Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
After the intense battle between the blue-grey-haired boy and Tyson, the team's composition was finally announced. Today was the day they would meet their only female teammate, and Aanya couldn't help but feel a wave of nervousness wash over her.
Sitting on a stadium seat connected to a tunnel, she anxiously tapped her foot, trying to control her unease. Aanya was not the type to get anxious or shy easily, but something about meeting her new teammates had her unusually on edge. She reminded herself that they were all just teenagers like her and that there was no need for such nerves. The real issue wasn't being the only girl among five boys, but rather the unknown personalities of her new teammates. She knew Tyson but had no idea about the others, which added to her anxiety.
Her gaze shifted from her tapping foot to the tunnel entrance, and she took a deep breath. She looked back at the stadium, trying to steady herself. Self-reassurance was her mantra, repeated countless times in her head.
"Come on, Aanya, stop being so nervous!" she muttered to herself.
However, her internal pep talk did little to calm her racing heart. She knew she had to meet her new teammates sooner or later, so she might as well do it now.
And then, Mr. Dickenson called her over to join the team.
"Aanya!" Mr. Dickenson's voice echoed through the stadium. She looked in his direction and waved, pretending as if she hadn't noticed them before his shout.
"Calm down, idiot," she muttered to herself before springing to her feet and running toward them.
"Good morning, Mr. Dickenson!" Aanya greeted, trying to appear as composed as possible.
"Good morning! So, meet your other teammate, Aanya Shinzaki. I suppose you guys heard her name during that battle," Mr. Dickenson introduced her to the team.
"Hey there, this is Aanya Shinzaki. Nice to meet you all!" She greeted the team with a warm smile.
"Yas! Hello, Aanya! This is Tyson Granger! You remember, right?" Tyson spoke with a grin, and Aanya nodded, offering a handshake.
"I was there too! Max Tate, by the way!" Max exclaimed enthusiastically. "Hi!" Aanya responded, shaking hands with him.
"This is Kenny! The genius of the team!" Kenny introduced himself, and Aanya grinned, shaking hands with him too.
"Ray Kon. I saw your Bit-Beast that day, I swear I was shocked as hell!" the boy with tiger-like features chimed in. "I saw yours too! Driger, huh?" Aanya grinned back, shaking hands with him during the exchange.
"Kai Hiwatari," the blue-grey-haired boy said coldly. "Aanya Shinzaki," she replied, offering her hand for a handshake. They exchanged handshakes quickly before stepping back.
As their hands briefly touched, an odd familiarity sparked between Aanya and Kai. Both of them were left with a lingering feeling, as if they had met before.
"I remember her, I do..." Kai thought.
"I remember him, I do..." Aanya thought.
Mr. Dickenson then clarified the team dynamics. "She will be another BladeBreaker on your team, but I've also decided to appoint her as the manager of the team."
The announcement left the team slightly puzzled, except for Aanya, who had been informed earlier. "Manager?" they echoed.
Mr. Dickenson explained further, "Manager, as in she can play a managerial role. As the only girl on the team, she'll help manage team dynamics. I believe that appointing a teenager who can understand your problems will be beneficial."
Everyone nodded in agreement. "But, Aanya, child, don't take on too much of a burden. I don't want it to distract you from your Beyblading," he cautioned.
Aanya reassured him, "No, no... Sir, it's okay!" She was eager to take on this role and be a valuable part of the team.
Kai cut the conversation short with a simple word, "Practice," and exited the office, heading toward the tunnel.
The rest of the team engaged in a brief conversation for a few more minutes before Aanya excused herself. "I should leave; I need to pack for tomorrow."
"Okay! Bye! See you tomorrow!"
"Bye!" The team waved her off as she made her way out of the office and headed toward the tunnel.
Passing by the tunnel, Aanya spotted Kai leaning against the walls. She did her best to avoid eye contact and any interaction, planning to make a quiet exit. However, Kai's cold voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Aanya Shinzaki, hmm?" Kai inquired, his gaze fixed on her.
Aanya stuffed her hands into her pants pockets, turned slightly to face him, and nodded.
"What did you think of the match?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow.
Taking a deep breath, Aanya offered her honest opinion, "You should've... won."
Kai's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by her straightforward response. It wasn't the reaction he had anticipated.
With that, Aanya turned around and started walking away.
Kai watched her retreating figure for a moment before a smirk crossed his lips. "Manager, hmm..." he muttered to himself, intrigued by this new addition to the team.
Aanya's thoughts swirled as she reflected on her new team members. Everyone appeared friendly and welcoming, except for Kai Hiwatari, who exuded an aura of cold detachment that piqued her curiosity.
"I remember him. Why is he behaving so cold like that?" Aanya wondered, trying to piece together her memories of their previous encounter.
Despite Kai's icy demeanor, Aanya couldn't help but feel a sense of optimism. "All of them seem nice," she mused, "and maybe... Kai's too, but he just doesn't want to show it."
With a determined resolve to integrate herself into the team and get to know her new teammates better, Aanya felt a growing sense of anticipation and excitement for the adventures and challenges that lay ahead in the world of Beyblade.
