Author's Notes: This fic is gonna end soon. I'd like to thank everybody for stickin' with me through this fanfic. And for liking it even with Naomi's character. The 1 year anniversary will be August 27th.
Impossible
The days and nights slipped by so quickly, and when the night of the bachelor party came, the Chief had taken time off from the University to pick the Bladebreakers up from where they were staying, and then drive to the place where the party would be held.
The car swerved around, pulling into a stop in front of the Granger dojo when the sky was already dark. Kenny stopped gripping the steering wheel and turned to the back seat. "We made it!" The Chief declared, absentmindedly mopping some sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
Max and Ray were sweating as well with slightly afraid looks on their faces. "Um, Chief, maybe I should drive on the way out?" The Chinese man suggested, unbuckling his seatbelt with caution.
"He's a maniac!" Max muttered under his breath, following suit.
The Chief adjusted his large glasses as he thought it over. "Ahh, well if you really want to…"
"Oh he's sure!" Max spoke up. Ray nodded, trying to relax from the terrible driving they had all just gone through.
Kai, who was sitting in the front seat of the old car, reached over and turned the key, shutting the vehicle off.
"Oh alright then," Kenny exclaimed and then glanced at the dashboard clock. "You guys better hurry up and get him; we're supposed to be at the lounge soon!!"
The three former teammates got out of the car and walked up the path to the Granger's door. Ray pressed the doorbell, and they waited on the doorstep. Kai looked down, closing his eyes.
The next time, that Tyson opens this door for me, The former team captain thought. It will be years from now. He will be older. He will have children. Kai opened his eyes and turned, leaning back against the doorframe, away from Max and Ray, his arms folded. He looked at the midnight blue sky, the thoughts from before returning. He won't recognize me, and I won't tell him who I am…
The door beside him finally opened and Tyson's voice reached his ears.
"Hey guys, just let me get my shoes on…"
"Oh man, Tyson… The Chief's driving is a nightmare!" Ray laughed as he and Max entered the foyer of the home.
Tyson blinked dubiously. "What're you talking about, Ray?" The fiancé questioned, and then grinned. "I taught him myself."
"You're joking…" Ray started and then stopped as Naomi walked into view. "Evening, Naomi." The Chinese blader said politely.
"Evening." She replied walking up to them as Tyson slipped on some sneakers. She looked at her fiancé in question.
"Bachelor party." Tyson told her, smiling and he pulled the velcro on his shoes tighter.
"Yep. Just gotta borrow him for the night." Max said smiling. The blond then glanced at Kai outside, leaning against the doorframe looking out to the night. Max's smile dimmed somewhat before looking back at Naomi. "Don't worry you'll be getting him back for tomorrow."
"Heeey." Tyson mock glared at his friend. "Joker." The baseball capped young man shot, rolling his eyes as he slipped on his red jacket.
Naomi smiled slightly, looking down, her hands clasped in front of her. She had not missed the look. They had been happening more and more, she noticed. And no matter how much Kai seemed to be unaware, she knew he saw them too. She knew that he-
"You'll be okay until we get back, right?" Tyson questioned, concerned, cutting into her thoughts and looking at her... Like she was a friend. Like she was a sister… He grinned at her and tilted his head to the side. "Knowing these guys, it might be a while."
Naomi nodded, the smile becoming more apparent on her features. "Don't worry. There's plenty of time."
"Okay, let's groove before Kenny blows up, I think I can see him steaming from here!!" Tyson made a fist and grinned widely, stepping out the door with Max right behind him. He paused when he spotted Kai and almost reached out to tug him along, but Kai was not looking at him, and Max pushed his back.
"C'mon Tyson!" The blond laughed.
"Alright, alright!!"
Ray moved to follow them, momentarily glancing back between Naomi at the door and Kai, before exiting as well, for the car.
Kai's mouth was set into a thin line as he prepared to leave as well. "Oh um…Kai?" Naomi spoke up, getting the owner of Biovolt's attention. When they could see the other former Bladebreakers seated in the old car, Kai turned his head to face her, his dark eyes striking her own.
And she could see… pain…
"Could you…take care of him?" She asked. Tonight… It was the silent word she thought, though she realized a moment later that it was not the right one. Forever… She corrected, in her head.
Kai broke their gaze and turned away from her, pushing away from the doorframe and walking away from the house. She quickly moved to stand in the doorway, and her fianc's former team captain let his answer drift over his shoulder. "I will."
Naomi carefully shut the door behind him and then walked to one of the house's large windows. The dark-haired young woman watched as the car took off, the small smile from before returning.
Stepping away from the window she reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a letter. She had received it earlier in the day, yet had kept the news and her happiness to herself. Tomorrow, she would tell Tyson.
She knew now what she felt.
She knew now what she wanted.
"Aah we're here! I hope you guys are happy." Kenny grumbled a bit, his face becoming redder underneath his long bangs and glasses from where he sat in the backseat next to Tyson and Max.
"CoCo's Dance Lounge." Ray agreed, reading the name from the glowing neon lights of the establishment and pulling the car into a parking spot. The Bladebreakers got out of the vehicle and Tyson stretched before he planted his hands on his hips.
"So what's all this gonna be about?" The World Champion questioned as they walked to the entrance.
"Yes, Max?" Kenny asked.
"Er, I'm not too sure, they said it was meant to be a surprise mostly when I spoke to them. I have no idea what Gramps would've asked for…" The blond replied with a smile and then opened the door.
Tyson grinned. "We're doomed."
"Here you are, sir."
I take the glass from the bartender and say nothing.
Sitting at the bar in the main room I have bought a few expensive drinks, the taste of alcohol not so unfamiliar to me. I don't drink often, but it can offer a type of relief that is sometimes needed after a long day at the company. I'm alone here, the bartender the only one near, while other customers sit at tables with friends. You and the others were whisked away to enjoy some private dance show and I couldn't follow. To see some girls drape themselves around you would hurt me, I'm sure.
Hurt.
Huh.
I order a stronger drink for myself, now, passing my empty glass to the bartender.
Has it really been so long that I am able to admit that? There was a time when I would never allow myself to think it, let alone feel it. My grandfather's betrayal and how he used me in his ambitions, made me all too aware that hurt was something I did not want again, ever. The definition changed for me, then, and I refused to recognize the hurt of the heart within myself. It was not a part of my vocabulary.
I escaped it and made the very idea of being hurt emotionally take a backseat to everything and anything else. There was a point where I even forgot about the notion. A very low point, in my life. So deeply had I forgotten everything that I didn't realize when I was hurting someone else. Someone like you.
I had betrayed you, even used you, and the others, in a reflection of what my grandfather had done to me. We were on the frozen lake in Russia and you had just defeated me with my own beyblade… the parody of something I longed to do to my own grandfather. It was when you kneeled down to reach out to me, to try and help me, that I first began to feel it once again.
I felt guilty, and sorry, because of what I shouldn't have done but I did anyway. Your words and your eyes in that dangerous moment made me feel countless things, and even when I couldn't admit it then, it hurt me to know that I had caused all of it, and that maybe if I had grabbed your hand in the very beginning of it all, I wouldn't have had to do it then. It was also the first time I felt that my heart would be damaged, if I could never see you again…
So I took your hand, but I think you took my heart, in the process. And you never gave it back.
But I think, I don't mind anymore. You can have my heart, Tyson, I don't want it… It was always better in your hands, anyway.
The bachelor party was in full swing in the private room grandpa Granger had booked. A group of girls were on a small stage singing songs while being scantily clad for the husband-to-be. Max and Ray seemed to be enjoying the show, and the Chief was downright infatuated by all of the dancers, but, Tyson… he was bored. He knew it was the last time he would be single, and he was supposed to be having fun, but, still, he couldn't help but think he would've rather beybladed all night long, than sit and watch these girls.
Tyson grinned wryly to himself. His gramps would go crazy if he knew that even ten years after becoming world champion of the game, that first time, he still longed to play the game. It had been ages since he had though. The reason for that always burned in his mind, even now…
"Hey, Kenny…" Tyson said in a loud whisper over the music, nudging his friend in the side with his elbow to get his attention.
"Aah…Huh?" The Chief answered distractedly, his eyes still on the dancers. Max was talking to a girl off by a wall and Ray was looking at a bottle of wine that he had ordered.
"I'll be back in a bit, tell me what I miss! Okay buddy?" Tyson told him.
The Chief waved his hand to ward Tyson's talking off from disturbing him, and the pony tailed man smiled widely, getting up and slipping out of the room.
The baseball capped man weaved through the crowd of people in the lounge as he entered the main area. His blue eyes scanned the large room before they finally rested on a familiar figure sitting at the bar. He made a beeline across the room for him, popping up on a stool beside the man in the business suit before he knew what had happened.
"Hey Kai!" Tyson said cheerfully, making the other man turn to look at him.
"Tyson." Kai finally acknowledged, before turning his attention back to his drink. "What are you out here for?"
"Oh you know how it is…" The former teammate grinned. "I kinda needed a drink." He explained and then ordered one from the bartender.
To himself, Kai wondered why Tyson would be sitting here when the party was not scheduled to finish for a while longer. But he did not push.
And so they sat together. Tyson talked to him about funny moments from the past, when they had been the Bladebreakers. "I still can't believe you taught Antonio some moves to beat me!" Tyson's chatter had become more slurred as Kai listened. The owner of Biovolt raised his drink to his mouth as Tyson carried on the conversation.
"Did I ever tell you, how much I loved you?" The midnight haired young man asked. Kai stopped, his glass against his lips frozen, his eyes unseeing. A wide smile spread over his companion's face. "I guess not, huh." Tyson took another drink from his glass and grinned at Kai who had turned to look at him with piercing auburn eyes. "That'sa kinda a shame." Tyson slurred, and moved his hand to pat the owner of Biovolt on the cheek sloppily. "Great, you really look tonight, Kite!"
Kai gently took Tyson's hand and drew it away from his face. "What?"
"Kei." Tyson corrected, and then squinted his eyes in thought. "Whoa, I mean, Kai- KAI!!" The former world champ declared and raised his drink is salute, quickly sculling the alcohol back a moment later, the glass thudding against the bar top loudly.
Kai looked down to where he lightly clasped Tyson's hand in his own, away from view. He let it slip away slowly, trying to remember the way that tanned skin felt, forever. "You're completely drunk." The owner of Biovolt observed, his voice even, as he drew his own drink up to finally finish it.
"Hm?" Tyson glanced at Kai and then abruptly stared at the ice in his glass. "Hey did you just say something, Dragoon!?"
Kai gave the other man a strange look, which Tyson countered by leaning his elbow on the bar and resting his head in his hand, staring back.
"How many did you give him?" The dual-haired man asked the bartender, his gaze never leaving Tyson's.
"Five. I suppose he can't handle his alcohol." The bartender answered, eyeing the drunken fiancé with humour.
When Tyson almost fell off the barstool, Kai's hand shot out and steadied him on reflex. Never had anything to drink about, have you? Kai thought, glad of that fact. "Tyson. Can you see me?" The owner of Biovolt asked, making Tyson face him.
The baseball capped man stared at him for a moment before answering with a smile. "Yeah of course I can!" He chuckled. "I can see the three of you prefectly."
Kai twisted his mouth in a soft reprimand at that answer. "I'm taking you home."
The owner of Biovolt called for a taxicab to pick them up at the entrance of the lounge, not bothering to try and find the others as it had become increasingly crowded as the night went on. The car arrived and Kai helped Tyson into the backseat, giving the driver instructions on how to take them to the Granger's dojo.
It would be a long drive as the night traffic backed them up. Tyson began to look slightly ill. "I'm gonna be sick…" The fiancé groaned and then laughed slightly, leaning his forehead against the cool glass of the window.
Kai watched as the hotel he was staying at passed by in the window. Glancing at Tyson's woozy face, the owner of Biovolt pressed his lips together. "Take the next turn and drop us off at the hotel." He ordered.
I won't bring you home to your fiancée like this. Kai thought, keeping his gaze out the window, but still it strayed to the reflection of Tyson beside him.
Kai shifted Tyson's weight against him as he opened the door to his hotel room.
"Ugh…" Tyson complained, "I can wok on my own." He declared though he was still slumped heavily on his former team captain.
"Hm." The taller man replied. "You'll be sick." Kai said quietly as he closed the door behind them and helped Tyson to walk over to his hotel bed. Tyson stumbled once, his hat falling off. When Kai moved to sit the shorter man down on the bed, Tyson pulled him down as well and the dual-haired man lost some of his balance, falling into a half-sitting position on the matress.
"Heh," Tyson smiled, his arms wrapped loosely around Kai's waist. The former team captain felt his heart seize when Tyson pushed his face directly to Kai's, their noses almost touching. "Thanks." The world champion said quietly.
It's an accident. He doesn't mean to… to… The thoughts fell away from Kai's grasp as the small distance between his face and Tyson's became all he could concentrate on. He was so close... so close that he could kiss him by accident if he moved… so close that he could feel the other man's breath brushing his lips.
He could smell the tint of alcohol in Tyson's system, and he forgot all about the wedding that was to take place…
I could kiss him. Kai thought. Would he even realize it if I did?
He wanted to do it. God how he wanted to do it… but he could not bring himself to, if Tyson did not want it. And of course he could not want it…
And he was so drunk, but…
Just do it… You'll never get another chance. Kai told himself and leaned closer to Tyson, their faces only millimetres away. Tyson was smiling woozily at him, and his blue eyes drooped shut.
Just do it! You'll never get another chance! Kai's breathing sped up, and his heart was hammering in his chest.
JUST DO IT! His mind shouted.
Kai was shaking as he angled his head, his eyes becoming half-lidded, he swallowed painfully against the lump in his throat, making it difficult to think.
Forgive me…He tried to say to Tyson, but his mouth would not work.
Kai squeezed his eyes shut, a stray tear leaking out and running down his cheek.
I love you.
Kai closed the distance between them. His mouth pressed gently to Tyson's, and suddenly a decade of heartache was erased – and replaced – with a multitude of emotions all surging through him, alternating in their intensities, but at the same time, all taking control. He felt every day of love, every magnificent sunset and sunrise replaying once again, and still they did not measure up to the simple beauty of the brush of lips against lips.
How long had he thought of this, wished for this… ached for this? How long had he dreamt of the feeling, the touch, of Tyson's lips on his? Just the singular idea of a kiss from Tyson had kept him warm in those years of longing, and through the loneliest of nights.
Tyson's mouth was slightly open, and he could taste spicy food of the bachelor party. His lips trembled with suppressed passion against Tyson's.
So much…
Kai's shaking hand lifted from the other's shoulder and tenderly caressed Tyson's soft cheek and hair. More tears slipped down his cheeks, and the former team captain pressed his lips more firmly to Tyson's, his nose touching that tanned cheek. The taste of the kiss turned salty and bitter sweet.
Tyson's eyes were squeezed shut, his breathing quickening as the slack arms around Kai's middle gradually wrapped around until his hands gripped at the expensive suit jacket. His mouth pushed back against Kai's, his lips parting more to give the other an open-mouthed kiss on his closed one. Kai froze for an instant, the feeling of exhilaration running through his body all the way to his fingertips. The former team captain exhaled slowly through his nose and then opened his mouth against Tyson's parted lips, breathing in his breath.
They stayed that way for a long moment. Kai's tears had stopped falling and his breaths were becoming more and more shaky as he trailed his other hand up from Tyson's shoulder to tentatively hold both of the longhaired blader's cheeks. He felt the shorter man's lips shift and, slowly, Kai opened his eyes to see Tyson's staring back. It felt like a dream as Kai pulled back until he could clearly see the other's expression. Tyson was smiling... The world champion's eyes were dark – from the intimacy or intoxication, Kai didn't know… or care… All that mattered was that Tyson was smiling… at him…
Tyson… is it… impossible… Kai thought hazily. For you to feel this way too? How could he not feel it? Feel… everything… Kai himself was feeling… It was too powerful for just one person to hold.
Tyson's smile softened for him, his eyes half-lidded locked onto him, and a single strand of midnight blue flying out of place.
Something tugged Kai's heart at that look and, stunned, Kai's eyes abruptly snapped fully open and he let go of Tyson's cheeks in a sudden haste. Tyson's arms slipped from around Kai's back, one hand planting itself heavily on the bed to keep himself from falling over.
"Uhg…" Tyson breathed as he caught himself and then raised his head to look at Kai blurrily. The drunk world champion raised an uncoordinated hand to put to his forehead.
What have I done? The thought was quiet, almost detached, as Kai stared into Tyson's eyes. He's getting married in a day… and he is not getting married to me… But even as the thoughts passed through him, Kai could feel himself begin to burn, the kisses replaying themselves behind his eyes and on his lips. Do you know what I've just done? Do you know what you do to me?
"Aheh," Tyson gave the owner of Biovolt a grin, his hand still pressed to his forehead. "My-ah head reallaly hurts…" He slurred out.
The taller man watched him for a long time, his fingers gripping the fabric of his suit pants. "You're drunk." Kai finally said, the knowledge making him feel oddly calm as he looked at Tyson. His eyes showed what he felt. He couldn't hide it, now. It just wasn't possible.
"Heh..." Tyson grinned at him again and then all of a sudden pulled his hand away from his forehead and ran his fingers through Kai's light bangs, his hand moving to clutch the back of his dark cropped hair before he leaned in and pressed his lips to Kai's. Tyson's kiss lingered against Kai for a few seconds longer, before he let go, wrapping his arm around the taller man's back instead of in his hair.
Kai felt his cheeks flare with heat as if he was so young again, and his eyes were wide, searching Tyson's blue ones.
"Tyson-" The dual-haired man was cut short as Tyson put his finger to Kai's lips. The world champion then trailed his hands to Kai's shoulders and pushed. They fell back against the bed, bouncing slightly on the mattress. Kai stared up at the ceiling, his heart pounding as Tyson leaned over him, his long bangs hanging down and brushing his own.
"Kai…" Tyson whispered, lowering his face, his blue eyes eerily clear. "You always…"
Their noses brushed, and they were so close, they breathed each other's breaths, again…
Kai placed his hands on the small of Tyson's back, slowly sliding them up to hold him in place.
The former team captain felt more than saw Tyson's mouth quirk into a smile at the touch, and then the longhaired man leaned to whisper in Kai's ear.
"…remind me…" Tyson's voice was heavy and low making Kai's breathing quicken. "Uhg…" The world champion's head suddenly began to swim, he felt dizzy, his vision swayed and he passed out, falling on top of Kai.
The owner of Biovolt started as Tyson's full weight pressed onto him, and he stayed still for a moment. Realizing what had happened, Kai closed his eyes briefly and then gently rolled Tyson off of him, laying him on his side. The taller man looked down at Tyson's peaceful face, his hand lightly resting on Tyson's upper arm.
He… couldn't hide it any longer. Not after kissing him…taking advantage of him… Not when he would be married in only a day. He couldn't… stay here any longer.
Leaning forward Kai rested his chin on Tyson's shoulder, his cheek brushing the other man's, and that long dark blue hair tickling his skin.
"Goodbye, Tyson…" Kai said quietly.
Light washed through the open curtains of the hotel room and spread over the furniture and floor. The room was bare, lacking any of the personal belongings that had been present there in the time it had been used. It was neat like it originally had been, hardly anything out of place, save for the bed. The blankets were wrapped around an unmoving sleeping figure.
Underneath the covers, Tyson's felt the early morning light hit his closed eyes, and he squeezed them tighter to try and block it out. He had woken up a while ago, his head aching, and he had stayed still in the warm bed waiting for it to pass. His memories from the previous night were hazy and he slowly realized that he didn't know where he was.
Tyson cracked his eyes open, squinting at the sunlight. "Uuh…" He groaned, closing them again.
The door to the hotel room swung open suddenly and a cleaning woman bustled in, going straight for the bed to retrieve the sheets for laundry.
"Uh…" Tyson groaned again, from underneath the sheets, causing the woman to jump back in fright.
"Oh my goodness!!"
"Huh?" Tyson blinked his eyes and slowly pulled the covers away from himself.
The startled woman calmed down and shook her head at the state of the fiancé. "Didn't you check out, Mr. Hiwatari?"
Tyson sat straight up at that, his eyes wide. He looked around and something strange settled in his heart when he realized it was a hotel room. Kai's hotel room. The pony-tailed man looked down at himself and he was still wearing his red jacket and shoes from the night before. Had he passed out?
"Wait…check out?" Tyson asked.
"Yes, all your belongings are gone! Except you." The woman replied and then began to straighten up the room.
Gone…? The idea didn't seem real and the fiancé had trouble accepting it. He just left? The room was empty of anything that Kai might have had. Tyson watched numbly as the cleaning lady moved to take the waste paper basket. Inside were a few crunched pieces of paper and the former Bladebreaker impulsively spoke up. "Hey wait! Don't throw that out!"
The cleaning woman looked up in surprise, and Tyson slowly got out of the bed, his head swimming as he did, and fished the trash out of the basket. "I'll just…take this."
The woman nodded and set the trash bin back down. "I will come back later." She said giving him an odd look, and left the room, tagging the door to be cleaned later.
As soon as she had gone, Tyson slumped into the hotel desk chair and stared at the crumpled papers in his hands. Do the others know Kai left? Why would he leave anyway…? Out of desperation for any kind of clue, the midnight haired man began to smooth them out and read the writing on them.
It was… Kai's best man speech… for his wedding…
Tyson flipped through the pages of Kai's speech, reading his former team captain's recount of when the Bladebreakers team had first been formed, descriptions of his funny outtakes and the fateful World Championship's. On the last page there was the beginning of more recent events, but then the young man paused when the words ended abruptly, leaving only a blank page the rest of the way.
He looked at the only remaining paper. Not much was written on it, and he wondered for a second if Kai had written it, because the writing wasn't neat like it had been before. Tyson picked the page up and began to read it.
Tyson,
I love you.
Tyson stopped breathing. The young man's hands began to shake as his eyes focused on those words. He almost dropped the paper, and he felt his heart beat painfully at the simple writing which had just changed… everything…
Almost too shocked to read the rest, Tyson let out the breath he had been holding and forced himself to continue, somehow wondering if it would say it was a joke.
I want you to know that. Even though, I think, you've always known.
Your wedding is soon, and it is wrong to let you know, but I'm writing you this because it needs to be said, and I can't say these things to your face. Even after all of these years.
I love you. So much.
In the back of his mind, Tyson understood why the writing was hardly recognizable as Kai's… the ink was smudged by water marks in places… places where… tears… had fallen…
If you ask me.
If you ask me what I feel. Ask me, if I'm in love you, I won't deny it… I can't deny you anything.
Tyson, have happiness in everything that you do. Always.
- Kai
Tyson continued to stare at the words for a long, long time.
It was a few hours before sunset when the world champion walked through the gate to the Granger courtyard. Instead of going in the front entrance, he walked around, and into the dojo. It was setup, ready for the day tomorrow, and he slowly walked down the makeshift aisle until he reached the door leading to the house.
He opened it and stepped inside, it was quiet so his grandpa wasn't there right then… He walked through his home and opened the door to the kitchen.
"Tyson." Naomi exclaimed, looking up from where she sat at the table. A letter and documents were spread in front of her.
"I was uh…" Tyson started, running a hand through his messy bangs. "…at the beach." He finished.
"Oh." Naomi said, taking in Tyson's distracted features more intently. "I was hoping you'd be home earlier…" She spoke carefully. "Kenny, Max and Ray had called me. They asked me if you had come home." She paused. "They asked about Kai, too."
The baseball capped man slid into the kitchen chair at the sound of that name, and shook his head, his hand making a fist on the table. "He's gone…" Tyson responded, more to himself. "He left…"
Naomi watched him, her eyes slightly wide. "Who did, Tyson?"
"Kai." He replied, the simple name giving her not so simple answers.
The tension in her relaxed and she smiled softly. "He's so special to you, isn't he."
Yeah… Tyson thought, not denying that, not wondering where the statement had come from. Kai had always been special to him. In both bad ways and good ways his former team captain had never stopped being the holder of a great deal of his heart and attentions. How could he ever begin to describe it to her? It wasn't just that Kai was special to him; it was a lot more than that. For a long while, Kai hadn't just been the memory of the Bladebreakers team captain – he'd been so many other things that Tyson could not name.
How could he even explain it to her? Explain how they'd parted 10 or more years ago… how he'd thought about him, almost every moment after then… how he'd thought of him so clearly, when they got engaged… How he felt when he'd opened the front door and he was standing there... How he… How he'd read Kai's letter meant for him, and thought of the letters that he had written just like it, for Kai, years and years ago…
How could he tell her that he'd wanted to say those same words to Kai, only days earlier, just to let him know that he used to feel that way... To think he had almost done it, on the beach that night…
What could he say now?
"I… loved him." Tyson stated after a while. There were no other words for it. "Before I met you…" He searched for a better way to say it, but he couldn't find one. "I just…loved him." Tyson said simply.
Silence stretched between them for a long time, before Naomi looked up at her fiancé. "I know."
"You know?" Tyson blurted out in shock, despite himself.
"Yes, Tyson." Was the quiet reply. "And I know something else, too." She smiled slowly, and the young man across from her reeled back at the sparkling of unshed tears in her eyes. "You, still, love him." Naomi stated.
Tyson started, his mouth already working to deny it, even when his heart explained that it was true... "Naomi, I-I don't! I fo-"
"You never forgot about him." Naomi interrupted with a small smile. She wiped her eyes, and they sat together in more silence until the light outside began to disappear and the room became dim. The silence wasn't an uncomfortable one – it was needed, as they both finally realized the truth.
"I'm glad you never forgot about him." Naomi spoke up, after a long time. Tyson looked at her in shock.
"There's something I've wanted to tell you." She looked at him. "Now you have something waiting for you, and I have something waiting for me, Tyson…"
"What do you mean?" The midnight haired man asked in confusion.
A brilliant smile lit her face as she couldn't hide it anymore. "I was accepted."
It took him a full second to realize what she was saying, but when he did his eyes widened and he laughed in elation. "The University?!"
She nodded, her smile becoming wise. "It would be difficult I think, to be married and in school."
It was their first talk of the marriage without her mother and his grandfather around, and they looked at each other, feeling free.
"Too difficult for me, anyway." Naomi continued with light humour.
"Naomi," Tyson's face adopted a thoughtful look and then it turned into a smile. "Can I still see you in your wedding dress? You'd look beautiful."
This time the dark-haired girl actually laughed out loud. "Oh Tyson," She grinned back at him. "I know."
"Is there anything you don't know?" Tyson joked, looking at her fondly.
"Actually… there is something I don't know." The dark haired girl replied mysteriously.
"What's that?" Tyson raised his eyebrows.
"Why you're still sitting here." She answered, with a slight smile.
Knowing she was talking about Kai, the world champion's expression turned more serious. "I…" Tyson started and then tried again. "I'm sorry..."
"Don't be." She told him. Tyson looked like he wanted to say more, but Naomi continued, seeming to talk more to herself than him. "I remember…way back, when I was learning from your grandpa… you took me to your room and showed me that picture of all of you. The Bladebreakers…"
She was quiet for a moment before looking up at him. "Those were… the most amazing stories, Tyson. I know… you still want to have more of those…" The dark haired young woman told him. "And I know, you still have one to finish."
She pulled the ring off her finger.
Naomi set the band carefully on the table and looked at her former fiancé with a small smile. "So go find him."
End Chapter. Good? Bad? Review please!