A/N: Not mine.

Upon exiting the movie theater, Naoki and Kotoko ran into a few of his teammates. They were greeted with smiles; not a bit of surprise at their being together was seen. The entire group decided to decamp to a nearby family restaurant to discuss physics as interpreted by the science fiction movie they had just watched.

It was their bad luck that the cinema complex also featured a horror movie which included gratuitous female nudity, and it ended approximately the same time. Dozo and Gintaro managed to keep Kin-chan from approaching the other students, although they were dragged along to observe their interactions from bushes outside the windows of the building.

When Kotoko tripped going down the steps while exiting, Naoki caught her about the waist and then took her hand. If Gintaro hadn't shucked off his overshirt and stuffed it into Kinnosuke's mouth, his bellow of rage would have been heard all the way to Mount Fuji. The two friends manhandled the third around the corner and into an alley before releasing him.

"Didja see how that lecher was fondling my poor Kotoko?" the boy seethed.

"He was just holding her hand, Kin," Dozo tried to calm him down.

"Plus, I don't think she's 'yours'," the other added, not too wisely. "I mean, you've never been on a date with her, so Irie has the edge now."

"He must've done somethin' to her." He paced, slamming a fist into the opposite palm. "Blackmail, threatened her maybe. Probably slipped her a roofie in there. Argh! Let me at him!"

"Irie's not that kind of guy," Gintaro had to put Kinnosuke in a full nelson to stop him from madly rushing after them. "He's actually helped Kotoko in schoolwork and didn't insult either of us at the water park."

"Got you fooled, has he? Just wait'll next week at school when I get my hands on that lousy bastard and beat him down for taking my girl and my posse!"

"Wait, Kin-chan!" Dozo had a flash of inspiration. "I thought you were gonna play it cool. Like, you had some sort of plan or something."

"Oh, yeah." The volatile Kansan's struggles ceased, which prompted his release. "That's right. Gotta play the long game. And I just thought of another way to get her," he cackled evilly.

After he wandered off, muttering to himself, Gintaro asked, "Can you tell me why we thought it was a good thing to be pals with Kin-chan?"

Satomi narrowed her eyes and tapped a pencil on her lips. "I don't like it."

"What don't you like?" Jinko stared at her then grabbed her friend's hand and pulled it away. "Besides the fact that you're smearing your lip gloss."

"Oh." She wiped her pencil with a tissue before pulling out a mirror and working on her face. "I mean, look at Kin-chan."

She shrugged and glanced at the clump of boys in front of the whiteboard. "So? He's acting the fool, as usual."

"It's all over school that Kotoko and Irie-kun are an item–this time for real–and all he does is glare at them every once in a while. No raging, no tantrums, no name-calling. Or at least, not that much."

"Come to think of it, that is damn strange. The only time I've been afraid he'd cut loose was when he practically ordered Kotoko onto the mixed relay team for the festival."

"He had this weird glint in his eye, almost like…"

"A serial killer?"

Satomi slapped her arm. "Girl, where do you get these ideas? Although that's not too far off. To me, it was more like a super-villain finally putting his evil plot together."

"I can see that now. Should we warn Kotoko?"

"It might lead to nothing. But maybe a little hint to Irie-kun?" She pulled out her cell phone and began tapping keys. At Jinko's gasp, she turned. "He wanted me to watch out for Mister I'm-So-Special over there, in case he tries anything with Kotoko; that's the only reason I have his number."

"What is the world coming to, with members of Class F having the digits of the top scholar?"

"Onii-chan!"

Naoki winced at the whine in his mother's voice. "Yes?"

"Why do you have to leave so early on the weekend? You're ignoring pauvre Kotoko-chan!"

"Ma, it's tennis conditioning," he explained patiently. "Plus the movie isn't until mid-afternoon."

"But you could take her out for a nice lunch…"

"Thanks for the thought, Obasama." Kotoko yawned, still in pajamas as she snagged a piece of toast from the plate. "But," she continued once she swallowed her first mouthful, "we're planning to do some shopping afterwards and catch a bite then."

"Shopping?" She perked up. "For what?"

"I need new running shoes for the sports festival events, and Naoki says I need to get them broken in before that day."

"Pfft! Shoes, how boring," she disparaged. "Why don't you drop by Victoria's Secret while you're out? I'm sure you could use some new…you know, les dessous." She winked as Kotoko blushed furiously.

"Cut it out," Naoki snapped. "Kotoko and I are nowhere near the point where we would shop jointly for items in that store."

"Why?" Yuuki broke in, looking from one to the other. "What kind of store is that?"

Mrs. Irie's hands began to flutter. "Now, never you mind, Yuuki-kun. Do you want cereal or eggs ce matin?"

"Mom, it's the weekend. I want Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs!"

"Really, Yuuki?" Naoki frowned. "I don't think even Kotoko could stomach that this early in the morning."

"Right," she nodded, "but maybe for dessert they wouldn't be too bad."

"Yes, yes," Mrs. Irie's nose wrinkled, "but back to this festival. Why haven't I heard about that already?"

Naoki glared at her. "Maybe because it's a day full of asinine activities that you've never shown interest in attending before?"

"Well, now we have both you and Kotoko-chan participating."

"Suit yourself." He shrugged. "You always do."

"Oh, Mama, can I go see Onii-chan and Onee-chan's races?" Yuuki piped up.

"It's a school day," Naoki informed them. "He shouldn't miss class time."

"We'll see, mon bébé." Mrs. Irie, ignoring her older son, used a napkin to wipe off a chocolate mustache from the other's face.

Naoki rolled his eyes. "Kotoko, I'll be back by early afternoon. Be ready."

She merely grinned and waved at him.

Damn! he thought. I bet Ma's going to give her the third degree while I'm gone.

*Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs courtesy of Calvin & Hobbes.

Mr. Aihara narrowed his eyes as he added just the correct number of drops of his personally blended chili oil into the bubbling skillet. It was due to his immense self-control that the interruption did not cause his arm to jerk.

"Boss!" His newest hire stuck his head through the curtain only to have an ear pinched by Odawara.

"Baka!" he scolded in a low tone as he shook him by the cartilage. "Never interrupt the Master in the midst of creating a new dish."

"Uh, sorry," he stammered once Mr. Aihara sighed and began stirring the mixture with a spatula.

"No harm done this time," he assured the boy. "So what has you in such a bother? We don't open for another hour."

"There's someone at the door claiming to be your new apprentice." His fingers pleated his apron in a nervous manner. "I know I messed up just now, but are you so unhappy with my performance as to sack me?"

"What?" he asked, puzzled. "That just happened. How would I have been able to hire someone without a time machine? Which, despite that English TV show my daughter so enjoys, I do not have. Odawara, see what that fool's going on about and get rid of him. Satsuke, don't worry. You may have some rough edges, but I'll make a full chef of you yet."

"Did Yuuki seem a little more excitable than usual this morning?" Naoki asked Kotoko as they took their places on the bus.

"He was a little hyper." She sighed, "He acted as if he wanted to come to this stupid sports festival. Better him than me."

"Come on, Kotoko," he teased, "your class mouthpiece has been bragging that the championship is in the bag for Class F. Aren't you looking forward to being able to lord it over Class A for once?"

"Ugh!" She mimed vomiting, causing others on the vehicle to back away. "It's too early in the morning to think about Kin-chan. And he does not represent our class. He has been so bossy about this festival that there has been talk about throwing him down the stairwell."

"For his continued health, it is a good thing that it will all be over in a few hours."

"Yuuki-kun, carry these cushions out to the van, s'il te plaît. Folding chairs may be the only seating allowed, but I am not going to spend several hours having discomfort in my…um…just run along and do that!"

"Is 'butt' the word you're thinking of, Mama?" he asked, squealing when she swatted his as he passed by.

"Language, young man! Now," she glanced around the kitchen, arms akimbo, "food's already on board, signs were finished last night, cameras… Cameras!" She dashed to the den and lugged out a large case. "Mince, I can't believe I almost forgot them!"

T/N: Pauvre=poor; les dessous=undergarments; ce matin=this morning; mon bébé=my baby; s'il te plaît=please; Mince=damn.