Ignoring the baffled, yet awed looks from my classmates, Okito's eyes scanned the room, features glued still, per usual.

"Is that... the infamous 'Okito'?" Koyuki asked, still stunned. "Is he looking for someone?"

"He was probably worried about Kotori," Miko suggested.

"Huh?" Suddenly, I'd gotten so nervous I could hurl. "Why?"

"You corner him in this hallway every single morning," she reasoned, a small smile in play. "All except today. It seems he couldn't help but worry why."

"That... If he has the time to worry about something like that, then he totally doesn't see me as his rival! Is he looking down on me because he wanted to insult my baking again today? Bastard! He has such a warped personality!"

The only feasible conclusion I'd reached replaced my once taut nerves with a swirl of frustration. Koyuki's hand still in mine, I rose it, tapering my eyelids into slits.

"Quick," I ordered. "Stick out your tongue and taunt him. Like this."

"Wh-what?"

Koyuki's confusion aside, I demonstrated. Making a capital l with my fingers, I slapped it onto my forehead and stuck out my tongue like a petulant child. It was in that exact moment Okito's roaming gaze returned to me.

"Kotori," Miko warned.

I'd garnered the eyes of my classmates, but I dismissed them, per usual.

"Koyuki, do it too," I hissed, compressing his hand and raising it to his forehead.

"I'm not going to— Let go of my hand!" he commanded, tugging it free.

My taunting had seized, mainly because I paused to send Koyuki an equally aggravated scowl. "Why do you make it sound like holding my hand is a bad thing? You don't like it?"

He flushed beet red. "This has nothing to do with that!"

"So you do like it!"

"I— You—"

He was grappling for words, being the embarrassed mess he was. Leaving him to blush in silence, I faced Okito again only to have my heart reel to an abrupt halt.

He was glaring.

The guy I'd known my entire life to be as still as a statue—not even the prettiest dessert capable of making him smile—was now radiating ominous, 'you're-dead-to-me' vibes.

It was because I taunted him.

Or so I was assured to be the case until I realized who exactly he was pinning his stare to: Koyuki.

Was it because I was trying to get him to ridicule him too?

Not liking the idea of Koyuki taking the fall, I shielded his body and stuck out my tongue once more. Okito faltered. Then, with one final side-eye in Koyuki's direction, he turned and walked off.

"Yes, we got rid of him!" I cheered, tossing my arms into the air.

"I-I think my life flashed before my eyes," Koyuki whispered, a hand over his chest to calm his most likely racing heart. "Why was he glaring at me so hard?"

"Our taunting must've shaken him up pretty good," I excused proudly. "That'll show that bastard to never look down on us again."

"Like I said, I don't think he came here or glared at Tamura because he looks down on you," Miko sighed from where she was. "It's more like he..."

"What?"

She shook her head, dismissing the idea. I blinked.

He didn't look down on us? What was Miko implying? That there was another other reason that would make him stop by? Of course not. We cut off all ties.

Shaking my head to rid my rampant thoughts, I plopped my palms at my hips. "Koyuki, we need to get that birthday cake done."

"You finally feel like taking up responsibility for it? We lost a lot of time. It's the 21st today."

"I know. But, nobody aside from Mr. Hanamura can become our advisor. I won't allow it. Besides, even if we do form a club, if we end up going against the Cooking Club, we'll most likely get burned. Badly. Knowing that I still want to challenge them. I still need to improve. Especially when I have such amazing people by my side to help me do so."

Koyuki cast a sidelong look at me, albeit wide-eyed. Miko was equally shocked by my eloquent declaration. I merely grinned, because as uncharacteristic as it was, I meant every word.

After school that day, I was startled to find a folded note addressed to my shoe locker, resting on top of my outdoor shoes.

To say I screamed would be an understatement.

It was loud enough to jolt all the students in the vicinity, possibly bursting their eardrums too.

"What?" Miko demanded, head darting in alarm.

"Don't scream like that! You're not dying," Koyuki agreed.

"Are you all right, Teru?" Chiaki asked.

But I was already scanning every nook and cranny of the sheet, beaming from ear to ear. Letting out a victory cheer, I rotated their way.

"He said yes!"

Silence elapsed.

"Who?" Miko asked.

"Hayate!" I exclaimed, jumping for joy. "He's joining the club!"

"Still doesn't mean you should yell like that," Koyuki complained, gingerly rubbing his ear.

Chiaki shielded an upcoming yawn. "Haya's so awkward. He obviously followed you because he was interested in baking with us. He should've just admitted it sooner."

Giggling, I reread the note, burning his extremely neat handwriting into memory. I was happy enough to cry. Shout again, even.

I flipped over the note to ensure I hadn't left anything unsaid, only to have surprise consume me. He added a footnote.

'PS: I'm sorry for fainting. You were so close to me all of a sudden and I was embarrassed. I promise I don't hate you
(ノωヽ)'

"Oh my gosh. He even drew in a little face," I gushed. "My heart. He's so cute."

"You find that cute?" Koyuki sighed.

"I'm writing him another note!"

I fished my notebook from my bag to rip a page out of it. Then, I grabbed a pencil.

"Why are you happy, Kotori?" Miko asked.

"Because," I said, "even if not directly, we finally talked! I understand it may too hard for him to talk face to face. But even so, he responded to me. He agreed to join. If sending messages back and forth is all we have to do to communicate and get to know each other better, then I'm perfectly fine with that."

My eyelids fluttered.

"Oh, but maybe I should ask for his cell info. I don't want to waste a lot of paper."

I scribbled down a question along those lines to the sheet.

Koyuki had deadpanned from behind me. "Are you starting this club to make friends or bake?"

"Both, duh."

Miko chuckled. Koyuki rolled his eyes. Chiaki merely cracked a smile.

Koyuki nudged Chiaki's shoulder. "What a troublesome President we've decided to follow."

I tittered. "You both know you're stuck with me."

"Oh, we know that well."

***

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