Kai, tala—
Beyblade
Apply standard disclaimer here.
SPOTLIGHT;
Ever wonder why girls don't look your way as they do Kai's, Tala? kai, tala, random one-shot.
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It is a typical scene. One that Tala is all too familiar with.
(He wonders if he should actually take the time, look to the side, and roll his eyes. But objects against it inwardly because it'll just express a non-existent jealousy.)
The Blitzkrieg Boys pass by. Horde of fangirls awaiting by the side. Autograph books shoved into Kai's direction. They all yell his name.
"Kai rocks!"
"Kai is the best Blitzkrieg Boy!"
"Kai is awesome!"
"Kai, Kai! Scream for Kai!"
"OMG, that's KAI! Marry me!"
"I think I just saw Kai, and I think I just died."
In short, in a nutshell, it is always Kai.
Even when it is the two of them – red and blue head – walking side by side, it is still the same old story.
The girls only see one person, and he is the entity of the Blitzkrieg Boys, the epitome of suaveness, the embodiment of all things bad-ass and kick-butt. In other words, Kai is alive, and the rest of the Blitzkrieg Boys, team captain inclusive, is nada, zilch, nothing.
Well, perhaps it is an exaggeration, but Tala honestly does not mind his (best) friend hogging all that limelight.
(Gives him all the peace and quiet he wants.)
So it's another typical day, with screaming fangirls – fainting ones, postcards revealing MARRY ME words, Kai's pictures all over, Kai's names in bold and capitalisations – and Tala arches an eyebrow, strides down the walkway with Kai by his side, and wonders what's new.
He is never jealous. (Pride for his friend, maybe. Happy that Kai gets all this weird crazy stalkers, and he doesn't...well, not as much. Saves him that much load of trouble.) But he can't help wondering sometimes if it is something he lacks, that Kai doesn't. He's team captain, and he blades pretty well, so when Tala compares them together – blue and red head – on days like this, he thinks it's probably just because he doesn't look as good as Kai. And maybe because girls fall for that arrogant, 'hn', whatever-I-give-a-damn persona instead of the dark, sadistic, sarcastic character that he is.
Tala wants to snort at that.
After all, he knows Kai's the looker. And to stand beside him and expect the same amount of attention's asking for too much. Red hair isn't as attractive as blue. They say Kai's eyes are like diamonds, and his...like stones, he finishes to himself. Kai has that awesome scarf that trails his back. He only has orange, blue, white colors to label him as the team captain of the bad-ass Russian team. Kai has cool blue paint like fins on his face. Tala...has the honor of two weird strands of hair down his eyes that he can never seem to gel up like the rest of his gravity-defying hair.
He sighs. Is there any wonder each time this happens, he has to be the one who shoves Kai out of the way, and make sure the girls don't swallow and consume him whole?
He's like his guardian angel; protector. Or something.
Gah.
"They're coming after you again." Tala warns. "Stand back."
Kai eyes his friend, then crosses his arms. "What makes you think it's me they're after?"
Tala shoots Kai an incredulous look. "Because you're their favorite, and I'm not? Do you think I'm stupid or something? Now stand back, they're coming." Like all guardian angels, he has already protectively shield Kai with his left arm, barricading him from the stampede of fangirls coming their way.
Kai sighs.
His friend is such a naive, ignorant, dense person who will take an eternity to figure out the obvious, even if it's right before his eyes.
"Tala," he starts quietly, but it is a firm tone, "ever wonder the reason they all swarm after me isn't because of me?"
"You're not making any sense, Kai."
"Maybe if you ever try to get rid of that sadistic look on your face like you're a predator about to make your catch, they'll learn not to use me as a bait to get close to you instead." Kai rolls his eyes.
It is so obvious.
Tala looks as Kai like he doesn't get it. "What are you talking about? C'mon Kai, stay back. You don't want to—"
"Tala," Kai states matter-of-factly. He performs an uncharacteristic gesture, placing his hand on Tala's shoulder. He looks his friend in the eye, who still looks like he doesn't get a thing, "they like you, too."
"Funny, Kai, I don't remember being the looker here—"
"Maybe if you just stop sneering all the time, they'll shout your name as much – or even more - than they do mine." Kai rolls his eyes. "You always look as if you're about to kill somebody."
"What?" Tala points at himself. "I don't."
Kai folds his arms, cracking open an eye. "Wanna bet?"
Tala sneers. "And if I win?"
"Ice cream." Kai's eyes acquire a glint. "Loser treats."
"A whole bowl of it." Tala finishes.
"Deal."
And Tala proceeds to look at the fangirls, which hordes start stepping back when they become aware of the red head's glance in their direction.
Kai suppresses his snort, and a "I told you so".
Three seconds – and Tala drops his frown, his narrowed eyes, his furrowed brows, and that utterly devious smirk/sneering lips of his.
For the sake of the bet, he actually manages to force the corner of his lips to tilt ever so slightly.
The response is instantaneous.
"OH MY GOD. He SMILED! Tala smiled at me!"
"No, he didn't, he smiled at ME!"
"TALA!! TALA, YOU ROCK!"
"TALA, MARRY ME!!"
"YOU'RE SO GOOD-LOOKING TALA!"
Some girls swoon, others crumble on their feet.
And when it happens, the red head doesn't get it.
He doesn't look as good as Kai does. He doesn't have that blue striking hair, those diamond-hard eyes, those attractive cool-looking paint on his face, no white grandiose scarf on the back, not even the ability to muster that Hiwatari pose that has won the media and the entire beyblading audience over – but, somehow, he's got the fangirls here screaming his name.
The spotlight is on him, and he doesn't even know why.
He's just a team captain, not even as good a beyblader as Kai is. (But he'll bet to wager if it's Tyson.) Orange, white and blue aren't everybody's favorite colors. Some even think they're an odd combination. He's snarky, he's sadistic, his hair is bizzare, he is always grumpy, and he thinks people are weird and insane. He is like a sociopath.
And they're screaming his name, when he doesn't even look half as good as Kai Hiwatari, right there by his side.
Tala looks as confused as a child who's just managed to solve his first Math question.
"You lose, Ivanov." Kai reminds his friend.
His only response is, "I don't...get it."
He really doesn't.
Kai sighs.
His friend is oblivious to the most obvious things, glaring right before his eyes. Perhaps this is the product of being shut out of the social world and the complexities of human expression and interaction since the abbey days. Even though Kai admits he still pretty much suck in it.
"Tala," Kai asserts firmly, and resists the urge to ball his fist into his friend's cheek, "You are a fan favorite."
Tala shoots Kai a long look. "...Which part? The part where I lost to Garland and got comatosed for two weeks? Or the part where Daichi kicked my ass? Or the one where some smart ass beybladers called me an ugly-looking red-head freak--"
"None of those." Kai says with a tone of finality, his eyes daring his best friend (in the whole world, in his life) to say otherwise.
"OH MY GOD, TALA, I LOVE YOU!"
"TALA, KAI! YOU ROCK!"
(And it's like they yell your name, when they sense that side of humanity, that mortal part – in you.)
"It's the same reason what I see in you as a friend." Kai says simply. "...Because you're Tala."
Tala doesn't believe it. He scrunches up his nose. "What? That's it?"
Kai sighs.
This time, it is unmistakable. This time, it is him who raises an arm to shield his friend from the fangirls about to break into hysterical fits and away from the security officers towards them. This time, it is him who will have to do the protecting.
"Yes, Tala. That's it. And don't think acting all confused is going to make me forget about you owing me that bet on the ice cream, Tal."
It's simple enough, don't you think?
Because you're you,
So don't you ever change.
Owari