"Kouya, did you hear me?"
The girl wearing a purple jacket spoke for the fifth time to the unsuspecting and seemingly dumbfounded being.
"Wha--- what?" The team captain looked up at his co-members yet it's noticeable that his eyes weren't focused at them.
The girl labeled Kaoru looked back to her members with a worried look, then simply sighed her worries away.
"Kouya, you're up...." Lilica heed warning, anxiety in her tone.
Curious to know what was really going on, he listened to the announcer.
"Kouya Marino, team captain of the Tobita Club, please come up to the arena now. Your default time is three minutes. If you do not come here, Takeshi Manganji will automatically win this match."
Upon hearing the phrase "default time", he sprang up to his feet and ran for it, ignoring his comrades behind him.
"I'm worried." Lilica muttered. "He's not in a good condition to fight now."
Kaoru kept silent as if she's unaffected. Jirou then stood behind her, patted her shoulder and stated, "He'll be okay..." but when he turned his back, he added,
"I just hope he will be."
Fireworks boomed at both sides of the arena, and those type of fireworks were only used for a greatly-anticipated battle. This one is, in short terms.
"What's up with you, Kouya? Overslept?" Takeshi put on his high airs again, the way he had worn them three years ago. Meanwhile, the Second World Cup Champion stooped down, his eyes looking right at the center of the arena.
"Huh? What's up with you?" the young Manganji heir scratched his head, his eyebrows frowning in slight confusion and wonder.
"Gearfighters, set up!"
The guy who looked like an F-One racer three years ago had done his pose, but he noticed Kouya not doing anything at all, not even turning his gear on.
"Hey, Kouya..." Takeshi stated in a soft voice, just enough for the other to hear.
"Huh...? O-oh." Upon noticing the warning, he unsurely made his own pose for the throw.
"What is going on with our Second World Cup Champ, dear audience? Is this something team-related?"
The remaining Tobita Club members on the other hand stood at their area, their faces full of worry on what is left to come. Surely, Takeshi had improved despite the fact that he's already preparing to take over the Manganji business someday. They knew him well, and this led them to a pattern of uncertainty...
Especially now...
"Why are you staying here at the Manganji Laboratories?" a chubby twelve-year old froze in childish fear as he was caught in the act on his so-called unfaithfulness to his team.
"Is it because you are betraying us secretly, huh?" The younger Kaoru glared at the young Gear Master.
"Uh... of course not!" he defended back.
"Then, why?" the team captain, in his white-jacket glory, asked.
"I was... uh... updating Garuda Eagle."
"What? Really?"
He nodded, fixing his dark-rimmed glasses. "You see, I really need an updated computer to check it out, therefore..."
"Therefore you used the Manganji Laboratories' equipments to do so." Kaoru guessed.
"Yes. That's exactly what I did." The Gear Master named Jin smirked. "Besides, he gave me the right chance anyway."
"Takeshi giving a chance to his opponents? Sounds fi---"
"Thanks, Jin!" To the gear genius' surprise, the team captain who was about an inch taller than him attacked him with a playful hug. "I'm really grateful that you are on our team."
"Uh... no problem..."
"You swear that it's the truth?" Kaoru returned to her 'glaring mode' and faced the eyeglassed boy who was then being squished by the clumsy captain.
"Oh... o-of course! I won't betray you guys."
"Assure me... or else!" she raised a tightly-clenched fist and aimed it at the genius. The boy again quivered in fear.
"Don't be so harsh on Jin." Kouya, still 'flattening' Jin, reprimanded the young girl. "I'm sure he tells the truth." He stopped then added finally, "Thanks again, Jin!"
"Kouya, look out!"
But the Tobita Club's manager's shout was too late. The gear hurled towards the team captain and landed directly on its front weapon on the young man's face. It caused an instant wound on his cheek. No sooner, crimson blood dripped down, staining his white shirt.
"Kouya, are you all right?!" Takeshi asked with an amount of concern. They remember well how he had mocked Kouya becaused of his inability to gear fight well against this rich young man, but when the lad won against him on the World Cup, there's no more reason for him to be that hostile. "It was all a test. Everything I did was a test I was asked to administer on him... by his brother himself." his mind stated.
"Round one: DRAW!"
"Can you imagine that? The two gears lasted in the arena just running around in circles? That just proves how great these two are... or is Takeshi Manganji just trying his best not to attack the World Cup Champ?"
"And..." cut another announcer, "Is Kouya Marino still okay? He has his right cheek wounded... shall we go on with the second round of this match? That decision we will leave to the concerned people."
"You're such an idiot! Look at what you've done!"
A loud bang registered on his senses. It was Jin who caused that.
"This gear is one of the greatest creations ever made in the Crush Gear World! This is made by your brother yet look at what you've done!" he angrily bellowed at their clumsy team captain while pointing to the now badly dilapidated and torn Garuda Eagle sitting by his worktable.
"Jin..." Kaoru muttered, feeling that his bellowing will only heighten Kouya's loneliness.
"I- I'll fix it..." In a slightly muffled voice, Kouya still stooped down, never revealing his face to his co-members.
"What are you, stupid? Are you insulting my ability? Are you----?" but he stopped in an instant as soon as he felt something shattering on his knuckles which were then strangling the boy's collar.
"K- Kouya?" his eyes flew open as he saw the broken-hearted expression. Eyes all red and swollen looked up and stared at his gray-colored ones. Cheeks stained with tears tided his view, and...
His cry almost shattered his ears... and his heart.
"Kouya?"
"If you won't do it, then I will...!" he escaped from the smaller boy's grasp, then grabbed the pieces of metal that was Garuda Eagle and ran away.
"I will fix Garuda Eagle by myself!"
"Is there something bothering you?"
A voice, seemingly familiar to all them, asked.
"Takeshi?" Jirou almost leapt up from his seat upon seeing who visited their captain. They were granted a ten-minute break for Kouya to fix himself.
"Uh..." Kouya's coffee-brown pools looked down, obviously denying many things.
"None." He stated and Takeshi surely didn't believe him, as one can see through his expression.
"If there is really nothing that's bothering you, then why don't you try fighting me with your Second World Cup prowess?"
With those challenging words stated, he turned heel and walked away in his usual arrogant fashion.
"Is he trying to bring back their rivalry days?" Jirou pondered but concluded soon, "They have been rivals anyway."
"Kouya! You shouldn't have let that Takeshi idiot beat the hell out of you out there! You should have stood up and fought. If he has become tough, then why can't you become tough, too? I know you're stronger than him and you can easily beat him, but why? Why are you careless out there?!" Kaoru had her sudden outburst before settling down calmly to treat and bandage the captain's slightly long wound. She had probably said those words unaffectedly but for her, these are the words she wanted to use to comfort the one whom she adores secretly yet passionately.
She was about to place the iodine-soaked cotton swab over the wound but Kouya slapped her hand away. The swab went rolling down the floor and redness was obvious on the young lady's hand.
"You don't have to scold me about that as if you're perfect. I know what I am doing so have your own life!" He halted then looked down, his brown bangs covering his eyes.
"I'm just... just.... reminded of some--- someone, and I'm sad because... because of his loss."
His eyes turned fiery as he looked up at Kaoru. The girl turned bewildered, fear present on her face... fear of those eyes.
"BREAK OVER." The screen flashed. He stood up, never turning back to them.
"What's with all those moodiness?" Jirou scowled at their co-member who had his back on them. Upon saying the last word, footsteps registered on his ears.
"Kaoru!" Lilica's voice called out and Jirou saw a figure scurrying away from them.
"Kaoru-chan..." Having known of her inner thoughts, Jirou just sighed.
"Kouya, if only you knew..." was all he said.
The game has ended and crowds of interviewers came and gathered around Takeshi Manganji's place. Obviously, from this scene one can already conclude who emerged victorious.
Eyes trailed a group of three people simply making their way out of the arena, doing it as discreet as possible. No matter how strong his will was to escape from the surging crowd who had been asking for his victory words, he can't do anything but to let the pandemonium pass and grab a time to confront the confused captain.
"This issue's getting worse." came his simple ender.