Bittersweet Melody
Second Arc: Act Thirteen
Ozuma and his team paved the way for Takao, Max and Hiromi. The group of eight walked through a small apartment building, passing a playground and swimming pool. The small apartments stacked one on top of the other was a new sight for Takao. He had never seen such a tightly packed apartment complex before. Had it always been here? Not everyone lived in the same apartment, right? Talk about being crowded.
The group followed Ozuma as he finally came to a single apartment door. He hesitated in front of the door for a moment before reaching down into his pants pocket. An eerie jingling sound filled the small apartment hallway as he pulled a set of keys out of his pocket. Takao watched Ozuma's hand as he lifted the set of keys to the locked door.
The world champion his heart slam away in his chest as his imagination began to roam wild. What would she be like? Would she still smell the same? Talk the same? Look the same? Ozuma inserted the key into the lock and twisted it open. He pulled back his arm, keys in hand, and began to open the door. A haunting creak let him and the others know that the door had opened.
Takao peered inside the small apartment. The apartment was filled with stacks of brown moving boxes. Perhaps they were just settling in? Ozuma pushed forward, his team following behind him. Sweat began to tumble down his face as he took his first steps forward. Max and Hiromi followed behind, their feet nearly soundless on the tile floor.
Takao looked forward to see a living room before him. An empty couch sat in the center of the room and longed for someone to share its company. Another steps forward and he could see the balcony entrance. The sliding glass door opened into a small balcony littered with potted plants. But where was Cat? Passing by the kitchen, he saw a round dinner table. Seated in two of the seats were Rumi and Yumi. The duo sat silent, teacups in hand. The girls perked up to the sound of entering guests and removed themselves from their chairs.
"Kinomiya!" Rumi was first of the two to speak. "Mizuhara as well."
"What are you three doing here?" Yumi popped up from behind her partner with a surprised look on her face.
"They came to see Cat." Ozuma answered for the three in his normal calm tone.
"Oh," The two girls said at once.
"If you don't mind," Max pushed passed The Saint Shields to face the two girls. "Does Cat remember you two?"
Rumi and Yumi turned to look at one another. The paused for a moment before returning their gazes to Max and company with saddened expressions. Rumi let out a loud sigh before crossing her arms and turning her back to the group. Yumi remained in the same spot and looked to the ground before answering.
"Yes." She said in a low tone. "She does remember Rumi and I." Yumi removed her eyes from the ground and looked to Max. "I'm sorry."
"It's all right." Max reassured Yumi by placing his hand on her slender shoulder.
"Where is she?" Hiromi asked the duo.
"I'll get her," Ozuma moved to the left, leaving the group to themselves.
He watched as Ozuma left his field of vision. She was coming then. Takao looked to the balcony window and sighed under his breath. This was the moment he had been waiting for since the BEGA tournament had begun and ended. To see her again and tell her all about his adventures and battles.
What would she say? Would she be impressed? Surely, once she saw his face in person she would remember. Yes, once Cat met him face-to-face all her memories would come back to her. All the memories of their childhood, the dreaming days of his early Beyblade career would flash in her mind and bring her back into reality.
The sound of two sets of footsteps caused Takao to flinch out of his thought. He lifted his head toward the small hallway to see two shadows moving forward. The first of the shadows appeared short in stature, it had to be Ozuma. The smaller male stepped into the light and paused for a moment, allowing the second figure to reveal herself. His eyes rested on the second shadow and watched as the darkness faded from her face. Starting with her cheeks, the shadows fell from her nose to her opposite cheek. Two large brown eyes stared back at him and his group. Thick, wavy, brown hair danced around her face and hung low on her back.
A smile cracked across Takao's face; it was Cat after all. She walked further toward the group with a pleasant smile on her face. He felt his heart jump. That smile…it had been so long since he last saw it. This was it; she had to remember him now. The smile on her face was unforgettable, it was the same expression she had the day he won his first Beyblade championship. This was the Cat he remembered back then, the girl he met before the fame and fortune. This was the Cat Greco he knew.
She stopped a few feet in front of Takao, Max and Hiromi. Without speaking, Cat straightened out her back before lowering her upper half in a bow. The greeting sent another butterfly soaring in his belly. After a moment, she lifted her torso up, shut her eyes and let her smile grow even wider.
"Hello," She said in a delighted tone. "My name is Cat Greco. It's nice to meet you!"
The trio stiffened. The butterflies in his gut begin to sink away. Takao let his mouth hang open as he lifted his right hand out to Cat. He let his finger feel the cool wind that passed through the room.
"Nice to meet you!"
The simple greeting had never been so shocking in his life. He felt his heart begin to slow in his chest. It was if the air had been knocked out of his lungs. He jerked his head and looked over his shoulder to see both Max and Hiromi with the same shocked expressions. He turned back around to see Cat, still standing with a smile on her face. How could this be true? Someone had to have planned this clever prank, someone had to! How could she just lose everything in one instant? How could everything about her and around her be the same while her mind was so distorted? It seemed almost comical.
"Cat," Ozuma stepped closer to the female and extended his arm to the champ. "This is Takao, Max and Hiromi."
Max brushed passed the couple he had come with and smiled at Cat. "Nice to see you, Cat." He said in his calmest voice.
Takao shut his eyes tight and grunted. He could feel a breeze pass him as Hiromi approached Cat with her own set of greetings. How could they go on as if this were normal? He could feel his fingernails begin to dig into his gloved palm. How could they treat Cat like a stranger? Why weren't they trying to make her remember her true self? To act like nothing had happened…to ignore the years of memories they had created together, it was insane. Why hadn't she remembered him upon seeing him? What was taking her so long to remember? All the pain from his stomach had traveled upward toward his chest. He lifted his right hand to his chest and felt his heart thump away. The tightness in his chest caused his breathing to become heavy and strained. There was only so much he could take.
"Cat?" Takao spoke in a soft tone, slowly turning his head up to face her.
"Yes?" Cat tilted her head to one side.
He locked eyes with her. Those familiar brown eyes…he had known them for so long and yet they looked so fresh and new. It was if her whole person had changed overnight. Takao narrowed his stare at Cat and felt his lower lip quiver. Why was he suddenly feeling anger? Why was he mad with her?
"Just forget I ever happened."
Irony. How it worked in mysterious ways. Why? Why did she have to be the one to forget him? Why did she have to say something so stupid? Takao gulped as his eyes continued to stare deeper into hers. How endless her eyes seemed. Where they always that way? Why did she have to confess on that day in Egypt? If she had kept her mouth shut, things wouldn't be so hard now…
"I did it because I love you, Takao."
Without thinking about it, Takao's arm muscles began to contract. His legs pushed forward and with both arms extended, he reached outward toward Cat. His hands landed on her shoulders and he gripped tight. Continuing to stare into her eyes, he began to shake her shoulders back and forth in an effort to better catch her attention. Her eyes snapped open upon contact. She let out a small yip, surprised by his sudden movement.
"Cat!" He shouted, "Cat, it's me!" He said while shaking her body back and forth. "Don't you remember me?! It's Takao!"
She let out another whimper and moved her hands to Takao's arms. She began to dig her sharp fingernails into his skin. She pushed with all her might, trying her best to push him away from her body. Squealing and near the brink of tears, Cat shook her head back and forth.
"What are you talking about?!" She screeched.
"Takao!" Hiromi yelped, throwing both hands over her mouth.
Max and Ozuma acted quickly, reaching out to Takao. The two boys began to tug and pull on his arms and shirt. Max gave one final tug and successfully pulled him away from Cat. He then shoved Takao backward and stood in front of him. He felt his eyes widen after they landed on Max's face, his blond brows tilted downward and he was presenting a very unappealing frown.
Ozuma held on to Cat's shoulders and pulled her torso away from the three guests. Shaking and fearful, she nested her face in the shorter man's neck. She shut her eyes tight and let out a number of whimpers. He watched her with wide eyes. Scared? Cat? When had she become so a fragile? Takao felt his hands begin to tremble. What was he doing?! He exhaled a deep breath of air before glancing back at Max. The blond still didn't look happy. Ugh, why did he just do that to her?! He'd screwed up royally now.
"Takao, what are you doing?" Max hissed. "You know that's not going to help."
A warm sensation began to erupt in Takao's body. Anger began to overtake him and consume him. This wasn't fair, it wasn't right and still…what could he do to combat it? He straightened himself out and stared directly into the opposing boy's deep blue eyes.
"Then what am I supposed to do, wait for her to remember?!" He shouted.
"Yes!" Max replied. "You can't force her into remembering!"
"Why not?!" Takao balled up a solo fist and snarled.
"Look at what you're doing to her!"
He looked beyond Max's shoulder to see Cat huddled up in Ozuma's arms. The shaken female had opened her eyes and was staring at him with wide, glassy eyes. She held a tight grip to her leader's shirt. It was then he watched as the other members of The Saint Shields moved in behind Ozuma and Cat. The team stood behind their captain with stern looks on their faces.
"But," His voice dropped in volume. "She needs to remember me, she has to."
"Not right now," Max spoke in a gentle tone. "You need to understand that. It'll come back to her." He turned to look over his shoulder at Cat. "I know it will."
"Are you…"
The group of teens jumped to the sound of a small voice. Ozuma loosened his grip on Cat, releasing her to stand up on her own. The longhaired brunette stood up straight with one hand placed on her chest. Her eyebrow quivered in fear as she spoke aloud to the group.
"Are you one of the people I forgot?" She asked.
The apartment fell silent. Takao felt a small thump in his heart, was she remembering? Max turned fully to face Cat. He managed to smile at the trembling female. She bit down on her lower lip as she gulped aloud. She laid her palm flat on her chest, as if she were feeling her own heartbeat.
"Yes," Hiromi's voice echoed through the room. "We are."
XoXoX
'It's worse than we thought.'
Max's eyes skipped over the short message before shutting his phone closed. He felt the weight of his body give way and his back hit the soft comforter on his bed. He looked to the white ceiling before sighing and closing his eyes. Rei was right, things were worse than expected…Cat's memory of her friends had completely vanished. Rei verified that, after his own visit with Cat earlier that day.
Max opened his eyes and turned his head to the left to look at his alarm clock. Five o'clock? He was sure it was later than that. Max pushed his torso upward to glance at the small window. A setting sun greeted him with hues of pink and orange. Hm, it was only two days ago that at this time he found out about Cat. Discovered that she had lost all memory of him…how depressing. It was time to get some fresh air. Letting out a small grunt, he kicked his legs forward and sprung from his bed. He then stuffed his cell phone into his pocket and walked toward the door. Some fresh air would so him some good.
XoXoX
Max kicked a small stone a few feet in front of him. Keeping his eye on the same pebble, he followed it and upon reaching it, kicked it again. He repeated it actions a few more times before growing bored of his game. He looked up to see that he had arrived at the playground. He lifted his hand to his forehead, to block out the sun's rays, and looked to the sky. It was getting colder, fall was approaching, where had the time gone? He then stretched both arms over his head and let out a small, silent yawn. What was he going to do now? With Cat in the state she was in?
"The best thing we can do is remind of small bits of memory at a time."
His hands reached down into his side pocket. There he could feel the cold metal of his Beyblade. Max wrapped his pale fingers around the blade and pulled it out from his pocket. Shining in the dimming sun, he lifted the blade to eye-level.
He gazed at his green Beyblade and wondered. He could feel the heaviness in the blade give way and his arm dropped to his side. She had really forgotten everything. All the things they shared were gone. All her passion for Beyblading and adventuring had disappeared in a snap. It was too cruel.
A loud squeaking echo caught Max off guard. He jerked his head up and looked at his surroundings. The squeaking caused the American to turn to the swing set, located in the center of the park. Seated in the middle swing sat a small female. Her long wavy hair dangled in front of her face and swayed in the wind. His body became numb, it was Cat. Without thinking he felt his body push forward.
He began to run toward the swing set. He watched Cat's legs as they swayed back and forth over the ground. Her body remained hunched over on the swing and the shadow of her hair concealed her face. The burning sensation rushed through Max's running legs. His heart thumped away in his chest and caused his breathing to become strained. A boy-like excitement filled his head; perhaps things had changed in the last twenty-four hours?
He approached the swing within seconds and the sounds of him sprinting caused Cat to peer up from her seat. Max stood in front of the young female, bent over in an effort to catch his breath. He huffed and puffed before picking his head up to look at the girl seated in front of him. Cat had a look of surprise on her face, her eyebrows elevated in an arch. He found the strength to straighten out his back and he faced her with a gentle smile on his face. He took a few silent steps toward the brunette and extended his hand out to her.
"Cat," He spoke in a soft voice. "How are you?"
"I don't remember your name," She replied as she ducked her head further into her neck. "You were one of the guests from yesterday."
"Max." He answered for her. "Mizuhara Max."
Cat let her brows relax and her mouth close. She stared up at the blond with wide, curious eyes. She then tightened her grip on the chains that supported her in the swing. She her nails peeled away the paint on the chains as she gripped. Max took notice and watched her delicate hands clench on the chain for dear life. Why was she so tense? His smile flipped into a frown. Perhaps his name had stirred something within her mind? Max let his arm drop to his side before walking to the closet swing to Cat. He took a silent seat beside her.
"Max," She said.
He flinched at the call of his own name. Her voice, she had called out to him. He had heard the words from her lips many times but this time, it meant so much more. The familiarity of her voice, the tone, the melody that came from her lips sounded so much sweeter now.
"Thank you."
"What for?" He turned to her with one brow cocked in question.
"For yesterday." She answered in a calm, gentle tone.
Yesterday? Max tilted his head to the left side. His eyes never left her as she began to lift her chin to the sky. She looked at the orange clouds with wide eyes. She blinked in slow motion and allowed the wind to hit her cheeks. She kept her eyes shut as she inhaled the sweet warm air. His heart skipped a beat. How could she look so normal but be so lost? How could she look the way she did without knowing who her friends were? On the outside, nothing had changed.
"You kept the guy off me and you didn't have to." Her voice broke Max out of his thoughts. "I…" Cat's chin dipped back down into her neck. "I was really scared."
He sighed. "I know." He moved his eyes to the sky.
"Max?"
"Hm?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the blue sky above.
"Who was that guy?" She turned to him. "Did I know him?"
He chewed on his lip. Takao… He let out a grunt and turned to face the female to his right once again. He stopped at looked right into her brown eyes. The large pair of eyes stared back at him with wonder and curiosity. Her pink lips glistened in the evening light, a cause for Max to blush. So she still didn't remember Takao… How could she forget a guy like Takao? After all the time they had spent together and it was all gone. Even the day she confessed to him, it was gone. The last night they shared together in the woods…
"I told him I loved him."
She forgot her emotion, her passion, her love for Takao. How was he supposed to answer? After what happened. Explaining the love they shared for one another was something Max couldn't do with words alone. The chemistry and happiness they had together something he didn't even understand. How could he tell Cat about the boy she loved? Would she believe him, especially after the stunt Takao had pulled the last time they were together.
"Yes." He answered finally. "His name is Takao."
"Oh," Cat looked forward and released a low sigh. "How do we know each other?"
How could he explain that one to her? Max began to let his hands grip his pants. He also began to bit on his lower lip at a loss for what to answer. Takao, he was the boy she grew up with and spent more than half her time with. The two lived together, sharing the same cups, sleeping in the same bed. She accompanied him wherever he went and did whatever he did. They traveled together, supporting one another in any hobby they performed. She was his support at their first Beyblade tournament… Could he really explain this all to her without her becoming confused?
"Dumping a cluster of memories on her is the worst thing we can do."
Max shook his violently left and right. No, he couldn't do that to her. He couldn't cause any further damage to her already fragile state. He looked back to the former pop star to see her with her legs extended out in front of her body. She wiggled them back and forth a few times before turning back to look at him. She managed to smile at the blond. Butterflies went wild with excitement in his belly. Why did she have to look at him like that? Why did she have to smile as if nothing were wrong? Why was she so sure?
"You were friends." Max answered after a few moments of silence. "You and Takao."
"Then why was he so mean to me?" She asked with a tilt of her head. "He grabbed me and shook me!" Cat then stuck her nose up into the air and huffed, "That's not very friendly at all!"
"He," Max's tone lowered to just above a whisper. "He's just worried about you, that's all."
She opened a single eye and looked back at him. She waited a few moments before letting out a small set of giggles. She lifted her hand to her mouth and continued to chuckle. Max felt his eyebrow cock in confusion. He watched as Cat moved her head to face him once again. She lowered her hand from her lips and spoke in a soft voice.
"Well, he was mean!" She gave him another one of her cute smiles. "I like you, you're nice to me."
A sudden burst of heat hit Max's cheeks. He coughed a few times before turning away from Cat, trying his best to hide his red cheeks. He lifted his right hand to his face and blocked her view of his face. She let out another set of laughs, this time louder than before.
A clanking of heavy chains entered his ears. He peered over his hand to see that Cat had leaned in toward him. She was no longer laughing. She moved in closer to his shoulder and placed a single hand on his arm. The blush on his face became hotter and deeper upon contact. He gulped loudly and watched as she moved her face toward his shoulder. A small sniffing sound caused Max to flinch. Was she sniffing him?
"That scent…" She paused as she continued to take a whiff of Max's shoulder.
Max jumped in his seat. Scent?! He looked down to his arms and began to smell himself. Perhaps he had forgotten to put on his deodorant that morning? Taking a few good sniffs, Max concluded that whatever Cat was smelling, it wasn't body odor. Perhaps she had obtained some sort of superhuman ability to smell since her accident?
"It's so familiar…" She whispered as she moved her face away from his shoulder.
"It is?" Max replied in a nervous tone.
"Yes…"
He narrowed his eyes at her and thought back for a moment. Images of that last night they spent together flashed in his head. He had given her his sweater that night…was that the reason why she found his scent familiar? Max froze in his seat. Her memories were coming back to her.
"I like it," She spoke again. "It makes me feel at ease."
"Here," The boy hopped out of his swing and brought his hands down to his waist.
He then began to untie the orange sweater around his waist. Once undone, he walked toward Cat and extended his hand to her. She looked at his hand then to let her eyes bounce up to his face. She slowly moved her right hand off the chain of the swing and placed her small hand into his. He gripped with ease and began to pull her out of the swing.
A dusting of pink rushed over her cheeks as she stood on her feet. She refused to look Max in the face and tilted her head to look at the ground. A warm sensation on her shoulders caused her to flinch and look back up at him. She watched as the blond male wrapped his orange sweater around her delicate shoulders. She jumped at the sensation of his touch and the blush on her face deepened. Cat lifted her hands to her shoulders and gripped the orange sweater. His memorable scent no doubt filling her nose once again. She shut her eyes and hummed, was she remembering anything?
"Thank you." She whispered.
"No problem." Max lifted his hand into the air and began to wave it back and forth. "I've got plenty at home." He then reached out to Cat and placed a solo hand on her shoulder. "You need a walk home?"
"Ah!" She slapped her hand over her mouth. "I forgot about dinner!" She moved her hand over her head and began to laugh. "Jam's gonna kill me."
"Jam?" Max blinked a few times in question and removed his hand from her shoulder. "Jam's here?"
"Oh," Cat lowered her arm and looked to the blond. "Do you know her? She's my sister, you know."
A few laughs escaped his mouth as he stood beside the girl. The female gave the male a strange look and moved her head to one side. Max shook his head from side to side and smiled down at her.
"Yes, I know her."
"Ah." Cat nodded. "Sorry," She gave a few nervous chuckles. "I don't remember if you knew her or not."
"No need to apologize," He gave the girl a supportive thumbs-up. "It's no biggie." He lowered his hand and took a few steps in front of Cat before looking over his shoulder and winking at her. "Come on, let's get you home."
Another red flash appeared on Cat's face. She bit down on her lip before giving a firm nod. She skipped toward Max and stood beside him with a wide smile on her lips. Her hands continued to cling to the orange sweater around her shoulders. He let out a small sigh before beginning his walk toward her small apartment. Had he done the right thing by giving her his sweater? Was he pushing his memory on her? He wasn't sure and yet he felt as if he had done the right thing, at least for now.
XoXoX
The door slammed shut behind him. He entered his room and fell back on to his bed with a sigh. The loud snoring of his roommate, Daichi filled his ears. Max lifted his head up to see it was late. Too late in fact perhaps staying for dinner at Cat's place was a bad idea after all.
The sound of his room door opening caught him off guard. He sat up straight and looked into his darkened doorway. There, leaning against the doorway stood Rick. Damn, he was now regretting the agreement to have Rick stay at his house for the fall and winter. Then again, it was a request from his Mother. Max broke himself from his thoughts and watched as Rick walked deeper into his bedroom, dressed in his bedtime wear. He stood a few feet from the bed and leaned against the white drywall.
"You were late coming home." He said in a hushed tone. "Something interesting happen?"
He remained silent. Something interesting had happened. How was it that Rick was so good at reading him? It must have been a hidden gift. Max turned his face away from the larger male and looked at his bedroom window. The days had grown shorter since the last tournament. Fall would soon be upon him this meant that Rick's 'vacation' at his house had just begun. How long would he have to put up with his investigations?
"I saw Cat."
"Oh," Rick chuckled under his breath. "That explains it." He crossed his arms over his broad chest. "And? What did she say? I notice that you're missing your sweater."
He jumped in his seat. He looked down to his waist and made a sad attempt to cover his hip from the older male's vision. Rick shook his head back and forth and laughed again.
"You know," He continued to speak in a low tone, not to wake Daichi. "You should take advantage of this situation."
"What?" Max shot a glare at the bigger male. "What are you talking about?"
He unfolded his arms from his chest and lifted his finger to his lips. "Shhh!" He then pointed down at the slumbering Daichi. "What I meant was," He pushed his large body off the wall and took a seat beside Max. "You should start over with that girl."
"Start over?"
"Geez, your naïve." He rolled his eyes. "Yes, you love her don't you?"
Max felt his body stiffen. A bright red glow filled the area around his face. His roommate glanced once at him before turning away with a shake of his head. "Now that she's forgotten about Takao, go in for the kill." Rick continued to speak while the blond moved his head down to stare at the floor.
"What?" Max turned his head to the side and watched Rick.
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" He lifted his hand to his forehead and sighed. "She doesn't remember loving Takao," Max straightened out his back to sit upright. "That means you can start over and make her love you."
He hesitated to reply. What kind of sick plan was that? No, he couldn't, he wouldn't! It wasn't in his character or soul to do that to Takao. Then again…the thought had crossed his mind. What if, what if she fell in love with him this time around instead of Takao? What if he could make her his even if it was for a little while? Max began to chew on his bottom lip as the thought processed in his mind.
Growing frustrated with the silence, Rick brought his right hand up into the air and swung at him. His open palm hit the blond on the back of the head, sending his face forward. Max jolted his head upright and snarled at the older boy.
"What was that for?" He grunted as he moved his hand behind his wounded head.
"Tryin' to make it sink in to that thick skull of yours." Rick said with a shrug of his shoulders. "You have no drive, you know."
"Yes I do!" He replied in a harsh hush. "I'm just not as manipulative as you."
"Manipulative?" His former partner threw his head back and began to laugh. "That's the game, Max. If you don't have the guts to get the girl you love, then she might as well be with Takao."
"Right now she's not going to be with anyone!" Max picked up the volume in his voice. "She's sick!"
"She doesn't sound sick to me." Rick combated with a glare toward the younger male. "You should get with it before someone else comes in and steals her away."
His brow twitched. "Someone like you?"
He swatted at him once again. "Don't be stupid." Rick snorted while crossing his arms over his chest for the second time. "I would never go for a girl like that."
His blue eyes followed the tanned blader as he lifted himself off the bed. He stretched his arms over his head and let out a lengthy yawn. He then trotted over toward the bedroom door and placed his hand on the knob.
"I'm going to bed. There's no point in giving you advice if you're not going to take it."
Max rolled his eyes. "Good night Rick."
Said boy shook his head for the final time before leaving the room. "Whatever." His voice echoed back into his room.
Max grunted let his back fall on to his bed. His back felt soothed by the comfort of his fluffy comforter. Why did Rick have to say those things? Why did his ex-teammate have to put those ideas into his head? Or…was he already thinking those things? Max lifted his hands to his head and began to rub at his eyes. The sound of Daichi snoring filled his ears until a small chiming noise caught him off guard. The vibration in his pant's pocket reminded him that is cell phone was still on. He reached down into his pocket and retrieved the device. He flipped the phone open and saw that he had received a text message.
'We're inviting Cat over to my place, are you in?'
Takao. Max let his head rest back on the bed before thinking of a replay. Was this a good idea? An invitation to what was once her home, could be harmful to her mental state and yet he had to have a reason to see her again. He had to be there to protect her, to make sure that she'd be okay. After all Rick was right, he loved her.
Act End.