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The day of Kobayakawa-san and Raimon-san's arrival was also the release of Enma's Entrance Exam results. Since the test they-Karin, Sena and Monta who have athletic scholarship and Suzuna who have cheerleading scholarship-took was just for formality, instead of going to Enma, Karin joined Suzuna in the Arrival Lobby of Narita International Airport. By that time, Karin had been more comfortable with Suzuna-chan that with her former Teikoku teammates. Karin liked Suzuna's exuberance and unaffected charm. She's the type of person who's never shy and says exactly what she wants to say and along with her cheerful attitude, it is no surprise that Suzuna have gazillion friends. But, Suzuna told her once, that she likes Senyan, Monmon and Mamo-nee the best.

Suzuna was regaling her with tales of her brother, the tight end Taki Natsuhiko, who found his calling in ballet and is performing in New York. "Might as well, my idiot brother was always the diva", Suzuna said rolling her eyes and Karin giggled. But they stopped talking when they saw Sena and Monta's plane had arrived in the flight schedule. The two girls craned their necks, trying to search for their friends. But all they could see was couples and families embracing and Japanese businessmen politely bowing to their international counterpart. A trio of stewardess passed them, rolling their suitcase and smiling and bowing politely to Suzuna and Karin. The two college girls were just returning the bow when a high, familiar voice exclaimed "Koizumi-san! Suzuna-chan!"

Karin turned her head to the source of the exclamation when she noticed that people were parting. All were staring at the two women walking with easy grace to Karin and Suzuna's direction. Karin was staring with her mouth slightly open. It was really rude to stare like that but she can't help it! 'Are those women real?' Karin thought. She was about to say 'Excuse me?' when her companion said in an I-can't-believe-what-I'm-seeing voice "Senyan? Monmon?"

The two arrivals stopped three feet in front of Suzuna and Karin. The two were carrying a small hand-carry bag and were rolling large suitcase; one in pink and strawberry prints, the other in light beige and banana prints. The smaller of the two women smiled brightly while the taller darker women scowled. "I told you to quit making nicknames out of my nickname". But she smiled, a little dotingly, and added "But since it's been so long since I last saw you, I'll forgive you", Suzuna seemed to have recovered from her shock and hugged-jumped- the two arrivals.

"Senyan! Monmon! I missed you so much~", Suzuna cried, suffocating her friends.

"Ow-Suzuna. Let go!", Raimon Takara complained. The former Deimon head cheerleader giggled and released the two. Sena grasped Suzuna's hands and smiled "We missed you too, Suzu-chan",

"Ah, Koizumi-san is here too! Konichiwa, Koizumi-san. I hope you are well?", Kobayakawa Sena said her hands clasped in front of her and doing a perfect bow, complete with the falling of her glossy hair. She have the kind of hair that women are spending millions in order to have.

"I-", Karin flushed when Sena's eyes stared directly to her. "I'm well, Kobayakawa-san. Thank you for asking".

Is this the girl that stared at the ground when someone talks to her? Is this the girl who can't form three words without stuttering? Since when did she have those clear, penetrating eyes?

"Still polite as ever. And I thought that America would made you a little bit…informal", Monta said shaking her head. "Ossu, Koizumi", the wide receiver said raising her hand. That full down turning lips quirked on the left side and she had the kind of lips that could successfully launch a lipstick campaign.

"Monta-chan is just too informal, ne Koizumi-san?" Sena smiled at her.

"Uhm, it's not really a problem. And please call me Karin. After all, we'll be teammates now", the quarterback said. She couldn't help but be self-conscious because everyone was still looking at them! But her would-be roommates either didn't notice the attention or were too used to it. Karin could actually hear a little girl asking her mother "Kaa-chan, are they models?", and her mother replying "I don't know, dear, but they certainly looks like one". The young mother was looking at the two women with an expression of fascination.

"Okay, Karin-chan. Then please call me Sena too", Can a person change this much in just a year and a half? The stutter was gone and when she speaks, she looks at you straight in the eye.

"Shall we go now, Karin?", Monta said. It seems that when Karin permitted Sena to call her by her given name, Monta interpreted that the same would be allowed to her. Karin didn't really mind because she's too busy connecting the small, monkey-ish, tomboy who defeated Honjo Taka and this-this- woman in front of her.

"G-go?", She could hear Sena telling Suzuna about the time when they watched Taki's performance just two days before their flight.

"To the apartment first, then to Enma. I want to see everyone", the wide receiver said, her full downturning lips were slightly twitching. Monta's hands were clenched into fists and shaking. She had the expression of a kid about to enter Disneyworld for the first time. Karin could practically see her excitement.

Karin nodded her head and as they walked, she noted the easy grace in which Sena and Monta moves. Their backs straight. Their shoulders square. Their jaw proportional to the floor. The way they walked as though they are well-aware of how strong they are. And the way their eyes blaze and look at the future. As though they couldn't wait to test their strength against their rivals.

Karin took a deep breath and straightened her back. These are my comrades, my teammates. These strong, passionate and gorgeous women are my teammates. I want to walk the same path that they are walking now.