(A Reverse Harem) || A FEATURED STORY
Everything Kotori Teruhashi bakes consistently goes up in smoke, which is ironic considering it's her lifelong dream to become a pastry chef. Nevertheless, like clockwork, she delivers her burned desserts to her...
All eyes were glued to me standing at the doorway, my face pressed into the glass, hands an equal distance from my head.
"Should we open the door?" somebody asked.
"Yeah, right," another responded. "Ignore her."
"Ta-mu-ra," I muffled through the glass.
The boy in mention shivered, flinching with his entire body. With eyes of scorn, he carefully twisted around to see me. My face still pressed into the glass, I beckoned him outside. He watched me in distaste for a while before returning his focus ahead of him. After that, nobody in the club paid me any mind, too absorbed in the script for the film they were creating.
I made a face as I backed away, pinching my nose to rid it of its pain. I'd pressed my face too hard against it. But... did he possibly not hear me? Or was he ignoring me like every other day this past week?
I leaned against the wall, folding my arms over my chest and kicking my heel against it. Maybe I shouldn't have tackled him to the ground that day. It was a bit too aggressive. And he did run away as soon as he got the chance and had been avoiding me since...
Well, if he wanted to play this relentless game of cat and mouse, I'd gladly participate. A smirk upturned the corners of my mouth. Clearly, he was underestimating the persistence of Kotori Teruhashi. What a fool.
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It was after school.
The sun was setting, filtering orange light into the hallways. Koyuki exited the film clubroom, bidding farewell to a couple others before taking a separate route down the hall. I tripped over my feet and hit my head against a pole amidst my stalking, but sucking in the pain, I stealthily pursued him anyway.
Where was he going? Our homeroom class was nowhere in this direction. Plus, it was late. What else did he have to do before going home every day?
I kept my body hidden the best I could, observing him as he made his way down the second year hall. Whistling a tune under his breath, Koyuki continued to stride nonchalantly, hands in his pocket.
My eyebrows creased together. Considering he'd been ignoring me this past week, I typically gave up and left before the end of his club activities. Was it possible he did another extracurricular after that? Should I go home and not waste my time then?
Right as the idea came to mind, Koyuki came to an abrupt standstill.
All thoughts of mine ceased. I camouflaged myself against a classroom door.
Koyuki's humming quieted. Silence consumed the hallway.
My lungs ached for air as I peeked my head out for a decent look. What in the world was he doing?
In one fluid movement, and before I could really make sense of anything, Koyuki jerked his head left and right. My heart collapsed in my chest and I ducked away before he could dare see me. As discreetly as possible, I attempted to steady my breathing. Unfortunately, when a reasonable amount of time elapsed and I was finally composed enough to glance out again, he was gone.
I lurched away from the wall. What the... Where did he go?
I scampered down the hall, scanning each and every classroom I passed. Even when I reached the end of the hall, nothing besides the staircase leading to the third floor reached my ray of sight.
Did he not go this way after all? Wonderful. I'd officially lost him.
I made a face, my shoulders sagging. Pivoting on my foot, I returned down the hall I came. The more I did this the more I couldn't help but think that maybe the rumour Miko told me was wrong after all. I mean, it couldn't be that convenient for somebody to have left the Cooking Club only to join the Film Club. Let alone was it plausible that he'd easily agree to join a baking club that didn't yet exist. Was my spontaneous personality getting the best of me again? I'd been warned multiple times to stop getting ahead of myself.
Another loud breath left my mouth. I longingly peered into the nearby home economics room. Was it wrong to want to prove Okito wrong?
Before I could dejectedly amble by the grand room, I spotted a figure at the corner of my eye.
I came to a stop then stepped back. Was somebody in there? But this was the second year's cooking lab. The Cooking Club always used the third year's lab on the first floor.
I couldn't stop excitement from bubbling up from inside me. Maybe it was somebody I could ask to join my club! Why didn't I think of that? If I could target people I knew for sure were interested in baking, then it was an easy task!
My eyes wide with joy, I raced back to the window of the room and stared through. Thankfully, there was somebody in the room after all. A guy. His back was to me, facing the counter, and he was wearing a white apron over his school uniform. A carton of eggs was opened beside him alongside what I could identify as flour and sugar, and he was whisking away at a large bowl.
The more I watched him speedily work, the more I sparkled. It was clear he knew what he was doing. And those ingredients made it easy to tell he was baking something.
Yes, yes, yes! Forget Koyuki Tamura. I had to ask this guy to join my club!
After performing a little jig which fortunately wasn't seen by anybody considering I was alone in the hall, I reached for the doorknob. I pushed it down to jiggle, but it didn't budge. It was locked.
Startled, I returned my focus upward. I had interrupted the boy from his whisking, and he jerked his body toward the doorway. His blond bangs swayed with the sudden jolt in movement. Eyelids high, his expression warped in shock.
All it took was one glimpse of his face for my jaw to plunge to the ground.
I jumped at the window, compressing my face against the cool glass.
