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The dormitories were quiet. The boys had gone out to the batting cages for the evening, Mitsuru was studying in her room, Aigis was charging her batteries, and Fuuka and Yukari were in the kitchen baking brownies. The delicious smell of chocolate wafted through the air as the girls removed the tray from the oven. Fuuka and Yukari gently set it down atop the stove as Fuuka reached for the toothpicks.
"Now, if I just stick it into the thickest part..." Fuuka slid the toothpick through the shiny surface of the brownies and pulled it back out with little more than a few crumbs attached to it. "There! Fully cooked!"
"Finally!" Yukari let out a sigh of relief. "I could hardly wait any longer. The smell was getting to me. Let's dig in!"
"Well..." Fuuka started. "You actually aren't supposed to slice them until they're fully cooled."
"What?" Yukari's shoulders slumped. "Isn't eating them fresh out of the oven the entire point of making your own brownies? Why would I wait for them to cool?"
Fuuka's mind drifted to the warm, moist sensation of fresh brownies, the thought tantalizing her tongue. "I guess that's true... but they're too hot to eat right now! We should at least wait a few minutes!"
"Alright, fine by me. We have dishes to do, anyway." Yukari turned on the faucet to fill the sink with hot water. The girls established a workflow, Yukari rinsing and wiping the dishes and passing them to Fuuka to be dried and put away. With the thought of hot brownies still hanging over them, Yukari tried making small talk. "So, are you planning on sharing the brownies with anyone?"
Fuuka returned a mixing bowl to its cupboard before answering. "Of course. I couldn't eat them all by myself. Well, maybe I could, but it wouldn't be a good idea. Anyone here in the dorm can have some if they like."
Yukari thought to prod a little deeper. "Yeah, but anybody in particular?" Fuuka's head jerked slightly at this. "Is there somebody special you were hoping would have one?"
"No, not particularly." It was hard not to notice Fuuka's voice wavering. "I just wanted to practice my cooking skills, and I've always liked sweets, so I thought it might be good to try some baking. That's all." Fuuka was visibly flustered, and her answer was elaborate to the point of being evasive. Yukari knew she was onto something. But the sound of footsteps on the stairs told them Mitsuru was approaching. Sure enough, she rounded the corner into the kitchen.
"Good evening." Mitsuru entered, her hair tied in a ponytail and a book under her arm. She appeared to gently sniff the air. "It smells like someone's been baking."
"That's right!" Yukari chimed in. "We were just finishing up some brownies. Do you want some?"
"That sounds pleasant. I was just about to make some tea. I'm sure I have some that will pair quite nicely. Perhaps some chai..." Mitsuru began work on her tea as Fuuka and Yukari began slicing the brownies. Sure enough, they were still hot enough that they lost most of their structure upon being cut, but they all knew it would be worth it for how satisfying the warm, chocolatey brownies would be. With three brownies set upon three plates, they moved to the dining table.
Yukari forked a small piece of her brownie and took a tentative bite, careful not to indulge too much in case it was still too hot. To her delight, the temperature had come down to a suitable level. "Mmm, so good," she mumbled through her partly-full mouth. She promptly took another bite.
Fuuka had already finished her first bite at this point. "I agree. You were right about eating them hot. It's definitely better this way." She happily took another taste of her creation. "I'm really glad it turned out. I've had a few... less successful attempts in the kitchen. Sometimes it's good to try something simple to get your confidence back up."
"For sure." Yukari turned to Mitsuru, who had been silent up to this point. "What do you think? How did they turn out?"
Mitsuru swallowed her mouthful after chewing it carefully and set down her fork. "It's... very sweet. I'll admit I'm not as familiar with western desserts. Perhaps they appeal more to someone who's palate is more accustomed to such strong flavors." It wasn't exactly praise, but the other girls knew Mitsuru well enough to know she meant no disrespect.
After finishing her brownie, Yukari leaned across the table towards Fuuka. "So, you say you don't have anybody in mind. But if you were making them for someone, what kind of person would it be?"
"Huh?" Fuuka was caught off guard. She thought Yukari had dropped the subject, but it turned out she was just waiting for the right moment to bring it back. "I'm not sure I understand."
"I mean," Yukari started. "What kind of guy are you looking for?"
"Oh." Fuuka knew exactly who she wanted in her head, but how would she describe him without giving it away? "Well, he would have to be kind. And soft-spoken. I don't need someone who is yelling all the time. But he should be honest as well. Is that too much?"
"Not at all. Those are all reasonable demands. Isn't that right?" Mitsuru nodded in agreement. "But what does he look like?"
Fuuka was more nervous now. "Looks really aren't that important to me," she stammered.
"Come on," Yukari replied. "You can tell us. No judgment here."
"Okay... I'm kind of short, so I don't need anyone too tall. Just average height is fine." Fuuka stopped to think about her options. "And I would prefer if he was clean-shaven. I don't like the roughness of stubble. At least, I don't think I would. I've never really been close enough to any man to know for sure... but I can't imagine it would feel nice."
"Alright. Kind, quiet, honest, average height, clean-shaven. Does that sound like anybody we know?" Yukari turned to Mitsuru briefly, then back to Fuuka. "Someone like... Hiiraga-senpai?" Fuuka gasped. It wasn't the answer she was expecting, but she was now worried about giving them the wrong idea.
"You could do a lot worse than Hiiraga," Mitsuru offered. "He's smart, talented, and he has a good career ahead of him. You're both in the art club, yes?"
"We are," Fuuka started, "and that's all true. He's very nice... and I suppose he is handsome. But no, I'm not interested in him. Not like that." Fuuka was worried that denying too hard would make Yukari more suspicious, but she had to be assertive.
Yukari sighed. "If you say so. But if you ever change your mind, don't be afraid to say something. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would make the first move."
"And what about you, Takeba?" Mitsuru took control of the conversation. "You've yet to share your own preferences."
"Oh. I guess I just want someone tall and handsome who treats me with respect. You know, the normal stuff." Yukari paused briefly. "And if he can't give me what I need, I'll leave him."
"I see. I'm starting to understand the difference between you two." Mitsuru returned her gaze to Fuuka. "Yamagishi seems to want a long-term partner. But you care more about the present."
"Well, yeah. I'm not interested in being a housewife. Maybe some day I'll change my mind, but until then, I don't want to be tied down."
"That's true," Fuuka said, reentering the conversation. "But even if you're not going to settle down right away, there's some comfort in being with someone you care about." Fuuka's nerves had died down a bit. She spoke confidently from her heart, this time without fear of what the others would think.
"Well said, Yamagishi." Mitsuru nodded in agreement. "We would all be lucky to find someone like that." There was a tinge of sadness in her voice, but the other girls didn't seem to notice. Regardless, she raised her cup of tea and said, smiling, "A toast to our good fortune." Fuuka and Yukari raised their cups in unison, giggling at the situation. They drank, and enjoyed the silence for a moment. The momentary peace came to an end as they heard the boys outside.
"Here comes trouble," Yukari groaned. Junpei, Akihiko, Ken, and Makoto entered the lobby in turn, bringing raucous banter and laughter with them.
Junpei was the first to address the girls. "Good evening, ladies!" He stopped to sniff the air. "Something smells good in here."
"We made brownies," Fuuka said with pride. "You can all have some if you like!"
"Don't mind if I do!" Junpei quickly made his way to the kitchen and the rest followed them. Fuuka watched from a distance, making sure Makoto stopped for a brownie most of all. She was a bit nervous in anticipation of his reaction, but having tasted her own work, she was confident that it was good enough.
"You know, Mitsuru, you never did share your perspective." Yukari was now giving Mitsuru a sly smile.
"Oh? I suppose I don't spend much time thinking about dating..." Fuuka knew that Yukari wouldn't be satisfied with that answer and took the opportunity to slip away. She waited for a bit to ensure Makoto had time to finish his dessert. When she was sure he was done, she made her way over to where he was standing.
"Hi, Makoto." Fuuka smiled as she looked up into Makoto's eyes. "So, did you like it?" She was careful not to come on too strong. An honest answer meant more to her than flattery.
"Yeah, it's really good. Thanks, Fuuka." She knew as well as anyone that Makoto was a man of few words. He meant what he said. The brownies must be good, and he must really appreciate them.
"Oh, I'm glad! I know my recipes don't always turn out, but I had a feeling this one was good!" Even in jubilation, Fuuka still found a way to put herself down.
"Well, I think you nailed it." Makoto smiled down at Fuuka. He couldn't help but stand taller than her, but it never felt to her as though he were looking down on her. His gaze was sincere, and if he had to look downwards to meet hers, he would do so without condescension.
"Thank you so much!" Fuuka was elated that he enjoyed the brownies. Perhaps it was an easy target to hit, but it was important to her to show him that the fruits of her labours were ripening. "I'll be sure to let you know if I make anything else!" Makoto nodded and told her he had to get going, and Fuuka concurred. She went back to the table to collect her dishes. Mitsuru appeared to have already left. Yukari was still there, and Fuuka thought nothing of it, until she noticed a mischievous smile on her face as she looked at Fuuka. "W-what is it?"
"Nobody in particular, huh?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" The panic had returned. Fuuka knew she wouldn't talk her way out of this one but she was going to try anyway.
"Come on, you were chatting up Makoto right in front of everyone. You obviously cared more about his opinion than anyone else's. And you want me to think you weren't trying to impress him?"
"Well, that's... okay, maybe it's true." Fuuka's cheeks had flushed a shade of scarlet. Denial was no longer an option. "I wanted Makoto to try them... because I like him." Yukari gave a slight giggle. "It's not funny!"
"No, it's not, sorry." Yukari caught her composure. "It's just that you're getting so worked up about it."
"Why shouldn't I? It's embarrassing to talk about something so personal, and I have no idea how he feels about me–"
"Let me stop you there. I have to tell you something about Makoto." Yukari leaned forward to make sure Fuuka was listening and then said, very directly, "He obviously likes you."
"What?" Fuuka felt herself flushing again. "You're teasing me! How can you know that!"
"I promise I'm not. First, he's always spending time with you." He was just being friendly, Fuuka thought. "Second, the way he talks to you is totally different from how he talks to everyone else." Fuuka couldn't know for sure but she didn't think it could be that different. "Third, when we were at the beach, he was totally staring at you."
Fuuka gasped at the last revelation. "Was he? Oh no." Her mind raced through the possibilities. Maybe he thought her swimsuit was too revealing, or maybe it wasn't revealing enough, or maybe he thought she was too small, or that she was compensating too much for how petite she was. Her worries must have been visible because Yukari took Fuuka's hands in her own.
"Fuuka, calk down. You looked great in that swimsuit. I know because I helped you pick it out, remember?" In truth, it was mostly Yukari picking it for Fuuka, but a bit of embellishment couldn't hurt. "He's definitely into you. There's nothing to worry about."
"Really?" Fuuka took a deep breath and collected herself. "Thank you, Yukari. I'll be sure to tell him how I feel soon.
"Well, don't keep me waiting too long. I've been getting antsy waiting for something to happen with you two."
Fuuka stood up and began to turn away before looking back to Yukari. "One more thing. It's just you, right? Not everyone else?"
"I haven't told anyone. Mitsuru probably hasn't noticed. You know how she is. Can't say what Makoto talks about with Junpei and Akihiko but they don't seem like they suspect anything either."
"Okay. That's good. Well, I should be going. Thanks again, Yukari." They wished each other good night and went their separate ways, Fuuka now wondering what the best way to confess her feelings would be. Baking seemed to work well. Maybe it would work again.