaka pushes nee-chan aside.

"Alexis! You better kick his ass off for us, we believe you!" She cheered.

"You bet we will."

"Yah! Ayaka, don't just butt off to someone conversation."

"I just missed them, senpai."

"It's ok senpai, you don't have to scold her."

"But do be careful you two. We are here with you, fighting beside you."

"Arigatou, senpai."

"Ne, Jiro, y'alright?" Then Yuji butt in.

"I'm alright Yuji."

"What have gotten into you? And...you two are holding hands." WTF!!

"Eh!? Let me see!" Ayaka butt in again in the screen.

"How sweet!"

"Ayaka don't interrupt them, they are concentrating in the race." Sho senpai said pushing Ayaka away from the screen.

"Jiro, hold her tight, ok." Maybe right now, my face is all red in embarrassment.

"And Jiro, don't lose to them. Goodluck then Alexis."

"Right senpai, but where are the others?" Her question strikes me when I notice the others were not there. Meter nee-chan smile at us.

"Don't worry about them and we believe you." After then the screen went off.

"Don't worry they are fighting along us."

"Yeah, shinjetiru (I believe them)."