Smile For Me
- chapter 4 -

Kai frowned as he gazed out the window of the airport, fingering the gray bandana around his forehead. He winced a bit as he touched a sore spot before letting his hand fall back on his lip. Kai Hiwatari did not like extra accessories, because it made him too conscious, of course, not counting the bandages that seemed to have fallen in love with his skin. Both of his wrists were bandaged as well as his lower left leg, but both were hidden by his pants and a jacket who's sleeves were too long.

Underneath the bandana was the bandages around his head also kept hidden. He groaned, feeling like mummified freak. His face was throbbing so badly. Two swollen cheeks. Nice going, Kai. How am I supposed to eat then?

"Yo, Kai!"

Tyson chirped up, spotting the boy quickly as he entered the room. His widened as Kai took his bag from the chair beside him to let him sit. "Sorry if I was late, man, but you gotta admit, you're really early today! Gramps woke me extra early today, and I wanna sleep, damnit! He woke me up at four! Four in the morning! Who the heck wakes up at four! What about you, Kai?" Tyson peered closely at the boy, "You look sickly pale, man. Are you sick? Is it the powder again?"

Kai shrugged, Voltaire kept me up all night. Bastard. "Didn't sleep at all." Plus, I had to leave the mansion by 2 to avoid having any extra bandages. Kai had only simply walked to the airport from the Hiwatari Mansion, taking him 3 hours, including the occasional rests at some gasoline station.

"Excited, huh?" Tyson grinned, bouncing up and down, "Well, me? I'm really, really excited! A whole month with just my friends! I feel kinda sad for leaving gramps all alone in the dojo, but he said that he would just fine. Heh, I do hope that I would still be able to see the dojo standing in one piece when I get back! Oh, and Kenny's not here, cause their flight is tomorrow. Too bad, huh? And you're finally gonna meet Ray and Max! Heh, I'm really geared up now!"

"You better be, Ty!"

Tyson's face brightened, "Max! Ray! Awesome! You guys are actually early today!"

Ray pulled a face, "And this is actually coming from a person who practically has the word late written on his profile in permanent ink?"

"Aw, Ray, don't be so mean to the guy!" Max grinned,

"Gee, what a warm welcome, guys." Tyson spat sarcastically, a small grin on his face, "Oh, and here's the guy I've been talking to you about!" He patted Kai on the back cheerfully, "Kai Hiwatari!"

Max lifted his arm up for a small wave, chirping up his greeting, "Nice to meet ya, Kai!"

Ray took out his arm, which Kai reluctantly shook. "Pleasure then, Kai. I suppose you already know our names?" He grinned when Kai nodded in reply. "Not too talkative, are you? Well, that's fine. We don't need another Tyson around." He chuckled a bit when Tyson gave him a death glare, which obviously had no effect on the neko-jin.

By now, the airport was practically bustling with teenagers when a voice boomed through the room, "May the students please proceed to Gate 4. Your plane is waiting by the east side of the field. I repeat, may the students please proceed to Gate 4."/1/

Ray immediately recognized his teacher's voice and laughed. "Fukiko-sensei. She's not a very good announcer."

"Well," Tyson grinned widely, "That's our cue."

"Alright." Mirato licked her chapped lips wet, as she looked at the list, then at the group of students in front of her, feeling a bit small with the humongous airplane behind her. "By the principal's words, I'll be escorting you personally to Hokkaido. Two sections, forty-eight students over sixty-two. Fourteen students weren't able to come, sadly. Now, please get a partner and arrange yourself in two lines."

"This is the boring part." Tyson rolled his eyes, dragging Kai away by the hand, because he thought that Kai's wrist might have still be sore from last week before both of them stood in line, one beside the other. Kai was thankful for that part, because his death glare didn't seem to have an effect over the girls who were trying to cling to him right now, determined to have him as their partner. Ray and Max paired together and Kai had no choice but to go with Tyson. He wasn't complaining, though.

As Mirato counted off the students, making sure that each of them were present, Kiresu walked down the plane before handing Fukiko a small box. Mirato smiled a bit, "Seeing as everybody's present and I hope that all of you have gone to the restroom already and haven't left anything at all in your house or in the airport," A few groans was heard, completely indicating that some were stupid enough to forget something back at their house, since no one made a move to run back to the airport. "Each pair will draw a piece of paper from this box," Mirato motioned for the box that Fukiko was holding, "And proceed to your assigned seat arrangement inside the plane."

"Too bad Ray and Max had to sit away from us." Tyson sighed, pouting a bit, "You're a very mean person, Kai. Taking the window seat away like that." He huffed, pouting even more when Kai merely shrugged, "You shrug a lot, you know that? How can your shoulders possibly withstand that torture everyday? Defying gravity every time you shrug." He grinned. Kai shrugged. "Oh and remember what Kiresu-sensei told us yesterday? That she wanted a safe trip and yada yada, and why a few people looked at Bryan?"

Kai now looked at him, raising an eyebrow. Tyson continued, "Well, last year, Bryan got pissed and, well, that guy really has a hot-temper, yah know? So don't even try messing with him, cause he gets full easily. Really hot-headed, but he's a decent guy most of the time whenever Tala's in the room. Bryan's the type of guy that goes into action every time he-"

"Tyson." Kai cut him off, mumbling. "Just continue with the story."

"Oh, right." Tyson grinned sheepishly, "Well, Ray said something about him, I can't remember what, but Bryan got pissed and there was a full-blown fight! Yeah! A kick there and a punch in the gut! Max and I were trying to talk to the guy, but you know Bryan. Well, you probably don't, but anyway. Some of the other boys tried to keep the other away from the other, but the teacher came in and forced the two apart, before asking them what happened. Ray couldn't move properly for a week! Max and I had to help him around, and Ray kept on stopping us whenever Max and I wanted to beat Bryan into a pulp for messing with Ray like that! I tell you, Ray's way too nice for his own good!"

"I HEARD THAT, TYSON!"

Tyson grinned, before sticking his tongue out at Ray, many rows away from him before turning back to Kai, "Well, at least everything was fine after that. Things were cool." Kai nodded, giving out an acknowledging sound to indicate he was listening, despite his head was turned to the window. Tyson fished out his CD player, boredom getting the best of him, and handing out one end of the headphones in Kai's direction "Yo, Kai, care to listen?" Kai shook his head. Tyson shrugged, putting both of the headphones on. "Suit yourself."

Kai gazed out the window, drifting off to thoughts now that there was nothing to distract him. He looked at the other planes outside the window and felt a bit disturbed. Voltaire don't usually let me off easily. When I get back... I wonder if I should buy some titanium armor or something... Because I'll surely get another one hell of a beating.

"Hey." Kiresu neared them, pushing up a cart and giving them two trays, "The mini-table thingy is attached to the chair in front of you. A few snacks and a few cans of sodas. Don't stand up or anything, call me, Fukiko-sensei or Mirato-sensei if you need to go the bathroom."

Tyson made a face, pulling off his headphones, "Eww, can't we just go to the bathroom alone?"

Kiresu twitched, smacking the boy in the head. "Of course you'll go in the bathroom alone, Mr. Granger. Just inform us that you're standing."

"Geez." Tyson rubbed the back of his head, sticking out his tongue as the teacher moved on to the next pair behind them, saying the same thing. He then looked at the food in front of him, before blinking, "McDonalds? Heh, and burgers, too! I thought that they only give out zip-lock peanuts!"

Kai shrugged, muttering. "I thought so, too. Nice plane this school got."

"For once, I actually think highly of this school." Tyson grinned, immediately munching down. "But the plane rides from camping trips years ago was horrible! Dreaded peanuts for hours! A lot of us had stomachaches when we finally stepped off the plane. And the change in atmosphere's didn't help at all. You know, when you're departing and landing, it makes your ears hurt and makes you sick. Man, I had to rush to the nearest restroom just to get the peanuts out of my system." By now, Kai was finally looking at peanuts in a different point of view./2/ "Speaking of food, I can't believe that gramps would be eating take-outs for a whole month!" Tyson let out a thoughtful look, "Hopefully Hiro would drop by and help gramps a bit."

"Who?"

"Hiro!" Tyson grinned, "He's my older brother! Yeah, he travels with dad a lot doing archeological stuff, but he occasionally goes back home from time to time for two months. Without dad, of course, 'cause he still has work to do. Anyway, Hiro and I get along just fine, seeing as we work together in escaping the dreaded kendo trainings. Hopefully he'll help gramps a bit, 'cause like I told yah, the old man can't cook 'cept rice balls. And nachos, too. I love gramps' nachos. The annoying thing is that gramps won't tell me how he makes the cheese. Pfft." Tyson huffed, "Oh, and nice bandana, Kai!" He grinned when Kai's cheeks turned red.

"Hn."

"Please fasten your seat belts as we will depart from land shortly."

Tyson's face brightened up, "Well, off to Hokkaido we go!"

/1/ eheh... I really don't want to name their school, 'cause I suck at names... and gimme a break, the last time I've actually been inside an airport was... well... 4 years ago? o.O

/2/ all I can say is that I like peanuts. oo bad Tyson. XD