A few weeks passed by and the day for the qualifiers has come. The sounds of engines roared throughout the circuit as drivers tried their best to set a lap that could secure them a spot for tomorrow's race. Alice and Sugimoto were watching the television as the television displayed each driver's qualifying session. As they watched, the television displayed the schedule for when they'll start their qualifiers.
"Seems like we'll start at noon." Sugimoto said to her.
"Ah, I see. I guess we got some time to kill." Alice told him.
"Welp, that's enough time for a nap." Sugimoto chuckled.
"Jeez, why do you like to sleep so much." Alice asked as she lightly punched his arm.
"I don't know why but I feel like I could concentrate more if I just take a quick nap." Sugimoto revealed.
Alice stared blankly at Sugimoto after hearing that.
"I-I see... Whatever you say Senpai." Alice awkwardly told him.
"Hey, I'm being serious this time!" Sugimoto told her.
After that, they went out of the main building and headed out to the paddocks where they saw cars constantly going in and out of the circuit. They walked around the garages and saw many race cars from different brands racing under local race teams.
"It's astonishing that Akinabalu could host such races despite racing on a single track." Alice muttered.
"Well, it's all thanks to the Japanese innovation am I right?" Sugimoto boldly claims.
Alice looked a bit unimpressed with Sugimoto's comment.
"What does Japan have to do with anything here?" Alice asked.
"Well, we rebuilt your nation and constructed the National Circuit of Akinabalu. So that's a few things I could recall." Sugimoto told her.
"Weren't the Italians and Germans who came and helped construct the circuit?" Alice argued.
"Well true, but you can't downplay the Japanese's role in shaping Akinabalu. You guys would probably not get a race track at all!" Sugimoto argued back.
"I sometimes forget that you're Japanese Senpai. Still proud of your Japanese ancestry?" Alice teased him.
"For sure! Proud to lift the flag of the rising sun!" Sugimoto proudly remarked.
"Yet you race in Akinabalu on the Akinabalu Circuit rather than Suzuka and Fuji circuits? So much for glorifying Japan." Alice told him.
"Hey now, that's a whole different thing okay?" Sugimoto said, feeling a bit hurt by Alice's comment.
As they were joking around, they heard someone chuckling from behind them. They turned around and saw Nadya Popovo standing beside her. Her beauty outshines everything behind her and her smile could catch the attention of people miles away.
"M-Miss Popova?" They both muttered in surprise.
"Sorry, I was just amused by your patriotism. You two must be on the Akinabalu Motorsports team. It's nice to meet you." She asked with a slight Russian accent.
Alice and Sugimoto were so captivated by her beauty that they couldn't take their eyes off her. Alice soon snapped out of it and decided to introduce herself.
"I-It's nice to meet you two! My name is Alice Sha-" Alice was about to say but was cut short by Nadya.
"Shah. Yes, I've heard of you, you are the winner of the first round." Nadya told her.
