As Akira and Kaito started talking about their decks, Akira's heart stopped as he heard his phone ring. "Well, I'm screwed." He said out loud as he checked caller ID, and groaned. "Hey, mom." He barely got the words out of his mouth before being bombarded by questions. "Where were you?! Your father and I were looking all over for you, and you were at Card Capital for over five hours?! What were you thinking?" It's official. Asaka was pissed. "Sorry, but I just felt like I had to try the deck out." "Did you have to stay there for half the day while-Hey! Ren, what are you-" his father took the phone out of her hands. "Hey Aki, what's going on? How'd the deck work out?"

Well that was a change... "Well, I fought Kaito like usual, but won this time." Even though he wasn't next to him, Akira could feel Ren smiling. "That's great! Can't wait to rub that in Kai's face." Akira laughed nervously. "But in all seriousness, Akira, come back home now. Your mother was worried sick. We even thought you were lost in the bathroom again." His son turned a bit pink. "That was one time, and that bathroom is as big as a house!" He didn't get a reply. As he put his phone away, Akira sighed. Kaito, on the other hand, was barely holding back his laughter. "You got stuck? In a bath-" he couldn't even finish his sentence before breaking out into laughter. Even Hikaru chuckled for a second or two.

On his way back, Akira tried to estimate how much trouble he was in. Mom really sounded pissed off, and dad even called me by my name... Ren almost never did that, except for when he's filling out forms or is angry himself. Akira stopped trying to correct him, though Aki is actually a real name. One usually for a girl. His head drooped. So much for a happy birthday. As he got to the door of the once Team Asteroid Building, he hesitated, but opened the door.

"SURPRISE!"

Akira was so shocked he ran for the door, but the automatic door didn't open in time, and he slammed right into it. Ren, Asaka, Tetsu and a few others Akira didn't recognize (Kyou and his crew) all laughed, and Akira did too when he came to his senses. "So, what was that whole, thing on the phone about?" He asked, since his parents weren't making him clean the bathrooms. Ren smiled. "Well, we didn't want to spoil your birthday surprise, now did we?" Asaka crossed her arms. "Well, I for one was against it." Ren laughed. "Sure, maybe at the beginning." She pouted as she made her way upstairs to the banquet, yes banquet hall. With the Suzugamori family, it's go big or go home.

As Akira was finishing up his dinner, Asaka looked at him with a glare. "And you're sure about it?" She asked. He looked up in confusion. "About what?" She rolled her eyes. "Your decision on high school. You could easily go to any school out there. Why do you want to go to Miyaji Academy so much?" Akira put his glass down. "Well, because of you and dad... WAITWAITWAITWAIT! Let me explain." Asaka looked away, but kept listening. "I want to be able to make a name for myself. If I go where you and dad went, I'll just be 'the son of Ren and Asaka, not Akira Suzugamori." Asaka's eyes widened in realization.

"Wow, that actually sounded thought out for once." Ren said, coming back to the table with a bowl full of ice cream. Akira raised an eyebrow. "And you would know all about making sense, right?" Ren laughed and started eating his dessert. Asaka sighed, and turned back to Akira. "Well, if you want to go there, that's fine by me. I just wanted to make sure since summer is almost over and-" Akira shot out of his chair. "Wait, seriously?" His mother held back the urge to laugh. "Yes. Just like every other year, your birthday is a week before school starts." Akira facepalmed and laughed. "Right. I just forgot for a second." "Now who's not making sense." Ren chimed in, and took another bite.

Over by Card Capital, Hikaru was just finishing locking up the store. "You done yet?" Kaito asked, sitting on the bench. Hikaru growled. "If you'd help, we'd be finished faster." Kaito rolled his eyes. "Hey, it's basically done, soooo..." Hikaru locked the door and started down the street. "I honestly think we're not related at times..." Kaito laughed. "That won't work. We're twins and you know it." Hikaru mumbled. "Don't remind me."

They walked up to their house and she took out her key. "You know, if you don't like Vanguard, then why do you work at the shop?" She turned around, almost slapping her brother. "My god! How are you this nosy? Neither of our parents are like that." "We're not what?" Hikaru turned back around and walked in. "Hello, father." Kaito ran in as well. "Hey dad, there's finally a good cardfighter at the store." Kai Toshiki didn't look up from his papers. "Really? Who?" "Akira Suzugamori. He got his awesome new deck that he runs extremely well."

"Heh, I guess that's his present from his parents." Misaki Toshiki walked in, holding some envelopes. Kaito sat down next to Kai. "Did he beat you?" Kai asked, filling out the papers being handed to him by Misaki. Kaito frowned. "Yeah, but it was so close. If he didn't pull that heal trigger, I would have had him." Kai smirked. "That sounds like Ren's kid alright." "Speaking of which, are you two sure you want to go here? We could probably get you two into Fukahara if we wanted to." Kai said, bringing him displeased looks from his family. He sighed. "Okay, I didn't mean to sound like an asshole." "Which you kind of are." Misaki commented. He shot her a look saying, Not now. "But you have so many other options. Are you sure?" Hikaru nodded, and Kaito actually verbally answered. "Of course. I mean, we made up our minds a year and a half ago." Kai smirked as he handed the filled out applications to Miyaji Academy to Misaki.

Near the Toshiki household, a young girl, the same age as Kaito, Akira, and Hikaru, fell and slouched on the living room couch. "Feeling exhausted?" Her father asked, walking into the room, laptop in hand. "Remind me to politely decline next time mom wants to have a 'take your daughter to work' day." Her dad laughed. "Sorry, but that's how she is." A few strokes of the keyboard later, her father spoke up again. "Hey, Kimiko, is this where you want to go?" Kimiko got off the couch and looked at the computer screen. Her emerald eyes were full of confusion at the question. "Of course dad. It's where you and mom went, isn't it?"

He laughed. "Yeah, it is. I'd nearly forgotten about it. The club as well..." He trailed off, and Kimiko sighed. How was this man Aichi Sendou, the famous cardfighter? She brushed a bang of blue hair out of her face as the door opened. "Hey mom." Kimiko said, and Kourin Sendou smiled at her. "Sorry if the shoot was boring, Kimiko. You don't have to come again of you don't want to." Her daughter smiled. "Don't worry, mom. I've got to deal with all of that at school just because you're my mother." Aichi got up and walked over to his family. "Kimiko made up her mind about high school." "About time." Kourin teased, and Kimiko stuck her tongue out at her mother.