A/N: I'm back, minna-san! It's anew chapter! To all those who read and reviewed - you know who you are! - domo arigatou gozaimasu! Thank you for putting up with this li'l fic of mine, even if it's not that great...I know you've been waiting a long time for an update, so...here it is!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bakuten Shoot Beyblade. It belongs to Aoki-sama, d-Rights, and Takara Beyblade Project. However, I do own Mr. and Mrs. Shizuki, and Reina...
Chapter 4 – A New Life
Takao stood stock-still as Kai drew closer to his bed. Please don't look under the bed…please don't look under the bed…he pleaded silently. He hoped that he wasn't sweating profusely from the nervousness, because that would give him away.
The brunette heaved a quiet sigh of relief when Kai veered away from the bed and towards the desk next to it. Quietly and efficiently, he yanked out drawers filled to the brim with useless papers, old junk food wrappers, and, occasionally, a sock or two. Kai said nothing as he sifted through Takao's things.
Ten minutes passed before Kai, having gone through all the desk drawers, moved onto the dark mahogany closet, which was in a sorrier state of disarray. Only three shirts were hung up on their hangers, and they were rather wrinkled. The rest of the clothes weren't scattered in various places around the room were gathered in one, messy heap on the floor of the closet. Kai lifted each piece of clothing and put it aside, knowing that if he tossed them about, it was likely that he'd miss the folder.
It took him around eight minutes to go through all the clothes in the closet, and there was still no sign of his file. He sat back on his heels, staring Takao in the eye.
"What?" Takao said, exasperatedly.
"Where have you hidden it, Kinomiya?" The voice was steady and emotionless, but there was no mistaking the hidden anger and impatience.
"I told you, I haven't taken it, Kai!" Takao shot back, hoping to disguise his nervousness with what he hoped looked like anger.
Kai said nothing in reply to the outburst, but walked over to the bed and sat on the floor by the side furthest from Takao's desk. He started to lift up the sheet. Takao shut his eyes tight.
Please don't see it…please don't see it…please don't…he pleaded silently, wishing that Kai wouldn't keep him in suspense.
"Damn! It's not here!" Kai exclaimed, causing Takao's eyes to snap open.
He didn't see it? The stormy-eyed blader was confused. But why – Oh yeah! He smiled triumphantly as he remembered the box of comic books he'd stashed under his bed. The box probably hid the folder from view.
Suddenly, Kai got up and went to sit down at the opposite side of the bed, where he was sure to discover the missing file.
Oh, no!
Kai lifted up the sheet.
There was a knock on the door.
Takao sighed in relief. Kai snarled in annoyance, dropped the end of the sheet he'd been holding, and stood up to make his way to the door.
He opened the door and stuck his head out. There was Rei. "What?" Kai snapped.
Poor Rei looked startled at the seeming anger of his captain, but recovered quickly. "Well, it's nearly seven o'clock, and dinner's ready."
"Fine."
"Why are you in Takao's room?"
"None of your business, Kon."
"Okay, okay…" Rei turned and began to walk away. "No need to get so grouchy…" he muttered under his breath. Sometimes I wonder why he has to act like that…
Kai closed the door with an angry sigh and turned to his teammate, glaring daggers at him. "Saved by the dinner bell, Kinomiya." He said, not out of defeat, but as a fact. "But I'll know soon, whether or not you were telling the truth." Once more, he opened the door and walked out.
The door swung shut, and Takao leaned against the wall in relief. "Talk about a close one!" he said aloud to nobody in particular. After mopping the sweat from his brow, he exited the room, switching off the light as he did so.
"So, what else did you find out?" Max whispered. Takao nearly jumped out of his chair.
"Max!" he hissed back. "Don't do that! It could give us away!"
Max sat back, apologetic. "Sorry. I knew that when I left you to go see what Kai wanted, you couldn't have helped it and read a little bit more of the file. So what did you find out?"
"Tell you later, Max. Oh, how about you tell Rei and Kyouju to meet us in my room. We can share with them what we've found out so far, and I can tell you the rest."
"Sounds good to me." Max smiled at his friend, then resumed eating the delicious dinner of steak and mashed potatoes.
"What did you mean by 'found out so far'?" Kyouju, who was seated on Takao's opposite side, asked.
"Tell you later, Chief," Takao said, grinning. "You'll just have to wait until after dinner."
Kyouju, a rather diminutive teen with long, floppy brown hair and glasses, pouted for a while, and then returned to his dinner.
Rei, who was seated opposite them, had no idea what they were talking about. He was pretty sure, though, that whatever it was, it had something to do with Takao and Max's nervousness earlier. He shrugged and resumed eating.
Kai glanced at his teammates in turn. They're unusually quiet tonight…he thought. He'd gotten used to the riotous chatter at every meal, dinner especially. Something's going on… he thought, his eyes narrowing, and I'm going to find out what…
"Okay, Takao, so what's this important meeting about, and why hasn't Kai been informed?" Kyouju asked. He was seated on Takao's bed and he opened up his laptop and booted it up, a sign that he was ready to take down notes.
"Well, Kai wasn't informed because the meeting concerns him."
"Why? What happened?" Rei asked, leaning forward as much as his position would let him without falling over. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor beside Takao's closet.
"Oh, nothing…" Takao said, glancing at Max and winking. "It's just that I…well, found this in Kai's room." With a flourish, he brought out from behind him the pale cream folder. Kyouju and Rei just stared.
"Uh…okay…" the neko-jin stated, unsure of how he was supposed to react.
"Good one, Takao, but I prefer serious meetings that actually have a purpose." Kyouju said.
"You don't understand, Chief." Max jumped in, ready to explain for his buddy. "This folder contains photocopies of files currently owned by – what was that again? – Sento-Daitouji Juvenile Hall."
"That's located in Akihabara, correct?"
"Yes, and from what Takao and I have read in the file, Kai was part of their foster care program."
"'Foster care'?" Kyouju and Rei both leaned forwards, mouths agape. They weren't sure they'd heard correctly.
Takao nodded, then he and Max started telling them what they had read, except for the part about Kai staying with Max's family for nearly a month. They didn't go into details, but by their shocked looks, both boys knew that their friends got the message.
"My gosh…" Rei leaned back against the closet door in disbelief. "And all this is one-hundred-percent true?"
Max nodded, unsmiling, and Takao said, "Unfortunately, yes."
"So what else did you want to tell us?" Kyouju asked. Takao looked at Max for approval; he wanted to know if the blonde wanted that part of the story told. Max nodded.
"This may surprise you guys but…" Takao took a deep breath. "Kai stayed with Max's family for a while."
Rei raised his eyebrows. "Max? But I thought his mother was a scientist!"
Max nodded. "I remembered it only today when Takao brought the subject up. Mom had graduated with several degrees in science, but she also had a degree in child psychology. That's why when she first came here to Japan, she joined a program as a social worker. That's the first time we met Kai."
Takao spoke up. "Also, I read that the social center people weren't able to reach Kai's dad, who was supposed to pick him up. So, they placed Kai in foster home. The people who agreed to take him in weren't exactly childless; they had one kid who was around two and a half years old when they took him in."
"What was their name?" Rei asked.
Takao cocked his head to one side and thought. "It was…Shizuki, I think…"
Kyouju tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Shizuki…hmm…that name rings a bell, but right now, I can't say why. Anyway, hopefully, this file will answer all our questions regarding Kai." He said, typing something on the keypad of his laptop. "May I see it?"
"Hold on, Chief." Takao held up a hand, walking over to the bed. "I thought it would be better for one of us to read the file aloud, while the others form a circle around the reader."
"So who should be the reader?"
"Well, since you want to read it, you can do it, Chief." Max spoke up. "You can sit right here," he continued, indicating the spot where Kai had sat down earlier."
"Good thinking, Max!" Takao exclaimed, his eyes shining. "That way, with us forming a semicircle and the Kyouju's back to the bed, when – and if – Kai decides to check up on us, we can block Kai's view, while Kyouju slips the file under the bed – discreetly, of course."
"Sounds like a good idea to me." Rei said, nodding his head. "Can we start now?"
"Sure we can." Kyouju smiled. "Let me at that file!"
Strange…Kai thought, straining to hear what little sound he could. He was downstairs in the training room. It's too quiet, even for an isolated villa in the Japanese Alps… Dranzer spun quietly in the dish, as though obeying its master's unspoken order to keep quiet.
Kai's eyes narrowed, and he held up a hand, signaling that he wanted his blade to return. Dranzer did so, leaving a slight smoke trail in the dish as is sped up to its master's palm. Kai deftly caught it and replaced it in his pocket, turning away from the dish as he did so. He walked towards the door.
I believe it's time to check on Kinomiya and the others…
"Kai?"
I mumble something incoherent and struggle to open my eyes. Someone is trying to wake me up.
"Kai, sweetie, we're here."
My eyes are now fully open, and I can see the woman with auburn hair – my foster mother, Mrs. Shizuki – smiling at me, her hand on my shoulder.
"Huh?"
"We're home."
At first I'm confused. What is she talking about? And then, all of a sudden, it hits me. I have left the Mizuharas, and I am now with my 'real' foster parents. Without a word, I open the car door by myself and hop out to have a good look at the house I will soon call 'home'.
The first thing that comes into my head is that the Shizukis are a mix of the old and new. They have a car, and I'm sure they have television and other modern stuff, because of the wires I see traveling into the house, but their house is an old Japanese one, with sliding paper doors and everything, just like the dojo I saw one time.
"So, what do you think?"
I nearly jump in surprise. I hadn't noticed Mr. Shizuki approach me; he did it so quietly.
"What do I think of what, Shizuki-sama?"
"Of the house, Kai." Mr. Shizuki smiles down at me.
"It looks comfortable, Shizuki-sama." I say, smiling back, in case he gets offended if I don't.
"Thank you for saying that, but, Kai, I would appreciate it if you called me 'Ichiro', or 'Dad'."
"Why?"
He laughs, and I pout. I hate it when grownups laugh after I ask a completely sensible or innocent question. It makes me feel dumb.
"Well, I am your foster father, Kai. And as for my wife, you may call her 'Mom' or 'Keiko'" he turns to my foster mother. "I hope you'll forgive me for taking the liberty."
She bows. "No, it's all right. That's just what I wanted to tell him. Thank you, Ichiro." She walks over to me and takes my hand, just like Judy used to do. "Come, let's go inside now. It's getting late, and the night only grows colder."
"Okay." I smile up at her, and she laughs, though I don't know why.
Their garden is a typical Japanese rock garden, with a little pond in the far corner. There are bonsai trees growing here and there. We use a little cobblestone path – a rather modern part in a Japanese garden – to get to the house. Part of the path passes under a cherry tree, bare against the darkening sky. Seeing the cherry tree reminds me that it is October. Wintertime is nearing. I love winter.
Soon we are inside the house. It looks just like I imagined – typical Japanese layout, with a television in the main room. I walk around slowly, peeking into each room I pass, while Ichiro and Keiko look on. Soon I come across I rather small room. Inside, I find what seems to be a playpen – another modern touch – and in it, a small child. From what I can see of him – he was sleeping – he had dark brown hair, like his dad, and a round face, which led me to believe that he had to be nearly three years old.
"I see you've already seen Yuuya." Keiko says from the doorway. I whirl around to face her and Ichiro.
"Who?"
"We have a boy of our own, Kai," Ichiro said, smiling again as he holds Keiko's hand. "He's nearly three years younger than you – he's two years and eight months old."
"When's his birthday?"
"It's in early February, Kai." Keiko answers. At that moment, Yuuya wakes up.
"Mama!" he wails. Though I haven't had any experience in taking care of little kids, for some reason, I take hold of his hand, trying to soothe him.
"It's okay, Yuuya, you're mommy's coming." I whisper, trying to calm him down. In seconds, Keiko is at my side, and I see that she's taken Yuuya, patting his back and whispering words into his tiny ear. After a few minutes, he calms down, and is resting against her shoulder. Keiko smiles at me.
"Thank you for helping out, Kai." She says, kneeling down to look me in the eye. "I can see that you're going to be a great foster brother to Yuuya."
"It's no big deal, Keiko." I blush, looking away. It's been such a long time since I've been given affirmation of any kind – not counting my stay with the Mizuharas – that I'm not used to the sudden attention. Then a thought occurs to me. "Keiko…" I begin, but I falter on the next word
"Yes?"
"Well…" I shuffle my feet, unsure of how to state my question without offending her or Ichiro.
"Go on, Kai, we're listening." Ichiro encourages me. I take a deep breath and start over.
"If you have a kid of your own, why did both of you go to pick me up at Judy's house? I didn't see anyone when we came in; didn't you get a babysitter to watch Yuuya?" I stop to catch my breath, and then continue. "Why didn't only one of you go get me, while the other one stayed with your son?"
Keiko smiled again. "We did get a babysitter, Kai. While Yuuya was sleeping, she must have gone to use the bathroom or something."
At that moment, as if on cue, a voice sounds from outside the door.
"Mr. and Mrs. Shizuki! You're home!" A young girl steps into the room. She has dark hair, shoulder length hair that curved away from her face, dark gray eyes, and rather pale skin. Judging from her height, I think that she is around thirteen or fourteen years old. She bows apologetically.
"I'm sorry I left Yuuya alone, but he was sleeping, and I needed to use the bathroom…"
Ichiro places a calming hand on her shoulder. "That's quite alright, Reina. Since it was a personal 'emergency', I won't hold it against if you left him for a few minutes. Besides, we were already on our way home."
The girl, Reina, bows again. "Thank you, Mr. Shizuki. I'll be going home now." She turns to leave.
Keiko calls after her. "Take care in going home, Reina. It's rather late, and the streets grow dangerous after dark."
"I will. Thank you for the concern, Mrs. Shizuki." I hear the soft swish of the closing paper door, and then silence. Keiko turns back to me and kneels down once more, laying Yuuya on the rice straw mats that pad each room.
"Well, I'll go start dinner, Kai." She says as she straightens up.
"And I have to look over several documents," Ichiro adds, stepping out of the room. "Keiko and I will leave you and Yuuya to get acquainted."
Before I can move or say anything, the door slides shut, leaving Yuuya and me quite by ourselves. There is silence for several moments, and then brown-haired little Yuuya speaks.
"What's your name?" he asks, toddling over to me.
"I'm Kai. Kai Hiwatari." I reply, squatting cross-legged on the floor so he and I are more or less at the same height.
Yuuya cocks his head to one side. Adorable. "Are you here to play with me?"
I nod, at the same time saying. "Yeah, sort of."
He smiles, making me smile too. He is so cute. He pads closer to me, but then stumbles. Instinctively, I reach out and catch him before he hurts himself. His wide green eyes stare up at me, and he grins sheepishly.
"Oopsie."
He's making my heart melt, for crying out loud! I can't help it; it's contagious. I grin back and pat his head. "It's okay, Yuuya. Everyone stumbles every now and then."
He squirms to get up. "Really? Even big kids like you?"
"Yes, even me."
"How old are you, Kai?"
"I'm five turning six this December."
"I'm two years old right now, but I'll be three next February."
"I know. Ichiro and Keiko told me."
"Who?"
"Your mom and dad."
"Wow!" Yuuya's eyes grew wide, if that was even possible. "You must be really big to call my mommy and daddy by their first names."
"No, not really." I shake my head. "It's just that they're taking care of me now because…I don't live with my parents anymore." At the last part, I recall everything that I'd gone through before I was rescued, and I shut my eyes tight to prevent any tears from escaping. I take a deep breath before continuing. "Anyway, they're taking care of me, but I don't feel comfortable calling them 'Mom' and 'Dad', so they said I could call them by their first names."
"Oh. Why aren't you with your parents anymore?"
At that moment, I feel like screaming at him to leave me alone, but I can't; he's too young to know that he's asked such a painful question.
"Well, it's like this. My mother was treating me pretty awful, always punishing me for the tiniest mistake, like forgetting to wipe a tiny spill on the kitchen floor. She even 'forgot' to feed me lunch or dinner. Sometimes, she wouldn't feed me at all. Then my dad divorced her, and told the police what was happening at the house, so they came to get me."
"What's 'divorced'?"
"It means that they're no longer married."
"Oh. So the police gave you to my mommy and daddy?"
"No, not right away. First I stayed with Judy, my social worker, and her family. I was supposed to stay with them only until my father came to get me, but he never did. So they called your parents, and then they came to get me. So now I'm here." I hold out my arms for emphasis on the word 'here', but I guess Yuuya misinterpreted it, because the next thing I know, he's nuzzling his head against my shoulder with his pudgy arms around my chest. I smile and place my arms around him. "What's wrong, Yuuya?"
"Nothing, Kai-niichan. It's just that I was getting pretty bored playing by myself when my babysitter wasn't here. Now I have a sort-of-brother!"
I close my eyes. The minute Yuuya says that, it occurs to me that this is, indeed, the start of my new life.
A/N: So, what'cha think? By the way, Yuuya's American (dubbed) name is 'Wyatt' (I just made up the last name...) Anyway, R&R, onegaishimasu! Till next chapter! Peace out!