Chapter 7: Betrayal

"Hikaru?" Ginga relaxed his tense muscles, and his gaze softened. "What are you doing here?"

Hikaru didn't respond. She turned to look at Kyoya, willing him to say something. She didn't want to have to explain things to Ginga. He was so confused. No one could blame him; she had kissed him and left. He had definitely not expected her to appear here, let alone with Kyoya.

"Aren't you upset, Ginga?" Kyoya sneered. "She lied to you. She spent the night with me, instead of travelling to improve her skills."

Hikaru felt a blush creep up her neck. It was a nice night. I never felt so safe. I never slept so soundly. She shook her head to clear away the lovely thoughts. "That's not true!" she insisted, turning back to Ginga.

"Yes, it is!" Kyoya took a step forward. "Just admit that you lied to him!" His eyes blazed with darkness. Hikaru met his gaze and felt her blood run cold.

He wanted me here to break Ginga's heart! He knows he can win the battle; now he has to win me to inflict the most damage…

"Hikaru?" Ginga asked, his voice hurt. Clearly, Kyoya's plan was working.

Play along, or fight against it? "I-It's not like that," she murmured, "I-I really was going to go, but he came back for me…" She cast a swift glance at Kyoya. "And…that's the truth."

Kyoya snorted. "Just make your choice," he demanded gruffly. "Do you want to be with me, or with Ginga?"

"I-I don't know…" she whispered. Her heart ached for Kyoya, but her mind said Ginga would be the better pick.

Ginga pointed at her. "Hikaru, come here!" Then, he pointed to the ground beside him, indicating her to come and stand beside him. "If you stay there, you'll get hurt!"

"Think long and hard, Hikaru." Kyoya let out a growl that almost sounded playful, and he gave her a look that made her heart soar. "Don't you trust me?" he asked seductively.

"If you come to me, I promise you won't regret it," Ginga told her.

"But Hikaru…I thought you loved me," Kyoya smirked, crossing his arms confidently.

"Listen to me, Hikaru," Ginga begged. "You don't understand what he's truly capable of." He glanced at the bey at Kyoya's feet, still rotating with much strength. "It's in the way he's battling. There's something within him that's changed. Aren't you afraid of that?"

"Good argument, Ginga, but I think we both know who she'll pick in the end. After all…." He smiled, narrowing his eyes. "What have you done for her?"

Hikaru collapsed to the ground on her hands and knees. A few tears slid down her cheek and dripped off her chin, landing on the dusty ground. "I know what the consequences of each choice will be. Now be quiet and let me think."

Kyoya raised one eyebrow. "You actually need to think about this? Very well." He leaned back against a tall rock. "For your own sake, I hope you make the right choice." He closed his eyes to await her answer.

"Please, Hikaru. If you stay with him, there's no telling what will happen to you. My friends and I….you'll be safe with us." That was the last of Ginga's debate. He stood by patiently, fixing her with a troubled golden gaze.

She stayed on the ground as she thought.

Ginga…he was so friendly, so nice to her. He had a big heart, and cared for everyone he met. Even now, he still believed in her after what Kyoya had said. He did his best to make new people feel welcome, and he certainly wouldn't hurt any person intentionally. Kyoya, on the other hand, wasn't the kindest person. He had been the leader of the Face-Hunters, a group of bladers who would bully weaker bladers and steal their points. He was sarcastic and rude a lot of the time. Kyoya had even tied Hikaru up so she wouldn't run off.

But he apologized for that, and untied me, which proves he's capable of being good, right?

And the kiss with Kyoya had been sweet. There had definitely been a spark. Being in Kyoya's arms…being around him at all left butterflies in her stomach. But when she was with Ginga, she felt nothing. He was an excellent friend, no doubt about that, but she always felt awkward when he tried to get closer to her. And yet…when she was with Kyoya, she longed to be closer.

Ginga believed a bey battle was all about the friendly clash of two bladers' spirits, whereas - at the moment - all Kyoya wanted to do was crush Ginga's spirit like a bug.

Kyoya was so cute, with those scars under his eyes, that one fang, his tan skin, his muscles. Ginga just looked…weird, with his bushy red hair and that bandage over the bridge of his nose, and his goofy smile.

Ginga was a friend to everyone and always offered encouragement, but Kyoya only cared about the battle and threw out all sorts of taunts to enrage an opponent.

Kyoya had a little danger in him now; there was absolutely something different that she had to fear. Ginga was perfectly safe; he was an open book. He never let anger take control over him. But she liked a little danger in a relationship. It made things more interesting. She had always wanted a bad boy, and Ginga was certainly much too nice to satisfy her there.

The promises…

Both Ginga and Kyoya had made a promise to her. Which one would be more likely to keep it? Ginga had promised that if she went to him, she would be safe and nothing bad would happen to her. But Kyoya had said things would be normal after he defeated Ginga.

Though, the way it looked now, it didn't seem he would keep his word on that.

I don't think anything will go back to normal, Kyoya, she thought, feeling her heart throb a little. She sat up and put one hand over her heart, desperately wanting the pain to go away. Trust my heart or my mind?

Her heart told her to pick Kyoya. He satisfied all her relationship needs, and she trusted him to keep any promise he ever made to her. But her mind told her to pick Ginga. He had her best interests at heart, and surely her safety was always more important than a guy?

Mother, you always told me to follow my heart and that it would be the right path. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. I think you may have been wrong.

She stood up. Kyoya opened one eye to look at her, and Ginga leaned forward. Hikaru found herself unable to look either of them in the eye. She was well aware that whether won or lost the bey battle, only one of them would walk away as the true victor.

Hikaru wordlessly bounded over to him, put one hand on his shoulder and gave him a quick kiss. Then she pulled away slowly and turned to look at his opponent.

"I'm sorry. I'm on his side now."

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(:Mizune