Welcome to Heaven | ✓

29: Scrambled Eggs

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!"