-1Chapter Ten - Goodbye Forever?
The weeks passed, and all too soon, it was time to return home and start a new year at school, for the summer vaction was finished. Ray and Mariah left first, saying quick goodbyes, before taking a taxi to the airport to go back to China. They were followed by Max, who also took a taxi to the airport after bidding the team farewell. It would be Vai and Kai's turn soon.
"Before I go, I want you to have this," Kai told Vai, pressing something into her hand. She opened her fist. In her palm, was a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it, and read Kai's phone number, which had numbers underneath it. The girl smiled.
"Thanks, Kai," she said to him gratefully. "I'll give you mine, with my address." She slipped a note into his hand. Vai noticed, looking at the note he had given her, that he had written his address, too. Great! They could keep in contact.
The black car drove into Bay City, passing the buildings and shops. As it neared Central Park, the old man who sat next to the taxi driver raised his hand silently in a gesture to halt. The vehicle skidded to a stop and he alighted from the taxi. On the small plain, half-hidden by the grass, he had caught sight of an object glinting in the sun. The old man carefully picked it up. A Beyblade. Not just any Beyblade, but a blade blacker than night itself. "If it isn't Kai's old teacher Boris' creation, Black Dranzer," Voltaire Hiwatari smirked. "It looks like it's destroyed…" He noted the Bit Chip, which had no image. His smirk broadened. "But, as they say, the phoenix will rise again, reborn from the ashes…"
Meanwhile, Vai looked up at Kai, tears in her eyes. "I'll miss you…" she whispered. Kai wiped the tears away as they began to fall down her beautiful face. He gently held her face in his hands, looking into her pained violet eyes. He sighed.
"I'll miss you, too, Vai," Kai told her quietly. He felt her tears splash his hands. He embraced her tightly, drawing her close. She cried, sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't want you to be unhappy," Kai said softly. "We'll see each other soon, I just know it…so please, don't cry. Shhh…" Her sobs lessened. He kissed her, long and firmly, soothing her distress. His embrace slackened as his lips touched hers. Vai stopped crying.
He slowly let go of her. "That's better," Kai encouraged gently. His lips curved into a tiny smile. And she looked at him, brushing her tears away, smiling back.
Just then, a black taxi car pulled up beside Tyson's house. A towering old man alighted from the vehicle. Vai recognised him at once and shrank back behind Kai. "Grandfather…" Kai hissed, voice full of hatred, but his face showing no emotion. As Voltaire Hiwatari came towards them, Kai said softly, "It's okay, Vai. I won't let him hurt you - and I'll make sure that he never knows of our love." He held her hand and squeezed it once, letting go when the old man reached them. Voltaire's cold grey eyes flickered once to Vai as she stood beside Kai. She met his gaze steadily, showing no fear. His eyes then came to rest on the icy violet eyes of his emotionless grandson.
Kai gave him a stony death glare, his eyes heartless. Voltaire averted his eyes quickly. Even he couldn't meet Kai's gaze when he gave him those soulless stares. Vai hid a loving smile. At a boy, Kai, she thought.
The taxi driver opened one of the back passenger doors of the taxi, and Kai silently walked to the car, climbing in. The door slammed shut. Voltaire got in himself, shutting his door behind him. As the car sped off, Vai saw Kai wave once, before it rounded a corner and disappeared from view.
Vai sighed, slowly turning away, tearing her eyes from the road Kai's taxi had vanished down. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Bye, Kai…" she whispered. Will I…ever see him again? she thought. If Voltaire finds out about our love, that'll be it. Is it really goodbye forever? Her heart swelled with a crippling pain of loss and anguish. She buried her face in her hands. "It hurts," Vai sobbed. "It hurts so much…" Tears flowed through her fingers to fall silently to the floor. "My Kai, my love…" She burst into anguished sobs that echoed in the quiet, empty street.
"Vai?" a voice asked in concern behind her. Hilary looked at her worriedly, her shoulder-length brown hair rippling slightly with the light breeze that blew through the air. Her ruby-red eyes were anxious. "What's the matter?" she asked Vai. "Did you hurt yourself?" Vai shook her head wordlessly.
"No, it's not that…" she managed to reply after a short moment of silence.
A light frown creased Hilary's forehead. "But - you're crying."
"I know…'cause I am hurt," Vai's voice shook, nearly a sob. "Hurt inside…my, my…heart…hurts…" She looked at Hilary, her eyes so full of pain and sorrow, that her friend was deeply moved, and really felt for her. "It's Kai…he's gone - maybe forever! Oh, Hilary…" She buried her face in her hands again as her body was racked by huge, pained sobs. Hilary put a hand on her shoulder, pressing a handkerchief into her palm.
Gradually, Vai's sobs faded away, and she wiped her tears away with the handkerchief. She looked at Hilary gratefully. "Thank you. I'm sorry for crying."
Hilary looked at her soulful, tormented eyes. "But you still look like you're hurting," she told her.
"I know," Vai sighed. "I am. When you love someone this much and they leave, your heart will always hurt until they come back…only, Kai might never come back, if his grandfather finds out about our love…it'll be over. We'll never see each other again." More tears welled up in her eyes.
"A forbidden love…" Hilary said quietly. "Kai's grandfather won't let you be together because he sees love as a 'weakness.' Oh, Vai…you poor soul…" She looked at Vai anxiously as her friend brushed the tears from her eyes.
"Will you be okay now?"
Vai nodded. "Thanks to you, Hilary." She gave her a small, watery smile, her eyes lighting up a little. As she and Hilary entered the dojo, Vai glanced back over her shoulder at the road which Kai had left down. I'll wait, she thought. I'll wait until we see each other again…I'll wait forever, if I have to. After all, Kai is the one I love the most.
The plane landed in Russia, and Vai looked out at the stone city of Moscow. Home. It seemed to her that years had passed since she had been here. Although autumn was just settling in, there was already a chill to the air as she walked down the ramp, her breath rising as mist. She shivered a little. It seemed to be colder than usual. It's probably because I'm still heartbroken about not being with Kai, Vai thought miserably, sighing heavily. Even home doesn't seem complete without him… In broken-hearted silence, she climbed into the taxi waiting for them. Once they arrived back at their house, Vai quickly unpacked her things. She glanced at her new school uniform and sighed. Tomorrow, she would be starting high school. I won't know anyone there, she thought glumly. None of my friends from middle school are going, so I'll be all alone. Kai will be starting his second year at high school tomorrow, a different high school to mine, I bet. There's no point in even hoping that he might be going to the same school, because knowing his grandfather, he'll probably send him to some 'boys only' one…She sighed again. Things are so dull without him. I wish you were here, Kai. I'm probably not going to see him for years, like I did back when I was small after our separation.
A sob overwhelmed her. But…I don't want that…I don't want it to happen again! I couldn't face it - another ten years after we've just reunited - it's not fair! Vai slumpedon to her bed, crying heart-brokenly into the pillow.
Kai sat up in his large bedroom at Hiwatari Mansion, thinking about Vai. One thing was for sure. They might not see each other for a while, so somehow, he would have to write to her or call her without his grandfather knowing. There was no way he could face another long ten years without her. Then, the idea struck him. He could write his letters to her while he did his homework, so Voltaire wouldn't suspect anything, and keep replies in his schoolbag. He nodded, pleased with the plan. What about phone calls? he thought. I gave her my phone number…that's it! Because I carry my mobile with me all the time, I could call her outside, away from the mansion. Kai smirked faintly. He now had two good ways of staying in contact with Vai without his grandfather knowing. He took a taxi to a small town near the mansion, called Whitford. There, he called Vai.
Vai had a surprise when her mobile began to ring in her school rucksack. Hastily, she picked it up, pressed a button and answered the call. "Hello?" she asked.
"Hi, Vai - it's me, Kai. How are you?" came her boyfriend's voice.
"Oh, Kai…I've been so upset. The thought of not seeing you again, and, and…" she broke off as a huge sob overwhelmed her, and her voice cracked.
Kai's quiet, serious voice became soft. "Don't cry," he soothed. "I've missed you, too. Everything's going to be okay, I promise. It's alright, Vai, because I'll be here for you - always. Shhh…"
Vai stopped crying at the sound of his soothing voice. "That's it, Vai. Remember, keep that smile on your face. You always do. And stay positive - we'll see each other again soon, okay?" Kai told her gently.
Vai, wiping her tears away, smiled. "Okay, Kai."
"Have you tried video messaging yet?" he asked her.
"Uh, no. What is it, anyway?" she wanted to know.
"It's when you talk one-on-one with someone and see and hear them talk at the same time," the boy explained patiently. "Why don't we try it now?"
Vai nodded. "Yeah!" Following Kai's instructions, she managed to switch her mobile from its normal call mode to its video messaging mode. Kai's face appeared on her screen. She gasped with excitement as he looked at her intently. "Wow, this is so cool! I can see you so clearly. Can you see me, too?" she asked him. He nodded.
"This is great - thanks, Kai!" Vai exclaimed. Kai laughed a small laugh, giving her a tiny smile. His cute smile made her blush deep red, and she flashed him a smile back. His cheeks, at this, became slightly pink. "You're blushing!" they told each other at the same time, and then burst out laughing.
As she said goodbye to Kai and turned her phone off, Vai's smile broadened. Thanks to seeing him again, she felt a lot happier, and her spirits were high again. Thanks, Kai, she said silently. Thank you so much for speaking to me. I needed to hear your voice…hopefully, we'll be together soon.