Welcome to Heaven | ✓

09: Watermelon Sorbet

"That's an interesting face you have on. 'The Scream' part two?"

My fingers which were clasping my cheeks slowly drew apart. I aimed a frown at the girl who had entered the classroom, hooking her bag to the underside of her desk with an amused grin in tow. I lowered my arms to my sides, jutting my chin.

"For your information, I ate a really, really sour candy."

"That so?" Her eyes fell onto my desk, where the empty wrapper lay. "You're still eating sweets, huh?"

I flinched.

She hummed, and after pulling out the books and utensils needed for our first period, returned her focus to me. She slyly studied me until finally asking, "Don't tell me you're already reconsidering what you told me about abandoning your pastry chef dream?"

My blood ran cold. Miko certainly caught it, seeing by the way she cocked a challenging eyebrow. Swallowing hard, I reached to fiddle with my bangs.

"N-no? What would give you that idea?"

She continued to watch me for a while longer. I was so sure she'd saw through my fib but fortunately, she abandoned the topic altogether with a shrug. "If that's not the case, all is good."

I released a discreet sigh of relief. Miko took the opportunity to twirl her lead pencil between her fingers.

"More importantly," she said, gaze sliding ahead—primarily to the blond seated at his desk, tapping away at his cell, "you talked to Tamura, right? Is he still working on the film?"

I cringed, allowing my bangs to hang free. "I'm not too sure. They did lose a lot of actors."

Frowning, she rested her chin on her open palm. "I feel kind of responsible. I should've kept better watch of those cupcakes."

"If that's what you're getting at, I shouldn't have made them to begin with."

She shook her head. "I don't blame you for making them. You did your best. That's all that matters."

As always, my best friend was way too nice to me.

I stared at Koyuki's back, lingering guilt coursing through my veins.

"Hey, Miko."

"Yeah?"

"I really want to make it up to Tamura."

Dropping her pencil, she gandered at him all the same. "I get what you mean."

"If I hadn't forced the club on him, I'm sure he could've managed a decent film with what he had. Now he just has less than what he started with."

"Casting new people would take a while," Miko agreed. "Unless we can somehow convince those same actors to come back, I'm not really sure..."

In a split second, I'd bolted to my feet and situated my face inches from hers. Her brown eyes widened as a result. I beamed from ear to ear.

"That's it."

"Kotori, you're too close."

"Miko, you're a genius."