"Kai-kun?"

"Yes, Aichi?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while now and…"

"Hm? Thinking about what?"

"Kai…do you… like Misaki?"

The cardfighting haven known as Aichi's room fell silent as the grave. For the past few hours Kai and Aichi had been working together to build the perfect legion deck based around Seeker, Thing Saver Dragon. And for those hours, the only expression shown on Kai's face was pure stoicism. But now, as Aichi's innocent-enough question graced the Kagero King's ears, his face sharply contorted into an expression that Aichi had never before seen: pure, unadulterated panic.

From the safety of their card sleeves, Blaster Blade and Dragonic Overlord pulled out the popcorn and cracked open a cold one.

"W-W-What?" Kai clutched his chest in a frenzy. "Aichi? What kind of question is….has Miwa been showing you his fanfics again? Oh lord, has he been fanfics again? I'll kill 'em!"

"Bwhu? No-no-no, It's just that… well…" Aichi breathed in and ruffled his stylish ahoge. "It's just that lately you've been acting… strange around her."

"Nonsense."

"You've stared at her for minutes at a time."

"I'm thinking."

"you beat up Miwa when he talks to her."

"Aichi, it's Miwa. He convinced Leon to streak in front of Ultra rare. He deserves every punch."

"you also beat up Morikawa."

"He was trying to get her into Yuri."

"and Shin…"

"er…"

"And me."

"What? When?"

"Last week! I was trying to ask her what this 'Nubatama' clan was, and you decked me out of nowhere!"

" I-I did? Well, uh… i.. probably hadn't had my coffee yet then so…" Kai tugged at collar with increasing intensity.

"and last but not least, you've been snapping pictures of her for the past week!"

"That-well that's – er…. I'm doing….research! yeah! I'm studying her strategy for the shop tournament!"

"Kai, she hasn't been playing Cardfight this past week. At all. She's just been stocking, working the register, and wondering why you're punching every guy who comes up to her."

It was at this moment that Toshiki Kai swore that he heard someone pull two critical triggers in a row. He stumbled, and unconsciously tried his hardest not to look the blue cinna-bun in the face. it was too pure.

"Kai…."

"No! Y-You have it all wrong! Misaki is- is just a friend! A friend! I-i-it's not like I like her or anything!"

Silence reigned once again in the room. Only this time, it was Aichi who was stunned into silence.

"K-Kai-kun…. Dear lord…. It's worse than I thought! You…You're a Tsundere!"

"What?" Kai stumbled back as though someone had pushed him, and again swore that he heard critical triggers singing in the distance.

"Tsundere? Me? N-No! Never!"

"But you said the thing!"

"What thing?"

"the Tsundere thing! The whole, 'it's no like I like you' thing!"

"I- well- that is….that was….I…"

It was at this moment that Aichi's mom knocked on the door, startling both boys and inadvertently causing Kai to squeak under his breath like a high mouse.

"Aichi? Misaki is here."

"Misaki?"

"Yes. She said something about Pumpkins and…" Aichi's mother never got out another word. Kai, triggered by the mention of his totally- not- at all love interest, screamed like a little girl and leaped out of Aichi's window. the sound of yowling cats, screeching tires, and explosions soon followed.

"What was that all about?"

"Kai- kun is a tsundere."

"Oh, so that's why he threw Mr. Mark in the dumpster."

"…He did what?"