𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐍' 𝐈𝐂𝐄 ; kai hiwatari

──four;

Aanya found herself in an unexpected situation as Tyson urgently needed to find a toilet in an unfamiliar basement-like place.

"WHERE'S THE TOILET!!!!???" Tyson yelled frantically, scanning the surroundings for any sign of a restroom.

Kai remained his composed self, casually leaning against the wall, seemingly unbothered by the commotion. Meanwhile, Kenny stepped up to provide Tyson with directions, and Max couldn't help but burst into laughter at Tyson's predicament.

Aanya, on the other hand, was doing her best to contain her frustration with Tyson's antics.

"I swear to god Tyson—" she began to say but was abruptly interrupted by Mr. Dickenson, who arrived on the scene.

"The plane we need to take won't be ready until tomorrow, so why don't we go and eat something in the meantime?" he suggested, causing Tyson to jump up and down in excitement, hugging Kenny, Max, and Aanya enthusiastically.

Amused by Tyson's genuine enthusiasm for food, Aanya couldn't help but smile. They all made their way to the hotel with two other men who had accompanied Mr. Dickenson. As they walked, Aanya took a few steps ahead but then turned back to see Kai.

Kai had been leaning against the wall earlier, but now he stood up straight and began walking towards her. Aanya continued walking, her thoughts wandering as they headed to the hotel.

Aanya was in a hotel in China with her teammates, and the excitement among them was palpable.

"WOAH—" Tyson's words were almost lost in his awe as he took in the impressive hotel. "This is so good!"

Max added to the enthusiasm, "What a view!" as he gazed out of the large glass windows. Kenny, on the other hand, settled into an armchair, looking quite comfortable.

As the group made their way to inspect their bedrooms, Tyson couldn't contain his excitement about the spacious beds. However, Kai abruptly halted him from entering one of the rooms, leaving Aanya puzzled by his behavior.

"What's the matter with this guy?" she wondered silently as she observed the scene.

Kai, his normally icy-cold demeanor in place, sternly reminded them of their purpose. "We didn't come here for fun."

Tyson, always the more carefree spirit, countered, "Come on, Kai! We're in China! Let's enjoy!"

Kai's frustration seemed to grow, but he held his composure, clenching his fists as Tyson jumped onto one of the beds with his shoes still on.

"We're going against the world, and yet you sure seem relaxed!" Kai snapped, his anger thinly veiled.

"We are strong enough to go against the world!" Tyson responded with a grin.

Aanya let out a sigh, realizing that the tension was building among the team members. She knew she needed to step in to ease the situation and help them focus on their mission.

"Please eat to your heart's content," Mr. Dickenson kindly suggested as they all sat down.

"Thank you for the food!" Tyson exclaimed enthusiastically, wasting no time in digging into his meal.

"IT IS SO DELICIOUS!!!!" Tyson continued, making his appreciation known after taking a bite.

"It really is!!!" Max chimed in, echoing Tyson's sentiment.

Aanya, however, ate quietly, her thoughts wandering as she gave brief responses to the trio's questions and comments. She was physically present but seemed preoccupied with something that was bothering her—particularly her strained interactions with Kai.

Then, Tyson's loud voice calling out for Ray snapped her back to the present. Ray had been quietly serving them, and Aanya hadn't even noticed his presence.

"The food here is just too delicious to focus on anything else!" Tyson beamed.

Ray smiled at Aanya and engaged her in conversation. "Hey Aanya," he greeted her with a friendly tone.

"Hey!" Aanya replied, returning the smile.

Ray, perceptive as ever, noticed her earlier distraction. "Are you perhaps worried about something? I mean, I saw you being spaced out a while ago," he inquired, tilting his head with concern.

Aanya hesitated for a moment before responding, "It's...just team dynamics and stuff. Nothing to worry about, really." She tried to reassure Ray, not wanting to burden him with her concerns.

Mr. Dickenson gathered the team to discuss the rules and the significance of the upcoming Asian Tournament, which served as a qualifier for the World Championship. He used dumplings as an analogy to explain how the team dynamics would work.

"It's a team battle?" Kai inquired, seeking clarification. "Even if I win and the other two lose, then it will count as if I lose too?"

Mr. Dickenson confirmed, "You could say that, yes. It's one for all and all for one. You'll fight as part of the BBA team."

Aanya couldn't help but notice Kai's lack of enthusiasm for the team concept. He remarked, "There's no way I am letting these idiots get in my way!" His comment stung, clearly offending Max, Ray, Tyson, and Kenny.

Before anyone else could react, Kai abruptly stood up and declared, "Wait Kai, there should be teamwork," Mr. Dickenson calmly interjected. "There's no 'I' in this team."

Kai's retort was just as abrupt and defiant: "Then there's no 'Kai' in this team either." He left the room, leaving his teammates and Mr. Dickenson behind in shock.

Tyson, incensed by Kai's behavior, yelled, "HEY, HOW DARE YOU!" but his words fell on deaf ears as Kai continued his departure.

Aanya couldn't stand by as the team leader abandoned them in such a manner. "It's my duty; I'll go," she declared as she left the room to chase after Kai.

She finally spotted Kai in the distance and began sprinting towards him. Running into the bustling crowd, she pushed through people who got in her way, determined to catch up with him.

"Kai!" she yelled, trying to get his attention, but he didn't turn or react.

"KAIIII!" Aanya's voice rang out again, but Kai remained unresponsive, his focus fixed on the path ahead.

Frustration built within her. "YOU JERK! STOP!" Aanya shouted, increasing her speed to match his strides, and eventually she was right in front of him. She stopped, panting heavily.

"Leave," Kai ordered without any emotion in his voice as he continued to walk.

"Leave? What does he mean by leave? Did I come this far just to leave? Jerk," Aanya thought to herself, her irritation growing.

"I SAID STOPPPPP!!!" she yelled again, this time grabbing Kai's arm to halt his progress. After a moment, she released his arm and walked beside him, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"You shouldn't be wandering here all alone. It's a big city," Aanya told him.

"I don't need a babysitter," Kai retorted, his tone edged with annoyance.

Rolling her eyes, Aanya decided to probe a bit further, "You badmouthed your teammates back there, didn't you?"