OK, so THIS wasn't planned.

Lei felt like suddenly catapulting from a merry-go-round on permanent nitro infusion or something right onto the pavement.

Everything was a blur, until it came to a screeching halt.

First, Takao and Tsukiyo took him to a mall so he could get to do some serious school supplies shopping.

Tsukiyo was still dangerously angry with steam coming out from her ears. Lei blinked and asked Takao about it.

"Oh, don't worry about her, she's just letting off some…steam." Takao smiled apologetically back at him. "Even a hundred perfect scores on Bust a Move wouldn't calm her down, at this rate."

"Oh…OK. So…that was WHERE you went, right?"

"Umm…yeah."

"I see…"

"Don't let the steam get to you, it's her therapy." Takao nodded. "So all of your things are now in order! Let's go pay for them at the cashier."

"OK."

The cashier rang up their purchases and soon the 3 of them went outside the bookstore with Tsukiyo stomping on ahead of them like a raging bull.

Lei sweatdropped. "Is she going to be FINE, Takao?"

"Yeah…don't worry. It's just that…Kai was the ONLY guy who got through her steel-clad personality, if you know what I mean. Guys get uncomfortable when she goes around school telling them off to leave her alone. She thinks they're just…well…uh…not her 'level'. They always try to hit on her every chance they get."

"Really…"

"Mmm-hmm. Tsukiyo doesn't like being the one chased. So she avoids all contact with them whenever possible. She only hangs out with the Professor and me." Takao looked at him. "She used to be the terror of her neighborhood…with the boys, that is. That's why they think it best to leave her alone. Kai was the FIRST guy who actually got her to full-steam mode."

"Uh-huh…"

"TAKAO! You owe me a coffee crumble SHAKE!" Tsukiyo calls from up front. Takao blinked. "Uh…you already downed 5 of them a while AGO…"

"I don't CARE! I want to get back at that…cocky…bastard and coffee crumble shakes are the ONLY concoctions on this planet that actually helps me THINK." Tsukiyo went towards the direction of the ice-cream parlor to the other side of the mall. "I'll see you there."

"W-wait!" Takao went after her, then mananged to stop her in front of the TGIFriday's. "We just CAN'T go rushing on to ice-cream parlors, we have a guest with us in TOW…"

"So, let him join us! It's not like he's allergic to ice-cream or something."

"He's tired, and he needs to rest. He may NOT be saying anything, but he's having one hell of a jet lag right now. Grandfather immediately asked for his enrollment, and thought it best for him to come with me this morning…"

"I KNOW. SO after my coffee crumble shake, we'll head on HOME. That fine with you…?"

"…" Lei was looking over at some Chinese delicacies on display in a stall in front of him, festooned with many red streamers and paper lanterns. The old woman was smiling at him kindly. "Yes? How may I help you?"

"Umm…" Lei gestured to a neat stack of bean paste buns right in front of him. "How much for those?"

"Y1,500.00," the old woman replied. "But for you, I'll give a 50% discount!"

"Errh…"

"In fact, I'll make it on the house, even." The old woman put 12 bean paste buns right inside a small brown paper bag with Chinese calligraphy then handed it over to Lei. She smiled upon seeing Lei's uncertainty. "Take it. You look so much like my grandson back at Shanghai…and he also liked bean paste buns, like you do, too."

"Umm…OK. Thank you very much."

"My pleasure! Come back any time, you hear?"

Lei smiled faintly then turned to look over at both Takao and Tsukiyo. As the crowd parted for a while right in front of TGIFriday's…they were BOTH gone.

So now, after becoming lost for a full 30 minutes or so…he bumps into Asaya Ninomiya.

"Where exactly do you live?" Asaya asked him as they were walking down the sleek silver hallways of the mall leading to the main entrance/exit.

"Umm…this is really…embarassing…I'm just new to your country…and…my companions were in a bit of a hurry to get back home." Lei shook the package of bean paste buns he held in his right hand. "It's because of the bean paste buns I lost them…"

"Don't be too harsh on yourself, it's NOT your fault." Asaya looked up at him as they turned a bend. "What are your companions' names?"

"Uh…Takao Kinogu and Tsukiyo Shinohara."

"Oh!" Asaya nodded. "I see. OK, I'll take you to them! Errh…are you staying over at Takao's house or Tsukiyo's?"

"Takao's." Lei blinked. "You KNOW them?"

"Yes. I've been following the Blade Breakers' exploits these past 4 years. I mean, the only things the reporters left out to report are Takao's vital statistics. They're even more ruthless than the KGB." Asaya smiled. "I used to go watch Takao Bey Blade when I was 12. He was always with his friends and Tsukiyo in tow. He didn't know I was watching him, though…and besides, people would usually just turn me away. I don't MEAN Takao. The other people who frequent the riverbank Bey side."

Flashback.

A small girl in a ponytail with some of her hair framing her small pale face gazing longingly at the kids Bey Blading by the riverbank Bey side late afternoon. Several other harsh kids turned and shooed her away.

***Get LOST, freak!***

***We don't NEED you here!***

The small girl turned and ran, tears pooling in her eyes. She came to a stop a few feet away from the white limousine, sobbing. A man was smiling at her tenderly.

***See? Even they do not understand the power within you. You'll always be despised and feared. You have no escape from your FATE…***

The girl turned her tear-filled pain-filled clearest amethyst eyes at him, her lower lip trembling.

The cream colored Bey Blade in her hand glowed faintly.

"…Asaya?"

"H-huh…? Oh, sorry." She smiled faintly at him.

"You alright? You look…troubled…" Lei asked her, his slanted amber yellow eyes concerned.

"I'm…fine." Asaya got her ice blue DoCoMo from her skirt pocket then dialled a number.

---Yes, Miss.---

"Mr. Kawashita? Would you come pick me up at the main entrance/exit? I have a friend with me and he's coming with us."

---OK, Miss, I'm on my way.---

Asaya pushed the clear button on her phone then nodded at Lei.

"OK. Let's go. Umm…what's your name again? I'm afraid I didn't catch it a while ago…"

"It's Lei. Lei Kon."

"Lei Kon?" Asaya's eyes were wide. "Oh! I didn't recognize you SOONER! You're one of the Blade Breakers…and…sorry!"

"Huh?" Lei shook his head. "No, it's OK. Don't worry…whatever it was your being sorry for. I really don't mind."

"OK." Asaya smiled, looking very much like a young girl, both innocent and frail. "Let's go, Lei!"

"What if he decides to go back to CHINA?!" Takao said, sniffling.

"He CAN'T, his passport's right HERE in your house," Tsukiyo told him, her eyes wobbly with tears.

"I can't believe I'm such a JERK!"

"I can't believe I'm such a DOUBLE jerk!"

They looked at each other then both turned SD at the same time.

"Grandfather's gonna whup me big time with his SHINAI~~~!!!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

A car beeped from outside.

"That must be Grandfather right NOW," Takao said, getting to his feet and practically running out of the kitchen with Tsukiyo at his heels. "Oh boy, he's going to have a MAJOR cow…"

They were out of the dojo gates in an instant. Now SD Takao and SD Tsukiyo's eyes were huge and circular.

Lei was standing there right beside the most popular girl at St. Mathilde Senior High School, who also happened to be the wealthiest.

Asaya smiled.

"Hello. I believe Lei lives here?"