It was minutes after embarassing Laura that Hillary stood out of the class room again. A long queue that never seemed to end stretched before her. Their chemistry teacher had wanted them to choose lab partners immediately and had decided upon writing roll numbers randomly on a seating arrangement planner. Students had to go in one by one, show proof of their roll number and sit down in the assigned place. A bit ridiculous, Hillary knew. But who was she to question a teacher's method? And the topic was just too silly to bother about anyway.

"Tachinbana, Hillary" the teacher called her in. She showed her her School ID card. She had been assigned a place at the very end of the class, beside a window. A coveted seat for most, yet not something she would prefer. And just to add insult to injury, it was beside none other than Kai Hiwatari himself. She could feel a handful of girls glaring at her back as she took her seat quietly beside him. She didn't bother with pleasantries as she took out her books, for she was very much sure that she wouldn't recieve any. 

So, she was definitely surprised, maybe even shocked, when it was Kai who first started the conversation. "It seems that someone had gotten up at the wrong side of their bed today. Nice comeback there." his lips twitch into a smirk. "Who are you and what have you done to Kai? Because you're definitely not behaving like the grumpy, anti-social, sourpuss captain I knew." Hillary said rather rudely, looking straight ahead. She did not want to be scolded by her teacher on the very first day of class.

Kai didn't look bothered by it at all. "Made quite a few enemies before starting school itself, I see." He murmured. "Firstly, it's just a bit of rivalry, I don't consider us to be enemies. Secondly, the number of rivals are bound to look more if the people you consider as friends just ditch you. Thirdly, I've made much more friends than enemies since school started, no thanks to you."she hissed back. If Kai felt the sting of her words, he didn't show it.

He just shrugged, answering her original question. "Well, I thought I'd build myself a reputation among the females too, since beyblade is such a male-dominated sport." "You're doing a wonderful job if being known as a playboy was part of your so-called 'reputation building'."

 "I didn't ask for your opinion." He said, still smirking. Why was he still smirking? I wasn't being funny for god's sake! "And I'm not giving you one, just merely stating a fact." She retorted sweetly. "Jeez, no need to bite. I was just trying to strike up a conversation." He said, his usual coldness back in his voice, looking completely disinterested now. 

"And why would you bother?" She asks, not really understanding his sudden mood swing. It was completely unlike Kai. "Because of that" he says, subtly indicating a bench  bit away from them. Laura kept glancing  at her as though contemplating murder, for god's knew how long. Hillary groaned into her hands as realisation dawned on her. "You really had to do that, didn't you?"

"Too good to pass up", he confirmed.

******

Max entered the journalism club room when the whole school was still abuzz with the news of Hillary roasting Laura yesterday and the appearance of the first election poster for the Bellona house prefect. The journalism club there was a very much hands-on process. The club published a weekly news booklet covering the achievements and awarenesses the students need across various fields. And it played a major role to represent the freedom of press in the school elections. 

A good number of seniors were already busy planning the booklet for next Monday. And at one of the desks sat Simon and Laura in a deep discussion. Simon was the chief editor of the news booklet and from what he had gathered, Laura was a trusted friend. He wouldn't really have a specific role until next month, so he just helped whoever asked for it, be it in the editing or content designing, so that he would have an idea of how things worked. 

It was when he was helping Rowen, a soft spoken Senior that he got to know that Simon personally handled the gossip section of the booklet and none of them would know what was written until the first copies were printed. Wonderful enemies to make Hil, he thought, ruefully smiling to himself.

******

Two days since the first election poster went up, the entire board is covered with them. Different code-names, different promises, yet so many had already figured out what they wanted to represent. Tyson stood alone in the corridor, frowning at them. He thought he still had time, but no longer. He had to make a poster soon, if he still wanted to take part in the election. 

It was one of those days when he made it to school early. He wished he could gloat about it to Hillary, but he knew she had an AP class today and was at school an hour earlier than him. The school bell rang at sharp nine o' clock, followed by the scraping of chairs as students filled out of the various AP classrooms. A good deal of them joined him to see if there were any additions to the poster board in the last hour alone. Few more idle on the corridor, catching up with friends. 

Even in a crowd, Tyson recognises her voice. Hillary seems deeply in discussion with the twin girls who are with her at all times these days. He feels a tinge of guilt for not knowing their names, and another tinge of jealousy for how much happier she looked with them. She was his best and longest friend and he had pushed her away. He wished to give her the best, knew she deserved the best and yet, it was due to him that she almost lost her life. It still pains him to think of that night. He couldn't help but feel awe at how quickly she got past the ordeal.

Tyson was so busy with his own thoughts that he barely noticed the twins bid farewell to her, even though they were of the same class. Why would they do that?

"Hey, you must be Hillary, right?" said a guy behind her. That was Albastor Jackson, two years their senior, a person very much famous in a school for the famous. A budding musician and songwriter, whose talented works, though few in number, were loved by many in the world. 

And yet Hillary didn't know him. Atleast not in person, though he was sure she knew his songs by heart. She hugged her books to her chest, replying "Hello, um, how can I help you?" she asks, trying to sound polite. If he feels surprised at this, he takes it in stride. "I just thought I should thank you personally..." He trails of and on noting Hillary's confusion, he adds, "I'm Albastor Jackson by the way. You kind of stood up for me that day, putting Laura in her place. Very few have the guts to do so, so..." He trails of again. 

Strangely, Hillary's cheeks flush red at the reminder. "I'm sorry I didn't recognise you sooner. I love your songs, especially 'Perfect'. It's just that you look so much.." she bites her lip, not able find a word fitting to describe him. He helps her there, grinning. "Plain and unassuming in this grey cloths, with no jewellery to adorn me?" Hillary just nods her head, a bit of a blush still blossoming on her cheeks.

"No need to thank me, though. Putting a pompous prat down is an act of social service anyway." Albastor laughs softly at this, sounding like one of those rich, sophisticated boys from movies. Tyson feels irritated with himself. Why was he complimenting him? 

"Pompous prat, huh? You have a wonderful way with words, Hillary." "Thank you." responds Hillary, hugging her books a bit more closely to her chest. The blush still doesn't fade. Tyson couldn't help but feel annoyed now. What did she see in him to blush so much? Alright, he was a good looking lad with his hazel eyes and brown hair, with random highlights of deep red. But he was still a budding singer while he was already a champion!

"My class must be starting now.." starts Hillary. "Of course, see you later then. And please, call me Al." He says, bidding her farewell. Tyson had this sudden urge to get in her line of sight and stick out his tongue at her, at both of them. No, he thought, Hillary would chalk it up as childish. So, he went back to his class without incident, trying to be a matured boy about the whole exchange. 

It was when he was on his way home, after a long day of classes, that he realised that she didn't offer him to call her Hil. Tyson didn't really know why, but it did bring a joyful skip in his steps.

******

The atmosphere at the dinner table was unassuming at best. Tyson had this dreamy expression on his face as he calmly gobbled up his food. Kai realised that that didn't make sense, you couldn't calmly gobble food, but that was how Tyson was truly eating. Grandpa Ryu kept a light conversation going about how school was with Tyson, occasionally including him in the discussion.

It was when Tyson was almost done with his dinner that Kai drew both of their attention by clearing his troat. "I bought myself a flat." He states, catching both of them off-guard. Grandpa is the first person to respond. "That's wonderful Kai!" Tyson nods vigorously in sync with him. "Really Kai, that's awesome! When did you buy it? Is it furnished? Can I come see it? Aw, imagine all the fun we four could have without an adult supervision..."

Grandpa Ryu smacks Tyson's head at that. Kai gathers a bit of his usual coldness in his voice. "I think you misunderstand me, Tyson. I bought the house and furnished it for myself. You must be out of your mind if you think I'll let you turn it into another messy bladebreakers club room. And by the way, I'm not letting you anyway near it."

Tyson looked put out from his words. "What do you mean 'not letting me'?" A smug smile overtakes Kai's features. "Exactly what it means, I'm not showing any of you guys where my flat is. The only people who will know of its address will be Mr Dickenson and Grandpa Ryu, if he wishes to know." Tyson splutters like a goldfish caught out of water. "But Kai.." he starts but Kai cuts him off, addressing grandpa Ryu. "I just want to thank you very very much for looking after me and letting me stay at your dojo the last few weeks, sir."

Grandpa Ryu seems to have been caught off guard too, either because of not expecting him to particularly thank him like he was doing, or maybe he was always wonderstruck  on being the recipient of such good manners after a long, long stay with Tyson's abysmal ones. "That's not really necessary Kai, but thank you. Just let me know the address sometime. When do you plan to shift, son?"

Kai doesn't let the discomfort he feels at the usage of the word show. Grandpa doesn't call him that usually, but sometimes, it does slip. "By the weekend sir." 

After dinner, Grandpa leaves the table to lock the various doors of the dojo for the night and Tyson continues with his  pestering. "Which floor it the house? Do you have a good view at the balcony? How are we supposed to contact you? Do you-" he fired the questions rapidly, without a pause. "I'll get myself a telephone when I've shifted." was the only answer Kai bothered to give him.

******

The weekend brought a peace within itself that was hardly found in the Granger residence. Kai eased back into his armchair, soaking in it. He had just moved into his flat officially. He was glad that he didn't have much belongings of his own at the dojo, and was able to pack all of it in just one suitcase. 

The air conditioner was working at full blast, reducing the temperature to around 10°C. Yeah, pretty much freezing, but that was the normal temperature of Moscow, and Kai loved the climate. To be honest, that was the only thing he truly missed of Russia.  

He had a few hours to spare, a luxury he never had in Russia. His visa expired in a month, and if he didn't find a solution soon, he might have to go back to Russia again. Kai sighed at the thought. There was no use in stalling, not when he was hard pressed on time anyway.

He stared blankly at the spreadsheet in front of him. It contained all the data he could gather about his mother on the internet. A sad situation indeed, when the only source of information a child has about his own mother is the internet. Even that wasn't much. Just the basic details. No address, no close relatives. An only daughter of parents who were only children themselves. 

Well, things were never going to be easy for him, were they? How was he supposed to gather proof that his mother was a Japanese citizen? That she lived in the very same city for fifteen years, had never given up on her citizenship, even after marriage, as she hadn't turned twenty-two before death and hence, was wasn't forced to choose her nationality? 

That even after all those complex citizenship policies to make sure a person had only one citizenship if he or she was japanese, his mother had died with a dual citizenship due to technicalities? That he still had the right to claim her decent and acquire a permanent residense in Japan until he turned twenty-two? Until he is forced to choose between his citizenships?

Mr Dickenson had asked him how he planned to aquire a permanent stay in Japan. How he planned to stay the entire school year and then some, here. The opportunity was staring at him right in the face. And by hook or crook, he wouldn't fail, for it was an opportunity too good to pass up.

******

Words: 2405

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A/N: Finally! Well, technically I'm free from now on for maybe a month or two. So, I'll try to keep up with roughly 'weekly' updates. So sorry for such a long gap. Hopefully, no one has given up on this story. Now, how was this chapter? What do you think of Laura? And Kai with her?