a side note, i know that they're thirteen in the anime, but their ages are fifteen in this book. 

Shu's POV

I glanced in the mirror. 

The person reflected back wore a long-sleeve pink dress shirt, a closed white vest with yellow borders, navy pants, and pink boots with red lines. He also sported his usual red glove. Long, white hair had grown past his shoulders and had now stopped at around his upper chest. 

"Going out, huh?" a certain blunette commented. I turned my head around to see a grinning Valt leaning on the edge of my desk. "With who?"

"It's none of your business," I rolled my eyes before putting on a black trench coat with crimson borders. 

Valt sighed audibly and came up to me, a determined look on his face. "Tell me."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"...I'll give you some beybread?"

At this, I paused. It's actually been quite a while since I sank my teeth into the delicious bread. So long, I've nearly forgotten how it tasted. And I've been eating healthy for quite a while. I deserve a little junk food, don't you think? Frowning, I sat on my leather chair, giving in. Grinning, Valt sat on the opposite side of my desk. 

"I knew you couldn't resist beybread," Valt smirked triumphantly. "Nobody can. So, tell me. Who is it? You going out with a girl? After what happened with (y/n)? Man, she never calls me these days, sometimes I wonder if she's dea-"

"I'm going out with (y/n)," I responded, ignoring his questions. A look of utter shock crossed his face, and I realized it came out wrong. "No, no, not like that. I'm going to see her. As friends."

"Wha-, but, but, I thought she was dead!" cried out Valt, leaping to his feet. Pure excitement adorned his face as he slammed his hands on the table. "She's alive? You know where she's training? I should've known! There's no other girl that would get you worked up about appearance so much! And you never moved on from (y/n)! Take me. Take me!"

"Chill, Valt," I muttered, my cheeks burning. He huffed and took a sit. "I can't take you.

"What?!" Valt yelled, outraged, but remained seated this time. "I'll give you-"

"No matter how much beybread you offer me, no," I shook my head firmly. "(y/n) has been training in a top secret location for more than two years. The only person she trusted with the location is me. Not even Xander, her cousin, knows. Why? Because you two are probably the most clumsiest, rowdiest people I've ever met. I know that was years ago, but she doesn't know that you've changed. Besides...I-I want some alone time with her."

"YES!" shouted Valt in glee at the top of his lungs. He thrusted his arms in the air. "The ship lives!"

The redness on my cheeks that had been slowly fading away turned bright scarlet again. "Be quiet! I work here as boss!"

"Yeah, yeah," Valt ignored me. "You're not denying that you still like her, hm?"

"I like her as a friend," I said, making sure to put emphasis. on the key word 'friend'. "I'm seeing her as a friend."

"Sure, sure. 'Friends'," he grinned, putting quotation marks on the word. I rolled my eyes. It was impossible to deal with Valt. "Tell your 'friend' that she needs to see me. Soon."

"I will, if you be quiet," I threatened. Valt nodded and made a zipping motion with his lips. I exhaled in relief. 

We're friends. Just friends. 

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Your POV 

Glancing in the mirror, I began judging my outfit. 

A long yellow trench coat with black accents hid majority of the red shirt, which was ripped on purpose across my upper chest. Black jeans were held up with a golden belt, and just ended before the red boots with golden accents. (h/c) hair was tied up in two twin buns, bangs falling into (e/c) eyes. 

(if you don't like it, be naked then)

 I let out a shaky exhale, and sat on a smooth piece of rock. My stomach has been churning ever since we arranged a meet-up. And no, it wasn't from digestive problems. It was a severe case of excitement and nerves mixed together.

It's been so long since I've interacted with another person face-to-face, especially Shu. What if the language changed? No, it's only been two years, not a billion... I wonder if he's changed. Would he still be caring and kind and intelligent? Or would the stress of the beyblade industry get to him, and transform him into a power-hungry alter-ego yet again? What if...what if he has a girlfriend?

With his looks, personality and wealth, he could get any girl he wanted. Shu's basically a perfect human being. Who wouldn't want to date him? Even guys fall at his feet. Would I be replaced with someone who's better then me? A richer, prettier, smarter model that didn't disappear for two years and live in a cave? Would I be replaced?

I shook my head. Stop using the word 'replaced', I scolded myself. It made it sound like we were still dating, and still in love with each other. Which we're not. Obviously. He's only my best friend. Our feelings have faded into nothing, right?

ring ring

My attention snapped to the vibrating device lying on the makeshift stone table. The Caller ID announced the caller was Valt. My heart sank a little. To be honest, I wasn't surprised or disappointed. I knew Valt would call me. Shu would eventually crack under the pressure of beybread and give Valt confidential information.

I wasn't disappointed that Valt was calling me. We haven't talked in ages, because I was so busy training, and I really missed him. He was my best friend, and I intend to keep our friendship like that. It's just that I kinda wish the person ringing me was Shu.

"Hello?" I grinned into the phone when I heard an excited squeal. "Valt! It's been so long!"

Then I heard a cough, and all signs of happiness disappear. "Be quiet, (y/n). I'm mad. At you."

Although he sounded like a cute toddler which I smiled at, my eyebrows furrowed in worry. "Why?"

"Because," he continued crossly. "You're meeting up with Shu and you didn't invite ME!"

I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted. "Don't apologize. We're on good terms. I know Sh(y/n) is real!"

My cheeks burnt bright red at that ship name. I haven't heard it in ages, and it made my heart do a flip. Why? "Valt! Next time we meet, I'm going to punch you even harder than Xander! Don't you forget I trained at the dojo too!"

"So, we're meeting up?" asked Valt excitedly, and I could almost picture his eyes sparkling. I smirked into the phone.

"Of course we are, dummy," I said teasingly. "Did you honestly think that I would never see you again for my whole life?"

"When are we meeting?" excitement was growing in his voice. "Where? Time? Date? Address? Dress-code? Formal? Informal? Is there gonna be food? Snacks or a meal? Do I need to bring anything? Wha-"

"Calm down, Valt!" I rolled my eyes playfully. "I need to get through meeting Shu first."

"Ahh, so you want to focus on Shu," Valt said smugly. My cheeks heated up even more. "Don't worry! I still ship it!"

"Va-"

Before I could scold him, he hung up. Embarrassment clouded my thoughts.  My fists clenched. That kid...when I see him again...he's dead meat.

Still, I'm glad Valt never lost his sociable edge. He's such an easy person to talk to, and a really good best friend. I wonder if he's changed at all? From what I've heard, he hasn't changed that much, but then again, it's only been a phone call...

I'm overthinking things, I mentally sighed and slapped my forehead. I stood up and walked over to the single bed tucked away in a corner. I just need to sleep.

Yeah...just sleep.

----------------------------

Shu's POV 

"I trust your flight was pleasant?"

"Definitely," I grinned at the chauffeur who started up the Ferrari. He looked around forty, with his brown hair greying, and spoke with a heavy English accent. "Best sleep I've ever gotten on a plane, and that's rare."

"Indeed, Mr. Kurenai."

"Please just call me 'Shu'," I said firmly as we started moving away from the plane area. It was too small and unfinished to be called an airport. "It's weird being treated like a boss when I'm only fifteen."

"But, Shu," he paused, getting used to the new name. "You are the boss of one of the biggest beyblading companies."

"Manager," I corrected David, my usual driver.

"Same thing," he rolled his eyes. "You still control and own the Raging Bulls. You're doing a better job than Glass ever did."

"Thanks," I smiled. I glanced out the window. Wind was picking up, moving faster than it had when I arrived. The strong breeze carried flecks of snow along the way, and icily biting any poor person going for a walk. Even from inside the car with the heater on full blast and covered in a trench-coat with fake-fur inner lining, I could feel the cold creeping up on me. "Antarctica's really cold, huh?"

"Yeah," David nodded before biting his lip as he hesitated to ask me something. He went ahead when I nodded. "Uh, not to pry or anything, but what business is so important that you go to the hardest continent to survive in? I-If you don't mind me asking, Mr. Kur-, I mean, S-Shu."

"Don't be scared to ask me a question," I smiled gently. "I don't bite. And that's a good question. If I were you, I would be curious as well. It's not for the Raging Bulls, but it's for beyblade and mainly my personal life. I'm meeting a friend who lives here."

"A friend?" David said incredulously. "I thought you would say research purposes, but who on earth lives here? That person must be crazy!"

"Yes, she can be crazy indeed," I grinned, memories of our life in Japan flooding back when we had played a little game of truth or dare. "But it's a good kind of crazy. You know?"

"Mhm," David creased his forehead. I knew he still didn't understand, but I let it rest. Looking outside the window, the nervous knot in my stomach grew tighter. I was excited, don't get me wrong, but I was just nervous more than I was excited.

What if she's changed? In a negative way? That kept on spinning my head. After all, (y/n)'s isolated herself for two years. She hasn't interacted or seen a human being face-to-face for ages. Isolation can do stuff to you. Make you hallucinate or have illusions. That's why astronauts are trained in isolation before going up into space by themselves. 

Isolation could lead (y/n) to health disorders. Interrupted sleeping cycle. Depression. Losing track of time. Fatigue. Call me over protective, but if you had a friend that lived by themselves for two years, you would be worried as well.

Maybe I should've brought a doctor with me, I thought. Well, it's too late for that. I just hope she's still safe and healthy. 

"Shu," the car suddenly stopped in the middle of a road. All around us was pure white snow and cold winds. No sign of any living creatures. Only a large rock formation was present. "We're at the coordinates you gave me, but I don't see anything here. Maybe this is the wrong-"

"No, no," I said in reassurance. "This is the right place. Stay here, David. Don't follow me. I'll only be gone for a couple of hours. See you until then."

Not waiting for him to say anything, I wrapped my trench coat tighter and hopped out of the car. Small specks of snow immediately went into my eyes, and I blinked them out hurriedly. The wind whipped my hair like crazy and tangled some snow in there. I was knee-deep in wet snow, and I could already feel it soaking my pants. 

The worst part was the cold. It was more bitter and icy then I could even imagine. Snow didn't even reach my skin, but it felt like it chilled me to the bone. A shiver ran up my spine and I grimaced. I need to get out of here quick. 

Clenching my fists, I slowly made it to the rock formation, each step becoming increasingly harder to take. Fighting the strong winds and icy snow, I finally arrived at the rock formation, panting like I had just run a marathon. 

I remembered what to do next clearly. Go around to the back of the rock formation. 

When I did just that, I was met with a small opening of a dark hole, just big enough to fit a human in. A piece of rope was attached to the opening. This is it.

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed onto the rope and descended into the darkness.

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wow! chapter one done!

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Word count: 2209