DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Light filtered in through the window, illuminating the harmoniously decorated bedroom. The girl lay motionless in her bed, her cat curled up next to her, and the bedsheets strewn about them in an unordered fashion. Feeling the light of day on her face, the girls's eyes twitched and slowly began to open.

So, another day has dawned, she thought.

Sitting up in bed, she yawned and flexed the muscles in her arms, then ran a hand through her cat's brown fur.

It had been two years since Kai's death, two terrible, difficult years. Tsukino was now eighteen years old, and had managed to recover from her shock. And yet...Kai had never left her mind, or her heart.

Despite this, six months ago, she had been invited on a date by her new friend, Zaku, who had found her irresistibly attractive. She had accepted, desperate to have her mind taken off her grief, and soon found herself being kissed passionately on the lips. Despite this, despite returning the kiss, Tsukino had felt nothing, absolutely nothing.

And up until now, until this very moment, she was his girlfriend merely to aid her recuperation, and not because she loved him. How could she ever love him, when her heart was eternally sealed with Kai's?

Zaku had a likeable personality, and was quite good-looking. He had spiky blond hair and deep blue eyes, like the very ocean. He was slightly taller than her, and had a fine, rosy complexion. He often complimented Tsukino on looking very pretty, but he could have showered her in gold and pearls for all the good it did because Tsukino felt nothing related to love for him. He was a good friend, nothing more, nothing less.

She often felt sorry for indirectly playing with his feelings, she really did, and even worse was that girls all around wanted to go out with him, but couldn't because she was hogging him...

At least, at least I'm granting his wish to be with me, after all, he was the one who fell head over heels in love with me, thought Tsukino.

But Kai...whenever she looked at him, all she could see was Kai, and she truly doubted whether she would ever get over him. Two years had passed and had done nothing to soften her emotions towards him. Her deep and promising love had remained the same, reserved in a place within her heart which nobody could ever replace.

At 10:00am that morning, Tsukino left the house to go meet up with Zaku himself. It was a bright morning, sunny and peaceful. It was summer, and the temperature was particularly high today.

Zaku was waiting on a bench in the street, close to the busy marketplace. He wore an orange shirt, denim shorts and matching sandals, and was whistling merrily to himself.

"Hey Tsuki!" he called out when he saw her approaching.

Tsukino hated when he called her 'Tsuki', because it was what Kai often called her.

"Hey Zaku!" she called back.

"You okay, sunshine?" he asked, standing up to greet her.

"Yeah, I'm good. How about you?" she asked.

"I'm great now!" said Zaku, winking cheekily at her.

"So, where are we going today?" asked Tsukino.

"Oh today, well, I've decided that I would like to take you to meet my family today!" said Zaku.

"Wha? Really?" asked Tsukino, surprised at this offer.

"Yep! What do ya think? You wanna?" he asked.

"Heh, yeah sure. Okay!" Tsukino agreed, and from there on, Zaku took the lead, guiding Tsukino towards his house.