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He should have known from the moment they met that something was strange. Arakita was never one to be so introspective, but from the moment Eikichi Machimiya made his appearance, he should have known. There was something about that guy that felt oddly familiar, and it bothered him in all the wrong ways.
It bothers him for most of the race, but he doesn’t really see it until Machimiya and his crew of garbage challenge him. God, they were so damn annoying. Stank, too. They were giving him hell, and for what? For a stupid grudge? How stupid were they?
Arakita rides like a madman, burning from the fact that that sleaze ball had the guts to mock him and treat everyone like he owns them. Stupid shit. It didn’t help that the two oddballs behind him were yelling, pressuring him to move. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to, he was just really bothered by that nagging feeling. There was something weird about Machimiya and the rest of them, and it was throwing off his game.
When he sees Machimiya again, really sees him after hearing his reasons and sob story, it just clicks softly in his head, like a lock turning. It’s so different, he nearly stops pedaling. Oh, his heart says. Oh.
He’s no longer mad or frustrated, everything just became quiet in his heart, like every previous thought just fell through a vortex without so much as a “See ya.” It was replaced with a calm understanding. Just…oh. A fond smile plays on his face for a moment as he speeds up besides Machimiya. He definitely doesn’t miss the shocked looks on Hiroshima’s faces. But that was beside the point.
The pressure that gripped his entire being just moments ago had let go, leaving him lightheaded and feeling weightless. He wants to laugh, this isn’t so different. That bastard, Machimiya, wasn’t so different from him at all.
Machimiya will grow, but for now, he’s still just a kid trying to find his pace—despite the lack of an age difference. It is more of a spiritual thing. He will find his pace in time, just like he did. Well, he did have Fuku-chan to guide him and goad him into finding his way. But this Machimiya probably doesn’t have anyone. Vaguely, Arakita wonders if this is how he would’ve turned out to be. Minus the road-racing of course.
He puts a hand on Machimiya, “I understand how you’re feeling.”
The hand is slapped off fast, but Arakita didn’t miss his hesitation or confusion.
Ah. He knows that type.
The type of guy to take every stint personally and used it to fuel his anger, his source of strength, because he can’t let go, because letting go of the past was scary, because an unknown future without being grounded to the past was terrifying, because he’s invested so much of his feelings towards what happened in the past, he won’t know what would become of his future from then on. Blaming others for small things that can’t be controlled by anyone, and lashing out at other people because he’s too afraid to look inside and realize that there is more than just anger.
He’s the type to tell people that they don’t understand how he feels and doesn’t bother explaining it when people ask, hoping that they would just understand what he wants. He won’t trust others because he’s afraid that they will hurt him and humiliate him and minimalize his worth. It was childish and petty, but Arakita understands that perfectly.
But that was enough introspection, Arakita thinks. It was time to move forward and catch up to the rest. “I’ll treat you to some Bepsi later. You’re strong.” He misses the look that the Hiroshima team gives him as he speeds, but it doesn’t matter. He knows, because that barking has stopped. It was time to move on.
…
“Wha’are’ya thinkin’ about?”
Arakita jolts out of his thoughts and turns his head to see Machimiya chewing on the straw of his Bepsi, homework sprawled out on the table before them. That’s right, they were at a café. He was treating Machimiya to a drink while discussing the finer points of how stupid their latest assignment was and he just…drifted off. He stares for a few moments more, thinking that it was strange just how much calmer the guy has become since Inter-high. There they were, working the day’s rays away like good students. It was a nice change for the both of them, probably. It was a few seconds before at the redhead speaks up again, obviously a little uncomfortable with the silence, “Well?”
Arakita grins suddenly, catching Machimiya by surprise. Machimiya nearly chokes on his straw when Arakita reaches over the table and ruffles his hair. “HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
“Nothing. Just thinking that you aren’t such a shit after all.”
Kinjou walks into the café and spots the hair pulling and yelling contest that seems to have just started. He turns to the waitress by the door and says, “Table for one, please.”