The drive back from the pass to the workshop was almost completely silent, broken only by the muffled hum of the Evo's engine at low revs. I was still leaning against the window, the images of the fast drive and Tanaka's words echoing in my head. When we rolled back into the yard of Tanaka Motors and parked next to my father's station wagon, I still felt dazed, but luckily my stomach had settled down again.

  We got out. The afternoon sun was lower now, and the shadows in the yard were growing longer.

  "Why don't you come in for a quick cup of tea?" Tanaka offered, wiping his hands on a rag he pulled from his pocket. "It's a bit quieter in my office."

  My father and I followed Tanaka through the busy workshop into a small, surprisingly tidy office that smelled of coffee and a hint of oil. Framed photos of race cars, technical drawings, and a few group photos hung on the walls. In the group photos, I recognized a younger Tanaka and a man with a mischievous grin – that had to be my Uncle Kenji. Tanaka put water on and placed three cups on a small table.

  While we waited for the tea, I sat silently, my thoughts constantly circling. What should I do? The Evo… that white beast was insane, a dream on four wheels. But the drive on the pass had shown me unequivocally that I was absolutely no match for its raw power. Not now, maybe never? The thought of just letting this car, my uncle's legacy, sit in the garage felt wrong, like a waste. But taming it, reducing the power, undoing the work of Kenji and Tanaka, was even more repugnant to me. It felt like betraying the spirit that resided in this car. I wanted to drive the Evo as it was – someday.

  And then there was the other option: the Nissan 350Z. A loaner car that I didn't have to pay for, that I could drive and even learn to wrench on. A 350Z was also a cool car, a real sports car with rear-wheel drive. The thought of gaining initial experience with it sounded reasonable, almost too reasonable. It was an incredibly generous offer that I really should accept. But it just wasn't my car, not the Evo.

  Tanaka placed the steaming teacups on the table and sat down. He watched me with a knowing look. "Still racking your brain, huh?" he asked gently.

  I just nodded, staring into my teacup.

  "I can see the decision isn't easy for you," Tanaka continued. "And that's understandable. It's a lot at once." He took a sip of tea. "I have a suggestion, maybe to help you a little."

  My father and I looked at him expectantly.

  "Leave the Evo here with me for today," Tanaka proposed. "I have a good, covered spot for it, nothing will happen to it. We'll cover it up properly. And you…" He leaned forward slightly. "…take the Nissan. Just to try it out. Drive it for a few days, see how you like it, how you handle a rear-wheel-drive car. Maybe that will help you with your decision. No strings attached." He shrugged. "If you want, I'll show it to you right now."

  I hesitated for only a moment. The chance to drive any car at all, let alone a 350Z, was too tempting. And Tanaka was right, maybe it would help me. I nodded. "Yes. Yes, that would be great. Thanks, Tanaka-san."

  "Good," Tanaka said, satisfied, and stood up. "Then come with me."

  We left the office and went to a covered area next to the main bay. There, under a tailored, dark gray cover, was the shape of another sports car. Tanaka reached for a corner of the cover. "Ready for Option Two?" He pulled the cover down with a fluid motion. Underneath, a Nissan 350Z was revealed. The paint gleamed in a deep, rich metallic blue that sparkled in the afternoon sun. The car sat on the original wheels and looked almost understated compared to the Evo, but its long hood, short rear, and muscular fenders still betrayed its sporty genes.

  "Not bad, right?" Tanaka said with a grin. "V6 naturally aspirated engine, rear-wheel drive. A completely different philosophy than the Evo, but also very appealing in its own way. More forgiving at the limit, easier to control, but still fast enough to have fun. And a great car to really learn driving, especially with rear-wheel drive…" He opened the driver's door. "Want to try sitting in it?"

  I nodded and slid into the driver's seat. It immediately felt different from the Evo. More comfortable, less race-like, but still sportily low. The interior was clean and well-maintained, the materials felt high-quality. The main instruments were easy to read, with the large tachometer prominently placed in the center. "Feels good," I said appreciatively.

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  "Yeah, it's pretty comfortable for a sports car," Tanaka confirmed, leaning against the door frame. "I already put in a different radio, one with Bluetooth so you can connect your phone. And the standard Bose sound system isn't bad either, it plays music well." He grinned. "It's just a two-seater, though, not like the Evo. But your girlfriend still has space next to you." Tanaka laughed.

  I blushed slightly. "Uh… I don't have a girlfriend."

  "Ah, that'll come!" Tanaka said, winking encouragingly. "With a car like this, it surely won't take long." He cast a mischievous glance towards the Evo standing a little way off. "Although it might happen even faster with the Evo with the ladies… but this Nissan isn't far behind!"

  Tanaka handed me the key to the Nissan. "Here. Start it up, let it warm up a bit. I want to show you something afterwards."

  I took the key, turned it in the ignition. The V6 engine came to life with a sonorous, deeper hum, completely different from the hoarse roar of the Evo. It sounded more refined, but still powerful. I let the engine idle and watched the gauges.

  "Drive it out into the yard for a moment, then it can warm up properly," Tanaka said.

  I nodded, put it in first gear, and carefully drove the blue 350Z next to my father's station wagon. I didn't turn off the engine, but got out and closed the door.

  "Come on, let's go back inside," Tanaka said, leading me back to the office where my father was still sitting at the table, drinking his tea.

  "So?" my father asked, looking at me curiously as we both entered. "What do you think of the Nissan?"

  "It's really cool," I replied honestly. I sat down again. "Feels good, and I like the color." The memory of the blue Civic from the day before flashed briefly. "It's… different from the Evo, but in a good way."

  While I was still thinking, my father and Tanaka got lost in a conversation about old times. They laughed about anecdotes with Kenji, remembered joint projects and tricky situations on the road. "It's good that we found each other again," Tanaka said after a while, looking at my father. "Who knows, maybe Yuki will really follow in his uncle's footsteps. He seems to have talent if he survived the pass drive." He grinned.

  My father smiled too, but his expression turned thoughtful. "That's definitely going to be a war with his mother when she gets wind of it. We should probably not reveal too much for now about… the scene and what Kenji was really up to."

  Tanaka nodded understandingly. "You're right about that. One step at a time."

  After another cup of tea, my father stood up. "Well, Tanaka-san, unfortunately, I have to go now. Your mother is probably waiting with dinner." He turned to Tanaka. "Thank you for everything today. It's good to know Yuki is in good hands with you."

  "No problem," Tanaka replied. "Anytime."

  My father looked at me. "And you, Yuki? Are you coming with me or taking the Nissan? Or would you rather leave the Evo here and sleep on it again?"

  I looked from my father to Tanaka, and then mentally at the two cars. Just yesterday, I had dreamed of maybe, someday, barely affording a small Kei car. And now I was faced with the choice between a 500 HP monster Evo and a cool 350Z as a loaner. It was still surreal. The Evo was my inheritance, the ultimate goal. But the drive earlier… no, I wasn't ready yet. Detuning the Evo felt wrong. The option with the Nissan was sensible, generous, and sounded like a real chance to learn.

  I made a decision. "I… I'll take the offer with the Nissan, Tanaka-san," I said, my voice firmer than expected. "I'll leave the Evo here for now."

  A satisfied smile appeared on Tanaka's face. "Good decision, kid. Sensible." My father also nodded approvingly.

  "Okay, let's do that then," my father said. "I'll head off." He said goodbye to Tanaka and patted me on the shoulder again before getting into his station wagon and driving off the yard.

  I turned to Tanaka. "You wanted to show me something else?"

  Tanaka grinned broadly. "Ah yes, right!" He went to the 350Z, which was still warming up, opened the door, and swung himself into the driver's seat. "Watch this." He put it in first gear, gave it a short, strong burst of gas, turned sharply, and dropped the clutch. The rear wheels of the blue Nissan immediately lost traction and spun, squealing. With skillful steering inputs and throttle blips, Tanaka made the 350Z elegantly circle around its own axis in the yard, drawing a few perfect donuts on the asphalt, leaving behind black rubber marks and a cloud of tire smoke. Just as suddenly as he had started, he caught the car again and stopped exactly where he had started. He got out, grinning.

  "So," he said, pointing to the smoking rear tires. "Now they're properly warm." He laughed. "See? Rear-wheel drive, naturally aspirated engine – you can have a lot of fun with this, even without 500 HP. Something like this is much harder to pull off with the all-wheel-drive Evo." He became serious again. "I'm glad you decided on the Nissan for now. That's the right way to get a feel for the physics."

  He handed me the key back. "Here. It's yours for the next few days. Drive carefully, get to know it. And when you've made a final decision about the Evo, or if you have any questions, just let me know."

  I took the key, a feeling of gratitude and excitement flowing through me. "Thank you so much, Tanaka-san. For everything."

  "No problem, Yuki. Kenji would be proud."

  I nodded, got into the blue 350Z, buckled up, and started the engine. With a final wave to Tanaka, I slowly drove off the Tanaka Motors yard, the sonorous sound of the V6 in my ear and the promise of new adventures ahead of me.