DISCLAIMER:

I don't own Beyblade: Metal Fight.

I never meant for this to be a long story, guys. Sorry.

It was a few weeks after I had woken up in the hospital. My parents had an artificial leg placed on me, and it took a long time for me to get used to standing, walking, and running with it. Mom and Dad had cried - mostly happy because I was up and walking again, partly upset because the leg was super-advanced and expensive.

It took a lot of effort, yelling, fighting, and time to get the press to lay off my dilemma. Dad did most of the fighting, though, going as far as to literally dump a news reporter into a public garbage can, and push another one off the steps and into a pile of dog doo.

To avoid the questioning media, I had taken a motel room near the B-Pit so that I could reach Haruki easily and we could train more.

I was just about to embark on my Beyblade journey with Haruki, but of course, we had to say goodbye to everyone. After I had packed my bag and checked out, I had made my way towards Madoka's shop.

At the moment, we were in the middle of an emotional goodbye.

"You two better not try anything funny behind our backs," Gingka warned us. We blushed furiously and avoided each other's eyes. Madoka punched her husband's arm. "Quit teasing them, Gingka." Gingka shot her a serious glance, showing us that he wasn't kidding.

"We're gonna miss you so much, Haruki!" Kenta (I had learned that I was named after him because his last name was Yumiya) said as he and Benkei hugged Haruki, sandwiching him between them. "Can't... breathe..." he gasped. They let go. Benkei was close to tears. "BU-BU-BU-BULL! They grow up so fast!" he sputtered, sniffling and using Kyoya as a teddy bear, something that the Leone-user didn't look so psyched about.

"Benkei, you're getting snot on my arm."

"Sorry, Kyoya!"

Haruki hugged his parents one last time. Madoka double-checked his bag. "You packed fresh underwear, right?" My friend's face turned into a color that almost matched his hair. "MOM!" he yelped. I stifled a giggle as I caught his gaze, embarrassment evident in his eyes.

She kissed him on the cheek. "Update us, 'kay? You have your laptop."

"Sure." Haruki grabbed my arm and started dragging me away. "You heard nothing." I knew that he was referring to the "fresh underwear incident," and decided to play along. "What?" I asked.

He grinned. "You're good."

We walked for several blocks, almost across the entire city, until we reached my house. I packed my stuff into a larger bag and the farewells began.

"Are you sure you're gonna be alright?" Mom asked me. I nodded. "I've got Haruki," I said. "That's what I'm afraid of," Mom grumbled. Haruki blushed. I felt searing heat rush to my face, a feeling that I had grown accustomed to whenever I was around him.

Dad growled and clenched his fists, taking one step towards Haruki. "If you let anything happen to my little girl..." He left the threat hanging in the air, and Haruki grinned nervously. "Don't worry; I'll make sure that she's always safe."

"You'd better." Then, he leaned in closer and whispered something in Haruki's ear. Every now and then, they would glance at me. My friend grinned. "Really?" he yelped. "Shut up!" Dad hissed. They schemed for a couple more minutes, taking the conversation to the front porch steps. Then, they stood up.

"Are we clear?" he asked him sternly.

"Yes, sir!" Haruki nodded enthusiastically, beaming. Then, he gave my father a salute. They shook hands, but I saw the muscles in Dad's arm contract. Haruki's hand paled and he gritted his teeth. When he pulled back, his mouth opened slightly in a soundless wail of pain and massaged his palm and fingers, although he tried to hide it from us.

I fingered Storm Aquario in my pocket and smiled reassuringly. "I'll miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too!" Isamu wailed, clinging onto my artificial leg. My parents hugged me tightly. "You take care, sweetie," Mom said. "I love you."

"I will," I promised, but tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and landed on the ground. "Love you too, Mom," I said lamely. The extra padding on the knees of my jeans prevented any damage to my knees, real and fake. I had taken to wearing full-length jeans so that nobody would question me about my leg.

Haruki's sea-colored eyes twinkled in amusement and helped me up. "Don't be such a klutz, Hasama."

I scowled at him. "I'm not a klutz."

He shrugged, as if saying, "Says you."

Isamu wrapped his arms around my legs, preventing me from taking another step. "Stay!" Mom sighed and pried him off me. "Yumiko has to go, Isamu," she said softly. He started to cry. "I... love you, Yumiko!"

I hugged him, genuinely touched that he cared. "You too, little punk." I started to pull away, but he wouldn't let go.

I embraced my father for the last time. "Love you, Daddy."

He kissed the top of my head. "I love you, Yumi. So much."

We stood there in uncomfortable silence. I wanted to go, but at the same time, I wanted to stay with my family. Haruki looked like he was having doubts about it already, staring at him feet. Before I could change my mind, I darted away, calling over my shoulder, "Race you!"

"No fair; you got a headstart!" Haruki yelled. I heard his footsteps pounding after me.

"Hurry up, and don't you dare come back here until you have at least fifty-thousand Bey points!" my father snapped.

I laughed.

Do you guys think that I should write a sequel about Yumiko and Haruki's adventures?