The festival was the next day. The whole week had been them going through scenarios but it was admittedly hard without guests to participate. They had asked Aizawa to be a quest to test it, but he seemed only half-hearted in it, though he did appreciate the hard work they had put it. The Friday before, school was completely cancelled to allow the whole school to work. Yuga, Ashido, and Hagakure eagerly set to work decorating in the room with linen streamers trailing down from the ceiling. With the exception of the teachers' desk, all other desks had been moved into storage and they had laid out a buffet table and linen with a burgundy cloth. Silver platters were laid out, some of them with several tiers. Disposable drinking goblets covered another burgundy table on the other end of the room and somehow, unknown to everyone, Yuga had rented café tables and chairs for around the room. Here and there, vintage objects helped to pull the room together – a gramophone record player sat on the edge of Aizawa's desk and a wall telephone hung nearby. An antique globe sat off to the side of the desk. Old fashioned lamps were supplied in each corner and ornate candlesticks sat atop the piano in the corner.
"Where did you find the piano?" Izuku asked. Yuga sighed sadly.
"It's borrowed from the choir room. They refused to allow me to borrow their grand piano because it would be hard to get into the door, so I had to go with an upright. It's far too modern looking and throws off the whole look I know. But c'est la vie..." He pouted, looking disappointed in himself.
"I think it looks great!" said Hagakure, causing him to beam.
"Where did you find the wall telephone?" Iida asked.
"Thankfully, I was able to find many pieces from the drama club!" Yuga said. Jiro and Kaminari finished repositioned the framed posters around the room – reproductions of classic pieces of art.
"You've completely redesigned this room," Shoji said, amazed by what a spectacle the room had become.
"I have, haven't I?" Yuga laughed, spinning enthusiastically in the middle of the room. "I have quite outdone myself."
"Maybe we should continue with some of our practice," Momo said. "Scenario five, I think we should try." Kairi breathed deeply, glad that she hadn't suggested the one where either she or Shoto were the killers. Either one she would have felt completely obligated to stay, but as time ticked away on their day, she was increasingly aware of how long it would take her to make the food.
"We've done three of them already," she began, strained by her guilt for leaving them. "Sato and I really need time to work on the food. Could I please head over to the home ec room? When I finish, I'll run back and continue with whatever scenario you're doing."
"Absolutely, you're both dismissed," Momo told her with a grin. She smiled her thanks.
"How do we explain your absence?" Iida asked. "In the scenario."
"Uuuhhh... I went to powder my nose and a staff member showed me the way," Kairi explained quickly. She looked over at Shoto. "You're okay without me?"
"Yes, I'm fine," he nodded. "Enjoy cooking." The smirk he gave her practically killed her, so she made sure to follow Sato out of the room as quickly as possible.
Sato was on desserts, drawing inspiration from English cakes and pastries. After scouring the internet, Kairi figured there were a few things she could do. The two of them entered the large room and began to work silently on opposite ends of the room. However, the silence as they worked grew large and awkward. Quietly, she moved her elbow to shut the cupboard door, clutching a bag of flour in her arms and stared at the ground. Yes, sometimes being small and limber helped with things like climbing or being able to move quickly. It didn't help one reach the cupboards. Thankfully once again, she was good at climbing.
Before she could set the flour on the counter she stood on, Sato was standing in front of her, offering to take the bag from her. She gave it to him and he set it on the island before him before reaching again and helping her down from the counter. She smiled wide, nodded to him out of gratitude.
"Hey, it's kind of quiet, isn't it? How about we play some music while we cook?"
"Yeah. That might be nice," he said slowly. Kairi smiled again and retrieved her phone and handed it to him to pick one. He found an artist he liked and handed it back to her. Kairi blasted the music, tightened her apron, tied back her hair, and got to work.
She hummed along while she flitted about, grabbing several of the needed vegetables and tapping her knife to the beat of the music. Occasionally, a whir of a mixer could be heard behind her but it only interrupted the beat for a moment. After he finished, Sato would apologize for making so much noise, but Kairi always reminded him it was perfectly okay. The flow of the music and her mind lost in cooking directions helped to provide her some calm. For a moment, she had briefly forgotten why she was cooking and everything regarding the culture festival and Shoto. Kairi was lost in her humming, her music, and the tasks currently at hand.
Until a mess of green hair appeared in front of her and her chef's knife clattered to the floor. She yelped in surprise, causing Izuku to jump too.
"What... are you doing here?!"
"Oh it's that point in the scenario where I wander away so I thought I would check and see how you're doing!" he said, smiling. Enthusiastic eyes fell onto the chopped vegetables and the slices of cheese that were laid out. "What's on the menu?"
"Wouldn't you rather find out tomorrow?" she asked. "I'm trying to stick with things that are a little closer to English cuisine considering the setting. So unfortunately, no rice balls this time."
"Do you need help peeling those potatoes?" he asked, walking over to the pile that sat in a lump in the corner.
"No – it's okay, Izuku. Really," she assured, resting a hand on his shoulder. "It's relaxing, even." He sighed happily.
"Good. You seemed a little tense in the room," he said. "You seemed like you have been really stressed over this."
"I..." she stammered, searching around the room for the right words to say. "I guess. I have, kind of. I mean... yes."
"It was quite a bit of work," he agreed, gripping a hand into his green curls. "Lots of situations to remember how to respond to. And then to remember how to reply if you're the killer? But I get the feeling this kind of thing isn't... well, your thing."
"I... don't like to be the center of attention," she explained carefully. "I mean, not that I am. Last year I would have agreed to be one of the maids, but... I just felt this... drive. To play a bigger part. Something in me wanted to. And it's kind of terrifying me!" She laughed wildly, that sort of painful laugh one gave when they were overwhelmed.
"I know all this work has limited much chance for us to talk," Izuku said, growing red with embarrassment. Kairi wrung her hands together, looking away. "But through all the practice and planning for this... I was a little concerned, I guess."
"About what?"
"You seemed... distressed about all of it. I wanted to check that you were okay." He watched her carefully, looking indeed concerned. "On edge."
"I've just had a lot on my mind. School. This project. Coming up with what to make for this project. And I guess haven't had the time to see my counselor because I've been working on this hasn't helped. I haven't been sleeping too well." The boy pursed his lips, worried.
"After this weekend you can maybe get some rest."
"Yeah..." Kairi agreed, gripping her knife again and chopping at a cucumber on the cutting board. Midway through, she paused and set down her knife. That doesn't help with the Shoto issue. Izuku had been an encouragement for the class. Something about him inspired others and he always seemed to know what to say to give them that boost. She swallowed and turned to face him. "Izuku..."
"Yes?"
"Are you... close with Shoto?"
"Not to terribly close. Definitely not as close as you two." She felt herself go hot again. "I've talked to him from time to time. Why do you ask?"
"Well..." her chest flipped, debating. She swallowed her doubt. "You've struggled with your quirk before, right?"
"Oh yeah, I did. Right when I got into the school."
"What was it like?"
"I didn't have control of it and injured myself a lot when I used it. It took a while before I properly learned how to control it."
"It's... not the same as mine, but... I know you've helped others with their quirks."
"You're talking about Todoroki?" he guessed, and nodded. "I suppose I helped a little. He wouldn't use his fire side."
"My quirk has always been something of an issue but recently things have made it a bigger issue for me." Sweat beads sprinkled over her forehead as her limbs thundered with apprehension. Words spilled out of her as her body reached to pull them back, begging her to be quiet. But her want was greater, and continued to push them forward, wanting someone to listen. Izuku leaned in, attentive. "Yes, I have been really stressed with this whole project and stepping outside of my comfort zone, but there's an even bigger reason. The atmosphere in the classroom has changed dramatically and gotten weird because my emotions have become so out whack and I couldn't really decipher them. Now I can, and I know what's going on but it's incredibly inconvenient and I'm kind of scared of it. The truth is, my quirk makes this a huge problem and I don't know what to do it. I have really strong feel-"
The quick succession of rapping against the door frame alerted the three people in the room to Uraraka, who stood smiling wide. Her eyes were firmly situated on Izuku and Kairi, speaking quietly.
"Deku! The scenario calls for you to be back in the room!" She said rather loudly, her face lightly twitching. "Right now, actually? What exactly are you two talking about, anyway?"
"Kairi was just asking for some advice," he explained calmly.
"Oh! Was she now?" she said, gritting her teeth. Kairi sunk and then swallowed, Uraraka's expression prickling her skin and jabbing right into her creepy factor. She inadvertently rested her hand back on her chef's knife. "Well, I'm sure that can wait, and you should probably return to the room right now!"
"Oh... okay then," Izuku said, seemingly not noticing the disturbing hidden anger in Uraraka. His own expression fell, and he gave one of apology to Kairi. "I'm sorry, but maybe we can talk later."
"It's..." She looked back to Uraraka and shuddered. "Not a big deal. Go, lest you get labeled the killer." Izuku nodded and tapped her shoulder before turning and leaving the room. The boy followed Uraraka out, who quickly turned sweet again. She could be heard laughing innocently once more as they headed back towards the classroom. Kairi blinked and then continued to chop at the cucumber.
She had only just finished and moved to space them out on a tray when a shadow returned to her side again. Gooseflesh crawling up her arms, her chest beat with the horrified possibility Uraraka was back to give her some lecture in her jealous rage. But her heart leapt for a different reason, those duo colored eyes stirring that affectionate whirlwind inside.
"...Shoto!" she called, pressing a hand to her chest. "You're supposed to be back in the room!"
"It's okay. My wife was missing and of course I had to go make sure she wasn't also killed by being drowned in the exquisite clawfoot bathtub." Thunder and butterflies.
"Oh, how... considerate of you," she breathed, straightening the cucumber slices. Her fingers wrapped around a nearby jar and she applied some strength in twisting its lid before dumping the red contents into a bowl of soft cheese.
"What are you working on?" he asked. She chuckled, shaking her head.
"Boys and food, I swear... Izuku was just in here asking the same thing."
"Okay, I just... wanted to make sure you were all right. You didn't seem like you could focus too much today. Especially when I tried to speak to you as if we... are you certain it doesn't make you uncomfortable?" The wooden spoon clattered from her hands at his question. She winced at the knocking sound it made. Kairi hurried to reach for it at the same moment Shoto bent to pick it up. Fingers draped around each other, his soothing heat flowing into her. For a moment, they exchanged a look. Liquid amber eyes peering into his grey and blue shimmering ones. Shoto's reddened face matched Kairi's flourish. The brief second of staring at each other lasted a million years to her, and embarrassment pulled her hand away.
They both stood up, and the still blushing Shoto handing the spoon back to her. "You might... want to wash this."
"Y-yeah..." Kairi agreed, taking it from him. "And I'm fine. It's just this whole thing is... well, I don't know how to react to any of it and... I guess I'm just awkward. Don't worry about it." He nodded, placing a tender hand against her upper arm. His thumb ever so slightly moved in gentle strokes. Her blood was moving in erratics and she was ready to die from the simple touch.
"Let me know if there's any way I can make you more comfortable, okay?" he asked, genuine emotion lifting his brows. Automatically Kairi nodded, pulling a smile from him. He dropped his hand, but her arm still burned from where he had touched. "I should return. I'll inform them... I found my wife but she was exhausted from the trip and went to take a nap." She nodded again. "Have fun cooking, Riri. Let me know if there's anything I can do."
Riri. Her mind and heart met each other in their combustions.
Shoto turned away, leaving her alone with Sato on the other side of the room. A solid minute, she stood there, unblinking. Until the smell of sugary warm and chocolate pulled her from her trance. Slowly, she looked back at Sato, pulling a tray of cookies from the oven. The sides of her mouth leaked saliva, thanks to her Pavlovian response. He smiled, seeing her stare and walked around the island to present the tray to her. Her asking eyes were met with a nod. Kairi gingerly removed a cookie from the tray, careful of how hot they were.
She bit into it, the crispness crackling at the bite and her mouth flowing with the heated chocolate and hypnotizing goodness. "Amazing as ever, Sato. We'll be a favorite just from your baking skills." He blushed and smiled once more before returning with his tray to his side of the room. Kairi took another bite and dropped her head. "And I am going to ruin everything with my ridiculous emotions."
I am so unbelievably grateful to all your support! Thanks so much and if you liked anything in this chapter or feel you need to point out something important, I always appreciate reviews! I love you!