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Takumi grabs the keys to the Impreza and shoves them into his pockets before pulling on his boots at the door. His dad gives him a look over the newspaper in his hands, the tinny sound of the TV echoing in the background.
“I’m going out.” Takumi straightens up, pulling his jacket tighter around his shoulders. “I’m taking the Impreza.”
“Don’t be out for too long.”
“I know.” Takumi opens the door, winces at the front of cold air that greets him, and grabs a scarf before leaving.
In front of him is the Impreza and parked behind that is his Eight-Six. He gives the hood a quick pat, the metal bitingly cold, before slipping inside of the Impreza. He starts the car, giving the engine a couple of minutes to warm up before pulling out onto the main road.
It takes a bit for the heat to kick on, but once it does it’s a blessing to the chill still clinging to his skin. He fiddles with the knobs a bit while watching the road, turning down the heat a little. It hasn’t started snowing quite yet, anything that might be snow quickly turns to ice and slush by the time the sun rises, but it should soon with the chill in the air.
He’s looking forward to it. The snow on the mountains doesn’t bug him, especially not with the Impreza.
At this time of night, early despite the heavy darkness that creeps across the sky, the roads are busy and congested. Only small stretches of the road are practically free of any traffic, and there’s fewer and fewer of those the closer he gets to Tokyo.
He’s greeted by a combination of rush hour and holiday traffic when he gets about thirty minutes from the city.
It’s only a couple of weeks until Christmas and almost everywhere he looks is decks up for the holiday season. Even some of the trees have lights strung up around them, their branches otherwise barren.
He backs into a spot in the back of the station’s parking lot, right next to Keisuke’s FD. Keisuke watches him with his hands shoved into the pockets of his thick coat, a cigarette between his lips. The light flickers on his face.
Takumi climbs out of the Impreza and gives Keisuke a quick nod.
Keisuke huffs with a half-smile, slowly withdrawing one of his hands from his pockets to pull the cigarette from his lips. “I still can’t get used to you driving that.” He gestures to the Impreza with the end of the cigarette.
“It’ll take longer than a couple of months to get the Eight-Six fixed.” As much as Takumi would like to be driving the Eight-Six, it’s not like he could get far with the state it’s in now. “You the only one here?”
“Ryousuke’s getting tickets.” Keisuke takes a drag from his cigarette and exhales slowly, the condensation from his breath mixing with the smoke. “You’re here early—for once.”
“I was never that late.”
Keisuke grins around the cigarette in his mouth.
A couple of minutes later Ryousuke steps out of the station and crosses the parking lot, joining them by their cars. “Takumi, it’s nice to see you again.”
“Yeah,” Takumi returns the greeting, adjusting his scarf.
Ryousuke glances at Keisuke. “The next train we can take is in twenty minutes, assuming everyone is here by then.”
“Kenta should be here soon. He was complaining about all the traffic.” Keisuke snubs out his cigarette and pulls out his phone. He flips it open. “Tomiguchi’ll be here soon too.”
“I can say the same for Fumihiro and Matsumoto.”
It only takes a couple of minutes for everyone else to arrive. Takumi watches each car pull into the parking lot, they’re far enough in the back that no one else parks next to them. He can’t fight the small smile that tugs at his lips seeing every single familiar car back into each successive spot.
It has to be at least a couple of months before all of them have actually met up as a group.
Not that Takumi has a right to complain, half of the time he’s too busy with work to join any plans that they might make.
The closer that it gets to the next train arriving, the more often Ryousuke glances at his watch. He’s not unsettled, Takumi doesn’t know if there's an occasion that he could call Ryousuke’s unsettled, but slightly impatient would be a better way to describe it.
Keisuke, on the other hand, is completely unaffected, carrying a quiet conversation between Tomiguchi and Matsumoto.
The bright orange S14 pulls into the lot and practically swings into the spot next to Fumihiro’s MR2. Keisuke breaks away from Tomiguchi and Matsumoto as Kenta climbs out of the S14. “It’s about time you got here,” Keisuke says with a teasing note.
“I can’t help the traffic.” Kenta shuts the door, the sound echoing in the silence of the parking lot.
“Leaving earlier might’ve helped.” Keisuke follows Ryousuke, quickening his pace to catch up to him.
“I did leave early!” Kenta joins Keisuke, giving Takumi a quick greeting when he passes him.
Takumi pushes away from the Impreza, quickly checking that the door was locked before jogging over to catch up to everyone.
They quickly get through the station, digging out wallets to cover the fare. Takumi shoves the pass into one of the pockets in his wallet once he scans it, fumbling to stick it back in his pocket. Keisuke watches him over his shoulder, taking a quick moment to glance back at the train. “C’mon, you don’t want to miss the train.”
“I know, I’m coming.” Takumi jogs with Keisuke to the train, slipping in between the doors maybe thirty seconds before they close.
Keisuke takes a seat next to Ryousuke and Takumi sinks into one across from him. Matsumoto gives him a small grin. “You figured out the train scanners well enough?”
“I’ve ridden a train before.”
Matsumoto’s grin only grows at Takumi’s indignation. “Is everything going well with the Eight-Six?”
“Yeah, but it’s harder to get things done with the cold.” Half of the time the metal is too cold for him to hold let alone work with.
“That’s right, you have it parked outside. With the snow coming, it might be a couple of months before you can work on it again.” Matsumoto shifts, wrapping his jacket tighter around himself. “But it’ll give you some time to get parts in.”
Takumi nods. “I’ve been waiting for some things to restock.”
“If there’s anything you're waiting for, I can always see what I can do,” Matsumoto says.
Takumi glances over at him. “You don’t need to.”
“It’s not any trouble.” Matsumoto returns Takumi’s look with a soft grin. “I enjoyed working on the Eight-Six.”
“I kinda want to do this myself—for now.” Takumi grins sheepishly, fiddling with the end of his scarf.
“Of course.” There’s something unreadable in Matsumoto’s expression, but pleasant all the same.
The rest of the train ride is quick with only a couple of stops between when they got on and when they needed to get off. People filter in and out of the train but it never feels that packed.
At least, nothing compared to what it would feel like if he was on the train rather than driving during rush hour.
Between the two, he most certainly prefers to be in his car than on the train.
Once their stop comes, something Takumi wasn’t sure of until Matsumoto half-dragged him out of his seat when the train came to a stop, they all step out of the train. The station is packed with people and Takumi weaves through the crowd of people to follow Ryousuke as he leads them through the station and out onto the streets.
The moment they turn the corner to the main street, Takumi slows to a stop.
Soft white lights weave in between the branches on the trees, twisted in such a way that they almost look like frost. Crowds of people meander through the streets, looking up at the lights above them.
Takumi’s never been to a Christmas Market like this.
There’s something enchanting about it.
They make their way through the crowds to the entrance of the market, the small, scattered groups of people all coagulating into one long line in front of the entrance.
Despite all the people, it doesn’t take them long to get into the market, the crowds dispersing the moment they can step past the entrance. The quiet sound of music filters over the market, soft and pleasant.
A grin tugs at Takumi’s lips.
During Takumi’s distraction, Keisuke splits away with Kenta and Tomiguchi, giving them a quick wave over his shoulder. Takumi looks between him and Ryousuke. “Are we going with him?”
“You can if you want.” Ryousuke looks away, already moving in the opposite direction. “But they’ll be fine.”
Takumi doesn’t doubt that but it almost feels weird to split up so soon.
He follows Ryousuke through the crowd, not waiting to be left standing there alone. Matsumoto keeps pace with Ryousuke but Fumihiro slows down to walk beside Takumi. “How have things been going? It’s been a bit since I’ve seen you.”
“Not bad, I guess.” Takumi shrugs, his hands shoved into his pockets. It’s colder now than it was when he left earlier in the afternoon. “Busy.”
“I’m guessing things start to pick up around now at your work.”
“Yeah—a little bit. Not that there seems to be much of a difference.” Takumi’s always pretty busy when he’s on the clock, so the only thing he’s seen with the holidays is the increase in traffic on the roads. It makes a route take double the time sometimes.
“Anything new with your driving?” Fumihiro slows to a stop when Ryousuke and Matsumoto do, glancing at the shop they stopped at. There’s trinkets of some kind on display and silver tinsel is wrapped around the roof of the stall. “Or are you still getting used to the Impreza?”
“I’ve already gotten used to it.” With the way his dad had him switch between driving the Impreza and the Eight-Six, he already had a fairly good grasp on the car long before he had to switch to it. “And I’m waiting for the snow to try some stuff.”
A thin, teasing grin tugs at Fumihiro’s lips. “You should take up Keisuke's challenge to race some time, it’ll be interesting.”
“It’s a little late for that now.” And Takumi still can’t fight the feeling that it’s wrong to race Keisuke in the Impreza.
He’s always raced in the Eight-Six, racing Keisuke in anything else isn’t going to be the same.
“Maybe in the spring, then.” Fumihiro picks up one of the trinkets on the table, twisting it in his hands before setting it back down.
Takumi nods, stepping away from the stand with Fumihiro.
Takumi sticks with Ryousuke, Matsumoto, and Fumihiro as they walk through the market, enjoying the murmur of the crowd and quiet music that washes over him. He tries a couple of different foods from the stands, a mix of things both sweet and savory.
Everything is warm and delicious.
Just as Takumi finishes the last couple of roasted chestnuts he picked up from the nearby stand, just from the spell alone he knew that he needed to try some, he spots Keisuke weaving through the crowd.
Keisuke gives Ryousuke a brief nod before singling out Takumi. “C’mon, I found something you should try.”
Takumi drops the empty wrapper in the trash can. “What is it?”
“Just follow me and you’ll see.” Keisuke takes a few steps in the direction he came from, glancing back over his shoulder.
Takumi just shrugs and joins him, adjusting his scarf so it covers his neck better. “Are you gonna see if Ryousuke or anyone else wants to come?”
“It’s fine.” Keisuke weaves through the crowd with ease, cutting through groups of people and stalls. “We can meet up with them again later.”
Takumi follows Keisuke to a busy stall. “Are Kenta and Tomiguchi still here?”
Keisuke glances over the crowd. “Yeah, they’re somewhere over there—I think. One of the stalls had something Tomiguchi wanted to try.” He looks back over at the stand. “Just wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Takumi stands at the edge of the crowd, hands shoved into his pockets and bouncing on the balls of his feet. His breath condenses in front of him and the chill bites into the exposed skin on his face.
It’s colder now that he isn’t moving.
Keisuke returns after a couple of minutes with two paper cups in his hands. Steam rises from the cups and Takumi can catch the scent of something spiced.
“Mulled beer?” Takumi asks, incredulous.
“Mulled punch—it’s non-alcoholic.” Keisuke holds out one of the paper cups in his hands. “I’ve already had some and it’s pretty good.”
Takumi takes the offered cup and holds it tight in his hands. The warmth seeps through the paper and it’s pleasant against the chill hanging in the air. It warms his cheeks and nose when he brings it to his lips.
The taste of spice is strong against his tongue but the warm drink was well needed. He takes a long sip, savoring the sharp taste.
Keisuke takes a drink from his cup. “Pretty good, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.”
Keisuke glances back at the stands on the other side of the walkway. “Let’s go, Kenta and Tomiguchi couldn’t have gotten far.”
Takumi follows Keisuke through the crowds, eventually meeting up with Tomiguchi and Kenta. He sips on the mulled punch, appreciating the warmth now more than ever. Occasionally Keisuke gives him something else to try, more often something sweet than not, but for the most part Takumi is left alone to enjoy the market.
As the night grows longer, the crowds start to thicken. There’s less families present now with the later time, but still enough that he has to be careful stepping around children rushing by. The music grows louder the closer to the center of the market they get.
Takumi glances through the merchandise at one of the stalls, having long since finished his drink. He debates the logistics of turning around and getting another one, missing the warmth of the drink in his hands.
But from across the clearing, Keisuke gestures for Takumi to come over, holding up his phone.
Takumi straightens up, giving the stall one last look before weaving through the crowds to make it to the other side of the clearing. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, Ryousuke just told me they’ll meet us by the tree.”
Takumi nods. He’s seen glimpses of the large tree at the center of the plaza, with how big it is it’s almost impossible to miss it, but was always just far enough that it was covered by the stalls or other decorations.
The moment that they clear the shops, the tree sits in the center of the plaza. Lights and ribbon wrap around the branches, the dark green pine needles barely visible at this time of night even with the lights. Ornaments of all different types cover the tree, glimmering in the low lights.
Takumi stops a couple of feet from the fence around the tree and cranes his neck to look up at it.
Ryousuke, Matsumoto, Fumihiro join them maybe a minute later, some sort of drink of their own in their hands. Takumi only glances over at them, returning their greetings with a small smile.
Takumi exhales slowly, watching as his breath twists in front of him.
This was nice. He forgot how much he enjoyed just spending time with the rest of Project D, even if the team has long since been disbanded.
The lights flicker on the tree in front of him and he can’t help but grin.