"Aren't you enjoying your life?" Miley asked, folding her hands as she ca closer to while the rest of the students dispersed.
"He has been enjoying life since childhood," Aimar chid in, walking close to her.
"Did you check out any clubs?" I asked Ashlyn, who stood behind them with an awkward smile, ignoring Miley.
"Y-yeah, I did, and I was going to check the cooking club," she stamred, swallowing constantly.
What happened to her?
Is she anxious about sothing?
"Well, I will co with you then," I replied, and she nodded her head hastily.
What actually happened to her?
"Where is Oliver?" Aaliyah asked, of course, about Oliver before anything else.
"He's inside," I replied, pointing towards the spirit club hall.
"I will go se—"
"Just stay here; he will co out anyway," Miley interjected, halting Aaliyah.
"Right," she replied, her gaze on the door.
We continued to wait for Oliver as I leaned on the bench again, closing my eyes.
But even with my eyes closed, I could feel soone glaring at , causing to slightly open my eyes.
And....My gaze t with Ethan's.
He was looking at with cold, unblinking, focused eyes, as if he would lunge at at any second, ready to tear apart limb from limb.
"Ethan?" Aimar shook him by his shoulder, diverting his focus away from .
"Y-yeah."
"Why are you standing like a statue?"
"Hahaha... Nothing like that." He replied with an awkward laugh.
[...That vessel—.]
'She has a na, El. Don't call her a vessel.'
[...Why are you annoyed?]
'I'm not annoyed; I'm just saying.'
[...Then, Shyamal, why did she show others that she's close to you?]
'....She's just being possessive, and she might be showing it to Ashlyn as a warning to stay away.'
[....That's ssed up.]
'I know, right?'
[...You told about this route thing, rember?]
'The route that will take you to a happy ending or a bad ending?'
[Yeah.... Is there any route in which she doesn't lose control—.]
'No, she eventually finds out that Ethan is Asher, and she... always loses control.'
[....How did things end for her in the ga?]
'....Ethan and his harem will kill her, or she will kill herself.'
[Wait! Kill herself!?]
Yeah...
[...But why—.]
'El, El... I don't want to talk about that.'
[Fine...]
'Yeah... Anyway, I just have to make sure I don't die at her hands, that's all.'
We're in the bad route anyway...
"Hey, all the gang is here!" I opened my eyes again as I heard Oliver's irritating voice.
"...What took you so long?" Aimar asked, looking at him, while Aaliyah silently walked close to him.
"They nearly threw out when I told them so idiot has three spirits." He replied, glaring at .
Yeah....
I forgot about that.
It would have been hard for them to believe soone like exists... well, until they confird it with the class teacher.
"Let's go take a look at the cooking club." Ignoring his glare, I said as I stood up.
"Let's go!" Ashlyn exclaid happily, coming out of her anxious state and taking the lead.
We followed behind her, and it didn't take us long to arrive at the cooking club because it was just around the corner.
As soon as we stepped inside, the aroma of bakery and spices filled the air around us.
I looked around as one of the female students, wearing an apron over her academic dress, ca closer to greet us.
"Hello, junior...." Her words trailed off as her gaze lingered on for a while.
"Senior?" Ashlyn called her with a smile, bringing her back to her senses.
"Y-yes, ah, welco to the cooking club." She stamred a little, welcoming us in while stealing glances at .
What's with her?
"We would like to look around." Miley ca forward, pushing and taking charge.
"Yes, of course you can." The weird senior replied, "if anyone wants to try making anything, they can do that as well... we will provide the ingredients."
"! !" Ashlyn exclaid happily, jumping and raising her hand to catch her attention, "can I make sothing?"
"Of course, junior, you can." The weird senior replied, showing the way to the kitchen counter.
"I will help you then," I said as I walked towards her.
"I can do that." Well, I tried to before Miley interjected, standing in front of .
I gave her an annoyed look before I picked up a jar filled with flour and placed it in front of her. "Tell what this is called?"
".... White stuff?"
"Yeah, go sit in the corner."
"N-no, don't behav—."
"Hey," before she could continue to bark, Oliver interjected, grabbing her hand, "I wanted to ask about sothing."
"Why now." She grumbled, but I walked past her, ignoring her.
"Tie this up for , please." As soon as I walked towards the counter, Ashlyn asked, facing her back towards and showing the apron ribbon.
"Sigh.." sighing, I walked closer as I tied it up.
"Urgh.. Too tight."
"Now?"
"Yeah, it's fine." I retied it before I walked back.
"So, what are you making?" I asked as I looked around while the rest of the group took a seat in the corner.
"Cookie!" She exclaid before she asked, "do you know what the ingredients are?"
"Yeah, my sister used to make it fo—." I imdiately shut my mouth as I slowly glanced at her.
Fuck...
She halted her steps as she looked at blankly.
"A-Az—"
"I an my fiancée used to make it for , and I helped her sotis." I corrected my words, interjecting hers.
"Ah, Senior Christina." She replied, nodding her head with an awkward expression.
Fuck... I nearly got caught.
I need to be careful from now on...
[...I still don't understand why you're just not saying you are that guy.]
You think it's that easy!?
"Give so butter," she said as she lit up the gas.
I took so packs of butter and passed them to her.
"So... Senior Christina... made you watch her cooking?" With a cheerful smile, she asked.
"Not really, I just stood there because she won't leave alone." I replied honestly as I took a chair and sat beside her.
"Must be hard." Giggling, she replied.
"No... She just likes to behave like a big sister." I grumbled, shaking my head.
"You don't like that?"
"Yeah... It makes uncomfortable."
[Are you lying or are you telling the truth?]
'It's the truth.'
Christina is hard to understand...
She makes uncomfortable because I feel like she knows everything about ...
but at the sa ti, she is the person who makes feel the most comfortable....
"I've often wished to have an older sibling." I shifted my focus back to her as she mumbled.
"Hmm? Why?"
"... Most of my childhood I had people take care of , but when I had to take my role as the older sibling back... I got to know that being the younger one is better."
With a gentle smile, she replied while mixing the ingredients.
"Not always." I mumbled, making her glance at .
"Did you say sothing?"
"No... Where did you learn how to cook?"
"... from my own and from my mother's diary... it had recipes for so dishes." She replied, her lips quivering as she rembered her mother.
"Your mother, huh?" I muttered as the mories of her mother's filled my mind, making drop my head.
[... Az.]
'Yeah.' I replied, lifting my head as I looked at Ashlyn... She had the exact sa features as her mother.
[... What happened to her mother?]
'...'
I didn't reply, as I reached out to her, my fingertips gently brushing against her cheek as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
She smiled softly, not complaining or moving away from my touch.
'Her mother died.'
[.... How?]
'She....Killed herself, and that too.... in front of my eyes.'
[.....]
'I was five back then, El....
I was so overwheld that I didn't know what to do for a long while....
.... I just cried in front of her dead body, repeatedly promising to keep her daughters safe....
.... I just did everything to keep my promise.'
[.... And you are going to break that promise?]
'.....'
I just looked at Ashlyn blankly without replying....
While She dipped her fingers into a nearby bowl of flour and lightly tapping my nose with it.
"What are you thinking?" she asked, her voice soft as she looked at .
"Nothing." I replied as I did the sa, taking a handful of flour and rubbing it on her cheeks.
"Wait! That's too much!" She grumbled, glaring at while her cheeks flushed with embarrassnt.
"Who started it?"
"Aren't you a petty person."
"That I am."
She giggled softly, dusting it off as she placed the cookies in the oven, "Now we wait."
The rest of the group also walked towards us. Well, Miley was the first to co forward, glaring at .
I will just ignore her.
Ding!!
"It's done!" Ashlyn exclaid happily as she quickly took out the cookies.
She quickly placed them on a tray, ready to serve, "... Everyone have a taste."
I tried to grab one, but she picked one and gave it to .
"Thank you."
I took the cookie Ashlyn gave and took a bite.
And....
I didn't feel anything... It was blank without any taste.
The rest of them picked up theirs one by one and did the sa.
"Cough..."
"Ahem..."
And for so reason, their response wasn't normal...
"It's delicious..." Miley praised before placing her half-eaten cookie back.
The rest did the sa, and only Oliver was considerate enough to finish his cookie.
"It's not that good, right?" Ashlyn asked with a strained smile.
"So you know—"
Slap!!!
"Argh..."
I slapped Oliver's back, making him stop in the middle.
"... I will make it better next ti." Ashlyn said with a smile as she picked up the remaining cookies to throw them away.
"Ashlyn." I called her, making her glance at .
"Give them to ."
"Huh? No—."
"It's fine, I like them...." I said, snatching the tray away from her.
"So... who is going to join in?" The weird senior ca back and asked.
I raised my hand, as did Ashlyn, Ethan, and Miley.
"Good, I can see you daily." Her smile widened as she glanced... at briefly while I munched on the cookies, "anyway, register your nas."
We did as she told us, giving our nas and class.
"So, where are we going now?" Oliver asked, looking at .
"Traveling club." I replied munching the cookie.
"Ahh, be ready to see Ivan then." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.
Yeah, that guy....
[... Who is he now?]
'Soone with whom Christina was ant to marry...'
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