Yasu looked straight at Ichigo, both of them at kneeling level working on the banner. Both of them were about to rise to hang it up above the school's entrance.

Ichigo was still fiddling with trying to get it at the right angle when yasu spoke up. "You do know that you ahng it by those thin strings that are attached, right?"

Ichigo looked from left to right until she spotted the thin strings at both sides of her side. She blushed and put one hand behind her head, causing a side of the banner to fall to the ground. Ichigo nervously laughed. "Sorry, I've never prepared for the festival before, so I'm pretty new at this."

Yasu rolled her eyes. "Trust me. I can easily tell."

Ichigo blinked in surprise. Yasu was sounding so cold towards her. As if Ichigo was just some little brat who didn't even know how to tie her own shoes.

Yasu then sighed. "Let's just get this up. Think you can manage on your side without falling off the ladder?"

Ichigo was beginning to get angry. "I'm pretty sure I can!"

They both started to climb the ladders. Yasu was already up there tying her ends. When Ichigo got to the second highest step, she started tying hers.

All of a sudden, she started losing her balance, and toppled backwards only to be caught by Kisshu, her green haired prince.

"Ichigo, are you alright?!" his voice sounding with worry.

Yasu sdown halfway down the ladder, and ran up to both of them, looking worried just as well (fake worried of course). "Oh my goodness, are you okay Ichigo?"

Ichigo shakily nodded her head. "I'm alright. Just a little shaken up." She then turned her head towards the ladder that had fallen over. "I don't know what happened though. I don't think I slipped on anything or went too far over. I wonder what made me fall."

Kisshu formed a big grin on his face. "Let's face it my dear. You aren't the most graceful person I've ever met."

Ichigo whipped her head around angrily. "Hey! I-"

He put a finger to her lips. "Don't be mad. Anything can happen you know. Accidents happen." He then looked down towards the drinks he had brought over for all three of them. He set Ichigo down. "I guess I better go get more drinks for us. You both wanted lemonade, right?"

Yasu clasped her hands at the side of her head, staring lovingly at Kisshu. "Yes! You are so nice to buy us drinks Kisshu!"

He looked towards her, a little weirded out at her exaggerated happiness towards him. He then gave another one of his trademark grins. "Ah, it's no problem. We're all working hard to get this stupid festival on its way."

He then headed back towards the vending machine with Yasu following him from behind. Ichigo was burning with rage and jealousy. She didn't like how the new girl kept making eyes at HER boyfriend.

She then turned her gaze once more towards the ladder. She saw something that shocked her, and sent chills down her spine. What she saw was one of the aldders' legs completely broken off, and when she got closer to inspect the broken of leg, she saw that ti was in pieces. She also saw ice surrounding the sides of each piece.

'What the heck?' She turned her head back towards Yasu and Kisshu, her holding his arm, much to him looking uncomfortable.

'There's no way…..Could she be a mermaid too?' Ichigo warily thought, her suspicions growing stronger towards her love rival.

xxxxxxxxXXXXXXXxxxxxxXXXXXXX X

"What? What do you mean she froze one of the legs?" Ryou asked shocked to hear the news.

"I mean, what if she's another mermaid. One of us. I thought you said that it was only us five right here." Ichigo told Ryou and Keiichiro explaining and reasoning with what happened earlier at school.

Keiichiro put a hand to his chin trying to think. "Perhaps when it all started, another got zapped with the same thing you girls did. It's quite a possibility if what you're saying is true."

"Either that, or the ladder was left in a freezer, and when it was taken out, it wasn't ready to hold anyone just yet." Ryou joked with a serious face.

She glared at him until he turned towards the computer. "Anyway, we'll trace the city and see if we can find her. You all go back upstairs and open the café. Customers are waiting outside." He dismissed them.

Ichigo turned her heel heading up with the rest and sighed thinking. 'If Yasu really is another one of us, this could be more trounle than I thought.'

Once upstairs, and the doors were opened, people started flooding in. The last to come in, who Ichigo went up to seat once the crowd cleared, was none other than…Yasu!

Yasu looked taken aback to see Ichigo working here. "Ichigo….you work here?"

Ichigo responded once she stopped feeling frozen in place. "Uh….yeah I do." Ichigo then hesitantly gestured for her to come in. "May I take you to your seat?"

Yasu slowly nodded, not looking to happy to see her AFTER school as well. Once seated, Ichigo got into waitress mode, forced cheerfulness and everything. "What would you like-"

"Hey Ichigo! Yasu."

They both looked at the door, and in it stood the man of their dreams: Kisshu! He walked over to them, looking happy to stop in and pay a visit to his beautiful Ichigo, especially in her maid outfit. "Any chance you could find me a sea- whoa!"

"You can sit with me Kisshu! This table does have two chairs!" yAsu said tugging no his arm to make him sit down, which he reluctantly did, Ichigo fuming with anger.

Kisshu saw this, and he tried to look as normal as possible. "I, uh, guess I'll sit here."

Trying to calm down, Ichigo recomposed herself. "What would you like to order?"

Once yasu put down the emnu, she said, "Peanut butter balls and green tea."

Kisshu then put his down and answered, "Strawberry shortcake," he said winknig at Ichigo, Ichigo smiling and cheeks blushing, "and herbal tea."

"Okay. Coming right up." She told them then walked away.

Pudding walked right up to her. "Hey, is that the girl you were talking about Ichigo-onee-chan?"

Ichigo nodded her head. "Unfortunately, yes."

Pudding still staring at the girl said, "She looks normal to me."

Ichigo gave a small alugh. "What do you and I look like then?"

"Good point. Well, I gotta go do some more performances, so keep an eye on her in case something funny happens with her around." Pudding was off on her ball serving customers.

'Oh, I'll make sure.' Ichigo thought determined, glaring daggers at Yasu.