“First one to the bottom of this hill wins, ok?”

Fujiyoshida is a town that stretches to the base of Mt. Fuji. Honmachi Street runs along a gentle hill from Kamiyoshida to Shimoyoshida, and the descending road is a popular course for cyclists.

It’s popular with children, too. For them, “bicycles” plus “hill road” equals fun at its purest.

When children turned ten, they would finally be old enough to receive bicycles with gears, which drastically widened their world. They formed bicycle racing teams and rode to Otsuki or Lake Mototsu, or even crossed the prefecture along the Fuji Speedway.

On one such day, a group of boys had a thought: a wacky race from the highest point in Kamiyoshida, along the lengthy Honmachi Street, to see who was first to reach Shimoyoshida Station.

“Ready…Go!”

From the off, they weren’t allowed to pedal their bikes. They could only maneuver the handlebars and use the brakes to pass through traffic lights. The last stretch from Miyakawa Bridge to Shimoyoshida Station was a non-stop uphill climb where they couldn’t even stop for traffic lights.

They sped up gradually, but surely. They pulled the brakes to match the timing of the stoplights. and zoomed into the Shimoyoshida zone. They barely used their brakes here, as they had to clear three traffic lights before arriving at Miyakawa Bridge.

Everyone cleared the first traffic light. They sped to the second traffic light, fingers nearly off the brakes the whole time. It was red, but the leader showed no signs of slowing down.

Then...crash!

A boy and his brand new bike went flying.

They flew over the car they hit, spinning once before hitting the street and breaking his arm. Naturally, cycling was prohibited for a time, but the boy’s friends were impressed and a little jealous, seeing his cast as a sort of medal. Looking back on it now, it’s a good memory.

Afterward, one member of the group saw that boy after starting high school. Apparently, he was riding a motorcycle, racing it around like someone in a biker gang would. And just like that day on their bicycles, he wore a loose smirk on his face.