TOURNAMENT

3 (Kai)

"I still can't believe I'm wearing makeup." 

"Hush. You'll ruin it."  His personal makeup artist, Luisa, brushed a layer of thick powder of Kai's cheeks and nose. 

"Whatever happened to natural charm?" 

"Unfortunately, that doesn't cut it anymore."

"Aw, come on, Luisa," he said slyly. "You know you can't resist me."

"I can, in fact," she said coldly. And then paused, looking him in his eyes, her normally taut face turning soft. "No offense."

Kai sighed, and glanced in the mirror set against the wall of his dressing room. He raked his gaze over his features, a little taken aback at what he saw. His normally rebellious brown hair that spiked in every which way was greasily tamed down with an ungodly amount of hair gel. His skin seemed paler, his cheeks rosier. 

I'm playing dress up, he decided. 

Twenty minutes later when he was finished,  Luisa left, and Kai set his face in his hands, immediately drawing back, so he wouldn't ruin the makeup. 

A month and a half ago, when he decided to be talk show host, he knew it wasn't exactly a good idea, but he needed an escape. He needed to get away. 

Still. He didn't completely run away.

Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out a small picture. It was faded and had a tear on one of the corners, but at that moment, it was his most prized possession. 

An image of him and his teammates: Cole, Asta, Lloyd.

And Orco.

He looked down wistfully at her picture. Her long, dark hair was tied into an unusually long braid that was slung over her shoulder. Even though the picture was faded and beat up, Kai swore he could still see that once familiar sparkle in her blue eyes. 

Kai shoved the picture back into his pocket and went to massage the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger. As soon as he touched his face, he felt the thick powder coated there, and knew instantly he'd messed it up. 

In a flash of anger, he sent a blast of air, right at his face, the powder flying away, his stiff hair sticking out. His tie went crooked and loose around his neck.

Panicked, Kai looked in the mirror. He was ruined. He had a show in ten minutes. 

"Now what?" he murmured. 

"You could interview me. I wouldn't mind seeing you like this. I mean--I've seen worse."

Kai twisted around, drawing his hands into his Master stance. "Who's in here?"

A figure dropped down from the ceiling. "Really, Pretty Boy? This is what you've been up to?"

Kai felt his cheeks heat. "You're not the one to call me Pretty Boy."

Lloyd's eyes flicked to the mirror for a second. It was true. Lloyd had a perfect tan, despite it being chilly, and his curly blonde hair made every girl who saw him flip out. Self concisely, Kai started to mess with his hair.

"You look great...really," Lloyd said, though there was a mocking smile on his face. "But you'd look better in uniform."

"If you're talking about my gi," Kai said, narrowing his eyes. "I tossed it."

"For a suit and tie?"

Kai felt his stomach go sour. So, he hadn't really tossed out his Master gi. But it had been tucked away, collecting dust for over a month. 

He tugged at his tie, which seemed to suddenly be strangling him. "What do you want? An interview?"

"Not exactly," Lloyd said. "I want you to come back."

"Did Wu put you up to this?" 

"No."

"Kai. This team can't stay separated forever."

"What team?" Kai asked bitterly.

Lloyd's concentrated expression didn't falter. "The team that used to do everything together. The team that can't end, not now."

"I don't think you get it," Kai said, sitting down in front of the mirror, messing with his hair again. "Without her, I don't think there is a team."

Lloyd came up behind him, putting his hand on the edge of desk, gripping the side. "I know what you're feeling. I miss her as much as you do. But can you really go on like this?"

Kai didn't answer.

"You don't want this kind of life. You're a free spirit."

"You don't get to tell me what I want to do--or what I am for that matter!" Kai snapped, standing up abruptly. 

Lloyd didn't move or even flinch. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

And with that, he left. Kai wasn't even sure how he got out, because he was too focused on the piece of paper Lloyd had left on his desk. He stood their looking at it for longer than he should have.

There was a knock on his door. 

"Sir?" Luisa's voice floated through the door. "Are you almost ready?"

"Not really!" Kai said as he pulled off his suit and tugged on an old tshirt.

"Excuse me!"

"Cancel the show! I can't make it!"

"Sir?!"

Without answering, Kai opened the window and jumped onto the roof, going at full speed. 

"I'm a free spirit!" Kai said loudly, though he wasn't saying it to anyone in particular. "Do you hear me? I'm a free spirit!"