It was a sunny day in Berlin. Robert was sitting in the waiting room of an elegant office while his father was in an important meeting. As a known businessman, Mr. Jürgens always had several meetings to go but he was not expecting for that one just when he was going to the airport to begin a travel with his family. Since the trip had to be cancelled and they were already in Berlin, Mrs. Jürgens called Robert to go with her to meet her friends, all of them rich and gossipy women, but obviously the boy refused the invitation.
- "I am not psychologically prepared for that, mother. I prefer standing alone."
However standing alone was not making Robert feel better. He was feeling bored and upset and that day he already had woken up with a bad humor. Moreover he already was feeling that way for several days.
Despite being millionaire and having the condition to do whatever he wants, Robert could not see fun in anything that he was used to do anymore. He was feeling like if his life were empty and incomplete. Even liking beyblade, the sport was not the solution since there was no opponent strong enough that Robert could not defeat easily. The boy could not even have fun anymore when playing chess with Johnny neither when hanging out with some girls along with Enrique nor when going to museums with Oliver and Martin.
Yes, his friends, the friends who he had known in some European championship and from whom he got close in some high society ball. In the waiting room Robert remembered of the last time he had been with them. It was in Rome, at the Giancarlo's mansion:
- "And so what are we going to do? Do you want to meet some girls I knew these days?" asked Enrique as the friends finished drinking some tea.
- "No, your girls are always too mean and stupid. I prefer playing tennis." answered Johnny with his constant sarcasm.
- "But you play tennis almost every day, Johnny." stated Oliver friendly.
- "And then?"
- "And then that we should do something different today… how about having dinner in a new restaurant? This way I can also improve my cooking experience."
- "Good idea, my friend. But only having dinner is not good enough for me. I suggest that we go to some party after. This way Enrique can meet new girls, I can use it as a pretext to buy new clothes and everybody gets happy. Except you Johnny. You will not play tennis, I am sorry." said the always talkative Martin.
- "Great thing, you plague from Prague." answered Johnny meanwhile Oliver and Enrique agreed with Martin.
- "You are too quiet today Robert. Is it ok for you?" asked Oliver, worried.
- "Actually I did not like any of the ideas."
- "And what do you suggest then?" asked Enrique.
- "I do not know… I just want to stay here."
- "What is happening to you man?"
- "Nothing. I am just tired."
- "Hey you are not tired, you are boring."
- "He had always been boring." stated Johnny.
- "Come on! I am just not interested. I do not see any problem in that. I am completely normal." said Robert, angry.
- "No Robert, you are boring indeed. Get a girlfriend, man!" said Martin, smiling at him.
Getting a girlfriend? Still in the waiting room Robert turned his eyes impatiently thinking about Martin's council. How could a girl help him feeling better? He had already met several girls during his whole life and none of them was even a bit significant to him. It was definitely not the solution for his problems.
As Robert was tired of waiting for his father he called Gustav, his loyal butler and almost a member of his family that was talking to the secretary of the office, and asked to him to tell Mr. Jürgens he was going to take a walk.
- "But where are you going Master Robert?"
- "Nowhere important. Probably a museum or finding someone to fight against. I just want to stretch my legs."
While walking through Berlin streets, Robert passed by a museum and decided to enter there. He liked arts as much as Oliver did, or maybe just a little bit less than his French friend. He spent some time admiring the amazing paintings and sculptures that were in the museum when something, or better, someone called his attention.
It was a girl, a red-haired girl. She had her very long hair tied in a bun and her skin was so clear that it contrasted with the hair and with her dark green eyes. Robert got hypnotized on how beautiful and elegant the girl was and then he started persecuting her furtively through the museum. However he lost her of his sight when a huge group of tourists passed between them. The red-haired girl disappeared.
When returning to his father's office Robert was still thinking about what happened in the museum. His parents and Gustav were already waiting for him in the waiting room and then the family came back to their isolated castle. Before sleeping Robert was reading a book but none of the words could catch his attention.
- "Who was she?"
It has passed about one week when Gustav was walking quickly through the castle corridors. He seemed to be very preoccupied while he was looking for Robert. It was only in the Jürgens' armor room that the butler finally found the boy. Robert got startled by the sudden entrance of Gustav in the room and the old man was breathlessly breathing.
- "Master Robert I have some news to tell you."
- "You look scared. Is there something wrong Gustav?"
- "It is what I think, Master. Some of the people of the kitchen went to the city to replenish food stocks when they heard some strange rumors."
- "Rumors? What kind of rumors?"
- "That a foreign is winning a lot of beyblade matches there. They heard people saying that the strange is invincible and that maybe he can even defeat you."
- "What?! This is insolence! No one can defeat me!"
- "It is just what they heard Master."
- "Is he trying to steal my name as the German champion?!"
- "Maybe Master. That is why I came here to tell you about the rumors."
- "Gustav I want to go to Berlin right now! I will defeat this impertinent person and prove that I will never be overcome by a strange."
- "As you wish Master Robert."
After arriving in Berlin, Robert started looking for the foreign blader that Gustav told him about. He was very angry and incommoded by the possibility of someone think that it could be better than him. It was a big insolence. When Robert was walking quickly through a leafy square an uncommon cold breeze interrupted his thoughts.
- "It is summer, why is it so cold here?"
He followed the breeze and so he found a group of happy kids playing beyblade but it was not the most important. The cold breeze was being created by a bit beast, one of the most glorious spirits that Robert had ever seen. It was a giant, beautiful and majestic reindeer. Robert was amazed but he got even more impressed when he saw that the blader who was controlling the bit beast, the one he was cursing with his thoughts, was actually the red-haired girl he saw in the museum.
That day the girl was with her long hair loose and it made her look more beautiful yet. She won the fight against the younger boys but she was not being arrogant because of it and neither the boys were sad. Quite the opposite they were happy and asking to her to teach them new beyblade techniques while the girl was gently explaining them some of the tricks she used. She looked like an older sister amongst the little boys.
Robert stayed hidden amongst the trees admiring the girl for several minutes when Gustav appeared.
- "Did you already find the impertinent blader master Robert?"
- "Yes. But she is not impertinent anymore Gustav."
- "She?"
- "Yes, the blader is a girl. Look at that group."
- "But you are going to challenge her, are not you?"
- "No, I have just changed my plans. Gustav I want you to collect all the information you can get about her, ok?"
- "Of course Master."
And so Gustav went away from there and Robert kept looking at the beautiful girl that was calmly talking to the excited little boys. He was determined to discover who she was.
About one hour later the girl stood up from the leafy ground and said goodbye to the kids, walking to the opposite direction from where Robert was. When she disappeared from Robert's sight he went until the boys.
- "Hello. Do you know how the girl that was here with you named is?"
- "Yes! She is called Kate!" answered one of the kids.
- "Kate… only Kate?"
- "Hmm, I don't know her complete name."
- "Ok, thank you anyway."
Robert so started walking to the direction where Kate had gone.
- "Isn't him the German champion Robert Jürgens?" asked one boy after Robert went away.
- "Yes, I think it is he indeed. Perhaps he is just jealous of Kate."
- "Yeah. Well let's play again!"
It was when Kate had just entered in a luxurious hotel when Robert found her again. After some minutes she appeared in the balcony of her room in the fifth floor, sat in a chair and started reading a book while she was drinking some juice. Her hair was tied in a bun once again. Robert kept outside, looking at her while sitting in a chair of a café across the street.
Gustav appeared one more time from nowhere as he usually did and sat in another chair of the table where Robert was.
- "Did you discover something important Gustav?"
- "Yes, Master. The girl's name is Katerina Valkova. She is Russian and probably she is here in Berlin just because she is traveling through the Europe."
- "Wait, Valkova? I had already heard about this name before."
- "Yes, Master. She is daughter of the famous Bolshoi ballerina Yelena Valkova, who died along with her husband on a fire some years ago. Journals of the whole world had written about this tragedy at that time. Ah, there are rumors that she has a brother that is still in Russia but no one knows if it is true."
- "This is terrible. She may be a really sad person."
- "Yes, I think so. The hotel staff said she is always quiet and alone."
Actually it was Robert who got too quiet after listening to that information. He was still looking at the balcony where Kate was, wondering how she was feeling.
- "Is she real Gustav?"
- "Sorry, Master?"
- "I mean… look at the peaceful aura that surrounds her. Even having a tragic past she still seems so… strong and calm. She looks like an angel."
- "What are you…"
- "I don't know, Gustav. She is just… perfect. Beautiful, cult and gentle. She is also from a noble family and a blader. A good one by the way."
- "I already understood, Master. But I think it is time to return to the castle. Your parents are waiting for you."
- "Argh, ok."
When they were walking until the car, Robert turned back and stared at Katerina a last time.
- "I will come back, I promise."
The next day he woke up with the determination he had not felt in months. After having breakfast he told Gustav he was going to Berlin one more time.
- "Again Master Robert?"
- "Yes, again. You don't need to stay there if you don't want to. Just take me and I come back with my father when he goes away of his office."
- "Perfectly. Just take care, Master Robert, the girls have the power of make a man follow a path with no return."
- "I did not understand what you said very well but I will take the risks."
In Berlin Robert started looking for the red-haired girl. Firstly he went to the square she was the day before however there were nobody there but some kids. Then he went to the museum, to stores around the hotel and to some restaurants but he could not find her. So he decided to ask the hotel receptionist if the girl was there.
- "Does she know you?"
- "Yes, of course. I am… an old friend."
- "I see. But sorry sir, she left the hotel early and still did not come back."
- "Do you know where she went?"
- "No sir."
- "Thank you."
When Robert left the hotel hall he stopped outside and started looking around with worried eyes.
- "Where are you Katerina?"
At this moment she appeared around the corner carrying some shopping bags of a store Robert had not looked for and sat on a table of the café across the street. She was with her hair loose again that day. She ordered something to the waiter and started reading a sport magazine she had bought. After seeing that magazine Robert smiled as he had an idea of how to approach her.
Kate was concentrated reading when someone suddenly stood next to her.
- "This is a nice magazine."
- "Yes, it is. I would like to meet some of these European bladers, they seem to be very strong." answered Kate without taking her eyes off the magazine.
- "That is funny because you now have the chance to know the one from the cover."
So Kate closed the magazine, looked at the cover and then at the person who was talking with her. She got shocked and embarrassed.
- "I-I am sorry. I thought it was the waiter."
- "No problem, Katerina." answered Robert, "Actually I want to..."
- "Do you know me?"
- "Yes, I do. I listened to some rumors and…"
At this moment Kate stood up, feeling more embarrassed yet.
- "I don't want to take your place as the champion of the Germany I swear."
- "Hey hey, calm down. I am not here to intimidate you." said Robert. He was laughing inside on how embarrassed Kate was.
- "No? I am so sorry! The rumors spread like a plague and so I thought you were angry with me." answered Kate, feeling relieved and so showing her hand to Robert, "Let me start again. I am Katerina Valkova."
- "I am Robert Jürgens." said Robert while shaking her hand, "And it is impossible to get angry with you."
- "You are only being kind." Kate was smiling at him.
The waiter came back with a cappuccino that was left in the table that they were.
- "Oh, I am seeing that you just found a person with the same sport interest as you, young lady." said the waiter when he saw Kate and Robert together, "Do you want something sir?"
- "No, no. I don't even know if I am invited to sit here." answered Robert, pretending to be silly.
- "Of course you are. I would be honored if you stay here." said Kate while sitting again.
- "If you insist…" Robert shrugged, "So I want the same thing as her, please."
- "Ok sir, I will be back soon."
And then the two bladers started talking about several different things and the main subject was beyblade of course. Robert was telling Kate about how he defeated each one of the other German bladers that also were in the magazine and she told him about the new techniques she learned while traveling through Europe. Robert also pointed that he saw her teaching some tricks to the boys at the square and Kate smiled when she said that she likes seeing happy and interested kids. They were getting along very well.
- "And why are you alone here?" asked Robert at some point of the conversation.
- "Because I don't have anybody by my side." answered Kate, feeling sad and worried.
- "This is impossible. How could not a person stay by your side?"
- "It is true, believe me. I am trying to begin my life from zero now, which is all I have to say about this."
Robert noticed that Kate was feeling troubled and then changed the subject. But they stayed there just for more some minutes because Robert had to meet his father. They so shook hands again.
- "It was an honor to meet a famous blader like you." said Kate.
- "No, all the honor is mine. I can guarantee you." answered Robert, smiling.
- "Thank you. I will stay here in Berlin for one month, so maybe I see you again someday." Kate also smiled.
- "Yes, someday."
And so they went away. He went to the office and she to the hotel. Robert had just realized that Kate was not only beautiful in her appearance but also in her personality. He was smiling alone while walking through the streets.
Kate was also happy for meeting someone that could be her friend but she expected that she would never see him again. The next day she discovered that she was wrong when she was going to leave the hotel and saw that Robert was waiting for her in the hall early in the morning.
And they kept meeting during the next days but without more surprises since Kate gave Robert her telephone number. They went together to museums, to some touristic attractions, to a theater, to restaurants and cafés and he also started teaching beyblade to kids at the square along with her, even when he had no patience with children. One day Robert told Kate that he would like to introduce her to some friends, all of them champions in their own countries.
- "Oh, it would be fine!"
- "Really?"
- "Yes! Why not?
- "Great. So when I arrive home I will call them to define some meeting."
- "Ok. It is going to be fun."
- "Indeed." Robert was smiling at Kate and she returned the smile sincerely. She was really happy with her friendship with Robert and now with the possibility of meeting new people.
When he arrived home the first thing Robert did was taking the telephone and dialing Martin's number.
- "Yes?"
- "Martin, Robert here!"
- "Hey! How are you doing?"
- "Very nice! Martin I called you because I want to do something with you and the others."
- "Robert is that you? Robert Jürgens stopped being boring and decided hanging out with his lovable friends instead of playing chess? What is happening with the world?"
- "Yes, Martin. Thank you."
- "For what? For being handsome?"
- "You are so idiot… for your advice."
- "What advice?" and after a minute of silence, "Oh no… you don't say that…"
- "Yes, I found a girl! My girl!"
