This came out way longer than I expected. And will get a second chapter. Meh, I guess I had inspiration this time around.

What at first seemed like an afternoon like any other, turned out to be the herald of a night full of surprises.

Misaki Tokura was sitting behind the counter, reading her book in silence. People in the card shop were playing Cardfight! Vanguard and having a good time. It really seemed like another ordinary afternoon at Card Capital, when the door slid open and someone who had never been seen in that shop before stepped in.

Asaka Narumi looked around, taking in her surroundings before moving towards the counter. The patrons eyed her suspiciously. Most of them knew her, since she was a renowned Vanguard fighter. So the fact that the infamous Asaka Narumi stepped foot into their shop for the first time came off as a mild shock to them, and to the lavender-haired girl behind the counter.

Misaki knew Asaka all too well. She considered the other girl her rival ever since their first match. Over time she had become somewhat of a friend to her, but neither side would admit that.

"Welcome," said Misaki, still watching her closely. "Fancy seeing you here. You haven't come here before, have you?" Misaki was voicing the question most people around the shop had in their minds for the past minute.

"No, it's the first time I've visited," replied Asaka, her voice cold and professional. She nodded to the door that led to the back of the shop. "Can we talk in private?"

"We can talk here," came the reply from Misaki, in the same tone. "I don't see what you would like to tell me that can't be said here."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. "What I wanted to say is that tonight I'm going to the new bar that opened two blocks from here, and I wanted you to come with me."

Okay, nobody expected that. Realizing that the actions around the shop had ceased, Misaki shot a glare towards the customers. Everyone returned their attention to whatever they were doing, not wanting to provoke the girl that was infamous for kicking people out when they were fussing.

Turning her attention back to the other woman, Misaki closed her book and put it aside. She considered for a little before deciding to play it safe. "Why are you all of a sudden asking me of all people to come to this... bar?"

"Don't get the wrong impression, it's not like I want you there," Asaka countered. "But I assure you, what you'll see there is worth your attention."

"I'm not interested. Why don't you go with Ren? He'd love to go, I'm sure." Misaki replied, clearly not interested at all.

"Ren can't come, he has things to do," replied Asaka, receiving a puzzled expression from Misaki.

"What things?" she asked suspiciously.

"You'll know if you come with me," the Pale Moon user smirked at the Genesis cardfighter.

Misaki gritted her teeth, but she pondered for a moment. Asaka wasn't usually talking nonsense, so it might really be in her best interests to go. But what if it was a prank? In the end however, her curiosity got the better of her.

"Fine, I'll keep you company," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest and looking away. Asaka suddenly jumped forward and hugged her out of delight.

"Great! Trust me, you won't regret it!"

"Okay, now stop hugging me and shouting in my ear!"

Later that day, Misaki and Asaka met at Card Capital, ready to go. They decided to walk to their destination. They approached the target building, where Asaka led the other girl towards the side of the structure, where a small door was, the light above it illuminating the doorway.

Opening the door and entering the dimly lit bar, Misaki was alerted of the music coming from a corner of the room. Before the girls had time to register what music it was, it had stopped. Some of the customers that were already there clapped softly in appreciation. Asaka led Misaki to the bar, where she ordered a cocktail. "It's my favorite," she smiled at her friend.

The bartender turned to Misaki, who replied plainly, "Same as her." The young man took to making the beverages, while the girls turned around to regard the bar. They instantly detected movement in the corner where the music was coming a while ago. Three figures were coming down from a slightly elevated platform. The source of the music probably, Misaki deduced. Taking their place were four men, in their early twenties Misaki assumed from their build and stature. Feeling a nudge, Misaki turned to see Asaka tapping her shoulder, signaling their drinks had arrived. Muttering a 'thank you', she took the glass and sipped. It's good, she thought.

"So," Asaka began, "How do you like it here?"

"It's nice. Certainly a place to relax," Misaki replied thoughtfully before adding. "From the looks of it."

Asaka smirked. The lavender-haired girl was always skeptical of things, sometimes more than she should. "Just wait till that band starts playing." Misaki looked at Asaka puzzled, but she found the blue-haired girl already looking towards the corner. Misaki decided to do the same and see for herself what Asaka wasn't telling her the entire afternoon.

At the corner, the two men in front of the small band began stroking their guitars, soon joined by the drums player, and the bassist. Misaki decided she liked the tune, but all her thoughts were washed away when the leading man began singing.

Tsuyo-sa o motometa mujaki-sa ga naze

Hagayui kizuna o azawarau yō ni

Hanarete shimatta kokoro wa ima mo

Kienai itami o kakushimotta mama

That voice! Kai!

Right there in the middle of the band was Toshiki Kai, with an electric guitar in his arms and a microphone on a stand in front of him.

Doko de machigatta nodarou

Hikikaesenai yume no tochū de

Kotae wa itsu ka wakaru-sa

Kachi tsudzukeru koto de shōmei shiyou

Kōkai o nuguu tame ni

Tsuranuke, mō nan karamo nidoto nige wa shinai

Under the dim light, Misaki could make out the rest of them. She recognized the red mane of Ren Suzugamori playing the guitar alongside Kai, with the blond Taishi Miwa playing the drums and Tetsu Shinjou stroking a bass guitar. They were perfectly in sync, as if the song had become part of them.

Kisoi ainagara oretachi ga mita

Shōri wa tashika ni kibōdatta hazu

Yugamu kachikan no hate ni

Barabaraninatta CARD o sagasou

Hitasura susumu mirai o

Kiri hiraku no wa kesshite orenai PRIDE

Anogoro onaji egao de

Migaki atte wakari aeta hibi mune ni daite

Dare no seide mo nakute

Tada sorezore ga junsuidattakara

Kotae wa itsu ka wakaru-sa

Kachi tsudzukeru koto de shōmei shiyou

Kōkai o nuguu tame ni

Tsuranuke, mō nan karamo nidoto nige wa shinai

As the song ended, Misaki found herself wanting more. She never knew Kai had such an awesome singing voice, or the fact the four boys were so good with music. I guess there's always something to learn about the people around you.

Noticing her friend and rival in such a dazed state, another smirk found its way to Asaka's lips. "See?" she commented. "I knew you'd like it."

Misaki turned to throw some witty remark at her, but stopped when she noticed the guys coming up at them.

"Yo, sis! Asaka-chan!" greeted the blonde drummer, grinning from ear to ear.

"Drop the '-chan'," Asaka retorted venomously. The boy pretended to be hurt by her words, his grin not fading in the slightest.

"Come now A-chan, don't be so uptight!" came an even more cheerful voice from the red-haired male beside them. "Miwa-chan doesn't intend any harm, right?"

"Right, right!" Miwa said, donning an apologetic smile.

"R-R-Ren-sama!" Asaka mentally cursed herself for stuttering again in front of her leader and boyfriend.

Ren pouted. "I thought I told you to call me just Ren."

Asaka mentally cursed herself again. "Right, sorry Ren."

"How are you doing Asaka, Tokura?" Tetsu asked politely, towering above them.

"We're fine, thank you Tetsu," Asaka responded in the same tone. "Great performance you all gave. I see the rehearsals paid off."

"Wait, you knew about all this since the very beginning?" Misaki asked scandalized. Asaka smirked yet again.

"Of course she did! We were rehearsing at the Foo Fighters HQ!" Ren reasoned. Misaki stared at her female friend in disbelief.

"It doesn't matter now, does it? Since you were awestruck." Asaka continued smirking.

"Well… yeah. That was a great performance you guys. Good job!" Misaki gave them a thumbs-up.

"Thanks sis." Miwa beamed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go the restroom," he said sheepishly. "See ya in a few." Miwa turned to leave, while Ren, Tetsu and Asaka were heading towards one of the few empty tables. The young man with the spiky brown hair regarded them for a moment, before twisting in place to join Misaki on the bar.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hello Kai, great job you did back there," she said in awe.

Kai kept looking forward, giving his order to the bartender before answering her. "It was nothing, thanks."

"I didn't know you could sing that well."

He grunted, not knowing what to say. Silence ensued, with the only thing momentarily interrupting it was the bartender returning with a beer. Kai drank a little, before turning to regard Misaki. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me."

Misaki thought for a moment, not sure of an answer. She settled on a question that had been raised to her since the lyrics of the song began. "Did you write the lyrics for the song yourself?"

"Yeah."

"I see," she said, before mustering the courage to question him further. "I never knew you felt that way."

"What way?" he asked, although he knew exactly where she was going with this.

"The lyrics. They-"

"That was a long time ago," he interrupted her. He glanced over at Ren, who was tugging Asaka towards them. How much things have changed, he thought, how much different we all are compared to back then.

"Hey Kai, MisaQ!"

"I told you to stop calling me that," Misaki hissed at the pet name Ren used to call her for no apparent reason.

"Come now, don't be like that!" Ren said happily. 'Where does he find that energy?' both Kai and Misaki wondered. "Anyway, I wanted to say Asaka and I have to take our leave now. I'm tired from the singing!"

Misaki facepalmed, while Kai simply sighed. "Suit yourselves," he told them before turning his back to them.

"Oh, by the way, Te-chan is asking you guys to join him and Miwa-chan. Don't stay here by yourselves!" The couple headed towards the exit, leaving the two teenagers by themselves once more.

They were silent, but this time it was a comfortable silence. They didn't need to continue speaking; they already knew what was going through each other's head regarding the topic they dropped. Misaki felt that Kai wanted to say something, but a second later she thought she got the wrong idea about his facial expressions in the dim lighting of the bar.

"Hey, Tokura…" he began warily.

"Hm?"

"There's this shop across the street from my school," he stated. "It has really good ice-cream. Wanna go there tomorrow? It's Saturday and we don't have school anyway."

"You mean, like a date?" she asked, a little shocked.

"Call it whatever you want," he replied, although it came out more rudely than he wanted. Sighing, he continued. "Anyway, does 3:30 PM sound alright?"

"Sure, where will we meet?"

"I'll drop by Card Capital," he said, trying not to smile in relief. And partially failing to do so, leaving him a strange look on his face.

"Anyway, let's go join the others now," she said, a little amused by his look. "Shall we?"

"Yeah," he said, and they paced towards the table, where Miwa had already returned, and sat with him and Tetsu. While they were talking and having a good time, they couldn't help but think of the next day's meeting, and a little smile would creep to their lips every time.

For those who don't know, the song is Kibou no Shoumei sang by Kai's seiyuu, Takuya Satou. It's Kai's character song for the first season. Google is your friend if you want a translation of the lyrics.