Disclaimer: I don’t own Beyblade or any of it’s characters.

“Whoa! Even the amusement park’s holding Beyblade tournaments! Don’t you think that’s cool?!” Max would push through the crowd, dragging me with him, just to watch some amateurs bash their beyblades head on. There was no structure to it at all. I don’t understand what could actually make it worth watching. The finals are coming up and I’m watching an amateur beyblade battle.

Isn’t that a little strange? Well, aside from the fact that I’m watching it with Max, that is.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you hungry or something?”

“Uhh…”

He almost hauled me to the ice cream parlor. I can never understand how he can get so…hyper….? Before I could react, I saw him running to the counter, ordering away.

In a few minutes, placed before me were two super deluxe banana splits heavily covered with chocolate sauce. Just thinking about eating one was making me full.

Now, I didn’t have plans just sitting down and eating…. besides it’s not like Max is actually enjoying my company. I hesitantly took a bite, still thinking of an excuse to get out of this mess.

“Umm…Kai, don’t you think beyblading is fun?” Suddenly, Max’s voice found a way to distract me.

“Fun?”

No, Beyblading isn’t supposed to be fun, it’s all based on rough competition; it’s not just a game! If that’s what Max, or worse, the whole Bladebreakers team thinks, then, we’d be having a hard time winning the finals!

“Look, this isn’t a game. Defeating the enemy is what matters.”

“But—I’m sick of this, people getting break other people’s beyblades…all we do is fight!”

“Idiot, that’s the idea. FIGHT.”

Max looked at me with those disbelieving eyes.

“What are…you talking about?! It’s that all that matters to you?!”

I suppose he found out that hanging out with me wasn’t going to help the team, he dashed right out the door, and not even waiting for whatever I was about to say.

Yeah, he couldn’t take it. What a moron.

I felt sorry for him though. Children are so sensitive.

“Max, wait up!”

I pushed through the sea of people and spotted him sitting down in one of the benches nearby. Ugh. He was so annoying!

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Don’t run off like that, g*****mit!”

I just had to do that, he was getting on my nerves. I was expecting some sort of answer but all he did was tremble and then, tears welled up in his eyes. Yes, he’s going to cry. And he did!

“I-I’m sorry! It’s just that—“

Hn. Could be the pressure…

“Idiot, what you’re going through is pressure. Ever heard that word?”

Max just looked up to me.

I sighed to let out the left frustration, sat down beside him and took off my scarf, and handed it to him.

“Here. Just wash it after you’re done with it, I need it tomorrow. And *don’t* blow your nose on it.”

“Uh, okay.” He carefully wiped his tears and folded the cloth neatly. “I’m really sorry, Kai. It’s just that the tournament’s starting to get to me, that’s all.”

“Is it just the tournament?”

I was pretty sure that it wasn’t the only thing bothering him. Having to fight the very team that your mom coached, he had the worst luck a guy could have. And to make it worse his mother’s been ignoring him like a bitch.

“So, aren’t you going to finish your banana split?”

His eyes lit up and nodded.

He went before me and I felt myself stop, realizing that Max wasn’t as annoying as he first seemed to me. Maybe because I used to be like him, always striving to make my grandfather satisfied, like how he strives to get his mom’s attention. Now, I’m finding the bitbeasts’ true ability to shut him up and get him off my back.

“Kai.”

Max looked back at me with a worrying look.

“Ngh. It’s nothing.”