"Thanks for listening Kei, you are a true friend." Sakura said.

"No problem Sakura this is what friends are for, you would do the same for me! Although I doubt I would ever be in a situation like yours." Kei commented after learning about Karin's confession to Sakura.

"There were a couple of times guys told me they liked me and I dealt with them swiftly and easily but… a gender of the same sex… it is so… I really don't know how to put it…"

"I kinda understand what you are talking about, this idea is just… unimaginable it's almost unnatural for you."

"Yes I know right? She is a girl… and she likes me… this is all just so crazy…"

Kei have nothing else to say, she just kept quiet.

"What should I do Kei? This is all so confusing."

"Just treat her like any other guy. If you can reject a guy, you can reject a girl, it's pretty much done the same way."

"I guess you are right Kei, I don't want to keep her waiting on the edge."

"That is right Sakura, just get this over with quickly. Just tell her you are not into her."

Sakura took out her phone and texted Karin:

Can you meet me in the coffee shop beside school in an hour? I want to talk to you

Karin waits patiently in the shop for Sakura, she arrived half an hour early. This was one of the very few times Sakura was ever on time for anything, she came exactly on time and saw Karin waiting with a cold cup of coffee. Karin ordered the coffee the moment she arrived but did not have the mood to touch it. She probably was expecting Sakura to be late so she was deep with her own thoughts, probably thinking about what to say when Sakura comes. Her face looks worried as she stares into the darkness of the coffee in front of her. Sakura looks at Karin from a distance and almost felt sorry for her as she is going to be rejected in just a moment. After about a minutes Karin finally sensed that someone was looking at her so she lift her head up and saw Sakura standing there waiting, she was waiting for Karin to notice her. Sakura forced a smile first before Karin followed. She then slowly sat in front of Karin.

"You're early today, quite unusual of you to do so." Karin commented.

"Yes, yes it is…" Sakura said.

Karin's attempt to make some small talk was unsuccessful that was all they could mutter at the moment.

A waitress came and asked Sakura what she would like to drink.

"Cappuccino please." Sakura ordered.

"Alright." The waitress said after taking the order.

The two girls sat facing each other but were not making eye contact. Sakura looked at Karin's coffee and had and thought about asking her what it was to make things a little less awkward.

"So… is that Espresso?" Sakura asked.

"No… it's actually americano." Karin replied.

"Oh what's in it? I don't know much about coffee."

"It's actually simply diluted Espresso… I like to taste the bitterness but Espresso is too strong for me to enjoy."

"Oh… interesting…" Sakura said awkwardly.

It's clear that they are more anxious about the main topic they are about to talk about at this meeting. Karin is anxious and almost expecting Sakura to accept her and on the other hand Sakura is hesitant to tell Karin the bad news.

"I'm no fool Sakura-san, I know you did not come here to have some little chit chat with me." Karin said in a neutral polite tone.

Sakura looked away in silence, she was not really prepared to say 'no'. What was stopping her? She did not know why she was so hesitant to do it. But eventually she has to say something.

"You are right Karin… I have thought about it for quite a while."

"Well?"

Sakura takes a deep breath before saying:

"Look you are very sweet…"

Karin already knew what she meant after hearing those words, her facial expression changed to disappointment. Sakura continued:

"But I really can't… I'm sorry Karin… But I really hope we can still be..."

Karin stood up before Sakura finished, without saying a word she took off and left the shop.

"Karin-san!" Sakura called her once trying to stop her but with no avail.

She sat there feeling really sorry for Karin. Sakura actually cared about Karin so much it hurts. The waitress came by to serve Sakura her cappuccino.

"Here is your drink, enjoy! … Where is your friend? Are you paying for her?"

Sakura's mind was all fuzzy she can't think straight.

"Ah… I guess so…" She said softly.

Suddenly somebody slammed the door open and stormed in; it was Karin. She trotted towards the table she once sat with the americano she did not even touched and slammed a large bank note in the middle of the table. The waitress and Sakura were stunned seeing this. Karin looked straight into Sakura's eyes with a pair of determined eyes and told her:

"I don't fail so easily Sakura... and more importantly I hate failing! Remember our little dare? The fight on Monday? That is, tomorrow? The loser shall grant the victor a single request… and I'm pretty sure we both know what I want… I have not failed yet Sakura… I will fight to the end! I will fight you to the end… to win! To win… you…"

Karin made quite a scene. She spoke so loud the few customers in the quiet coffee shop turned their head to look.

"Drinks on me… keep the change, if you don't want it give it to charity or this waitress as a tip… be prepared Sakura-san… I'll be waiting, if you forfeit the match… it means you lose."

With that said Karin stormed off again, leaving the expensive bank note on the table and Sakura in a stupor. The waitress stares at the bank note greedily and said:

"Can… can… I keep the change?"

"Sure…" Sakura said in a dumbstruck manner.

"Thank…. Thank you!" The waitress said in glee as she leaves with the money.

Sakura sat there for minutes staring at her cappuccino and the americano that Karin left untouched. Out of curiosity she took the cup of black coffee and took a sip. Bitter, she thought. But not as bitter as an espresso.

"Karin-san…"