𝓕𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ~ Hikaru Hizashi x oc ~ Beyblade Burst

Chapter 12

Suisei's Pov:

The sky was a soft, gentle blue as Suisei walked through the park, her steps light but her mind heavy with thoughts. The scent of early blossoms filled the air, and she breathed it in, hoping it might help her relax after a long practice. For a moment, she stopped near a bench by the lake, letting the silence wash over her. The scene stirred something within her, bringing up memories she thought she'd let go of long ago.

As she leaned against the bench, she felt a subtle shift, a presence nearby. Looking up, her eyes widened. Standing a few feet away was Kazuma, looking as composed as ever. He had dark rumpled hair and hazel eyes. He was dressed in a casual outfit, his posture relaxed, but there was an unmistakable tension in his gaze, as if he were waiting for something from her. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Suisei," he began, a hesitant smile on his face. "It's been a long time."

Suisei blinked, unsure how to respond. She felt the faintest tug of nostalgia—memories of their shared training sessions, laughter, dreams, and that naïve trust she'd once placed in him. But those memories were tainted, and beneath them, the sting of his betrayal lingered. She wasn't the same girl who'd once believed he'd be there for her.

"Kazuma," she replied, keeping her voice steady. "Yes, it has."

He took a step closer, looking at her with an almost softened expression. "I was hoping I'd see you. I've been...thinking a lot, trying to make sense of my past mistakes." He hesitated, and for the first time, she saw something vulnerable in his eyes. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I wanted to at least apologize."

Suisei crossed her arms, carefully watching him. "Why now?"

Kazuma let out a slow breath, his gaze momentarily dropping. "Maybe I needed time to grow up. I didn't realize the damage I'd done, to you, and to myself." He looked back up, his voice a whisper. "I know I ruined what we had."

She wanted to believe him, to see him as he once was—a person she'd trusted, maybe even admired. But she couldn't shake off the shadows of the past so easily. Memories of his ambition overshadowing everything else, his manipulation and cold indifference as he pursued his own goals. Yet here he was, appearing almost remorseful, as if the badness had left him.

"So, you're here to apologize?" she asked, her voice measured.

"Not just to apologize," he replied, a hint of hope in his voice. "To see if there's any chance we could...start over. As friends." He paused, a flicker of something darker in his eyes. "I know things have changed. I've heard about you and...Hikaru."

Suisei's brow furrowed slightly. "Yes, things have changed."

Kazuma's expression tightened, but he quickly masked it with a faint smile. "I'm happy for you. Really," he said, though something in his tone was strained. "I just hope you remember that we have our own history, too. I wouldn't want anything to come between...old friends."

The phrase lingered in the air, heavy and unsettling. Suisei felt a prickling sensation, a familiar warning she'd learned to trust. Kazuma's words were coated in politeness, but there was a subtle implication beneath them, a reminder of the closeness they once shared, and perhaps a challenge to her loyalty to Hikaru.

"Old friends," she repeated carefully, studying his face. "Yes, I remember that."

Kazuma tilted his head, giving her a thoughtful look. "Look, I'm not asking for much. Just a chance to reconnect, to show you that I've changed. If we could start over, it would mean a lot."

There was a part of her, a small part, that was tempted to believe him. But she couldn't ignore the way his eyes had flickered with that hint of something—something that reminded her of why she had distanced herself in the first place.