Ours was an emotional kind of love.

We had barely ever touched, albeit I seemed to spend more time with her than all the others put together, yet those moments seemed so short, so fractured, that I wondered if we were even meant to be at all.

But fate has a funny way of letting these things play out. Perhaps it all restarted after I went back to China to compete in the GBC, when we finally had time to talk to each other without me being dragged away to an airport in the middle of our conversation. But now that I think of it, our history extends farther back than that. I suppose that in the beginning, she was my best friend Lee’s kid sister, who chased us around, begging us to teach her to Beyblade. Admittedly, Lee and I never took her seriously until the elders decided she would learn with us, as one of the only girls ever selected for the activities.

Once she was in, she moved through the training at a rate that amazed even me, and Lee began to admit that he was related to the only girl in the classes. That’s really were the White Tigers team started, I suppose; just Lee, Mao and I, training together and eventually forming a friendship which would withstand the course of the years and probably never end. Kevin and Gary eventually became a part of our little gang too, but there was perhaps closeness between the original three of us that couldn’t be understood by them. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed each other’s company and learned to cope with each other’s good points and bad points.

When I left the village, I think Mao was upset, but came to realize I had to follow my own way, find my own strengths and weaknesses. Maybe that’s why she eventually forgave me. She understood why I needed to leave, and just hoped I would come back, when I felt ready to do so. Lee realized this too, but he never seemed as sincere towards me after that.

Maybe that was why I drew closer to her, and her to me. Lee’s new distance towards me, and her understanding of why I left...

It started with talking, about nothing that seemed out of character. Beyblading, new strategies for our next opponents. Whenever she detected a hint of nervousness in my voice, she used to tease me, saying she’d gladly take my place if I were too scared. But I knew, deep down, that she wanted to be able to Beyblade on the international stage like Lee and I, and prove her prowess as a blader. I think seeing Julia and Matilda from the European teams increased her desire to show she wasn’t just a team tag-along, that she had purpose for being there. But she never got the chance, and I think she felt guilty for not representing our village as a good blader.

When we returned home, things were different between us. I got back to my training, so that I could master the Heavenly Tiger Fist, she got back to constantly being pressured to find a husband, and learn to cook, clean and sew so that she would actually achieve said goal. I’d never thought of her as more than a friend before then; she was Mao, the little pink-haired figure that had endlessly pursued Lee and I, begging for Beyblade matches and for us to train her.

But, to use phrases that have probably become overly cliché, there will always be at least one defining moment in every person’s life, the exact instant they know what they have to do, and the realization is shocking. There were two in my life that will remain in my memory forever, and one more that is soon to occur. The first being when I left the clan, looking for stronger opponents and meeting four of the greatest friends I’d ever hope to have, and the other two? Well...

We were training, a regular chore for us. It was like any other normal day; we did our errands, and immediately went to practice. As she stood by the beystadium, beating off challenger after challenger, her strength amazed me. It was only when she turned around to look at me, as if she was saying, “See what I’m capable of? See my power?” that I realized she was no longer the four-year-old girl that tagged along, idolizing her big brother and his best friend, that Lee and I had felt needed protection from goodness knows what. She was a young woman, perfectly confident in her own abilities and capable of looking after herself.

It’s amazing how one moment can change the whole outcome of your life... but that was the exact moment that I became conscious of my love for her. As the days, weeks and months past by in a flash, the desperation I felt for her became desperate, painful, like someone drove a red-hot knife through my chest every time I had the opportunity to talk to her but didn’t. For all the training I’d done to increase the strength of my Beyblade, and all I’d done to enhance my physical and mental strength, emotionally I was a coward, afraid to face my own feelings.

I thought it over again and again, ready to face rejection, heck, I even asked Lee for advice, I was so desperate. He was a little shocked at first but understood my situation. I really have him to thank; he took over some of Mao’s chores so she could come and see me, and told her I wanted to meet her in the first place.

What can I say? It went from that night. I don’t know how long she’d felt for me, but she seemed so willing to be with me... I didn’t ask her then, and I still haven’t. Maybe it’s better that way, content with what we have here and now, not worrying about the future.

Two weeks after we began our relationship, the elders betrothed us, and we were married at the end of the following month. We didn’t mind the hurried preparations, or the people from the village that showed up to watch two of the best bladers in the village get married. For me, it seemed as if we were totally alone, even if people surrounded us, because this was the deepest desire my heart had ever felt; to love her, and show her this by dedicating myself to her for the rest of our days. We held each other’s hands throughout the ceremony, and, I’m ashamed to admit, that was the first time we’d help physical contact with each other for longer than a few seconds.

I suppose the next step in the relationship is obvious to you.

I’d never been interested in sex as a whole all that much. No one in the village talked about it, so of course, none of the younger people knew anything about it. I think everyone in our village believed babies came from the stork until they got married. About all I’d ever heard about it was Tyson bragging he’d had loads of experience, and Kai commenting, “Yeah, with yourself” and smirking like a psychopath.

But, when the time comes, as it does for almost everyone, you seem to know what to do, how to act. And when you find the one you love, you feel complete to be in such close range to them, that you feel you’re truly two parts of one whole, destined to be reconnected.

And with that, I leave you with the present situation, three years after our marriage.

~*~*~

I could see the beads of sweat forming on Lee’s forehead, and slowly trickling down his temple. He looked as nervous as I felt about this situation.

“Ray.”

“Hn?”

“If something happens to her...”

“Lee, nothing will go wrong,” I heard myself say, trying to ignore the metallic taste of blood where I had been biting into my lip.

“But, if, just if, something happens to her... you’ll keep the child, won’t you?”

I sighed and directed my gaze at him, “Brother, nothing’s going to happen to her. If something ever DID happened to her, you think I’d use it as an excuse to throw the child away? I could never do that...”

Lee nodded, and got back to his nervous pacing, with short periods where he stopped to stare at the watch on his wrist.

Our child...

The one being born at this very moment. Mao’s positive it’s a girl, and she’s sure it will accomplish her dream of representing our country in Beyblading. She never thought we were having a boy, and she had its whole life set out in front of it before it was even born.

Rin. It was always going to be Rin. She’d always wanted a daughter called Rin, and seeing that I’d never really considered fatherhood at all until she told me that she was pregnant I had no real preference. Plus, she was the one giving birth, not me, so I honestly think she deserved the right. Now it was playing out just like every other birth in our village probably did. The woman went into labour, the elders performed a short ceremony and then the woman was whisked away, leaving the husband and relatives to chew their nails down to the cuticles for a few hours.

The door next to where Lee was currently standing swung open; Master Tao entered the room, and placed her on my lap. Her. Rin.

Until that moment, I had never believed in love at first sight.

She had elements of both of us in her, that being the only thing I noted immediately about her. The second thing being that she was totally naked (can’t they give her some dignity?!) Pink-red hair was already dusted across her head; her hands were fisted with discontent. She opened her eyes the slightest bit and golden eyes stared blearily up at me. I doubt that I could have asked for anything more of anyone on the earth.

“Rei.”

I tore my eyes away from the baby in my lap to look at Lee. He looked so close to tears that I smiled, despite myself. “Rei... brother... congratulations.”

“Have you got a name for her, Rei?” Master Tao asked.

“Rin.” Master Tao smiled, apparently surprised that I answered so readily.

“Rin it is, then. You can go in and see Mao, if you want.”

I nodded, and studied my daughter for a while until I formulated the best way to pick her up. Eventually I rested her against my chest, and held her there with both my hands, terrified that I would drop her.

I went through the door, trying to ignore the slightly bloodstained sheets lying in the corner. But, perhaps watching Mao’s face light up as I entered the room with our daughter was the most rewarding thing I could have ever hoped for.

The smile was replaced with a smirk as I laid Rin down on her lap, her index finger gently caressing our daughter’s face.

“Are you satisfied with your daughter, Rei?”

I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upwards. “Of course.”

As I reached out to brush a droplet of sweat off her cheek, Rin gave a contented sigh and fell asleep on her mother’s lap.

“I doubt that I could want anything more in the world, Mao.”

~*~*~

(12 years later)

“Are you ready to go?”

“Yes, Daddy!”

“Rin, please keep still!” Mao pleaded, as she tried to braid Rin’s hair.

“I can’t! I’m too excited!” Rin squealed, bouncing up and down on Mao’s lap. “I’m going up against the best in the world!”

“I remember another girl who wanted to take on the best in the world... and now the honours are left to her daughter,” I murmured in Mao’s ear, and she smiled.

“I suppose that’s true.”

“Let’s go now!”

“It’s two hours until it starts, Rin.” I grinned; her enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming.

“Daddy! I want to get there early! I want to test Driger against the Japanese weaklings...”

Aah, sometimes she reminded me so much of myself it was frightening.

She grabbed Mao’s hand and dragged her towards the door. “Come on, mummy! I’m going to prove to all the boys that I’m stronger than they are!”

And of Mao, too.

I felt a hand slip into mine, and Mao’s fingers intertwined with mine.

“Coming, Rei?”

“I couldn’t miss this after all the bragging she’s done,” I smiled at the indignant look I earned from Rin.

I shut the hotel door behind me, and walked with Mao, my wife, and watched our daughter sprint down the hallway to the elevator. I knew I’d see my old friends at the tournament Rin was participating in today... would I have some things to fill them in on...

And as I felt the elevator jerk and start to travel downwards, felt Mao’s grip tighten on my hand, and watched Rin press her face up against the glass and look out on the city of Tokyo, I knew my life could be no better than it already was. Win or lose, I would be proud of my daughter. And still, I wondered what Takao, Kyoujyu and Max would have to tell me when I saw them...

END