I took a soft breath as I walked across the runway. Normally I wouldn't have been allowed here, even with all the fame I had. The runway was no place for any unauthorized personnel, and I would only serve as a hindrance to the dozens of planes that would be landing and taking off at this moment.
But things were a little different right now. Because the entire runway had been booked for the next hour, all for the sake of Secretariat's private jet that would be taking off in just several minutes.
And so I could stand out here and gaze out at the clear horizons, with the concrete jungle of Tokyo left as only a distant feature in the background. I could see the bright blue skies that hung above me, painted with only sparse clouds and lit by the late morning sun.
The occasional wind flew past me, and my white hair would sway slightly. The star-shaped accessory clipped onto my left ear would shake with the winds.
I smiled faintly as I began wandering aimlessly.
A week had gone by since the new year arrived. Not much had really happened since then. I'd mostly spent the last week mostly just relaxing and packing all the things I'd bring to America. And unlike last year, my suitcases were fully packed this time around. After all, I'd be gone for several years this time around.
And it was interesting. I'd started last year by heading to America, and I'd be doing the same thing this year. I wasn't trying to make it a habit, but it'd be funny if I started a new year by traveling to a new country every time. I knew that was Stay Gold's whole deal, but I suppose I'd be her progenitor this time around.
But, regardless–
This was it. 3 years of racing, 2 years of running in Central—it was truly amazing. All the races I ran in, all the friends I made, all the victories, all the losses, even the shattering of Destiny itself; so much had happened in so little time, and now it was all coming to an end.
Of course, it wasn't truly the end. My career was still far from done, and it wasn't as if I couldn't meet up with everyone in the future. In fact, it was practically guaranteed that I would, considering that I'd be returning back here. And if the plans I'd been cooking up came true, then perhaps that time wouldn't even be that far off.
But who knows. Only time could tell.
My ears perked, and I grinned softly as I turned around. "Yo." I said, waving lazily at Oguri.
She smiled. "Star." She turned to gaze at the clear horizons for a moment, before she turned back to me. "It's time."
I blinked. "Oh, we're done? Things finished faster than I thought."
Oguri nodded. "Secretariat helped."
I grinned. "Ah, that makes sense."
The thing is, Kitahara's request for White Narubi to join us had come a little abruptly, and so she didn't have her Visa ready. Which would've been an issue, except we had Secretariat by our side. And the rules were easily bent the moment America's idol was on the scene.
I glanced back for a moment, if only to savor the distant concrete jungle for one last time. My eyes softened, and I huffed as I turned away. "Alright, let's go." I winked. "Let's not keep everyone waiting."
"Nn." Oguri held my hand, and together we began heading back.
As we walked, I couldn't help but glance at Oguri a few times. She really hadn't changed all much over the past three years, but at the same time, it felt like she was worlds apart compared to the Oguri I remembered in the past.
Not that it mattered much.
All that mattered was that she was Oguri Cap. She was the girl I had fallen in love with, and that was more than enough. As long as I loved and was loved, I could face anything the world threw my way.
And soon, we made it to the private jet. The stairs were already opened for us, and when we climbed in, everyone else was already at their seats. Secretariat was already drinking from her first bottle of wine, White Narubi were giggling over some joke Kitahara had said, and Belno Light looked positively miserable as she was forced to once more play the third wheel to another couple.
I snorted, giving her a heatpat as I walked past. Belno gave me an annoyed glare before she swatted my hand away, and I just chuckled as I walked past. I sat down at my seat, and Oguri sat down just next to me. My seat belt were clipped, and I sighed softly as I pulled out some medicine I'd purchased just a couple days ago.
I hadn't bothered in the past, mostly because my heightened metabolism ensured that any drug I ingested would be rendered useless. But now that my System's effects had worn off, I could finally take the medicine. The motion sickness that followed after every flight would no longer be an issue!
I immediately swallowed one and offered another to Oguri. She took it just as quickly as I did, more than ready to sleep off the entire flight.
Once I was ready, I raised a thumbs up towards one of the flight attendants. She nodded and quickly headed to the pilot. Soon after, the door was closed, and I could hear the engines beginning to whirl. The plane began shaking slightly as we began to move.
I sighed softly as I leaned back into my seat, and I then smiled as I felt Oguri hold my hand.
And I let my eyes close as I felt the plane lift from the ground
…
In the past, I had questioned the meaning of a Hero.
It wasn't some philosophical debate, nor was I genuinely questioning what a Hero actually was. It wasn't anything that profound.
Instead, it was just a prayer. It was my way of silently hoping that someone would come and pull me away from my despair, just as Eclipse had done in my past life. I desperately wanted something to cling to, lest I fully drown.
And then Oguri came. She was the first to grab onto me; to fish me out of the waters of my own thoughts and fling me head-first into the world of racing. She was crude in her methods, but the sincerity with which she acted easily washed away any negative feelings I might've had.
And then it was Kitahara. Even when he was presented with a golden ticket in the form of Oguri, he refused to abandon both Belno and I. He looked at me, realized what it was that was holding me back, and finally presented me with a dream. He showed me something I could chase for—something that would keep me going.
And then it was Belno. When she first questioned whether she truly could become a racer, it was there that I realized what I wanted to do. She was the first to show me that I could indeed change Fate.
And then it was Obey. The pain she felt, the agony inflicted from both her peers and herself—it was one I was intimately familiar with. And though my attempt to help her was crude and rather over-the-top, the joy and relief she eventually showed was proof of the reason I was born into this world.
This journey of mine—it wasn't just one single race towards the finish line.
It was a rally. Every person I'd met, they had gifted me a torch of their wisdom. And now, on the cusp of the next chapter of my life, I could confidently answer that question that had spurred on this fantastical journey.
What is a hero?
There were countless possible meanings, but for me–
It was to be a Guiding Star for others.
.
.
.
AN: Only the {Epilogue} left.