Crystal: WOW, 207 reviews?! I never thought this fic would never reach that!
Kai: -.-;; Neither did I…
Crystal: --glares— Never mind…anyway! Here are the responses!
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FORFIRITH-on-a-sugar-high: --smiles cheerfully-- Don't worry! I'm feeling a LOT better now!
Lokisash: -.-;; Yeah…I know it was a short chapter…and therefore I am really sorry.
Devlinn Reiko-sama: Hehe…here's the next chapter!
SoulSister: Yeah…I feel bad for those people who got sick too…
IndigoDeath666: Aww…thanks for the waffle! –hugs— Hehe…I'm feeling a lot better now, and the waffle helped!
Crazy nek0-JIN: Lol, glad you liked that TB moment! And yes…Kai and Rei were playing footsies… --rolls eyes—
Kodoku wolf: Yes…Rei admits Kai's cute…hehe…
Platinum Rei: Thanks for the review!
Jirachi: Hehe…glad you like the part where Rei thinks of the stupid thoughts! LOL, are you ok? You've been getting yourself hurt a lot…hehe…oh and don't worry, even if you break one of the figurines, I can always give you another one! –smiles cheerfully—
Kai-cutie-angel: No…I didn't get to go to anime north…but anyway, how was it? Hehe…and no…I don't know what's a dwarf's favourite food either…care to tell me?
Wolf whirl: --gulps— Your not serious about the "die" part right? –laughs nervously—
KuronekoHikage: Hehe...get your mind out of the gutter! LOL! Anyway…Hahaha…yeah, he must drink the gooey stuff if he wants to feel better…
Killua Bakura: Thanks for the review!
Dead yet a love sick puppy: LOL, yes…the puppy dog eyes of doom… --laughs—
The tigris: Hehe…but Bryan has to drink it to make him feel better though! Haha…oh well, then! –smiles cheerfully—
Tariki Rania: I know poor Bryan…hehe…
Yugi Lover: Aww…thanks for the candies! –smiles cheerfully— The guys say thanks too!
Raku Ozzarian princess: Hope you get this update right on time!
ManHattaN: Don't worry, I'm not going to take it as flame! You were only trying to help me, so that's what matter! –smiles cheerfully— As a reward, you get some Ice Popsicle!
Shaka Dragomir Nocturnus: Glad you like the chapter!
Siver-eyes Magician Girl: Thanks for the review!
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Crystal: There! As a reward you all get Kai and Rei plushies! Hehe…anyway, here's the chappy!
Disclaimer: I plus Beyblade equals Do Not Own!
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Breathe – Chapter 12: Realization
It has been two weeks since Rei, Bryan, Max, Dizzi has caught the sniffles, it has been a week since Kai, Tyson, Tala, and Kenny had caught it from them. So, all in all, everyone had caught it, and now everyone's feeling better, which is a very good time because the adults—who went away for a couple of months to prepare the big wedding—will be back right to this very day.
"Are they back yet?" Tala asked Dizzi as he approached her by the balcony. Dizzi gave one of her best friends a stern look. "If they're back, then I would have probably came in and yell so loud that the castle would collapse right?" she asked him back.
Tala chuckled and agreed. Silence crept upon the two, making both rather impatient for their parents and the rest of the adults back home. Boy, they were sure taking long! Dizzi went back inside, grabbed a couple of chairs, and dragged them out of the balcony making Tala look at her curiously. The dark-violet eyed girl noticed this and smiled.
"Well, since waiting in silence is so boring, I figured we could sit down and chat," she explained while Tala just nodded his head. "What do you want to talk about then?" he asked.
Dizzi went to her thinking position and thought of a topic, until something stirred and made her grin like a psychotic person. "Well, here's one thing that I don't know…Tala, I've known you ever since we were in our diapers…" she trailed off.
"Where is this conversation heading?" Tala raised his red brow his curiosity growing every second. "…What I mean is, are you falling for someone?" Dizzi finally had asked, amused that Tala still has this aura when they were little kids. Tala widened his eyes and tried to regain his composure.
"What do you mean?" was his only response.
Dizzi gave Tala a smile yet reassuring smile. "You know what I mean, Tal. I may not be a great observant like you or Kai, but I can surely know when one of my best friends falls for someone…very hard. So, who's the lucky guy?"
Tala could feel heat radiating from his cheeks. To tell you the truth, he doesn't know either if he was falling for someone, although every time he sees him, his heart would leap for joy or if he isn't careful, he might even just hug him out of nowhere for no reason at all. Tala closed his eyes for a brief second and when he closed those eyes of his, all he could see is someone with lilac hair and lilac eyes…watching him closely like a falcon with its prey…
"Tala?" Dizzi's voice brought Tala back to reality and that made him open his eyes again. "You still haven't answered my question, Ivanov. Who's the lucky guy?"
Tala opened his mouth, and before he could answer, someone has interrupted him. This someone has lilac hair and lilac eyes and he was watching Tala like a falcon with its prey…
"What lucky guy?" Bryan, being an interrupter, came out the balcony with Max in tow. It seems like these two had finally got a chance to do their martial arts, and now they're back all tired and exhausted.
Tala blushed slightly and looked away at the other boy, pretending to look for a sign that the adults' carriage is somewhere in sight.
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"C'mon," pant. "Punch harder, Kenny!" Rei dogged Kenny's attack by crossing both his arms and then elbowed the brunette by the stomach. It seems that Max and Bryan weren't the only ones who did their training. Rei and Kenny were in the grassy fields since it was a very sunny day, and thought they could use some training, especially Rei, since being cooped up in a stuffy bedroom for week all sick was no fun.
"I am punching hard!" Kenny gave a swift kick by Rei's legs although Rei jumped over them and then gave the smaller boy a kick in the stomach again, making Kenny sat on his bum. "Damn, that was a hard kick, Rei!" he groaned while clutching his stomach.
Rei just gave Kenny a small grin. "Thanks for the compliment, Kenny! That's enough for today, what do you think?" Kenny just nodded and walked with Rei back inside the castle, meeting Tyson on the way.
"Hey you guys! Whoa…what happened to you two? You got attacked aren't you?!" Tyson went all frantic when he was Kenny and Rei coming inside the castle, their clothes were dirty and kind of ripped in some areas and mostly of Rei's hair were out of their bind.
Kenny sweat dropped while Rei tried to reassure the bluenette that they weren't being attacked. Though Rei was trying to tell Tyson that, the younger one doesn't seem to listen very well. The bluenette keeps on saying are they all right, who did such and such to them, etc etc. Rei was getting irritated and before he could smack him upside down, Kai had gotten to him first—meaning that he smacked Tyson upside down instead of Rei.
"Tyson, what the hell are you doing?" Kai glared at the younger boy, while Tyson was rubbing his head because of the smack. "Geez, Kai, what does that for?! You should be worried ya know! Rei and Kenny got attacked by some hoodlums!" Tyson had said, waving his arms like a squid.
Rei kicked himself inwardly when Kai's eyes turned from annoyance to anger, more annoyance, and what's this…concern and worry? "What do you mean they got attacked?" Kai turned to Rei and Kenny and saw that their clothes were slightly torn, their faces were full of dirt, and mostly of Rei's hair was out of its bind. Kai frowned at the sight. "What happened?"
Rei sighed exasperatedly. "We didn't get attacked by some hoodlums! Since I was sick for god knows how long, I figured I could use some martial arts training and Kenny accompanied me since Bryan and Max were already finished with their routines!"
Kai just nodded at the explanation, although he couldn't help but worry that his Rei was in—wait, did he just call Rei his? The crimson-eyed boy shook his head inwardly and then glared at Tyson who was trying to sneak away. "And where exactly do you think you're going, Kinomiya?"
Tyson turned around and laughed nervously. "Ehehehe…I'm going to look for…Max, yeah! That's right, I'm going to look for him!" And with that, Tyson started to run with the speed that even light couldn't surpass, leaving Kai, Rei, and Kenny: one with a scowl, one with a sweat drop, and another one with a sweat drop.
"Anyway, are you sure you're ok?" asked Kai he tucked in some of Rei's hair by the neko-jin's ear. Rei just nodded, and started to blush slightly. Unbeknownst to the phoenix and the tiger, Kenny was still there looking at them, with a smile of understanding; even though it was a really cute and adorable moment, the brunette just had to end it all by coughing.
"Umm…I'm really sorry to interrupt, but…aren't we suppose to get ready for the arrival of your parents or grandparent?" he asked, making Kai and Rei avoid their eye contact and made them look in either the ceiling or the floor. "Oh, right. We better get ready…well, we'll see you later, Kai," Rei replied, giving Kai a small smile then beckoning Kenny to walk with him.
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"You saw what?" Dizzi asked Kenny for umpteenth time since he'd told her about the affection that Kai was giving to Rei earlier, and now he'd kind of regretted it now. The brunette gave an exasperated sigh and explained to Dizzi what he saw earlier. Finally, Dizzi had stopped asking: "You saw what?" and started to squeal in delight. 'Finally some action! And he did it in his own will too!' Dizzi thought happily, while smoothing the creases in her dress.
Kenny, somehow reading her thoughts, agreed with her that both of their friends are slowly falling for each other day by day, and also giving affectionate signs to one another.
"I heard that you also take martial arts with Max, Bryan, and Rei," Dizzi tried to continue the conversation while Kenny making a pathetic attempt to smooth his shaggy brown hair. "Yeah, I do," he replied.
"I never knew that," Dizzi giggled slightly. "I've always thought that you're more of a silent just watching them train kind of guy, since…"
"Since I read at least 36 books a day?" Kenny finished her sentence. Dizzi blushed in embarrassment although Kenny doesn't seem to be quite insulted. "Don't worry about that, other people thought that too." His chuckle always seems to soothe her…like a lullaby.
Dizzi shook her head and gave Kenny a cheerful smile. "Anyway, we better get ready, hm? The adults are coming any minute now so might as well be out there waiting." And with that, Dizzi dragged Kenny out in the fields, waiting for the adults' return.
Meanwhile, Tyson and Max are already outside, waiting rather impatiently. The blond was sitting down on a bench, drumming his fingers in a rhythmic beat, while the bluenette was pacing back and forth, creating path for him in the dirt.
"Ty, please stop pacing, it's making me dizzy," pleaded Max, while also throwing in his puppy-dog eyes look for effect. Tyson gave in and sat right beside him. "So, what's up with you lately?" asked Tyson, while looking at the clear, blue sky.
"What do you mean?" asked Max, with confusion written in his eyes. Tyson just laughed quietly, while telling the other boy that he was just bored and impatient at waiting. Max just nodded, and once again, silence took over them until Max asked Tyson a very simple yet innocent question.
"Do you like someone?"
Tyson looked at the crystal, blue eyes with his own eyes. He couldn't help but be dumbstruck at the question. Of course he likes someone! And that someone is sitting right beside him, eyes as clear as the sky, and face as innocent as an angel. Though he couldn't bear to tell him that, no…
"Yeah, I do like someone. Although I don't know if they like me back," Max felt a pang in his chest. The guy that he likes, likes someone else… Tears were welling up inside Max's eyes, although he tried to smile through the frown that was forming in his face. "Oh, I see. I hope they will like you back." He almost choked as he said those words, but Tyson being a naïve boy right now, didn't notice that Max was in pain.
"Yeah, I just hope that they will be able to return them," Tyson replied.
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"They're here!" Dizzi cheered, while dragging Kenny and Tyson to the carriages. They rest just stayed behind, walking slowly towards the carriages. Rei noticed that Max wasn't being his cheery self, and it made the neko-jin surprised that Max was actually…quiet.
"Max, is something wrong?" he whispered to the blond so that Bryan wouldn't here it. To tell you why Rei didn't want Bryan to know its because, the lilac haired boy is overprotective of Max, like an older brother. Max shook his head and gave a fake cheerful smile. "I'm fine, Rei. Don't worry about me."
Rei frowned. "Your fake smiles don't fool me, Maxie. I know something's bothering you." With that, he dragged the blond to the carriages, leaving Kai, Tala, and Bryan alone.
"So…how's Rei?" Bryan smirked, while Tala was watching in amusement because Kai almost tripped on a VERY, TINY rock that you can hardly see. "I don't know what you're talking about." Kai glared at the two and crossed his arms together.
"Don't fool us, Hiwatari. Kenny told us that you showed a sign affection towards my best friend an hour ago; and believe me, Kenny doesn't lie," Kai was trapped and for once, he was speechless.
"Wow…you actually made Kai speechless! I'm impressed," Tala patted Bryan on the shoulder and gave him a peck on the cheek. Bryan widened his eyes, while Tala started to regret what he did; while, Kai saw the whole thing and started to smirk.
"Now look who's talking about giving affections."
"Mother! Father!" Rei gave Lady Leila a great big hug while he gave his father a great big handshake. "You're back!"
"We've missed you, Rei." Lady Leila said softly. "So, how's everything here while we were gone, hm?"
"Everything was great your Majesty," Bryan had said while him, Tala, and Kai were finally by the carriages. "Ah, so that would mean?" Lord Rai was trying to imply on something.
"Oh! Yes, everything went perfectly according to plan," Dizzi said enthusiastically, as she came walking towards them arm in arm with her father.
Kai and Rei looked at them with confusion written in their eyes. What plan? Sir Ivanov must have read their minds and chuckled. "Don't worry," he replied. "We will discuss this inside the castle, alright?"
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As promised, the advisors had told Kai and Rei about their plan about getting them to be together. With the trust game, the kiss, even the locking of the room! Everything made sense to the both of them now! Both thought that they did a very good job, it really worked out very well, although neither of them were really not in the stage of loving one another, but they were really getting there.
"Anyway, we have already prepared the wedding, so all of you need to know the information and we also have rehearsals," explained Judy. "What do you mean, rehearsals?" asked Bryan, while Dizzi just rolled her eyes.
"Rehearsals, meaning that we have to practice on how to walk on the aisle and stuff," Dizzi had explained earlier, while giving Bryan a kick on the shin under the table. Bryan glared at her and rubbed his poor little shin.
"Dizzi's right, we only have about at least one and half months left until the big wedding, so we have to be really prepared," said Lady Leila, while tears are forming in her eyes. "Oh, my dear Rei is growing up so fast!" She gave him a tight hug, not planning to let go.
"Mother! I can't breathe!" Rei was turning blue, by the time his mother had let go of him. "Oh, sorry, sweetheart. Oh dear, I almost forgot! Rei, your father and I have a surprise for you." Lady Leila had said.
"Really? What is it?" Rei suddenly became ecstatic. As you can see, the our dear neko-jin loves getting surprises, although I'm not really sure he would like this one… Anyway, Lady Leila looked at her husband for approval, and when Lord Rai nodded she turned to Rei and said, "Ok, here goes. Guess what? You're cousin's going to be here!"
Rei blinked. "Err…which cousin?" He turned to Bryan, Kenny, and Max; their eyes were wide and full of either annoyance, or fear. Until he realized that he knows what cousin was it that's coming here, he didn't wait for his mother's reply because well…because Rei fainted.
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"Is he ok?"
"What the heck happened anyway?"
"Shh! He's waking up!"
Rei stirred and opened his eyes grudgingly. When he had opened his eyes, he saw figures hovering over him and realized that it was his friends, and their eyes were full of worry and concern. "What happened?" he asked, while sitting up slowly.
"You fainted, if that's what you mean," Tala said dryly while handing Rei a glass of water. After the raven-haired boy had chugged down the water, Dizzi gave him a huge hug, twice as tight as his mother did. "Oh Rei! You scared us half to death! You almost gave you mother a heart attack! Are you all right? You need to lie down? How about a kiss from Kai?"
"Dizzi, I'm fine!"
It took Max and Tyson to pry Dizzi off from the neko-jin while Kenny was patting Rei's back. "What happened? Why did I faint?" asked Rei again.
"Well, when you found out that your "cousin" was coming, you just fainted. I mean, what's wrong with your cousin coming over?" explained Tyson, while Bryan just shook his head.
"You don't understand. That cousin of Rei's is obsessed with him. Every time she comes over, she would glomp on him and squeezes his arm to death! She literally worships the ground he walks on, and their cousins for goodness' sake!" Rei paled as Bryan kept on warning their new friends about his cousin.
Unknown to Rei, while Bryan was explaining it to them, a pair of crimson eyes are starting to have a look of emotion on them. Not annoyance, not irritation, and certainly not a pissed off look. It was a jealousy kind of look. Kai was getting jealous of Rei's obsessed cousin!
"Although, I think Rei would be fine…" Tala said, making Max look at him in confusion. It seems like Tala has caught Kai's look and the icy blue-eyed boy was beginning to understand what that meant. "What do you mean?" asked the blond.
"You'll see," Tala just smiled mysteriously. "What I don't get, is why is she coming here," Kenny said, while pacing back and forth. "There's no logical explanation for that."
"Actually…there is," Max spoke up, though he said it quietly. "What do you mean there is?" asked Kai, rather harshly, making Tyson glare at him for yelling at Max.
"Umm…well, I accidentally overheard my mother, Lord Rai and Lady Leila talking about who would be like the bridesmaid and such and such…and I heard her name." Max explained. Rei groaned and started to shake Bryan uncontrollably.
"Bryan! Don't make see her! DON'T MAKE MEEEE…!!!"
"Rei, stop shaking me!"
"SHUT UP!" Dizzi yelled at the top of her lungs, which made Rei stop shaking Bryan. "Look, can't we just get a different bridesmaid, Max?" Max shook his head and said that every spot on the list has already been confirmed. "Ok…then, we'll just have to deal with it. Rei, I guess you just have to hide until your wedding."
Before Rei or anyone could answer, there was a BIG! slam on the door and in came a girl or preferably Rei's dear cousin came in…
"Rei-Rei! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"
…Though Rei didn't get to see her since once again…he fainted.
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Rei: O-O I fainted… twice –shakes Crystal-- And who is that "girl"?!
Crystal: Hehe…you have to find out! SO, my dear reviewers, who do you think is "Rei's cousin"? Although, you guys might kill me if you find out… O-O
Rei: --glares— WHO IS IT?!
Crystal: --glares back— I'm sorry, Rei. You have to read the chappy to find out! Anyway, don't forget to review!