Disclaimer: I don't own Saint Seiya characters nor Kitchen Princess

Two

Camus had stood in front of Hyoga's room for about ten minutes. It was 11 p.m.; January 23rd would end the next hour. Everybody had gone to sleep, and it seemed only Camus who was completely awake now. Completely awake, and completely nervous. Hyoga must be angry with him. He knew it. That was the first problem. The second problem was: he didn't know how to congratulate his student. Would it be only, "Happy birthday, Hyoga, this present is for you. Good night." Nooo, that's not the perfect words to say. What should he say?

He sighed after thinking deeply. He decided not to enter Hyoga's room. "…just put the box in front of the bottom of the door…," he murmured.

Done.

Camus turned around afterwards. All of a sudden he found Milo standing straight in front of him. He almost hit him.

Milo smiled warmly. "I've guessed it," he said.

Camus didn't reply. He only looked at Milo, who was now held his shoulders firmly.

"Enter his room, Camus," said Milo. "This is not about the result, this is about the trial. You weren't wandering alone throughout the whole city only for putting the gift in front of the door."

The two looked at each other steadily.

Finally Camus nodded. Milo was right. It was so silly if he only left the cheesecake in front of the door.

He would accept whatever the consequence was. This was his fault after all. Camus turned back, took the cheesecake box, then knocked the door as he took a very deep breath.

"Who is it?" a sound from inside. It was obvious from his voice that he hadn't slept.

"It's me, Hyoga," answered Camus.

No reply.

Milo gave Camus a sign to enter Hyoga's room directly. Camus agreed. He opened the door. At the same time Milo clapped his shoulder and left him.

"Hello, Hyoga," greeted Camus.

Hyoga was lying on his bed, his head was on the headboard. There were presents on the table next to his bed. As Camus had guessed, his student looked so gloomy and sad.

"Why didn't you come?" asked Hyoga flatly, without looking at Camus.

"I…"

"That's ok, I know the answer," cut Hyoga. "You think birthday is not important. As usual you don't care about anything but your idealism about what a saint should be. As if I care about it—we're not saints anymore, why should we pretend that we are?"

Camus didn't reply. He only looked at Hyoga with the mixture of feelings in his heart. The cheesecake box was still in his hands.

"Leave me alone, Sensei, I want to sleep," sighed Hyoga as he laid his head on his pillow.

"You have to listen to me, Hyoga."

"Why? Whatever you say you won't make me feel better. Roshi was in Shiryu's side in every special occasion; Marin was in Seiya's side on his birthday, Ikki did so in Shun's birthday party. I couldn't believe that in my party, the one whom I've considered as my father didn't come."

"I can explain it to you—"

"I always dream about how wonderful it is to have somebody else as my teacher…"

Silence.

"I see," said Camus after a very long time. He gazed at Hyoga who had turned his sleep-position—he had his back on Camus now.

Camus slowly approached Hyoga's table and put the cheesecake box alongside the other presents.

"Happy birthday, Hyoga," he said in a gentle voice. "I put the gift here."

Hyoga didn't reply. He'd already closed his eyes.

Camus once again gazed on his student, then left the room.

Hyoga opened his eyes slowly afterwards, felt extreme pain in his heart…

xxx

Camus was about opening his bedroom's door when he heard a voice behind him.

"How is it, Camus?"

Camus turned around. He saw Milo stood at his door which was at the opposite of his.

"Great," answered Camus. He smiled slightly. "Hyoga really likes the cheesecake."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

It couldn't trick Milo.

"You're alright?" asked Milo then in a soft voice. He looked at Camus gloomily.

"Yeah, of course I'm alright," Camus answered, though nobody would feel alright after knowing that he had no worth to be a teacher.

"Goodnight, Milo."

"Goodnight."

Then Camus entered his room and closed the door, while Milo never stopped gazing at the door.

Continued to the next chapter