Chapter 12

It wasn't long until Tyson returned to the dojo once most people had already gone home, dried blood tinting his knuckles and keeping the growing bruises hidden from everybody though the ones on his face were bared and more noticeable thanks to his pale skin. He was silent as he walked straight through the ones that were still there, making his way towards his house with tears dripping down his cheeks. He gathered his stuff in the quietness of his room before returning with his friends, worried gazes falling on him from all around.

"Hey, what's up man?" Ray said as he made sure no one would interrupt and approached him along with Max, "Is… everything alright? Whose blood is that?"

"It's fine," Tyson replied, putting his bag on a chair to check he had all he needed. "It's Kai's."

Eyeing him up and down with wide eyes before grabbing the collar of his shirt, his friend asked with an angry tone, "What did you do!? Where's Kai? Did you kill him?" Max only watched in shock, both from the sudden action and the facts in front of him.

"I should have." The teen's expression never wavered, as solemn as it could be. "But I left, I just took a bit of time letting the frustration out on a street wall and tore my glove in the process. I hurt my wrist too, and on top of that some drunks out there tried to fight me as well."

Releasing him with a sigh and watching Tyson go back to his bag, Ray said, "You shouldn't have done that, you idiot. You need that wrist to beyblade and practicing kendo, would you tell me how you're going to do that?"

"Do you think I care about that right now?" stopping what he was doing, Tyson looked up at him with new tears welling up. "You don't know how I'm feeling right now, the kind of sadness in me. It's killing me and I don't know what to do – I keep seeing his face, teasing me, and even though he's my friend he had the guts to go and kiss my girlfriend."

"What?" with a raised brow, everything in Max's mind suddenly seemed confusing. "Did… did I heard that right?"

Tyson nodded. "That traitor… I helped him every time I could and all he did was go behind my back, so I didn't know how to react. The frustration was just so much, man."

Putting a hand on his friend's shoulder, Ray noted just how cold his body was. "Come on now Ty, you're freezing. Why don't you sit down with us for some tea until things simmer down?"

"I stayed out because I didn't want to ruin things for y'all," Tyson explained, wiping the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. The other two had no idea of what to do or what to say, wondering if there would be anything that could make him feel better in the slightest. "I do hope you enjoyed the reunion and Christmas though."

"But there's no way it's true," Max interjected, his arms crossed on his chest. "She wouldn't go that far for a simple argument. You guys had plenty!"

Breathing in, Tyson focused on him with a scowl on his face. "But it happened, right in front of my eyes too. When I went out looking for her I remembered this park she likes to go to that's close to her home, you know the one. I thought, 'let's just give it a try,' and when I get there I see him holding her close while making out." He stopped for a moment, the memories of everything he'd witnessed being too much. "I just didn't think again and screamed at them, jumped at him – I punched him on the face and I'm pretty sure I broke his nose, and also hit him on the stomach. I left shortly after as Hilary asked me to stop, but I'm pretty sure they're still together there."

His friends were listening attentively and both looked more than surprised, their faces mirroring their incredulity. "So that's why he chose to go after her," Max growled with more disappointment than anger, tightening his fists to the sides and lowering his gaze to the floor – he wouldn't say it, but he felt partly responsible for not stopping Kai when he had the chance.

Going up to the chimney on one of the walls, Tyson stood by the fire and put his hands in his pockets as he started reminiscing of a simpler time in their lives; he recollected a small Hilary extending a small toy shovel to a younger him in a sandpit, telling him he could borrow it to build a little castle. He remembered the two of them spending time together, when she'd help him with his homework and do her best for him to do well in every subject. Then, he remembered a picture of them on a boat together during the vacation they spent in Ms. Kincades' island; Kenny had taken it when they were in deep talk, and the way they looked at each other so deeply had been immortalized in that image.

He then remembered the previous night, how it felt to hold her close. In her room, where she undressed for her Tyson.

He turned over to give her a brimming half smile, leaning over so he could sit back against the headboard.

His sight then fell on his lap before turning to a few papers he could see placed on the desk near her nightstand.

"What are those over there?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity. "Did you draw something again?" The question came out of his mouth right as he remembered when she had made him a training schedule and drew cute small anime sketches on the sides.

"Oh, that," she replied with a big smile. "Y-Yeah, those are the college acceptances; I think it's time to think about it at our age." Playing with her thumbs, he could see she was a bit embarrassed. "I was thinking that, maybe… we could go together, I'd really like to be with you there too."

"College? I'm unsure of that. I have given it thought but I dunno' since there are problems rising in our world. I'd rather serve my purpose than do something that truthfully gets us nowhere. I don't think we all need it so I have to put that college stuff on the side. College is for those that are lost and don't know what to really do with their lives. I see the scheme behind it and I'm not interested in groveling below those not actually solving anythin' in our world... those are roles just to blindly capitalize and I've seen enough of it in Beyblading too."

He thought of telling her, but kept the scenario in his head.

Tyson hummed in response and then, a thought popped up in his mind. "That reminds me, that friend of yours Sara won't stop bugging me about a kendo match. She left a paper in my locker four times last week and it's getting annoying." They both chuckled lightly and he added, "She's like a female Daichi."

"Oh? Sara again?" she said with a cute voice. "Yeah, she knows how to be persuasive if she wants. I don't know – just say yes, you know she won't stop until that happens."

He shook his head only once, rolling his eyes back after her affirmation. Rather than switch the conversation back to college, he decided to continue on that topic. "But I've done that over the last two months. It almost makes me want to quit." He paused, as if trying to find the right words. "It really gets me going because we'd have stuck through regionals last year if she hadn't locked me in to take my spot... Just to lose." His brow furrowed, he stood up from the bed and heading over to the papers – he lifted one up with his back facing her. He only read it for a second before turning his attention to a small plushy to the side.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," she replied with an unwavering smile. "But you know that's our Sara, there isn't too much you can do about it." Watching him go through her stuff, Hilary could see his serious expression. "Is there something wrong? You seem a bit weirder than usual today."

"I think I'm still a little motion sick still from the Ferris wheel ride we went on, but the shower helped." He turned back around, making his way back to the bed with the soft toy in his hands. Getting on one knee in front of her while she sat up, his left arm wrapped around her waist as he pressed the plush to her cheek. "This thing isn't hiding a camera, is it? Imagine if your mom had a camera in here," he joked. "Ay, mom in law, you wouldn't spy on your daughter, would you?" Tyson turned the toy to face him as he gave it a cheeky smile before looking at her again. Slightly closing his eyes, he brushed his nose against hers before quickly getting on his knees, his belt directly in front of her face.

"Of course it isn't hiding anything, my mom wouldn't do something like that," she replied with a giggle as he slapped his leg playfully. "Maybe I would though – when you go home you should check if any of the gifts I made you has a camera inside. Maybe all this time I've been spying you and you don't know." Her smile seemed to say she was just jesting but there was a tinge of doubt in his mind. He ignored it. "And what about this?" Timidly, Hilary brought a hand to the hem of his pants while biting her lower lip. "If there's a camera in that plush, then mom would be really disappointed to see something like this."

"You saying that sort of stuff... is really hot." He held the stuffed toy over her head, bringing his free hand to her cheek. He caressed down her skin with just his fingertips before cupping her chin, tilting her head up. "I forgot you're like this in secret. Should I put the camera down?" he teased, adding, "Hackers have gotten into nanny cams before, what if Kenny were spying on us or one of those oddballs from the computer club?" Tyson leaned his hips in, his crotch closer to her than ever. Though he was just playing, he suddenly became concerned with the idea he'd brought up aloud.

With a short giggle, she said, "You can put the camera down or you can keep it up and take the risk." Her lips curved upwards in a smirk as she started slowly unbuckling his belt. "Who knows who could be watching… maybe they'll enjoy what they'll see next."

Already uncomfortable with the idea of someone getting a direct view of what would happen, Tyson lightly tossed the toy over to the middle of the bed where it lay with its tiny face still looking at them. He gently gripped her long hair, turning it into a bun. "That's not something I want anyone else seeing." He held her there, while reaching over to take a pin out of his own ponytail that she'd left there for an occasion like this. That pin was something she'd given him the first time they'd been together. It was kept concealed and ready to be used, since she was growing out her hair. "Don't you think it's time to get a new hairstyle, Hil? I could take you to the salon whenever you wanted to," he commented, adjusting the pin. His palm, as if it had its own mind, pressed to her forehead.

"I think long hair looks pretty on me," she replied. "I could say the same to you, if you keep like this, your hair will be longer than mine." Just then, she managed to completely take off his belt.

"Eh, it's a warrior's look, Hil. My grandfathers and ancestors before me had it, so I'm keeping it the same. But I think I might let you cut it tomorrow, so it's nice enough for the party." He reached down, unzipping his pants and maneuvering himself out of them; standing before her only in his boxers, he glanced around the dark room wondering where the bag with his pajamas could be.

"Yeah, again the warriors and ancestors stuff," she muttered with a chuckle. "Will you really give me such an honor of cutting your hair?" As he didn't reply, Hilary tilted her head to the side a bit, confused. "Why are you looking around so much? Just take them off already!" And with one swift movement and before he could stop her, she reached out and pulled the underwear down.

"Jeez, Hil! Wait a sec-" he reached down to grab her small wrist to prevent her from fully exposing him. The other comments flew over his head as he tugged her down on her back, pressing a hand to her shoulder. She watched with wide eyes as he climbed on top, careful not to hurt her in the process. His knees rested to her sides, his bulge slightly slipping out when he placed a hand on his hip for balance. The tip of the bright pink member glistened thanks to the soft blue light shining along the bed, and it was apparent it'd been forming in anticipation. Once more, he turned his head around to see if he could spot the bag somewhere but it didn't help that the bag had dark colors.

Taking his chance, Tyson slid his right hand along her inner thigh as his thumb travelled close to her sweet spot if only for a second. "C'mon, don't make me wait," she said in just a whisper. Blushing, she felt the weight of his body on hers, and she moved her hands to his shoulders before giving him the lewdest look he'd ever seen from her. "I want more," she breathed out. "Take some initiative and take off my clothes too."

[For DETAILED LEMON contact the team on insta takumihachiofficial or Ko-fi./starseed]

They took numerous turns on each other and by the end, they were exhausted yet connected together as a merged heart, mind and soul. Hilary commented that she'd heard of Twin Flames, though there were people who just wouldn't understand it fully. Tyson checked the clock to see it was already 4:44AM finding the synchronicity funny. Tyson brought his hand up behind her messy hair and kissed her forehead, keeping it there as he felt her temple throb beneath his lips.

He leaned in as she nuzzled his cheek and as he fiddled with her lingerie, he had something in mind he wanted to share with her. "I, uh… I actually have to tell you something, Hil," he started, the words wavering. "Tomorrow, I'll have to go with my cousin to meet up with dad; there's something about an excavation in an Egyptian oasis, I don't know much. I'll have to, uh, go alone." Watching as her eyes widened at the idea, he added, "I'll be making a stop at an island first and it's possible there can be danger. I won't expose you to that."

"So what, this was all for nothing?" she told him, leaning up and backing away from his touch. "You just can't vanish after I did everything for you. I did all of that and…"

The last thing he recalled was seeing her frustrated and angry at him, huffing as she got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. Tyson's wrist pulsed, causing him to come out of his train of thought to completely feel the pain. He knew he'd have trouble sleeping, and as he grasped onto his pillow later that night he wondered if she would still be with Kai.

Unbeknownst to him, Hilary herself stayed home as well as her family had arrived, her mother commenting that she hoped Hilary wasn't too lonely while they were away and that she'd like to chat later. Hilary squinted and gave her a slight chuckle, noting there was a camera in the hallway she noticed earlier in the morning before going to her room. Her father said he came back with presents for all of them and that typically he isn't around so they should be together, as Seita raised a beyblade up and shouts he finally got what he wanted, the one he lost. She remembered hearing her brother's cheers, which lifted her own spirits up even if just a little bit.

She held onto the present she had for Tyson, thinking of going back to the dojo, but the hurt felt worse every time she remembered how Tyson had shoved her away – how she saw him leave. She wanted to be with him but couldn't after everything, and she knew that facing him eventually would become a task rather than just a desire.

In the meantime, Kenny went to the house to check on Tyson but bumped into Max and Ray as they chatted on the low in the backyard. "Hey guys, have you talked with Tyson?" he asked innocently, not ready for the avalanche that was coming to him.

"Uh, yeah, we did," a hesitant Ray replied, sending a quick glance to Max as they cleared their throats. "He was pretty shook from everything."

Kenny, already intrigued, added, "Do you know what happened?"

And so, everything was unloaded onto the teen with glasses, who listened with a shocked and disgusted look. He couldn't believe his own ears but the fact that Tyson was hidden behind his own walls gave him all the confirmation needed. "I never saw it coming," Max said after things were told, "but I guess Kai's an opportunist."

"He shouldn't have done that to Tyson's back," Ray interjected. "It was dirty, though I'm not surprised."

"Guys, we should calm down now," Kenny tried to make his friends stop for the time being, although he knew that there wouldn't be a chance they wouldn't hold it against Kai.

"Would you be saying the same if it had been Aya instead of Hil?"

"Aehhh- You've got a point Maxie."

Looking at Max, he knew that he would've reacted the same was as Tyson, though most likely not as aggressive. His best friend was merely defending his own pride, his relationship, having gone through the worse kind of betrayal there could be. His gaze went to the floor before he excused himself before going back to the dojo, his mind reeling with everything that had happened and the image of a sad Tyson burned in his head.

The anniversary had been a disaster, but no one really mentioned it. The following morning, the small group went to the docks where the ship awaited. Everyone was there – Kenny, Ray, Max, Tyson and his grandfather – even the White Tigers. Ray wished his friend luck and advised him not to overthink things while away, to which Tyson didn't respond choosing to instead say his farewells before boarding. Ray observed him wave his bandaged hand during his walk to the ship, and for some reason he felt as if he wouldn't see Tyson for a long time. The urge to call out to him and tell him not to take the ship appeared in his mind, to ask him to at least postpone it because there seemed to be a storm brewing in the sea. But he brushed it off as just worrying.

"He was right all along," Kenny said, breaking the flashback once more. "I went to see your sister later that week, and she let me know Tyson had actually left something for her." He paused, turning his gaze to the TV as it showed some commercials no one ever paid attention to. "I told her that they both had been classmates since elementary, that she should know he only wanted to protect her but he was just… so bad at explaining himself. He would've only been away for a week."

Seita, engrossed in the story and suppressing a small yawn, said, "How could she have known though? It really did sound like he'd leave for a long time."

Kenny chuckled. "He wanted to be with her though. I probably shouldn't tell you this myself, but the something he left was actually an engagement ring. He wanted to thank her in his own way, for making him who he is. She felt so guilty and decided she'd apologize and make up with him once he was back, asking me to update her on everything since she couldn't get hold of him. But…" words trailed off as he was back lost in thought, and Seita wondered if he was reliving those days somehow. "I hadn't heard from Tyson yet until the BABA called only a day later. I had to call her myself to deliver the news."

Hilary called Kenny that day to check on if Tyson arrived safely; she told him Kai wanted to apologize for what he had done, telling her he was fine with being her friend which surprised Kenny amidst the chaos. Especially the fact he'd sent her a basket of flowers and perfume with that apology. "That Kai..." Kenny thought. While they talked, Kenny asked her to meet up with him since he had some news, and by the way he spoke she knew something was up.

Kenny requested that she meet him at the Dojo, a place she hadn't visited in a week or so. When she arrived, she stepped into the room only to see Tyson's grandfather was grieving while sitting at a big table. She was confused why there were candles up, why Tyson's picture was up on the wall and why there were people around wearing black.

Until it all sunk in.

"Do you really think he's dead?"

"I have no idea actually," Kenny replied, the gaze behind his glasses full of melancholy and secrets. "They said the ship was completely destroyed, yet Tyson and his cousin were nowhere to be found. Another passenger, once he woke up from his coma, said he only remembers the ship snapping in half after a big shadow cast over through the cloudy sky, which led us to believe there was no way this was a natural occurrence." A sigh escaped his lips before he took a long sip of water, and then added, "We suspect the corrupt bit-masters were – and are behind this all, but I just have so many questions."

It made sense to Seita that everything was happening so quickly, why Sakura was hosting an upcoming event for the new generation. To lure the corrupt bit-masters there.

"I'm only telling you this so you can have a better grasp at how everything came to this point," Kenny continued. "Now, you're a target too." Nodding, Seita couldn't help but feel bad for his sister. "It's weird though, I didn't see Hiro come over that day – I wonder if he even knows his brother may be dead." Before he could say anything else, he let out a yawn and told Seita he'd call him a cab since tomorrow he'd have school. Seita stood up and put his hat back on, grabbing his backpack.

On the way back home, his mind was piling doubts of his own, questions he feared would trigger bad memories for the group. However, he didn't have time to think much as when he arrived, he found a guy sitting on their couch, Hilary serving him tea. He gave off a douche-like vibe, Seita thought. "Ah, welcome back!" Hilary said as she greeted her brother. "Seita, this is Claudio; he's the director for a project I'm doing for school, and he stopped by to give me a script."

With his big, thick lips, the man named Claudio gave the boy a smile, one that felt just way too creepy. "Hello," was all he said before making his way to his bedroom.

"Eh... Claudio?" Seita took steps back to peer down to the living room.