The days had flown by so quickly that there was no other day left—today was 13th August, the very 13th August when everything would begin.
The air outside was stifling hot, and the atmosphere inside felt no cooler. Keisuke Baji was hurriedly packing his bag, sweat glistening on his forehead as he looked around frantically.
"Hey Asuka! Have you seen a shopping bag? I don't remember where I kept it," he asked, ruffling through the couch cushions.
Asuka glanced up from her book, an amused smirk playing on her lips.
"Got a memory of a starfish or what?" she teased.
Keisuke scoffed. "No, but I'm your brother—so what else can you expect?"
She laughed under her breath, shaking her head. Just then, Oka-san walked in, arms crossed, watching her son with a sigh of disbelief.
"You should have prepared everything yesterday," she scolded him with a sharp look.
Keisuke blinked. "I remember now—they were in the kitchen!"
"What, were they cooking breakfast for you?" Asuka quipped, raising an eyebrow.
"Hehe…" Keisuke chuckled sheepishly as he jogged to the kitchen, scanning the shelves. "Here! Found it!"
Oka-san narrowed her eyes. "That's a bag for your clothes?"
Keisuke froze. That look from Oka-san could melt steel.
Asuka sighed, sinking into the sofa. "Here comes the one-hour lecture," she muttered, getting comfortable.
"Sorry, sorry, Oka-san!" Keisuke waved his hands, backing away with a grin. "I won't do it again, I swear—just let me go now!"
Before she could respond, Keisuke sprinted for the door.
"Keisuke! Come back here!" Oka-san called out, but he was already thundering down the stairs, his excitement outweighing everything else.
As the bike roared to life, Oka-san shook her head in exasperation. "Unbelievable. Don't ever become like him—irresponsible and stupid," she said to Asuka.
Asuka held back a grin. "Yes, yes... I won't."
---
Meanwhile...
Keisuke zoomed through the streets, wind in his hair and heart pounding with adrenaline. He reached the meeting point, spotting his friends—Draken, Mitsuya, Kazutora, and Pah-chin—already in their gang uniforms.
"Hey guys!" he greeted with a wide grin.
They turned, greeting him back with casual nods and cheerful smirks.
"Just escaped with my Oka-san fuming behind me," Keisuke added, laughing.
"You okay?" Mitsuya asked, eyeing him.
"All under control," Keisuke reassured, dusting off his jacket.
"Where's he?" Draken asked.
Keisuke looked around and shrugged. "Didn't see him on the way."
They all exchanged glances, when suddenly—
"YOOOOO!"
A familiar voice rang out. They turned to see Manjiro Sano—Mikey—pulling up dramatically on his bright red moped.
"Hawky-maru has arrived," Kazutora muttered.
"When's he ever on time?" Pah-chin joked.
"Maybe in a few decades," Kazutora added, and everyone burst into laughter.
"Yo!" Mikey grinned, carefree as ever.
"Yo," the gang replied in unison.
"Ready for our first trip, guys?!" Mikey asked, face glowing with excitement.
"Yessss!" everyone shouted, revving their engines.
"After me!" Mikey commanded, zooming ahead.
"After you?" Mitsuya raised an eyebrow. "We won't even reach next year if we follow your pace!"
"But you have no other option," Mikey said with a wink.
They all sighed but followed, thinking, He's so childish... and yet...
---
After some distance, members from the Yokohama Gang blocked their way.
"Who the hell are these clowns?" one sneered.
"Tokyo Manji Gang? Sounds like a daycare!" another mocked.
Keisuke's temper flared. "Hey! Cut it out, you dumbasses!"
One of the gang members stepped forward. "What? You want a fight?"
Mikey remained still, his eyes cold. "Get lost."
"What was that, shrimp?" they jeered.
Mikey shot them a deadpan look, his eyes dark and unreadable. The thugs hesitated, suddenly feeling... uneasy.
"Tch. Whatever. Let's go," one finally muttered as they backed off.
Once they left, Toman resumed their ride—until Mikey's moped coughed and died.
"Oh no," everyone groaned.
"I think... we're in deep trouble," Mikey said solemnly. "We need to hold a very important emergency meeting."
"What now?!" Kazutora groaned.
"We must choose," Mikey said, dramatically. "The lucky guy who will fill gas in the Great Mikey's Moped!"
Everyone gaped. "You're kidding."
"Rock-Paper-Scissors," Mikey declared.
Groans filled the air as they played, praying not to lose.
At last, Keisuke lost.
"Congratulations, Baji!" they teased.
"I don't want to be lucky!" he whined, but still, he took the moped and trudged toward the gas station.
---
Meanwhile at the beach, Draken and Mitsuya dove into the water like little kids.
Kazutora rolled his eyes. "Seriously? All these girls around and they're playing like kids."
"Let 'em be," Pah-chin shrugged. "More for us."
Mikey suddenly gasped. "Oh no… I left my trunks in the moped!" Without a second thought, he turned around and walked off.
---
Keisuke was almost at the gas station when he saw familiar figures. The same gang from earlier stood in his path.
"Well, well, look who we have here," one sneered.
"All alone, huh?" another said with a wicked grin, stepping forward with a metal bat.
Keisuke tensed, clutching the moped.
The fight broke out fast and brutal. Keisuke fought hard, but he was outnumbered. They grabbed the bat and began smashing Mikey's moped.
"Don't touch that!" Keisuke shouted, shielding it with his body.
"You didn't learn your lesson, huh"? manjiro saidwalking straight towards keisuke and kicking the moped away"
Manjiro looked at them. "How dare you touch what's important to me."
Everyone looked at him. Mikey stood there, eyes shadowed, his tone deadly calm.
"Seriously?" one member said. "You kicked it just now!"
Before he could finish, Mikey kicked him in the head, sending him flying.
He turned to Keisuke and extended a hand. "Can you fight, Baji?"
Keisuke grinned despite the bruises. "Always. Let's do this."
Together, they brought the gang to their knees.
---
Later, reunited with the others, they recounted everything. Laughter returned, and the trip resumed.
That evening, as the sun dipped low, Keisuke and Kazutora rode home together, wind brushing past them.
Kazutora looked thoughtful. "Don't you think we should... do something for Mikey?"
"Like what?" Keisuke asked, curious.
"Like gift him a bike. His birthday's coming up," Kazutora said, eyes glinting.
"We don't have that kind of money."
Kazutora smirked. "Who said anything about money? I have another idea. We'll give him a CB250T."
Keisuke looked at him, suspicion rising. "Kazutora… what are you planning?"
Kazutora just smiled.