Hi! I'm back! Things were busy for me, but I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Misaki felt more exhausted than usual this morning. She's usually a morning person, but today she felt particularly lazy. She had an urge to just sleep in today, too bad it's a school day. She looked at time on her phone and saw that if she didn't get out of bed now, she'll be cutting it real close. She forced herself out of she and walked out of her room and into the kitchen. She saw that Shin had already prepared her breakfast, though she was craving something else.

"Coffee, coffee…" She walks directly towards the coffee maker, and pours out a cup. There is no need to prepare it, she likes drinking her coffee black. She took careful sip careful not to burn herself as she enjoys the taste of the coffee.

Right then, Shin comes in through the door. "Oh, good morning Misaki."

"Good morning," she replied back.

"You're up later than usual, did you sleep well?"

"Oh, sorry. I did, it was just one of those lazy mornings, I guess." She said sheepishly. She walked to the table and began eating her breakfast as Shin got read for work. He peeked out the window and raised his brow.

"Huh, it looks like Aichi is waiting outside."

Misaki was in mid slip before spitting out her coffee and spilling out it on her hand. "He is?!" She rushes to the window and sees Aichi standing outside her door. She runs to her room and quickly changes into uniform. When she was done, she runs out of her room and stops by the door. "Shin, I'm going out."

She goes out, leaving a flabbergasted Shin on his own. "Oh, bye…"

She runs down the stairs and bursts out the door. Aichi jolted when she come out, but calms down seeing as it was Misaki.

"Morning Misaki," he greets her.

"Morning…" She couldn't look at him, this still feels all too weird. "What are you doing here? "I saw you waiting outside."

"Oh that," he looked down to his feet. "I just thought since we're... well you know, I thought I could just maybe walk with you to school…"

Misaki felt butterflies in her stomach. It's so unfair, doesn't this guy know what effect he has on her. "Sure, I'd love to."

The two began to walk together the air around them completely different than the week before. 'That's right,' Misaki realized. It was completely different than before. Aichi was unsure in what to next, though Misaki thought differently. Something she would usually fantasize in this situation. Her hand slowly moved towards his, her finger fidgeting with she should or not.

Just when she gets to courage to, Akari pops up from behind. "Hey Misaki, good morning," she said cheerfully.

The two flusteredly greeted her back. 'She didn't see anything, did she?' Misaki wondered.

Few minutes had passed before they arrived at school. Aichi had to leave for his class since homeroom was starting. She was disappointed since she wanted to spend more time with him. He's probably heading towards Kourin right now. There was a sense of jealousy within her. That's ridiculous, why should she jealous, they all are in a relationship.

"Hey Misaki," Akari interrupted her train of thought.

"What is it?"

"Sorry I interrupted you, I didn't notice you were going for the aggressive approach," she smirked.

"Aggressive?" She was confused. "What are you talking-"

"I saw you going for his hand, so bold! You're finally taking my advice."

Misaki face began to heat up. "Wait, it's not what you're thinking!"

"So when are you going to confess?!" Her eyes glimmered in anticipation.

Misaki sighed. Why does it have to always be difficult to handle her?

As Aichi was walking into through the hallway, he noticed that Kourin wasn't waiting by the entrance of the school as she usually does. He walks into class and he sees his friends waving at him. He waves back and his attention is now shifted to Kourin who was sitting in her seat by the window. He walks up and notices she was rather upset. She was trying to hide it, but it was rather obvious to him.

"Kourin, good morning."

His voice makes her flinch. "Oh, it's you. Sorry I didn't see you, I was..."

"Someplace else?" He responds.

"Heh, something like that." She looks away and fumbles her fingers. "Aichi, you should know someone new is coming to our school."

"Someone new?" He wondered. "Who is it?"

"Well its-"

The bell rang and the teacher entered the room. "Students please get to your seats."

Aichi quickly sat down without letting Kourin finish. "Sorry Kourin, you can tell me after class," he whispered. She looked as if she was going to speak, but she dropped it.

"Before we begin, there's someone I should introduce to the class," their teacher began.

'Why do I feel a deja vu?' Aichi asked himself.

"Come in." As the new student walked inside, the students gasped and murmured amongst one another. "Please introduce yourself."

"I'm Takashi Kurosawa," he bowed to the class. "Pleased to meet you."

"Are you kidding me? Another idol?"

"I'm a HUGE fan!"

"I'm so lucky! This is the best class ever!"

Takashi looked over the class and he spotted Kourin. He gave a smile and wave while Kourin awkwardly did the same. Aichi watched the exchange between the two, turning to her which she just shrugged at him.

"Seriously?"

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Takashi was getting up from his seat when a crowd of students surrounded his desk. The male idol was barraged with questions and requests, being completely overwhelmed from the chaos.

"Are really an idol?"

"Would you sign my book?"

"Do you know the rest of Ultra Rare? Can you introduce the rest of them to me?"

"Well- er…" He looked over to Kourin with a pleading look, hoping that she would come and save him. She gave him a sympathetic look and walked out of the classroom, leaving him to fend for himself.

'Aaaahh, you're so mean Kourin…'

Once she got out of class, Kourin was greeted by her friends waiting outside.

"So you're really not going to help,"Naoki asked the blonde idol.

"Nope," she responds, "me and my sisters went through the same thing, think of it as an initiation."

He laughed. "Whatever you say."

"So…" Aichi began, " was he the one that you were talking about?"

Kourin nodded. "Yes, I was told this morning that he'd be attending the school. I just didn't think he'd actually be attending the same class as me."

"What do you mean he's coming to Miyaji?!"

"Sorry we couldn't relay this information to you sooner miss Kourin," the Tatsunagi assistant Ushimaru apologized, "we haven't been informed of this until just recently."

"Ugh, just great." Kourin sat down and punched the bridge of her nose from the headache she's getting. She personally doesn't like working with other idols, much less anyone else for that matter. You'd think that she'd at least be able to get along with someone in her profession, oh not at all.

"You're so lucky, Kou-chan," Rekka sighed as she sprawled on the couch. "All the cute boys go to your school."

"Shut it." Rekka playfully sticked out her tongue.

Kourin thoughts drifted back to Aichi and the relationship they have then to her interaction with Takashi.

Him simply being in this school isn't the problem.'

"He's just another idol, nothing really to focus much," Kourin said flatly.

Aichi gave her a confused look. "Really? You're making it as if having another idol isn't a big deal."

"Well if he's anything like Kourin, then he isn't," Shingo retorted. Kourin glared, causing him to cower. "I'm joking!"

"Who cares about this right now," Naoki interjected, "we've got club recruitment to do and the school festival in a few days. There's too much to look forward to!"

The group nodded in agreement accept Kourin. She's getting a headache again. "I should go, I'll be late to class," Kourin turned her back to them, leaving group of boys unsettled.

"Oh alright, see yeah," Naoki murmured.

'There's something wrong,' Aichi thought, his eyes focused on Kourin. He turned to his friends and said, "You guys go on without me, I'll catch up." He then ran after Kourin, putting the two boys in a deeper confused state.

"What is up with those two?" Shingo asked in concern.

Naoki saw as his friend ran off after Kourin, disappearing around the corner. "I don't know."

Kourin was still lost in thought when Aichi called out to her. "Kourin, wait!"

He caught up to her, tentatively walking up to her. Kourin's eyebrow rose, wondering why he was following her.

"Kourin, is something wrong?" He asked. "You seem upset."

Kourin smiled at him, clearly he's just worried for her. "You're too sometimes, Aichi."

She looked around, noticing the hallway was currently empty. "Come with me."

"Um, okay?"

She took him by the hand and pulled him into an unoccupied classroom which he hesitantly followed. She immediately pulled him into a hug and his heart rate leaping from the sudden contact.

The sweet smell of her perfume began invaded his nostrils. 'She- she smell kind of nice actually… No wait!' He began whispering to her, "Kourin, we really shouldn't be doing this. We're in-"

They both heard the faint sounds of footsteps coming from outside the room. They broke away, holding their breaths as the sounds get closer and closer. The footsteps sounded as if they were just outside the room, the chatter of two girls could be heard. The sounds eventually got fainter and fainter until finally they disappeared. The two sighed in relief, looked back at each other as Kourin gave him a sheepish smile.

"What was that about?" He asked her, his heart still racing from what happened.

Kourin looked away in embarrassment, she couldn't believe that she actually did that "Sorry, I couldn't help it. I felt stressed and I just felt like I had to."

"Stress? If this about the club members, we don't have to-"

"No, it's just a lot of things happening right now, but..." Kourin looked back at him determinedly, "The club has to grow, I can't be holding the club back anymore."

'She seems determined about this,' Aichi concluded. If she was okay with this then there is no stopping her. "Okay, but if there's anything else that is wrong, you can always come to me."

Kourin couldn't express how grateful she was. For someone to genuinely care about her that wasn't her family, not the fake people who just care about her just for her position as an idol. It's one of the reasons why he's so special to her.

She went up to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you, I appreciate. But we should get to class or we'll really be late." She quickly left the room, leaving him alone in the barren room.

"Seriously, this girl…"

The bell has rang, signaling the end of class and the beginning of lunch. Students began exiting the class and meeting up with friends to go and eat. One person in particular was excited.

"Finally, freedom..." Takashi was relieved that class was finally over. He had no breathing room all day since student would always crowd around him. He finally been able to shake them off, so maybe he could have a nice relaxing lunch-

"Wait, is that Takashi-kun?"

Maybe he spoke too soon. A large crowd, mostly of squealing girls, ran up to him, leaving him with no time to react.

"Um excuse, I'm trying to get to lunch," Takashi said as he tried to maneuver through the crowd. The group began following him, asking him random questions and for autographs. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't really run or else it'll just look bad on him. So he bit his tongue and kept walking. He eventually reached the cafeteria. He quickly bought his lunch, the eyes of students around burning holes into him.

He scanned the room around him, looking for the one person he is at least is acquainted with in this entire school. He finds Kourin right away, her bright blonde hair stands out. Even more so with the hair color of the people she sitting are much more colorful compared to the rest of the students.

As he walks up to her, a lump forming in his throat in anticipation of talking to her. "Kourin?" She turns to him, not surprised to see him. "You mind if I sit here?"

"Sure, go right ahead." She didn't mind of course, there was no reason to be rude to him.

He couldn't really sit next to her since she was sitting at the end of the bench and she was next to a blue haired boy. He opted to sit at the opposite end, next to a delinquent looking boy. Now that he thinks about it, they're the same students from his homeroom (minus the purple haired girl.)

"Hello," he greeted the group, "I'm Takashi Kurosawa, I believe I've already seen some of you. I'm sorry, I've seen some of you, but I didn't get to know your names.

"Hm, you're in our class," Aichi spoke, "my name is Aichi Sendou. Pleased to meet Kurosawa."

"You can call me Taka, I don't mind," he said.

"Name's Naoki Ishida," he pridefully pointed his thumb to himself.

"I'm Shingo Komoi, it's a pleasure to meet another idol!" Shingo excitedly exclaimed, much Taka's dismay. Maybe if he's Kourin's friend then he's not so bad.

"Misaki Tokura," the girl flatly stated.

'So this is her cliche, not what I had in mind,' Taka thought. "It's nice to meet Kourin's friends."

"Likewise," Aichi replied, putting out his hand for a handshake which Taka responded in kind.

No no, I'm just a work related acquaintance, though I do look forward to working with her." He nervously scratched his chin. "But I've heard from my agent that there was a Cardfight club here. I'm guessing this group is it."

Yes that's right," Shingo confirmed. "Though we have a problem gaining new members."

Takashi was in disbelief. With an idol in their club, it should be pretty popular. "Eh? Why's that?"

Misaki spoke up. "We have a rule where in order to join the club, they'd have to beat one of the current members."

"Really? That's really difficult for new players to join the club, why would anyone-" Then it clicked. Taka looked over the Kourin who was now looking away with her cheeks red. 'Seriously, this girl…'

"Yeah it's a real pain," Naoki sighed.

"Is there any way I can join?"

Everyone looked at him in shock, even catching the attention of some students passing by. "You play Vanguard?" Aichi asks.

"Yeah, I've been playing since I was a kid. I even bring my deck whenever I go, here look." Taka pulled out a deck from backpack and showed it to the group. "I haven't been able to have a cardfight for a while because of work, but I'm glad this school has a club for it. So… who's the person I should beat to join?"

"Well, you wouldn't need to now to join," Aichi admitted, "we've been thinking of changing the rules."

"So… you don't have to beat someone in a cardfight?"

"Well we haven't been able to iron out other rules, but essentially yeah."

Taka couldn't accept it, it seemed to easy for him. "But I-"

He was suddenly interrupted by male student. "So does that mean that I can join the club?!"

"W-well you see-" Aichi tries answering the student before another female student.

"So Takashi-kun is joining? I wanna join too!"

I wasn't long before the whole cafeteria began crowding around the table, asking to be included into the club. Misaki, Naoki, and Shingo tried to calm the roaring crowd of students, but to no avail.

Misaki was at the breaking point. "This is getting way too out of hand!"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" A voice boomed, causing almost all of the students to flinch. The voice provoked fear into the students, because they all knew who it was (except Taka). A middle aged woman with red hair tied up in a ponytail walked into the room. She was wearing a black dress coat and skirt with a white button shirt. She has such an intense and authoritative aura around her that would cause any strong willed students near her to crumble. She walked up to the table to where the Cardfight club was, causing the group stand up.

"Principal Himura," Aichi tentatively bowed to her.

Miss Himura gave him the sign to raise his head. "Can you tell what's going on?"

Aichi nervously shifted, it was hard to stay calm around her. "Well, we were talking to a new student who wanted to join the club and tell him about a rule we were changing and well…"

"Is it the same rule that student can only join the club if they beat of the members?" He interjected.

"Yes that's right."

"I see. But I'll have to step in here." Everyone was confused as students began to murmur to one another. "It would only cause chaos if I let your club be completely open for students to join."

"What do you mean by that?!" Kourin blurted.

"Not to be blunt, but its because of you," Miss Himura responded, "if your club becomes open to students, most of the students in this school will want to join since your in it, imagine the chaos that would happen, I can't have that. Not only that, but it looks like another wants to join." She looked over to Taka which he nervously pointed to himself. "I would've steppin from the start when you joined the club, but seeing that you imposed that rule, there was no need to. Though now, that has changed."

Kourin was beyond frustrated. Even though she agreed for the change, it wouldn't have mattered all simply because of her being in the club. Her friends were all excited to get new members, it hurts to see their hope being slapped down like nothing. Especially since Aichi was the most excited for it, why did it have to be this why.

"So what now?" Misaki asked the Principal. "If want to have new members, how exactly are you going to step in?"

"That's simple Tokura," Himura replied, "I'll just limit the number of new members to four more."

The entire club looked shocked at the revelation. Aichi even looked heartbroken that his club could only grow so much. "Only four more…"

Students became once again excited seeing as there was now a small chance of getting close to their idol. It didn't last too long as Himura lifted her hand as a sign for the students to stay silent.

"It looks like it'll be a problem since there's so many that want to join," she speculates. "I already have a solution for this."

"You do?" Aichi said with his brow raised.

"That's right, a competition at the school festival to see who can have what it takes to join the Cardfight Club," she proclaimed.

There was suddenly a heavy tension in the room as all the students became determined at this new challenge. Taka though was felt excited, a chance to prove himself to be a member of the club. "I'm ready for it."

A girl with glasses and purple, braided hair watch the crowd from afar in interest, her eyes landing on Naoki. "The Cardfight club…"

A young man covered in bandages stood in the corner as he tries to act mysteriously. "It seem like fate is calling me."

A tall hulking student with his hair slicked back stood at the edge of the crowd with a big grin on his face. "So they're having tryouts, now this I've to see!"

This wasn't what Aichi had in mind, he didn't expect the Principal to just pop in like this. He honestly doesn't like the idea of the club getting limited like this, but it does give him the opportunity to expand his club. He looked around the room, thinking that only four of these students will join. His friends giving him nods, showing that they're fully okay okay with.

Aichi turned to the Principal, his resolve unwavering. "Fine, we'll agree to it."

Himura smiled at the blue hair young man. "Then it's settled. Let the best student win!" She announces as the cafeteria erupted in cheers.