Chapter Eight: Hikari

NOTE: I've made a time skip here and this is set after the Sweets Kingdom episodes and just before Tennouji's shop in New York episodes.


Kashino yawned as he arrived back in his dorm room. He'd just come back from the Sweets Kingdom and helping the three Jerks. Chocolat floated behind him, about to open her mouth about him lending his bear costume to Ichigo but decided to keep it shut. Kashino had seemed distracted during the trip so he either must have been thinking about her speech or his sweets test the next morning. If he was thinking about her speech, he would probably realise the signs himself soon.

"You should get to sleep, Kashino," said Chocolat, "You have that test tomorrow and we also have to manage the shop."

Kashino nodded and went into the bathroom to change and do the usual stuff before bed.

As he lied down and turned off the light, he sighed, staring up at the blank ceiling in the dark, I still haven't found out anything new…

The next day, during last class…

As Kashino entered the kitchen, he went to his cooking station, deep in thought the entire day. What did Chocolat mean? True feelings… Obviously I can't ask about it…

"Kashino," said Chocolat, snapping him back to attention, "The teacher's speaking about the assignment now. Pay attention!"

"Huh? Yeah…" said Kashino, tuning into the teacher.

"You will be making a cake of your choice with the subject of 'love'," said the teacher. Murmurs started all around, including Kashino to Chocolat, "It's just like the Grand Prix all over again…"

"Relax," said Chocolat, "It can't be harder than that time."

"All right! Pay attention!" ordered the teacher, which everyone promptly did, "I've noticed from previous experience that many of you have no idea what to do with the theme of 'love'. The feeling has to be there in order for it to work and most of the time, I don't get that feeling. So, I want you all to sketch one particular person or animal or whatever who or that you love. Think about the love you feel for that person, animal or thing and incorporate that into your cake. I'll give you a few minutes sketching time and then we get cooking! You may go outside for this and I'll call you all back in when it's time."

"Hai!" said the students.

"…" Kashino was silent as everyone began murmuring and filing out. Miya happily ran out, shouting her design was definitely Makoto-kun of course.

"What's wrong?" asked Chocolat as Kashino began walking towards the doors leading outside, holding his sketchbook.

"I don't have that powerful love the teacher's describing for anyone," said Kashino, "I am so screwed."

"You have got to be kidding me…" said Chocolat under her breath, "There is someone, Kashino, you just have to think of her. What are you using in it, anyway? Maybe some ichigos (strawberries), perhaps?"

Kashino shrugged, not picking up the hint, "I don't know. It depends on who I sketch, I suppose." He walked out into the sunshine to be ambushed by none other than Koshiro Miya.

"DARLING!" cried Miya, jumping onto him, "I haven't seen you for so long because you're so busy with your shop with Amano Ichigo,"she scowled the name and changed back to the happy, unicorns, pot-of-gold-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow Miya immediately after, "Of course I am drawing you for my sweets inspiration," babbled Miya, twirling her hair around her finger flirtatiously, "And I am Makoto-kun's inspiration, right?"

"No and don't bother me," replied Kashino, glaring at her and stepping around her again. Quickly, he walked away and sat under the shade of a large tree near the door to the cooking room, pencil in hand and racking his brain for an idea.

As the minutes ticked by and Chocolat almost ripped her hair out in frustration, she finally sighed and said, "I still like the idea of ichigos in your cake. You love ichigos, right?"

"Yeah, I'll have it in my cake," said Kashino, obviously distracted, still thinking.

Oh, for the love of… Chocolat began cursing, "What about Ichigo?"

The pencil dropped from Kashino's hand, "Amano?"

"Why not?" shrugged Chocolat, trying to be casual, "I'd say she's your best option right now, unless you want to dedicate the cake to that Heiress."

… Kashino immediately began sketching, growing more confident of the idea as time passed, I think I can really make this work…

"Uh, Kashino?" said Chocolat.

"Nani?" said Kashino, turning to face her, still sketching.

"What…?" said Chocolat, gesturing to the sketch he was drawing. Kashino looked down and realised what he was even drawing. Beside Ichigo's sketch which was well done, he was drawing detailed, huge wings, unfurling from her body. Her hair waved down her back with a few locks of hair at the front. Her eyes were large and friendly, she was smiling and she wore a floaty dress. The exact depiction of an angel.

"Hm…" said Chocolat curiously, looking at the drawing, "That's how you see her, huh?"

Kashino stiffened and blushed a deep red, "U-Urusai!" *Shut up for those who don't know. :)


Ichigo was surprised to find Johnny in class for once as she entered the cooking room. Rumi and Lemon waved and Johnny of course ran over, sweeping her up and spinning her around, "Ichigo! Good morning!"

"A-Ano…" said Rumi, sweat-dropping.

"Don't ask, apparently it's normal for Johnny," murmured Lemon.

"It's… new," said Orchard hesitantly.


Kashino suddenly felt a bad feeling, angry for some reason.

Stress, he decided, because we're running the shop. Yeah, stress…


"Finally, that sadist is not here to stop me!" said Johnny happily, "It's the only reason I came! I can spend time with you without that guy around! Great, huh? Hey, Rumi—"

Rumi stepped back one step, "Don't get any ideas." She stuck out her hand instead, "Nice to meet you, though."

"Yeah, OK, we'll do that!" said Johnny, grinning. Nothing could damage his mood when he was with Ichigo, apparently.

"Attention!" ordered Ameya-sensei, bringing the class to order. Even Johnny piped down and payed attention.

"We're going to be making chocolate today," announced Ameya-sensei, "You will be rated based on the technique, uniqueness, presentation and taste of the chocolate. Please get to work."

"Huh," said Johnny, once the teacher stopped speaking, "That sucks. I was thinking it would be useful to have that sadist around this lesson after all."

"He taught me a few things about chocolate," said Ichigo brightly, smiling, "I think it'll be enough for us to pass."

"Yeah," agreed Lemon, "I studied a bit about chocolate enough to get bumped up a year."

"I only know the basics," admitted Rumi, sweat-dropping.

"Don't worry about it," assured Ichigo, "You can manage the baking process. What about you, Johnny?"

"Nothing much, only a couple of facts," said Johnny, laughing it off, "I'll help Rumi in the baking part I suppose and Ichigo and Yamagishi can do the chocolate parts and we'll all decorate."

"Yeah!" everyone agreed.

"Um… What kind of chocolate cake are you making?" asked Mint.

"She's right, there are many different types," said Orchard.

"We'll just make it up as we go along!" said Ichigo optimistically, brushing that thought out of her mind.

INSTANT FAIL! Everyone thought.

"We're rated based on uniqueness, right?" asked Ichigo.

"There's a fine line between unique and being a disaster," pointed out Vanilla.

"Well, we can have pink icing between the layers of cake and make little decorations out of dark chocolate so it'll balance the flavour and not making it overly sweet," suggested Lemon.

"That's great!" encouraged Rumi, smiling.

"Let's get started then," said Maize.

"Yeah!" everyone agreed.


Kashino walked back into the kitchen once the teacher called them back in only to be glommed on by Miya, who shoved her sketchbook in his face, "Isn't it beautiful, Makoto-kun?" she cried, "Miya's going to make a wonderful cake for you, darling! Hehehe…"

"Uh…" said Kashino, sweat-dropping at her laughing loudly and her two servants praising her for it for some unknown reason.

"Anyway, what has my darling drawn?" said Miya, grabbing his sketchbook and flipping to the page before Kashino could stop her.

"HUH?" shouted Miya, loudly enough the whole room stopped and turned around to stare at the two, "WHAT IS THIS? AMANO ICHIGO? AND WHAT'S WITH THE WINGS?"

"Amano Ichigo?" murmurs started up from the second years. Kashino began cursing in his head. Of course everyone would know who Ichigo was. She had been the leader of the winning group of the Cake Grand Prix two years ago, so of course she was well-known among the school.

"Can you be any louder?" said Kashino, glaring daggers and snatching his sketchbook back, "Don't just grab people's stuff." He kept glaring as he went back to his cooking station.

"All right, everyone! Attention!" yelled the teacher. The murmurs stopped.

"So, now you've hopefully got a clear idea of the 'love' I want you to display in your cake. You have the rest of this lesson to make your cake. Good luck and I'll look forward to taste your creation!"

"Hai!" everyone said. Kashino immediately got to work, combining ingredients for the base of the cake and placing it in the oven. Then he got started on the decoration.

"Your design is something you've never done much before," noted Chocolat, watching her partner work, "White chocolate, this time?"

"But hopefully it'll turn out good," said Kashino, continuing making the chocolate.

As he finished…

"All right, time's up!" called the teacher. Everyone put the final touches on their cakes and stepped back. Kashino looked at the cakes he could see. Most of them were average but good looking. Then he got to Miya's.

"There is such a thing as over-doing…" said Chocolat quietly as she caught sight of the cake herself. It looked more look a wedding cake with two layers and figures on the top as the bride and groom with faces Kashino assumed to be him and her.

Kashino groaned and nearly smacked his head on the counter if his cake wasn't sitting there.

"Pull yourself together!" cried Chocolat, hitting him on the head a few times. The teacher approached him last, "How did you go, Kashino?"

"Good," answered Kashino.

"Sugei!" cried the other students in amazement, looking at his cake, "Seriously? Is he really a year younger? No wonder he was part of the team that won the Grand Prix two years ago…"

"The presentation's beautiful," commented the teacher, taking a small section out and tasted it.

"!" the teacher's eyes widened and she dropped her fork onto the counter.

"Uh, are you OK—?" began Kashino.

The teacher smiled at Kashino, "You truly are a chocolate expert, Kashino. The cake was delicious. Tres bien. You really grasped the concept and it was perfectly done. I think I heard your sketch of the person you loved was Amano Ichigo?"

Kashino started blushing again. Even the teacher was after him!

"I just respect her," said Kashino, trying to remain calm, "She is talented and kind. Two years ago, for Valentine's Day, she made me and my friends chocolates to show her gratitude to us for teaching her about sweets. I thought I'd make her something to show my gratitude to her for helping me and our team countless times back then."

The teacher smiled as the other students began 'aw…'ing.

Just then, the bell rang loudly, signalling the end of last class. The students began filing out and Kashino followed him but the teacher stopped him, "Kashino. I think you should get Amano to taste your cake if you made it in gratitude for her." She handed him a box which she placed his cake into, "Here."

"A-Arigato…" said Kashino, holding his cake box. Then he walked out and got changed. Of course, he knew exactly where Ichigo would be.

At the Salon de Marie…

"Eh? Closed?" said Kashino reading the mini-sign on the door, Due to creating new sweets to sell in the Salon de Marie, we will be temporarily closed. Thank you for your patience and we will open again soon~

"Huh," said Kashino, sitting down under a tree near the Salon de Marie.

"Aren't you going to search for her?" asked Chocolat.

"I won't have to. She'll be here." He started the countdown in his head, 5,4, 3, 2, 1…


"VANILLA!" cried Ichigo, anime-style as she arrived at the Salon de Marie. She had finished making her cake which was a success but she wanted to eat sweets now more than anything. Especially chocolate since she just made a chocolate cake in last class.

"Calm down, Ichigo!" said Vanilla, patting her head, "It'll be open in a few days."

"IT'S TOO LONG!" cried Ichigo, a waterfall falling down her face.

"It's amazing how you cry over that, yet the hardships in the shop don't faze you in the least," observed a voice.

"Kashino!" cried Ichigo, turning around to face him. He smiled at her and seemed quite amused.

"Well, since I feel sorry for you, here," said Kashino, handing Ichigo the box he was holding.

"I smell cake!" cried Ichigo, ecstatic with joy, taking the box, "Arigato, Kashino!"

"Just think of it as my thanks to you," said Kashino, looking away from her slightly, blushing.

"Thanks? For what?" asked Ichigo.

"Just… everything…" decided Kashino, "You helped me with my family and encouraged me whenever I didn't feel sure of myself. I'm really glad you stayed at St Marie Academy… if you didn't, none of this would have ever happened."

"Oh, that!" said Ichigo, "Don't worry! I'm just glad you felt better afterwards. Besides, I never would have left without upstaging you first."

"O-OI!" yelled Kashino.

"I'm kidding, kidding," laughed Ichigo, opening the box and her eyes widened, Sugei…

The cake was average sized but it was beautiful. The base was light in colour and covered in cream coloured icing on the top. Strawberries were arranged on the edge of the cake and fragments of light white chocolate were in the centre representing clouds. But that wasn't what caught her attention. Rising up from the cake, done perfectly, were two detailed white chocolate wings which curved in to form a heart. The chocolate was thin and shiny, almost see-through.

"It's amazing…" said Ichigo aloud.

"Thanks," said Kashino.

They both sat down beside each other under the tree in the shade. Vanilla and Chocolat grinned like mad scientists and drifted up into the branches of the tree to give them privacy but spy at the same time.

Ichigo put a bit of the cake in her mouth. The taste was incredible, unlike anything she'd ever tasted before. It was light, fluffy, moist and balanced in terms of taste. The chocolate was smooth and the whole thing melted in her mouth the minute she put it in there.

"Delicious!" yelled Ichigo suddenly, surprising Kashino before he started smiling at her actions. She smiled angelically at Kashino, "It's amazing! Do you have a name for it?"

"Hikari," answered Kashino.

"Light?" said Ichigo.

"Well, I used light flavours and colours because I wanted people to be happy and smile after eating this cake and are happy after being sad."

"It's delicious," said Ichigo, holding a chocolate wing and eating it, "I'll never forget this taste!"

"Have you ever heard of a fork?" questioned Kashino.

"I don't carry around forks with me all the time!" protested Ichigo, "I love it though. Arigato, Kashino." Then she pouted when she thought of something.

"What is it?" asked Kashino.

"Now I have another thing on my checklist to upstage you for…" said Ichigo, pouting.

Kashino cracked a smile and shook his head, "You've already upstaged me in more things you will ever know."

Ichigo's eyes widened but she tried to brush it off, "N-No… I haven't done a-anything that great."

"You changed people," said Kashino, "You inspired them and made them realise things they never had before. You changed our group, definitely. Everyone's benefitted from you."

"…" Ichigo couldn't really think of a reply to that. Instead she just mumbled what she hoped was 'thank you'.

Kashino got up, "Anyway, I have to get back to the dorm. You can keep that cake and try not to eat it too fast for God's sake."

He turned to leave but turned back around, "Don't worry about upstaging me. I just got the idea off your Angel and Devil roll. Nice concept by the way." Then he turned and left.

"My Angel and Devil roll…? Nice concept…?" said Ichigo as the pieces fit together slowly, "EH?" she yelled, "YOU LOOKED IN MY SKETCHBOOK?"

Ah… poor Ichigo… Oh yeah! Thought Vanilla, "Ichigo! You have to practice for your test tomorrow!"

"Eh? That was… tomorrow?" said Ichigo.

"Yeah," said Vanilla, "But don't worry. Once you finish the test, the next day you'll be jetting off to New York to Tennouji-san's shop!"

"That's right…" said Ichigo, "I should get preparing."

"Studying?" asked Vanilla hopefully. She didn't want her partner to fail her test after all!

"No! Packing an extra large bag to fit all those New York sweets in!"

"Get studying!" yelled Vanilla, "We want to succeed in the first test of the year, right?"

"H-Hai…" said Ichigo.


Poor Ichigo! XD

Anyway, for those of you who are wondering about the summary, all will be revealed in the next chapter! Suspense, huh? :)

Review~!