I'm the strongest! Pfft, ha ha ha ...

Long after they were done eating, and were resting comfortably in the large chairs, the host presented the bill. Vesper and Mia didn't bother even looking. Dee passed a black card to the host, who managed to keep a straight face. The restaurant was popular, and he had seen the fabled black card before. It was unusual to see it in the hand of a high schooler, but that only showed that the guests weren't ordinary. The host remained the same courteous.

"Is it much?" Vesper asked.

"Hmm," Mia answered slowly. "Not really. Well, it depends. Do you have any money on you right now?"

"No," Vesper answered honestly.

"Then it is much," Mia explained. "But you've got the black card too. If you show that, then it's not much. Actually you can use the black card to pay for pretty much everything."

"Oh. That's good. Must be somewhere at home. I'll have to search."

"Doesn't matter. Tell me if you want another."

"You're sweet."

"I'm awesome."

The two were drowning in delight, and failed to notice the strange expression on Dee's face. Just who were these two, Dee wondered. The black card was the most premium card passed out by the Central Bank. It superseded every other card of every other bank, and most importantly, it had no limit. The eligibility requirements for the black card were extremely harsh, not something just anyone could meet. And here, Mia was talking about getting another like it was no big deal. And Vesper didn't know where his card was. If that wasn't bad enough, why were the interactions of these two so unique? Vesper was like an empty sheet of paper, entirely blank and so calm. Mia was like the pampering parent offering weird explanations that made sense only to Vesper. Why did it seem like the two knew each other from long before?

Dee indulged in the questions for a minute, and then shook her head free. She couldn't ask the questions, and they didn't matter. She was very fond of the two, and that was all that was important.

Done with lunch, they were faced with the next big question.

"What now?" Mia asked.

"Beautiful girls," Vesper said.

"You want more?" Dee asked, amused.

"Want?" Vesper asked, confused.

"Mia and me. How many more do you want?"

"I don't want any. But all beauty should be appreciated. And all beautiful girls must be known."

"I can help you with the first years," Mia offered.

"Fine, the second and third years are my responsibility," Dee said.

"Off to school then," Vesper screamed.

And off they were. Everyone else had returned some time ago, so the three had the streets all to themselves. Mia went first, giving the reason that her list was shorter. Only those at least as beautiful as Mia were considered. As Vesper explained, for strangers outer beauty was all that mattered, and as they grew familiar the inner beauty would manifest. There was nothing limiting the number of people they could call beautiful.

There was the brown and curly haired Tara, with hazel eyes and deep dimples that sparkled on her caramel skin. The skinny like a model Yugo, with sharp black hair, black eyes that sparkled like freshly cut diamonds on her black skin; she was breathtaking, like she was carved out of the darkest night. And lastly, Cara. A pale beauty, chubby and cuddly, short golden hair curled at the ends, shrouded in a warm aura that one couldn't look away from.

They walked in through the school gates as Mia finished. And they headed toward the first year classes to look at the beautiful girls. Cara was from the same class as Vesper and Mia. And she was sitting in their classroom, on the desk next to the one Vesper left his backpack on. She was encircled by a group of mostly girls who wanted to be friends, and some boys who were more open about their pursuit.

"Shall we say hello?" Mia asked.

"Isn't that too many people around her?" Vesper asked.

"And that matters how?" Mia asked back.

"We have Dee," Vesper answered.

Dee feigned disappointment at her two new friends. But they saw the laughter in her eyes. She took a step forward, cleared her throat loud enough to attract attention, and called out Cara.

She led Cara away from the class and out of earshot. When it was just the four of them, she spoke up.

"Did you get an invitation from Mr Yagi?"

Cara nodded, looking confused.

"Good," Dee said, looking pleased. "Makes it easier. So, I'm not here on behalf of teacher, but with friends. This is Vesper and Mia. They're from your class. We just wanted to say hello."

"And ask if we could be friends," Mia quickly added.

Vesper nodded vigorously.

Dee was exasperated. Did they think everyone was weird like them? She smiled at Cara coaxingly.

"Don't worry," she said slowly. "I promise you, we harbour no other intention. We only want to say hello. And be friends."

"Okay," Cara answered faintly. She was overwhelmed, and thus gave the answer that was expected.

"Okay," Vesper and Mia said together, clapping their hands excitedly.

Dee shook her head sadly, and smiled at Cara. She wondered if they were too much. Didn't seem like Cara was excited about being friends with them. Whatever.

Cara was relieved at being let off. She rushed back in, back to her friends who thought she received another invitation, some were happy and some envious. But Cara felt comfortable in their company.

Mia led them to the next girl. Yugo, from 1C. Yugo wasn't in her classroom, and no one in the classroom was sure exactly where she was. The disappointed trio moved on to the next girl.

Luckily, Tara was in the classroom of 1F. She saw them first. And before Dee called, Tara rushed over. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at Vesper.

"You were amazing," she exclaimed.

"I know I am," Vesper replied without a shred of modesty. And that pleased Tara even more.

"Can we be friends?"

Gleaming with excitement, Tara looked truly pretty. Vesper couldn't be happier.

"Yes. Let's be friends. Also, this is Mia and Dee. They're friends too."

"Amazing," Tara said, extending Mia and Dee the same excitement.

The four shook hands, as if it signalled signing the pact of friendship, and separated. Tara went back in. The other three continued on.

They met with Yugo as they were leaving the building. She was walking in. She stopped when she saw them looking at her. Vesper beamed and stepped up.

"I'm Vesper."

"I know," Yugo answered calmly. "You're Mia. You, I don't know."

Mia was delighted at being recognised. Dee had a feeling of deja vu.

"I'm Dee, a second year."

"Okay," Yugo said, nodding. "Are you're here to extend an invitation?" She was doubtful, owing to the presence of Vesper and Mia.

"No," Vesper answered. "We're here to say hello."

"And to ask to be friends," Mia added.

"Okay," Yugo answered.

"Okay, let's be friends?" Mia asked, to be sure.

"Yeah, sure," Yugo replied calmly.

Vesper was delighted. Mia and he were jumping, expressing their joy. Dee felt slightly embarrassed, mainly because she wanted to jump too, but couldn't bring herself to. Yugo looked amused.

"So, you're going around saying hello?" Yugo asked.

"Yes," Vesper answered. "Saying hello to all the beautiful girls."

Yugo blushed. "Thank you."

Vesper was confused. Mia patted his back gently and explained.

"She felt like she was praised, when you called her beautiful. Every girl feels happy being called beautiful. You can ask Dee."

They all looked at Dee, who nodded. Her skin was thickened enough to run with Vesper and Mia.

Yugo burst out laughing.

"Can I come along?"

"Of course. We're friends. Let's all go. The seniors now."

Dee understood why Yugo felt familiar. She was pretty much like Vesper and Mia. They all deserved to be friends. With a smile, she led the group.

There truly were more beautiful girls among the seniors, maybe because they spent longer in the school which amplified their beauty. That was good, because it meant more beautiful girls would blossom from the first years. After a while, Yugo complained. Why were they only looking at girls? She wanted to look at beautiful boys too. The rest agreed it was fair. So, Dee began introducing the beautiful boys from among the seniors. The boys noticed them, of course. The group of three beautiful girls was unmissable. And because there were three girls and only one boy in the group, the boys being looked at were more affected than the girls. They puffed their chests, pumped their muscles, in an effort to look prettier. Dee was uninterested. Vesper was studying closely. Yugo and Mia were gleaming with excitement, mentally licking their lips.

"So much beauty everywhere," Yugo exclaimed.

Vesper and Mia nodded, while Dee was tickled.

"I'm the strongest!" Vesper suddenly exclaimed.

"Pfft, ha ha ha."

Dee burst out laughing. Yugo considered carefully before nodding in agreement.

"It's no contest," Mia said, hugging his arm.