Lately Hikari has gotten closer to Ryu and his group of friends, except for Yabuki. Those two are still at each other's necks, especially since he visited her house sometimes. Yabuki and Hikari did have a rematch as they wanted, but Yabuki lost since the guys kept telling him not to hit her face, making him stop a few times. Surprisingly Yamaguchi also had duel with Yabuki, but like before a cop came so only Hikari and Ryu got to witness their fight. Also Sayo has been crying quite a lot so she constantly goes to Hikari for help. Apparently she and her ex from their old home had broken up again for the millionth time. They were always on and off and she's always crying about him. She had always wanted to get back with him because Sayo had given her ity to him, something that Hikari had just learned, but Hikari wasn't going to lecture her since she trusted Sayo to know already. Luckily with the help Hikari gave her, Sayo's been able to smile a little bit again.

"I'll see you at home onee-chan!" Sayo called waving, as Hikari did a salute and took off.

"It's nice here," Hikari commented as she took in the scenary.

"Ri-chan!" She turned and saw Ryu waving to her.

"Ryu-kun!" Hikari ran towards him and jumped on his back. She sighed quietly as she smelled his cologne. 'He smells so nice...'

"We're ditching for today, wanna join us?" He invited. 'Yes!' Hikari thought. 'This could be my chance to make him fall for me!'

"Yo Hikari!" Tsucchi yelled as he high fived her. Everyone gave up trying to call her Ri-chan since she would punch anyone that called her that except Ryu.

Takeda pulled her into a hug as he greeted her. "You're ditching with us?" Hikari grinned and nodded.

"Race me in this game ok Hikari?" Kosuke challenged as he got in one of the motorcycles for the game.

"Of course!" Hikari replied. She never turned down a challenge. Hikari was used to hanging around guys so she was basically one of them.

Yabuki scoffed at her. "Ryu, why'd you invite her here??" He whined. "We said we wanted girls, but she's so flat!" Takeda and Tsucchi froze as their female friend stood up with a dark aura around her. Kosuke took this chance to beat her at the game as Ryu took Yabuki's arm off his shoulder and stepped away.

"What'd you say you fluffy haired jerk?" Hikari growled at him.

Yabuki lowered his gaze to her chest. "I said you're flat-chested Ri-chan. Can you hear clearly?" In just a few seconds Hikari was off the motorcycle game and on Yabuki, pinning him down on the ground.

"Ri-chan..." Ryu whispered lightly. She pushed him away as she tried to claw Yabuki, who was trying to hold her hands away.

"Not my beautiful face!" Yabuki cried.

"Ha don't even joke!" She yelled back and tried to punch him. It was then they noticed the awkward and ual position they were in. Ryu took this chance to pull his friend back up to her feet.

"Let's go to the park..." Takeda suggested nervously. Everyone followed him out the door as Takeda, Tsucchi, and Kosuke flew a kite around. Yabuki and Ryu went to talk somewhere as Hikari took a nap on a bench. She smiled as she began dreaming of her future.

"Ri-chan," a voice called her. "It's almost night, let's go."

She sat up to see Ryu in front of her. 'He's so close!' Hikari thought as she blushed a dark red.

"Hey Ri-chan are you okay?" He asked concerned. Ryu moved his hand to her forhead to check. "You're burning up."

"I don't think she's burning up," Yabuki called. "I think our Ri-chan here likes Ryu!" He began to whoop as the others heard and did as he did.

"Shut up!" She screamed and lunged at Yabuki again. Hikari wanted to deny it, but if Ryu felt the same then denying it might make him give up! Instead she ignored his comment and the two were fighting once again. "I'm going home!" Hikari stood up and stomped away.

"Ri-chan!" Ryu called out. "I'll walk you half way. I'll call you guys when I drop her off."

The guys whistled at them as they walked away, Yabuki sticking his tongue out at Hikari.

"My friend's at her house," Hikari said. "Do you mind if we pick her up first?" The walk was pretty silent compared to how they usually walked home.

"Ri-chan," Ryu said, startling the girl and breaking the silence. "Is it true about with Hayato said? that you like me? You didn't deny it." Hikari looked away nervously. 'It's now or never! Let's take the risk!'

"Y-yes," She replied. "I used to have a crush on you when we were small too..." He nodded at her, frowning. "What's wrong?"

Ryu looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry Ri-chan," He said. "But ever since we were kids, I saw you as a little sister. Nothing more." Hikari looked down feeling her heart break.

"Oh..." She muttered. "It's okay. We'll just be brother and sister then okay Ryu-kun?" Hikari sent him a fake smile as she tried to hold tears in. Ryu knew her better than that. He pulled her into a hug, but became worried. If he paid her this much attention still, it'll be hard for her to get over him right?

"Ri-chan," He said softly. "I'm going to distance myself from you okay?" Hikari couldn't hold it anymore as she let her tears fall.

"Why?"

"If I keep being this close to you, it'll be harder for you to move on," Ryu explained. "I'm sorry. Good night okay Hikari? Stay safe." It was the second time he ever called her Hikari, the first being when they met before he gave her that nickname, but hearing Hikari from his mouth hurts.  She weakly nodded and waved him good bye, unable to look up. She let out all her tears before stopping at Sayo's friend's house. A woman at a nearby cafe saw her dry, but still tear stained face and called her over.

"You know, beautiful girls shouldn't be crying," She said in a motherly tone. "I am Ms. Ichigo, and yes I know my name is strange, but one crack about it and I shall have to hurt you. I need some more maids for my cafe, so why don't you tihink about it? You're quite a looker if you wear girl clothes you know." Ms. Ichigo motioned to Hikari's male uniform. Normally Hikari would've shouted back, but for some reason she laughed at the older woman's offer.

"Thank you," She replied. "I'll definitely take you up on this. But I'm still a high school student."

"Oh don't worry!" Ms. Ichigo said waving her hands. "You can work here at hours 4:00 to 6:00 on Wednesdays and Mondays, so you can still have time for your friends. Well good bye dearie!" Hikari started walking to pick up her sister again. As she got there, Sayo waved bye to her friend and walked to her sister.

"Onee-chan?" Sayo asked. "What's wrong?"

"Ryu rejected me," Hikari replied crying again. "He only thinks of me as a sister." Sayo hugged her as they walked. Hikari stopped her tears as they neared a tunnel because under it were five men.

"Now, now, now," one of the men spoke. "What are two young girls doing here?" Hikari checked their blazers and noticed they were Kurogin uniforms.

"Kurogin?" She asked. The men snickered.

"That's right!" the one in the middle called. "I'm Yabuki Hayato!" Sayo and Hikari looked at them with wide eyes.

"And I'm Odagiri Ryu!" The one on 'Yabuki's right cried. Sayo backed up knowing her sister was angered.

"Don't," Hikari snarled. "Ever use Ryu's name for something like this! You punks!" She screamed as she lunged at the one pretending to be her best friend. "Sayo! Call the cops!" Hikari tried to block the guys from attacking Sayo as she made the call. Hikari dodged a punch from 'Yabuki' and knocked the guy behind him in the stomach. 'Ryu' grabbed her from behind as a shorter guy began to punch her.

"Hikari!" Sayo cried and tried to help.

"Stay away!" Hikari called, but Sayo ignored her as she kept trying to pull 'Ryu' off her.

"You're a cute girl," he said to Sayo. "But you're so annoying!" Suddenly 'Ryu' let Hikari go as he turned and punched Sayo down, knocking her out. "Punk...First you use my best friend's name and now you hit my sister?"

"Best friend?" the 'Yabuki' guy repeated in shock. Hikari ignored them as she growled and tackled 'Ryu' to the ground, punching him repeatedly in the face. She pulled off his mask and saw the face of some older guy.

"Who are you?" She paused and asked. Her shock left her vulnerable as the identity theives began to run off. The guy pretending to be Ryu punched her in the face before running off after them. Hikari crawled over to Sayo and cradled her in her arms until the cops got there. Hikari began describing the events at the station. When everything was done, they waited for Mrs.Toda to come and pick them up.

"Oh Hikari!" She cried. "Sayo! Your faces! Are you two alright?"

"I'm fine mom," Hikari said, flinching as her mother hugged her. Sayo and Mrs. Toda helped Hikari limp to the car as their mom drove them home.

"I'm getting those guys no matter what," Hikari swore under her breath. "No one uses my friends' names for their crimes!"

Sayo looked at her sister. "You finally consider Yabuki your friend?"

"Ew!" Hikari shouted. "No! I meant Ryu, Takeda, Tsucchi, and Kosuke! I couldn't care less about Yabuki!" Sayo gave her sister a 'yeah right' look as she complained about the 'ugly Yabuki' the ride home.

Hikari flinched everytime her sister accidentally pushes the cloth on her face too hard.

"Sorry onee-chan!" Sayo shouted with regret as Hikari hissed in pain for the 30th time.

"It's okay," she replied, baring her teeth. "Just a bit more gentle..." Sayo finally finished and left Hikari to rest. Hikari pulled out the card Ms. Ichigo had given her earlier. "Maid cafe huh? Maybe I'll make some money there." She put the card into her bag and went to sleep, forgetting her worries.