Hey hey hey! Arayt! I'm on schedule!^^ Here's chapter three for you. My notes to certain people are found on the end of the chap. Enjoy! No, really, I DO hope you like this chapter... Tell me what you think, kay?
By the way, did you guys remember that Rei was the one who said that line in Midori's flashback in the previous ep? Hope so. He said it in Part One Chapter Seven.

Three

"Aiko."

"Yes, Kamui."

"Do you notice anything unusual?"

"Not really."

"The dojo is peculiarly deserted for this time of day, isn't it?"

"Hm...true..."

Aiko nodded and sipped some of her tea as she continued to gaze at the Zen garden outside. She and Kamui were sitting at a small, local dojo, the one that Aiko went to every week. She preferred to go there because (1) that was where she studied and (2) it wasn't too crowded. That particaular day, though, there was literally no one in the dojo.

"But it's good, y'know?" Kamui continued.

"Hm." Aiko sipped her tea again. The fuurin tinkled as a soft wind blew.

"Otherwise people might think we brought lunactics with us."

"Hm."

Kamui sighed and drank his tea, too, trying to find peace and block out the noise from inside.

But it was pretty hard to do.

"HIYAAAAAAA!!!"

"GAH!"

"Come back here, you!"

"Oei, calm down, woman! This is supposed to be spar, not a death match!"

"I know, now, KEEP STILL!"

"GAAAH! WATCH IT!"

"How the heck are we supposed to spar if you run around the place?!"

Rei gritted his teeth as he dodged another kick from Midori, his eyes widening at how close her foot was to his face. He jumped backwards again, and gulped as he watched Midori tighten her white belt on her dark brown gi.

"Aren't you tired?" Rei asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowing. Though Midori looked quite determined to go on, she was already breathing pretty heavily.

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me you are. You haven't even thrown anything at me!"

"Well..." Rei shrugged. "Maybe I didn't want to throw anything at you."

"Eeee~h?" Midori exclaimed. "What's the use of sparring? It's supposed to be a two-way thing, Yokaze. I'd be better off sparring with a dummy. At least it won't move."

"Maybe. But then that won't be a challenge."

Midori rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Wanna take a break?"

"Fine."

With a nod, Rei turned to sit with Kamui and Aiko. But he suddenly fell forward when something tackled him from behind. He hit the floor with a thud.

Ow.

"YATTA! I won!" came a jubilant voice above him.

Rei peeled his face from the wooden floor and glared at Midori, who was sitting on his back.

"That was unfair! The match was over!" he protested, trying hard to continue glaring at Midori without breaking his neck.

"Na-uh!" she said in a sing-song voice, waving a finger at his face. "We begin and end a match with a bow."

"But that was still unfair! It's...it's...it's dishonorable! Yeah, that's it, it's dishonorable to attack an opponent from behind! Tell her, Kazetenshi!"

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Aiko said thoughtfully from her seat as she smiled at them. "But you shouldn't have turned your back at your opponent, Yokaze-kun."

"YATTA!" Midori exclaimed again, raising her hands triumphantly.

"I still say it doesn't count."

"Say what you want, Yokaze, I still won."

"Yeah, yeah," Rei grumbled. "You can get off my back now. I'm not a chair, y'know."

Midori blinked. Oops.

"Well, you would've made a very good one," she told him as she went to sit beside Aiko, while he stepped down to the ground and leaned on the pillar.

"You know, that gi is so you," the blue-haired girl told Midori.

"You think?" she asked, looking herself over. "I always wanted to wear one even if I didn't take up martial arts..."

"Why won't you?"

"Several reasons," Midori answered simply. "What about you, Ai-chan? Why did you stop practicing karate?"

Aiko's eyebrows furrowed at the short answer and the quick change of subject, but she didn't want to poke around. "I didn't really stop practicing... I'm here every week, aren't I?"

"Well, yes, but that's different. Why did you stop studying? I mean, you're a blue belter! Just a little more and you're gonna be a Master!"

Aiko shrugged. "Well, I didn't really study karate to be a tournament champion. Dad told me to learn it for self-defense." Aiko chuckled. "He said I looked so much like mom, I might grow up and be like her. And if that happened, he said a lot of guys were going to have a go at me. So I had better be prepared to fend them off."

"Oh..."

"That's not far from happening," Kamui said, earning himself a glare from his best friend.

"I can see that," Midori agreed. "Ai-chan here really gets attention without trying, doesn't she?"

"Midori..."

Kamui just nodded, ignoring Aiko's protest. Sometimes he just loved teasing Aiko about her popularity. "I bet, when we get to high school and she's still available, guys are gonna line up for her, or maybe even fight over her or something."

Midori gasped in exaggeration. "Or maybe try to take advantage of her!"

"Midori!"

"Oh, face it, Aiko, men can be pigs sometimes," Midori said, crossing her arms on her chest. "No offense, Kamui-kun."

"None taken."

"Hmm..." Midori hummed thoughtfully with a small smile,"maybe I should try learning karate for self-defense, too..."

"It's not like you'll be needing it."

He never intended to say it aloud. Actually, he didn't say it aloud. His voice was quiet, almost inaudible, in fact. He thought no one heard him. But the sight of Midori suddenly turning tense, and her smile fading, told Rei that he was dead wrong.

Emphasis on the word dead.

He blinked as Midori's eyes flicked to him, and narrowed dangerously.

"Oh, really?"

Rei imagined large neon lights saying "DANGER! DANGER!" flash around Midori as she stood up and hopped to the ground in front of him. He gulped. What the heck did he do now?!

"So you think I won't have trouble with guys attacking me, hm?"

"Sure..." Rei said slowly, taking a small step backwards as Midori approached him in a scary way. "You can keep them far away from you as it is."

"Far, hm?"

"Yes. Far. Very far."

"Really?"

"And you manage that without you exerting much effort, too!"

He barely noticed Kamui and Aiko both wince at what he said. He was too amazed at how Midori's left eyebrow can rise so high.

"Do I?"

"Not that they should be scared of you or anything like that," Rei said, desperately trying to correct his mistake...whatever that was. "I mean, it's not like you're gonna eat them, right? You can't even hurt a fly, how much more a guy?"

Midori's eyes narrowed even more.

"Hey look, that rhymes! Fly...guy...get it?" he added, laughing lamely.

Oh, man, that sucked...

Kamui seemed to agree to Rei's thoughts, as the black-haired boy slapped his forehead.

"Is that so?"

"I think you're more of the...verbal type," Rei replied. In his head, he saw himself digging his own grave. "You can physically hurt a guy as much as you can run..."

Apparently, that struck a cord. Pure anger flickered in Midori's green eyes, replacing the irritation that was formerly there.

"Jerk."

If Midori hadn't said anything else, Rei would have found his lips glued together at the sight of her Glare. But he had had enough.

It was Rei's turn to get angry.

"Wha--- HEY!"

"Oh, you better get used to hearing that word, Yokaze," Midori told him, crossing her arms on her chest. "I can imagine you're going to get that a LOT even from other girls if you don't change yourself."

Rei wasn't stepping back anymore. Instead, he took a step for the offensive.

"Watch your mouth, Yukibana."

"Why? You said yourself: I'm the verbal type."

The hazelnut-haired boy feigned relief. "Good to know you finally agree with my point!"

Midori's jaw dropped. "I did NOT! Don't think for a second I can't hurt you, Yokaze."

Rei rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. You're all talk but no action."

"I can if I wanted to, you jerk!"

"HA! I'd like to see you try!"

"Maybe I will!"

"Maybe you should!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

"FINE!!!"

Rei didn't get to answer with another angry "FINE!" as Midori's fist came in contact with his jaw, sending him staggering backwards. He vaguely heard Aiko exclaim "Midori!" as he eventually landed on the ground. Everything seemed deathly silent as he continued to stare open-mouthed at the furious girl towering over him.

"Jerk."

With that, Midori left.

She had left him in shock.

Again.

He was snapped out of his stupor when Aiko ran after Midori to the locker room. Rei blinked, finally realizing how hard Midori had punched him. He picked himself up from the ground as he massaged his jaw.

"Ow."

"That was way stupid, Yokaze."

"Not you, too, Toriyama." Did everyone have to understand Midori except Rei himself?

"But it was!"

"And how was that stupid?"

"Do you even know what you just said? 'You manage to keep them far away from you without exerting much effort, but they shouldn't be scared of you or anything'?! Come ON, man!"

Rei scratched his ever-tousled hair in exasperation. "Whaa~at? I don't get it!"

"'Keep them away without exerting much effort'?!"

"Well, she uses that Glare on me practically everyday, it's almost natural..." Kamui rolled his eyes, making Rei even more frustrated. "GEEZ! What's so wrong with telling her that she's independent, and that she's still approachable? Except if the one approaching her is me, of course."

"I know what you meant, Yokaze, but..." Kamui shook his head. "You don't understand girls."

"And you do?"

"Don't go there."

~~~

"Jerkjerkjerkjerkjerk!!!!"

Aiko watched silently as her friend literally stuffed her things in her bag. Midori was wearing her everyday clothes again, and she looked determined to leave. Not knowing what to do, the blue-haired girl said nothing, and let Midori vent out her anger first. She stood up, wide-eyed, though, when Midori suddenly flung the bag to the wall.

"JERK!"

"Midori!"

"Jerk..."

Breathing hard, Midori collapsed on the bench and put her head in her hands. Aiko just put her hand on her friend's shoulder, and knowingly kept silent. After a moment, the brown-haired girl sniiffed.

"Idiot."

"Mi-chan..."

"I shouldn't..."

I shouldn't be like this... I shouldn't let him get to me... I shouldn't care what he thinks...

Midori sniffed again, combing her fingers through her hair. She took a deep sigh as she sat up straight. She bit her lip and closed her eyes tight. She was obviously trying to keep herself from crying, although her eyelashes were already moist.

When she opened her eyes again, there was a bit more determination. She clapped her hands on her knees and stood up.

"I'm going to show him. Man, oh man, I'm going to show him."

"Show him?"

Midori nodded in resolution. "I'm going to show the jerk that I can get attention if I wanted to, and then fend them off if I wanted to. Just as I punched him because I wanted to."

Aiko's eyebrows furrowed. "Midori, I understand why you're so angry, but don't you think we shouldn't involve anyone else in this?"

"They'll only get involved if they want to, too."

"And then you're going to get rid of them?"

"If I wanted to."

Aiko shook her head slightly. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Mi-chan."

~~~

The next few days were very...weird for Rei.

First of all, Midori had always entered the classroom with a polite smile for her classmates, and the friendly smile for Aiko and Kamui. Then, a Glare for him if he said anything (for some reason whatever he said was wrong to her).

Secondly, she had rarely voluntaily talked with guys (except for Kamui) unless it was absolutely necessary. That was probably the reason why they were never friends for their first five and a half years in elementary school. Thirdly, if she DID talk to guys, her smile had always been the polite one. Just like the ones she used when they were at his house working on the first Math problem set.

Stupid problem set.

But after the episode at the dojo... Rei practically NEVER saw the polite smile anymore. Starting that day, Midori entered the classroom with the big smile. It was as if Aiko and Midori switched bodies, except Aiko was still herself. Midori was more open to everyone, including guys. Since when was Midori so...jumpy and cheerful? Not that Rei didn't want her to be. Perpetually cheerful was a good step from being just nice (which Midori was before), but what turned Rei's world upside down was the fact that the drastic change happened overnight.

And since when did Midori smile at their male classmates for no reason at all?!

And, this was the worst part: when Rei said something (he made sure he chose his words nicely, this time), Midori answered him with alarming calmness. It was good that she didn't get angry at the smallest thing anymore, but it just wasn't natural. It wasn't normal even for other normal people to do that. Her voice was frighteningly monotone, totally paling to the way she happily spoke to other people.

After a week, with much hesitation, Rei tried a different tactic: Takashi's tactic. But it didn't work. Midori ignored him. Literally. When he teased her, she didn't even talk back. She didn't even Glare at him anymore. It was as if he hadn't spoken at all.

He was finally what he was most afraid of becoming, ever since he saw the Glare at the dance.

He was Mr. Cellophane.

~~~

"I give up."

"Eh?"

"That's it, Toriyama. I give up. I tried every strategy I know. I tried to apologize, and she slams the phone and the door in my face. I try to ignore her for a while, but we end up fighting. I treat her nicely again, but she takes everything the wrong way. I try to be super nice to her, and she acts weird. I try to be rude to her -- oh, man, that sucked -- and she totally ignores me. And now, I feel like I don't even know her anymore! I'm sorry if your best friend's girl best friend can't be my friend, but don't say I didn't try."

"It's not like she's not trying, too."

Rei shot up from his position on the tree branch, and looked down at Kamui sitting on the ground below him. "What?"

Kamui laughed. "Don't be so surprised. Of course she is. I've seen you have decent counversations, too. There were several times Aiko and I thought you guys were finally going to get OK. But then, whammo. Something sets either you or Midori off and then that---"

"Whoa whoa! Stop, rewind and play for a sec.... What did you call her?"

Kamui blinked. "Uh...Midori?"

"Since when did you call Midori by her first name?" Rei demanded.

"Since when did you?"

"Hey, I've called her by her first name in elementary, buddy!"

"Really? So what happened that made her decide to take that privelege away from you?"

Rei opened his mouth, then stopped. He closed his mouth again, and leaned back on the tree trunk. "It's none of your business."

"Tsk. You can be a jerk sometimes, d'you know that?"

Rei sighed, then looked at Kamui again. "Sorry, man. I just... I'd rather not talk about it."

"Even with her?"

"Especially with her."

"And how the heck do you propose to fix things if you don't?"

"I've tried. And I've given up."

Several moments passed in silence, the only sound heard was the occassional rustling of leaves, the afternoon's faithful lark, and distant dogbarks.

"What're you going to do now? You sure can't avoid her forever."

Rei thought about it. What WAS he going to do?

"Go back to normal, I guess."

"Normal as in?"

"Normal as in the way we were before---

...before that problem set...

before we became friends. Normal as in...as if we were strangers."

"Because technically, we are."

From the author:
Nee...I'm sorry if I'm making Rei look like an idiot, or if I'm writing Midori to be so mean... You just can't expect them to suddenly be OK with each, other, right? *the wind blows, a tumbleweed rolls by as silence meets the author's ears* ... Right? ... Anybody? @_@

*ahem*

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Thank yous, notes and more stuff
Youku Kazeyami: Actually, I got Tomakazu from Seki Tomakazu (man, gotta love his voice! Wahaha~ Van-sama~!) And I got Seta from Seta Soujirou, because he moves really fast. Thanks so much for your faithful reviews, Youko-san!^^
Thank you SOOOOO much to ArikaMorance for her regular reviews, too.^^ *huggle*
To beve, Kiyoru, Kakyou Takashiro, The per chapter reviewer, koo-beer and Meredith (I didn't leave anyone else, did I?): Thanks so much for reviewing! It makes me soooo happy^^ Ehehe.

If you've got questions and stuff you'd like to ask Midori, Rei, or any of the other characters, please e-mail me, 'k? (See my profile for my email addy.) Also, check out the website for profiles and glossary. Thanks thanks thanks!