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The Skysplitter Speedway was an old, abandoned military battleship turned into a venue for locals to enjoy as a pastime.
But for a certain young man, this place held a different meaning.
He inhaled a sharp breath as a torrent of memories came flooding through his head—the blood, sweat, tears, the highs and lows, where he lived, conquered, and thrived against all odds, surrounded by his mentor and old friends turned rivals… it started right here, in this concrete wasteland.
And tonight, he was back, returning to his roots.
Two long years have passed since then.
Two years since he decided to quit racing altogether.
But no matter how long it may be, Dan Heng knew deep down that he couldn’t let go.
Even now, as he walked away from racing to pursue a different career path—becoming a database archivist under the fellowship of the prestigious Welt Yang at Herta College… his dream to return to the speedway and race to his heart’s content, his craving for excitement and the thrill to go beyond his limits… it was still inside of him somewhere, and little by little, that long-forsaken vision grew steadily.
Until Dan Heng could no longer control it.
On instinct, he came here on his own…dusting off his trusty white ‘steed’, taking it out of retirement for one quick ride.
“Home sweet home, huh, Cloud-Piercer?” Dan Heng murmured under his breath, smirking as he gently slid his gloved right hand from its worn-out seat, then further beyond before finally interlocking his fingers with the cold, leather handlebars.
Turning on the ignition, Cloud-Piercer roared to life.
Chills ran down Dan Heng’s spine, and in no time, a smirk made its way through his lips. There it was, that familiar surge of euphoria hitting him all at once.
Suddenly, he was transported back to the past, back to his nineteen-year-old self—the reckless and hungry fool who lived for the thrills and the danger of the unknown.
Without missing a beat, he mounted and adjusted his seating on Cloud-Piercer.
Dan Heng couldn’t help but allow a genuine smile to surface as a burst of warmth filled his stomach. After all these years, it felt as though nothing had changed.
In fact, this is exactly where he wanted to be.
Just him, Cloud-Piercer, and the vast, open speedway calling out to him to reclaim his rightful throne.
This is it; this is where I belong.
Leaning to the side, Dan Heng was ready and prepared to head off when his ears picked up something else, a noise blaring from a great distance.
A low and deep rumble…and it was coming closer and closer.
Dan Heng whirled his head quickly over his shoulder, and through the tinted lens of his visor, he saw it—a streak of blue and white coming right toward him.
Dan Heng frowned as the unannounced visitor skillfully swerved a few times until eventually pulling over to where he was posted.
A beat of silence filled the air as the two riders acknowledged each other.
Dan Heng narrowed his eyes. Even with his contacts on, he could barely register the rider next to him. Lowering his gaze, he took notice of the nameless rider’s chosen suit palette—vibrant reds, pinks, and black…which was a big contrast to their brightly blue-white motorcycle.
“You’re transpassing,” Dan Heng finally spoke up, “Better get a move on before you get caught.”
“Who said that you own this place?” The rider spat back, their voice noticeably low and chilling. “I could say the same thing to you.”
Dan Heng narrowed his eyes, clicking his tongue.
As much as he wanted to argue back, he suppressed the urge to do so.
Instead, he scoffed, turning his full attention to the road ahead.
He wasn’t here for them, nor was he here to be entertained.
He was here to try and relive his past, just one more time.
To feel alive again.
Dan Heng adjusted his helmet a bit further for extra measure. Leaning forward, he proceeded to twist the handlebars a bit more roughly.
Starting neutral, Cloud-Piercer rolled forward.
Relying on muscle memory, Dan Heng managed to pull the clutch, and after shifting into first gear, he was more than ready to—
In a blink of an eye, the same blue and white colors sped right past him.
Stunned, Dan Heng could barely move.
Lifting his chin, he caught the wisps of the nameless rider pushing ahead.
Dan Heng clenched his teeth.
Without warning, he charged straight to the unknown.
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Somehow, he managed to match the nameless rider’s speed.
But it wasn’t enough.
No, it couldn’t be enough.
Dan Heng clenched his teeth hard, enough to let the base of his tongue slightly bleed out. The taste of iron definitely woke him, driving him to go a little above and beyond his own limits.
Head spinning, his mind became flooded with more flashbacks of the past—and within seconds, the once empty speedway was filled to the brim with lively spectators, colossal beaming lights, and the swarms of many races, both young and old, zipping uninterrupted at dangerous speeds.
He could see them—his late mentor and cousin Dan Feng, silently evaluating him from the sidelines. And he wasn’t alone.
The rest were there as well, the ghosts of his past—Blade, Jingliu, Jing Yuan, and Baiheng.
Just like him, they were all competitive racers with a keen eye for conquest.
As the youngest of their crew, Dan Heng fought tooth and nail to get their attention, in hopes that they’d see him as an equal.
Aside from Jing Yuan and Baiheng, who were easily amiable towards him, the rest…not so much.
Dan Heng remembered it: how their intense and judgemental gaze would haunt him at every twist and turn during his time on the speedway, how one crucial move could mean a life-or-death sentence.
Even so, his efforts eventually led nowhere.
Shortly after Baiheng’s untimely passing, the entire group disbanded.
Around that same time, his cousin Dan Feng passed on as well.
The funeral was short, and apart from Jing Yuan, who did his best to lighten and repair what was left of the group… well, long story short, everyone simply moved on with their lives.
To this day, Dan Heng continues to carry the weight of his guilt and shame.
He was and will always be the imperfect half to Dan Feng.
An outcast who yearned to be a part of something, only to be left abandoned and forced to survive.
Dan Heng gained more speed, fighting hard to try and outmatch the nameless rider.
He was close, so very close…
Until—
“WATCH OUT!”
Out of nowhere, Cloud-Piercer let out a deafening shriek.
Dan Heng’s eyes grew wide, forcing him to return to reality.
But at that point, it was too late.
In one fell swoop, Cloud-Piercer directly hit the nearby wall, causing Dan Heng to fall back hard and lose consciousness altogether.
Dan Heng woke up with a few scrapes and bruises.
“You’re a lucky one. Thank the Aeons you had a witness there to call the emergency line to come pick you up.”
As told by the doctor, his injuries were thankfully not fatal…well, for him at least.
“What happened to Cloud-Piercer?”
“Are you referring to your motorcycle?”
Dan Heng nodded.
The doctor sighed, lowering her clipboard.
“Sorry about your bike,” She murmured, flashing him a melancholy look. “I’m afraid it didn’t survive.”
“...”
“Think of it this way. Better that you survived than the other way around, right?”
“...”
“You should be good to go home in two days. For now, take this time to rest and recover.”
Dan Heng felt numbed, broken, and all he could do was manage a low, “...Thank you.”
That night at the hospital, Dan Heng was forced to say his goodbyes to his old friend, who gave up its life in exchange for his.
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But Dan Heng wasn’t a quitter.
He made some mistakes (heck, everybody does!), but this one incident shouldn’t stop him from trying to do the impossible.
Right now, his priority was to repair Cloud-Piercer.
Screw the doctor’s condolences when that vintage steed was the only thing that kept him tethered to this world, his reason to keep living.
“Do you know anyone who can fix her?”
From across the table, his best friend Caelus frowned, scrolling his phone. “Hmm…I might know someone…wait, two people actually!”
Dan Heng leaned forward. “Who?”
Looking away from his phone screen, Caelus gave the latter a big grin. “Have you heard of Pegana?”
Everyone in town knew Pegana—the local mechanic shop owned by the famous motorsport mechanic, Himeko Murata.
If there was one person who could definitely bring Cloud-Piercer in one piece, it was her.
Shortly after his job, Dan Heng went straight to the shop to pay a visit.
Except, the person he met upon arrival wasn’t the supposed redhead beauty that he was hoping to meet.
“Oh, a customer! How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Himeko Murata,” Dan Heng started, getting straight to the point as he greeted the young woman behind the cash register.
“That’ll be my boss; I’m just her trusty apprentice.” She pointed out, smiling nervously. “If you like, you could always schedule a reservation with her and—”
“I don’t want a reservation,” Dan Heng cut her off, “I just need someone to help me, please.”
The apprentice blinked, tipping her head as she gave him a quick look over. Her eyes slightly widened the more she stared.
Dan Heng awkwardly stepped back. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, well…look who decided to come here,” The apprentice spoke in a strange, teasing voice. Somehow, it brought chills to Dan Heng, but naturally, he chose to ignore it instead.
The awed look on her face was pretty obvious.
She’s a fan. He concluded, sighing.
“Look, just get Himeko for me, okay?”
The apprentice nodded, retaining her smile despite his rudeness. “Alright, mister grumpypants.” Pulling out a pen and paper, she asked him politely for his name.
Dan Heng raised an eyebrow, surprised that she had asked. So, she’s not a fan?
“Dan Heng.”
“Alright, thank you, Mister Dan Heng,” said the apprentice, giving him a curt bow. “I’ll see if Boss is available to see you.”
“Thanks.”
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As expected, Dan Heng came to the right place as the famed engineer revealed herself and offered to lend a hand.
“Bring your motorcycle here tomorrow and let’s see if we can jumpstart her.”
The following day, Dan Heng arrived at his scheduled time with Cloud-Piercer. Thanks to Caelus and Firefly, the trio managed to safely and securely bring the broken motorcycle inside the shop.
“All right, please give me and March a moment to inspect and check out the damage,” Himeko explained to the group of friends. “In the meantime, take a look around the lobby or walk outside.”
While Caelus and Firefly were quick to step out and grab lunches from a nearby convenience store, Dan Heng remained outside, sitting on the staircase as he watched the clouds idly pass.
From the corner of his eye, he saw it—the familiar streaks of blue and white hiding behind the trees.
Curious, he walked over…
His eyes widened.
No doubt, it was the very same bike he saw that night.
That could only mean one thing…
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“You sure it was Himeko?”
“I don’t think so; I know so.” Dan Heng insisted, taking a sip of his beverage. “Why else would she want to fix up Cloud-Piercer so eagerly?”
Caelus and Firefly exchanged weird looks.
“Could be that it’s just part of her job,” Firefly explained, followed by a light chuckle. “You know, as a mechanic?”
Dan Heng rolled his eyes at her comment. “Could be, but…” He trailed off, words fading as he shifted his sights to the motorcycle he found behind the trees. If the nameless rider wasn’t Himeko, then perhaps they were somewhere else, living among the line of apartments surrounding them or maybe, just maybe…
“What about her cute apprentice?” Caelus wondered aloud, which earned him a light nudge on the elbow.
Hearing this, Dan Heng took a moment to think it over. Now that he really thought about it, that pink girl strangely matched the same height as the nameless rider.
“Who said that you own this place? I could say the same thing to you.”
Reminded by the lowered, bone-chilling voice, he was quick to reject the possibility.
“Not a chance.” He groaned, taking another sip of his drink. “She’s the last person I’d imagine on a motorcycle.”
This time around, Caelus and Firefly shared amusing looks.
Dan Heng caught this as he turned to look at them. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing!” Caelus waved off, laughing as he leaned back.
Firefly did the same as well, only she leaned her head close to her boyfriend’s right shoulder.
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“You should race again.”
Dan Heng paused and looked over, surprised to find the pink girl emerging out of the garbage with soot all over her face. Even with her pink hair in disarray, she was still quite the looker.
Dan Heng, realizing how unbecoming his thoughts were, immediately pushed them aside.
Clearing his throat, Dan Heng looked away, crossing his arms as he sat alone on the couch. Then it occurred to him—wait, did she mention racing? His heart sped up as the pieces slowly took form. Could it be that she does know who I am?
“I really don’t know…”
“You really should!” March urged, coming closer as she rounded the couch. Plopping on the empty seat across from where he sat, March crossed her leg over the other. “If you race again, I’m sure lots of people would love to see the great Cold Dragon Young reclaim his throne!”
Dan Heng inwardly smiled, tickled by her enthusiasm. “So, you do know me.”
March shrugged. “More or less. I heard about you from my Uncle, including your two-year retirement in the racing world.”
“...”
March fidgeted in her seat. “Hey, sorry if I made things sort of awkward—”
“How long until Cloud-Piercer gets fixed?”
At the mention of his motorcycle, March pressed her lips as she thought it over. “Give it one more week.”
“Then there’s your answer.” Dan Heng said simply, much to the girl’s surprise.
“Wait, really?”
Dan Heng nodded. “Why not?”
March beamed, and for a second there, Dan Heng found himself quite mesmerized by her big, doe eyes.
“You know, I met you before.”
Dan Heng’s lips morphed into a frown. “You have?”
“Sort of, more like in passing.” March went on, looking down at the floor. “But anyway, enough of that, I can’t wait to see you racing again.”
All Dan Heng could do was shake his head, taking a moment to process what she just said. He stood up, alerting her.
“Did you eat yet?”
“No, why?”
“Let’s grab some lunch then,” Dan Heng offered, waving her over as he walked closer to the front door.
March got up quickly, chasing after him. “Hey, wait up!”
As Dan Heng walked out of the mechanic shop, he was welcomed by the late afternoon breeze. Next to him was March, who seemed a little excited by their unexpected outing.
Catching her visible eagerness, Dan Heng felt a little lighter than usual.
For the first time in a long while, his mind wasn’t entirely occupied by Cloud-Piercer.
For once, he was focused and looking forward to the present.
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It took a little more than a week.
Even so, Himeko delivered her promise as Cloud-Piercer was ultimately restored to its former glory.
“I can’t thank you both enough,” Dan Heng expressed, bowing his head to show his full appreciation.
Himeko and March exchanged smiles.
“Why don’t you take it for a spin?”
Dan Heng looked up, taken aback by the older woman’s words.
“There’s an old, abandoned speedway nearby,” Himeko went on, much to Dan Heng’s surprise. “March goes there often to practice with her bike.”
And there it was.
The missing piece of the mystery and all at once, it unexpectedly revealed itself.
Dan Heng shifted his gaze over to March, who was quick to look away.
Taking note of her silence, Dan Heng knew instantly that her secret was out.
She was there that night; she was the witness who called for an emergency.
She was the nameless rider…and the very same one he fought tooth and nail to chase on the racetrack.
“How about it?” Himeko perked up, unaware of the tension between the pair. “One round wouldn’t hurt, right? And I’ll have to see my handiwork with my own eyes to guarantee that it’s good to go.”
“How about it, March?” Dan Heng spoke up, eyes on the nervous-looking pink girl. “You up for a race?”
March looked up, frozen under the weight of his intense glare.
It didn’t take long for her to eventually ease up, and when she did, Dan Heng was left speechless.
“Thought you’d never ask ~” March replied, and there it was, that glint in her blue-pink eyes.
One minute, she was cheerful and amicable.
The next, she was like a whole different person—in the blink of an eye, March was unexpectedly haught and playful. There was a hint of coldness in her voice, but Dan Heng knew better already.
Just like him, she wore a mask, and this was one of them.
“Well? What are we waiting for? Let’s get a move on!”
Dan Heng smiled as March and Himeko walked ahead, likely for the bushes where her motorcycle was carefully placed.
Moving over, he pressed a gentle hand atop Cloud-Piercer’s singular dark green headlight. “How about it, girl?” He murmured with softened eyes. “Let’s show them what we could do.”
At long last, the promised day was here.
“Sorry, I’m late! But I’m here!” Caelus cried, panting as he managed to get through security to rejoin the group. “Firefly’s on her way.”
Dan Heng nodded, arms crossed as he gave his best friend a pointed look. “You do know you’re not late, right?”
Caelus blinked, matching the latter’s eye level as he frowned. “Come on, man! Don’t say that! Do you know the hassle we have to go through to find the perfect parking spot, just to come see your sorry ass—”
“Okay, okay, I get it.” Dan Heng cuts him off, rolling his eyes as he allowed a smile to resurface. “Just forget about it.”
Caelus laughed, bringing up his fist. “Go get’em, man!”
Nodding, Dan Heng returned the gesture.
Once more, Caelus left back to the crowd, probably trying to search for Firefly and their daughter—
“Mr. Yang, is that you?”
Right on cue, the tall older man beamed upon recognizing a familiar face. “Ah, great seeing you here, Dan Heng!”
“What are you doing here?”
“Why, I’m here to watch my niece.”
Right on cue, March showed up to greet them—and as expected, was dressed in her signature black one-piece suit, accentuated with deep reds and pinks.
“Uncle Yang, you came!”
“Of course, I wouldn’t miss this for the world!”
Dan Heng took a step back as he watched the entire scene unfold.
For once, he was appalled by how small the world was. To think that this whole time, his supervisor happened to be related to the very same girl who was also the apprentice of the famed mechanic.
Dan Heng inhaled a deep breath as he was reminded of his younger self—how he, too, was once in a similar position. And while he was unfavored by half of his old group, this time around, it seemed that there were people here who voluntarily came for the sake of it.
Dan Heng felt a nudge on his shoulder, and as he turned, was met with another remarkable sight.
“Jing Yuan?”
“In the flesh!” cried the older man, grinning heartily. “It’s been a long time, huh?”
Dan Heng managed a small smile, nodding. “It has. I’m guessing you’re here to see the race?”
“If Baiheng were here, she would’ve dragged all of us to come see it,” Jing Yuan insisted, chuckling. “And as a friend, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Hearing this, Dan Heng felt warm. So many things he wanted to say, so many mistakes he wanted to confess, and yet, all he could really say was, “Thank you.”
“Give ‘em hell out there,” Jing Yuan encouraged, raising his fist, and in return, Dan Heng did the same–together, they bumped their fists for old time’s sake.
Shortly after Jing Yuan left to sit on the stands, Dan Heng took a good, long moment to look around. The Skysplitter Speedway was still old and slightly rundown, but thanks to the efforts of the community, the whole venue was revitalized to its former glory. And for the first time in three years, the entire place was packed, exactly how Dan Heng remembered.
The news of Dan Heng’s return to his racing glory spread far and wide—with longtime, devoted fans coming to witness a rare chance to witness the once-retired racer’s first-ever grand prix tournament. Alongside March, there were a few more racers (mostly local) racing today.
Indeed, it was a long time coming.
And today would be the day for them to show the fruits of their labor.
“Say, if I win, what should I be expecting?” March asked, catching his attention.
Hearing this, Dan Heng rolled his eyes. Even so, he allowed himself to smile. “If you win, what would you like?”
March hummed with her finger perched over her chin. “Let’s see…I would like dinner in the city, oh and it’s gotta be a three-star one! And the loser—which is you—will be the one to pay for the bill!”
Dan Heng nodded, arms crossed. “Okay then.”
“What about you, hotshot?” March asked, elbowing him lightly. “What would you like if you win?”
Dan Heng looked over, locking his eyes with hers, the same one that he eventually fell for over the last three years.
Three years ago, he never would’ve thought to return here, back to reclaim his crowning glory.
To think, none of this would’ve started without that incident, that very same one that changed his life—no, both of their lives together.
Cloud-Piercer and I…both of us are here, still racing and kicking… our journey begins with her.
“If I win,” Dan Heng began, leaning closer and with a smile, whispered into her ear—words meant for her and only her. “I’d like for the loser—which is you—to marry me.”