Chapter Five: “The Princess Wants to Seize the Chance” — Part Ten
“Done…! Handmade cookies to celebrate five days together!”
I opened the oven and out came beautifully baked cookies. The shapes were a little rough, but both the butter cookies and the chocolate chip ones looked genuinely good.
“Even primary schoolers don’t celebrate five days.”
Yuuri said it with a look of exasperation and reached for a cookie.
“Five is a round number so it’s worth celebrating.”
The calories were a slight concern, but there was no way I wasn’t tasting something I was giving to Senpai.
And fresh-baked cookies are just delicious anyway…!
“How do you both think they turned out? Did they come out well?”
The voice from behind us was Kanami-senpai’s. About ninety percent of the cookie dough had been made by her.
“Yes! They’re amazing, Kanami-senpai!”
“I’m glad. I’m sure Iori-chan will be happy too.”
Kanami-senpai smiled warmly and brought a cookie to her own mouth.
“Yes, they’re good. I think having both of you help made them even better than usual.”
She really was remarkably kind, kind enough that it made me wonder sometimes how she and Yuuri had become friends.
“…Himena, you just thought something rude.”
Yuuri murmured it in my ear, low enough that Kanami-senpai couldn’t hear. Did I? I replied, and took out the wrapping bags I’d brought.
I’d been thinking about doing something to mark five days together, and then heard that the home economics club was making cookies today.
Kanami-senpai had agreed to let me join in without a moment’s hesitation.
“I really appreciate it. Thank you so much, Kanami-senpai.”
“I should be thanking you. Most of our members only exist on paper, so we were happy to have you here. Weren’t we, Yuuri-chan?”
“…I would have been perfectly fine with just the two of us, personally.”
“Oh, Yuuri-chan, you’re never straightforward with Himena-chan, are you.”
Kanami-senpai, I am fairly confident that was one hundred percent genuine.
If I said that out loud, Yuuri would glare at me, so I didn’t.
“Oh, and — about me and Iori-senpai being together, could you please keep that between us for now?”
“Of course. It’s a trial period, right?”
“…I mean, it won’t be a trial period for much longer.”
Senpai had said she didn’t mind people knowing, but it still didn’t feel right to go around announcing it everywhere.
I wanted to tell everyone that Senpai was my girlfriend. But I didn’t want to cause her trouble.
“I’m rooting for you. If there’s ever anything else I can help with, just say the word.”
“Kanami-senpai…! And please let me know if Yuuri ever gives you trouble.”
“What?! Yuuri-chan wouldn’t do that?”
Kanami-senpai laughed, looking puzzled. Yuuri gave me a completely genuine glare.
“After this you’re waiting for Iori-senpai’s practice to end, right, Himena?”
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
Club finish times were set by school rules, but in practice they varied considerably by club.
The competitive teams, including the girls’ basketball club, practised right up to the last minute, while the home economics club was on the earlier end.
“I’ve been studying in the library while I wait lately, so my grades might actually be improving.”
Since we started going out, I’d been studying in the library every day until Senpai’s practice ended. Even for those few minutes’ walk to the station, I wanted to be with her.
For the next tests, I wanted to be the one teaching Senpai, without needing to rely on Yuuri or Kanami-senpai.
If Senpai called me Himena-sensei… what would I even do, that would be incredible.
I really wanted to see Iori-senpai. I hoped she’d like the cookies.