Madoka Amano hated being a third wheel. But Hikaru Hasama was her best friend and she knew about how Ryuga, Hikaru's now-boyfriend, used to scare the crap out of her, so Madoka should have seen it coming when Hikaru came into the B-Pit one day and said, "Can you come on a double date with me and Ryuga?"

Madoka was speechless. "Why me? Surely you can ask someone else to accompany you—"

"Like who, Madoka?" The bluenette's violet eyes were sparkling. Not with tears, but with hopefulness, but the sparkle was diminishing. "Come on, please. It's my first date with Ryuga and I want to see how he is around people."

"What do you mean?" asked the brunette, fiddling with the goggles on her head.

"Look, if Ryuga had his way, the date would have been watching him train with L Drago and see how 'superior and awesome and amazingly hot he is'." Hikaru made air quotes as she tried to mimic Ryuga's bass tone.

Madoka laughed, but then thought about it. If it was a double date, that meant she had to ask someone, which was the perfect opportunity to ask a certain redheaded Blader, who was coming to pick up Pegasus right now. It wouldn't be so bad after all. Suddenly, Madoka was pumped with excitement bubbling up inside her. "Okay. Why not?"

"Thank you so—" Hikaru then paused and crossed her arms. She raised an eyebrow coyly. "Why do you sound a bit too excited about this?"

"No reason."

"Uh-huh," Hikaru nodded her head, but her tone held disbelief. "Something tells me that there is a reason. Perhaps one with an adorable face and a passionate love for hamburgers—"

"Alright! Maybe," Madoka replied, but a thick blush painted her cheeks. "Besides, since when did you fall for Ryuga?"

Hikaru paused and shrugged. "Maybe it was the aura of power he radiates or the determination in his eyes or how cute he looks in his headdress—"

"It's more of a tiara really."

"Don't tell him that." Hikaru shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. "Anyway, maybe I fell in love with danger. I dunno. But still after that battle with Nemesis, I want to see if he can act polite around people. Not nice, I can't force that on him, but still."

"I get it. Besides, that's what best friends are for."

Hikaru smiled. "Again, thanks, Madoka." She stared out the window. "Oh, well. I do believe the knight in shining armor has arrived." Her smile suddenly drooped and she grumbled, "And his entourage."

"We prefer 'teammates'!" King's confident voice rang throughout the room as he strutted in.

"Don't you mean the Number One Blader in the world?" Masamune corrected, also flourishing his hand ridiculously.

"Nah, I meant 'posse' or better yet, 'sidekicks'." Hikaru rolled her eyes, gave a pointed look at Madoka and nodded towards the redhead, who was bounding down the stairs faster than Masamune and him on a National Free Burger Day at the hamburger joint.

"Hey, Madoka! Is Pegasus ready?" Gingka jumped up and down with happiness as Madoka b=handed over the blue Bey to him. "Thank you! Wow, great job as usual." He watched the light gleam off the shiny surface.

"Gingka, could I ask you something?" Madoka asked. She looked around for a moment at the two boys who had cam in with him. "Alone?"

Gingka stopped jumping and looked at her curiously. "Sure."

Madoka stood there for what seemed like hours and Hikaru glared at King and Masamune, who both shrugged innocently. Hikaru proceeded to drag them out of the B-Pit, leaving Madoka and Gingka alone.

"So, what is it, Madoka?" the redhead asked, his big golden brown eyes gazing into her aqua blue ones.

"Well, I was just thinking… Hikaru wanted me to accompany her on a double date with her… So I was wondering if you would, um, go with me…?" Madoka stuttered out the whole speech and her voice was barely audible towards the end.

Gingka blinked. "Okay, sure."

Madoka looked up hopefully. "Really? You would go with me?"

"Of course. What are friends for?"

Madoka's heart descended in her chest. Did he really think they were going as just friends? Madoka wanted to scream, but instead smiled. Maybe he would get the idea tonight.

That night, Ryuga, Hikaru and Madoka met up at the swanky new restaurant/bar/cafe, McSteam and shared a table for four. It was apparently casual since Ryuga had kept on his usual attire, but the girls decided to wear slightly fancy dresses. Hikaru smoothed down the ice blue number she was wearing that matched her hair. Madoka was looking good as a vision in pink, but there was a slight frown on her face. Gingka hadn't shown up yet.

"So," Ryuga started awkwardly. "Mind telling us who your date is?"

"He'll be here, no worries," Madoka gave a tight smile.

Ryuga checked his watch impatiently. What stupid fool did Madoka ask out anyway? he thought. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw his worst enemy enter the joint at top speed. "Oh no," he muttered under his breath.

"Sorry I'm late, you guys!" Gingka solemnly apologized, bowing his head multiple times until Madoka pushed him down into his seat. "Hi, Hikaru!" His face and tone then darkened. "Ryuga."

They both greeted each other with grudging respect and Hikaru and Madoka felt a bit worrisome now that the rivals were facing each other. But Gingka's dark mood brightened as he snatched the menu. "Cool! Are there burgers here?"

Hikaru and Madoka both sweatdropped. Could Gingka only think about burgers?

"I don't think so," Ryuga replied. "Though they do have good steak."

"Eh, I'll take that then. But I bet Madoka's cooking is way better." He flashed a grin at Madoka, who blushed.

"So why are you here, Gingka?" Ryuga asked, frowning as usual.

"Madoka asked me to come."

"So you did."

"'Course I did. We're friends, right, Madoka?" The redhead looked at the brunette and suddenly, Madoka couldn't take anymore. She threw her hands up and groaned loudly in frustration. "You're the biggest idiot on the planet, Gingka Hagane!" she exclaimed before stomping away from the table, trying to hide the glistening tears in her eyes.

Gingka blinked in confusion and then asked innocently, "What's up with her?"

While Ryuga snickered, obviously enjoying this as entertainment, Hikaru's mouth was pursed in a tight line. "Why don't you go see for yourself?" she snapped coldly.

Shocked by her coolness, he rose from the table and walked after Madoka.

Hikaru sighed and put her face in her hands, grumbling and muttering to herself. Ryuga stopped laughing and looked at her. "What's wrong, Hikaru?"

Hikaru raised her head. "This is my fault. I invited them to see if you would be nice or at least polite, but now Gingka being an idiot as Madoka said, it's now this huge mess and it's all my fault…" She trailed off, not wanting to look into the Dragon Emperor's surely angry eyes. But she was surprised when Ryuga slowly turned her head to face him and saw that his lovely golden eyes were not angry but peaceful. A small smile was playing on his lips.

"Seriously? This isn't your fault, Karu." Hikaru smirked at the nickname, but he ignored. "If anything, I'm having a good time. But you should know, people need to gain the respect of the Dragon Emperor before he can act, as you say, nice." He said the word as if it were a curse.

The bluenette once again smirked at the third person reference, but laughed at last. "Okay, I guess. But what are we going to do now?"

Ryuga looked like he was pondering the sentence for a moment and then smiled mischievously as he leaned in. Hikaru blushed as he kissed her, but all her worries melted away and pleasure shivered down her skin as his mouth dominated hers. Ryuga was definitely not that cold hearted Blader anymore and that made her love him more.

Gingka waited patiently outside the women's bathroom while Madoka sat inside. Finally, she came out, her eyes bloodshot and sniffling and Gingka immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

Madoka glared at him. "Nothing," she spat and brushed past him. Gingka followed her.

"It can't be nothing, Madoka. Please tell me."

"Didn't I already tell you that you're an idiot?"

"Yes."

"Well, why do you think I called you that?"

"I dunno."

An anime annoyed mark blazed red on her temple. "Ugh! You know what, never mind."

"Please, Madoka, I'm sorry," he apologized. She tried to walk past him again, but this time he cornered her by the salad bar. "Tell me why you're hurt."

Madoka took a deep breath. "Gingka, do you honestly think I invited you here because you're my friend?"

"Well, uh…" Now that he thought about it, Madoka had asked him out. Did that mean she liked him? "Oh my God," he said out loud, clapping a hand to his Pegasus headbanded forehead. "I'm so dumb."

"Oh, really? You just—" But Madoka was cut off by a soft pair of lips pressing against her own. Madoka was so surprised that she merely murmured sounds when Gingka broke away.

"I'm so sorry, Madoka. I should have realized. I love you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Damn, I love you more than… hamburgers!"

Madoka giggled. "I love you too." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him again and he tasted like the chocolate chip cookies she had baked him a few days ago. Their kiss became deeper and deeper and Gingka began to press her against the salad bar, the chemistry crackling between them like electrocution.

"Hey, lovebirds! Get a room!" Ryuga called out from behind the booth, where he and Hikaru were busy making out passionately as well. Nobody seemed to notice that his shirt was off… Well, save the passed out women on the floor.

Before Gingka turned back to kiss Madoka again, he answered, "Right back at you, pal!"