AN: First and foremost, thanks for the reviews!

Special mention to Freya: I'm updating quickly because I want to finish the stories as fast as I can, before I get my hands full with homeworks and projects. Argh. I hate college. >.>

"The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation that you ever had."
-Anonymous

Damn. This is one of the worse days of my life…

I almost shot myself with the shotgun on Dean Manuels' office. I cringed inwardly on how my mother would take the news. The other guys were fortunate, they were just given janitorial work. While me and the two friggin' perverts got suspended.

"Fighting on school territory is a ground for suspension. Mr. Tenoh, you're lucky that you're quite an idol of the Chancellor, or else, I might have expelled you from this college." Blah. Blah. Blah. The dean went on.

As if I care. Ricky and Nelson were lucky that Ms. Dickenson caught us in time, or else, no one would recognize their faces after I did what I was planning to do to them. After three gruelling hours of listening to his lecture, Dean Manuels finally got in the right state of mind to let me go.

I met Riku outside the office. He greeted me with an exaggerated wave. Erm, how I wish he would stop and take a look at himself. He looks stupid, to say the least.

"Haruka! Old pal! Look, I've got something for you," he handed me a note. It was folded properly, and one the inside, something was neatly written in cursive handwriting.

The girls told me what happened at the field. Sorry for getting you into trouble.

Thanks for defending me.

Take care.

- Michiru

"Michiru?" I wondered out loud. "Who's Michiru?"

Riku gave me a confused look. He was staring at me like I've grown another head or two. "Michiru? Surely, you do know her? The aquamarine girl? You two were staring at each other this afternoon like you've just found the one you are destined for."

I shook my head, no. "You've got it all wrong, Riku. Her name's not Michiru. It's Moeko," I smiled widely as I hid the note on my wallet.

"But…but…"

I gave him a friendly punch on his shoulder. "Nevermind. I'm sure the Sunken's closed by now. So I think I'll head home early."

"Wait, Haruka. There's still something more," he jogged up to catch me.

I turned towards him, "What is it?"

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Just close your eyes, Haruka. Trust me, you don't want to receive this with open eyes."

"You're not going to kiss me, are you?"

"Eww. I'm not gay, you're not my type, Mr. Tenoh. Look, I'm going to count one to three."

"Okay."

I closed my eyes.

"One…two…three…"

Then it came.

SLAP!

"What the hell? Riku!" My eyes went wide open just in time to see Riku's retreating form. He was trying to flee the scene of the crime.

But he couldn't outrun me. No one could. Except the wind.

"Oy, Fujiyama! Why in the world did you slap me?"

"Uhh…" He laughed nervously while looking around for something. "Hey, Haruka. Look!"

I stole a glance behind my back and saw nothing. "Huh?" Riku was gone once again. "Argh. I'm gonna get you Riku!"

We ran around the CAS playing field, slash college park, for almost five minutes like the way we used to do at the playground when we were still five. We dropped down on the ground, Riku, breathing heavily from exhaustion, and me, laughing loudly at our own silliness.

"Riku, why did you slap me?" I asked my friend while gazing up at the sky. He was lying beside me, with his hands cradling his head.

"Because she asked me to," he replied nonchalantly.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment and breathed in the lulling scent of grass. "Moeko wanted to slap me? But why?"

"Dunno," Riku just shrugged. "I was about to ask her that, when Ms. Dickenson summoned Ms. Kaioh at her office. You mad at me Haruka?"

"For slapping me? Nah. You slap like a girl," I grinned at him.

"And you punch like a guy," he teased back.

"Fair trade," we both said and exchanged hands like we just closed a deal.

Then all of a sudden, the seriousness on Riku's face disappeared when he ruffled my hair and ran away. "Tag, you're it, Tenoh! Last one on the parking has a huge butt!"

"Hah! Dream on, Fujiyama! Dream on!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as we raced to the parking lot. Riku got on his father's convertible, while I saddled my brand-new yellow motorcycle from Li-san. We bid our farewells to each other, as we head home for the night.

Author's Notes:

Michiru? Moeko? Which one is the real name of the aquamarine goddess?
Heh. That's for Haruka to find out on her Friday night date. :)

Reference:

The anonymous friend quote was from:
www dot en dot thinkexist dot com /quotes/with/keyword/friend/4 dot html

Disclaimer:

Haruka, Michiru, and the rest of the BSSM gang belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.
Anonymous owns his/her quote.