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Syo rifled through his dresser with a frown. His finger trailed down the stack of shirts, jackets, and vests. He parsed through the dress shirts and coats on the hangers. He even checked the drawers where he stored accessories and underwear, on the off chance he had misplaced it.
But he still couldn’t find his top.
Syo probably had the biggest wardrobe out of all of ST☆RISH, with Ren being a close second. But even with his huge collection of hats, shirts, jackets, and pants, he still remembered every piece of clothing that he owned. He knew he had worn that top last week, and he had put it in the laundry alongside the rest of his light-colored tops. Well, those shirts and jackets were neatly pressed and folded in his wardrobe, but the top he was looking for was missing.
It wasn’t that Syo needed to wear that top. He wasn’t even in a hurry. If he were, he’d throw on the first shirt and jeans he saw and still look good in them—a skill he acquired from years of experience. He was just confused as to where it could’ve been.
Could it have ended up in one of his groupmates’ laundry baskets instead? Not impossible if you were living on the same floor with six other guys.
Syo exited his room, crossed the empty hallway, and reached the living room. Oh, good, there were people on the couch.
“Yo,” he spoke up to the occupants.
Tokiya and Ren looked up from their respective items of entertainment—a book for Tokiya and a game console for Ren.
“Has anyone seen my top?”
Tokiya raised an eyebrow. “Which top?”
Syo wasn’t great at describing things visually, so his hands naturally waved around. “You know… the yellow one. With the… the broad shoulders?” His hands moved to shape the shoulder pads of the pale yellow vest he was missing. “You know the one. Was on me just last week.”
Tokiya stared into the distance with slightly furrowed brows, but Ren quickly snapped his finger. “Oh, that one?”
Syo perked up. “Have you seen it?”
Tokiya turned to him incredulously. “You can tell from that vague description?”
“Of course. I know exactly the top Ochibi-chan’s talking about,” said Ren with a shrug and a smile. The smile was too wicked for Syo’s harmless question. Tokiya seemed to suspect this too, and he was just about to interrupt… but it was too late.
“Shinomi’s in the kitchen.”
Tokiya coughed loudly. His hand moved as if itching to swing his book at Ren, but he thought better of it. Probably because his special edition Tokilock Holmes novel with sprayed edges was too precious, or because the impact of the hardcover would give Ren a concussion.
Syo, on the other hand, couldn’t even remember why looking for the top mattered anymore. “Natsuki” and “kitchen” were two things that should never be in the same sentence.
“Who’s in the kitchen?!” Syo shrieked.
“Like I said, your top—”
“Natsuki’s in the kitchen and no one thought to stop him?! Tokiya!” he rounded on Tokiya, who flinched. He ignored Ren’s small protest of how Natsuki was making something interesting that he was eager to try.
“In my defense, I was not aware—”
“Whatever!” Syo stomped to the kitchen, ignoring Ren’s low snicker and Tokiya’s fumbling noises as he followed him to stop Natsuki before any disaster occurred.
The kitchen was… clean. Too tidy and spotless, which probably meant that Natsuki had finished baking, decorating, and even washing all dishes and equipment as he waited for his creations to cool.
Horror and resignation filled Syo’s stomach. The damage had been done. There was no way he could throw away whatever abomination Natsuki made without the cook noticing.
Behind him, Tokiya gulped. Together, they tried to tiptoe away from the kitchen while Natsuki’s back was turned, but…
“It’s finished!” Natsuki exclaimed cheerfully and straightened his posture. He turned towards the kitchen entryway and locked eyes with Syo and Tokiya. They both had one foot hovering above the sleek kitchen tiles.
“Syo-chan! Tokiya-kun! Perfect timing. I just made cupcakes. Wanna try some?”
Syo and Tokiya’s voices joined together to create a harmony. “Uhh…”
“It’s been a while since lunch, right? You must be hungry.” Natsuki took the tray of cupcakes with both hands. There were seven in total, each coated with bright icing to match the respective colors of the ST☆RISH members. Star-shaped sprinkles were placed decoratively around the snack, and a plump cherry was placed at the tip. Syo suspected the cherry was the only edible part of the cupcake. Well, as long as Natsuki didn’t dip it in white vinegar or something.
“Actually… I’m monitoring my sugar intake. Apologies, Shinomiya-san,” said Tokiya.
Syo gawked. Traitor! Natsuki knew full well Syo was not monitoring his sugar intake.
Natsuki beamed. “Well, you’re lucky! I didn’t use sugar for this.”
Tokiya’s face blanched. Syo slapped his forehead.
“I replaced it with honey. A healthier option, isn’t it? Try it, try it!” Natsuki placed the tray on the table, took the cupcakes coated in purple and pink icing, and shoved them into Tokiya and Syo’s mouths at the same time.
If Natsuki tried to ask for Syo’s feedback, he could only say, “The cherry’s good.”
But then the icing made his tongue tingle, and the texture was so odd. Soft, thick, and heavy, Syo could taste salt with a bitter aftertaste. As a kid, Syo had never tried licking the colorful clay he used to play with, something he could use to his advantage during late-night games of “never have I ever” with his friends. Now, he could believe this was what it would taste like, and he silently lit a candle for his broken streak.
Syo ran to the bathroom with all his might, Tokiya hot on his heels.
They reached the sink almost at the same time and started gagging and rinsing their mouths. Even after brushing his teeth and gargling with the strongest mint-flavored mouthwash, the taste still haunted Syo’s tongue.
Natsuki’s concerned voice rang out from the laundry room behind him. “Syo-chan? Tokiya-kun? What got you both in such a hurry?”
Syo turned off the tap, still panting. Tokiya dabbed his lips with a paper towel. “…Bathroom emergency. Do not worry about it, Shinomiya-san.”
“I see!” Natsuki clapped his hands together. “How was the cupcake?”
“Uhh….” Syo and Tokiya harmonized again. They should stop. If Haruka heard, she might experiment with this combination of voices, note, and phrasing.
“Tasty as always, Shinomi,” said Ren, walking in with the tray. He was munching on an orange cupcake.
“Then you can take mine,” Tokiya said quickly.
“Mine, too,” said Syo.
“Really? How kind of you both.” Another bite into the orange cupcake. Tokiya and Syo shivered. Well, at least that problem was solved… Syo prayed for Otoya, Masato, and Cecil, whose cupcakes were still intact.
He and Tokiya walked outside the restrooms and entered the adjoining laundry room, where Ren was leaning against one of the washing machines. Syo’s gaze was drawn to the equipment, or more precisely, a heap of clothing under the machine.
“Is that…?” Syo speedwalked to the machine and bent down. He pulled the fabric that stuck out from underneath the washing machine. “I knew it! My top!”
He unfolded the crumpled vest and inspected it. It was dirty, but nothing a cycle of washing couldn’t fix. At least nothing was torn. It must’ve fallen from his basket when he was putting all his clothes into the washer.
“Oh, so that is the top you were speaking of,” said Tokiya dryly. “I remember now.”
“You were looking for something, Syo-chan?” asked Natsuki. “I’m glad you found it!”
“Yeah, I’m glad you found your top, Ochibi-chan.”
Syo hummed absentmindedly, opening the lid of the washing machine Ren was leaning on. It was about time he did his laundry again, anyway.
“Both of them.”
Syo’s top—the yellow vest, mind you, the vest—was thrown smack dab at Ren’s face.