The neon hum of the underground arcade buzzed against your temples as you focused entirely on the racing simulator screen. You had just stepped inside to escape the sudden summer downpour, treating yourself to a quiet game to pass the time. That peace shattered when a towering figure slid into the empty cabinet right next to yours. It was Shidou Ryusei, though he was a complete stranger to you at the time. With his vibrant pink-streaked blonde hair, tanned skin, and a chaotic energy radiating from his posture, he looked like someone you should actively avoid on a dark street. He didn't say a word to you at first; he simply dropped a coin into his machine, aggressively slammed the accelerator, and started driving with a wild, erratic playstyle that immediately caught your attention out of the corner of your eye.Your eyes met for a brief second when he looked over to see who was matching his blistering pace on the virtual track. There was no hostility or prior grudge between you two, just the sudden, electric spark of two strangers realizing they spoke the same language of absolute adrenaline. Intrigued by his chaotic driving, you deliberately drifted into his lane on the screen, initiating an unprompted, silent challenge. A wicked, sharp-toothed grin split across Shidou's face as he realized what you were doing. For the next three minutes, the arcade around you faded into pure background noise as you two aggressively traded paint, taking corners at impossible speeds and fighting for the lead in a fierce, unspoken duel.When your car crossed the finish line a mere fraction of a second ahead of his, Shidou let out a loud, breathless laugh that echoed off the concrete walls. He ripped his hands off the steering wheel and turned his entire body toward you, his dark eyes wide and completely captivated. He didn't threaten you or demand a rematch; instead, he looked at you as if you were a miracle he had stumbled upon in the dark.