Kai: Final chapter is now released.

Lirin: That's right. It's taken some time but I've finally posted the final part.

Tala: Thanks to Beywriter and LovelySinner7 for graciously reviewing last chapter. And GabZ for all he sent in.

Lirin: Go on Kai.

Kai: *evil stare* Lirin doesn't own Beyblade or the characters. And she certainly doesn't make money from her writing. There said I'm leaving now.

Chapter 11: Memories

Kai heavily sighed as he placed a photo album in a large box. This box happened to be full of old photos and albums of his life with Rei. On the top of the box he had written his ex-boyfriend's name across one of the flaps. He knew that if he held onto the pictures he'd be forever living in the past wishing for Rei to come back to him. So the simple solution was to give them to Rei and let him deal with them. If he wanted to keep them he could or if he wanted to use them as fuel for a fire he could do that too.

Kai reached over for the next one. He grabbed a frame of Rei and him on their first date. It was at the theme park. Rei had a big grin hugging Kai from behind. Even he was smirking in it. It was of a happier time. Silently a tear rolled down his right cheek as he placed the picture in the box. Of all the pictures he wanted to keep this was the one he wanted most. But a vow to himself had him placing it gently in the box.

The next picture he grabbed was from a New Year's party a few years back. The team was altogether on the docks watching the fireworks going off. Rei had run into Kai's arms and kissed him as the clock was striking midnight. Max had quickly snapped the image and gave it to the two of them once the film was developed. At first Kai was mad that they were caught kissing, but after Rei said he loved the memory Kai lightened up some and came to appreciate the gift. This one too found it's way into the box with the others.

Kai continued to examine all the framed photos before placing them carefully in the box until he reached the last one. The one that meant the most to him...the one Rei never saw.

It was an image of his Neko-jin in the early morning hours with the sun coming up just over the horizon creating a golden halo around Rei's sleeping form as he slept leaning against a deck somewhere. This was long before Kai actually got to know Rei, but this was the image that had him falling in love with Rei more and more each time he looked at it.

Tears now freely flowed from Kai's eyes as he added this one to the box and a short note he wrote to Rei. After that he closed the lid and taped it up like all the other boxes stacked about the room.

When he was done he wiped away the tears and hardened his glare to hopefully make people believe this was not upsetting him as much as it has.

The house has lost that warm, happy feeling it once held while he lived there with his love. Now it was just a cold building needing a new owner. Maybe a family with kids to make many happy memories within the walls...memories he wanted to create with Rei.

Kai heard the door open and someone walk towards him. No words were needed for him to know that Tala had arrived. They just stood there looking around the room at all the boxes.

Kai broke the silence first. "Rei left some stuff here. Do you think Tyson and Max will mind delivering it to him?"

"I don't think they will," Tala softly replied. "Are you sure you really want to do this?"

Kai let out a cold humorless laugh. "Plans are set, boxes are packed and the flights are booked. No going back now. And I don't want to either. Sure I had some good times here in this city, but some bad times as well."

"You've had some bad times in Russia too."

"But my best friend lives there, I can get by with him and the others."

Tala's face lit up with a smile. Kai had never actually admitted that he was his best friend. Sure the others all knew that they were the closest friends in the group but it had never been vocalized like this before.

"Kai..."

The duel hair youth shook his head. "Let's go. This place is...," Kai struggled to find the words he wanted.

"Getting depressing?" Tala asked.

"Yeah."

"Alright then," Tala swung his arm over Kai's shoulder and pulled him close to his side, "let's ditch this place and never look back. This is one of the place we'll dub as better off lost in the past. Sound good to you?"

"Yeah Tal, ...lost in the past..."

They left the house in silence. Everything that was needed to be said was done inside those walls. And although Kai said he would leave this in the past he felt a ping of hurt and regret in his heart as he closed the door for the final time.

XxXxXx

A month had passed since Kai moved in with Tala and the others. He was doing better now that he was away from constant reminders of the time he spent with Rei. Some days he dared to even smile or laugh at something funny. With these changes in Kai, Tala deemed now a good time to give him something.

Kai was sitting at the table having a late breakfast of toast and juice when Tala approached him. He was holding something behind his back.

Kai cocked his head to the side. "What to you have there, Tal?"

"A kind of present for you Kai," the red head replied with a nervous smile. "Remember a month ago when you packed up your house I said to let it be lost in the past?"

Slowly Kai nodded confused as to where this was going.

"I meant that. But not all of it should be lost. I know that Rei," Kai flinched at the name but Tala ignored it as he continued, "was your first true love, and he did so much to help you get over the damage Boris and Voltaire caused. That shouldn't be lost. You should continue to find strength from that, so after we left I had Bryan and Spencer dig these out."

Tala carefully place three framed pictures on the table. Kai immediately recognized them as items he packed in Rei's box. "I'm sorry if these hurt, but I think you're strong enough now to look at these without loosing your mind to depression. Rei was your first love and gave you something that should never be forgotten."

Kai nodded as tears ran down his face. He had regretted letting these pictures go and was so glad to see them again. Sure his time with Rei was short and in the past, but it will be a time he will never forget and in time he'll look back on those days with a smile.

Lirin: And that's a wrap.

Tala: Reviewing has gotten even easier now. So just click on the box below and input your text then hit submit. Tell Lirin what you thought.

Bryan: With enough encouragement Lirin might make a new sequel revolved around me. But that will only happen if you all want it.

Tala: *blank stare*

Lirin: Well the boys said it all. Thanks all for reading and please don't forget to review :)