The following morning at Lyney's gas station, Beidou, Seele, Collei, and Pela stood in awe at what March was casually leaning against. March, grinning ear to ear, couldn't hide her excitement.
"So? What do you guys think, huh?"
She was leaning against a Blue Pearl metallic Toyota Supra MK4, its sleek curves and gleaming finish catching the morning sunlight. Beidou, eyes wide, circled the car, inspecting it from every angle.
"Damn, March! You actually went through with this!" Beidou's voice was tinged with admiration. "Did you finance it, or did you buy it outright?"
March twirled the keys around her fingers, the joy in her smile never fading.
"I got a sweet deal with the dealer," she said, her eyes sparkling with pride. "So I used my savings for this bad boy!"
Collei, a bit hesitant at first, walked up to take a closer look. Her eyes widened as she examined the car's curves and design.
"I gotta hand it to you, March. I'm quite impressed."
March's grin stretched wider as she took a few steps back and waved her hand dramatically, eager to show off.
"Wait a minute! Let me show you something!"
Without missing a beat, she removed the roof of her Supra, neatly tucking it away in the back seat. The car transformed in front of their eyes.
"This is the best part!" March exclaimed. "It's a Targa Top! I can remove the roof on a clear, sunny day and cruise around with the wind in my hair."
Seele crouched down to get a better look at the Supra, her eyes studying every detail. She was impressed.
"That definitely is better than just a regular hardtop! And it's got the stock wheels, 90's tires too! But hey, March," she said, turning to face her, "is this the Turbocharged variant?"
March rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.
"Well, umm... it's not. You see, they have a Turbocharged variant with the Targa Top, but it's way beyond my budget..."
Beidou, always the optimist, placed a reassuring hand on March's shoulder.
"That doesn't matter at all, March," Beidou said with a smile. "You can always add a turbocharger later. Besides, it's still got the legendary 2JZ motor!"
March's eyes lit up with excitement, her earlier disappointment fading away.
"Can't wait for that! But for now, maybe remapping the ECU is a good start. I could also change the exhaust, get some new wheels, and maybe even lower it a bit!"
Beidou gave her a thumbs up, clearly impressed by her plans.
"That's a great plan! You know, tomorrow, bring your Supra over to my mechanic. He knows a thing or two about Supra builds."
March clenched her fists in excitement.
"Sounds like a plan! Oh, this is so SWEET!!"
Her excitement barely contained, March turned to Collei with an idea.
"Hey, Collei! How about we take her for a spin up Yougou? Want to come?"
Collei, always up for an adventure, nodded without hesitation.
"Sure thing, March. We can head up to Yougou tonight."
March's face lit up even more, and her fists clenched with joy.
That night, Collei and March drove up the winding roads of Yougou in March's Supra, with March herself behind the wheel. The air was cool, and the road stretched out before them as they made their way to the summit. Once they parked, they stepped out and took a breather, the night sky above them clear and full of stars. March stretched with a satisfied sigh.
"Yes! That felt fantastic! It might not have the raw power on the straightaways, but it takes the corners like a dream, doesn't it, Collei?"
Collei smiled at her.
"It sure does."
March couldn't contain her enthusiasm. She opened the hood of the car and inspected the engine with Collei.
"This is the naturally aspirated 2JZ-GE engine," March explained with pride. "Its turbocharged sibling is the 2JZ-GTE, but because the GE is so similar to the GTE, converting the Supra with the NA engine to a GTE is much cheaper. In the long run, it'll be a great financial decision for me!"
Suddenly, the low growl of a turbocharged six-cylinder engine echoed from the direction of Lake Yougou. A red Supra parked nearby, and a girl with dark blue and green hair stepped out, walking toward them. She gave them a friendly nod.
"Greetings. Nice to see another Supra owner around here. My name's Xianyun, by the way."
March placed a hand behind her back, giving Xianyun a confident smile.
"Heh, thanks, Ms. Xianyun."
Xianyun noticed the hood of March's Supra was open and took a quick peek. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she stepped back in shock.
"Don't tell me you've got the naturally aspirated version?" she scoffed.
March backed off a bit from Xianyun, her voice steady but defensive.
"Well, I didn't have the budget for the turbocharged version. But I'm planning to add a turbocharger in the future."
Collei, her patience wearing thin, clenched her fists, but she stayed silent. Xianyun rolled her eyes.
"Hah! If you'd had the budget, you could've easily gotten the turbocharged version," she said, her tone dismissive. She turned to leave, but not before rolling her window down.
"Try not to eat my dust when I leave you in my rearview mirror."
With that, Xianyun gunned the engine and launched off, racing down Yougou. Collei's temper flared.
"That's it!" she snapped. "Now she's gonna pay the price! I hope you don't mind if I take the wheel, March. Come on, jump in the passenger seat!"
Before March could protest, Collei had already jumped into the driver's seat of her Supra. March, caught off guard, slid into the passenger seat.
"What are you doing, Collei? Just let it go!" March exclaimed.
But Collei, now fueled by anger, fired up the engine.
"I don't care! Nobody talks to my friends like that!"
March quickly strapped herself in, her heart racing.
"Really, Collei! Just let it slide! Besides, my car doesn't even have a limited-slip differential, and these tires are from the nineties!"
Collei glanced at her.
"I have to warn you, I might be a little rough with your ride, but trust me, it won't be anything she can't handle. You trust me?"
March swallowed hard and gave a nervous nod. Collei slammed the car into first and floored the accelerator, launching them off the line. The wind whipped through March's hair, and she grabbed anything she could to steady herself.
"Collei, please! I'm too young to die!!!"
As they raced down Yougou, they quickly caught up with Xianyun. The first hairpin loomed ahead, and Xianyun noticed the headlights in her rearview mirror.
"They just can't leave it alone... Time to teach them a lesson."
Xianyun drifted through the corner with precision, but March's Supra was gaining on her at an alarming rate. March, eyes wide, screamed.
"Collei, please slow down!"
But Collei didn't relent. She executed a perfect braking drift, gliding through the hairpin with lightning speed. March's voice echoed off the mountain as she braced for impact.
"Collei! HIT THE DAMN BRAKES!"
Collei flicked the wheel and initiated a Scandinavian Flick, sending the car sliding into the next corner. The Supra's tires struggled for grip, and the car slid dangerously close to the guardrail. March's heart skipped a beat.
"Is this really my so-called 'crappy' Supra?" she gasped.
As they continued the race, Xianyun noticed the gap closing in her rearview mirror. She couldn't believe it.
"Impossible! How is that naturally aspirated junker catching up?!"
Collei, however, noticed the Supra's lack of grip and the worn tires.
"When I step on the gas, it's not accelerating like it should," she muttered. "And these tires... they're not bald, but they aren't gripping at all."
As they approached another hairpin, Collei saw the guardrail just ahead, but with another perfectly timed drift, they narrowly avoided it. Xianyun glanced in her mirror, a begrudging respect forming.
"She's got some skill, I'll give her that."
Collei straightened out, her game face on.
"This isn't over. Time to pull out my signature move."
Down five consecutive hairpins, Collei faked a slow down, making it seem like Xianyun was pulling ahead. But on the final hairpin before the straightaway, Collei pulled off her signature move—The Gutter Run—and shot through the inside line with insane speed, passing Xianyun before she even had a chance to react.
"That's impossible! How can that NA Supra overtake me?!"
Xianyun floored the gas in a desperate attempt to catch up, but it was too late. March's Supra was already disappearing into the corner ahead, the headlights fading into the distance. Xianyun eased off the accelerator, her frustration clear as she shook her head.
"Damnit! I should've kept my mouth shut. I should've encouraged her, not angered her. Those kids have skill. I'll give them that..."
The Supra vanished into the night, leaving only the echoes of the race behind.
The scene shifts, and Collei is seen grabbing a coffee at the convenience store at the base of Mt. Yougou. She walks out and hands the can to March, who is sitting by her Supra, still processing the race.
After a few moments of silence, March spoke up.
"You know, Collei," she began, her voice soft, "Beidou told me about your downhill skills. She said they were a freak of nature."
Collei raised an eyebrow.
"A freak, huh? Hope she meant it as a compliment."
March chuckled softly, taking a sip of her coffee.
"Of course she did! And she's right. You're way too good. I never thought my Supra could even run like that. Honestly, it's scary."
Collei rubbed the back of her neck, a hint of bashfulness creeping in.
"Sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to make it so intense."
March waved her hand dismissively, grinning.
"No way, it was cool. This is the happiest I've ever been, you know?"
Collei turned to look at her, surprised.
"Huh?"
March stood up and stretched, walking over to her Supra.
"It's not just about what my car can do," March said with a smile. "It's also about what the driver can make it do. You've completely changed my perspective on racing in just the past hour, Collei."
Collei giggled softly.
"Mhm. I guess I did, didn't I?"
March looked over her shoulder at Collei, her voice more serious now.
"You have to realize it, Collei. You have amazing skills. Don't let anyone underestimate you for that. You've got what it takes to bring out the full potential of any car—whether it's a Supra or an Eight-Six. All you've got to do is drive your damn best out there."
The night sky above was clear and full of stars, a peaceful end to a thrilling day, and another chapter in their racing lives had come to a close.