"Uwaaaaaa~!" was the shout Momoi let out when she saw the long, very long waiting line in front of Murasakibara's class. From the entrance along the hallways girls were squealing excitedly, waiting to get inside. Even two hours of waiting time didn't seem to make them leave anytime soon. On the contrary, they were all fired up for an unknown reason.

"What kind of trick did your class pull on to have so many people?"

"It must be that one guy. Apparently he's very popular. I think he's a model. I forgot his name though...What was it...? It begins with a Ki...Ki...Ki...Ki...«Kimoi»..." Murasakibara nodded to himself, convinced he had found the name of his classmate.

"He'd cry if he heard you." Ritsu replied in a monotonous tone as she already knew who he was talking about. "That's not nice."

"You mean all those girls are here for Kise-kun?"

"Kise...? Ah! That was his name." The purple haired boy nodded to himself, finally having the name of his flashy classmate confirmed. "Yeah and there's even more girls than the last time. They're all so noisy."

Momoi and Ritsu watched the long line and thought simultaneously that they wouldn't have the patience to wait two hours or more for a single photo.

"Maybe we should give up."

"I agree. It'd be a waste of time."

"But you don't have to wait. This waiting line has been set up just for his fans." Murasakibara clarified.

Momoi's face brigthened again.

"Then if we want to take a picture with you..."

"Hm. We can do it now."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Inside the class, Kise's fans were fawning all over him, posing with him being dressed with dog ears on his head and worn paws on his hands. Being the flashy model he was, he posed with his fangirls also dressed with animal features but considering the never ending line, a long and tiring day awaited him for sure.

After taking a glance over at the model, she turned to Momoi who was already choosing her animal accessories with care. Apparently the mouse features seemed to have caught her eyes as she was staring intensely at the cute round ears. Meanwhile Murasakibara went to inform his classmates in charge of taking the pictures.

"Look Asaka-chan!" Momoi put the mouse ears and the muzzle on, wriggling happily. She was too cute for words. "What are you going to wear?"

"I'm still choosing." There were all sorts of accessories; the choice was too large to even know where to begin.

"Try this!" Momoi showed her a questionable hairball.

"What's this?"

"A lion's mane!"

"And you want me to wear this...Tell me you're joking."

"You'd look cute in it!"

"Your definition of cute is definitely skewed, Momoi-chan." Said girl advanced toward her with a malicious smile on her lips, trying to put the mane around her head. Ritsu backed away when she collided with Murasakibara who grasped her shoulders at Momoi's request. Cornered, she removed her crown of flowers and put on the mane.

In the end, she had a strange hairball around her head and she thought twice about taking a look at the mirror given her pink haired friend's reaction who was thrilled by the result. Ritsu turned to Murasakibara from whom she tried to get some support but maybe she was asking too much of him.

"You're funny. Like a sun with a weird face."

"...Can I remove it now?"

"No! You'll take the photo like this!" Momoi didn't let her say another word and placed them in front of a beach background. "Ah! Don't forget the paws!"

She urged Murasakibara to place himself between them.

"All set! Smile!"

Even if she wasn't fond of the get-up, Ritsu played along, a bit apprehensive of the final photo. They each grabbed one arm of the squirrel who was all smiles and posing like a real hero, sticking out his chest with his hands on his waist.

After the clicking sound of the camera, she was relieved to remove the mane but Momoi wanted to take another photo because Murasakibara had kept his mascot head on.

"Ready? Take the pose!"

With that, her cheerful friend was satisfied. After several minutes of waiting, the printed photos came out. Momoi was all excited with the two photos in her hand. Ritsu was curious too and when she came upon her face, she couldn't help but laugh. She looked so awful next to the chirpy squirrel and the radiant mouse.

"We look ridiculous!" Momoi jested. "Next time, let's take a photo with everyone!"

"That's a good idea."

"Looks like you came to like this mane."

"Ah!" She was too engrossed in the photos that she forgot to remove the ugly hairball.

"Can we go eat now?"

They couldn't remain strict with him any longer; Murasakibara had been very compliant even though these kinds of girly things weren't his cup of tea.

"What do you want to eat?"

The purple haired boy was ecstatic at Ritsu's question.

"I want―"

"Mo-Mo-Momoi-san!" A boy cut him off as he braced himself to speak to her pink haired friend. "C-Can I take a photo with you?"

He was certainly one of Momoi's admirers.

"But I'm not part of this class event..."

"Just one please! I really like you!"

A very devoted one to boot.

"What?! If she says yes, I want to take one with her too!" A jealous one appeared making Momoi more uncomfortable.

Then more and more boys flooded as they heard the commotion, all of them wanted a photo with her as it was surely a once in a lifetime chance for them to immortalize this moment.

The poor Momoi was completely overwhelmed by the boys' excitement, tightly holding onto the photos near her chest while backing away from them. The room was suddenly filled with loud shouts from the boys and squeals from Kise's fans.

It was chaos, some boys and girls began to argue blaming each other for making a ruckus.

"Leave Momo-chin alone." Surprisingly, Murasakibara faced them standing as a huge wall between his manager and those tiny boys who dared to ruin their moment when he neared his goal of getting snacks for free.

Despite Murasakibara's wall, the boys's excitement didn't wane, in fact his intervention had the opposite effect as they got fired up, pestering him to move aside and letting them talk to Momoi.

"...So annoying...!"

Now they had pissed off the giant squirrel.

"Momo-chin...You don't want to take photos with them, right?"

"N-No, I don't...Why are you asking?"

"Then, we're leaving. I hate all those bull-headed guys...They're pissing me off."

Murasakibara put the mascot head back on again and suddenly lifted Momoi up like a feather under the astonished gaze of her admirers who quieted down before the giant's strength. With the delicacy of a caveman, he put his pink manager on his right shoulder, just as he would carry a sack of potatoes and rushed into the crowd, not bothering to apologize or even spare a glance at those he knocked over like a rugby player for the crime of standing between him and food.

No one could stop the starving giant anyway. It was a real mess.

"Murasakibara-kun! Wait! You left Asaka-chan behind! Ah! And my pillow too~!" Ritsu heard Momoi's voice echoing in the distance, before infuriated admirers ran after the squirrel hero who kidnapped their sweet princess.

Left behind, Ritsu had a crazed look, the lion's mane still around her head, not exactly knowing what she was supposed to do from now on. Running after them or waiting for things to calm down? After giving a sigh, she remove the mane, put the flower crown back on her head, picked up the stuffed animal that had fallen to the floor when Momoi had been lifted in the air, and left the classroom.

The second option was the less troublesome. 'Sorry, Momoi-chan, Murasakibara-kun!'

Alone again, the calm was rather relaxing after that hectic episode in the photo booth event.

Poor Momoi, she wondered where Murasakibara had taken her and how he would manage to shrug her fanatic admirers off, seeing as a super giant hero squirrel running around the school campus was like a big black spot right in the middle of a blank canvas. In other words, he wouldn't be able to shake them off.

"Come to the haunted house and have the most thrilling experience with your friends! Don't be shy~!"

A boy in a shabby ghost costume, as he just had a white sheet with two holes for his eyes thrown over his body, was shouting across the hallway inviting people to give the haunted house a try.

And it worked on Ritsu. Ghosts had always picked her interest, with all the mystery and the thrill it brought; though she may not be mentally prepared to have a ghost appear in front of her.

She headed to the event but stopped in her tracks. Wasn't it too lonely to go there alone?

First it would be better to find someone, maybe she could try asking a member of the volleyball club. Just when that idea crossed her mind, she caught sight of a certain redhead climbing the staircase.

Well, Akashi could do the trick.

"Akashi-kun! You have impeccable timing."

"Are you scheming something against me again?" He said as a way of greeting.

"What a greeting. I'm not scheming anything."

"It was a joke."

A joke...Did that word even exist in his vocabulary? She was convinced he was asking her very seriously like he was already tired of her lousy plans. Plus his face wasn't smiling at all.

"...That was not funny." She tilted her side to side, Akashi being funny must be actually a pretty curious sight. "You must be in a good mood to feel like joking."

"That's the purpose of a festival. You too seem to have fun. That crown of flowers suits you well." His stern expression finally relaxed.

"It's a souvenir from Momoi-chan's café. They give a flower crown as a welcoming gift. Even the staff also wears them."

"I see. That explains why Aomine and Midorima wore one."

"You actually saw them?"

He nodded. "They're hard to miss. I'll probably stop by when I finish my tour."

When he mentioned his intention to visit the café, a strange image flashed in her mind: the respectable Akashi Seijūrō wearing a crown of flowers... That guy was definitely not cute, even that simple word associated with him made her shiver. What a dreadful image.

She was doomed if she said it out loud.

"Contrary to what you think, a crown of flowers can suit me."

"Wha...Are you an esper?!"

"It's written all over you face. You're quite easy to read."

"Well, excuse me for being like that." More like he was an alien specialized in reading minds. Ritsu brushed it off and preferred to change the subject. "Your tour, you said?"

"A tour of some game booths."

"Eh...how unexpected. I didn't imagine you spending your time playing games." Her eyes were fixed on that strange bag that made her quite curious given how big and full it was. "So in that bag are..."

"All my winning prizes."

"You won that much! How many game booths did you plunder, Akashi-kun?"

"Most of them. But I didn't come upon the prize you're holding." She cast a brief look at the pale blue chick being squeezed under her left arm.

"Y-You're interested in the chick plush?"

"Yes. I want it in my collection."

His eyes were intently fixed on the pale blue chick plush, his creepy interest worried Ritsu. The festival mood even affected him. And what sort of collection did he have?

"I see...Momoi-chan and I won it at a friendship quiz contest."

"I shall participate then." He declared with a smirk.

"Seriously? With whom?"

"Who else but you?"

"A-Akashi-kun, it's a friendship quiz contest meaning that we have to know about each other a little before participating." She didn't like his piercing gaze as if what she just said was plain obvious.

"In that case, tell me about you since you are unconfident." Akashi tilted his head vaguely a bit exasperated at her unsureness.

"Wha...! Is that how you ask a friend for a favor?" She gasped in an exaggerated way.

"As friends I don't understand why I should use a polite way to ask you a favor, Asaka. And the more you talk, the more we're wasting time. So I ask you a second time, tell me about you."

Unlike her moment with Momoi, she didn't feel that warm and fluffy in her heart when Akashi considered her as a friend, his commanding tone told her otherwise. He really had a particular way to express his friendship, but well, she couldn't expect him to utter sweet and gentle words even being his friend.

"...I'll help you but under one condition." She said at her own risk, he certainly wouldn't be mad at her if she set one condition.

"I'm all ears."

"I want you to accompany me to the haunted house event. After that, I'm all yours."

"Fair enough." Ritsu thought he would put up more of a fight but she was surprisingly mistaken. "Let's use the haunted house event to get to know more about each other."

Akashi motioned her to lead the way, not leaving her time to fully appreciate her small accomplishment.

"Ritsuuuuuuu! Did you heaaaar from Masame? Oh, hellooo thereee Akashi!"

Here comes trouble. Hoshino dashed to her with apparently important news about the captain. She halted before the ignorant Ritsu and shook her, swinging her back and forth using all her strength.

"Masame is also participating in the Stamp Rally competition! And guess who her partner is?"

"Who...?" Ritsu didn't have a choice but to ask as Hoshino glared at her. "And do you even remember that I told you to not involve the captain in your plan?"

"Oh shut your mouth, Ritsu! Her partner is the student council prez!"

"You're kidding! How did she manage such a thing?"

"No idea! But those two are a hindrance to my love plan! So I thought of a counter-measure!"

By the look of things, Hoshino had already thought of a back-up plan which was a very bad omen as always. She didn't mean any harm by having a mixed opinion of her senpai but if truth be told Hoshino should just leave the brain thing to Hibari.

"If she chooses the top of the student body, then I need someone of the same caliber to win! So~!" Filled with confidence, she opened her arms ready to welcome Akashi in her embrace. "I, Hoshino Wakana, hereby choose Akashi Seijūrō as my partner for the Stamp Rally competition."

"Why formal speech?..." She was flabbergasted by her high level of stupidity. "And that logic of yours is completely wrong!"

"That's where you're mistaken, piano girl! Akashi is the best choice to go against two brains or even an army. Just by looking at his face, I can tell he's more wicked than Masame. I'm sure he'll find a way to annihilate that freaking duo and bring me victory!"

Even she had a crazy image of Akashi as she seemingly took him for the Demon Lord that would strike down her foes in her love quest.

"I thought your ultimate goal was to find love, not trying to kill Hibari-senpai."

"The path of love is full of sacrifices. Plus Akashi has all the requirements to be the perfect boyfriend! He got brain and is good-looking. He's my perfect match!" She drew nearer to the quiet red haired boy who still hadn't protest against the silly idea, and with her fingers she formed a heart that she placed between her and Akashi. "See?"

"You intend to bind Akashi-kun with your cursed love?!"

The image of those two together gave her goosebumps, no matter how long she looked at them, they didn't much match at all. Such love couldn't work, whatever the curse or ancestral legends...

"«Cursed»? No, I'd rather say «fateful»! It was a sign that I found my soulmate when running into you!"

"Don't twist the words!"

"So cutie-kun, wanna play with big sis?" Using her charm, she moved a little closer to Akashi trying to wrap him around her little finger in a very suggestive way.

"Sounds interesting."

"Hold it for a second! I won't let you have him!" Refusing to hear him going along with her senpai's antics any further, she separated him from Hoshino, pushing the boy behind her and stood steadfast before her former mentor. "He already has plans with me."

"Tsk! Since when are you aiming so high, you sneaky girl?" Hoshino grunted. "You have your eyes on him too?!"

"He's only a first year when you're in your third year! How can you bind such a pu-pu-pure...? boy with a curse?! He didn't even get to f-fall in... in...love yet! Yes, that's it! He still hasn't met his first love! So let him enjoy his youth!"

"You don't seem very convinced by what you're saying, Ritsu." the raven-haired girl remarked, as she fumbled for words.

"I...I might have taken it too far." Trying to shake off Akashi's strangely calm aura, she went on. "But Akashi-kun is m-mine for the day, so give up on him."

"And let my chance to win slip? No way in hell! Move!"

"Wait! I didn't finish yet. I have a suggestion to make." Hoshino was about to shove her aside but reconsidered, a bit curious about what she had to say. "If you need someone of the same caliber of the student council president, then I think the basketball captain is also a potential candidate. Nijimura-san is the best counterpart of the president. One might lead the students, but the other leads a national renowned team that includes four weirdos. You should think about it."

"Shūzō! I completely forgot about that thug! He still owes me a favor! He can't refuse!" She shouted realizing that the basketball captain option existed. „And that guy is on par with Masame! Not a bad idea, Ritsu!"

Much to her relief, Ritsu successfully steered the conversation topic to Nijimura for whom she spared a thought as he would shortly go through the worst of his festival time.

"Akashi, do you know where I can find that thug?"

"The last time I saw him he was playing table tennis with a club member." He replied not in the least bothered to put his captain in great danger.

"Thanks!" She turned back and dashed in the opposite direction, screaming down the hallway. "I'll get you in my team, Shuzooooooo!" And like a hurricane, she disappeared as fast as she came.

She just had the time to let out a sigh of relief before she had to deal with Akashi who didn't waste time to make her feel guilty. "That was a desperate call, Asaka."

"Anyhow it works...and it's because of you I had to name a scapegoat."

"You even dare to put the blame on me?" He asked raising a brow.

"You showed interest instead of flatly refusing her."

"You didn't have to go to such lengths. In any case, I would have refused her properly since I won't be able to participate in the Stamp Rally competition."

"Are you trying to disclaim all responsibility?"

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm innocent." Ritsu folded her arms showing she was disagreeing with him. "And to prove it, look at the festival program."

Taking the flyer out of her skirt pocket, she glanced at Akashi waiting for further explanation. "When is the Stamp Rally competition scheduled?"

"At two pm. Oh, but registration are opened one hour early." She read the competition details.

"Now look at the event below it."

"Two pm - «The Sleeping Beauty»...Oh! The play...It totally slipped my mind."

"Got my point?" Akashi smirked when she finally realised it.

Again she had been fooled by that alien. He was right, she condemned a poor innocent to the worst event of his life and it might even have an impact on his future because nothing could defy ancestral legend.

"Why do you have to be so ambiguous?!"

"You jumped to conclusions too fast. Your futile attempt amused me though, even if it was of poor taste."

"...Well excuse-me, but I have to remind you, you told Hoshino-senpai about your captain's whereabouts." Ritsu accused, a bit vexed and grasping at straws to maintain the remaining pride in her.

"Did I?" Meaning he didn't and led Hoshino astray.

"That's sly of you."

"Then we're birds of a feather." He affirmed as he rubbed salt into the wound. She apologized to the basketball captain for all his future misery.

"You really should stop your jokes." She replied in a half-hearted tone.

Even though she liked him as a friend, she didn't want to be thrown into the same pot with him, particularly when it came to guile. He was a notch above her or even a few more above but things worked perfectly for her the way it was. What kind of girl would she become if she followed Akashi's footsteps?

"I was serious this time."

...Certainly a very bizarre one. Well, fortunately innocence saved her from such a fate.

"Like there's a difference..."

When he turned his back on her, a brief smile brightened his stern face.

"We still have things to get done, Asaka."