Intro.
"This painting is my first portrait.
The model is a 17-year-old boy--
I named him 'Mars.'
The word 'Mars' has two meanings.
One is the planet Mars, and the other is the god of war
--it's the name of the god of war!"
Kira is sketching in the park when she meets Rei, who asks her for directions to a nearby hospital. She draws him a map and hands it to him, then runs away without saying a word, which mystifies him.
Kira returns home to tell her mother she's just met a disagreeable person from her class. She recalls Rei secretly smoking at school and making out with some random girl, and thinks that she hates him.
Rei is visiting a friend of his at the hospital, Katayama Akitaka, who was injured at the Italy GP (motorcycle racing? yes I think so). He has had to have his leg amputated due to the accident, and will be retiring from racing. As he recalls his near-death experience, Rei wonders about death and human mortality.
Akitaka's wife, Kyoko, has a talk with Rei. She convinces him to keep the map Kira drew him when she finds the drawing Kira did on the other side of the paper. The drawing surprises Rei, who hadn't noticed it before. Kyoko gives Rei Akitaka's motorcycle, since he cannot ride anymore, and cautions Rei to be careful. Rei tells her it doesn't matter whether he dies or not, as no one will care. She tells him that's not true, as she and Akitaka care for him, and that someday he will find the person for whom his existence will be the most important thing in the world. Later, Kyoko and Akitaka talk about Rei and his reckless way of racing, as though he's making a bet or playing a video game with his life. Why is he like this, at 16?
Next day -
Another day at school. Kira sits by herself, antisocial-seeming. The other girls avoid her and talk about how weird and unfeeling she is. Kira feels that she's different/isolated from the others, and thinks that it's easier for her this way. Rei arrives at school via motorcycle. Teachers yell at him, but the classmates welcome him back, especially Harumi, who apparently has an undying crush on him even though Rei is dating an older [third-year] girl from another class. Rei has a seat in front of his friend, Tatsuya, which happens to be across the aisle from Kira. She wonders apprehensively whether he remembers her. As she fervently hopes that he doesn't, he glances at her and points in recognition [to her disappointment]. He immediately starts talking to her, while she tries to ignore him. To get her attention, he grabs one of her braids, and is pelted by a chalkboard eraser from the teacher.
Tatsuya tells Rei to give up on Kira, since he's known her since junior high and can attest to the fact that she's extreeemely antisocial with a phobia of males and only spends her time drawing.
In English class, the teacher defends Kira to some of her classmates. Rei throws her a note saying that her drawing of mother and child was on the back of the map she gave him. Rei asks her, at recess, about the drawing's origins, and tells her he kept it because it's a good drawing. Kira feels strange that even though Rei's only said a few words to her, she feels so familiar with him. After school Rei goes to "work," (betting on basketball games he plays with Tatsuya against some other guys) borrowing Kira's hairtie and promising to double her money. His attentions to Kira (who doesn't seem to know quite how to respond) are noticed by classmates, including Harumi, who doesn't look too pleased. After the game Rei remembers he's got Kira's hairtie and goes to return it to her.
Kira's still alone in the arts room drawing when the English teacher from before comes in. He comments on her drawing, and starts to molest her. Kira's frightened, paralyzed, and unable to make a sound. At this strategic moment Rei comes in, asking the teacher when he became advisor to the art club? He indirectly threatens the teacher with a matte knife, and scares him away. He then tells Kira to at least do something when she's in that sort of situation, and that when she just sits and looks pathetic it makes people want to bully her. He notices her drawing--she's sketching a bust of Mars. She tells him about the god of war, and Rei reponds that though the god is so brave, he looks very--er--lovable? kissable? desirable? eh. Rei kisses the stone bust of Mars on the lips.
Next day people try talking Rei into joining the basketball team since he's so good. He declines, saying he has to work. They say he's into motorcycle racing so of course isn't interested in dinky school clubs. When he was 14, he won the Suzuka endurance races. Rei returns Kira's drawing. She offers to give him the completed painting of the piece when she finishes. In payment for the painting, Rei decides he wants to do something for Kira, and offers to protect her. He also jokingly offers the "use of his body" whenever she wants it. ^_- Kira stares, then takes him up on his offer! (which startles Rei into falling down the stairs ^_-;;) She actually wants him to be a model for her.
As he's sitting for Kira, Rei says there's this rumor/superstition going around that the world is coming to an end. Kira asks if he'll be sad if the world ends...he replies no, he thinks it'll be fun/interesting, and wonders how it will end. He thinks the feelings of fear and anticipation will be interesting, and falls asleep. Kira gets a good look at him, and realizes he's really good-looking, finally understanding other girls' attraction to him.
Rei and his girlfriend break up. Seems the relationship was mostly physical. ;)
Kira thinks that Rei, despite doing all sorts of crazy things, isn't really a bad person.
The English teacher wakes Rei up in class and tells him to make a sentence w/ a vocab word, hoping to embarrass him when he doesn't know how. Rei, with a smile, makes a sentence about the teacher sexually harrassing students, saying he can't be taken advantage of in this (English) respect since he lived in LA from ages 6~14.
Rei finds there's something wrong with his motorcycle and barely escapes a collision with a truck. He guesses the English teacher did it. He threatens him again, scaring him so much that he resigns.
Rei jokes with Harumi in class. Kira overhears and laughs, Harumi gets pissed, and kicks Kira's desk "on accident." Kira cuts herself with her matte knife as a result (she was sharpening a pencil). Rei licks her wound. Tatsuya yells at him about this later. It seems that Tatsuya has had a crush on Kira since junior high. He says Rei's attentions to Kira will cause her problems among the girls in their class.
Harumi and her friends corner Kira, slapping, threatening, and generally bullying her. They throw her shoes into the furnace. Rei notices Kira's shoeless state and asks about it. She replies that it's her own problem; none of his previous girlfriends has ever been bullied, so it's not his fault she's got a victim personality. She refuses to fight back since it only leads to more fighting, and she's afraid of a lot of things. She leaves to walk home in socks, as Rei thinks she has a really good temper. He offers her a ride home which she, despite fears of bullying, accepts. She doesn't know what the future will bring, but decides to do as she wants anyway. Both Tatsuya and Harumi are shocked to see Rei and Kira riding off together.
Rei tells Kira about seeing her for the first time at the park, going to see his friend at the hospital. Kira tells him she understands his longing for speed (on motorcycle), since after the initial fear passes, the feeling one gets going so fast is worth dying for. Rei thanks her for trusting him with her life, at which she's moved to tears. Her mother comes along and finds them there, and thinks Rei is harassing her daughter. Kira clears up the misunderstanding, and before Rei leaves he shakes hands with her mother and asks Kira whether she has any bad feelings towards Tatsuya. Kira replies no, why? But Rei doesn't answer.
Akitaka talks to Rei about entering in this 8hr motorcycle race. He offers to borrow an HRC or WORKS MACHINE (I have no idea what those are...) for him. Akitaka wants to coach Rei, because scouts are looking for young talent for the GP500 and he thinks Rei could do it.
Kira's mother forbids her to ride on a motorcycle again. She says it's dangerous, and also that Rei doesn't look like a very responsible person. Kira bursts out at her mother, saying Rei is a good person and that her mother shouldn't judge by appearances, as some people look nice and responsible on the outside, but really do horrible things, as her mother should know quite well. She goes to her room and wonders whether Rei ever, like her, thinks about dying.
Harumi is waiting for Rei outside his apartment building. She asks why he let Kira ride with him when he'd refused her earlier (told her he didn't give people rides). Rei realizes it's Harumi who has been bullying Kira, and says he doesn't have to explain anything to her. He tells her he only slept with her because she attracted him, and that it was (rough rough translation) all just a game. Harumi runs away crying. Rei is angry at the way everybody seems to think that someone else can be their property.
Next day Rei tries to get Kira and Tatsuya together. He leaves them alone at a lunch table (though looking back once at Kira) after he tells Kira that Tatsuya likes her. Tatsuya tells Kira (who's surprised that anyone actually could like her) that actually lots of guys liked/were interested in her but she always ignored them. Rei was the first to actually go talk to her in the open. Kira tells him Rei asked her for her mother-child drawing, so she was flattered. Tatsuya tells her it's understandable that Rei should want that drawing, since his mother died when he was small.
The girls in their class take Kira away for "a talk." Harumi threatens Kira again, this time with cigarette burns, but Kira, though crying, doesn't promise anything. (no details here...too much trouble) Harumi then prepares to break Kira's fingers with a weight so she can never draw again. Kira says that if her right hand can't be used, she has her left hand; if no hands, she has her feet; if not her feet, then her mouth--unless Harumi is going to break (?) her mouth as well. As Harumi reaches back to strike, Kira, crying, apologizes to Rei for not being able to finish his painting.
Rei notices Kira and Harumi are both gone from the classroom, and runs off to find Kira in case anything happens. Tatsuya pursues. Rei arrives to find Kira scared but unharmed. He hugs her, then suddenly lets go because of Tatsuya. Tatsuya later threatens Rei, since it's his fault that Kira is being bullied.
Kira realizes that she really likes Rei.
Rei has a "talk" with Harumi, basically telling her he'll kill her if she does anything to Kira. He's serious.
Tatsuya talks to Harumi. She tells him, crying, that Rei and Kira actually like each other but don't realize it.
Kira thinks about hearing Rei's heartbeat that day when he hugged her, and thinks it would be all right if she couldn't draw again. Rei shows up to check on Kira at home. She asks why he doesn't like Harumi, when Harumi likes him so much. Rei just says that he doesn't see why he should like her. All the girls only like him because he's a nice trophy boyfriend. He says that as long as the girl was cute, it was okay, because he never thought about it too much as his head is empty. Kira protests, saying he's not empty-headed, because she can sense "colors" on him. Beautiful colors...and yet some tinged with tragedy or sorrow.
Kira's hair gets tangled in Rei's bracelet. He says it's a protective charm; he doesn't believe in that sort of thing, but after he wore it, he won the 4hr motorcycle race. Kira thinks it's beautiful, so he gives it to her. He puts it on her wrist...and kisses her.
Kira watches him drive off, wondering why the motorcycle sounds like crying...
Rei tells Kira the next day that their kiss didn't mean anything, and she agrees, saying it's just him playing around and she doesn't mind. I think Tatsuya overhears this conversation.
Rei and Tatsuya have a talk on the roof and Tatsuya tells Rei he's giving up on Kira, and is going off to skateboard to clear his mind. He leaves, saying he'll be rooting for "you two idiots," which Rei doesn't get. ^_^;;
Harumi tells Kira that if she keeps going seriously with Rei, she'll end up paying with her life. (This could be taken as a threat from Harumi, but actually just sounds like a dire warning.)
End Volume 1.