This will not be one of my usual one-shots. I actually have a plan with this one and I hope it's gonna work out the way I want it to.

By the way... I do not own Beyblade!

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Meeting

It was almost one o'clock in the morning. The last visitors had just left the restaurant without leaving any tip for the waiter, who had served them the whole evening. Rei was tired and bitter, too. He had been working as a waiter/dishwasher in down town Hong Kong for a few months now, but this had been the worst the worst evening ever. The restaurant had been so crowded that he hadn't had time to eat something himself. After helping out in the kitchen he only had to carry out the trash before he could go home.

It was pretty dark out back in the alley behind the restaurant and somehow Rei had always felt like someone was watching him every time he took out the trash. He would usually get the creeps, but tonight was an exception. He was too exhausted to freak out about something that was probably just his wild imagination playing tricks on him.

Rei put down the heavy bag of trash next to the already filled up trash cans. He stretched out his aching back while he yawned quietly and was really looking forward to go home, but when he turned around to walk back inside he met a pair of well-known eyes. His former captain pushed him up against the nearest wall while that characteristic smirk of his, which everyone either was annoyed by or freaked out by, was all over his face.

"Hallo, Rei," Kai said.

'How does he do that?' Rei thought before responding.

"Hey, Kai. How are you doing?"

While letting go of Rei, Kai answered. "Just fine."

"It's good to see you again," Rei said, while straightening his clothes.

'It's even better to see you again, Rei Kon,' Kai thought to himself.

The two boys just stood there for a moment – just looking at each other. After all neither of them had seen each other since Christmas, so they were both very glad to be meeting after almost eight whole months. Even Kai had to admit that; but only to himself of course.

"So, Kai," Rei started. "What brings you to Hong Kong?"

The slate-haired boy looked away.

"I'm sure you didn't come here just to scare the hell out of your old team mate," Rei joked, but quickly removed the grin on his face when he noticed that Kai wasn't finding him amusing at all.

Kai knew he had to tell Rei somehow, but not now and definitely not here in a dark alley filled with trash. But then again, he didn't want to lie to Rei by not telling him the real reason why he had come. He sighed.

"It's a long story, Rei," he started. "You see..."

Loud noises coming from Kai's stomach interrupted him.

"Kai, you're starving!" Rei burst out. "Let's go and grab something to eat. I haven't eaten since five o'clock and the kitchen is probably closed by now."

Kai hesitated to respond, but eventually nodded when he was starting to find the situation and especially his empty stomach kind of embarrassing.

"Come," Rei said and started walking towards the back entrance of the restaurant. "You can tell me the rest of your story when we get to the place I suggest we should eat at."

'Rei hasn't changed a bit,' Kai thought and followed the raven-haired boy after making one of his usual 'hn's at what had just been said.

When they got out on the street Rei pointed at a small café on the other side of the street. It looked closed. Kai stared a bit sceptically in the direction Rei was pointing.

"I know it doesn't seem like much, but you can get a nice meal for almost no money at all," Rei said when he noticed the expression on Kai's face. "And then they make the most delicious desserts...at least in this part of the city."

Kai closed his eyes and lowered his head.

'Kai hasn't changed a bit,' Rei chuckled to himself,' he's still doing that sleeping act of his, when he's either thinking clever thoughts to himself or trying to avoid conversations with Tyson – or anyone.'

"Hn," Kai said and made Rei snap out of his nostalgic trance. "Then what are we still doing on this side of the street? Waiting for the sky to fall?"

Rei smiled and began to walk towards the café. Kai followed in silence.