Disclaimer: I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere. I don't own Japan. Ask me again and...nothing much will happen to you.
A/N: The consequences of writing so many stories is that you get bored with all of them. *Sighs* Hope you like this. Takes place after Ichigo's arrival and some time before the Cake Grand Prix at Japan's St. Marie.
Chapter One: Arrival to St. Marie
"Hyuga-san, welcome back."
Hyuga Sawako nodded politely to the baggage-carrier as she bent her battered cap and scanned through the crowds in the airport. Why did she ever think of leaving this place was a mystery yet to be solved. She could feel the fierce blankness on her face reform into a nostalgic smile. How could she ever forget the memories here? The happy ones, the stressful ones, the painful ones. Ones that would always be embedded in her brain.
Peeking out from her dark hair was her Sweets Spirit, Shortcake, who looked as exhilarated as her partner on the inside.
"Brings back memories, ne, Sawako?"
"Yeah." Sawako grinned as she started forward in her heels (those really, really short heels that couldn't even be defined as heels), the noise of the squeaky trolley wheels trailing behind her.
It was absolutely official, she was definitely going to stay in Japan, and there was nobody in the world who could make her change her mind.
"Ne, guys! Have you heard?"
Leaning against the wall was pigtailed Amano Ichigo, who was blindly sticking leftover chocolate sauce into her mouth with a huge metal spoon while her Sweets Spirit Vanilla was drowning herself in a huge pot of tempered chocolate. Sitting nonchalantly on the table was exotic-haired Hanabusa Satsuki who - with his Sweets Spirit partner, Cafe - was looking at himself in the mirror. Same old Hanabusa-kun...
And lastly was blonde Kashino Makoto, who took the duty of washing up the unattended plates of sweets that piled up after the strenuous hours of non-stop sweets-making. Next to him was Chocolat, who was annoying the shit out of him by pointing out various obvious mistakes in his washing and cleaning.
And the ones who stopped all activity were known was Sennosuke Andou and his Sweets Spirit Caramel who was acting unusually hyper and seemed to have indulged too much sugar at one point of time.
"What is it, Andou?" Kashino drawled impatiently from the sink, constantly catching plates and dodging from Caramel's sugar high.
Holding up in the air was a velvety blue envelope that gave off a faint scent of carnations, giving the kitchen a charming grandeur. "This came in the post today," Andou said excitedly. Ichigo perked up and went over to Andou and plucked the envelope out from his hand and she flipped over the sides, there was a name on the front with little letters on the bottom that said: I'm coming back.
Her eyes widened, "Who is it from, Andou-kun?"
"I'm eager to know too," Hanabusa nodded in acknowledgement as he read the cursive script on the envelope. In imitation to Ichigo, Hanabusa's eyes widened, "It can't be...her!"
"Yeah, I'm really surprised she's coming back too," Andou replied, dodging another attack of Caramel's Sugar High Fever.
"She's back, she's BACK! ~dechu!" Caramel screamed as she shot around the kitchen for the 50th time in a row. Annoyed by Caramel's antics, Chocolat pulled her back by the scruff of her dress and yelled at her, "Caramel! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, BAKA!"
"Sawako-chan! She's back! She's coming home! ~dechu!"
The plate in Kashino's hand slipped and crashed onto the floor with an ear-splitting shatter. "What! Hyuga is coming back!" was Kashino's response. Ichigo raised her eyebrow, did Kashino seem a little...afraid?
Ignoring Kashino's protest, Vanilla popped out her chocolate-covered head from the pot and demanded, "Oi, minna! Can anyone please tell us why you all are so happy?"
"Who's this Sawako?" Ichigo added shyly, wondering what made everyone seem so happy - except for a select few, of course - .
"Her Sweets Spirit is Honey-sama's colleague, Shortcake," Cafe said.
"SHORTCAKE!" Chocolat and Vanilla yelled at the suspiciously familiar name. All hell broke loose when the mention of Shortcake entered Vanilla's and Chocolat's ears. They were practically 'running' around panicking and sweating and snatching every single ingredient they could get their hands on and started making something that seemed like something you got out of Hell's Kitchen.
Everyone, save Vanilla and Chocolat, sweatdropped.
Taking charge of the confusion, Hanabusa explained, "Hyuga Sawako-chan used to be with us in Group A back around two years ago. We haven't seen her since she left for Paris. Now she was a perfect definition of a 'prodigy'."
"Really?" Ichigo exclaimed with awe. A prodigy like Henri-sensei? Seriously?
"So she's back, huh?" Kashino muttered, his eyes hard and intense, "When?"
"I was waiting for you guys to say that," Andou started tearing off the envelope with a kitchen knife and lay out Sawako's letter on the table. Everyone came over to check it out.
To my dear friends,
My apologies if this is so last minute. But I will be arriving on the St. Marie's campus on January 8th,
I will be staying permanently unless I get called back for duties from Henri (Ichigo flushed scarlet at the mention of Henri-sensei's name)
Shortcake says hello to Cafe and Caramel and wants to know if Vanilla and Chocolat are getting along well, and awaits what special creation they are making for her,
By the way, she adds that if it's the same creation from two years ago, she'll kill them ("EEEEEK!" Chocolat and Vanilla shrieked)
I need to make a detour to a special place, so I might be quite late.
Best Regards,
Former Group A Member,
Hyuga Sawako
P.S. I have heard of a Miss Amano Ichigo from Henri-sensei lately, I look forward to meeting her.
Hanabusa-kun, Andou-kun, Kashino-kun, I hope to see you again very soon.
Current Group A just stared at the letter. Ichigo glanced around to take a look on the Sweets Princes reactions.
The expression on Hanabusa's face reminded Ichigo of a man being requited with his long-lost lover. Even his rose background seemed quadrupled. Andou had a wistful look on his face, his gaze faraway, as if remembering some kind of a sad memory.
She turned to Kashino, and to her surprise, he had on a mask of blankness. Even his eyes looked dead. Though this was normally expected from the Kashino Makoto, she didn't perceive that he would react this way in a situation like this.
"As formal as always," Andou whispered so softly that Ichigo wondered if he was talking to himself.
"I wonder how she looks like now," Hanabusa mused, grabbing a rose from his chef's jacket, probably to try to woo Sawako once she arrived.
"How did she look like before?" Ichigo asked.
"Like a guy," was Kashino's, Andou's and Hanabusa's response. Ichigo sweatdropped again. Kashino chuckled.
"It's the truth! Everyone called us the four Sweet Princes until they found out Hyuga was a girl!" Kashino was now clutching his sides and stifling maniacal laughter. Ichigo couldn't help it but giggle at Kashino's sudden character change.
"It was horrifying, she looked too feminine to be a boy and yet too violent to be a girl," Hanabusa shook his head in remembrance of the Hyuga's atrocious appearance.
"She had short dark hair and was even shorter than Kashino!" Andou laughed, much to Kashino's chagrin.
"I'M NOT THAT SHORT!"
"Sorry, you still are," Hanabusa replied.
Kashino growled but didn't say anything. Cafe randomly added, "I wonder what Shortcake-senpai looks now."
Shivers went up Chocolat's and Vanilla's spines. Why did nobody tell them that Shortcake was coming home so soon! Why! "Scary..." Vanilla whimpered, seeking Ichigo for comfort, who awkwardly tried to reassure the traumatized Vanilla.
"Shortcake-senpai is really pretty," Caramel mused cheerfully, not at all frightened of the well-known 'Devil Cake Shortcake', "but she didn't like Vanilla and Chocolat arguing."
"PRETTY MY FOOT!" Chocolat cussed. The others raised their eyebrows at Chocolat, who - along with the others - rarely cussed, "You should see her angry ~desu wa!"
"Back when we were studying to become patissieres, Shortcake-senpai was in the same rank as Honey-sama," Cafe explained, who, was also trying to comfort Vanilla who was nearly trying to drown herself in their (Vanilla and Chocolat) cake mix, "But for different reasons."
"What reasons?" Ichigo asked, suddenly feeling very worried about the answer.
They waited for Cafe's answer, who seemed nervous himself to reveal Shortcake's history, "She...was infamous for being able to drill anyone in her presence to cook the best cakes in the Kingdom no matter what it takes as long as it's good and tasty, she's also infamous for being able to force Vanilla and Chocolat to shut up. She's also very well-known to be good friends with pitchforks."
"And Shortcake's very influential, I'm quite worried what Sawako-chan will be when she gets back," Hanabusa shuddered at the mere thought.
"Hopefully not as violent and not as short-tempered," Andou groaned.
The four sighed as they glanced at the clock. Less than twenty-four hours until Sawako's arrival to St. Marie. Whether Sawako would come back a different person or not, Group A would have to see.
Hyuga Sawako faced the tall, brass door in distaste.
'Special place' my foot, Sawako laughed to herself halfheartedly, what on earth was I thinking to come back to the place that made me to break my own restrictions?
Her fingers lingered on the new, high-tech sensory object placed firmly on the door, hesitantly wondering whether she should press the red button or not. They always said that pressing red buttons led to disaster, as always.
She could only imagine what would happen when she went past the gateways to hell. Her toned and lightly-muscled father sitting in his office on the top floor, reading his daily newspaper, casually pressing the speaker button whenever he liked to call anyone he needed, her slim, exotic French mother on the piano bench, nimble fingers playing across the expensive piano, in her own world of perfections and 'minus-1 mistakes'.
Meanwhile, Shortcake was sitting on her dazed partner's shoulder, eager to hurry up and get to St. Marie as quickly as she could so she could 'tutor' her lovely students Vanilla and Chocolat again. Unfortunately, Sawako was not exactly concentrating on what she should be doing.
Her patience strained, Shortcake flew up to the red button and practically smashed herself against it until a crackling came from the device and both her and Sawako flinched. "Was this a good idea?" Sawako asked herself.
"Names?" the crackling slowly ceased and out came a voice. Sawako jumped when she recognized that voice. Rito...she thought. She recalled the young and youthful voice of her beloved caretaker in her memories. The man who didn't think she should be forced into becoming heiress to Hyuga Publications Co., the one who truly believed that she could become a patissier whose name would be well-known by millions.
She croaked out happily, "It's me, Rito-san, Hyuga Sawako."
There was a silence, and for a few moments, her caretaker didn't speak. "I'm sorry, you are not in our list of eligible guests."
Hearing those words, Sawako's heart raced and she continuously jammed the button repeatedly, "B-But, Rito-san! It's me, Sawako!"
"I-I'm sorry, but you are not - "
"Please! Rito-san! Why are you - "
"Sawa-chan," her caretaker's voice croaked, as if he didn't really want to do this to her, "please, you can't come in."
The device immediately switched off, leaving Sawako frozen on the spot, speechless, blinking, trying not to cry.
"Sawako?" Shortcake asked uncertainly.
Sawako caught her breath and stepped back, dropping her hand, letting it dangle aimlessly against her side, "Don't worry, I'm fine, Shortcake."
To Shortcake, Sawako absolutely didn't seem fine at all. Her face was pale and drawn, her blue eyes lost its twinkle and the aura around her seemed to diminish completely.
With a deep breath, Sawako announced, "Let's get back to the hotel."
It had been a sleepless night for Kashino Makoto, as he turned and fidgeted to find a comfortable spot on his bed so he could finally get some shut-eye.
He peeked over from his covers and looked at his alarm clock, it was three a.m. in the morning. Thank god it was a Sunday.
His body was worn and tired, and in this state, he could easily sleep anywhere without any problem. So why was he feeling so awake now?
He thought of Hyuga Sawako and her unpredictable demeanor, scruffy dark hair and nimble fingers that traced across the table when she was bored, how once, they measured hands, and found hers considerably smaller and petite than his, how Kashino badly wanted to touch the skin of the unbeatable prodigy.
Heat rose up his cheeks and he immediately faced down on the pillow so nobody could see his red face, despite it being pitch-black and Chocolat was already snoozing off (with constant whimpers of 'Help me' and 'NOT THAT!') in her bed.
It was an impossible dream. Nobody could touch her.
He recalled the time three years ago, the single year he cherished with Hyuga Sawako.
Flashback -
It was the first day starting at St. Marie, and Kashino was feeling as normal as usual. Meaning he was half-anticipated and half-bored at the same time. Which is basically impossible.
Beside him with Andou, who was talking away about their first day of school in high spirits. Kashino just nodded, which merely encouraged Andou even further.
Kashino was silent, wishing something highly intriguing might happen.
His wish came true.
When Andou ceased his talking, Kashino looked up, figuring why Andou's jaw dropped and glanced in the direction of his stare. What met Kashino's sight made his stomach churn and bubble of held back laughter explode from his lips.
A 'guy' with unruly, dark hair, a frown on 'his' face and wearing a GIRL'S SCHOOL UNIFORM was standing in the middle of the school grounds with a crowd surrounding 'him'. 'He' definitely seemed disgruntled and looked like one of the most unattractive girls/boys Kashino had ever seen. God, what was this 'guy' THINKING wearing a girl's uniform right out in the open where the whole world could see 'him'? Was 'he' some kind of a weird cross-dresser or something?
"No! No! That is not right!" an annoying ladies' man voice broke Kashino out of his train of thoughts.
A green-haired weirdo came up to the unattractive 'cross-dresser' and planted his arms on 'his' shoulders and started shaking him repeatedly, "That's not right! You simply can't confuse us handsome boys to think you're dressing up as such an unattractive girl! Please, put on a male's uni - " the green-haired guy was cut off when the other 'boy' pushed him off with a hard thrust of his fist, eyes blazing and veins throbbing. "Screw it, you people, I'm a GIRL! What are you guys blubbering about, BAKAS!"
Kashino's grin immediately fell off his face and like Andou, he stared disbelievingly at the 'guy'. Simply because no 'guy' would ever be 'manly' enough to admit that he was a 'girl'. It just wasn't right. After the girl's outburst, the others cleared off as quickly as possible while Hanabusa stood there, pale and jaw-slacked.
Suddenly, the girl turned to the two boys, Kashino and Andou, and glared suspiciously at them, "Oi! Hentais! What do you think you're ogling at!" this epic line brought Kashino and Andou out of their staring game.
"We weren't," Kashino shot back.
The scowl on her face turned into a crooked smile, the aura around her seemed to drop to at least five hundred degrees, proof being Hanabusa shivering in one corner wearing a ski cap, "Oh, really?" her tone was sly, "You think I'm crazy too, right? You don't believe I'm agirl, now don't you?"
Kashino stifled a gasp when the girl glided near him, her cold breath mingling with his, "You're thinking: 'This person is too hideous to look like a girl', right? Don't deny it." Andou flinched at the venom in her voice, but Kashino stood still, unwavering at the killer blood-lust emanating from the innocently smiling girl. "You men are all the same, you can't take the truth being thrown at you."
A chord of rage struck in Kashino after hearing that hurtfully sexist line and all fear of the girl was completely erased, his cheeks flushed and he found his arm reaching out and curling it harshly around the girl's arm. Her eyes widened in shock and tint of blush entered her cheeks. Kashino realized what he was doing and mentally slapped himself. He just touched a GIRL, and now SHE was probably going to fall head over heels for him like all the other -
"YOU ****ING PERVERT!" she screamed as her fist connected with Kashino's chin and he felt his feet get lifted off the floor and being thrown fifty feet over the school.
"KA-KASHINO!" yelled Andou.
"Do you think he'll live?" Hanabusa asked, recovered from his post-freeze state.
"I-I think so..." Andou sweatdropped, as the blushing girl stalked away from them, muttering curses, leaving the two boys staring in disbelief at her. "I hope we won't be in the same group as her," Hanabusa prayed.
Andou shuddered.
In Cooking Class
"My name is Ameya(?)-sensei, welcome to cooking class," all eyes were on their sensei as she flipped over pages on her clipboard, going for roll call.
Meanwhile, Kashino was standing as far away from the unfriendly brunette as possible, who seemed to be socially isolated by many of her peers, some even looking uncomfortable standing five feet near her. It seemed like even those in her age group didn't want to accept her - or her odd appearance - . The only one that seemed comfortable standing next to her was Kato Rumi.
Kashino rubbed the bruise on his chin which scarred his chiseled features as he exchanged glances with Andou, who, was nervously looking at the crazy girl who was sending off blood-lust like tears.
"She's announcing the groups," whispered Hanabusa, who had easily made friends with the Japanese confectionery heir (Andou).
"Group A - Sennosuke Andou, Hanabusa Satsuki, Kashino Makoto and Hyuga Sawako," Ameya-sensei announced, "these four are the highest in both grades and cooking ability, therefore, they shall be in the elite A Group."
This announcement started murmurs and whispering, Rumi jokingly commenting on 'The Four Sweets Princes' as the brunette next to her flinched, what Kashino observed. The fangirls of Hanabusa, Andou and Makoto screeched excitedly at the new nickname for their idols, while the others wondered who was this 'Hyuga Sawako'.
"Can Andou-kun, Hanabusa-kun, Kashino-kun and Hyuga-san please raise their hands?" Hanabusa, Andou and Kashino raised their hands immediately. From the corner of their eyes, they paled, when they found 'Hyuga Sawako' tentatively raising her hand for the whole class to see. It was the brunette that beat the daylights out of him.
There was a long silence when the students found out who was Hyuga Sawako. The fangirls were devastated that there would be a girl in Group A to steal their beloveds, but nobody, absolutely NOBODY, were more devastated than the Sweet Princes.
CRAP, the trio thought.
Flashback End -
"Crap, no, no, no," Kashino murmured in his sleep as he struggled and thrashed about in his bed.
Suddenly, a slim, cool hand was placed against his brow, his eyes popped open in reaction to the sudden touch of coolness. His cheeks reddened and his hazel eyes met the large, blue ones of the only well-known Hyuga Sawako. The stoic expression on her face evolved into a genuine smile, "Good morning, Kashino-kun."
Kashino, speechless, looked at his surroundings. Hanabusa had already left due to the tidiness of his bed, sunlight was streaming through the window, brightening up the whole room. But what caught his attention the most was the unmistakable girl sitting on the edge of his bed, her hand still on his forehead, too near him to make it look innocent.
His eyes trailed from the loose casual clothing of the Hyuga to her long, pitch-black hair that fell down her shoulders and the sparkling eyes that were no longer covered from her long fringe, in contrast to the usually messy and scruffy hair she used to have three years ago. He wouldn't even have recognized her if she wasn't wearing the charm bracelet she was given from her friends at the 'Sayonara Sawako-chan' party.
"Hyuga?"
Her smile widened. Even her current self was so different from the girl he met three years ago.
Trying to find something to get his eyes off the girl, his gaze wandered to the edge of the bed where Chocolat slept on...she was gone. His heart skipped a beat as he sat up, almost throwing Sawako off-balance as he threw up the covers, his senses going on high alert as his first mission entered his mind: Find Chocolat. Sawako's cool hand clutched his arm, almost calming him down as she calmly explained, "Don't worry, she's gone off to see Shortcake."
Kashino tensed up a little. He suddenly felt sorry for his Sweets Spirit partner.
He fell back on his pillow, not caring whether Sawako could see him in his boxers or not, and placed his arm over his eyes. She released her grip and leaned on Kashino's headboard. None of them said anything for awhile. Sawako glanced at the blonde and asked in a wistful tone, "It's been long, hasn't it?"
Kashino muttered something that resembled a disdainful grunt.
"Why didn't you keep in touch?"
She caught her breath, she was hoping he wouldn't ask that question. He lifted his arm and eyed Sawako with suspicion. She paled under Kashino's glare. Reluctantly, he sat up and looked at her right in the eye. The look in his eyes were filled with anger and fury, "Answer me, Hyuga." She looked away. Wrong move.
It was like her life was flashing before her as she felt herself getting thrown off the bed and landing on her back on the hard floor, wincing in pain as the slightly bigger boy lunged at her and pinned her down by the arms. Blonde hair covered his rage-filled eyes. Sawako didn't try to struggle free. She would accept any punishment he threw at her. She shut her eyes and waited for the outcome.
She flinched under him as a teardrop landed on her face. One after another. She blinked away the tears that landed in her eyelids and focused on the tears that were rolling down Kashino's face. She could feel his whole body tremble and the grips on her arms loosen.
"Why," his normally harsh voice quivered, "Why didn't you tell us how you were doing?"
Because I didn't want to tell you how much I enjoyed being with 'them'.
"Why didn't you answer any of my calls?"
Because I was afraid what you're going to say.
"Why," he choked, "were you gone for so long?"
Because...I didn't want to let you know how much I've changed.
"Kashino-kun..." Sawako whispered, as droplets spilled across her face as she stared at the boy before her. With great reluctance, she removed her arm from Kashino's grip and cupped his face in her hand. He stopped choking as her finger flicked away a stray tear, "I'm sorry."
Kashino shook his head and wiped away his tears with a free hand and slowly climbed off Sawako and sat down beside her. Surprised, Sawako peeked over to the boy. He was huddled into a ball, hand clasped firmly around the wrist where a silver chain glittered under the sunlight.
"Andou and Hanabusa missed you."
Sawako didn't reply. Instead, she placed her feet on Kashino's bed.
"They were depressed over you for two weeks."
Sawako giggled.
"Then Amano came along."
Sawako stopped giggling. She sat up and gave Kashino a stern look, "Are you talking about Amano Ichigo-san?"
"The one who's so infatuated with your beloved adopted father, correct."
Sawako winced. She met Henri-sensei at one of her father's business parties, and he insisted that Takashi (Sawako's father) shipped her off to St. Marie to be taught proper sweets-making skills after Sawako correctly told Henri all the ingredients he used to make his Opera. And then she showed him her tempering skills she picked up from the family's chef.
In the end, she was forcefully handed over to Henri custody's after recent reports from the neighbors about a little girl from that particular family being seen abused by her father. Much to say, the authorities didn't take it kindly and put her in an orphanage and stripped Takashi and her mother from ever seeing her again. The only reason being Sawako had no other relatives left to take her of her. It took Henri weeks to find her and adopt her as his own child/disciple.
Though, Sawako thought, it would have been much more satisfying if that particular piece of information leaked out to the whole world of the famous and 'fatherly' Hyuga Takashi.
"Yes, I'm looking forward to meeting her. As well as one of his other disciples."
Kashino raised an eyebrow, "Do you mean Tennouji-kaichou? Blonde, pretty and smart?"
"Blonde, pretty and smart? Yes, that must be her, since I doubt anyone else here is blonde, pretty and smart," Sawako replied sarcastically. Kashino's mouth twitched. At least Sawako hadn't lost her sense of humor.
Their short period of gimmicks didn't last, and they ended up staring at the walls, not speaking a word, again. Feeling extremely bored, Kashino glanced up at his alarm clock. It was precisely twelve p.m.
"You should catch up with Andou and Hanabusa," Kashino noted.
Sawako nodded. "Let's go."
"Sugoi, Hanabusa-kun! That looks really good!"
Sitting on Group A's table was a cake. But not just any other cake. It was a three-layered chiffon cake that tasted of milk chocolate, just the way Sawako liked it, lined elegantly with macha frosting and topped delicately with finely made roses that surpassed all the other roses Hanabusa created.
Being the snappy thinker Ichigo was, she decided to cut some little strawberries in half and placed them carefully at every available space she could find. The other Sweets Spirits helped as well, mainly Vanilla and Chocolat, who were extremely afraid whether Shortcake liked it or not - as she was standing in the background overlooking their progress.
Cafe enchanted the cake to smell faintly of the sweet aroma of coffee, Caramel helped decorate the platter with caramel delicacies while Vanilla and Chocolat hurriedly dipped the strawberries half with chocolate and half with vanilla. The cake looked absolutely gorgeous that even Shortcake looked more than mildly impressed.
"It looks very good," she commented, "May I ask who baked this lovely chiffon cake?"
The three Group A members exchanged glances, trying to put the baggage on the others' shoulders, in the end, Andou explained - unusually - sheepishly, "Kashino worked on it after we left for bed. Chocolat says that he got back to the dorm only after two."
At this, Shortcake raised her eyebrows and her wings fluttered in apprehension.
"For Sawako?"
Ichigo glanced at the the two Princes in confusion, "Isn't it obvious we made it for Sawako-san?"
Everyone save Ichigo facepalmed. Sometimes even Ichigo couldn't tell what the meaning of 'obvious' was. Hanabusa took the opportunity to gently explain it to the dense girl, "Ichigo-chan, Kashino and Sawako-chan were closer than just friends."
"You mean...KASHINO AND SAWAKO-SAN ARE DATING!" Ichigo shrieked, blush rising up her cheeks.
"Um, not exactly," Andou laughed nervously.
"Bluntly speaking, Kashino is like an obsessed, overprotective, cocky brother to Sawako-chan," Hanabusa stated bluntly.
"A rival," Shortcake sighed.
"A best friend," cued Chocolat.
"And many, many other things," the other Sweets Spirits chorused.
"So, it's like they're different people at different times?" Ichigo asked.
"To put it that way, yes," groaned the two Sweets Princes and the Sweets Spirits.
Ichigo was about to say something else before they heard a huge CRASH! and yells echoing from the corridor. The junior patissieres jumped up in alarm and in one panicked glance, they quickly barged through the doors and made their way to a very unexpected scene in front of them.
A strikingly familiar girl was lying on the floor, groaning in pain with a bruise on her temple. What made the scene even more shocking was that a handsomely well-known blonde had made a cage around her with his lanky arms like a protection barrier, panting and red-faced with hurt from the impact of whatever hit them.
"KASHINO! SAWAKO-CHAN!"
A/N: You all are probably angry at me that I haven't updated my other stories yet. But be patient, grasshoppers, good things come to those who do the wave, you know?
Kudos!
HinakoNamikaze99