The next morning, Reiko woke up and found herself in an unfamiliar room. She tried to recall what had happened last night. Oh yeah! Yanagi let me stay in this room! I can’t believe I’m part of the Hokage Clan!  Reiko giggled. She looked around and saw Ganko sleeping peacefully. She smiled.

I wonder what time it is…Reiko thought and slipped on a pair of slippers found on the carpeted floor. Oh! Reiko remembered that she and Fuuko would have to go back to her dormitory in school and get her things!!! She looked at the time. Its already 12.30pm and they agreed to meet downstairs at 12noon!!! Oh no! What am I gonna do? I already left a bad impression just by defeating her!

But she went downstairs to find only Yanagi. “Where’s Fuuko?” Reiko asked the healer who was making breakfast, only this time it was bento.

“She’s still asleep I bet! Especially after a whole night of fun…” Yanagi smiled.

“Uh…and thanks for letting me in.” Reiko thanked her.

“Don’t thank me. Thank Hokage and particularly the eight dragons. Recca summoned them and we asked them what they thought about you. But above all, you should thank Mikagami-san. If he didn’t let you in in the first place, I don’t think we’d ever see each other.”

“Ohayou gonzaimasu!” someone coming down the stairs said. “Sorry, Reiko! I kinda overslept a bit…” Fuuko, who turned out to be that someone, apologized. “Iie. I came down late too!” Reiko replied and after having breakfast, they bid Yanagi goodbye before heading off to Reiko’s dormitory to collect her clothes.

On the way, Fuuko asked,” So…how exactly did you manage to keep up with Mikagami?”

Reiko was startled. “I don’t know. It just happened so fast. And I didn’t really realize that we used the same attacks at the same time…especially when poor Recca-san received them…” Reiko started giggling and Fuuko gave a hearty laugh.

“Yeah that was cool! And you should’ve seen his face after he was healed! He was busy scolding you guys while you guys started sparring!”

And they laughed and talked about the match all the way. When they reached the dormitory, they collected Reiko’s stuff which wasn’t a lot and went straight back to the mansion when they received an sms from Recca.

“What is it?! All of a sudden you message me…” Fuuko shouted before Yanagi interrupted. “Reiko, would you like to join us in a friendly match against another group?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Ok…we’ve got enough people already!” Kaoru shouts with a glee, “I haven’t been fighting since the tournament!”

Tokiya beckons Reiko to follow him out of the door while the rest were busy with the application forms.

“Um…Mikagami? What are we doing here?” Reiko finally plucked up enough courage to ask.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah. What?”

“Can I ask you why did you want to learn how to fight in the first place?”

“Um…it was because my parents were killed in a tournament too. And then my brother went of with his teacher…I was left in an orphanage and went to 7 couples…later I heard that Kai went off to join a fighting group and Meguri asked me if I was interested in learning how to fight. So I joined him.”

“How come I never saw you?”

“That’s was when you were already out looking for your sister’s murderers. I trained day and night. And Meguri changed hyoumaen into an easier weapon for me to handle after Kai‘s death. That’s why it looks like this but your ensui sensed it and that’s why no one knew that the weapon I’m using is hyoumaen until I told them.”

“I noticed. But I can’t believe that their madougu couldn’t sense it.”
 
“Let’s go out! For dessert!” shouted Ganko.

“Ok!” the team chorused.

“Where’s Reiko and Tokiya?” Yanagi asked. “They must be doing something secretive…”

Fuuko sneered.

“We heard that.” Tokiya said calmly behind her.

Next, the whole group was in a new dessert house.

“So…what exactly were you guys doing?” Kaoru suddenly asked.

“None of your business!” Tokiya shouted.

“Ooh… someone’s secretive…” Recca snickered.

“It was about Meguri Kyoza…”Reiko said softly, barely more than a whisper. Then, for their own safety, they didn’t mention a thing about it anymore, knowing what Tokiya would do to them.

When they went back, they all went out to the garden and sat around while Recca set up some fireworks and Reiko later joined him by forming some crystallized snow that floated from the trees. Tokiya later joined her and then everyone took out their madougu and started a party. Yanagi brought out some food just as Fuuko was suspending Ganko in mid-air.

Reiko sat down after awhile. Tokiya joined her.

“So…do you regret letting me in?” Reiko asked as she gazed up into the skies, at the beautiful colors formed by the fireworks.

“Hm? What do you mean? I don’t. In fact, I’m quite happy that I let you in.” he answered.

Reiko just smiled before getting up and asking Tokiya whether they should conjure up bubble snakes and let them play with the team. Before he could answer, she already had a snake in front of her.

Then 2 bubble snakes were carrying all of them around. Reiko was busy eating her ice-cream while Tokiya ate an ice-cone. They were talking to Yanagi who was busy with the barbeque.

“You guys seem to be very close…” she told them.

Tokiya cut her off. “We aren’t! It’s just that we were both under Meguri before…”

Reiko’s turn to cut him off. “And I only treat him like an older brother like I treat you as an older sister…” Y

anagi cut her off. “Ok…but you guys…” she didn’t dare to continue seeing the looks on their faces,” how’s the food?” They said it was delicious. Then Tokiya went over to Recca to help him.

“You and Recca-san is an item right?” Yanagi blushed and before she could answer Reiko, a certain ‘Yes!!!” came out from behind. They turned and faced a gigantic water snake. Ganko was riding on its head. Reiko started giggling while Yanagi blushed furiously.