New Life : A Second Chance

Once he left the building, Kyle whipped out his phone and called Beatrice.

"Kyle?" Beatrice answered the phone in shock upon seeing his name on the caller ID.

Why was Kyle calling all the way from Country M?

"Beatrice, you're going to hear it soon but I want you to hear it from me," Kyle said as he walked out the gates of Sakura Academy.

Beatrice was silent, hearing the utter seriousness in his voice. Her heart, though, was pumping hard. What was this ominous feeling?

"I'm leaving Sakura Academy," Kyle said clearly, while he turned back and looked at the school one last time.

Kyle had managed to get all of the bugging devices from Principal Godric's room, so he didn't need to come back later that night after all. It had been an unexpected harvest, for the Principal had left him in the room for a while in order to settle the leaving procedure.

"You're WHAT?!" Beatrice shouted, hardly able to contain her shock. She was glad now that Betty had left earlier, and so no one could hear her screech.

"Yeah," Kyle said softly, "Don't tell anyone. Principal Godric will make the announcement when the time is right."

"Beatrice, you've been one of the best buds I have at Sakura Academy. Thank you for always watching my back and being a true friend. Especially for the 'Protect Kyle' movement," Kyle said.

"Wait. Why does it sound like we're never going to meet again? I mean, even if you're leaving school, you're not exactly leaving us, are you?" Beatrice asked, "No. Are you?!"

Kyle sighed, looking at the building in front of him.

"Yeah, I am," Kyle replied, "For a few years at least. I don't know when I'll be back. I'll certainly give you a call when I do."

Beatrice took a deep breath.

"You'd better, or else don't bother coming back!" Beatrice growled.

Kyle laughed, "Stay as you are, Beatrice. Take care."

Beatrice put down the phone, feeling sad.

Kyle was her first real friend here. Because of him, she had done things that she never thought possible.

Thinking back of how she had been before she met him, and now, she knew that all of her improvements and coming out of her shell had been due to his gentle prodding and guidance.

She wished she could have seen him one last time, though.

?.?.?.?

Kyle knocked on the door, and smiled widely when Sayuri opened it.

She was just staring at him, not believing that he was right outside her door again. She wasn't sick this time, and wasn't he supposed to be at Country M?

After a full minuted, Kyle finally asked, "Can I come in?"

Sayuri jumped at that and hit her own forehead, "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry. Yes, yes. Please come in."

"When did you get back?" Sayuri asked as he went passed her and entered the apartment.

"Oh, not too long ago," Kyle replied.

"And you came straight here?!" Sayuri gasped out.

Kyle laughed at that, "No."

"No, of course not," Sayuri said in relief. What was she thinking?!

"Why are you here?"

"What? I can't be here?" Kyle teased.

Sayuri rolled her eyes, "Of course you can, but you still need to tell me why."

"Two things, really," Kyle said as he sat down in the living room.

Sayuri walked over to the kitchen, asking, "Is hot chocolate okay? It's just the 3-1 packet though."

"Of course it's fine," Kyle said.

He waited until Sayuri came back with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. He took one mug with thanks, and had a sip or two before he began.

Putting down the mug, he clasped his hands together and said, "First, I want to apologize."

Sayuri frowned.

"Why?"

"Well ... because I am leaving Sakura Academy and I'm not coming back."

Sayuri almost splurted out the hot chocolate she had been drinking.

"So I apologize for the inconvenience," Kyle said.

Sayuri put down her mug and stared at him in shock.

"On the plus side!" Kyle said, putting his hands up in the air, "Congratulations!"

Sayuri's head was reeling and she rubbed her temples.

"Kyle, you're really giving me a headache here," Sayuri said with a sigh, "First, you drop a bombshell and now, you're going straight into saying nonsense. What's wrong with you?"

"Are you even going to ask why I'm congratulating you?" Kyle said with a grin.

"Do I really want to know?"

Kyle nodded, his eyes wide open in innocence.

Sayuri rolled her eyes again, picked up her mug of hot chocolate and said, "Fine. Why are you congratulating me then?"

"You have passed the final test and your name has been added into the Koga Clan scroll."

This time, Sayuri did splurt out her hot chocolate.