A/N: Honestly. Some people. You'd have to wonder what the hell a really abusive, and I mean obscenities galore, review would do. Do people actually think they've achieved something by swearing their heads off because, for the love of, and I quote, "all things natural", they don't like the character? I mean, you'd think they'd just stop reading. Anyone who thinks that not liking someone, fictional or not, gives them a reason to absolutely go off needs professional help. Seriously. And after only three pages. Really. Anyone with that much anger inside them needs therapy and not take it out on innocent ff writers who just want to let the people who like the story read it. Geez. So to the person, even though they won't read this (I need to vent somehow) who wrote me that CHARMING review with more expletives than I have ever seen outside of well, almost any five sentences I've seen in my life, I love you too. Your review was duly read, laughed at, and deleted.
Everyone else, you're wonderful ^_^v
Chapter Four
Which Hurts More?
Kai's grandfather paused in the doorway, and watched his grandson punch a brick wall. The sound of smashing stone had been going on for a while, and while he usually stayed out of his grandson's business, the old man couldn't help but at least ask. This was not normal behaviour.
'Is something wrong?' he asked placidly as Kai paused, sweat tricking down his face. The brick his knuckles were resting against cracked, and in the silence Kai's grandfather listened to the small crackles, and finally the small pieces of rubble fall to the floor, a sound like raindrops against Kai's harsh breathing.
'What do you think?' Kai snarled sharply, standing up.
'I think something's bothering you and you're trying to distract yourself from it.'
Kai said nothing.
'I'm right, then. It can't be beyblading or your studies. Which leaves one more thing I never expected from you.'
Kai had never expected it from himself either.
'I strictly order you to continue with what you are doing then, until the memory fades from your mind.'
He bloody well intended to.
He'd had enough.
It stopped here, and he would go back to being normal. For him- he could almost hear Tyson retort. He'd probably stick his tongue out, too, and then say something about Anika being real hot, like he did everyday, as if Kai wasn't quite aware enough of that fact already- Kai growled, and threw himself back into training.
Damn!
Anika looked up from reading her book when Max came in, Tyson following meekly behind. She assumed he had giving him A Talking To.
'Oh, hi guys.'
'Hey. Look, um- we just sort of saw Kai walk off last night-'
'I'm sure you did.' Anika said, rolling her eyes. She had shoved her anger at them down as soon as she had spotted them. Didn't they know the sun outlined them? They really were still fairly immature. She suspected Tyson was the main cause, though.
'We were just wondering- you all right?'
'Sure, why wouldn't I be?' Anika asked. She had been asking herself why she wasn't ever since she got back here. For once she'd like someone to tell her.
Part of her knew it was because her likelihood of seeing Kai again was- oh, slim to none.
Someone inside her wanted to scream. But she kept smiling blankly, the smiling look of stone Kai had perfected long ago, without the smile. She barely heard their not-so-subtle hints that they knew something was going on between them and would she just confess already and bawl her eyes out like a normal girl.
It was not going to happen. She was going to have to get nasty if they kept up.
They kept up.
Anika got nasty.
They left.
Anika paced around her room, and glared at the wall, waiting for the rage to build up inside her- anger at them, and most of all anger at herself.
'Dammit!' she yelled, slamming a fist into the wall.
There wasn't any anger toward Kai at all. She'd certainly have done the some thing in his position, and well- it had taken all she had just to go back there to a patch of grass she knew would have been empty.
Just to check.
God, NOW she was pissed even more. If that were possible...
'She's WHAT?!' Tyson, Max and Kenny screamed. The hotel clerk cowered.
'H-Her plane flew out this morning-'
'I-I-it- did?' Max stammered. 'She never said-'
'I KNEW we should never have let her hang around Kai so long!' Tyson snarled. Max glowered at him, and Tyson shut up.
Kenny slumped into a chair.
'I don't understand. Why wouldn't she tell us?'
'Poor Kenny,' Max sighed. 'Clueless. I'll you why. One- she said once she's not good at goodbyes. Two- Anika isn't blind and knows we love having her around and won't want her to go. She's not good with emotions directed at her. And Three- we might tell Kai.'
'But we'll never see her again!' Kenny protested. 'Aren't you sad, Max?'
'Yes.'
'Well I'm FURIOUS!' Tyson steamed. 'Ooh, when I get my hands on her-'
'You won't.' Max mumbled to himself, looking at his feet, as if trying to memorise the carpet. He closed his eyes. 'I don't think so, anyway.'
Would you want to come back to a place that made you cringe with pain of memories?
No. She didn't.
But it had been at the back of her mind.
'What's the matter?' her brother asked, stopping play incessantly with his beyblade toy. 'You seem a little more quiet than usual, Ani. And you haven't said anything sarcastic for three hours.'
'He's right.' her younger sister sang sweetly. Anika twitched. 'Come on, big sister, tell us?'
The younger girl purred, wrapping her arms around her sister's shoulders. Anika would never understand her sister's obsession with being oh-so-close sisters. She stood up abruptly.
'Get off me.' She said coldly, walking out of the room. 'Just leave me alone.'
Her sister and brother looked at each other.
'It has to be to do with something that happened in Japan. Randy?'
The little boy frowned and stuck one thumb in his mouth, considering. Eventually he pulled off the top of his beyblade and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper. His sister took it and quickly scanned it.
'Hm- all right, first number- some guy called Tyson.' She grinned wolfishly and picked up the cordless phone. She was going to get to the bottom of her sister's more-antisocial-behaviour-than-usual behaviour if it killed her.
Because Anika's little sister wasn't stupid and had lived with her older sister for all her fourteen years, and knew that the one thing to get her sister like this was one thing.
Emotions she wasn't used to.
Anika's little sister had a feeling she knew what emotion it was, too.
'Little dude!'
'What?'
'Some cool babe on the phone for ya! She says she's Anika's little sister!' Tyson's grandpa hadn't gotten halfway through his last sentence before Tyson was down the stairs snatched the phone out of his hands and shot back up the stairs. Tyson's grandfather blinked, and then grinned.
He rubbed his goatee.
'I wonder if someone should warn Kai...nah.'
'She left?' Kai asked. Max nodded. He'd run into Kai at the video store and Max had managed to start a conversation. About the next season for bey-blading, but nevertheless a conversation. Kai nodded.
'I see.'
Max watched Kai's face carefully, but he could see nothing. As usual.
'So how're you and your girlfriend going?' Kai asked, stepping out into the street.
Damn- thank God Max has enough sense to talk. Anything to distract me. Damn, damn, damn you Anika.
'I see.' Anika's little sister said. The Japanese boy on the other end of the line sighed.
'That's the story, and I tried not to make it sound bias.'
'You failed, but I got the gist, Tyson. I think I see the solution.'
'You do? Did I describe Kai that poorly? Nicole, nothing will change that guy's mind!'
'He hasn't made up his mind. That's his problem.'
'...I'm listening.' Tyson said slowly, and listened. When Nicole finished explaining, he stood up as he shouted,
'ARE YOU FLIPPING CRAZY?! ....it might just work... leave it to me!'
'Er, Tyson, not that I doubt your abilities, but please get Kenny and Max to help you.'
'You are a lot like Anika, do you know that?'
'Yes. But I'm so much more in control than she thinks she is. Prettier, too.'
'Modest as well.' Tyson muttered, sweatdropping.
Anika stared at her father and younger sister over the top of the book she was reading. They were grinning in anticipation.
'Run this by me again.' she said coolly, still not trusting them not to be up to something. The problem was the only way to find out what it was was to go, it seemed.
'Daddy's work is holding a big function in Tokyo with some major companies, and it's regarding the future.'
Anika recalled her father mentioning this a few days before she even left for Japan, and relaxed a little.
'So they want young people there. Daddy wants you and me to go. Come on, it'll be fun! You can show me around Tokyo!'
'I dunno-' Anika muttered. 'Social functions aren't really my thing-'
'Yes, but you loved Japan, you said it yourself.' Her father grinned. 'Come on, honey.'
Anika sighed.
Oh, bugger. Back to the best place she had ever been to and the one place in the world she dreaded to have to return to.
The worst part was the sickening feeling of hope and dread, knotting itself together in her stomach.
'Absolutely not.' Kai growled. He still wanted to know how they had found out where he lived.
'Oh, come on Kai, you're part of the team too! Rei's coming over too.'
'Oh, no, I'm not falling for that.' Kai said, narrowing his eyes. 'Rei's coming over with Mariah to see you guys again, not for some stupid function thing. He rang me.'
'Well, he's coming over and coming to this while he's here!' Tyson shouted, grabbing at his hair. 'Argh! You are just so frustrating, Kai! This is a team thing! We're talking like major team sponsors and stuff here! Max's mum is coming and everything.'
'Really.' Kai said coldly. 'And I suppose you just didn't know that the Takasuki family is going to be there too?'
The three younger boys pulled in sharp breaths, and looked everywhere but those icy eyes.
'So I was right.' Kai muttered.
'Kai.' Kai turned around at the sound of his grandfather's voice. The three other boys swallowed and stood to attention. 'I want you to come. I was not originally convinced that it would be in your best interests to go, but I have never seen you more unfocused.'
Me either, Kai was tempted to retort, but held his tongue.
'You're going.' His grandfather ordered. Kenny and Max automatically clapped their hands over Tyson's already opened mouth. 'You'll close things with the girl once and for all. And I expect you to apply yourself doubly.'
'Yes, grandfather.' Kai said, his look darkening. Tyson, Max and Kenny backed up a bit. Kai showed no emotions on his face, but they could practically see the red glow of rage around the boy.
'Close things? I'll bloody close it all right…'
Kai knew walking off again would haunt him forever. He turned off the water and pulled the towel down from the side, quickly drying himself off. There wasn't anyway out of talking to Anika. Maybe she knew what was going on.
But Kai knew, somewhere, she was going to be just a confused as she was.
He'd just have to see how things turned out. For once, Kai wished he believed in destiny.
