Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 4 (The Oumeno Menace)

Fast and Feisty: Drifting In Tokyo (5)

    "Hey! That's awesome, Chibi-Kichi!" Kokichi exclaimed, ruffling Kiki's hair. "You were inspired by yesterday's race, huh?"

   "Uh-huh!" Kiki replied, jumping up and down. "You were so awesome, Kokichi! The way you drove backwards that one time! Ooo! Ooo! And all those times when you swerved around the curves! You didn't swerve around them, you were practically gliding around them! That was so swicked!" She sighed dreamily and dropped to the floor, laying down on her back. "That was super swicked!"

   "Hey, what about me?" Kaito said. "I was in that race, too, y'know!" Kiki sat up and stared at him for a few seconds. Then, she turned to Kokichi.

   "So, what is it called when you did that gliding thingy around the curves?" she asked, ignoring Kaito. 

   "That's called 'drifting!'" Kokichi replied. 

   "Could you teach me to do that?" Kiki asked hopefully. 

   "Well, in order to do that, Chibi-Kichi, you gotta learn how to drive first," Kokichi pointed out. Kiki stood up excitedly.

   "Well, could you teach me how to drive, then?" she asked, tugging at his sleeve. "Please, Kokichi? Please? Oh, please, please, pleeaaaase?"

   "No way!" Kaito exclaimed. "If Kokichi isn't allowed to drive, you definitely aren't!"

   "But he did drive," Kiki countered. "Why can't I?"

   "Um..." Kokichi began. Then he sighed deeply. "I hate to agree with Kaito, Kiki, but...he's right." Kiki's shoulders slumped, and she hung her head sadly. Kokichi knelt down to her level and gave her a soft smile as he lifted her chin with his finger. "But, I can at least show you how to drive." Kiki brightened a little.

   "How're you going to show her that?" Kaito asked, raising a brow. 

   "I'll just show her the basics," Kokichi replied. "Let's go, Chibi-Kichi." He held his hand out expectantly to Kaito. Kaito shoved his hand away.

   "Don't even think about using my car, Kokichi!" Kaito said.

   "Well, who else's car am I gonna use?" Kokichi said. "Besides, I'm not even gonna drive it!" Kaito sighed and relinquished his car keys to Kokichi. "Thaaank...you!" Kokichi said with a cheeky grin. "Let's go, li'l lady!" He held Kiki's hand and led her outside to Kaito's car. Kaito followed behind. Kokichi unlocked Kaito's car and opened the door to the driver side. He hoisted Kiki into the seat. She moved to the passenger side so Kokichi could sit in the driver side. Kaito rested his arm on the roof as he watched.

   "O-kay, Chibi-Kichi, first, I'll show you how to start the car," Kokichi said. Kiki paid close attention as Kokichi inserted the key into the ignition and turned. The engine came to life. Kiki smiled and nodded at Kokichi, who smiled in return. "Okay, what you wanna do next is adjust the seat to the position that makes you the most comfortable." He showed her a set of buttons on the side of the seat next to the door. He fiddled with it until the seat lifted him to a comfortable position where Kokichi could easily see through the windshield. He also showed her how to lower the steering wheel, and to adjust the pedals, and the rearview and sideview mirrors. On the dashboard, he taught her about the speedometer and the fuel gauge.