Alexander Gilten was a very promising candidate for the World Beyblade Surveillance Network.

His resume was flawless. He'd been polite and sharp when he walked in for the interview, dressed in a crisp black suit and a disarming smile. His enthusiasm seemed to infect everyone in the vicinity, and even the grumpy old secretary Mr. Robbins had a new bounce in his step after the first interview.

Tsubasa sat at the end of the conference table, clicking his pen in silent contemplation. Alexander looked back with the same pleasant expression he'd worn since morning. He was close to Tsubasa's age and had seemed to understand every single interview question even more keenly than Tsubasa had anticipated.

Finally Tsubasa leaned back and cleared his throat. "Do you have any additional questions?" he asked.

Alexander shook his head. "No, sir."

"No need to be so formal," Tsubasa said. He gestured for Alexander to stand. "Well, you're free to go now. We will be in contact with you as soon as possible to let you know our decision."

Alexander nodded and smiled a little. "Thank you very much, Mr. Otori," he said.

Tsubasa shook Alexander's hand. "No, no, thank you, Mr. Gilten. I have high hopes that you will do well here in the case that we welcome you to the team. And of course, as I said before, we will be in touch with you. I hope you have a fantastic day."

"Of course. You as well."

Alexander's hand was on the doorknob, but he turned briefly around once more. "May I bring my daughter next time?"

Tsubasa smiled. "Feel free," he said. "We love to encourage young bladers."

The moment the door shut and Alexander was gone, Hikaru peeked her head into the room. "How did it go?" she whispered.

Tsubasa rubbed his temple. He didn't know exactly how to answer her. "Passed with flying colors," he finally admitted. "It's rare to see someone like him. He passed all of Toby's fitness tests, he's very focused, and he's interested in the work we showed him. We could definitely benefit from having him."

Hikaru studied him for a moment. "But you're hesitating," she said.

Tsubasa sighed and chuckled helplessly. Anxiously. "I don't know, it all just... feels so rushed. I don't want to trust the fact that he fits the program so... flawlessly. It's weird."

Hikaru pursed her lips.

"And Mr. Ryo only retired like, what, two years ago?" Tsubasa said. "Not just that, but Madoka and Gingka are off on their honeymoon and Mr. Hiwatari might be retiring soon, so I have to manage the paperwork with his company. All our friends are scattered, so I don't know what judgment I can rely on. It's giving me a headache," he said.

"Hey, you know I can help," Hikaru said.

"You already help so much," Tsubasa sighed. "I'd be overworking you."

"Listen, if I could run errands while watching Nemesis take over the world, I could manage some more papers than this," Hikaru said. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "But take your time. We all trust your judgment, Tsu."

She shrugged and smiled. "Mr. Ryo couldn't have picked a better replacement, you know. Besides, you're still new to this position. You don't need to decide these things on your own."

Tsubasa looked at her hand, still on his shoulder. He wondered if he could ever have the same infectious calm and gentle reassurance as Hikaru's mere presence; she'd been there for them all when Gingka had faced Ryuga, and she'd continued to work with the legendary bladers even when she could have gone somewhere else. He couldn't even fathom how much gratitude swelled in his heart at her mere presence.

He rested his hand on top of hers and felt a smile cross his face. "Thanks, Hikaru."

"Anytime," Hikaru chuckled. "So you think he's gonna be a good match? I would love to meet the child next time too."

Tsubasa clasped his hands and shrugged. He looked out the windows; the skyline was clear against the blue sky. "Yeah, we can give him a shot."