Shiki stood up and walked toward the kitchen "let's start then, since you already forced me to skip school, again"

"But, but everything is empty, there's only cup noodles, no way we can cook anything with that, let's go out, and buy something"

Akabayashi was confused by the unusual reaction, "Shiki, would you happen to be, angry?"

He answered by shooting a dreadful glare at him and headed toward the door, his red haired friend tagging along since he had no choice.

They made their to the store and bought a handful of different ingredients, "I'm teaching you to make hot pot today, and a cake, you like cakes don't you?"

"Mmh yeah I do, chocolate?"

"Yes sure, whatever"

Shiki picked the different ingredients at an impressive speed and they headed to Akabyashi's place.

He put his groceries on the table, and took out everything he needed, "First, we'll bake the cake, it takes longer to heat"

"Fine"

"To start with you don't forget to turn the oven on. Then you take this butter, and put it in the casserole, which you put on the electric stove, you can follow until now?"

"Yeah it's pretty easy"

"Then you crack these eggs, carefully in your bowl, just like this, now your turn"

"My turn?"

"Yes indeed, you want to learn right? So you need to try too"

The red haired student carefully took an egg in his hand, trying to lightly hit it on the table, failing to crack it properly.

"You need to put a little more strength, look"

Shiki took Akabayashi's hand in his to put just right amount of pressure to crack the egg open without breaking, his friend was really impressed "Now try again"

And so he did. This time, not only did he fail, but he crushed the egg, dirtying a big part of the kitchen, finding Shiki madly laughing at the sight. "Look you even have some in your hairs". He moved his hand toward his friend's head and tried to clean them.

"You're dirty too don't be so full of yourself" added Akabayashi trying to remove as much white egg as he could on Shiki's hairs, not without messing with them in the process.

"Eh stop, my hairs"

It was Akabayashi's turn to laugh. "So, that cake?"

"We're not moving onto something else until you can crack an egg properly"

After countless fruitless tries he finally managed to fulfill his task, bowing as Shiki applaused.

"Now, the flour, that should be ea-"

Just when he was trying to talk he was cut by something falling on him. He looked up to Akabayashi to find him laughing, hands white.

"Damn, what did y-"

He was cut again as another handful of flour reached his face, soon their laughther rang out in the room, both as white as snow. "We'll need to take a shower after this, if you don't become more serious, we'll never be finished"

"Yeah you're right, let's continue"

"So I was trying to say that you just put the flour on the bowl with the eggs we cracked before, by now the butter should be melted, so let's add it too. Could you start mixing that while I take care of the chocolate?"

"Yes sure"

"Wonderful, now the chocolate is melted too, continue to mix while I pour the chocolate"

Akabayashi complied and they soon achieved a good looking pastry, and he stayed speecheless as he was admirring their work "Shiki, Shiki, can I taste?"

"Yeah sure"

The red haired student took a spoon and tasted the mixture, "Damn Shiki it's good, try it too" and he shoved the spoon in his friend's mouth.

"Yes it's good" he answered in a smile.

"Now all that's left is putting the platter in the oven, and while it bakes, go take a shower"