A Flicker of Friendship

The air was still charged with tension as Kou's face relaxed into a smirk, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I take it back," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I think I've seen cuter girls than you." Mitsuba's eyes widened in shock, and he let out a strangled gasp. His face turned bright red with rage, and he began to yell a stream of profanities at Kou. "You idiot! You dimwit! You...you...baka!" Mitsuba's voice rose to a crescendo, his pink hair standing on end as he ranted. Kou chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief, as he put down his second card. "Uno," he smirked, his voice triumphant. Mitsuba's tirade only intensified, his words tumbling out in a furious rush. "You're going to pay for that, Kou! You're going to regret ever crossing me! I'll...I'll...curse you!" As Mitsuba continued to rant, Kou leaned back against the wall, his eyes never leaving Mitsuba's face. He looked almost...amused, his smile growing wider as Mitsuba's anger reached a fever pitch. The fluorescent lights above seemed to flicker in time with Mitsuba's rage, casting eerie shadows on the walls as the ghost's words spilled out. His slender fingers clenched into fists, and his teal helix piercing glinted with a fierce light. Finally, Mitsuba's breath began to run out, and he paused, his chest heaving with exertion. Kou's smile never wavered, and he picked up his cards, examining them with a bland expression. Mitsuba's eyes narrowed, his gaze burning with fury. "You think you're funny, don't you?" he spat, his voice venomous. Kou's eyes flicked up to meet Mitsuba's, and for a moment, they just looked at each other. Then, Kou shrugged, his smile still plastered on his face. "Maybe a little," he admitted. Mitsuba's face twisted in a snarl, and he lunged at Kou, his hands grasping for the cards in Kou's hand. "Give me those back!" he shouted, his pink hair wild and disheveled. Kou laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement, and held the cards just out of Mitsuba's reach. "No way," he teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You have to catch me first." And with that, Kou leapt to his feet, his black umbrella staff at the ready. Mitsuba followed, his eyes blazing with fury, and the two friends tumbled into a wild and chaotic game of tag, their laughter and shouts echoing down the deserted hallway.