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Kai was reading, pointedly ignoring whatever was going on outside with his teammates. Hilary and Tyson were having another screaming match, and he couldn’t care less. Although, he did wonder what Max was up to. The youngest had yet to show up today, and Kai was worried about him. It wasn’t like Max to suddenly miss practice and then never call. As if the universe heard him, the puppy-like blond rushed into the room.
“Kai! Look, at all this mail you got!” Max bounced over to him with a pile of letters in his hand.
Oh, yeah, Kai thought absentmindedly. He had forgotten that he had set Max’s house as his home address in Japan. He didn’t what Tyson or Daichi or Tala looking thorough his mail, so he trusted Max with it. That’s probably why he was late.
“You got so much fan mail. And I forgot to keep checking the mailbox, so there was a pile on my porch this morning. Do you want to read them?” Max pushed into his personal, but Kai didn’t mind.
And honestly, Kai didn’t want to read them either. He didn’t care about how he inspired another beyblader like Wyatt. Nor did he care about his newest secret admirer. So he shrugged and turned back to his book.
“I don’t care to read them.”
“Aww,” Max pouted. “But this is so cool! Imagine getting all these fan letters and not reading them. Could not relate.”
“Why don’t you read them and pretend that their addressed to you?”
“That’s no fun.”
Cute, Kai thinks as he peers at the younger male. Everything about Max Tate was cute and Kai was pretty sure he was going to die from the cuteness. From his freckles, to his dyed blond hair, his huge blue shirt, and his blue eyes. Max Tate will be the death of Kai Hiwatari.
Max gasped as he read a pink letter. “Kai! Kai! Kai, look!” His puppy behavior involved tapping Kai’s side repeatedly until the Russian looked up at him. “Someone wrote you a love letter.” Max had whispered it against Kai’s cheek as he pressed the letter to him. “Read it.”
Kai barely gone done reading half of the letter before he shoved away. It was sickening. The fact that someone felt that way about him—not the person he wanted—and had expressed it so easily was.... disgusting. The words they used were also repulsive. They didn’t know Kai, why would they feel this way about him?
“Are you going to write her back?”
“No. That’d give her false hope, and then I’d be the bad guy for breaking her heart.”
Max pouts again, “Well, I’d write her back. At least then she’ll know that you think of her.”
“Then why don’t you?” Kai was officially done with this conversation. His teeth hurt from thinking of that letter.
“I’m not you.” Max said with such firmness that Kai felt insulted. “Here’s another one except it’s from a guy. Want to read it?”
“No, Max. I don’t want to read any of those letters. Or write back.”
Max slumps against Kai dramatically, “Fine, I’ll just read them.” He sat up again and started organizing all the mail. “Letter for Kai, letter for Kai, letter for Kai...... one from my mom....one from the White Tigers, letter for Kai....”
Kai went back to reading his book. And for a while there was silence as Max tore open the letters and read them. It was finally peaceful in the dojo. Tyson and Hilary had eventually stopped arguing, and now the sounds of beyblading floated through the area. It was a nice day. Kai could finally relax. Or so he thought.
“You know, it’d be nice to write back to these people. But I don’t want to lie to them,” Max said as he started making paper airplanes. Kai rolled his eyes. “I know there’s no point, but if I ever got one of these letters, I’d probably write them back.”
Kai glanced at him, “Are you trying to guilt trip me?”
“No.” Max started to send the airplanes toward the couch. After five minutes, almost all of them were gone and the pink one had won the race. “Looks like Ariel used really lightweight paper.”
Kai noticed one more letter laying on top of Ray’s mail. “You forgot to read one.” He moved to open it but Max snatched it out of his hand.
“No! Not that one!” Max pulled it close to his chest and Kai cocked an eyebrow. “I already read it on the way here.”
“You’re lying. The seal isn’t even broken.”
“Why do you want to read this one but not any of the others?” Max asked a question.
Kai asked one of his own, “Why are you hiding that one letter from me?”
Max shook his head as Kai reached for it again. “I don’t want you reading it.”
“Do you know who wrote it?”
“No,” Max lied and Kai sighed, defeated. “Anyways, I’m going to throw these off the roof.” The dual haired teen watched as his friend placed that letter into his back pocket, picked up the other ones, and left the room. Kai felt bad, but he was mostly curious.
I’m going to read that letter, Kai thought as he went back to finishing his book.
Kai got his chance around bed time. Max had gone to shower and Kai was the only one in the room. Out fo the corner of his eye, he saw Max place the letter under his pillow before rushing out of the room. Kai had fifteen minutes, tops, to read the letter before Max came back. Although he had a feeling of guilt settling in his stomach, Kai’s curiosity won out. Gently, he unsealed the envelope and begun to read it.
“Dear Kai,
I don’t really know how to say this, but I think I’m in love with you. We’ve known each other for two years now, and I still get excited to see you everyday. I don’t just love you based on your looks or because of your confidence (which is sometimes cocky) but I love you for you. I love how snarky you can be. I love your softness towards animals. I love the way you try to become a better friend. I love how patient you are with us. I love how you’re so afraid and ready for change. I love your determination to be great. I love your ability to always say the right thing at the right time.
I see you for who you are. I’ve seen your weakness. I’ve seen your anger. I know that you’re not just a jerk who put up a cold facade. I know that isn’t the real you. Kai, you are warm. You are compassionate, thoughtful, kind, and so very, very warm. Most people don’t know you like I do, and I know that scares you. I know that you’ve shown me a part of yourself that you won’t even show to our other teammates. And I will keep that safe. I love all parts of you, the cold and the warm. I love you.
There’s a chance that you’ll never see this letter. And it’s probably because I’ll never send it. But I wanted to at least write this down, get this off my chest, you know? And I know there’s a chance that even though you’ll read it, that you probably won’t like me back. But I’d still want you to know how I feel.
I fell in love with you so quickly that it hurst. And I want you to know how I feel. But at what cost? I don’t want to lose our friendship because it’s so important to me. I don’t only admire you, I adore you. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. And I’d rather suffer in silence over you than lose you. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for me. Never forget that you are loved by me.
With love from your (favorite) teammate,
Max Tate <3”
Kai dropped the letter as he finished reading it. The letter was from Max. Max loves him. Max was going to kill Kai if he ever saw this. Wiping the tears from his eyes, Kai resealed the letter and placed it back in his hiding spot. Max was probably done showering and was brushing his teeth now. Unlike his reaction to Ariel’s letter from this morning, Kai felt happy.
Max loves him. There was no point in hiding or waiting for the right moment anymore. He had to yell him. But right now, Kai needed to talk to someone else. Only Tala could get his stammering heart to calm down. Rushing out of the dojo, Kai sent a text to Tala to meet him at the local park in ten minutes. He was practically floating on air.
Spotting his redhead friend on a bench by the entrance, Kai quickened his pace until he was able to sit down. His nerves were still on fire, and his hands were shaking from anxiety. Tala noticed his behavior, and decided to give him a few minutes to calm down. After a while, Kai finally spoke, albeit his voice was a bit shaky.
“He loves me back.”
“Oh? So you told him?” Tala perked up. He’s known about Kai’s crush on Max since the Russian round in the last tournament.
“No. He wrote me a letter about a year ago. I read it today. He tried to hide it from me, but I read it.”
“That’s good.” Tala bumped their shoulders together. “So, what’re you going to do, now?”
“I’ll tell him. Tomorrow, the first thing I’ll do is tell him how I feel.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. But my future is looking pretty bright.” And for the first time in a while, Tala saw Kai smile.
Kai’s smile only grew bigger as he made his way back into the dojo. The others hadn’t fallen asleep yet, and thankfully none of them questioned his short disappearance. Max handed him an envelope and a blank piece of paper before the two of them laid down.
“What’s this for?”
“Just in case you want to change your mind about never responding. You might find a sense of freedom without.”
Kai smiles as he turns to face Max on his side. “I don’t need it.” He places the envelope and paper onto the floor.
“But—.”
Kai’s mischievous voice interrupted him, “Go to sleep, Max. I have a feeling that tomorrow will be a better day for responding to letters.”
Max was confused for a moment but decided against questioning him. “Okay. Good night, Kai.”
“Night, Max.”
Tomorrow was a good day for Max. Because for some reason, Kai loved him back. The two teens were happy. Their future looked bright. And Kai never got another love letter again.