Chapter 1 – Landing in Tokyo
Tokyo looked from above like a spilled box of neon crayons. The plane flew over the city, and Marta pressed her nose to the window like a child in a toy store. The city pulsed like a living organism—every neon, every street movement created a rhythm that couldn’t be stopped.
– It looks like someone turned a computer upside down and now all the wires are glowing – she murmured, not taking her eyes off the view.
Alex sat next to her, calm as always, composed, with a newspaper in his hands. He paid no attention to the chaos outside. He looked as if he traveled to Tokyo every day, as if landing in one of the world’s largest cities was as routine as a morning coffee.
– That’s not a computer – he said calmly, turning a page. – It’s a maze. And in a maze, the winner is the one who knows the shortcuts.
Marta raised an eyebrow and looked at him with irony.
– Shortcuts? Alex, this is Tokyo. Here shortcuts lead at most to a ramen vending machine.
– And that’s exactly why you need to know which machine to approach.
Marta laughed softly and shook her head. She liked his cool comebacks, which weren’t exactly jokes but still amused her.
The plane began its descent. The city drew closer as if it were going to swallow them. Marta felt excitement rising—she was in a place where every street could become a racetrack, and every night an adventure.
The crowd at Haneda Airport was like an ocean—people flowing in different directions, with suitcases, in a hurry, phones pressed to their ears. Marta almost got lost in it, but Alex moved like a rock—steady, with a nonchalance that drew glances.
Waiting for them at the exit was a black Toyota Century with a driver in white gloves. The car shone as if it had just left the factory yesterday.
Marta whistled appreciatively. – Well, look at that. It suits you.
Alex nodded and got into the car without a word. She sat beside him, smiling broadly.
– You know, you look like a Yakuza boss about to fire someone from life.
Alex looked at her with his green eyes. – And you look like a girl about to hit that intersection and drift between two trucks.
– So that’s a compliment – she snorted with laughter and leaned comfortably into the soft seat.
The Toyota moved. The streets of Shibuya pulsed—the crowd at the crossing looked like a river of people, each step synchronized with the rhythm of the neon and the sounds. Marta absorbed it with her eyes.
– This is… insane – she whispered. – This city really never sleeps.
– It doesn’t – Alex confirmed. – That’s why the races here are different.
– Different how? – she asked, eyes sparkling.
– Neon.
When they reached Shibuya, Marta jumped out of the car like a spring. Chaos surrounded them: advertisements, sounds, smells. It smelled of grilled yakitori, soy sauce, and freshly ground coffee.
– Alex, look at this! – she shouted, pointing to a giant screen where a smiling idol was promoting an energy drink. – I feel like I’m in a video game!
Alex took sunglasses from his pocket and calmly put them on, even though it was already dark.
– You look ridiculous – Marta said, trying to hold back laughter.
– Yet you can’t take your eyes off me.
– That’s because I’m waiting for you to crash into a lamppost.
Their banter turned into laughter that blended with the city’s noise.
They stopped at Aman Tokyo—a hotel hidden in the very heart of the city. The lobby looked like a Zen temple: wood, rice paper, silence, and the scent of green tea.
Marta spread her arms in the middle of the large hall. – This isn’t a hotel. It’s an oasis for people who forgot the world exists.
– And you want to remember it? – Alex asked.
– I want the world to remember me.
The room had a panoramic window with a view over all of Tokyo. Marta flopped onto the futon, stretched, and sighed theatrically.
– Alex, I’m staying here. You can visit me on weekends.
– I have races on weekends.
– That means you have to take me with you. –
The first meal in Tokyo had to be special. They started with toro sashimi—fatty tuna that melted on the tongue. Marta closed her eyes and sighed.
– This is… like a touch from the inside.
Alex raised an eyebrow. – I hope you’re not comparing it to my touches.
– Not yet – she replied, licking her chopsticks.
Then came wagyu sukiyaki-style—meat they dipped themselves into broth and raw egg. Marta bit a piece and looked at Alex seriously.
– This is like a first kiss. Hot, soft, a little risky.
– Risky kisses are your specialty.
At dessert—mochi with matcha ice cream—Marta laughed so loudly that the staff looked at her awkwardly. A mochi ball stuck to her lips.
– Alex! – she mumbled, mouth full. – Help me, or I’ll have to kiss this mochi forever!
Alex leaned in and very slowly removed the sticky piece from her lips. Marta felt that a new ritual had been born in Aman Tokyo—one remembered for a lifetime.
When they returned to the room, Tokyo pulsed outside the window. Marta sat on the futon, and Alex stood by the window, watching the city.
– Alex?
– Hm?
– This city will swallow me.
– No. – He turned to her and looked in her eyes. – You will swallow this city.
Their gazes met, and the tension hung between them like an invisible web. Tokyo was only the backdrop.
