The beautiful rays of the setting sun shone down from the sky; the dark silhouette of earthly mounds visible over the horizon. Small blades of grass covered the many hills, flowing delicately in the evening wind. A small forest was situated behind the hills, the leaves rustling together in soft harmony. The sky was painted with splashes of orange, pink, red, purple, and countless other colors clashed together to create a portrait of incomparable radiance. The fragrance of newly-blossomed flowers drifted in the air, lulling anyone who would draw in their scent into a state of peace.

A slab of stone stuck out from the ground, a lone girl sitting against it. She held her legs to her chest, her auburn eyes fixated on the large orb far above the Earth. Her walnut locks swirled in the air, a red jacket billowing ecstatically. A look of uncertainty and serenity was plastered on her face, the feelings evident in her eyes and lips, which were formed into a confused yet calm manner.

Young Hilary Tachibana brushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear, and released a small sigh, before wrapping her arm around her legs once more. She lightly chewed her bottom lip, uncomfortable with the thoughts processing through her mind. She had quite a dilemma on her hands. A crush, actually. A crush on her best friend, Tyson Granger. The boy who had helped her grow so much in these last few years she had known him. Merely thinking about him caused a light shade of pink to caress her cheeks.

As she turned her gaze upward towards the sky, she smiled warmly to herself. She didn't mind having a crush on him, though. On the contrary, she was happy that it was Tyson who she had these feelings for and no one else. Tyson was a kind, sweet, and caring guy who never gave up on anything, no matter what it was. Even when the odds were heavily against him, he would still keep fighting on. However, he was very stubborn and competitive as well. A small giggle escaped her lips as she thought about this morning. Tyson and Daichi had gotten into a heated argument over who would get the last piece of toast. It was quite amusing to see them at each other's throats, all for a simple slice of toast. It was Kenny, however, who would claim the food item in the end, and that earned the petite boy the ire of those two. It was such a commotion.

As the memory drifted back into the depths of her mind, the opposite side of her thoughts approached. These ones, however, weren't as joyful, as Hilary's lips curved downward into a frown. She was crushing on Tyson, hard. She knew that. But…what was she supposed to do about it? For crying out loud, she was only 15 years! There's no way she could know what love really was at such a young age. And yet…she placed her hand over her heart, which had begun beating faster than normal. Maybe she couldn't understand it, but she could feel it.

A sudden thought came into her mind. How had she looked at love before? She pondered the question, letting it whirl around in her head. Well…before, she thought love was when two people really like each, and they hold hands, and kiss, and a whole lot of stuff. But now…it was like flying. When you see someone flying in the air, you can tell it feels incredible. When you're actually up there, it's a totally different experience. The rush, the speed, the pin in your stomach; it was completely different.

All of this was new to her, and she didn't know how to handle it. Both thoughts were waging war against each other, constantly in a bitter struggle for dominance, leaving her heart and mind in disarray. She thought she knew love before, but now she felt like she didn't know anything about it. Should she just tell him, and get a sensible answer? Or should she wait it out and see if what she felt was real, and if Tyson might feel the same way? She didn't know what to do, and the mental reminder that this process had been going on for the past few months only encouraged her desire to scream. However, she managed to keep her feelings in check, as she rested her head onto the rock.

"Hey, Hil."

Hearing her nickname, the auburn-eyed girl craned around the side of the rock to see a figure standing in front of the forest. Even though the sun had set, reducing her vision, she could easily tell that it was Tyson, since she could make out the red hat sitting on his head. It wasn't necessary though. Only he referred to her as 'Hil', and there was something comforting about that. He was wearing his usual outfit, some jeans and his red jacket over that yellow tee. He was looking around back and forth, trying to locate her. Finally, his eyes rested on the brown spikes waving in the air, and he grinned, before running over to her. His pace slowed as he came closer, before stopping next to her.

"There you are. You've been out here for a long time." Tyson leaned on the rock, his eyes cast down on her. "What have you been doing?"

"I was just watching the sunset. It's really beautiful when you take the time to look at it." Hilary replied, turning her gaze to where the sun used to be. With the sun gone from the sky, the night wind's chilly touch tickled her skin, making her body shiver. She rubbed her hands along her arms, attempting to warm them up. To her side, she heard a shifting of clothing. Turning her gaze to Tyson, a look of surprise appeared on her face. Tyson had taken his arm out of his jacket, and was currently removing his second arm from it.

"Tyson, you don't have to…" Hilary's face immediately grew pink, as Tyson held out his jacket to her.

"You're not wearing as much as me, so it's no surprise you're cold. Take my jacket, Hilary." He extended his arm to her, the cloth item lying on his hand. Still wearing a surprised face, she blushed as she slowly reached out and took it in her hand. She draped it around her shoulders, warmth still present from when Tyson had worn it. It felt really nice; in reality, she had been getting quite chilly for her, so she appreciated Tyson's gesture.

Wearing Tyson's jacket brought a sense of warmth and comfort to her. A surge of exhilaration coursed inside her, sending a prickle down her entire body. She took in a small breath, and released it slowly, attempting to calm her nerves.

"So how come you're watching the sunset?"

Hilary, breaking out of her small trance, looked to Tyson. His gaze was directed where the sun used to be, bearing a small grin.

"Well, when I was little, I always watched the sunset with Dad. It was an absolutely gorgeous feeling." She discreetly moved a little closer to Tyson. However, Tyson noticed this, but didn't mind, as his grin grew.

"Yeah, I can relate to that..." Tyson grinned.

"Really?" Hilary turned to Tyson, not bothering to hide her surprise.

"Yeah. Believe it or not, I wasn't exactly the Beyblader I am today back when I was little. I would get totalled a lot, so Hiro would take me out to the park, where we would watch the sunset together. It would cheer me up, and I just knew I had to do better the next day." Tyson flashed a grin, "But then he left as well. And then, it wasn't all that thrilling anymore. Well not until, Naomi wheedled me back into it."

"Naomi?" Hilary stuttered, shock registering on her face. That's the first ever name she had heard Tyson mention.

"Yeah, Naomi!" he repeated. "One person I can share everything with! Man, I wonder where she'd be right now! Back then we were such chums, just inseparable! Me and her would give Gramps such a hard time!" he chortled, "after playing around the whole day, we'd watch sunsets together by the canal. Man, that takes me back."

"Naomi…" Hilary's lips shaped into a frown. It was actually surprising how the smile was widening on his face as he was boasting about Naomi. They must've been really great friends, or…a startling thought arose in Hilary's mind, one that gripped at her heart in fear. "What if Tyson…has a crush on Naomi?" Her body was shaking very faintly, her mind racing, the idea of Tyson having feelings for Naomi haunting her.

"Tyson?" The -haired boy looked to the brunette, a quizzical expression plastered on his face.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"How do you feel…about Naomi?" Her voice exposed her nervousness, which was easily noticed by Tyson. With a huge smile, Tyson suddenly knew what was wrong with Hilary. His smile soon grew mischievous and he decided that he would not only answer her question, but have a little fun as well…

"I love her! She's a riot!" He gloated flatly. His face was mostly straight, but the corners of his mouth were twitching…

Hilary felt her entire body become numb, complete horror shooting into her heart. Her eyes wavered as she felt her throat tighten, tears threatening to fall. "He…he really does like Naomi…no, that's not it…he loves her…" Hilary's head drooped, closing her eyes, refusing to believe what Tyson had said.

Then suddenly, she heard a snicker. Raising her head, she could see Tyson's eyes were closed, and he wore an enormous grin. It was then that he began laughing harder than she had ever heard him laugh before. In fact, she could see tears form in his eyes. To say she was confused would be a complete understatement. First he says that he loves Naomi, then he's laughing his head off. Moments later, Tyson quieted down, as he wiped the water from his eyes.

"I just remembered this little prank we pulled on Gramps!" he guffawed harder, unable to narrate the details. "he chased us around the whole house with his kendo! But the story kills it every time we think of it! Man, I wish Naomi was my real sister than my cousin! She's way cooler than Hiro!"

A smack came swinging on Tyson's head that nearly yanked his hat down. Instantly, all of her sadness was depleted, and in her eyes reflected a new emotion, anger. Her body began shaking from the intense fury running through her.

"Hey, what's the deal, Hil!" he grimaced, dusting his cap and settling it on his head.

"TYSON, YOU IDIOT!" Tyson was taken aback as Hilary let out a shrill scream, sending him back in surprise. He lay on his arm, leaning backwards. When Hilary's yell was silenced, Tyson was still slightly stunned by it, as his eyes were still widened. However, only a second passed before he regained his composure, and he looked into her eyes. What he found was that even though she was trying to hold a strong, livid face, small droplets could be seen in her eyes. She was trying to appear angry with Tyson, but in actually, it was slowly apparent that her demeanor was shifting and she was feeling a little relieved.

This bewildered Tyson to a new extent. What possibly a piece of his history with his cousin could have irked Hilary. Then again, to quote something from the movies…Women…

A small frown framed onto Tyson's face, as he felt unimpeachable. He was sure he had done nothing to earn that hammering slap on the head.

"Okay, this time, I'll be needing the explanation…"

"No, Tyson, I'm sorry for getting angry, but…" Hilary interrupted, clutching a fist to her chest. Her eyes became misty. "…I really wish you could have told me about Naomi. I don't like it when you keep stuff hidden in, you know. We have known each other for four years and…" With that, she turned around so that her back was to him. Tyson's frown grew as he knew that Hilary really was upset by him. He didn't want her to be sad, so, with an idea in mind, he slowly shifted towards…

"…you don't really open up to me about anything but Beyblades and Bit-beasts. I wish we were more transparent than we are now…" Hilary let out a small sigh. She knew that Tyson liked pranking and pulling legs around, but this time, though it wasn't his intentions; her feelings were played. Maybe she was just relieved that Naomi is his cousin, and in reaction, she abruptly hit him. She knew that, within some time, he wouldn't be mad at her anymore, but for the moment…her thoughts were interrupted by a pair of hands covering her eyes. Tyson knew he has startled her when her body jumped slightly. He grinned, releasing a small laugh.

"Guess who." He tempted Hilary. The simplicity of the action, added with the ridiculousness of it, was enough to melt away Hilary's temper and release a small giggle. She placed her hands over his, and removed them, turning to face Tyson.

"Tyson." She laughed simply. The boy grinned, before throwing himself forward and pulling Hilary into a playful hug. Placing his knuckles on her head, he rapidly ran them back and forth, receiving squeals of surprise from the brown-haired girl.

"Tyson, stop, that hurts!" She yelled, laughing and attempting to grasp Tyson's hand. Eventually, she managed to gain a hold of his arm, but he used that arm to grab her around the waist, before using his other arm to continue rubbing her head. With a joyful scream, she pushed Tyson forward, trying to stop him from making her head sore any more that it already was. However, her action knocked Tyson off balance, as he fell backwards, trying to keep his footing. Hilary grabbed his shirt, hoping to catch him, but to no prevail.

"Whoa!" Tyson cried, closing his eyes before the back of his body slammed into the ground. "Oww…oof!" He expelled, as Hilary landed on top of him, pummeling his stomach further into the ground. Tyson placed one hand under his throbbing head, pillowing it from the earth and attempting to soothe the pain coursing through it. His other hand he intended to place on his aching stomach, but since Hilary was currently making a bed out of Tyson, his hand was instead placed on her back. He opened his eyes to meet her blue ones. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, before Hilary smiled. That smile soon evolved into laughter, which Tyson did as well. They laid there for a minute, allowing their chuckles and giggles, full of childish innocence, to echo throughout the field.

As she quieted down, Hilary, exhausted with her little match with Tyson, slowly lowered her head. His heart was beating erratically, as her ears easily told her. Eventually, it slowed its pace, as Hilary slowly closed her eyes. Her hands were flat on his chest, and his arms were wrapped around her. Being in Tyson's arms…it was blissful. She was sure that he could feel her heart beating hastily, but she was glad that he couldn't see her face, which she knew was beet red. The world around her seemed insignificant compared to how she was feeling with him. It was then that all doubts were erased from her mind. It was undeniable; she really did like Tyson. No, not even. The thought seemed too grand, too ethereal to be true, but there was no mistake; she loved him.

The sudden revelation caused her to feel dizzy, as she sat up and held her hand to her head. Looking down at Tyson, she was surprised to see a stupefied expression on his face. It was also a mystery as to why his face was so red. Suddenly, a small bit of blood spurted from his nose, and the redness in his face increased exponentially.

"Wait a second…people have nosebleeds when…" Hilary imagined their current position in her mind. Then, it hit her. An annoyed look was shown on her face, as she looked at Tyson, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Tyson…how could you think like that?" Hilary scolded in a hushed voice.

"It just sorta happened. I didn't mean to." He admitted earnestly.

"If you say so. Maybe you should stop hanging out with Chief so much." Hilary shot him a knowing look, causing Tyson to chuckle awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. Hilary, moving off of Tyson, proceeded to fix her skirt, which had ruffled during their small skirmish. Tyson picked himself up from the ground, dusting off his shirt and pants. He walked over and put his jacket back on, which had fallen off Hilary when he had grabbed her. Walking over to the said girl, he extended his arm to her.

"It's getting pretty late. We should get to bed now." He told her. Hilary blinked, somewhat flattered by his action. A second passed before Hilary reached up and grasped his hand in hers. Immediately afterwards, a sly grin appeared, causing confusion to Tyson. The next thing he knew, Hilary had lifted herself off the ground, while his face was headed towards the ground.

"MAAA-" Tyson's face harshly became acquainted with the dirt.

"That's for giving me a noogie!" Hilary huffed, wearing a victorious grin. Tyson said nothing, as he was preoccupied spitting the dirt out of the ground. He turned around with annoyed look on his face, but was instantly stopped by Hilary, who was leaning forward, her hands placed on her knees, so that their faces were mere inches apart. A childish and adorable look of happiness was emanating from her face.

"A little hurt, huh?" Hilary moved one of her hands to point at Tyson. Staring down, Tyson could see a small bit of blood on the ridge of his nose. Irritated, he wiped the blood off his nose with the back of his hand, flinching at the sting. After removing his hand, Tyson looked to see Hilary's face move a little closer. He closed his eyes and flinched, as Hilary's lips slowly kissed his cut. A small second went by before Hilary moved back. Confusion swirling in his eyes, Tyson looked up to see Hilary smiling down on him, a faint blush gracing her cheeks.

"Well, come on. Let's go!" Hilary turned around and began running towards the forest where their camp was.

As he watched her figure head into the forest, Tyson bore a grin on his lips. "Well, it looks like Hilary know how she feels now…" He closed his eyes, rubbing the back of his head in an exasperated fashion. "Man, what am I gonna do now?" His smile turned into a solemn look. "I don't want to tell her I don't feel the same way that she feels about me, but I don't want to hurt her, either." His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his name called. Looking up, he saw Hilary at the entrance of the forest, smiling and waving at him, gesturing for him to follow her. He simply smiled. "I guess I'll just give it some time…Maybe soon, I can feel the same way for her, too…" With that, he stood up, patted off the dirt from his clothes, and paced towards her, the wind blowing gently from the sky.