Work Text:
1)
The first night they met, Han didn't expect much from this hardheaded kid. He's a brat and he thinks with his heart more than his brain. He finds the kid a bit hilarious at some point, he listens to his own feelings rather than thinking about the more logical things that may happen.
Sean was the type of kid to get his boredom be entertained by hot girls, girls with big chests and asses with their short skirts revealing their long legs and crop tops short enough to reveal their breasts already. Not much of a shocker, Sean is also sort of a certified geek when it comes to talking about engines and car models plus the races.
Sean was obsessed with the idea of joining races, adrenaline filling him up and props to him for having such a high confidence. Winning was his everything, Han ate his snacks and watched in amusement when he declared a race with DK Not that he didn't expect it, a Gaijin in DK's turf and messing with his girl. He never wondered why an adult like Takashi was still messing with high school girls until now, it was pathetic to look at.
Han tossed the car keys to the kid's hand without holding any thought about it. He wanted to see it, see the way that the kid would drive and ultimately just lose. To see Sean's potential. He was interesting to say the least, let the kid borrow his car and destroy it into pieces without any care for it. That guy was definitely gonna be lose, he knew it from the start.
Does he even know how to drift? Han's a little curious now.
Twinkie walked past him, shaking his head in disapproval or disappointment before the race went down. Well, that was the answer to his question. Putting another panda cookie inside of his mouth and chewing, tasting the sweet chocolate. Still smiling a bit despite that bitter answer from Twinkie.
Two cars were already rumbling, eager to drive. Man, people were hyping this show up and he wouldn't be surprised if Neela liked him. Losers were probably her type, like the Americans.
“Yokoso.”
The girl in the right speaks, “Ready.”
“Set-to!” One in the right left said, they should teach these girls some proper english next time. The starter of the race walks a bit and he finally raises his hand and, with the motion of his hand he says "Go!”. The cars sped up and went straight ahead to the pathway to their finishing line. The crowd shouts and runs after the cars, Han isn't so eager to do the same as them.
But he does turns his head and look at the cars at least, saving the humiliation more when the kid thought he was winning but instead crashed the side of the car in the wall rather than drifting. Did he even try? As soon as DK gets the head start, the crowd is rushing to the elevators to get to the upper floor. Earl runs after with Reiko, walking past him the same way as just what Twinkie did a while ago.
“I told you,” Han hears him say, he didn't care just eating another cookie and was still more relaxed and sitting his ass down on the back of the car's trunk without any stress over his car about to get destroyed. Kid was probably gonna crash in another wall before he could get inside the elevator, keeping his mouth busy with the cookies.
Waiting for Sean in the rooftop, DK arrives before the American boy just as he had expected. He turns to look around and see where the kid was, still nowhere to be found and he grinned. If the kid doesn't arrive then he definitely didn't have potential if he had just given up like that, but he'll keep Sean. Sean's an exception and he knows he can do better after crashing one car. What's another car's worth after its been used for practice anyway?
DK along with his little goons were happy because of the victory, not Neela though. So many people cheering as many of them hear another car driving towards them, Han doesn't laugh but he does almost giggle a bit at that. "Any moment now that car might explode,” When he sees the way that the car looked like, the people walking back and splitting apart so they wouldn't be in his way.
What a sight to see, Twinkie looked a bit horrified at that car. But at least the kid showed up, now that was definitely a guy he can trust at least. Trusted enough to come back, Han grinned and just stared at what his car appeared to look as now. A lot of people circled the car that he once called his as Twinkie looked at all of the damages, Twinkie wasn't so surprised just like Han but he did show his disappointment to Sean.
Han walked towards the car, leaning down as he looked at Sean's blank face. Poor kid, he speaks in a casual manner at least just for the sake of this kid everyone was probably pissing him off already in his sad life. “Don't leave town,” He probably added more to that sad life. Han already planned this out, and that was toying with Sean for just a little bit.
Everyone needs a little fun in their fun and Han doesn't wanna get bored easily, he has some jobs set out for Sean to do. That kid still owes him a lot, a car isn't that worth much to him but what this kid will do for him will be.
Han can't stand people who walk away from their problems without even providing any solution, he's done that already and it never ends up good. One day Sean will realize that He can always move into places and avoid problems but he's also gonna have to make a stop to deal with them before he can be free. Running away is not an easy thing to do. No matter how much money you have, it can't always fix them.
There's no such thing as freedom if you won't face the problems that you or someone has made, it's a never ending race between you and the other. That's why you have to be the one to win that race, you show yourself and don't slow yourself down just because the problem is already ahead of you.
You can do better than that, Han thinks so and Sean could really do better. More than the kid thinks he could ever be capable of doing. If Gisele was here standing and still breathing she would've liked this kid, the same way Han likes Sean.
2)
Han is quiet, always laid back and more observant. He's not always boasting with energy, or partying and messing with other women. Partying is alright but he prefers to just relax on one of the couches, when it comes to races he just doesn't care about his surroundings and only cared about his own way of having fun. Sean Boswell is like him too.
Except the kid was stupider than him, perhaps a monkey. He finds the right moment to disturb Sean's so called peacefulness the other day, when he's out of school he sees Han at the side of the road still leaning on his car and it was clear that Han's been patiently waiting for the kid. Sean walked towards him with that face again, he looked like an upset cat.
“Get in,” Han said, cocking his head to the side as sign for him to get in the car. “I'll get you your money.” Sean speaks with that accent and it rolls so well with his tongue like smooth butter that's melting in a pan, Han thought. Kid thinks he's somebody that's well known, known enough to talk as if he's got a choice in this little situation of his. “Why you talking like you have a choice?” Han spoke as if it's a profound joke.
Making Sean his errand boy was a entertaining, his first task is to drive them both in the public bath just at the side of the one way street. Maybe this would just teach the kid some lesson, “There's a guy in there with a paw that owes me some money.” Sean takes a short moment of processing that, “A paw?” Asking with genuine confusion Han just looked away from the confused Sean. “Go get me my money.”
“Okayy.” Sean agreed as if this was an easy job, Han just hopes for the next thing that'll happen to Sean if he happens to realize he's gonna deal with a really big man. Watching the kid walk with such easiness, he sure can't wait for it. And it takes a few minutes when Sean is thrown out of the public bath along with his shoes and Gakuran. His clothes are messed up and his body hit the rough pavement harshly.
Han just looks down at him, munching on the Panda cookies he tries to hold in his laughter and hide his smile when Sean huffs and his Gakuran suffers on the ground because of his annoyance from this task. The boy rushes back inside with eagerness, another bite of his cookie when he hasn't even swallowed yet Sean is thrown out again. A loud grunt is all Sean speaks.
The big man takes the thick roll of cash out of his Yukata, throwing it to Han's hand and he nods in a bit of satisfaction and pockets the cash on his jacket. He fishes the keys on the pocket of his pants, throwing it to Sean's hand. “Let's go.”
It doesn't take much of his time to be with Sean, he had all of the time in this world and he can spend it having fun with this kid, oh to be this excited again. Han doesn't think he hasn't had this much fun in a while, months, even. Now they're on the road, Sean is driving again right now despite the tiredness. “You're in the pickup and delivery business now,” He looked at his side for a short while just to see Sean, "I might call you once a week or once an hour.”
Sean looks at him with disbelief, irritated. "I don't care if you're sick as a dog or in bed with Beyoncé.” But Sean didn't really know that Han was the first one to care for him like that, it's rooted deeper than anyone's else. Even Neela herself, Han didn't seem to try and care about his feelings about it back then.
Han stared back at Sean again and looks back at the road, “I call, you show." Sean was too overconfident and a lot of things was funny about him, Han thinks that this kid is a whole joke, born a joke. “Only if you teach me how to drift.” What a brat, Han scoffed. “This ain't a negotiation.” Sean stared at him, a bit dumfounded from what he had just said. "I wasn't negotiating.” And Han stares at the boy again.
Smiling and shaking his head, he tells the kid to focus on the road instead unless he wants to crash this car and double the car he owes. They arrive at the busy streets and Sean parks the car to the side as they both get out of the car, Han leads the way of entering inside of the Pachinko Parlor. The sliding doors open to hear the loud music of machine slots speaking and shouting.
When they arrive in the more secluded area inside of DK's private room Sean is quiet, most likely still embarrassed because of his loss and now right in front of the guys who humbled him. Han didn't give a shit about that and they step aside for the people to walk out and when Takashi orders them to get out, Han's eyes only followed the beautiful girl's face. Taking a bite of his pocky, DK finally questions him.
“What's he doing here?” Smiling as he rests his arms on the table while Morimoto is busy dipping the tea bag on his cup filled with hot water. “He's paying me back for that cumpled beer can sitting on my garage.” Han said as he throws something near Takashi's arm and the man smiles at that reason, even winking at Han. Morimoto speaks. “Hope he's not driving.”
Sipping on his green tea, before Sean and Han even walk out of the door the blonde speaks again. “Gaijin!” Sean turned around, “When is your next race?” Asking with a so cold wonder when he was clearly just being sarcastic, Han just stares back at him while Sean and Morimoto stared at each other. “I'd really like to be there.” Sean smirked. “Why not be in it?”
Then Morimoto says something in Japanese that Sean can't even understand, Han just wants to tell them to drop it so he can go ahead and take a break from this day. “You heard me.“ This smug kid, really. Takashi butts in the small heated conversation, “Ready to lose another car, Han?” Han grinned, eating a piece of his snack and asking DK back. “I'm ready to take that '86 Corolla off your hands.”
He takes the small cup of drink to his hands and swallowing the unknown liquid. A bet is just getting started, how fun. “Alright,” DK agrees, “Put up the '72 skyline.” Morimoto laughs in surprise, Han could have almost mistaken him for a dog happy for its master. “Done.” Han simply said. Takashi looks at Sean, not wanting his presence anymore.
“Get him out of here, we have business to discuss.” Sean and Han look at each and the older nodded in agreement, Sean left the room quietly and leaves them to their own privacy. When the three of them are finally left alone Takashi is asking questions again, as if he was a genius right at the start anyway. But as usual, he'd fall for his smooth and casual reassurance.
“Just sit pretty and let me handle it.” He said after playing a round quickly. He takes another drink and bids goodbye to DK before he got out of the parlor, the doors opened for him as he walked slower and came to a halt. Seeing Sean and Neela talk, he observes them for a bit and when Neela walks past by Sean and him he was well aware that he may have offended the girl from his bad flirting or whatever. Han's followed Sean.
“Why can't you go find a nice japanese girl,” Han opens the car door and Sean soon follows. “–like the rest of the white guys around here?” Han asked. And they're back on the road again with music booming inside of the car, not so loud and they could still definitely hear each other. “Is everything okay back there?” Sean asked him, a bit worried like some mother. “I can handle DK.” Han just said, looking at the freeway in front of them.
“I thought he's Yakuza,” Han scoffs at that assumption, “His uncle's Yakuza, he's just playing gangster in his little storage room.” Han looks down at his lap and with a bit of thinking he says something again, “But i need him, he keeps Uncle Kamata from poking around too much with the business.” Sean was curious now.
“What do you mean?” The younger male asked, “Well, his uncle gets a piece of the action from everyone on his turf.” It isn't so bad mentioning small things to a kid like Sean, waiting for a seventeen year old boy whilst he processes the new information. Han turns his head to look at Sean while he was speaking and Sean looks back at him, “And we're on his turf.”
He tells the kid something new, at least another small thing to keep in his tiny brain. “Fifty percent of something is better than a hundred percent of nothing.” Sean looks at him, quite interested at the way he saw things. “So, have you raced DK?” Han shook his head. “Why not? Is he that good?” Sean just asked these questions and Han provided him the answers. “What's the point of a race?” Han asked back this time.
Sean smiled at the question, his teeth showing just from the answer he's prepared. “To see if i'm better than the other guy.” But Han had a different answer, one that makes it a perfect argument in a way. “Just proves you're faster, that's all there is to it.” Han's eyes reflected after looking at Sean's side for a little while now, he stares at the road. "If i were to race, it would have to be for something important. Or why else do it all?”
Sean doesn't have a good answer because Han was right, so fucking right and he got to the main point of his reason. Right then and there, perfectly said without any complications of explaining his correct answer. “Why are you letting me race?” Sean asked, “Cause you're DK's kryptonite.” Han looks at him again before staring at the clear view of the road, “And you owe me a car.”
Sean smiled a little wide, his teeth really showing the real smile. The thought of being someone's weakness was just good, it felt good to be seen that way. A car speeds up with its engine roaring, driving ahead of them and Han looked at it the same as Sean they both look at each other and Han just raises his eyebrows in approval.
When Sean tells Han that he's beginning to like this country he just gave him a soft smile, so much for being surprised that the police car didn't chase them down. Not like they can drive faster than a car that can speed up to a hundred eighty-k.
3)
The next stop is some kind of night club, Sean looks at the way Han just excitedly greets a guy named Danny. The Japanese music is so loud, a lot of people were dancing and speaking that Sean wishes he can speak. He understands a bit of japanese but he can't easily comprehend them, he's hash at speaking japanese. “Let's go.” He hears Han say, and that's the only voice he'll only understand.
They get inside of another room and Sean's eyes widened when they come across the two girls making out, Han was just chill about it though it's like a common thing to see all the time. “Uh-ohh, easy now ladies.” They continued walking and finally got inside of another area, the lights were bright and the hot women were dancing around. Sean looks at them, his ears slightly heating up as he smiled at the sight of them.
A girl greets Han, kissing him on the cheek as another girl kisses him on his lips for a little while but Han eventually pulls her away from his lips easily. Sean blinked and looked everywhere around him, smiling widely as Han kept a close eye on him. Two ladies are already near Sean, trying to get in the kid's pants already. “Keep your hands off the kid, girls. He's underage.” Acting like he owns Sean, like a property.
Han tilts his head to the side and walks away already, the two girls still in his arms.
Sean listens to Twinkie talk for a while until then Han finally calls out for him, ”Sean!” With the girls still close to his body. He stares at the kid, already a little impatient. When Sean is finally close to him Han doesn't hesitate to put his hand over Sean's shoulder and let the ladies go inside of the room first.
Sean looks at the cars and motorcycles displayed inside of the garage smiling at the way they looked, they were perfect and he wanted to ride at least one of them. Han was already going upstairs with the girls he's with.
There's a girl beside Han holding up a small glass cup, ”The red Evo's is yours.” Han said, just giving the car away like that whilst he poured champagne on the glass. Sean looked up to him in surprise when this car fit exactly to the kid's tastes, now looking at the car again he smiled so in surprise but the realization hits him.
Han focuses on pouring the other girl's glass while the the girl on his right decided to kiss his neck for a bit, “What do you mean?” The older looks at Sean and responded. “You're representing me now.” Han let the two girls walk away as he gave the other one a tight squeeze on her waist, Sean looked up to him in confusion. Those blue naive eyes.
Han scoffed, “What you think, i'm gonna let you roll in a Hyundai?” Sean stares at his new car again before then Han finally lets him go for today. Tonight at least.
4)
It hasn't even been a day when Sean crashes his new car while practicing on drifting, Han's crew looking at the way how Sean drove the car even the fishermen nearby them heard how loud it was when Sean's crash on some of the junk echoed in their base. Earl complains about the reckless driving, and Han just watches the kid try again.
“My mother, she's blind in one eye and she cade drift better than that!” Han heard Earl say, he chewed on his snacks with the bottle of beer still in his hand as his eyes followed the red Evo. Smirking when Sean doesn't give up, well that keeps him on moving on just to beat DK. “Han, where did you find this guy?” Earl asks.
The other crew members were groaning and sighing everytime Sean crashed on something, Han looked at Earl and his eyes are back on Sean when he's questioned. He doesn't care about them, he doesn't really need any of their opinions. “Someone please teach this guy how to drift!” Han's smile fade away and he's back with a blank face as usual.
Sean crashes in the small pile of bricks and he eventually stops the car with a ugly drift ending. Han will give Sean an A for effort.
5)
Today was another night when his other crew members are down there on the grass and playing soccer while he and Sean were up in a tall building, Earl complaining about Twinkie violating a rule. He walks towards Sean and he settles himself just near beside him, resting his elbows on the cold steel rail.
“So, how did you end up over here, anyway?” Sean asks with genuine curiosity and Han simply responded. “Well, you know those old westerns where the cowboys runs for the border?” And Sean nods in response. “This is my mexico.” The cold wind brushes to their face, Han's bangs gently waving back.
“Why'd you let me race with your car?” Another question said and followed by by “—you knew i was gonna wreck it.” Han just sighed softly, needing to question him back when it's just a car. “Why not?” Sean looks at him with a bit of surprise in his eyes. “Cause it's a lot of money.” He has an argument against that.
Han thought about it quickly, “I have money. It's trust and character I need around me.” It's all that he's ever needed anyway, since he split up with Dom and everyone else. “—You know, who you choose to be around you lets you know who you are.” Sean listens so attentively to everything his eyes, his soft gaze completely turning into adoration when he listens to those words of Han's.
“And one car in exchange for knowing what a man's of, that's a price i can live with.” Han stares back into Sean's eyes, they communicate to him at least, it shows that Sean was willingly to listen to him all day long. “Look at all those people down there,” Han tells the kid, the busy crowds walking from north to south. “They follow the rules, for what?
Sean wants to answer the question for himself but Han tells him something again after, “They're letting fear lead them.” Sean looks down at the people, they both do. “What happens if they don't?” Sean once again questions. “Life's simple, you make choices and you don't look back.” Han smiles and they both look into each other again.
They both stop talking for a while and let the comfortable silence fill their atmosphere in, drinking water from their bottles but after a few minutes Sean talks again. “So, if you don't drift to win, what do you drift for?” Han just blinked, still staring at the bright lights, “You really want to know?” Sean agrees. “Okay, let's go.”
And before you know it they're inside of a car already, what Sean clearly knows is that this could be a new thing to keep in mind about Han. They speed up and Sean looked at Han, driving towards another car as the older looked at him, the tires could almost lit in fire from how amazing Han was spinning with the car and the other car with two ladies inside of it are just watching Han drift around them.
The girls smile at the both of them and Han isn't so bored anymore and he's awake more than ever, he's doing all of this to just amuse the kid's curiosity and make him happy from this drive. He smiled at Sean and Sean gives him a a brighter smile, brighter than anyone else's that he's seen.
Han and the girl driver look at each other when the other girl beside her finally decide to write their phone numbers.
Han smirked, driving close just by the window and grabbing the paper from the girl's hand then they drive away, Sean just smiles again and laughs a bit when they stare at each other after getting the paper. Han should show off his skills from time to time.
Then Han's thoughts finally stop there, before his mind thinks about the next moments of his happiness. The last thing left in his memory that he always enjoyed, he knew that even after those fun times his death was still a clear picture into everyone's mind. Especially to Sean's.
He died a long time ago and Sean has already accepted that, who knows. Maybe he never did, he only longs for Han Lue. Only him.