≪ Chapter 8 ≫

No One's POV

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She felt the smooth touch of her hand running through her hair as she sighed quite frustratedly, annoyed at her current dilemma.

"Sensei," she grumbled, "why do I have to be partners with him?"

"Hika-chan, you well know that we drew papers from the box, so it's all fair. Now, it's not my fault that luck didn't side with you today!" Inoue-sensei, the Home-Economics teacher, told his student, "Look at your partner. He's not complaining,"

The brown-eyed girl shook her head. "Oh please. I'm voicing it out for the two of us like the nice person I am. He should be the one grateful that I'm the one taking action,"

"You're not letting me talk, so how am I supposed to 'take action'?" the platinum blonde hissed from behind.

"Whatever. Can we just please change partners?" Hikari pleaded, hoping to convince the teacher.

"Youth is complicated these days, ne?" the older male laughed. "Sorry, Hika-chan! It would be unfair to the rest of the students. Please don't be mad that you're stuck with him for the rest of the year in Home Economics~"

"How can I not be?" she muttered, sourly. "Ugh, what's the activity today anyway?"

"I'm about to discuss that, so please take your seats so I don't have to repeat myself twice," he instructed, nodding his head while resting on his palm.

Groaning, the two shuffled back to their seats, feeling the teasing stare of their classmates behind their backs.

"Today," Inoue-sensei started, "we're going to cook."

Nobody seemed interested, ready for yet another boring cooking session and probably getting something burnt in the process.

"No, no. We're not going to do the kind of usual cooking today like we always do, but," he continued, catching the attention of a few students, "we're going to have a slight competition."

All eyes had then focused on the teacher, who smiled smugly, eyeing a few of his own pupils. "Today, I'm assigning a special kind of dish for each pair. You have an hour to properly prepare and cook the dish that's assigned for you, and then we'll have taste testing. Your grades seriously depend on this one class. Flunk this one time, you're going to get a huge chunk of your grades failed. I've been noticing too many people taking home economics way too lightly, and I hope you didn't think I haven't noticed. Plus, I thought this would be a little bit more fun for you all, considering it seems as if we're all in a gameshow of some sort,"

The entire class seemed doomed- most especially the pairs with terrible cooks in them.

Hikari looked at her teacher dumbfounded.

'Good-bye, home economics grades,' she thought, looking at the floor.

"Now," Inoue-sensei clapped, "you may unfold the papers I had given to you earlier and begin cooking! Your one hour starts now,"

Everyone scrambled to their workplaces as soon as the word 'now' left his mouth, as he let out a slightly sinister laugh.

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Grumbling as she scooted a fair distance away from her partner, Hikari spoke, "We're cooperating just this once for that passing score, got it?"

"Yeah. I'll be nice just this once, for the grades. Do you want me to help you tie your apron?" Sugawara offered.

"Nope, I've got it. Could you p-please pass the utensils? I'll work on one part of the batter," she asked, looking away as she preheated the oven.

"Here you go," he replied, handing her another bowl as well as some measuring cups and a whisk. "You're fortunate that I happen to be good at baking,"

She scoffed. "I'm an expert baker, excuse me."

"Let's just get this over with, so I don't have to be so disgustingly patient towards you," he rolled his eyes, measuring flour.

"Aw, you sound like Kei. Has he rubbed off on you during practice?" she mocked.

He looked offended. "Don't compare me to him,"

"Nande?" she demanded, already mixing the batter she had made, "there's nothing wrong with being like Kei. He's way better than you, if you ask me."

"So that was a compliment?" Sugawara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No way," Hikari shot back defensively, "there is absolutely no damn way I'd compliment you,"

"I thought so," he nodded, shifting his gaze from her to his own batter, which was ready to be mixed with hers. "D-Do you want me to mix it?"

"Can I do it?" she offered, looking away sheepishly. "I've always liked mixing everything t-together. You can go and ready the other stuff,"

He chuckled softly, "You act like a child sometimes, you know that?"

She looked at him with ice in her eyes. "Do not call me a child."

"For the high grade," he sighed, "I won't."

"Good," she nodded, handing him the bowl. "Here, you can put the batter in the pan. Did you grease it lightly with the butter?"

"Of course. Way ahead of you. I'll be taking that," he told her, taking the bowl of brownie batter into his own hands, using the spatula he already had to empty it to the aluminum pan.

"Need help?" she questioned, watching him do his job.

"Iie, Iie," he shook his head, "arigato,"

Giving him a quick nod, she checked her watched and informed her partner, "we have about forty-five minutes to let it cook. Great job, we did it quicker than expected,"

Looking at her hands, which were in the air, he confusedly stared at them, wondering why she was doing such a gesture.

"High-five me, you idiot."

Letting out a small "Oh," the platinum blonde gave her just what she wanted, a slap on the her two hands. (Which he did quite painfully, mentally giving himself a pat on the back for playing volleyball.)

"My hands are red," she smiled, looking at her hands with a sloppy grin plastered onto her face.

"Gomen," he laughed, "was that too much?"

She looked at him. "Heck no. Akiteru-nii teaches me how to serve and spike properly whenever I visit the Tsukishima residence, just so that we can play two-on-two volleyball with Tadashi and Kei. I've always liked the feeling of being able to hit a good serve or spike. But I guess receiving is more of my thing,"

'Oh crap,' he thought, 'now volleyball is infested with her germs. How dare she try to play the sport that means the world to me! That isn't fair at all.'

"What?!" she asked, looking at him. "It's not like I'm going to dedicate my whole life to it! I only play so that they have equal teams. Besides, I can't ever resist Tadashi and Akiteru-nii's requests, and seeing Kei bonding with his brother is a sight too rare to see!"

"Talk about too much information," Sugawara chuckled, "what is this, secret blackmail for Tsukishima?"

"Don't even try. If you do anything to Kei, I promise I'll have your head," she hissed, "he's like my younger brother, except we're not too far age-wise and calling him 'best friend' sounds kind of gross. I mean, we're talking about Kei here. Calling Tadashi my best friend is fine because we all know he's a precious cinnamon roll, so don't bother starting an argument whatnot, because seriously, I've gone through that one too many times. Besides, I'm the only one who can blackmail Mount Fuji asides from Akiteru-nii,"

"Uh-huh. You were rambling."

Slapping a hand over her mouth, she gasped, using her other hand to flick her temporary-acquaintance's forehead. "Stupid!"

"I'm going to tell Inoue-sensei that we're just waiting for the brownies to bake. Are you fine with that?" he notified her, looking at the window of the oven.

She nodded, giving him a thumbs-up sign.

Watching him head over to their teacher to notify him of their progress, she then looked at the other groups, who had seemed to be having trouble with their own dishes.

Talking amongst themselves, the other groups were smiling through their silliness, immersed in preparing their assigned foods.

"What's up?" Sugawara asked, "don't tell me you're checking someone out,"

"Suga!" Hikari shouted, realizing that she had called him by his nickname and getting even more flustered, "wara,"

He laughed, "It's like you're someone else,"

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

"When we're not fighting, you're different,"

"I can say the same about you," she started,"you're a lot nicer, I guess."

"Compliment?"

"Right now," she says, looking at him in his eyes, "you are not Sugawara and I am not Ayumu. Mainly because Ayumu hates Sugawara, and Sugawara hates Ayumu. Right now, we're Home Ec partners who happen to go by the same name. Two people who only exist for an hour and fifteen minutes every week,"

"We don't have a choice, do we?" he smiled, looking at the ceiling,"our grades depend on it,"

"Of course," she grinned, punching him playfully.

"Ah! What a sight to see! Two of my usually arguing students getting along~! Such moments are gold, so rare to find!" Inoue-sensei chirped, making the two blush faintly and move away from each other.

"Ne, what's wrong? You should be proud that you guys aren't fighting," he continue, "consider it an achievement,"

"For the grades," Hikari sighed, "I was being nice, decent. Fair deal, isn't it? We're both getting something good out of it,"

Inoue-sensei shook his head. "Ah, you both have a very long way to go. Don't burn those brownies, 'kay?"

Nodding, the silver-haired boy checked his watch, notifying his partner. "We have about fifteen minutes until it's all ready,"

"Right," she nodded, gazing at the oven.

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"Yeah, we can take it out of the oven now," Sugawara informed Hikari, opening the door of the oven.

"Great, I'll handle it!" the brunnete cheered, reaching out for the pan until she had been stopped.

"Let me," he offered, "you might burn yourself,"

"Are you underestimating my kitchen skills? I've done this since I was six-years-old, you mom," she sputtered, continuing where she had left off and grabbed the pan out of the oven.

"Fine," he allowed, "but I'm handling the knives and cutting,"

She chuckled, "go ahead, kaa-san,"

"Please don't call me that," he sweatdropped.

"Whatever you say, kaa-san,"

"You shush,"

Placing the pan carefully on the counter, she wiped her forehead. "Let it cool for like, five minutes. Then you can go,"

"I know, I know," he reassured her, leaning back on the counter.

The two sighed in relief, glad to have most of the torture class over already.

Being nice to someone you hated was absolutely nerve-wracking, and it was pretty tiring too.

"Etto... o-otsukare,"

"Hai?" she asked, shocked at what he had just said.

"N-Nandemonai!" he denied, waving his hands.

"As if," she rolled her eyes, "you just praised me. Nice going,"

"Like you said," he grinned, "we're two different people who exist for only an hour and fifteen minutes,"

"In that case," she hesitated, but found the strength to say it, "otsukare,"

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"I heard about Home Economics. I almost pity you," Tsukishima sneered, earning a glare from his friend.

"Shut the hell up," Hikari retorted, folding her arms.

"Will do," he snickered.

"Ano, we'll meet you after club activities, right? Here at the gate," Yamaguchi asked, scratching his head.

"Wherever is good. Send me a message if something comes up, and I'll be in the art room if anyone needs me," she nodded, adjusting her grip on her bag. "Oh and, Kei?"

"What now, midget?"

"Enjoy practicing with her, alright? Take care~"

"I hope your lips fall off next time I see you,"

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a/n: for the grades, they say, for the grades.

get excITEd FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER BECAUSE HMHMHMHMHM I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THINGS PLANNED

SCREAMS

one of you readers miiiiiiiiight have a hint of what I'm talking about.

i'm not saying anything.

BUT GET HYPED

see, i am not a cruel author and since i know a lot of you will be like 'noooo dont leave it there update please,' i decided to do a double update

you'll all see why.

you will all see why.

heh. hehehhehehehhehehehheheheheh.

and actual kudos to the readers who actually stay for author's notes, i mean damn man you've got my respect //gives you a thumbs up

AND ARE YOU ALL HAPPY NOW?! inteRACTION. interACTION BETWEEN THE MAIN CHARACTERS. ACTUAL INTERACTION.

and the reason why even if suga's being 'nice', he still isn't as mom-like as he usually is, is because he just seriously cannot bring himself to be nice to ayu.

now, my friends, enjoy the rising action.

action.

jaa ne~

-nyx