The rest of the week flies past in a flurry. The only thing I really remember is Saaya Yamabuki and her fangirls waiting outside the Royal Garden for two hours on Thursday so they could flirt with the Guardians, ex-Guardians, and Ikuto when they came out.

"Your dark blue hair is so COOL!" One brunette gushed at Ikuto. Utau grabbed the girl by her tie.

"What. Did. You. Just. SAY!" she roared. "That boy you're talking to? He's my boyfriend. Who am I? The famous UTAU HOSHINA!"

"OMG, really! Can I have your autograph?" the girl asked. I swear, I could see stars in her eyes.

"Sure, AS LONG AS YOU PROMISE THAT NEITHER YOU NOR THESE PATHETIC BOY-CRAZY WANNABES EVER HIT ON IKUTO AGAIN!"

"We promise!" the Saaya Yamabuki fangirls chanted.

Utau grabbed out a black pen and signed each of the girls' notebooks. "Don't be so obsessed with her, girls! She's just a celebrity!" Saaya scoffed. Then she looked at Utau. "Hey, since you're here, could you sign my notebook too? And my pencil case, while you're at it? And how about my binder?"

"Fine," Utau sighed. After she was done signing Saaya's stuff, she grabbed Ikuto by the wrist and dragged him away.

"Tadase! Kukai! Kairi! You three look so adorable!" Saaya's gaze was so sickly sweet, I wanted to puke. Plus the fact that she was flirting with Kairi just made everything worse.

"Uh, my apologies, Yamabuki-san, but we must go," Tadase said. We all nodded in agreement and walked off.

Ugh. I want to tear Saaya's stupid brown curls out of her head (which is filled with nothing but air), just thinking about it.

"Why is Rima-tan scowling so hard?" Yaya wants to know. Yaya, Amu, Nadeshiko and I are riding the same bus to the beach.

"I…it's nothing," I mutter. "Just thinking about the stunt Saaya pulled Thursday."

"You were angry she was hitting on Kairi, weren't you?" Amu asks sympathetically. Nadeshiko drops the bowl of instant noodles she was eating.

"Oh, sorry, that was pretty clumsy," she apologizes. "I'll go to the restroom to get some paper towels." She quickly dashes away to the restroom in the back of the bus.

"Wha—no, I mean—you…" I trail off, not sure of what I was attempting to say.

"Don't deny it, Rima. I've seen the way you look at him. I don't blame you…he's cute, and nice, and smart…not to mention mature, definitely the most mature of our group…and he's sensitive too."

"I…" Suddenly, the full realization of what she's implying hits me. "Are you—are you saying that I like Kairi Sanjo?"

"Um…yes?"

"WHAT?" Yaya and I yell in unison.

"Rima-tan and Class President, Rima-tan and Class President," Yaya begins to sing.

"Shut up, Yaya! Amu, I do not like Kairi! I do not!"

"Yes, you do. Stop concealing your true feelings."

"What feelings? I don't have any for him!"

Nadeshiko comes back with a handful of beige-colored paper towels. "Hey, look, we're almost there." She points to the scenery outside the window, which has changed from skyscrapers and smog to sand and shells.

"Cool! The ocean is so blue!" Yaya presses her face against the window.

"This isn't the part of the beach we're going to. The train is just passing by it," Amu explains. "Hey, Nadeshiko, do you think Rima has any feelings for Kairi?"

Nadeshiko blinks quickly. "H-huh? What? Rima-chan…likes…Kairi?"

"NO," I say loudly.

"YES," Yaya and Amu shout back.

"Um…I'm feeling a little queasy…I have motion sickness…be right back," Nadeshiko says, running to the bathroom.

"Funny, she didn't seem nauseous at all to me until we brought up the Kairi thing," Amu remarks.

"Whatever," I shrug.

"Rima-tan! Amu-chi! Look, the ocean's a pretty blue-green!" Yaya exclaims, dragging us both to the window.