Ikigai ⌈Fast and Furious⌋ (✓)

十六

Reminder: All italic words are spoken in Japanese unless stated otherwise.

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ 〈 東京 〉 ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

When Dom and Brian return, they gather everyone together near the exit of the garage.

"We're takin' this fight to the streets we know best," Dom states.

"Then we'll be taking our leave," Takashi says, "Tokyo is our home."

Brian shakes his head. "No. They know you're with us. You don't show, they'll send people after you. These are the type of people that don't care how you're related, they'll go after you because you even dared to talk to us."

Takashi narrows his eyes, "I will not put my people in the middle of your war."

"You already did," Dom states.

"Brother," Takana murmurs, "I would feel better if we finished this once and for all."

"Takana! Quiet! I will not have you sway me. We will return to Tokyo."

Takana glares at him. "I follow you and defer to you always, but in this, I will not. We put ourselves in the middle of this war, we–"

"You put us in this war!" Takashi growls. "I wanted no part but you begged me!"

"Because I thought you cared! If we don't finish this, he will come after us again and again! I am sincerely apologetic if I do not want to be kidnapped again!"

"NaNa, Takashi, calm down," Neela steps between the two.

Takana steps back and closes her eyes, taking a breath. "I will be outside. Do not disturb me unless we are leaving."

"NaNa–"

Shaking her head, Takana says, "Just stop, NeeNee. I need a moment."

Walking away, she heads out to the back of the garage and sits on the edge of the loading dock, turning her head up to stare at the sky. Not much of the stars are visible with all the lights from the city as well as the clouds, but just the night air is enough to calm her emotions.

There's a noise behind her, so she turns to inspect it, only to have a cloth placed over her mouth. She struggles against the strong hands holding her still but eventually loses the fight, her vision blurring and fading to black.

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ 〈 東京 〉 ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

Waking up was a disorienting experience. Takana's head was pounding and her eyes were heavy as the noises around her assault her ears and the sunlight blinds her.

Horns blare a distance away from her, there's music coming from somewhere, and she can hear dogs barking. Blinking her eyes open, she sees an urban street with cars driving up and down it along with the occasional passerby looking at her oddly.

Pushing herself up, Takana takes a better look at her surroundings and frowns when she sees that she's on the lawn of someone's home. The lawn is lush green with a tree off to her left and a flower bed at the base of it.

"Takana?"

Turning her head, Takana glares at Diego, who is crouched next to her, hand outstretched. "You left!"

"Whoa!" He scrambles back and falls onto his butt. "What are you talking about?"

"I was kidnapped!" Takana exclaims. "You were nowhere to be found!"

"I didn't realize. I left Tokyo the day after we met up. Don't you remember? I told you the day I was leaving."

"No, you didn't!"