Act: 1 Chapter: 6 | To the Seaside we Go!

The sound of Collei's Eight-Six engine fades away, the last echo of its rumble dissolving into the night as she pulls into the familiar driveway. The car's taillights flicker off, leaving just the streetlights to reflect off the faded yet enduring exterior of the AE86.

Collei steps out, stretching her arms above her head as the adrenaline from the race begins to ebb away. The quiet of the night feels heavy with satisfaction, a deep, fulfilling exhaustion that only comes from a well-fought victory. She breathes out slowly, the tension leaving her body, before heading to the front door.

"Yo, I'm back," she calls out casually, her voice still carrying a hint of the rush from the race, though there's an undeniable weariness beneath it.

Arlecchino, sprawled lazily on the couch, barely glances up from her phone. She hums thoughtfully, her voice laced with that same knowing tone. "Late night?"

Collei stops by the staircase, then turns back to her father with a sly grin. "Oh, right. I did what you asked... and you owe me a full tank of gas for tomorrow. Don't forget—you promised."

Without waiting for Arlecchino's response, Collei disappears up the stairs, her footsteps light but purposeful.

Arlecchino lets out a soft chuckle, shaking her head with affection. "That kid…"

She sets her phone down, then stands up, stretching herself before stepping outside. The cool air greets her, brushing against her skin as she approaches the AE86. Her gaze softens as she looks at the car, parked neatly in the driveway—a relic of the past, now carrying Collei's legacy forward.

Her eyes linger on the battle-worn exterior of the car, a sense of pride swelling within her. Collei had done it tonight—proven herself, not just to the crowd but to herself. She had honed the skills, the technique, the very essence of what it meant to be a racer on Yougou Pass.

A smile tugs at the corner of Arlecchino's lips. "That's my girl… Not that I'm surprised."

After a long moment of reflection, she stands there, allowing herself to feel the quiet pride of a mentor watching their pupil surpass them.

Upstairs, Collei collapses onto her bed, the weight of the night's exertions quickly pulling her into the warmth of her blanket. She reaches for her phone and, still half-dazed, taps out a quick message in the group chat.

[Collei]: "Seaside trip tomorrow? Who's in?"

Within moments, the replies flood in, each one accompanied by their own excitement.

[March]: "Hell yeah! Weather's supposed to be perfect!" [Seele]: "Sure. I need a break after tonight's insanity." [Pela]: "I'll come if you promise not to drive like a lunatic on the way there."

Collei laughs softly, shaking her head at Pela's comment before tossing her phone onto the nightstand.

Tomorrow will be a good day. A relaxing break after the intense race, a chance to enjoy the simple moments.

With a contented sigh, Collei rolls over, the comfort of her bed pulling her deeper into sleep. Her mind drifts away, her dreams filled with the calm and steady rhythm of a future still to be written.

But for now, victory is sweet, and the world can wait.

The cool night air swirls around Yougou's notorious five consecutive hairpins, where the only sound is the distant hum of the city below—faint and distant, like the lingering echoes of a battle fought hours earlier.

Keqing and Ningguang stand at the inside line of the fourth hairpin, their figures silhouetted against the moonlight. Ningguang kneels down, her gloved hand tracing the pavement, studying the scene before her with a meticulous eye. As her fingers brush along the gutter, she pauses, noticing something out of place.

A thin, damp trail of water lies pooled in the gutter, faint tire marks cutting through it in an impossibly tight line. She motions for Keqing to come closer.

"Tell me, Keqing…" Ningguang begins, her voice cool and steady, "…What exactly happened here during the race?"

Keqing exhales sharply, the frustration from earlier still simmering in her chest. She crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing as she recalls the events.

"I don't know," she mutters, her voice tinged with annoyance. "I drifted through the hairpins perfectly—my line was clean, my exits were strong. But the Eight-Six? It just—"

Her fists clench as the memory resurfaces. The sudden loss, the feeling of helplessness as Collei zipped past her with impossible speed.

"It hooked the inside and shot past me like I was standing still."

Ningguang's gaze sharpens, and she rises from her kneeling position. She dusts off her hands before speaking, her tone heavy with clarity.

"This is what decided the race."

Her finger points to the gutter, where the faint tire marks continue their impossible path. Keqing squints, trying to make sense of it.

"A gutter?" she mutters, puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Ningguang smirks, as if already knowing the answer would be elusive to Keqing.

"Everything."

She gestures once again to the tire marks.

"Collei intentionally hooked her right wheels into this gutter. By doing so, she fought against the centrifugal force that should've sent her car sliding outward. Instead, the gutter's grip pulled her through the turn at a speed that should've been impossible."

Keqing's mind races, trying to process the realization. The pieces click together slowly.

Her jaw tightens as understanding dawns.

The technique, the precision—it all made sense now.

She looks over at the gutter, her frustration bubbling into full-blown anger as she kicks the guardrail.

"That little punk!"

Ningguang raises an eyebrow, unfazed.

"Are you done assaulting the guardrail?" she asks, her voice dry with humor.

Keqing's scowl deepens. "She made me look like a complete amateur."

Ningguang's expression hardens into something more measured. She crosses her arms over her chest and steps closer to Keqing, her gaze unwavering.

"Keqing," she begins, her voice firm, "racing isn't about brute force. It's about skill, adaptation, and tactics." She points back to the gutter. "You weren't outclassed. You were outmaneuvered."

Keqing stands there, silent for a moment, as the words sink in. The fire in her chest flickers, its intensity slowly dimming. Ningguang's words settle around her, and for the first time that night, she stops thinking about the loss as something personal.

Instead, she looks at it as a chance—an opportunity for growth.

After a long pause, she exhales deeply, the tightness in her shoulders easing.

"…You're right," she admits quietly, her voice softer now.

She runs a hand through her hair, a sigh escaping her lips. "I let my pride get in the way. I was so obsessed with beating her after that crazy drift she pulled a few nights ago that I lost sight of what really matters."

Keqing's gaze falls for a moment, lost in thought. But then, a reluctant smirk appears at the corner of her mouth.

"And yet…" she murmurs, almost to herself, "I can't help but admire her. For someone her age, she's got real talent."

Ningguang's lips curl into a knowing smile. "Exactly. Talent recognizes talent. And sometimes, even seasoned racers can learn a thing or two from the younger generation."

She turns toward their parked RX-7s, her steps purposeful.

"Now, come on. Let's head home."

Keqing lingers for a moment, her eyes tracing the tire marks one last time, a quiet resolve settling in her chest. Then, with a small nod to herself, she follows.

The engines of the RX-7s roar to life, their exhaust notes splitting the silence of the mountain night. As the two cars disappear into the winding road below, the fire in Keqing's chest doesn't die—it only intensifies.

Next time, if there is one, things will be different.

She's sure of it.

The following morning sun hangs heavy in the sky, its heat already bearing down on the streets of Araumi.

The sun blazes down on the streets of Araumi, casting long shadows on the pavement as Lyney steps inside Arlecchino's house. Sweat clings to his brow, and he wipes it away dramatically, his voice already tinged with mock exasperation.

"Arlecchino? You here? Damn, it's hot…"

The sound of boots clicking against hardwood echoes from upstairs, and a moment later, Arlecchino descends the staircase, adjusting the laces of her signature heeled boots. She smirks upon seeing Lyney's dramatic entrance.

"Lyney! Perfect timing."

He raises an eyebrow, a hint of suspicion in his tone. "…That tone makes me nervous."

Arlecchino dismisses the jab with a casual wave. "Mind giving me a lift to the Chamber of Commerce meeting?"

Lyney looks at her incredulously, feigning disgust. "Seriously? What am I, your personal chauffeur?"

Arlecchino chuckles, completely unbothered by his attitude. "Pretty much."

Lyney clicks his tongue, rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine. Let's go."

A Drive Through Araumi

The city streets hum with activity as Lyney drives them through the early morning, the engine's low purr providing a steady backdrop to the scene outside. People bustle about, cars glide past, and the day starts to unfold in typical Araumi fashion.

After a stretch of comfortable silence, Lyney finally breaks it. "I saw Seele, Beidou, March, and Pela drive past the gas station last night."

Arlecchino glances out the window, her interest clearly waning. "And?"

Lyney grins, clearly amused by the memory. "They looked like a bunch of junior high kids—laughing, joking, hanging out like they didn't have a care in the world."

Arlecchino merely shrugs, unfazed. "Kids these days are impressed by anything. It's not like she moved Yougou to a different mountain, you know."

Lyney laughs, shaking his head. "True. But Collei's one of them, right? She's got some serious skill for someone her age."

Arlecchino scoffs, her arms crossed firmly across her chest. "She only drives to help with the business. I forced her to learn years ago—there's nothing glamorous about it for her."

Lyney hums thoughtfully, giving her words some weight. "…Really? Doesn't seem that way after last night."

Arlecchino shifts slightly in her seat, leaning back, eyes on the passing cityscape. "She'll grow out of her dislike." A pause lingers, and then, almost under her breath, she adds, "Last night's race… might've been the spark she needed."

Lyney catches the hint in her words, casting a knowing glance toward her. "So you're saying she might actually start enjoying it?"

Arlecchino clicks her tongue in a dismissive gesture. "Give her time."

As the light ahead turns red, Lyney eases the car to a stop, his eyes scanning the intersection before he turns his attention back to her.

"Where is she, anyway? Took the Eight-Six out today?"

Arlecchino looks away from the window, briefly glancing at the clear blue sky as a smirk tugs at her lips. "She mentioned heading out for some fresh air." She pauses, the smirk deepening slightly. "My guess? Ritou."

Lyney chuckles as the light turns green, the engine hums to life, and the car lurches forward.

"Figures."

Without missing a beat, Lyney shifts into drive, and the car disappears into the city traffic, heading toward their destination—while somewhere out there, Collei is chasing a road of her own, a road she may not have fully embraced yet, but one she's beginning to understand more and more with every turn.

Seaside Cruise to Ritou

The convoy of cars glides smoothly along the coastal highway, the ocean on one side and jagged cliffs on the other. Collei leads the way, her Eight-Six moving effortlessly along the sunlit asphalt, its familiar hum filling the air. The sea breeze whispers past, adding an invigorating freshness to the warm air as it tousles the hair of the passengers in the car.

Inside the Eight-Six, March leans out of the window, feeling the salty breeze against her skin. The wind tousles her hair wildly as she stretches her arms out in the open air.

"Man… this is just what we needed, huh?" she muses, her voice light and carefree, letting the ocean wind carry her words.

Collei keeps her focus on the road, her hands steady on the wheel. She lowers her window slightly, savoring the crisp sea air that brushes across her face. Her thoughts, however, drift back to the race, to the feel of the asphalt beneath her tires and the chase that still echoes in her chest.

"…Definitely. Nothing like the sea air to end the week."

Her voice is calm, but her thoughts are elsewhere. She exhales slowly, as memories of the RX-7's taillights and the feeling of pulling ahead on Yougou flood her mind. The rush of the chase—the precision of the drift—still lingers in her veins.

"That race was something," she reflects, eyes narrowing as she focuses on the road ahead. "Chasing down that RX-7… for some reason, I actually enjoyed it."

Pela, sitting in the backseat and flipping through a travel guide, looks up with a smirk. "Clear skies, the ocean… and no engine troubles." She pats the dashboard affectionately. "Perfect."

Collei chuckles, the sound light but tinged with something else—a challenge she's not yet willing to acknowledge. "Yeah. I'll take a peaceful drive over another midnight battle any day."

But even as she says the words, there's a flicker of doubt, an uncertainty deep down. Is she really ready to give up the thrill? Maybe not just yet.

Time for a Lunch Stop

The hum of the convoy continues, the soft roar of the engines blending with the sound of waves crashing against the shore. It's a peaceful drive, the kind that encourages reflection rather than tension. However, the quiet is soon broken by a familiar grumble from the backseat.

March glances up from her seat and checks the time, then calls out to Collei with a grin. "Uh… hey, Collei? It's past noon. Wanna grab lunch?"

Collei shifts her gaze toward the rearview mirror, noting the increasing hunger in the air, and nods. "Call Seele. Let's see what's good in Ritou."

March dials in and puts the call on speaker, holding the phone up for everyone to hear.

"Yo, Seele, where's the best place to eat? We're starving over here."

The crackling voice of Beidou bursts through the speaker, her tone as confident and commanding as ever. "Ritou's got this little seaside joint—best ramen and comfort food you'll find."

A collective "Sounds perfect" rings out in the car, followed by a series of contented sighs from the passengers. The promise of food is enough to lift the spirits of the convoy.

Collei flashes her headlights as a signal, and a moment later, Seele's S30Z drops gears with a sharp hiss from the turbo. The sleek car surges ahead, its engine roaring to life. The convoy falls into sync, Collei and Beidou immediately matching pace with ease, the engines of the cars humming in perfect harmony.

Without missing a beat, Collei shifts gears smoothly, her Eight-Six following closely behind the S30Z, the convoy weaving through the winding coastal road with practiced ease.

The ocean stretches out beside them, the salty scent of the sea and the adventure ahead lingering in the air. The rhythmic motion of the cars on the road, the steady hum of their engines, and the sound of the waves create a symphony of serenity—until they reach Ritou, where a well-earned break, good food awaits.