Well... congrats! You've reached a point of no return!!
.....
Err.... well...
" RAI! RAICHU! "
On with the show you say? Good job, Mr. Raiha!

------ FIN INTRO ------

"Hikaru... Hikaru!!" Fuuko panted heavily as she dashed into the lecture hall, with her sneakers rubbed against the polished floors, emitting an unbearable squeak. The chestnut coloured haired girl smiled dainty at her friend, as she sauntered from her seat, with her thatched skirt demurely cascading over her calves.

"What's the matter, Fuuko?" Hikaru said melodiously, with a legendary hark-like voice.

It had been a week since Tokiya set his eyes upon Hikaru for the first time. For the past 7 days, Fuuko had been scheming and planning, on how to help her dear buddy in a budding relationship, hopefully. Fuuko often snickered to herself, slapping her thighs loudly and grinned. Imagine, a ruthless, detached man who was literally not afraid of anything, but became putty and lost when comes into relationship. With each muffled laughter from Fuuko as the duo passed her in school, Tokiya would blush deeply, sending a cold, angry stare that gave chills to Fuuko's back.

Fuuko wheezed and rolled her eyes as she took in fresh air deeply. A moment later, Fuuko gasped,

"Look...Ii have this friend... and.... "

Fuuko smiled devilishly as she darted back outside. All Hikaru could hear were the moaning, crashing, and sounds of walloping and shouting of a girl and a boy. A minute later, Fuuko emerged together with Tokiya. He stood tall as usual, with his orange t-shirt blending perfectly with Fuuko's white blouse. Hikaru's red eyes lit up a bit, surprised to see a handsome friend Fuuko brought. Tokiya's oceanic blue eyes glanced at Hikaru momentarily and soon begin to blush in a hue of red. The reincarnation of a enchanting fairy smiled,  showing her full she of opal teeth that emits a soft, brilliant luster as it reflected off the lights of the room. A gentle breeze went through the open door and her feathery brown hair began to dance gracefully with the wind. Tokiya's heart begin to fill with flittering butterflies as Hikaru spoke,

"Hello, my name is Hikaru Sadamoto. What's yours?" A warm smile lit up her elegant features as she stuck her hand out. Tokiya's eyes glanced onto her hand and shifted his glaze on Fuuko. Fuuko contorted her face and nudged his ribcage with her elbows. Swallowing a huge, uncomfortable lump in his throat, he shook her hand rather firmly. His fingers twitched with a electric sensation as they brushed onto her porcelain skin. With a meek, inaudible voice, he muttered,

"Mikagami. Tokiya Mikagami." Hikaru's eyes lit up with surprise.

"Mikagami? Fuuko! Isn't this the person you were saying about your previous teammate? Saying how cold, icy he was and was a natural born grouch potato?"

Fuuko lips curled downwards and covered her face with her hands. With a sidelong glance at the tall man, she saw fury, you're-gonna-get-it-from-me look in his stare that shot her like needles. Quickly, Fuuko amended her mistake, saying that it was rotten of her to backstab him, saying that Mikagami isn't that kind of person she mentioned. But deep in her heart, she knew every single word she described him previously was the truth.

Hikaru uttered a small comment and smiled at Tokiya again. "Nice to meet you, Mikagami. Please excuse me for a while, I need to see Doctor Mizuno. Catch you all later!" With that, she turned and walked gracefully away. Fuuko ran towards the door and waved lunatically at her, shouting 'byes' and throwing her with her kisses.

"Ahem."

Fuuko's head spun around slowly, with a meek, sheepish smile in an embarrassed expression. She knew she had to face the dreaded music. Tokiya folded his long hands. He held a grim look with narrowed eyes.

"Er... look Rock... er i mean Mikagami, i knew i was horrid in words in the past, but now you're different! You are err.... Manly, macho, a man that has a benevolent heart that held sentiments!! Right? Ha ha ha!! Err..." Fuuko's coy smile faded away with a thin smile.Tokiya didn't look... impressed.

"Prepare to be exterminated, Kirisawa." Tokiya mumbled, with his face as unreadable as a blank stone.

"Huh?"

Loud, deafening crashes rumbled through the school, sending heavy throbs into everyone's ears, accompanied with pitieous cries of a girl which lingered much melancholy around it.

------

"Okay, Mikagami, did you give her the movie passes?" Fuuko asked impatiently. It was after school and the duo met at the usual stone bench facing the school fountain. The pony-haired man nodded his head. Fuuko beamed. Being a matchmaker was good so far. So far, she had pulled Tokiya and Hikaru together during recess times and dismissal times. Both of them get along pretty well, talking about sciences, biologics and other profound subjects that never existed in Fuuko's dictionary.

Slouching deeper into the bench, she rested her head onto the headrest of the bench, gazing the beautiful, fluffy white clouds as they danced in the breeze.

"So, when's the show?"

"Next Monday afternoon. Er... Fuuko?" Tokiya croaked. He tried to sound strong but the twitch in his voice gave the game away. Fuuko frowned. Something must be wrong. She waved her hand slightly, urging him to continue.

"I never went out with a girl before."

Fuuko's jaw went ajar. She narrowed her eyes and went deep in thought. She heaved an enormous sigh as she looked at him sheepishly with her delightful cobalt almonds.

"Looks like i've gotta train you for it. Everything." Fuuko stood up and gave a most diabolic, malicious grin he had ever seen. Tokiya's eyebrows met.

Something told him that he wasn't going to enjoy it very much.

-----

"Right, now, you'll have to... stop seeing the movie! Look at me!" Fuuko whispered harshly into Tokiya's coral ears. Tokiya twisted his face, sending a message of pure irritation.

Fuuko had decided to help her teammate by going a 'date' with him, telling him tips on what to do to win a girl's heart. Much to Tokiya's sheer horror, Fuuko named a list of activities to be carried out, to give some experience to her ice friend. The activities were not Tokiya's favorite, including bothersome events such as eating out and arcade playing. Tokiya insisted that a girl like Hikaru would be satisfied with a movie, but the lithe martial artist shoved that comment away, saying Hikaru was just like any ordinary female beings.

"What am i suppose to do with you? I paid for this movie, and i'm going to make it worthy!" Tokiya gritted his teeth and kept his steely voice low. Fuuko scratched her cheek with her finger.

"Look, to make this workable, you better listen to me! Now, put your hands onto my shoulder."

A wave of coldness ran through Tokiya's spine. He sputtered with disgust.

"WHAT??!!"

"SSSHHHHHH!!!" The crowd in the cinema voiced out. Tokiya, much embarrassed, hidden his face into his hands. He knew Fuuko would make his life much worse.

"Just do it. For the sake of Hikaru Sadamoto, okay?" Fuuko retorted, somehow hurt by his actions. Why should i? She thought silently.

Reluctantly, he slid his slender arms across her, and placed it on her firm shoulders. Both of them suddenly felt a jolt of static, which made Fuuko almost jumped from her seat. Tokiya, too, felt a warm, flaming sensation that hit staright into his heart. Save it for Hikaru, dammit! Tokiya muttered softly. Not only Tokiya, Fuuko too felt the sensation. But similar to Tokiya, she banished the warm, floating thought away, as she relaxed her shoulders. Tokiya took relaxed, as his hands went limp on her shoulders. With a shaky voice, he asked,

"Now what?"

"Hmm, after a while, you will question Hikaru on the movie, like 'How's the movie' and such."

"Just this?"

"Yeah. Its simple for you, right?"

"Ah... i see. Can i retrieve my arm back now?"

------

Finally, the dreaded movie was over. Next on the list, Fuuko annouced, would be arcade visting. Tokiya concealed his disapproval and followed her blindly. Do it for Hikaru... think about it.... Tokiya told himself firmly. What a day in the arcade centre! Fuuko and Tokiya went playing Street Fighter, and ended up drawing a crowd as both of them fought so well that none of the duo declared capitulation. Credits came coming into the machines, with angry yells and noisy arguements flying from thier mouths. The game finally ended with much annoyance as the manager came and told them off, explaining that they were not giving the other customers a chance to play.

Next, Fuuko pulled the sulking Tokiya (he had lost the fighting game) to join a bumper car game.

"I regret seeking your help, Kirisawa." He said flatly, with his eyes totally devoid of interest as he entered into the car.

Fuuko just gave him a broad smile and too settled down in her car. Tokiya spun his head around to see his opponents. Girls in the ring giggled shyly as they pointed at him. Tokiya rolled his eyes. Dumb girls... He thought. Then, he saw Fuuko waving her arms wildly in the air, in order to catch his attention. He heard broken words like 'Die' and like 'Loser'. The other words made by her were drowned in the blasting, rythemic throb of the music in the centre. Tokiya gave a small malicious grin. How lucky of him Fuuko wasn't like those dodo type of girls, he silently confessed.

Lucky? Why should i feel lucky? What's this knot in my stomach?

What's wrong? Tokiya proded his mind.

"BEEP!!" The ringer rang off and all the cars began to quirk. Fuuko flashed a playful grin as she reversed her car and glided smoothly onto the rubber floor. Tokiya, lost in thoughts for a moment or two, fumbled the steering wheel and the accelerator as his thoughts were shattered by the buzzer. This was his first try on a bumper car, and he was clueless on what to do with it. Suddenly, he felt a familar presence. He spun his head around, and to his horror, he saw a red car steering as fast as lightning right towards him. Then, he met the gaze of a pair of blue eyes which he was familar to.

"DIE MIKAGAMI!!" Fuuko bellowed on top of her lungs, as she crashed her car towards Tokiya. The impact given was so great that Tokiya almost flown overboard. Tokiya rubbed his throbbing temples as he stared at his maniac friend. Fuuko was laughing away madly, with her gleaming violet hair dancing wildly in the air. Tokiya shot her a diabolic smile.

"You shall pay... Fuuko...!" With that, he stepped onto the accelerator as hard as he could, and his blue car sped away speedily. His eyes rake the whole ring, searching a red car with a young girl with unkempt purple hair. His marine eyes lit up as he spotted her at the other end. Snickering, he sped of towards her, and crashed onto her real hard.

"Yeow! Mikagami!" Fuuko shouted, while laughing away with glee. Tokiya flashed her a grin.

"It's pay back time, Kirisawa!!"

And both of them sped off, crashing nobody but each other. For the first time, Tokiya felt delirious with sheer happiness. He felt light-headed and most of all... he felt free.

Free from 2nd thoughts, free from restriction of emotions, free from the constricted heart he used to have.

He glanced at his partner's mirthful smile that revealed her lovely set of teeth. Seeing her mass of purple hair messily stuck onto her wet face, unconciously, he burst out laughing and continued to collide against her car.

The exhausting game was finally over. It was evening already, and thus Fuuko suggested to eat out in a fast food restuarant. Tokiya had no choice but nodded his head. His stomach was growling and churning repeatedly.

-----

"Wow, Mikagami, if you can be in that crazy state like you did just now in that arcade, Hikaru would be mad with laughter!" Fuuko smiled as she patted his sweat soaked back. "Never knew you could laugh like that!"

Tokiya snorted and drank his fruit juice, swallowing with the remeants of noddles in his mouth. He too, was surprise that he could actually recover the emotional side of him again. Laughter had hardly come near to him in any humourous occasion. But at that short period of time in that ring, he felt.. like a child again. He felt free and unrestrained of his thoughts and feelings, and he began to know what was happiness again.

However, Tokiya didn't comment anything on that event and kept slurping away with his apple juice. Fuuko, however, tried to make a conversation.

"We hardly talk, don't we?"

"Uh huh."

"I hope this stony side of you will change as soon you date Hikaru." Fuuko added, placing her palm on her side of the face as her elbow careened the table. "This will certainly change your sad past. I'm so glad for you, Ice!" Tokiya's mind began to question again. Unable to hold any longer, he blurted out,

"Why?" Tokiya asked curtly while placing the empty cup onto the table. Fuuko looked at him with much puzzlement, as she twirled her long strips of hair into messy curls.

"Why what?"

"Why... do you care so much of my business? I mean, we hardly even communicate even though we were teammates, i don't share my past life and my feelings.... how do you know so much of my thoughts?" Tokiya pressed on, frowning. A wide grin appeared between her pink cheeks. Her eyes showed much warmth and concern as they met his cold ones.

"Mikagami, we may not talk, we may be strangers from the start. We came from different backgrounds, we do not know each other, our ideals, our views, our feelings. But everyone learns. I learn. I have learnt to intrepret your feelings. Being with you for don't know how many donkey times fighting side by side had told me the whole story of you! That's why..." She paused, as she gave him a sure, certain smile that suddenly touched Tokiya's soul.

"We are friends, Mikagami. We bonded. We shared the laughter we had. And with that, strangers, we no longer are. And that, we shall always stay."

Tokiya felt his heart being touched by her words. Its a warm sensation...as if Fuuko's fingers gently, slowly, reaching out his once far off, isolated heart. Unable to control, he smiled serenely at her. This had brought much surprise to Fuuko.

To Fuuko's utmost amazement, Tokiya added, "Well, my friend, will you forgive me for being so snobbish towards you?" Fuuko chuckled gleeful, and nodded her head eagerly.

And thus, the past hatchet was buried and in no time, both of them began to open their hearts, spilling out their past lives and discussions on their ideals and about life. Tokiya never felt so open towards someone before. He never felt... so comfortable. He found that he had somehow revealed his true self. He felt Fuuko was his confinate, his personal friend, that would always share a listening ear to his words and added her views. He was rather baffled to know that Fuuko had a mature side too, as she spoke her views well and eloquently.

Both of them were so engrossed in their discussion that they did not know it was late in the night already. After being shooed by the manager (was it their unlucky day or what?) Tokiya walked with Fuuko back to Tokyo University's hostel, which was not too far away.

Once outside Fuuko's door, Fuuko turned and and whispered softly,

"Thanks for the delightful time. I've enjoyed every inch of it."

Tokiya lifted a small corner of his lips.

"You silly girl, i should be the one thanking you." For what, Tokiya couldn't tell... he hadn't quite figured it out himself yet. Fuuko broke into a chuckle as she slammed her fists playfully onto his firm chest.

"Yeah... when you get your hands onto Hikaru, i expect a great deal of gratitude and a good treat!" Tokiya's lit up eyes suddenly fell a little. Hikaru... yeah. Hikaru. His mind said silently. Sensing that change, Fuuko frowned. With a small smile, she placed both her hands over his firm shoulders and continued,

"Don't worry. Hikaru bound will fall into you. For a moment, i almost did!!" Tokiya's eyes grew into large azure saucers as he stared at the laughing mirthfully away girl.

"I'm joking, ice man!! We can be great pals, but we can never be in that kinda relationship! Now if you please, i would like to absorb whatever remaining 40 winks i had." Fuuko teased jokingly. Somehow, she felt a jolt of  unexplainable pain within her heart.

"Oh. I see. See you tomorow." Tokiya bid farewell as he spun around and walked back to his apartment.

As he walked briskly down the campus grounds, his heart raced on what Fuuko had just said. His heart felt weak and an acute pain spread his whole chest. Tokiya frowned as he placed his hand over the location of his heart. His heart felt... small... all of the sudden. He felt inferior, he felt weak. Suddenly, all the happy memories seemed to be wiped clean form his mind, leving only torments of sad pasts behind. Tokiya scrunched his fists over his forehead.

Why am i upset? Fuuko's right, we can never be together.

---- to be continued ----

" RAI~~~~~ "
Now, my dear Pokemon, don't cry. The next chapter will be better! I think...
" RAICHU--- CHU CHU! "
Pass the popcorn huh?