Me: Hello! I am StarlightFangirl, but you can just call me Hoshimi-chan!
Café: Bonjour, Hoshimi-chan!
Chocolat: Due to my very scientific research, 40% of the new authors are hopeless. They either have poor grammar, bad spelling, or slow updates. And Hashimi, I'm pretty sure you're one of them.
Me: X.x That's harsh…and it's Hoshimi…
Chocolat: What's up with the title anyway, And that's why I love you, anyway?
Caramel *flies in and puts a piece of masking tape on Chocolat's mouth, much to Chocolat's dismay*: I'm sorry-desu, Hoshimi-chan! Chocolat can…
Vanilla *winces as Chocolat glares at Caramel*: Hurt feelings mercilessly sometimes…
Café: Oui, oui…
Me: Aww, Caramel, Vanilla, you're so sweet!
Café: Hey! How about me?
Me: I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere!
Kashino jerked awake, sitting upright almost immeadility. His eyes were widened and he felt an emotion he never felt before surging through his body, giving him newfound energy that he never possessed at this time of the night. He felt his nerves tingling with excitement and anticipation, and yet felt reluctance and anxiety rise through him.
Just what was this feeling he was experiencing? He racked his brain for the dream that had caused it and gasped when he discovered the only memory of his dream was merely a flash of an image. Even so, he broke into a smile when he saw the picture.
There was only one person in the picture. Her chocolate brown hair flowed down to her shoulders, instead of being tied up neatly into pigtails. Her soft brown eyes showcased one emotion that he couldn't describe. It was sweet and quickened the beating of his heart. Was it...Love? She wore a pink dress with lace detail embroidering it, and matching shoes. Her sweet, melodic voice echoed in the image – she was softly humming a tune Kashino did not recognize.
"Wha-what?" Kashino stumbled upon his words, before realizing how weird it was to be talking to himself at night. He promptly reminded himself something before laying down on his bed to allow sleep to take over his mind. "Why was I dreaming about Amano? She's just a clumsy, absent-minded idiot…And a close friend."
Happy with the sentence he had stated, he closed his eyes and was stunned to find a voice click in his mind. The voice showed no emotion whatsoever, and repeated three words.
"Are you sure?"
~X~
Kashino startled all his classmates by appearing at class with a small smile gracing his lips. His usual stone cold, blank face had melted away. He was early, as usual, by three minutes. The cheerful brunette he had been dreaming about just the night before greeted him happily.
"Why are you so happy, Kashino?" Chocolat whispered harshly into Kashino's ear, before resting on his shoulder. "You seem…out of yourself."
"Oh," Was Kashino's bland reply. He…why was he happy? He had woke up earlier than usual, which, was in other words, the crack of dawn. He had straightened his thoughts. He had worked everything out. He had came up with a new chocolate recipe with a special formula that made it extra delicious.
He was mainly happy because he finally found his feelings for the one and only Amano Ichigo.
He had decided that he wanted to take their relationship to go one more step. Sure, it would definitely feel different…and it would impact their futures greatly, but Kashino had decided it.
And whatever decision Kashino made, he didn't regret it.
He was very sure. He had romantic feelings for Amano Ichigo. He liked her. He had a crush on her. It was like a constant fly that bugged his mind, all day. Because, he had promised himself. He would just ask that fated question that night.
"Will you go out with me?"
~X~
"Amano, I want to talk to you."
Despite the blank face Kashino had on, he was actually very scared underneath. He could feel every cell in his body tremble, and hoped fervently that Ichigo wouldn't notice.
"Hmm?" Ichigo raised her eyebrows questioningly. Why did Kashino look so anxious? "Yeah, sure. Why not?"
"Amano…" Kashino looked around, although no one was in the baking classroom anymore. Hanabusa had left early to tend his beloved rose garden, and Andou had left due to an urgent call from Kana. "Actually, I…I…"
Ichigo looked confused and slightly tilted her head, making herself look even cuter at a angle. Kashino swallowed, pretending to brush it off.
"I thought…I think-k…" Kashino stuttered, his cheeks turning red as he stared at her. Finally his lips formed shape as he stupidly blurted out: "Will you go out with me, tomorrow night?"
Kashino cringed at how stupid he sounded. "A-actually…"
Ichigo blinked. Why was Kashino acting so abnormal? Did he think that she wouldn't accept? She grabbed her small backpack and lugged it over her shoulder, a bright smile on her face, stretching across her features. Her male partner reeled back in surprise, his nervous glance almost saying 'What are you going to say' directly. His bottom lip quivered as he fiddled with his hands.
"No problem, Kashino! After all, it's normal for friends to hang out with each other. We'll meet at the school gate, tomorrow at five o'clock, okay? I want to check out this new café that recently opened. Oh, and help me with my French homework tonight."
Kashino winced. So Ichigo, being the dense girl she was, didn't think this was a date…
"Because you're so bad at French the words you knew would barely make a sentence," Kashino couldn't resist smirking, though he felt very disappointed at the bottom of his heart.
Ichigo stopped drooling over her daydream where she was happily testing out new sweets. Kashino mentally slapped himself, he was trying to get his point across that this was supposed to be a romantic –
"Actually – this is a date – " Kashino managed, but Ichigo had already left, humming and gently closing the door behind her.
He didn't think he could be more disappointed in his life.
~X~
"Yay!" Ichigo raised her arms in delight. She spun around happily and then slammed her face against the glass window. Kashino flinched, how could that scatterbrain get more careless? "I love sweets!"
She glued her eyes to the display of desserts that was showed off perfectly with the bright colored spotlights aimed at it and clasped her hands together, turning back to Kashino. Her innocent, chocolate brown eyes were already begging.
"Kashino," She pleaded. "Do you have any spare change? I just want to buy this delicious dessert that is on sale!"
Don't get distracted.
Don't get distracted.
Don't get distracted.
Don't look at her.
Don't look at her.
Don't look at her.
Kashino flinched, just staring at Ichigo's pout made him want to cheer her up. He felt a smirk spread over his face, as he started to tease the brunette.
"Maybe I will," He said, leaning back, "IF a particular…strawberry loving glutton stopped asking me help with their French assignments."
No doubt, Kashino was talking about her. Ichigo stared at him in horror, as she gaped and shot back a retort.
"Kashino, you're such a cruel…" Before Ichigo could continue. Kashino sighed and dragged her into the café.
"Whatever you say, as long as you don't make me go bankrupt." Kashino's resistance finally breaking through, seeing her cute and annoyed pout. It wouldn't hurt to treat her, I guess. "Baka."
~X~
"I want everything on this menu! All the drinks just look so yummy!" She announced her order to the waitress, who was sweat dropping.
"Amano, I am not paying for you if you order the whole menu. Just one drink, okay? Decide on the one you like the best." Kashino said stoically. He sighed.
"Fine!" Ichigo pouted again, but Kashino steadily kept his gaze away from her.
"So what drinks would you like to order?" The waitress forced a smile on her face – she wasn't a very patient person to begin with, and although the couple's actions were cute, they sort of irritated her.
"Iced chocolate," Kashino shrugged, "What about you?"
"I want salted caramel hot chocolate! And iced lemon tea! And hot chocolate, iced chocolate…" After proceeding to read out aloud all the drinks on the menu, Ichigo broke into a bright smile. "Yep!"
"Amano…" Kashino slapped his forehead with his hand. "I said…just one drink!"
"But I like all the drinks…" Ichigo wailed, looking very upset.
Don't look at her.
Especially her eyes.
"Fi-fine…two drinks." Kashino finally caved in.
Ichigo pouted again, staring at the menu.
"…Three."
Ichigo still didn't look very satisfied.
"FINE!" Kashino lost his patience and his resistance broke through. He stared emotionlessly at Ichigo. "The whole stupid menu."
Ichigo finally broke into a grateful smile as she told the now amused waitress her order, and happily thanked Kashino. "Thank you Kashino! You made my day! YAY!"
~X~
"I thought you said I made your day?" Kashino raised his eyebrows. "You know, when I bought you the whole menu of drinks at that café?"
"I know," Ichigo whined impatiently. "But you could make my day even better! You could really cheer me up even more if you buy this cheesecake for me! I told you, I tasted the sample and it was really good!"
Make your day even better? Kashino snorted. You'll just beg for more and more things…
Sometimes Kashino thought if they just communicated by telephone, he wouldn't give in that easily. Her big puppy blinked at him, her long eyelashes batting. She was just so…cute.
"N-no…" Kashino declined, trying to force his gaze away from the gluttonous Ichigo.
"Pleassssseeeeee?" Ichigo begged. "I promise you, Kashino, we won't buy anything more!"
"FINE." Kashino hastily agreed, and allowed a very hyperactively cheerful Ichigo to pull him to the sweets shop that sold the cheesecake she so desperately wanted.
~X~
"You're the best, Kashino!" Ichigo cheered loudly. They had settled down and sat down at a bench in a park. She carried many snacks that she had also convinced Kashino to buy for her.
"Yeah, yeah…" Kashino's heart was beating so fast; it was drumming and he could barely hear Ichigo talk. He had to tell his real reason to ask her out. Now. He loved her. He wanted to be her protector.
That sounded cheesy and it made Kashino think. What if she believes I'm her stalker or something? Kashino thought, horrified. No, that can't happen…Why am I so scared? How can Koshiro-senpai just shamelessly confess everyday to me…?
"Ac-actually, Amano…" Kashino hesitated. What if she rejected? What if she even pushed away their friendship.
"What?" Ichigo smiled warmly at her male friend as she gobbled down another cupcake.
Kashino stared at her. "Your stomach is a endless pit for sweets…cake pig."
"HEY!"
"I-I…I-I…Actually, I want…I want to…I want…Do you know why I asked you…to, to hang o-out?" Kashino mumbled, trying to avoid eye contact. Instead, he decided to stare at the food that Ichigo was about to gobble up.
"…No?" Suddenly she broke into a wide smile as her eyes shone in delight and hope. "To treat me to more sweets!"
Kashino face-palmed himself. "No…"
"To buy me the whole menu at the café!" Ichigo was treating this like a guessing game.
Kashino shook his head.
"To buy me that cheesecake!"
Kashino sighed.
"To treat me to that good hot chocolate!"
"Wrong." Kashino said firmly. He had finally phrased the words in his head and blurted it out: "I asked you to hang out because…because I love you!"
That definitely sounded way better in his head.
Ichigo's eyes were wide open, the cupcake she was about to swallow falling to the ground out of her hands. Her jaw was hanging open. She blinked.
"I don't…"
Tears started to form in Kashino's eyes as he had to grasp his own wrist so hard to distract himself from the pain.
"I'm not sure about how I feel about you." Ichigo confessed. Kashino struggled to hide his downcast emotions under a perfect blank mask on his face. "I mean, Kashino…why me? I'm not that special. Why do you love me?"
"You are special…" Kashino insisted, "Your optimism is just so darn adorable, and the way you can cheer someone up even if they had the worst day of their life is amazing. I admire you for your growing talent. I…could go on, but it's a little embarrassing."
Ichigo leaned back, allowing her hands to support her weight as she stared at the starry sky. "I'm not rich, pretty or clever…"
"Koshiro-senpai is." Kashino managed to shrug. "But I don't like her. She can be one million times richer than you, one thousand times more beautiful than you, and she might have grades even higher than mine…"
"But she isn't you. She can be perfect, she can be everything a boy ever wanted…but I would push her away. For you. Because…you are my everything." Kashino whispered softly, allowing only Ichigo to listen.
"Your warm smile can light bright smiles on many people's faces. Your skill to learn things is faster than mine. Your talent…Your personality…" He rambled on quietly.
"You may be a person to the world, but to a person…" Kashino stared at Ichigo's dreamlike eyes as she leaned in. Their faces were so close to each other. "You are the world."
"And that's why I love you."
With no hesitation, the blond finished his confession. He pressed his lips gently against Ichigo's soft warm ones, and Ichigo kissed back.
I've changed my thoughts...I love you too, Kashino…
Me: How was it? Good? Bad? I really need advice so I could improve my writing!
Kashino: That was cheesy and Ichigo was so OOC…And I don't talk like that.
Me *winces*: I knew you would say that…I'm so sorry for making Ichigo so OOC! I...didn't know how to do it!
Ichigo: That's okay, I thought it was pretty cute.
Me *eyes transform into hearts*: Really? Aww, Ichigo, you're so sweet!
Kashino: Whatever. It was bad.
Me: Uh…okay. Anyway, whoever reviews on this story –
Kashino: Oh, so this new author that Chocolat said was bad bribes, as well? Man, Chocolat was so right…
Me: HEY! And I wasn't bribing and I was just saying…
Ichigo: What?
Me: If you review, I'll PM you with a short review reply! But if you don't have a account...sorry, no review reply for you...
Ichigo: Please review! :)