Chapter 156: Mm, a Chocolate-Flavored Kiss!
By the time Luke returned with the drinks, the chocolate had already finished melting over the hot-water bath.
The chocolate in the bowl looked silky and glossy, gleaming beautifully beneath the light.
The relaxed look Yumiko had worn before he left was completely gone.
In its place was intense concentration.
She bit her lip while whisking the egg whites, her movements still somewhat inexperienced but perfectly serviceable.
It seemed she had already learned quite a bit from Yukino.
Unexpectedly, Yumiko was not careless at all when making desserts.
That genuinely surprised Luke.
Though…
'Was I distracting her earlier?'
'Maybe she couldn't concentrate properly with me around.'
"How's it going?"
Luke placed an unbearably sweet coffee in front of Hina and asked about the situation.
"Yui kept trying to add her own creative ideas, but I successfully stopped every single one."
"Excellent work!"
Luke praised her from the bottom of his heart.
This fujoshi steam princess had finally accomplished something useful.
"Next is adjusting the flavor."
Yukino continued instructing them.
"We have extra chocolate, so we can prepare a little more."
"Hmm… I'll write the ratios down on paper. That should make things easier."
The cooking continued at full speed.
Yumiko stared seriously at the kitchen scale.
After weighing everything, she gradually added sugar, fresh cream, cocoa powder, and other ingredients into the chocolate bowl.
She repeatedly tasted the mixture herself and adjusted the flavor as she went.
Meanwhile, Yui somehow managed to cover her face in flour.
Yukino stared at her helplessly before picking up a tissue and wiping it away.
She looked exactly like a mother taking care of her hopeless daughter.
Luke sat around bored for a while.
With Yukino supervising the cooking station, there should not be any problems.
"Oh, right. How are things going with you and Yumiko?"
Hina asked while sipping her coffee.
"What do you mean?"
Luke looked at her curiously.
But the moment he saw the sparkle in her eyes, he understood.
The flames of gossip were blazing deep within her soul.
Hina gave him a look that clearly said, 'You know exactly what I mean.'
"It's honestly surprising that Yumiko asked to learn cooking herself."
"She used to look down on this kind of thing quite a bit."
Considering Miura Yumiko's position at school, she normally sat at the top and simply accepted everyone else's offerings.
There had never been much reason for her to personally learn skills like these.
"Oh…"
Luke carefully considered his wording.
"Let's see. We've already experienced lychee, strawberry, and mango."
"Now we're progressing toward chocolate."
"Eh?"
Hina froze.
"What kind of answer is that?"
Fair enough.
Someone who was not directly involved would never understand what that meant.
No matter how close Hina was to Yumiko, this was hardly information Yumiko would voluntarily share.
"A perfectly normal answer."
Luke smiled faintly.
He walked toward Yumiko.
They had worked surprisingly quickly and already placed the semi-finished cake into the oven.
"You're moving fast. How does it feel?"
Yukino was still watching Yui make dessert.
Under her supervision, Yui was currently struggling to remove chocolate from a mold.
"The teaching is pretty good…"
Yumiko hesitated.
"Y-Yukinoshita is really impressive."
She tightly gripped the bottom of her apron with both hands, looking strangely awkward.
It must have taken quite a bit for her to openly compliment Yukino.
But that was another example of how Miura Yumiko's public image differed from the actual product.
Despite acting strong and intimidating, she was really quite soft inside.
Seeing her work this hard while wearing a standard cooking apron made her unexpectedly cute.
If other people were not around, Luke would have hugged her already.
"So how does your dessert taste?"
"Hm? Wait a second!"
Since this was genuinely her first time making dessert, Yumiko did not know how to evaluate her own work.
For a moment, she was at a loss for words.
Her gaze wandered across the counter until she spotted the bowl and spoon she had used earlier to mix and season the chocolate.
There was still some chocolate left inside.
Yumiko eagerly scraped the bowl several times with the spoon, gathering a glossy spoonful of chocolate before holding it near Luke's mouth.
"Ah—"
She opened her own mouth slightly, signaling for him to do the same.
Luke obediently opened his mouth.
The spoon slowly entered.
Once Yumiko fed him the chocolate, she looked away.
However, her eyes kept secretly glancing back toward his expression.
"H-how is it?"
The rich sweetness of the chocolate spread across Luke's tongue, leaving a faint tingling sensation on his taste buds.
Also…
Wasn't this the same spoon Yumiko had been using earlier?
"It's… pretty good."
Luke lowered his head and looked at Yumiko, who had nearly moved right up against him.
He sincerely acknowledged the effort she had put into adjusting the flavor.
His breath lightly stirred her hair.
Yumiko apparently noticed just how close they had gotten too.
Her cheeks immediately flushed as she looked elsewhere.
Then she cautiously glanced back at him.
As though trying to hide her embarrassment, she gave him her signature threatening glare.
"Mm. I smell spring in the air."
The classroom door suddenly swung open.
An unexpected yet somehow completely predictable voice sounded behind Luke.
Those bold, clacking footsteps carried the swagger of some wandering hero.
Meanwhile, the resentful muttering emerging from her mouth echoed like the whispers of some creature from the deepest layer of hell.
Naturally, the newcomer was—The strongest modern sufferer of chronic singleness, approximately eighteen years plus one hundred months old, adviser to the Service Club—Hiratsuka Shizuka!
Single!
As expected, black lines immediately covered Luke's forehead.
'Hey, Hiratsuka-sensei.'
'Are you some NPC programmed to appear at fixed intervals?'
'Why are you everywhere?!'
"Why are you here?"
Luke turned around and asked helplessly.
"You brat! Is that any way to speak to your teacher?!"
Shizuka pinched his ear in annoyance.
Still, she did not hide anything and explained in an exhausted voice,
"Ebina told me about this earlier, so I came to see how things were going."
Hina nodded in agreement.
"Yes. Hiratsuka-sensei was the one who told us to come to the Service Club."
"Sensei said this place helps people fulfill their wishes."
'Fulfill wishes?'
How many times had they told her not to advertise the club with such unrealistic wording?
Hiratsuka-sensei never changed the way she phrased things.
Just like she never learned to knock before entering the clubroom.
"…I don't remember 'granting wishes' being part of our responsibilities."
Luke looked toward Yukino.
"Right, Yukinoemon?"
"Whether that is part of our responsibilities or not, shouldn't you already know, Gian?"
Yukino returned his question with a cold smile and an equally devastating nickname.
"…"
Disaster.
The once-pure Yukino, who barely possessed enough vocabulary to insult people properly, had evolved.
What terrifying learning ability.
Luke would need to revise his strategy for dealing with her sarcasm next time.
"You deserved that, Gian."
Shizuka offered an appropriate assessment.
"…"
He forgot there was another enemy here.
"…Now that you've checked on us, can you leave, Hiratsuka-sensei?"
"Leave?"
Shizuka chuckled ominously.
"Hehehe."
"Unfortunately, I came here to inform all of you about the school's ban on bringing chocolate!"
"Eh?!"
Yumiko and Yui exclaimed in surprise.
Yukino immediately frowned.
"I do not recall any such rule appearing in the student handbook."
"Wait. Don't tell me you memorized the entire school rulebook?!"
Luke had previously heard about Yukino's legendary feat of memorizing the names of most students at school.
Now he stared at her uncertainly, almost in awe.
"Isn't that only natural?"
Yukino instead looked at him as though his question were strange.
"Hey…"
Yumiko tugged on Luke's sleeve in shock.
"What is wrong with this girl?"
Luke leaned toward her and whispered,
"President Yukinoshita is just like that."
"You can't evaluate her according to ordinary human standards."
Yukino's gaze gradually became colder.
Luke lowered his voice even further.
"We should stop. If we keep going, she'll have us sunk in Tokyo Bay."
While the two whispered together, Shizuka revealed another evil smile and answered Yukino's question.
"There isn't actually such a rule."
"But chocolate is still prohibited!"
"It has nothing to do with academics, and more importantly, it's annoying to look at."
"Why do you think I supported abolishing obligatory chocolates in the faculty office?"
"Partly because they were troublesome."
"But partly because I wanted the students to experience the same suffering!"
Shizuka smiled brilliantly.
"Love only becomes truly passionate when it encounters obstacles!"
Every student in the room stared blankly at this adult.
Hiratsuka-sensei was truly incredible.
She could say something like that without the slightest shame while smiling from ear to ear.
Luke almost admired her.
Also—
"Sensei, you're so cruel~"
"Have you been single so long that you've completely lost your maiden heart?"
"Ugh."
"Maiden heart…"
Shizuka's face collapsed.
"Ugh… I was only joking."
She whimpered miserably.
At that moment, a sweet and pleasant aroma filled the classroom.
The oven sounded, calling for someone to retrieve the food inside.
"It's done."
Yumiko put on oven mitts and carefully opened the oven.
She slowly removed her creation and carried it cautiously toward Yukino.
"H-how is it?"
Yumiko asked nervously, waiting for Yukino's evaluation.
Yukino carefully examined the finished cake.
Meanwhile, Yumiko, having completed something herself for the first time, stood beside Yui holding her breath like a student waiting for exam results.
"It looks pretty good…"
Shizuka, who frequently paired all kinds of snacks with alcohol, offered her own verdict.
Eventually, Yukino exhaled just like Shizuka and raised her head.
"…Not bad."
"The finished cake looks very nice."
"Awesome!"
Yui happily hugged Yumiko.
Yumiko awkwardly tugged at her hair and revealed an embarrassed smile.
"Thanks, Yui…"
"Mm. And…"
"Yukinoshita too."
"We still haven't confirmed the final result."
Yukino remained composed.
"Someone needs to taste it."
And so—Luke sampled the chocolate cake Yumiko had made.
After carefully tasting it, he confirmed,
"It really is good."
"Pretty delicious, actually."
Only then did Yumiko finally relax completely.
"In that case, Miura-san's request can be considered complete."
...
Making a chocolate cake had taken quite a while.
There was no longer enough time to accept another request or do anything else.
After Hiratsuka-sensei took some cake back to the faculty office and resumed working, everyone quickly cleaned the home economics room.
Luke asked Yui and Yukino to return to the clubroom and tidy things there.
Then, after successfully shaking off the final third wheel, Hina, he headed home with Yumiko.
The sun was already close to setting.
Summer weather might be unpleasant, but the evening glow spreading along the edge of the city was beautiful.
As they walked, Yumiko asked the same question again.
"S-so… how was the cake?"
"Didn't you already ask?"
Luke answered.
"It was good. For a beginner, it was really impressive."
"Really?"
Yumiko hummed happily and walked ahead with lighter steps.
Luke quickly caught up.
Amused, he asked,
"Would Lady Yumiko like a reward?"
"Ew!"
Yumiko instantly raised her shoulders defensively.
She absolutely did not want some strange reward from him in the middle of the street.
"You don't want one?"
Luke exhaled casually.
"Fine, then."
He reached into his school bag and took something out.
"Here. This is for you."
"Hm? Lip balm?"
Yumiko curiously examined the lipstick-like tube in his hand.
"Yep. I bought it while I was at the mall before and kept forgetting to give it to you."
"Fruit-flavored."
"Oh~"
Yumiko accepted it.
"Then I'll take it…"
She tugged hard at her hair.
"…Thanks."
The two continued walking quietly for a while, both in increasingly good moods.
Eventually, Yumiko broke the silence.
"A-about that reward…"
Luke, who had been looking around for any newly opened shops along the street, glanced toward her.
"Didn't you say you didn't want one?"
"Ah! What's that supposed to mean?!"
Yumiko had finally worked up the courage to bring it up, only for his answer to immediately irritate her.
Her usual forceful personality returned.
She stepped forward until she was directly in front of Luke and snorted unhappily.
"What are you doing?"
Luke stepped back, nearly taking a headbutt.
Yumiko frowned and moved forward again.
That probably meant she wanted him to stay still.
Luke leaned his upper body slightly backward.
Yumiko raised her face, grabbed his collar, and pulled his neck down toward her.
Then she rose onto her toes.
Her lips met his.
They were as soft as always.
This time, there was no candy involved.
Yet somehow—It tasted just as sweet.
'Mm.'
'Chocolate.'
Yumiko had started confidently, but gradually lost some of that boldness.
It seemed her composure had returned, allowing embarrassment to reclaim her heart.
Luke quietly enjoyed the kiss.
He could not help thinking—
'She's always so aggressive at the beginning.'
'Then the moment we're actually close, she starts retreating like a frightened little bird.'
Seriously…
Cute.
Time seemed to pass unusually quickly.
Perhaps that alone proved the kiss had been enjoyable.
After all, pleasant moments always felt short.
"…Something like this doesn't count as a reward."
Yumiko's face had become the same color as the evening sky.
She spoke quietly while catching her breath.
"If I want it, I'll take it myself."
Only at moments like this did she reveal such a girlish side.
Or perhaps—This was closer to what she was really like underneath everything else.
"Mm. So that was a reward for me, right?"
"H-how was it?"
"Too sweet."
Luke gave his sincere assessment.
To prove he meant it, he looked directly into Yumiko's eyes.
"The sun's almost down."
Yumiko, who had been so forceful moments earlier, instantly weakened beneath his gaze and looked away.
"W-we should hurry home."
"Otherwise… something unclean might appear."
Her eyes followed the evening colors gradually disappearing behind the tall buildings.
Was the sky red?
Pink?
Crimson?
Vermilion?
Dark red?
Or perhaps orange?
In truth, the exact color did not matter.
Because right now—The scenery reflected within her eyes was beautiful enough.
...
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