Koichiro Iketani is a prominent member of the Akina SpeedStars racing group. An unresolved romantic history with Mako Sato, a skilled driver from the Usui Pass team, haunts him. Six months earlier, heavy traffic and a late departure caused him to miss a planned meeting with Mako by mere minutes, arriving around 10 PM as she departed. This failure left him filled with regret and self-doubt, leading him to assume she had moved on. A chance encounter occurs during a family trip to a memorial ceremony when Iketani and his mother meet Mako and her teammate Sayuki at a Kan'etsu Expressway service area. The reunion is initially awkward, marked by visible surprise and hesitation. Iketani seizes the opportunity to apologize sincerely for missing their previous meeting. Pressed by family obligations to depart quickly, both express a mutual desire to reconnect. They hastily arrange a second meeting at the original location near the Kamameshi billboard, with Mako stating she will wait for his call. This reunion renews Iketani's determination to resolve their unfinished relationship. He attributes the second chance to fortunate circumstances tied to his family memorial activities and shares his enthusiastic optimism with friends Kenji and Itsuki at their shared workplace, a gas station. Declaring his resolve not to repeat past mistakes, he departs exceptionally early for the arranged meeting, arriving a full two hours ahead of schedule. However, Iketani's inherent helpfulness complicates matters again. An elderly man approaches him at the meeting spot, explaining he missed his tour bus and desperately needs a ride to Karuizawa. Despite recognizing the risk to his reunion with Mako, Iketani cannot refuse. He agrees to drive the man north, believing he can complete the trip and return within an hour, jeopardizing the long-awaited meeting and mirroring their earlier missed connection. Regarding his driving, Iketani actively practices downhill techniques on Mount Akina under Takumi Fujiwara's instruction. During one session, overconfidence leads him to enter an S-curve at excessive speed, resulting in a spinout. Takumi later advises him to replace his rear tires. Friends Kenji and Itsuki openly discuss his persistent feelings for Mako and express concern about his prolonged single status prior to the reunion, while also acknowledging his improved driving skills compared to earlier periods.