◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

❝𝓝𝓸 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓪𝓼 𝓘 𝓪𝓶.❞

                       -𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐮

     ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

"There are a few set of rules we'd need you to follow." Kyoko stated calmly.

"A few set of rules...?" Shiro raised a brow putting down her phone.

"Oh it's not much, don't worry. Like not eating chocolate two days in a row, you can only have your hair in a ponytail once a week except if it's a Friday." Yuki explained cheerfully, but then suddenly slammed the lunch table. Leaning in and stared into Shiro's eyes. "Never wear bear hair clips that's Takara's thing."

"A-ah.." Shiro leaned back as Yuki sat back down on her own seat.

"Oh c'mon cut her some slack." Takara said finishing her drink. "So Shiro, I'm like hosting a rave tomorrow night, wanna come?"

"A-ah?"

"A rave as in a party. Everyone's coming. As my best friend you're obligated to join anyway."

"W-wait!" Shiro's eyes widen, trying to process on what she just said. Best friend? Not in a million years. "F-fine.. I'm not a big party animal though so.."

"Doesn't matter as long as you come. Anyway, after lunch, wanna bounce?"

"Bounce? Don't we have lessons?"

"That's the thing, we're skipping..!" Yuki squealed before getting shushed by Kyoko.

"Not too loud unless you want the whole school to hear us." Kyoko scolded shooting a dark glare sending Yuki shivers down her spine.

"H-Hold on- I-"

"Never skipped classes before? Hun in highschool it's normal. Trust me you're fine."

"But me as a faction leader and an elite yourself, shouldn't we show a good example to our juniors?" Shiro tilted her head, as Takara bursted out of laughter.
"Oho~ let loose and live a little hun. Let's be realistic here, people in highschool don't follow school role models." Takara slung her bag over her shoulder. "C'mon let's hang out in my room."

Shiro opened her mouth to say something, but instead of words she just closed her lips. Sighing, she just grabbed her cup of coffee and went with the other Venom members.

(OPENING HERE)

"And that's why I never wear green with yellow ever again." Takara stated with disgust.

"Right..!" Shiro's tone of voice hinted to just.. end the ridiculous story there.

"Yeah and don't try green with pink, it's a fashion disaster." Yuki agreed walking on Takara's left side.

"Might as well not wear green in general." She responded, as the two laughed lightly.

"Honestly, what do they have against the colour green..? It's just a colour."  Kyoko muttered, only Shiro could hear as she put a hand on her forehead.

"Tell me about it." Shiro replied giving an awkward smile as she sipped her coffee lightly.

Takara who was more focused on the road than them, noticed her, still-crossed, friend walking. Seems like she didn't even noticed them since she's on her phone. Takara's lips curved into a devilish smirk.

"Hey Shiro~" Takara lightly tapped Shiro's shoulder grabbing her attention.

"Hm yeah what is it?" By the time she turned her head, both Shiro and Rin bumped each other on their shoulders causing her to lightly tilt the cup and spill some of her drink on Rin's white hoodie.

"AH! YOU-" Rin grumbled tightening her grip on the part that got drenched in caffeine. "Watch where you're going!"

"I'm so sorry I- l thought you'd-"

"Jeez calm down." Takara rolled her eyes. "Whoever bumped into their shoulders first doesn't matter."

"Tch.. ah.. H-How could you say that!? Look at the hoodie!" Rin argued.

"I'm looking at it and it is.. drenched in caffeine, but it's a stain that can be cleaned up, in no time." Takara replied nonchalantly. "Kay Rinny~?"

"No! Not okay!"

"Sheesh, just clean it up yourself, or are you too lazy to clean up your own hoodie?" She taunted.

"Agh, did you forget this is a white hoodie? The same one you got for my birthday."

"Oh yeah, I did give it to you alright. Well I gave it to you meaning, it's yours; and that you can do whatever you want with it, but don't take offense mkay hun? I'm sure you can clean it with some bleach."

Rin just rubbed her temples and gave a long deep sigh.

"No, it's only right if I clean it up, I didn't look where I was going and-"

Shiro was cut off with Takara's tongue clicking.

"Oh no no dear, now that you're friends with us. You don't have to do any of the hard work, take it easy~" She then got closer to Shiro's ear, whispering no lighter than a butterfly. "Besides I already got you out of this mess so why don't you play along, hm?"

"So you're saying we aren't friends anymore?"  Rin looked at Takara with a glare.

"Ah uh~ that's not the case, I wasn't really happy on how you were treating me before, overreacting to such small things. Besides it's in the little rules we have anyway." Takara hummed smirking gesturing her hand. "Disrespecting anyone of us, and you're left as the ugly duckling."

Rin afterwards just stared at them blankly. The feeling of defeat started to slowly sink into her.

"C'mon girls, let's leave Rin to clean up." Takara began to walk away followed by her two henchmen, who just looked at each other then to Rin with obvious guilt on their faces, but they have to follow Takara anyway, to not suffer the same fate Rin got.

"Y-you guys are gonna leave me too..?" Rin slowly muttered.

"Rin I-" Shiro turned to the Queen of Setsuna.

"Oh Shiro~" Takara looked back at Shiro.

"You should go, I don't want you in my way." Rin stated sternly, in a poisonous tone then walked to the opposite direction they were going leaving Shiro to frown and follow the Venom Elite.

════╡°˖✧❈✧˖°╞════

"And we're here~!" Takara opened one of the two black doors.

The Venom Elite room was almost flawless, it was a room for a diva, perfect for Takara herself. One of the most noticeable features was a hammock and a venom logo hung on her room.

"A hammock?" Shiro pointed out.

"Oh yeah, I use it for yoga and just to yanno, relax." Takara put down her bag then climbed on top of it, sitting down and play it as if it's a swing.

"A-ah don't fall.."

"I'm used to it really." She chuckled.

Kyoko, who was quiet for most of the journey nudged Shiro's arm handing her a chair.

"O-oh, thanks." She smiled lightly taking it from her and sat down.

Meanwhile Yuki just jumped onto Takara's bed sitting down on it. "Oof."

"Agh Yuki not too hard I just folded the sheets this morning." Takara warned.

"Yeah yeah I know~"

"Alright, girls this is quite big." Takara's attention then turn to Shiro. "See Shiro, we don't usually allow other people to our conversations, especially this quick, but I'm feeling particularly generous today."

"Well aren't you a lucky one." Kyoko commented.

"Ahaha.." Shiro lightly chuckle. "Thanks, but.. why me?"

"So can we start on Sun Hee's complexion? I swear to god, what is she doing?" Takara ignored her question.

"She seriously needs to work on her foundation." Kyoko sighed facepalming.

"She doesn't know when to stop or when not to stop, it's gross." Yuki commented.

"Don't get me started on her eye shadow. The colors she used doesn't suit her." Takara shivered before the three started to elegantly laugh in a mocking tone then exhaled. Afterwards they all turn to Shiro, who was awfully quiet.

"I.. well.. never really paid attention, all I know she's my friend's friend so.. I can't make any judgement.."

"Oh c'mon stop playing the angel, you've seen her. What do you think?" Takara raised a brow.

"Well.." She fiddled her thumbs. "Isn't it right to get to know her first before talking behind her back?"

"Pft boring." Yuki commented before dropping herself onto the soft bed.

"YUKI MY SHEETS-"

"Okay okay..!" Shiro turned away, trying to think of some comment that wouldn't sound too mean.

"Her.. Her hat is so.. old.." Shiro could feel her face cringe as the room fell into an awkward silence.

"Yeah I'm bored with this topic, moving on." Takara as well could feel the cringe.

"So, fancy any guys lately?" Yuki wiggled her eyebrows and that caused Shiro's nerves to tense up and her cheeks went pink.

"I would say the King is pretty ho-" Kyoko muttered out causing Takara and Yuki to tense up.

"No."

"N o!"

"What?"

"Huh-" Shiro raised a brow.

Yuki then cleared her throat.

"He's Rin's ex."

"They went out for a couple months." Takara added checking her nails.

"She was devastated when he broke up with her last winter."

"Eh? She dumped him for some guy in another school or something."

"Regardless, ex-boyfriends are off limits to friends right? I mean that's just basic general common sense."

"But.. are you all really still friends with Rin? Y'know... After what happened..?" Shiro managed to speak up from the whole nonsense.

"Oh well, probably, we just fought, like what normal friends do." Takara shrugged it off casually then turn to Kyoko cooing. "But don't worry we won't tell anyone. You didn't knew after all~ Anyway, now that's been settled.. So, Shiro, you're a royal and all.."

"Yes..?"

"What's the people like? Dealing people like Kazane and Rin mustn't been fun."

"Well.. They're.. interesting, powerful cardfighters. Earned the spot of a roy-"

"C'mon Jack, you don't have to lie to us." Kyoko who was still in silence before spoke up.

'Alright alright.. seeing as.. they wouldn't believed me if I were to genuinely compliment.. I guess he insults doesn't have to be the truth..' Shiro bit her bottom lips, lost in her river of thoughts.

"Okay so.. maybe Kazane's a little.. I mean.. pretty loud and way too forward, like calm down. We get the message you don't have to shake me all time.. And Rin, don't get me started, she's a downright.. sensitive spoiled brat, I'll admit that. She thinks she owns everything, but in all honesty, she hit rock bottom after this."

"Oooh~" Takara's lips turned into a wide grin. "Very interesting.."

"It's so true though." Yuki laughed while covering her mouth.

"It's like you're now one of us. I'm quite impressed someone like you managed to adapt so quickly." Kyoko chuckled in amusement.

"Wait a minute.. no!" Shiro shook her head. "I didn't mean any of that..! That was.. horrible.. why would you make me do that..?"

"Make you do what?" Takara raised a brow, arms folded against her chest. "We didn't make you do anything."

"Ah! I'm..!" Her voice cracked back into the meek one, it was opposite to the one she was talking behind her fellow royalties backs.

"Aw, it's okay Jack, it gets easier." Yuki comforted.

"The feeling of guilt will soon numb." Kyoko added making Takara clear her throat as a sign to stop trying to lighten the poor girl.

"But there's nothing to be guilty about hun~" She got off her hammock swing. Patting her shoulder, and gave a mischievous smile. "You just told me the truth."

Shiro stiffened by the touch as her legs began to fidget lightly. Taking a deep breath she stood up from her seat.

"Mm.. you know what Takara. I'm not exactly a true friend or royalty if I talk about them behind my back and if this.. is all what you girls do. Just talk behind everyone's back then.. I don't want to be apart of it." Shiro stormed her way to the door, opening it she stepped out.

"Well yeah? Maybe you're better off not being apart of it!" Takara yelled gritting her teeth, the last thing heard was the door slamming shut. "That damn ungrateful bitch..!" She ran her hands to her hair tightening the grip.

"O-oh.. Takara I guess she's just-"

"Not now, Yuki!"

════╡°˖✧❈✧˖°╞════

Shiro let out a shaky breath rubbing both of her arms trying to calm her tensed nerves. Rushing towards her dorm room as soon as possible, she almost bumped into a familiar someone.

"E-excuse me.. I-" She quickly stepped aside without even looking at the person. Her legs began to pick up the pace.

"Hm? Rough night huh?" Her monotonous tone echoed at the empty hallway. Making Shiro stop and turn at her.

"Huh? Rin? If you're here to make fun of me, save it."

"I have no interest on that, I'm more interested at the fact you actually came back. Thought you'd stay longer." Rin shoved both of her hands into her grey sweatpants.

"Definitely not." Shiro spat shaking her head.

"Woo, you don't seem too happy."

"Why would I be? Takara's a.." Shiro couldn't even bring herself to say the word as it was stuck at the back of her tongue.

"Bitch." Rin helped her to finish her sentence causing Shiro to gasp. "You know it's true. Why do you act surprise?"

"How.. do you even handle it Rin? All the gossip and those girl talks they do."

"After you've done it awhile the guilt just became numb." Rin replied casually.

"T-That's what Yuki and Kyoko said..." Shiro sighed.

"Sheesh, they actually said that.. Shiro stop it, you're overreacting."

"Why..? You're just as terrible as the three together or worse.. I hate saying this, but.. You're jealous aren't you? That Takara's going to replace you with me. She wants me to be in her little group or something like that, I don't want that..! I don't want to be involved anymore!" The more Shiro talk the harder she grip her the side of her sleeves.

"...Is this the part where I start crying and shout back?" Rin said plainly. "Listen Shiro, but she doesn't want somebody like you as a best friend. I mean.. you're not even part of Venom. She's just using you to get back at me and I'll get all angry then apologize and we'll be best~★ best~★ friends again~★ agh.. she's so predictable." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh.. huh.. well that does make much more sense.." Shiro although inside felt quite stung, managed to keep her composure. She kept reminding herself that it's not worth to be stung.

"Sorry if you thought it was gonna be all fun and games being the new member." Rin said sarcastically.

"Honestly.. I didn't think you'd even talk to me after the hoodie incident." Shiro laughed awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck.

"Jeez, it's a whatever now, that hoodie was SO last season anyway."

"Ah.."

"Admittedly I was annoyed, someone like you manage to.. Join our small group just like that." Rin admitted looking away. "By tripping me in front of everyone."

Shiro grinned, before letting out a small laugh. 

"It's not funny.." Rin gritted her teeth, but her small chuckle said otherwise.

"So.. I'm guessing you know about the party? It's tomorrow night."

"Of course, me and Takara were supposed to be the ones hosting." 

"I'm sure we're both gonna get killed by her."

"No shit, but not just her. I'm pretty sure Kyoko and Yuki are against us now, as they are her little minions."

"Aren't you her minion?" Shiro joked with a teasing grin.

"Oh shut up, I am her equal.. or so I thought.. but none of that anymore, leader or not. It's time I stand up for myself, which reminds me.. I have a plan." Rin's lips curved into a smirk.

"Oh? For the party?" Shiro tilted her head.

"Of course, and it's giving Takara a sweet taste of her own medicine."

(ENDING)

════╡°˖✧❈✧˖°╞════

A/N: H a h a h i~ it's been 2 months? Ever since the last chapter. Apologies for it being two months, but I hope this chapter makes it up!

We're almost at 1K readers kyaa!!

Note on the chapter cover:
Kyoko is on the bottom right
Yuki is on the bottom left