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A week later
A week had passed since that event in the mountains, everything was fine, as if nothing had happened, Lena, Twinkie, Han and the others continued working in the workshop as usual, now, with Sean as a new member, of course he did not receive a salary as such, only the tires that Twinkie gave him to spend on his practices.
They spent their day in the workshop, as at that moment, everyone was in the place, each one with their work, Lena and Han on the other hand, were giving Mona some touches on the lower part.
They were both fine, too fine, Lena was a bit scared of that, Han had been too loving these last few days, too affectionate, it’s not that he wasn’t that way with her but his sudden behavior was strange.
The Asian’s arms encircled the waist of the younger, who was adjusting some things of the vehicle that was on over her head. – Leave that a moment. – He whispered, taking the key in his hand to put it aside. – Look at me. – He asked, Lena obeyed, turning around, taking his face in her hands while he continued with his arms around her waist.
– What’s going on?
– I’m curious to know something. – Lena nodded, asking him to continue with his doubt. – If I were to disappear from your life one day… How long would it take you to form a family?
– What? – The girl asked with amazement and confusion. – What are you talking about?
– If I died, I don’t know, today, would you look for a calm and peaceful life? A happy life? – Lena just looked at his eyes, not understanding what he wanted to get out of that question.
– I don’t understand your point. Why are you asking those kinds of things, Han?
Han shrugged, shaking his head, looking fondly into her brown eyes. – I just want to be sure that if something ever happens to me, you’ll be fine and go on with your life. – The older one replied, leaving a kiss on her cheek, before hiding his face in her neck. – Promise me something, please.
Lena just made a sound in her throat, not understanding how that conversation had made her so thoughtful. – If something happens to me, if I disappear from your life, promise me that you will move on, you will find your happiness, be it here in Tokyo or elsewhere… You will be happy, promise me that.
– No, Han, what are you talking about? You are not going to disappear. – She’s serious, but that little laugh had a touch of nervousness hidden in it. Why did he speak of death so suddenly? – I can not promise to be happy, not if, in that life that you ask me to live, you are not there.
– You know that anything can happen, even though we are living in the shadows, you know that we will always be in someone’s sight, right? I just want to make sure you’ll be happy.
– I will, with you. – Han denied, his eyes were already beginning to itch, he collided his forehead with hers. – Han…
– Promise me that if something happens to me one day, you will live well, you will meet someone, you will form a family and you will be happy, promise me, please.
Lena heard his insistence, it almost sounded like a plea, and she knew that he wasn’t going to stop asking if she didn’t promise, so, nodding, she released those words that he wanted to hear so much. – I promise.
– What do you promise?
– I’ll be happy.
– That’s right. – He murmured, leaving a soft kiss on her lips, hugging the younger’s body, sharing a long kiss, as if it were the last one they would share in that life. When they separated, he smiled, leaving a kiss on her cheek before touching her lips again. – I love you, I always will, my love.
Lena was going to answer that, before the sound of some cars entering the place was heard, they both looked in the direction of the sound, Takashi’s and Morimoto’s cars could be seen, Lena rolled her eyes, letting Han go when she saw the Asians entering the place.
Lena walked over to the tool table, knowing that Takashi was possibly after Neela, who was in the spot with Sean.
They were always the problem.
However, when a bang was heard, Lena saw how Sean was just coming down the stairs, which made her turn immediately, seeing how Takashi pushed Han against Sean’s red car while yelling something at him. -…I put my reputation in your hands! We were partners! You think you can hide your business from me!?
– Please… – Han pushed Takashi back, away from him. – We are no longer children, this is what we do.
-Takashi. – Lena said with a harsh tone, ready to take a step before Morimoto took her by the shoulder, hearing a weapon load, the girl felt the muzzle of one over her head, Han’s frightened eyes reflected the fright that this gave him, not even the weapon pointed at him made him feel his heart race like seeing the weapon on the girl’s head.
– You’re the one who needs me… You’d keep robbing businesses if it wasn’t for everything I’ve done for you.
Lena watched as Takashi loaded the weapon, right in front of Han’s eyes, the girl felt her heart race at that. – Takashi!
– Be quiet! – He yelled.
At that moment, an alarm went off, which gave the signal to the couple, moving at the same time, they both hit the wrist that held the weapons before launching a blow at the owners of these.
Han ran to Lena immediately, taking her hand. – Get in the car! – He ordered her, leaving her in front of his Nissan Silva before he ran out of the place.
Lena didn’t object, getting into the car, starting the engine, it sped up, seeing Morimoto’s body in front of her, hitting him with the big car, the girl didn’t even think about it, going through the gate that separated them from the street, Lena drove down the road, knowing well that Sean was behind her, she could see that red color shining in her rearview mirror.
When they went out to an intersection, the girl managed to see Han’s car, he also saw the beautiful moss green color of his girlfriend’s car, sticking his hand out the window, he signaled for her to follow him, and she did, both speeding through the busy streets of Tokyo.
Lena managed to see Morimoto approaching her car, which made her curse, she had to get rid of him.
Giving her more work, the girl sped up, weaving between the cars on that road, trying to lose sight of him, or for him to lose her. When she continued in a straight line, she felt the hit on her rear bumper, cursing at it in Japanese, the girl was enraged.
That paint cost more than the car he drove.
Annoyed, she decided to slow down, seeing Sean approaching her from the side. – Follow Han! – She ordered him, making the boy look at her with some concern, however, Neela at his side made him speed up.
She knew Lena, she knew she would make it out of this place intact.
Lena shared hits with Morimoto’s yellow car, both trying to divert the other, when Lena saw how a car was heading towards her, the girl smiled before her idea, making sure that nothing was coming from behind her car, the girl waited to see how the Asian man moved his steering wheel so that the car hit her once more, however, at that moment, Lena turned the wheel in the same direction, causing Morimoto’s car to face the big car that Lena had seen seconds back, creating a huge clash, from which, Lena was sure, the Asian wouldn’t come out alive.
With a bitter taste in her throat, the girl sped up, successfully catching up with Han’s orange car, who was being chased by Takashi, who, seeing her car, wanted to hit her to get her out of the way, however, when she sped up, she avoided the big hit, standing side by side with Han, the girl saw how he smiled at her before making a sign.
He wanted her to positionate in front of him.
She nodded, moving her car in front of the Asian’s, Lena’s eyes widened when she saw the number of people who were on the road, crossing the pedestrian lane, pressing the car’s horn, this made the alert, moving, Lena swears that she had never used the Nissan to do a curve like the one she did at that moment, trying not to lose control of the steering wheel, she leaned her body, sighing when she managed to pass all those people, taking a few more curves, the girl felt like her car, somehow began to stop.
Feeling the tremor that it was doing, as if it were a toy running out of battery, the girl tried to step on the accelerator to make it run more, she was so focused on that that when her eyes caught a bright light, to her right, she couldn’t even see what was approaching her when she felt a strong blow to the rear that caused her car to go skidding until it collided with a large pole that was on a sidewalk a few meters from the place.
When the impact came, her head hit the steering wheel hard, making her groan before she heard another loud noise, looking in the rearview mirror, she swore her hands had never moved so fast to open a door, when she saw the remarkable orange car being thrown to the side by another car, the one that was going to hit her, she came out of the car.
Not caring about that feeling of dizziness in her body, she walked with some difficulty but quickly to see the whole scene, a scene that her heart couldn’t resist, when the car stopped spinning, the girl could see Han’s body trapped in the rubble that had left the car, without thinking of anything else when she saw how his hand reached out to her, the girl ran towards the car with anguish. – Han! – She screamed in terror, approaching the car before she was abruptly stopped.
– Lena! No! – Sean’s voice yelling as he stopped her made her feel more frustrated.
I had to get him out of there, he is suffering, I can’t leave him in that place. – Han! Let me go Sean! – The girl begged him while kicking, trying to get out of his grip.
– The car is going to exp-
Without letting it finish, a great explosion was heard, a great reddish-orange flame flashed in the eyes of Lena and Sean, as well as the piercing scream of the aforementioned girl filled the ears of everyone present in the place, Sean tightened his grip as he felt the girl writhe until her legs seemed to give out, her body fell to her knees on the pavement, her eyes shed big and thick tears as her hands tried to drag her into the flame, Sean’s arms help to prevented that, holding her to his chest while, like her, he processed what was happening.
Han.
Han was gone.
Han was gone forever.
…
A day had passed, and Twinkie and Sean didn’t seem to want to leave her alone, the girl had spent the night at Twinkie’s house with her mother because the workshop was now in the hands of the police, after tremendous chaos what they caused, the girl had no choice but not to return.
Even if she wanted to jump in her house, in her home.
After going to look through the wreckage of the car, and finding a well-known chain, the girl had witnessed how they took the place, car by car, cursing to see the little mona being dragged with them too, Twinkie had told her what had happened with Sean, Neela and Takashi, that’s why the girl was next to the other American, getting out of the green car to meet Sean.
The girl knew that Sean was now Takashi’s target and there was no way he could get out of there, well, unless he died, like Han. – Are you okay?
– I should be asking you that.
Lena smiled somewhat sadly, nodding before sighing, looking to her side, sharing glances with Twinkie. – Listen, we have to get out of here, I know what happened with Takashi and believe me there will be no way you can get out of that problem, Sean.
– Yes, bro, let’s get out of here, I know a lot of people and-
– No – The boy’s confident voice made them both look at each other with some surprise. – I’m not leaving here.
– Sean, Takashi wants to kill you, okay? And it wouldn’t be a problem if it was just him, but you also made Kamata angry, I made that old man angry, and now he’s looking for us, and I don’t like to run away from problems, believe me, but this time, it’s not just my life that’s at stake here, Sean. – The girl said, approaching him. – I know it will sound stupid, but Han is no longer here, and he was the one who kept everything in place here, I don’t know how to do it, not right now… If I die, it’s fine, but I can’t afford to lose you, Sean, it’s not what Han wanted and it’s not what I’m going to do.
Sean looked at her, understanding her reasons, Han had become a valuable person to him, just like her, he had lost the man and, perhaps his pain was not as great as hers, according to Han, he had known Lena for years and loved her, if she did the same as him, he had no idea how heartbreaking this was for her.
But even so, she was there, trying not to get them killed instead of sinking into sadness, like any person would, even though she knew she was suffering.
And he wanted to make the one who had given her that suffering pay.
– Maybe I should talk to Kamata. – Lena swore that if he wasn’t like a little brother to her, she would have hit him so hard for his reasoning.
– Bro, you are crazy, sick, sick.
– DK obey him.
– Stop saying stupid things. – Twinkie complained, looking at his friend in disbelief.
– I have to do it. I’ll talk to Kamata.
– Sean, I told you, Han was the one who kept order here, but now he’s dead, okay? You can’t just go there and walk casually towards Kamata… It’s not that simple. – Lena said, asking, really, not to have to see the boy talking to that man.
– I have to, I have no choice.
– In short, every day you become sicker. – Twinkie said before seeing Lena, sighing heavily, this way to her car, calling them both. – I’ll give you something that Han would have liked you to have… And Lena never see.
The girl frowned, not understanding what he was saying, watching as the younger opened the trunk of his car and took out a horn, from which he took out a brown backpack, which the girl recognized immediately.
Han had bought that bag on their trip to Fuyu, she never understood why she didn’t see it again after that trip. – What is this?
– You will need it if you want to arrive alive with Kamata. – Lena listened, her eyebrows rose when she saw the bills inside that suitcase, the girl managed to process everything, cursing and running her hand over her face when she realized what it meant, because she knew Han wouldn’t trust Twinkie with his money.
That was the reason for Takashi and Han’s fight. That stupid money.
– Don’t you need it?
Lena looked at how Sean looked at Twinkie, she knew that he used that money from time to time, more than anything because of the conditions in which he and his mother lived, Han had been helping him that way. – Don’t worry. – Lena denied, capturing the attention of both, but her gaze was still on Sean. – Do what you have to do and please, don’t die, Sean.
…
Lena was in the workshop, which she had been able to regain control of, the girl was packing some things, she didn’t even know why, she just didn’t feel comfortable having so many things around her, until some hasty steps made her shake her head a little.
There was no one but her there.
With that, the girl dropped the box, slowly, walking towards the legs of an aluminum table in the place, the girl managed to take out a weapon that she and Han had decided to hide in case of anything, just when she heard the footsteps getting closer, she ran towards the door, stopping in front of it with the loaded weapon, pointing towards her.
When the door opened, Lena swore to be thankful she didn’t have a twitch in her finger, because she would have killed the boy. – Sean, damn, that’s what the other door is for.
– I thought we couldn’t get in, the police… And… It doesn’t matter, Lena, I need a favor.
– Did you talk to Kamata? – She interrupted, wanting to know the details of that interaction.
– Yes, and that’s why I need help… He asked me to run against Takashi, in the mountains.- Lena raised her eyebrows before frowning. What had he said to make him run against him? – No matter the details, just… I need you to help me, with the car.
– I don’t know if you notice, Sean, but there’s no car left, they even took half mona. – The girl said with some annoyance, she hated not being able to get her cars back. – They barely left me the tables, I don’t think I’ll be much help this time.
– No, just… We need a place and… Good hands.
Lena thought about it, looking around the place, of course she could lend them to her, it wasn’t like they had a functional use now, looking out the window, the girl remembered something, smiling. – I think I can still be quite useful to you. – She told him, calling him to go with her, leaving through the back side of the workshop, the girl walked a little until she got near the river where they used to practice with him.
Feeling sorry to see the broken shell of the old Mona, the girl ran towards it, hoping that her treasure was still there, with the help of Earl and Reiko, they opened the hood, almost laughing with joy when they saw the engine, intact, of it. – How…
– Han loves… He loved letting me put the engine in the cars, but it was a lot of trouble in the workshop, so we decided to leave it, I mean… Who would take a piece of junk?
– Wow, I didn’t think they were so smart, they usually just spent their time eating their mouths. – Twinkie said, earning a smack from Lena as they both laughed before Sean’s voice interrupted them. – You have life here, just look for the shell, Sean.
And so he did, from one day to the next, Lena has managed to get them some necessary tools, she had left the workshop while Sean took the car, quite worn and in great need of repairs, to the place.
With the shell ready, they just needed to give Sean’s car more life, and of course, Lena was not going to miss the opportunity to help him.
That being the help she herself needed to not lock herself in her sadness, to avoid falling into reality.
In which Han was no longer a part.
…
After a few long days of work, the day had come, Sean would face DK in those dark and dangerous mountains.
Lena didn’t want to go at first, but she thought that maybe, somehow, she could give the boy some advice or maybe this one if he wanted to have his presence there.
– You look more nervous than me.
– These mountains are not a joke, Sean. – Lena said, remembering how difficult it had been for her to reach the end, even without the other man following her, the place was a maze of curves. – A small mistake costs you your life.
– I heard that DK has been the only one who has made it to the bottom.
– If Twinkie told you, it’s a lie. – She said, making the boy look at her. – He wasn’t the only one, Han, even me, we’ve reached the end, that’s why I tell you that these mountains are risky, Han broke his leg the time he went down and I, well, it’s another story. – She said, looking at the cliff, remembering how she has seen the man she had run with, die in front of her. – I’ll give you advice.
– Tell me.
– Find a reason. – The girl told him, making Sean look at her with a frown. – The only way to get down these mountains safely is having a reason to get to the end, Han had it, I had it and DK has it, find one for yourself.
The girl finished just before DK’s car arrived at the scene, Lena sighed, touching Sean’s shoulder, giving him one last smile before walking to her motorcycle, without even looking at DK, she put on her helmet and headed for the other road up the mountain, the safe one, she had to get with Twinkie and the others to see the winner.
…
Lena was leaning against Twinkie’s car, listening to every gasp, celebration and curse from everyone in the room, the group was in the field of the finish line next to Kamata. Lena wasn’t very interested in watching the race, she just wanted Sean to get out of there alive, which was why she avoided the worrying part.
Her mind went back to the day of the accident, thinking about what had happened, maybe if she had managed to keep the car’s engine from failing, Han wouldn’t have had to pull her off the road and now they were watching Takashi and Sean race, maybe not on that mountain, but on the usual tracks.
Thinking about if Silvia had ever given her problems, the girl began to think about things in her head, she had never had a single problem with the car, not even with a tire, she didn’t know how it was that that day, precisely, everything had happened. She had not checked it either to say that she had left something loose, Silvia had his revision period, she did not have to touch it before.
When a few gasps of terror were heard, Lena looked up, seeing how Takashi’s car rolled down the cliff that was above them, seeing how the others celebrated, the girl could only feel that grain of concern inside her.
Yes, Takashi was a jerk but he had been Han’s partner for quite some time, besides, even though the two of them won’t get along very well, he never did anything to hurt her in any way, they both respected each other to such an extent, and she knew that Han wouldn’t have liked to see the others celebrating what just happened either.
The moment Sean crossed the finish line, the girl smiled seeing everyone run towards him, the older one walked slowly towards him, bumping his head when she was in front of him, earning a laugh and a hug from the younger one. – I made it.
– You did it… Han would be very proud to see that at least all his pieces are still in place. – Lena said, pointing at the car before looking at it with a smile. – Han would be so proud of you, Sean.
The boy smiled before looking at the car. – You said that to go down you had to have a reason… You were right.
– Did you find a reason?
– Yes… You and Han, you were my reason. – The girl smiled with some melancholy upon hearing that, hugging the boy again. – You are not alone, Lena, you have us, and even if Han is not here, we will take care of you as he would.
– You sound like a son who lost his father, shut up. – The girl laughed at Twinkie’s words before seeing Takashi walking with difficulty towards a corner of the track.
Leaving Sean and the others to celebrate, she walked over to Takashi, who looked at her for a second before lowering his gaze. – Did you break something?
– Shouldn’t you be celebrating? The boy won.
– I know and how well he did it. – She smiled, bending down to be at his height. The older just looked away again, making Lena sigh. – I’m not upset, not with you, I don’t know what happened with you and Han, but I don’t want to know either, I just want you to know that… Although you were an idiot, you were both partners, and as he would do, I’m here, hoping nothing serious has happened to you.
– Are you interested?
– To your surprise, yes, I am… I’m not an unpleasant person, I suppose that’s enough for you, but I’m just here to make sure that it’s okay and to tell you that it wasn’t your fault, if you’ve even thought about it being your fault. – She scratched her eyebrow before looking at the ground. – You owe me something… – Takashi looked at her, with a raised eyebrow. – Because of the work, I already have what I want.
– And that is?
– Leave them alone.- She ordered with a hard voice. – Sean, Twinkie, Neela, everyone, you’re going to leave them alone, I don’t think you want to be humiliated in front of your uncle again, but in case you lack reasons, do it as my pay, leave them alone and find a life, a girlfriend your age or something, I’m not interested, just leave them alone.
– Would Han also do this?
– No, he would beat you until you can’t breathe, me, on the other hand, am someone peaceful, so either you do what I tell you or I tell your uncle that you murdered his biggest investor.
…
Neela and Lena’s giggles stopped when they saw Twinkie arrive.
The group was on the slopes again, Lena had agreed to go with Twinkie or to clear her head and get away from that workshop that was starting to make her uncomfortable, being there alone was suffocating her, she didn’t know how she was going to be able to stand being there at night or when Twinkie and Sean graduated, she knew that Earl would go to university in Germany, which would cause Reiko to leave too.
She didn’t want to be left alone, but she didn’t want to interrupt their lives either, that’s why she tried with all her might to keep her mind busy, doing any kind of thing, fixing, painting something, moving things, it didn’t matter, she just didn’t want to go back to reality, she didn’t want to think that she would have to go about her day as usual without the man who encouraged her to get out of bed in exchange for breakfast at the restaurant on the corner where they always had a delicious coffee with milk.
— Hey Lena, someone is looking for you.
— Sorry Twinkie, it’s late, I have to go to the workshop to leave some things.
-He met Han… He said he was family.
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