It was a half hour until the fair started. Students could be seen setting up the last of the stands and getting everything ready. The middle school students would be bringing paint and paint brushes for Hikari and Takishima to use, so all they had to do was wait.

"I wish you the best of luck, Hikari. You're going to need it if you want to beat me."

"Don't be so cocky, Takishima. I don't need luck to beat you. I have skill."

"Has this skill ever been enough for you to beat me?"

"Not yet, but it will be this time!"

Takishima smirked at Hikari's reaction. She always made such an adorable face when she was determined to destroy him.

Unfortunately for her, Takishima knew what her plan was all along. He knew that she thought she could win more kids over with her personality and demeanor. In a normal situation her plan would work and he would lose. However, he has a plan as well. He knows that as soon as kids see how much faster and better he can paint that they'll leave Hikari and come to him. It was only logical.

After standing around for ten minutes, the duo finally spotted two young middle school students carrying a box of paint and another box of brushes. They approached them and handed over the box. Hikari and Takishima took them and immediately began to set up their stand.

Hikari took the paint and divided it up evenly amongst her and Takishima, while he divided up the brushes. Within five minutes each of them had their own set of paints and brushes neatly displayed out on their stand. They took their seats and began opening their supplies.

"Hey, Takishima, don't we need a cup of water and a rag to clean our brushes?"

"Ah yes, it seems those kids from earlier forgot to bring them."

"What should we do?"

"Well we have a couple of minutes before the fair begins. Let's go in the art room and grab some."

"Is it even open?"

"It should be."

They both got up and headed towards the school. Hikari had serious doubts that the art room would still be open. I mean it was a busy Friday; nobody would be lingering in the school today. However, if they can't get in, there was always the option of asking the janitor for some rags and a paper cup.

As it would happen though, Takishima was right; the art room was still open. They went inside and went in the back room for their supplies.

"If you get the rags I'll get the cups."

"Fine."

Hikari went to the back shelf and grabbed some old rags out of a box and Takishima grabbed two paper cups off the top shelf. They exited the back room and shut off the lights. Then they closed the door and headed back outside.

They made it out just in time too. It was four o'clock on the dot ad people were already heading for their stand. They quickly filled up their cups with water from the nearby water fountain and went back to their seats.

The first few kids they had wanted simple designs done, and they were a bit older, so neither Hikari nor Takishima could use their brilliant plans. However, as more time passed and the fair got busier, so did they. Younger kids flooded their stands and more of them wanted complex designs.

Neither of them refused a customer and they painted their designs as best as they could. A few children left rather dissatisfied with their work, but for the most part kids loved it.

At about seven thirty their student body president made his appearance at their stand.

"So how's everything here, Hikari?"

"Everything's going great. We've been getting a lot of customers!"

"That's wonderful, glad to hear it."

"Pardon my interruption, but when does our stand close? The announcement board didn't say."

"Well since you two are the only ones who signed up for this particular stand, aside from those two middle school girls, your shift ends at ten."

"Ten o'clock? But that'll be six straight hours of work. Do we get a break?"

"I'm sorry Hikari, but no. This stand is far too popular to have one of you leave for a break."

Although Hikari was disappointed not to get a break, she thought optimistically about the situation. She saw it as an opportunity to get more customers.

"By the way, Hikari, how many customers have you had so far?"

"Ah, ah, ah. We don't reveal that kind of information until ten o'clock."

Takishima sighed and refocused his attention on his current customer. He had forgotten what she wanted him to paint and he had to ask again.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said I want a unicorn on my cheek!"

"Alright, which one?"

"It doesn't matter!"

This little girl was rather feisty and rude. Takishima blamed it on her having to wait in line for so long. Those middle school girls who were working the stand with them did more gossiping than actual work. Not to mention the work that they did do was mediocre and clearly had no effort put in it. He was surprised that after three and a half hours people were still getting in line for them.

Meanwhile, a few stands away, Akira, Tadashi, Ryuu, Jun, and Megumi were scattered out in an attempt to bring business Hikari's way. The plan hadn't been working out as well as Akira thought. Sure, the kids took their bribes and went to get their faces painted by Hikari, but it seemed that Kei had just as much business none the less.

After three and a half hours of observation Hikari and Kei still seemed to have just as many kids lining up for them. It was beginning to wear Akira's patience down. So she took out her cell phone and called Tadashi.

"Tadashi?"

"Yes?"

"This isn't working. Kei is getting just as many customers as Hikari!"

"So what do you want me to do?"

"I want you tell Ryuu, Jun, and Megumi that it's time to start working harder. Instead of just bribing kids to go once, get them to go to her and have her do one and then come back and have her do another one."

"So have them stand in line more than once?"

"Yes!"

"I don't know if they'll go for-"

"Just do it, Tadashi!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Akira hung up her phone and began doubling her efforts. Tadashi called up Ryuu, who told Jun and Megumi, and they also put Akira's new plan into action. Well it wasn't really a new plan; it just involved a little more work.

It was now five minutes to ten and both Hikari and Takishima were worn out. They went through six hours of almost nonstop painting without a break. And now that the fair would be over soon, everyone was standing in line for last minute activities at all the stands.

And when those five minutes passed, Hikari and Takishima finished up their last customer and turned everyone else away. Once they had all cleared out, the middle school kids began cleaning up.

"Well Hikari, it's officially ten o'clock."

"You're right, it is."

"So how many customers did you have?"

"Three hundred and twenty five. And yourself?"

"Three hundred and twenty six. Looks like I win again."

Hikari's eyes went wide and her mouth hung open. She couldn't believe that he beat her again.

No! NO! How did he beat me again? I had this whole thing planned out!

While Hikari stood dumbfounded, Akira had a breakdown.

"What! How did this happen? We referred so many people to her and she still lost! Kei must have cheated somehow!"

"Face it, Akira: Kei always wins. Hikari's good, but Kei's always one step ahead."

"Shut it, Tadashi!"

Akira then proceeded to punch Tadashi square in the face, which in turn sent him flying a few dozen feet in the air. He landed in a bush a few yards away.

'We're sorry, Akira. We did our best.'

"It has nothing to do with that! He cheated!"

Ryuu sweat-dropped and let out a deep sigh. He knew this was going to happen. Hikari was a great and worthy opponent, but Kei always had a trick up his sleeve. He didn't need to cheat to win.

Fortunately for the rest of the S.A., Hikari and Takishima were too wrapped up with Hikari's loss to notice Akira's outburst.

"Well it looks like you owe me a date now, Miss Number Two."

Hikari gritted her teeth and held her tongue. Not only did she lose, but he was teasing her now.

"Fine. What time and where?"

"This Sunday at noon. I'll be coming by your place to pick you up."

"Are we going anywhere fancy?"

"I wasn't planning on it."

"Alright, fine. This Sunday at noon. I'll be ready."

Takishima smiled and then turned and walked away. He already had all the details for his date planned out.

See you Sunday, Hikari.

"A/N: In case you couldn't tell, italicized print indicates a character's thought. Anyway, I'm glad I finally got this chapter done. I was debating on whether or not to have Kei win like he always does, or to have a twist where Hikari wins for once. It was a tough decision. Oh and I had no idea how many people might actually come to a face painting stand and I had no clue how many customers they'd get amongst four people, so I totally guessed. I'm sorry if it sounds ridiculous! But I hope you liked it, and it'd be great if someone would review."