Ginga was enjoying a rather refreshing sleep, when a tumultuous and obnoxious door bell woke him up. Groggily, he opened his eyes and got up, to see who was waking him up at this ungodly hour. Ginga yawned and opened the front door, surprised to see guilt-ridden Madoka standing there. Though he never minded seeing Madoka at random hours of the day, he found it quite an inconvenience when the random hour happened to be eight AM.

Ginga had spent the night hanging out with Kyoya and Benkei. It felt like eons since he'd seen them. They had so much to talk about and so much fun relieving old memories, so it was a surprise to all three of them when the clock in the hall had chimed two AM.

Ginga let out a frustrated groan and forced himself upright, heavily leaning against the door frame. He figured his hair was flying all over the place and lazily reached up to check. Sure enough, his red hair had transformed into a jungle. It was way too early and he was way too tired. Squinting a bit, his weary eyes were able to focus in on a blurry outline of the girl, her flaming red face standing out like a hot pink sports car in a parking garage of used station wagons. It was way too bright outside.

Madoka?

Sorry, did I wake you up? Madoka wondered.

Ginga chuckled. If he were awake enough, he would have rolled his eyes.

No, I was just enjoying a great game of water polo, he informed, a bit more sarcastic than he had intended. But Madoka laughed, though it sounded forced and uneasy, and then took a step towards him.

Ginga opened the door wider, signaling with his gesture, that she was allowed to come in.

Look, there was something on my mind last night. I could barely sleep. I was going to wait until about ten or eleven but my nerves got the best of me.

Ginga sighed, and watched her enter his new apartment. He was glad that he tided up, after the guys left yesterday. They took a seat at the couch in the living room.

Ginga was seriously considering drinking coffee, even though he had never been a fan of the black liquid. But he was just so tired and he wanted to be able to follow Madoka's words properly.

What's been eating you, then? he wondered. She stared at him, twisting a lock of hair around her index finger. It was a trait she'd acquired through bad habit. Whenever she was nervous, she started wrapping a chunk of hair around her finger. She'd once told him that she wanted to break this cycle, but for some reason, he'd admitted that he found it endearingly quirky. And as his eyes traveled from that lock of hair back to her apprehensive face, he couldn't help but think that he wouldn't be able to deal if her heart didn't belong to him. He didn't give a damn about Tsubasa right now.

It seemed as though he knew just about everything about Madoka, that is, everything a guy needed to know that would result in falling head over heels for her. All these characteristics were things he held close to his heart and all these things were what he had remembered when he couldn't remember anything at all. When he'd had amnesia, he couldn't recall her name or identity, only flashes of hazelnut hair dancing in summer wind, or wrapped around a finger while she laughed. It never failed to strengthen his fortitude. He knew that he had to get home to her, whoever she was.

Ginga, please promise me you won't hate me after I tell you this, she fiercely demanded, worry filling her eyes. Ginga raised his eyebrow, his mind preparing for the worst, though his heart was at ease.

I could never hate you, Mado…You know that.

She let out a sigh of relief, though her shoulders slumped forward.

You have to understand, when I convinced myself you had died, a part of me died, she softly confessed, her gaze tearing away from his and to the window. As the years went by, Madoka had grown with an extremely strong-will and independent spirit. She didn't want to be known as just a beyblade mechanic. And she sure as hell didn't want people, especially her friends, treating her like a porcelain doll, incapable of taking responsibility and handling her own actions. At times, she could be as strong as bladers and Ginga found this alluring. Back then, she'd been so terribly shy around him that he would never have suspected even considering her as more than his friend. Sure, he figured she was nice and all that, but he never really got to know that side of her. But once the events of Nemesis rolled around, he could tell Madoka had something special. Their friendship had deepened turning into something he would never had thought was possible for him. He had fallen in love. All in all, Madoka had always seemed vibrant and sassy, full of inner strength and able to hold her own. But now, the look in her eyes seemed like it was all falling apart. Ginga had never seen Madoka lose control this way, a way in which all her emotions were running haywire and her guilt ate away her conscience.

I know Mado, I know. I thought I'd never see you again. Do you know how many times I looked up at the stars at night, your face haunting me, your face without a name? I'd forgotten who you were at that point and a part of me had died as well.

He didn't know why he was suddenly confessing this so early in the morning but he felt that Madoka needed to hear it, as a reassurance of some sort. Madoka looked back at Ginga, her wide eyes now emotionless. She'd always been good at bottling her feelings when she didn't want people to worry about her. It was a skill that Ginga sometimes used to his advantage as well.

And that's exactly why what I'm about to say is so horrible, she quietly answered. Ginga wished he could fast-forward the moment, so he wouldn't have to hear it.

Just say it. You'll feel better after you're done, he gravely persisted.

Madoka shook her head.

No, I'll feel worse. Ginga sighed, suddenly feeling lost and out of place. He'd expected to come home and have the girl of his dreams back in his arms. But instead, she was dating Tsubasa, recoiling away from him. The morning was quickly turning tainted.

Madoka, whatever it is, just say it. It's probably even not that bad compared to some of the things I've heard. I mean, you're talking to me, remember? Trouble seems to always follow me, he regretfully reminded, muttering the last sentence. She offered him a ghost of smile, the kind she always used when she was holding back tears, the rare kind she only used when inside, she was crumbling to pieces. Ginga had seen it only once and it had been before he'd left for the battle against Rago. She'd tried so hard not to break down, that when she'd smiled it broke his heart even than the stray tear lingering in the corner of her eye.

Ginga…I…I can't return your feelings.

Ginga gazed at Madoka in shock. Even though he had already feared, that she might reject him, hearing that hurt more, than expected.

Why? He whispered. She looked down for a moment, her eyes intently studying the dark brown laminate flooring.

You know exactly why, she answered him with a sad voice.

It was just his luck that bright and early in the morning, he had to deal with a rejection. His eyes flashed with hurt, a tinge of anger and drear. He was Ginga- bloody- Hagane and of course, everything ungodly and horrible just had to happen to him.

So you chose Tsubasa after all?

This is not about me and Tsubasa!

Oh really? What it's about then?

Ginga, I didn't come here to, so that we continue arguing! I wanted to give you a reply to your confession..

Ginga looked at her with a dead look in his eyes. He seemed so frustrated that it tore Madoka's heart apart.

Is there really no chance for us? He whispered.

Madoka paled at his words, not knowing what to answer him. He sounded so desperate.

Ginga, I wish I could lie to you and say everything stayed the same since you left. I wish I could pick up right where we left off or even start all over again. That summer was amazing…and I couldn't bear to leave you. But that was years ago….

Madoka, you're not making any sense. You say that summer was amazing. You say you missed me, he said frustrated. But you don't want to be with me? Why did you bother coming then?

Because I want us to stay friends! Like we used to.

But somehow Madoka wasn't able to say these words out loud. Instead she leaned closer to Ginga, resting her head on his bare shoulder. She'd intended to stop by and tell him she couldn't return his love, but that she wished they could stay friends. Nothing more.

But the sight of his disheveled morning bed-head look, wearing no shirt and the fact that her heart skipped a beat only made it harder to tell him. The words were on the tip of her tongue but they wouldn't come out. She felt his arm wrap around her waist and she inched closer to him. This was wrong…sitting next to him and acting as though she were still in love with him…she wasn't was she? She shouldn't be…she couldn't. She slowly looked up at him with curiosity and he did something he'd only done once. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

I think I'm getting déjà vu, he whispered, with amusement.

G-Ginga…, her heart was tightening painfully. His eyes were such a brilliant shade of yellow, enchanting as the owner of them.

Madoka, if you think I stopped loving you, I didn't. I haven't. My feelings for you haven't changed, he lightly professed. And I'm willing to fight for you. To win you back.

Madoka inwardly let out a wail of protest. Could this be any harder? He was supposed to be able to move on. He was supposed to have forgotten about her.

You're making this harder than it is, she acridly noted. He was silent, though still gazing down at her. He'd always been taller than her. He'd always made her feel safe when he held her and despite the fact Madoka greatly objected to someone taking care of her, with Ginga, she wanted him to look after her.

Then don't do it.

Don't ruin it, Ginga she quietly advised. He shook his head, his eyes locked to hers. She couldn't escape him as much as she wanted to. His fingers lightly pressed into her hips and she found herself leaning into his grasp rather than pulling away.

He'd always been irresistible. He'd always been that one guy, always out of reach. He'd always been someone she'd placed on a pedestal and as much as she wanted to grow out of her infatuation, never grew apart from. And now here he was, sitting next to her, looking even more tempting than he'd ever been and she was going to have to get up and walk away from everything they had built, including that one amazing summer and all those memories of romance, because she'd promised her heart to another. Madoka had always thought she possessed a lot of willpower, but as the boy with the messy hair and the stunning eyes gazed down at her, she was stranded in the storm.

Silently, Ginga reached out and tilted her head upward, tenderly cupping her cheek with his hand. She felt herself inhale deeply and she closed her eyes, his lips finding hers. It was a soft kiss, passionate although not aggressive. It was a kiss of question, a kiss in attempts to make things better, a kiss in hopes of forgetting about the situation at hand and divulging into the abandonment of reality. It was a kiss he'd long been awaiting and a kiss she'd long been dreading. As his lips molded into hers, he knew that he needed her more than ever. And as her lips melted into his, she knew that it now would be even harder to let go.

Because she loved Tsubasa, right? She loved Tsubasa with his tall and handsome good looks and his selflessness and his flair for romance.

She loved Tsubasa with the funny laugh and the wit and the charm and the way he always wanted to put his coat over the puddles to make sure she didn't get wet.

But here was Ginga, with the boyish smile but the solemn eyes and that charm all of his own and that bravery and sincerity…what was a girl to do? It was first love versus commitment, battling head to head. Madoka quickly pulled away and ran to the door. She was ashamed that she hadn't possessed more self-control.

I'm sorry, I have to go. I can't….I have to go. And with a loud door slam, she had vanished. Ginga stared at the space where she'd once been in utter wonder, attempting to figure out what had just happened, swept away in a daze.

AN: Thank you for reading this chapter. I'm sorry, I know that not very much happened in this chapter. But at least...there was a kiss. xD so let's see who Madoka is going to choose? Ginga or Tsubasa? And will Tsubasa give up on her that easily? Stay tuned, more is coming soon! :-)

Special thanks to: SibertronSSC, resplandorrosa626, KuroGalaxy14, striker86 and GinMado for your reviews!

You encourage me a lot and I hope that you enjoyed reading this chapter too. :-* :-*