The silence that passed was unbelievably suffocating.

"Etsu... loved baking way more than me. He wanted to succeed and become a pastry chef much more than I'll ever understand." Koyuki's words were shaky, but the fire in his eyes never burnt out. "But even on the day I told him I shared his dream, he happily encouraged me to go for it too. And no matter how many times I screwed up my desserts, he baked with me and never let me give up. He was just as stubborn as a certain someone I know."

He sent me a ghost of a smile.

"So whether he's... here or not, I have to go for it. I have to make all that time he spent teaching me and pushing me forward worth it." He wrung his arm around my neck. "And if I even tried leaving someone as hopeless as her alone, Etsu would never let me live it down."

My grin mirrored his. "Koyuki...!"

Shiori hummed. She wasn't the slightest bit impressed.

"She must be amazing, huh. You were such a blockhead about quitting even I couldn't stop you from transferring out of the Cooking Club." She crossed her arms. "Not that it matters. As long as you're going against the Cooking Club, I'm not showing any mercy."

"Bring it on," Koyuki returned, jutting his chin all the same. "We'll make you regret looking down on us."

Electrowaves of their hatred floated around. It was enough to completely destroy the previous mood and cause passersby to gape.

Well, at least it'd become super clear to me that these two do not get along.

"Shi..."

Shiori's eyes instantly ripped from Koyuki's. Chiaki had snapped from his daze, a heavy frown downturning the corners of his mouth.

I faced him, confusion welling inside of me at the nostalgic nickname.

'Shi'? Where had I heard that before...?

The answer hit me like a meteorite.

"N-no way...!" I sputtered, twisting between them. "Y-your ex-girlfriend... The one you mentioned is—"

"What!" Eru yanked her by the arm, stars in her eyes. "Rin, you had a boyfriend? Why didn't you tell Eru this was a battle against your ex?"

Slight colour enveloped her complexion. She shook her off. "Shut up! It's in the past!" She turned the other cheek. "And don't call that disgusting idiot my ex. I want to burn him out of memory."

Chiaki stiffened.

I hurried to console him. Koyuki followed, gingerly patting his shoulder.

I made a face of disbelief. "She didn't have to be so mean...!"

Koyuki deadpanned, "I'm not surprised. She lives off insulting others to make her feel better about herself. She's the lowest of the low."

Shiori growled like a rabid dog. "Don't make me come over there, wench, blondie! Make fun of me one more time! I'll rip your skulls right out of your heads—beat you like scrambled eggs if I have to!"

I stuck my tongue out at her in response.

She didn't receive it favourably. Not that I cared.

None of it made sense. Why in the world did someone as laidback as Chiaki go out with her? And how was he able to fare against her violent temper?

"Teru," Chiaki mumbled, cheeks cutely puffed as he sniffled, "am I a disgusting idiot?"

My heart unintentionally throbbed. I took his hands in mine, vehemently shaking my head. "Of course not! Ignore whatever that witch says. You were the best thing that ever happened to her—I know it!"

His soft green eyes met mine. He paused, as if tentative with his next words. "Am... I also the best thing that's ever happened to you?"

My eyelids darted high. Suddenly, the innocence in his gaze disappeared. They were serious—imploring. Heat enveloped my cheeks. It was different.

He... meant as a friend, right?

"Leave Teruhashi alone."

The grip to my shoulder shattered my thoughts. Koyuki was glaring at Chiaki.

"It isn't her job to go along with whatever you say."

Chiaki made a sour face. "Stupid Ko. I was just about to hear her answer."

"You don't need to hear it."

"Just because I'm Teru's favourite doesn't mean you have to be jealous."

"Who said you're her favourite?"

I blinked, baffled as they sent ominous looks back and forth. What were they arguing about?

"I thought things were unnecessarily chaotic. I should've expected you'd be the cause."

In only an instant, my lungs stopped functioning.

Okito hovered over me from his lanky height. Per usual, his indifferent countenance paralleled his words. With his hands tucked in his dress pants, he fixed his dark eyes to me. The gust of wind from the air conditioning above us fanned his curly black hair.

Every inch of my body froze. I hadn't seen him since the day of the trip. And since I'd stopped running to shove my desserts down his throat every morning, it had somehow gotten harder to formulate a response.

However, as if not sharing in that sentiment, Okito breached my vicinity. I knocked my head back, dumbstruck. But his focus wasn't on me. Wearing the darkest glower in existence, he yanked Koyuki's hand off my shoulder. I was ushered behind him in an instant, but his black look didn't fall. It grew more ominous, if anything.

"Don't act so friendly with her," Okito snapped.

Not only Koyuki and Chiaki, everyone around us had gone still. I was in no better condition.

But, before I could break free from my astonishment and question his intentions, I was beaten to the punch. Quite literally.

Okito was whacked upside the head hard enough to wipe any and all hostility off him.

"What kind of behaviour is that for the Cooking Club president? Behave yourself."

I found myself staring into beady black eyes.

Ryoma Fukui lowered his arm.

Okito grimaced, rubbing the spot that'd been hit. "Was that necessary, Fukui?"

"Yes. You nearly forgot the reason we came here today. These people are those we must defeat to come out on top. That's all."

Okito's eyes returned to me. My heart stuttered in my chest.

What... was that? His gaze was different right now; softer than I remembered. He used to stare at me like this before this rivalry between us began. Well, before this rivalry, he'd never shut me out so completely before. No matter how selfish I was, he never treated me coldly.

Then, at time of the trip, and even now, was he... worried about me? Was that why he was so protective? But why?

"Did... you already forget what I told you last summer?"

His words from that day replayed in my mind.

Last... summer? What did he tell me then?

"Nyahaha!" Eru's laughter thwarted my spiralling thoughts. "I can't believe Gou lost his cool!"

Okito recoiled. "I... didn't lose my cool."

"Tell yourself that all you want, hothead," Shiori scoffed. She swivelled. "By the way, Ryoma, what have you been carrying this entire time?"

Ryoma took that as his cue to extend his arm. It was then I realized he was dangling someone by the collar in a manner resembling a bear carrying its cub. And it wasn't just anyone—it was Hayate.

The sight split a nerve within me. I stormed forward and scowled.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing with Hayate?"

Ryoma eyed me icily. "You're angry?"

"Of course I'm angry! Let him go!"

"W-wait... Kotorin!" After squirming for a moment, Hayate slipped free of Ryoma's hold. He hastened to my side. "It's... a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" I parroted. I'd experienced Ryoma's condescending insults and demeanour firsthand. He was merciless. Simply imagining what he put someone as sweet as Hayate through— "Wasn't he bullying you?"

"He... wasn't bullying me!" Right then, Hayate's calmness settled in. There was conviction in his typically teary eyes. "He... wasn't!"

I fluttered my eyelashes. My hostility riddled to none. "Wasn't?" I said, stunned. "You mean, at all?"

He nodded vigorously.

My shoulders sagged. "Oh, so it was just my imagination?"

"Yup. Imagination."

My beam stretched back to my ears. Hayate was back to his regular self! And he didn't even need me to tickle him to do it.

How? What did Ryoma do to calm Hayate's nerves this much? Was there a chance the guy wasn't so cruel after all...?

"What were you saying again? Something about a disgusting strawberry shortcake... 'An insult to mankind,' wasn't it?"

I slumped at the memory. Well, maybe I shouldn't jump to that conclusion yet. His words from that day still hurt.

"Tori's so protective," Eru noted giddily. "Like an older sister!"

Shiori sighed. "That was exhausting to watch."

Koyuki shrugged. "I'm used to it at this point."

"Teru's an angel to everyone," Chiaki beamed.

"Let's head out," Ryoma spoke to disrupt further conversation. "Kohmi's already waiting for us at the venue."

I stiffened at the mention. That's right. Kohmi.

"Take responsibility for those words." Eyes dark, Kohmi had snagged me by the collar with enough force to make me stagger. "I better see your ass at the Sweet Treats Competition this coming April. When you lose, you and your clubmates are becoming my slaves for the rest of your pathetic lives."

One by one, the Cooking Club members started off in the direction of the competition hall. Just like that, all nonchalance between us vanished. We weren't friends or happy-go-lucky schoolmates. Nor were we even worth acknowledging as proper rivals in this competition. Passing sentiments weren't required. We already knew what we had to do after all.

"These people are those we must defeat to come out on top." Ryoma's words resounded in my ears. "That's all."

"Kotori."

Okito lagged behind the others. I peered his way, already aware what was coming. His dark look spoke volumes.

"Don't regret this."

A smirk upturned the corners of my mouth. "I should be telling you that."

He airily breathed through his nose. Then, hands in his pockets, he ambled forward to catch up to his peers.

Three rounds. If we lost any of them—if we lost today's—it would be game over.

I could feel stares piercing into my back.

"We should sign in, too," I declared.

As soon as I took a step, a ding! filled the air. I swivelled around, watching as Koyuki reached into his pocket for his cell.

The amount of shock that registered on his face was alarming.

"Ko?" Chiaki questioned.

Albeit reluctant, Koyuki sputtered, "We... didn't make it."

Bewilderment surged through me.

"The... film?" Hayate suggested quietly.

I jumped at the notion. "The one we did? The one that got nominated?"

"Yeah..." Koyuki's response was hesitant, his eyes never leaving his screen. "We... didn't get close to winning. Not even a special mention."

The quiet was deafening. My stomach knotted.

He shook his head to silence any apologies I was going to say. "Winning was a long shot anyway. I didn't expect much. But now... Now, I'm getting a bad feeling about this competition."

Solemnity enveloped our expressions.

No matter how much effort you put into something, there was no guarantee it would pay off. There was no guarantee that it'd all work out.

Despite my attempts at staying positive, this competition was the same.

We really could lose.

***

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