Whoo! I made it just in time before the month ended! And what a way to end a year than with a chapter with over a 10k word count!

Well, we did it, guys, we made it to virtually the end of the year. I can't say I am excited for next year because nothing's really going to change that very first day of the month, but I can't help to be a little excited because the end of next month is going to be this story's first year anniversary! I can't believe almost a year ago I was trying to write this story in between papers for classes.

Speaking of months, I know this was only a recent declaration (three months ago), but I am no longer going to aim for monthly updates. I know, I'm sorry. But as I was writing this chapter, I realized that this hard deadline was exhausting. The research, the writer's block, the want to work on other stories or even to do other things in general, and life in general. I've spent this past week and a half glued to this chapter, and I feel really drained. I also see that the next few chapters are going to be long as well because I want to fit all the things and I want to make it flow correctly. This was exactly the reason why I had trouble with this chapter.

So, yeah, I've seen the light of not having deadlines. Plus, I'm the one that came up with it and I can remove it if I so choose. I'll try to make up for it with long chapters, though.

Also, I fixed my Tumblr! I am under tailsisfluffy over there, so if you want to send an ask or talk or whatever I'm there!

Okay, I should say that this chapter marks the end of the first arc. Yes, yes, I did say chapter 14 was the end of the arc, but 13 and 14 are going to be special chapters that don't follow the POV style of the previous 12 yet accompanies and follows the first arc, if that makes sense. So, this is my warning because it literally says "End of…" at the end of the chapter and I don't want panic.

Also, FFN readers! It came to my attention a couple or so months ago that some people have trouble going to AO3, so I have decided to go back and upload chapters with notes so you guys can see how I got where I am. Just keep a look out for my summary change in the next few days.

Earworms!

"Shimmy" by Farragol

"I'll Be There" by Flamingosis & Tendencies

"Spirited Beginning (Nujabes Tribute)" by Thomas Prime

I'll see you again after the chapter!


"Internship Application Form"

Never had words looked so daunting to Isami.

Of course, there were many other words on the form following the title of the two-page packet, but the big bold characters at the top of the page definitely stood out. He shouldn't be as anxious as he was. After all, he knew that this was coming because he had seen copies being stapled in the Elite Office and he had heard several of the members complain about putting together said packets. It finally hit him that this was actually a thing one recent afternoon, when the papers had been passed out in one of his core classes.

No class was spared from practical exams in Totsuki. They were quite easy in middle school, as they were basically wrap-ups from the different classes that they were required to take. Each middle school student had to go to different classes that taught basics of different cooking styles from different regions of the world. It helped the students expand their knowledge and even allowed them settle somewhat on a style of their own by the time they finished their third year.

The first year of high school was basically hell. They were thrown out into the world with what seemed like challenge after challenge in order to weed out the ones who did not seem as serious for the profession. Second and third years were a bit different. Their tests were not as frequent, but they were longer and more challenging for the most part.

As an apology for the previous year, Erina had decided to cancel all exams for the rest of the semester. Of course, everything would resume the following semester. The paper that Isami was looking at now was the first step of the next huge project for second years. It was similar to the Stagiaire that they had the previous year. The difference was that students were not on teams at all and that they stayed with a professional that they chose for a month or so. It was just a bit easier for this event because students usually chose someone that worked with the field that they took an interest in.

However, for the few students like Isami who still had not settled on a specialty, this step felt like the hardest one.

"Isn't that the internship application?"

Isami looked up, a bit surprised to see Ibusaki leaning over the back of the sofa he was currently reclining on. Then again, it made sense that someone came up as he had decided to relax in the common room for a bit.

"Yeah." Isami pushed the paper up so that the other teen could clearly see it.

"It's blank. You haven't picked anyone yet?"

"No."

"Anyone in mind?"

"Also no." Isami sighed.

"Well, you do have over a month left before the deadline." Ibusaki sucked air between his teeth. "If you don't pick, you're going to a random location."

"That doesn't sound too bad of an idea." Isami thought out loud. "Anywhere would help me gain experience. However, I feel like if I do that Takumi would request to oversee my placement. In order to avoid that I have to pick someone of my own accord."

Ibusaki grunted before coming around the sofa. Sensing that he was going to sit down, Isami moved his legs and sat up to make room.

"I don't get you." Ibusaki said once he settled. "You don't want Takumi to meddle directly with your goals, but your ultimate goal is to be able to work alongside him, which has him right in the middle of everything. Do you see how that's a problem?"

Isami didn't reply. He hadn't really seen the paradox until now.

"Who came up with the idea for you two to work together at your family's restaurant?" Ibusaki asked.

"…Takumi did." Isami went on to explain that evening to his friend. How he nearly messed up his brother's dish and was harshly reprimanded for it. How Takumi found him crying in a dark room much later. How Takumi held out his hand towards him and told him that they were destined to run the business together. How he promised that he would support his brother so that they could be able to take care of the family business.

"I see." Ibusaki leaned back after the story. A beat of silence followed before he spoke again.

"I think that's a terrible goal for you."

"What?" Isami nearly yelled, shocked that one of his closest friends in the dorm had told him that in such a casual way.

"This goal seems like you just want to be the ultimate support character for your brother, since your aim is to be good enough to stand by his side." Ibusaki continued. "I understand your sentiment, but why go through all this effort to branch out if you plan to eventually return to his side?"

"Because Nii-chan wants me to be his partner."

"For now. But you know as well as I that wants change. What if one day he doesn't want to be a chef anymore but still wants you to follow him on his next ambition?"

For a moment, Isami was about to say that Takumi would never give up such a thing. But then he remembered how Takumi was in their last year of middle school. The blond had gotten quite bored of cooking and fell into a rut. He remembered a recent conversation with Yukihira, when the redhead had thought the younger Italian had been mad at him for something. Of course, Isami cleared up the misunderstanding soon after, but there was something he had admitted to Yukihira.

"If you hadn't shown up with that speech during our first-year ceremony, there would have been a very high chance that Takumi would have quit Totsuki or even cooking altogether."

If that had happened back then, Isami would have followed suit. After all, he had only come along because of his brother. However, the thought of leaving Totsuki bothered him now. He had gone through so much stuff. He had friends that he cared for now. He had a honey eyed girl that he could get lost for hours with. If Takumi were to up and leave all this behind…

"I wouldn't want to follow him." Isami admitted.

"Then you should change your goal, then. Be selfish. Do what you want regardless of what anyone else has told you before."

"Easier said than done." The Italian sighed. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Well, you could always hope that the answer falls into your lap." Ibusaki deadpanned as he tapped the almost forgotten application form.

"That works." Isami laughed.


Isami found himself without the view of the sun and moon this time.

It wasn't like the time he was sick and he could still feel their presence. No, this time their presence had simply disappeared. He couldn't even see in front of him, as there was a thick fog surrounding him. Or was it smoke? It was one of the two. If either of his constant companions were here, they would have used their light to make a path through this fog.

But they weren't.

For the first time since he had started this journey, Isami felt lost and alone.

He made no effort to move. How could he? He couldn't see a thing. If he started off in a random direction, he risked getting injured or even backtracking. Those were two things that he did not want to happen.

He never realized how much he depended on his supporters' light until now.

But why had he? He knew what he was, a shadow. Why did he depend on the very thing that could bring his own destruction? Why did he feel so uncomfortable in darkness?

It's because you were taught to fear the darkness and embrace the light.

The voice was back.

"But isn't the light good and darkness bad?" Isami asked it. "Isn't that what everyone is taught?"

But you're a part of the darkness. Do you think that you're bad as well?

Memories flashed in his head. His father and uncle yelling at him when he tried something new. How they praised Takumi doing the same thing. How they praised him when he helped Takumi. He learned that as long as he helped and followed the brightness of his brother, he was safe.

But Isami didn't want to follow anymore.

And now because of the urge of wanting to go off alone, he got himself lost without a clue on where to go next.

"I honestly don't know."


The moon was very easy to see tonight.

In the spring and the summer, when people were supposed to go stargazing, the trees were full of so many leaves that it made it near impossible to see anything through the canopy. But Isami and Megumi were just a bit insane and had decided on a stargazing date at the end of autumn. The trees that were usually thickly covered were now bare, save for the pine trees mixed in, and they were able to see a lot more of the crescent shaped moon and the tons of stars surrounding it. Megumi had also known of a small clearing not too far from the dorms and they were able to see the sky unobstructed.

Isami exhaled, watching the puff of air escape from his mouth. For it being so late in both the time of the night and time of the year, it wasn't too cold. This was surprising for him, as he was a person who got cold very easily despite his weight. It could also be because he was flushed against the furnace that was his girlfriend as they lay on their backs between two blankets that they had brought along with them. Soft music played from his phone to fill the stretches of comfortable silence they would have between them.

"I think I found Pegasus." Megumi triumphantly said.

"Where?" Other than the Big and Little Dippers and Orion, Isami knew nothing of constellations and had been listening to Megumi point out the basic ones that she knew.

"See that box there?" She waved towards an area in the sky. It took a moment for him to see it, but he nodded when he did. "That's the main body. There's also some lines coming from it that represent the head and the front legs." Isami tilted his head in vain trying to imagine the parts of the mystical horse that she had pointed out, but all he saw were more stars.

"I don't see the rest of the body." He sighed. "Maybe if I look at a picture of it before trying again I might. However, I doubt I'll get enough signal out here to download a picture now."

"I understand." Megumi assured. "I'm getting some more tea. You want some?"

"Sure." He immediately felt cool air on his side as she rolled over to the thermos that they brought, making him think that she probably was the reason why he didn't feel as cold as he was supposed to be. His eyes focused on the sky again, appreciating how clear the sky was and how bright the moon and stars shined.

It was the complete opposite of the dream he had a couple of nights before, where he felt like he was suffocating in darkness with only a disembodied voice to talk to.

Both that dream and the talk with Ibusaki had fucked him up. His goal to help his brother yet to be independent was broken, he had no idea where to go from the point he had become stuck on, and he felt like he let down everyone that was supporting him. Despite the turmoil that he had on the inside, he still acted like he was fine on the outside for the past couple of days. He did not know how long he could have kept it up, though. Yesterday the two people closest to him, Takumi and Megumi, were starting to give him concerned looks. It had been his girlfriend that had struck first, asking him out for an impromptu date under the stars just a few hours ago.

"Here."

Isami pushed him up into a sitting position and accepted a full cup of the tea that Megumi had made earlier, sighing as the warm metal heated up his hands.

"Thanks. The cup feels nice."

"If you're too cold, we could always go inside." Megumi suggested. Isami shook his head.

"I'm fine." He knew whenever he went back, his mood would go back as well. He wanted to stay in this relaxed state a little longer. He took a sip of the drink, letting the ginger and honey flavor fill his senses before glancing back at his companion. Her amber eyes glinted in the low moonlight as he saw that she was staring right back at him. He sighed, hesitant on answering her silent question. The last time he had talked about his problems with someone, he ended up in this position. He knew that that had been a needed conversation in the end. He needed someone as frank as Ibusaki to shatter whatever delusion he had been following. And he could already tell from this outing that he needed Megumi to soothe his frazzled mind.

So, he told her everything. The internship form, the talk with Ibusaki, the dream, how he felt, everything. Other than hums of affirmation, Megumi hadn't said anything throughout his confession. Finally, he finished by flopping onto his side.

"I don't know what to do anymore." He mumbled. "I wonder if I should give up."

He noticed Megumi also lay down beside him. She reached out and placed his head on her chest and ran her fingers through his wild brown hair. The comforting gesture almost made him tear up, but he did not know if it would have been because of the frustration that was spilling over or from the relief he felt from telling her all this.

"Don't give up." Megumi told him. "That's the worst thing to do."

"Then what's the best thing to do?" He could hear his desperation in the question.

"I don't know." She replied. "I don't even know for myself. But I do have a feeling that you are not as lost as you think."

Isami frowned and slowly lifted his head out of her warm embrace. "What do you mean by that?" He asked as he sat up. The bluenette mirrored his movements so she could look at him.

"You think of yourself as a shadow, don't you? Following Takumi wherever he goes. The thing is, I don't think he knows where he's going, either. It just seems like he does because you follow the paths he has made. Because you have done that for so long, you feel lost and confused when you tried to start your own path.

You are not Takumi. You cannot explore and charge ahead or whatever else he does like him. You are Isami. You have to figure out how to explore by your own means. And, by the way you have explained it, I think you have an idea on what to do."

"I have to separate myself from Takumi. I've known that since the very beginning." Isami sighed. "It's the only way I can shine as bright as him."

"But why do you want to shine like him?" Megumi asked. "Every time you tell me about a dream, you're always darkness. Whether in shadow form or mist form. Even now you are in some kind of dark cloud. Maybe those are signs that maybe you're not supposed to be bright as him but to become one with the darkness." She placed a hand on his. "Do you remember that night when you started to call me Luna?"

Isami nodded. "You compared me to the sea."

"That's right." She affirmed. "The sea holds many treasures, most of them unknown because people are too scared to dive into where the sunlight doesn't reach to get to them."

Isami simply gaped at her. He must have taken a little too long to answer because the bluenette turned away to look at the sky once more.

"W-What I'm trying to say is that you should stop comparing yourself to Takumi. You don't have to be bright like him to be worthy. You have all the signs telling you that you can find your worth in something else. You can be something else, regardless what anyone else says. You just have to take your own lead and go somewhere completely different. It's normal to be afraid of the dark. However, once you dive in and adjust to it, you can see the wonders that were hidden in it."

Isami continued to stare at her for a few more seconds before he moved towards her and buried his nose in the crook of her neck.

"Gosh, your face is cold!" Megumi squealed. "Are you sure that you don't need to go inside?"

"I have you to keep me warm, Luna. Both with your words and your body." He chuckled as his girlfriend stammered in response, and he could feel her neck heat up even more. Fearing that he might end up burning his face, he leaned away. "But thank you. You helped me clear my head a lot tonight."

"I-I didn't say anything too profound. Half of it was from my experiences and half of it is because…I-I read a lot." She mumbled the last part, turning her head away. Isami caught her chin and gently brought her face back to him.

"Still, it helped." He leaned towards her again to kiss her, which she allowed him to do. They made out for a little bit before Megumi noticed that their music had turned off. She went to check on it and gasped.

"Isami, it's almost four in the morning!" She shrieked.

Isami scrambled to his feet. "Merda! I didn't know it was that late!"

If there was a record for running back to the dorms after four hours of stargazing in chilly weather, the couple surely broke it. They were able to make it back right as it became four, and Isami was in his room under the covers five minutes later. He was lucky that it was the weekend and it wasn't a workout day, so he was able to sleep for more than three hours.


He was back where he had been before; stuck in the never-ending darkness.

However, instead of panicking like he had been the last time, he felt much calmer.

He started to walk forward, but nearly tripped on something. Or rather, something tried to trip him.

He could feel something wrap around his ankle. He could not see what it was, but he could hear it clearly.

"You're not supposed to go that way!" It pulled at his leg, trying to make him fall. "That's not the correct direction! Go find some light!"

"I don't want to!" Isami pulled at the thing holding his leg. "I want to go off on my own!"

Something grabbed his arm.

"But you're making the wrong choice!" The second thing said.

"Who are you to choose what is right or wrong for me?" He retorted.

"But you're just a mere shadow!" They both said.

"I am not just a shadow!" He growled. With a sudden surge of strength, he pulled himself free. He stumbled again, but he did not fall.

"I am not just a mere shadow!" He repeated. "The only reason I have been a shadow was because I was stuck to the light and I was unable to grow properly. But no more! I will go off on my own and grow where the light cannot touch. I will discover things that haven't seen or unable to see the light of day. I'll become one with the darkness in order to see those hidden things!"

And then, the darkness lifted.

No... He could still feel it around him.

He was just able to see into it now.


Even though Isami had resolved to completely break away from his brother regarding cooking, he still loved Takumi.

How could he not? They had been through many life changing things with each other. They have seen each other at their highest and lowest. They even were literally linked in mind and body.

So, when Isami noticed that Takumi was starting to feel a bit off, the brunet could not help but to be concerned.

He had noticed something the day that it was announced that Yukihira was invited to go to Italy. He knew that his brother was both overjoyed and annoyed because of that fact. But when Isami and Megumi had told the other two that the bluenette was coming along as well, he had felt the twinge of something else other than the shock from the news. It was tiny and brief but Isami was able to tell what it was within those few moments.

Takumi had been tense.

Even though Isami had carried on the conversation like nothing had happened, his mind was trying to figure out exactly what had made his brother tighten up like that. He dwelled on it more as he waited for an answer from Megumi while in his room. He had already ruled out because it was Soma, and Takumi would have not had any qualms about Megumi coming along.

Had Takumi been upset that neither of them told him about this on the day that it happened?

The blond had relaxed when Isami explained why they kept the secret now that he thought of it, so at this point it was all right.

But it did get him wondering how his brother would react when he found out about his and Megumi's relationship.

Isami did not dwell on the incident for too long after. In fact, he completely forgot about the whole thing until some days later. It had been the afternoon of the day that he had stayed up making cookies and the blond had been coming in to check on him. Even though he had seen Megumi's text right before he had fallen asleep, he had been shocked at the intensity of his brother's nagging about how he shouldn't have been up so late and he was screwing up his sleep schedule and other things that Isami didn't remember because the younger one had still been half asleep during the whole tirade. Because he was still so tired, Isami had not had his usual patience to wait out the lecture and instead had gotten annoyed about it. When Takumi failed to stop after a few more moments, Isami interrupted.

"And how many times had I had to drag you to bed in the early hours in the morning because you were trying out recipes or doing paperwork?"

The clear irritation in his words had surprised the both of them, but it had the desired effect and Takumi mumbled an apology. Even though he had an apology on his own lips Isami didn't say it. After all, the sentence was true.

A few hours after when Takumi went to bathe, Yukihira and Megumi slid into his room to tell him what had happened earlier in the office and if they knew what was up with the blond. Isami had then told them what had happened between them and said that he had no idea.

"I still think it's because of me coming along to Italy with you guys." Yukihira's voice held a hint of sadness as he continued. "He's been acting a bit weird since that was decided, and every time I try to ask him about his mood, he brushes off the question. I thought he would be okay with the arrangement since he had said several times before that he wanted to take me to Italy to learn about the culture there, but…"

"Soma, like I said earlier, I don't think you're the reason for this." Megumi assured him.

"She's right." Isami agreed. There was no doubt that Takumi had a soft spot for the current First Seat, despite his fierce denials whenever he was asked about it. These reactions were clearly not because of the reason Yukihira was thinking about. In the end, they couldn't figure out the true reason and they just decided to wait until Takumi said something about it or it got so bad that they would have to attack him as a group to get answers.

Again, Isami didn't have much time to think about Takumi's current problem. The next day was when he talked to Ibusaki and everything had quickly spiraled into the crisis he had for the next few days.

Now, three days after the stargazing date with Megumi and the dream that he had right after, he felt that he was in a better mental state than he had been before. Possibly the best he had felt in over a month. He still had no clear path on where to go, but at least his thoughts were clear enough.

So, when he felt a melancholy twinge today, he knew that it had to be from his brother.

Isami had a good idea what would have had made Takumi feel so down today. Yukihira had left for a trip yesterday. This time it had been an order from Erina to represent the school for an event of some kind. She also sent Megumi along with him for a partner because she was the only ones of the Elites who could put up with the current First Chair without having an argument between them. They were supposed to be gone until tomorrow. Though Isami missed his girlfriend, he could get through the days just fine without her by his side.

Takumi, on the other hand, was upset that he had been left behind. He spent a lot of time grumbling about it after he heard the news, and after they had left, practically moped around the dorms and during class. As much as his behavior was amusing for Isami, the brunet could not help but to feel sorry for him as well. He started to think about what he could do to lift his brother's spirits up during class. He decided on making a dessert that he knew Takumi liked. He had not seen the blond eat it since they had gotten back from Italy, so he thought it would be a pleasant treat. He ended up skipping his last class to get back to the dorms early in order to start on it before his brother got home.

Isshiki was in the kitchen already, stirring a pot of something. The senior looked up as Isami started to root around for ingredients in the fridge that need to be set out to room temperature.

"Going to make something?" He asked.

"Yup!" He measured out some milk and set it on the counter next to some butter and eggs. He went to his room to change and came back down once he deemed the stuff had been set out long enough. He quickly made the crust that was needed and placed it in the fridge to cool. In the meantime, he cleaned and began working on the other parts of the recipe. Occasionally, he would hear the other dorm residents come back from classes. He even felt the moment when Takumi came back. However, only Isshiki would come in to check on his own dish and peek over his shoulder in curiosity.

"Apples?" The senior had asked about when her was peeling them. "So, you're making some kind of apple pie?"

"Kind of." Isami replied. "It's called crostata in Italy, which is a pie or a tart. I think this is heading more towards tart territory."

After the dough had been cooled, Isami rolled it out to put it in the pie tin. Isshiki stayed around to watch him layer in the apples, some cream, caramel, and some crushed nuts before putting it in the oven.

"I'm making this to see if it cheers Takumi up a bit." Isami admitted to the older teen. "But you can have a piece as well. He won't eat all of it."

"Yay!" Isshiki grinned. "I haven't had a homemade sweet for a while."

"How come you don't make one, then?"

"I don't feel like to do so." The senior shrugged. "I used to get a lot of them when Momo was in the Elite Ten because she loved to bake for everyone there."

"I have yet to see anyone bring snacks into the office to share with everyone."

"Yeah. This set of Elites are more about competition rather than complacency." Isshiki sighed before remembering something. "Wait, I lied. I did have one of the cookies that Megumi brought the other day, but they weren't in her usual style, so I was confused about their origins. They tasted pretty good, though. Musical, even."

"Did they have blueberries in them?"

"Yup."

"I made them." Isami divulged as he started to make a drink to go with what he was cooking.

"You did?" Isshiki sounded slightly surprised.

"Yeah. I was up at three in the morning that day making them for her."

"Why?" Now the shock was much more evident in his voice and expression.

"Because she woke both of us up with her stomach growling and she really wanted cookies."

"You're whipped, aren't you?" Isshiki chortled.

"I am." The Italian said unashamedly. "But I bet no one in this dorm could resist a request from her."

"True. And if we did, we would become guilt-ridden from saying no to our angel."

They continued to talk as the pastry was baking. Isami found out that Isshiki was cooking some chowder for dinner, as he and Marui were in charge of the meal tonight. However, since the aspiring scholar was busy with something else, Isshiki decided to take care of most of the meal. Soon the crostata was done and had cooled enough for Isami to take half of it for his brother. He left the remainder for his kitchen companion and whoever decided to have a piece as well and went to find Takumi. Or rather, go to Takumi's room because he could feel him in there. He knocked on the door.

"Come in." He heard the reply.

"Hey." Isami greeted as he shuffled in with the tray and placed it on the table. Takumi, who had been laying on the bed on his phone, looked at the new items curiously.

"What is that?" Takumi asked, slipping into Italian. Speaking in their first language was something that they would frequently do when they were alone or cooking together.

"Come and look." Isami replied, also going into Italian. The blond made his way to the table and inspected what he had brought. The moment the younger twin saw his brother's eyes widen in surprise he knew that Takumi figured it out.

"It's a crostata! And judging by the filling it's an apple one!"

Isami nodded. "I know it's one of your favorite versions, so I made it for you."

"But…why?" Puzzled cerulean eyes stared at him.

"Because you seemed down these past few days." Isami replied. "I wanted to make something to cheer you up, even if it's only for a little while."

Takumi glanced back down at the pastry in silent shock. Isami started to bite his bottom lip as he waited for the elder twin to speak again, thinking that maybe he had messed up. Finally, the blond looked back at him.

"Thank you." He said with a watery but genuine smile.

"Don't cry, Nii-chan. You haven't even tasted it yet to be this grateful." Isami teased. He wasn't too concerned about the tears because it was a common occurrence for him to have tears in his eyes. A tiny chuckle escaped from the elder twin before he picked up an eating utensil and dug in. Isami watched intently as the blond ate a few bites of the tart. He was surprised to see his brother's smile grow as he ate. Once he ate half of his first slice, Takumi turned his attention back to his brother.

"You know, this might be the best one I've ever tasted!"

"Pfft." Isami didn't think so. This had been the very first time he had made this variation. He tried to avoid making any favorites of Takumi's because he thought he would mess them up. Today was different, though. He had been more concerned about Takumi's mood than the fear of screwing up a preferred dish. But Takumi would never lie about a dish.

"You don't think so?" Takumi literally said what he was thinking, and the younger twin wondered if he sent his thoughts over. "Here, eat with me." Takumi pushed the crostata towards a now confused Isami. The brunet cut himself his own piece before sliding the plate back in the center. Since he had been tasting the food as he made it, the impact of the meal didn't really hit him as much as it seemed to hit Takumi. However, he did notice something in the finished product.

The hole that he had been tasting in his dishes was disappearing.

He had first noticed the disappearance when he tried the cookies he made. At that moment, he had thought the change was because of being up at such an absurd time. Then he noticed the difference in the other dishes he would make for class or the occasional dinner that he would eat. The change was not prominent as it had been for those foods as it had been for the cookies, so again he brushed it off. Now the hole felt even smaller with this dish, almost smaller than it had been with the cookies.

But he had no fucking clue what he had done to fill it.

Looks like he had another mystery to solve.

"It's good, isn't it?" The blond asked.

"I guess?"

"Well, to me it is." Takumi decided. "I especially like the way you infused the music this time. It's stronger."

"Is it?" Isami blinked. When he cooked, he tried to have an image or a scene in his head of what the food or the person he was making food for reminded him of. If he wanted to make something with lemons, he would think of what lemons reminded him of (summer, sunshine, a nice drink after working outside for quite a while) and would go on from there. As he had such a high affinity for music, somehow he would find himself humming a melody that went along with whatever he thought of and it would go to his dish. He hadn't known he was capable of doing it until Takumi pointed it out a few years ago. But no matter how long he tried to home in on the skill, he still hadn't brought it up to make his food as impactful as Takumi's. But the blond had told him that he worked wonders on their collaborated dishes, so Isami wasn't totally discouraged and continued working on it.

"It is!" The elder nodded before going to take a sip of the drink he brought as well. Isami caught the way his eyes lost a bit of the sparkle that they had before.

Isami always knew when Takumi was having an issue. The blond was so expressive and vocal that he would know the problem by the end of the day. However, whatever problem that the blond had now had probably been going on for weeks, and Isami was very confused on how he should proceed to understand what has been going on with his brother. He supposed he could ask him directly, but he felt like it wouldn't be fair to him because Isami rarely answered Takumi's direct questions when the roles were reversed.

In the end, he decided not to push it and just to spend as long as he could with his brother right now.


Isshiki

Hey, you free this afternoon?

Yeah.

Can you swing by the office after classes? I have something I want to talk to you about.

If you're going to confess your feelings to me, let me reject you right now. I'm off the market and I am attracted to females. However, Takumi is another handsome Italian you can go after. He's single and bi.

Darn…You caught me. As for Takumi, I might take your offer on him. He's such a cute tsundere, which are one of my types. They are so fun to mess with and they are so adorable when they get flustered.

You're definitely a sadist. But if you do ask him out, let me be there.

Deal! But still, come by the office later. I might die if you don't and the dorm will lose their star inhabitant!

I don't see how Yuki pertains to this conversation…

That's hurtful.

But, sure. I'll come by.

Isami tucked his phone in his pocket after reviewing the message that Isshiki had sent around lunchtime. He had no idea why the senior didn't tell him whatever he needed to tell him yesterday or wait until he got back to the dorms. He had been looking forward to seeing Megumi, who had come back just a few hours before. She and Yukihira were taking the day off from school to recover from their trip. However, it was probably something important that could only be told in the office, so he wasn't too upset by the request.

The door to the Elite Ten office creaked as he opened it. As he walked inside, he took in the people in the office. Erina and Hayama were having a conversation at his desk. Eizan was on his phone on one of the couches, the conversation going quite well judging by the expression on his face.

"Hey, Isami!" Isshiki called from his own desk. Next to him was someone he didn't expect to see in the office.

"Hello, Isshiki." He waved before bowing towards the other person in front of him. "Good afternoon, Momo."

"Good afternoon, Isa-myan." She replied with a wave from her stuffed animal, obviously not forgetting the name she had given him last year. Unlike many of his classmates, Isami didn't mind the moniker. He lifted himself back up and was about to ask Isshiki what was going on when the small woman started to move.

"Let's go, then." She called over her shoulder. Isshiki started to walk after, leaving a very confused Isami at the desk.

"Let's go, Isami." Isshiki called.

"What? Wait!" The two paused and stared at him. "What's going on?"

"I'm curious, too." Erina added, stepping away from Hayama's desk. The Fourth Seat also looked interested but didn't voice it.

"We are going to examine Isa-myan skills to see if he can be a suitable pâtissier." Momo said.

"Eh!?" Isami nearly dropped his school bag in disbelief. "We're going to- what? What?" He was pretty sure he had heard wrong. There was no way that Momo said that. Nope.

"We're going to examine you on your dessert making skills!" Isshiki chirped.

"Ma…" Isami gaped at the two of them. He barely registered when Erina started to speak.

"Why?" She asked the question that he couldn't get out at the moment.

"Well, I want to help my juniors in anyway I can." Isshiki replied. "Isami's been looking for a specialty for a little while now. I doubt he has anyone in mind for the internship, either. Right?" He looked over to the flabbergasted Italian, who slowly shook his head to confirm his words. "He's also been making sweets every now and then, which I had have the pleasure of eating."

"I've only made two desserts recently…" Isami finally got his brain and his mouth connected again.

"And they were delicious." Isshiki added. "It got me thinking: 'What if Isami is our missing pâtissier?'"

"'Our missing pâtissier'?" Isami repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

"Think about it! Who in our group of friends focuses on desserts? You can't think of anyone, can you?" He added when the younger male failed to come up with a name. "After I had some of your tart the other day, I decided to get a second opinion and I contacted the best person in desserts that I knew. Luckily, she was in the area." If there was a definite example of an 'I'm so smart' expression, it would have been the expression that was on his face right now.

"Hearing that you've made so few sweets in your career would have made me not even show my face." Momo added. "However, Sato-shan was adamant about your skills and Momo trusts him, so I decided to see for myself."

"I'm not as good as he says." Isami replied.

"Nonsense." This time it was Erina who spoke up. She gave the Italian a sharp gaze. "Why do you think I allow you to come in the office for long periods of time? Why do you think I allow you to sit in for meetings or to go on trips or missions with your brother? You're practically an Elite in everything but in name. I feel like you are skilled enough to do anything you put your mind to."

"Thanks." Isami bowed his head toward the headmistress.

"So, are you going to make something for Momo or did Isshiki waste my time?" The small woman asked.

Isami could feel everyone's eyes on him. Well, other than Eizan's, who was still on the phone. He looked to the floor once again. This had been so sudden. He hadn't even thought of taking the dessert route before, and now here were a group of people expecting him to try it out. So much pressure was placed on him in such a short amount of time.

But he's worked under it before.

"Okay. I'll do it."

"Yay!" Isshiki clapped his hands and looked at Erina and Hayama. "You guys come, too!" He invited. Erina nodded and Hayama muttered an "okay" as he got out of his chair. Momo led the way to one of the Elite cooking rooms. Isami, having been in here before while cooking with Takumi, knew that this one was the closest to the storage room.

"Did you want me to make a specific thing?" Isami asked the graduate once he had changed.

"Whatever you want." She told him.

Isami inwardly groaned. He wished that she had given him at least some kind of base to bounce off of. He went into the storage to look at ingredients for inspiration. Since he had some practice with them, he decided to stick with an Italian dessert. He also decided not to do anything too fancy.

He checked the fridge. He knew of some recipes that didn't require ingredients that had to be room temperature. He had no idea how long his companions had to wait, so he wanted to get the dish done under a certain time. He stumbled upon some ricotta, which made him pleasantly surprised.

Okay, he could do that recipe.

A little over an hour later, he placed slices of cake in front of his four companions.

"Chocolate chip?" Hayama asked.

"Basically. It's a little simple, but I didn't want to make you guys wait for items to warm to room temperature or cool for hours in the fridge."

"I see."

Almost at the same time, they all took a bite. Isami watched as they savored the pastry. Erina was the first to speak.

"Do people really have their dining table in the kitchen?"

"Aw, Erina. I know you've seen it in some kind of media." Isshiki laughed.

"I just thought they were placed there to save space in books and movies." She simply said. Hayama hid his disbelief at her words well, save for the glance he gave her. Isami had a feeling that the question must have came from whatever image that they shared.

"Well, I just feel like I got transferred back in time!" Isshiki commented as that previous question didn't exist. "I'm sitting at the table, the leftover scent of breakfast cooking still in the air as I enjoy the food. I think the most prominent thing is the old-fashioned radio on the windowsill. Its antenna is pulled out at an angle to catch the songs that are on the air. It sounds like…classical music?" Erina and Hayama nodded in agreement.

Isami gave a small smile as he listened to Isshiki ramble off the scene that he had imagined earlier when he was baking. He had no idea why a radio of all things was the focus, though. He then looked at the pâtissier sitting at the end still eating her slice. He had seen her speechless before, when she had tasted Erina's souffle last year during the Regiment de Cuisine. She clearly wasn't at that point, but she had just about finished her portion. Did that mean she liked it?

"You used ricotta in this." Momo finally spoke.

"I did. I didn't drain this time and it made the cake thicker."

"I can tell." She pushed herself away from the table and went to stand in front of him. Her green eyes scrutinized him, making him feel like she was looking down at him despite him being so much taller than her. "But tell me this: What made you make those desserts that Sato-shan was raving about?"

"Because…it would have made the people I made them for happy." He replied. "I know sweets usually bring some joy to people and I decided to make some for them. Their smiles were well worth my efforts."

"Humph. That is a cute answer. And Momo does like cute things." The woman squeezed the stuffed animal in her arms in thought before turning towards Erina. "Even though I did not sign up for the list of internships, is it alright for me to take Isa-myan for one if he wants to, Miss Erina?"

"You can." Erina nodded.

"Wait. You want to take me in?" Isami asked incredulously.

"Yes." She turned back to him. "Even though you are still uncertain about what path to take for a career, I feel like you have potential to become a pâtissier. And who better to train such a beginner than Momo, one of the best pâtissiers in the country? Besides, from what Sato-shan said and what I have experienced, you do have the unique ability to add music to your dishes. I do want to explore that as well. So, would Momo see you in her workshop next year?"

Isami took some time to answer. He did not want to waste anymore of the alumnus's time. He knew he would feel horrible if he ended up not being a pâtissier after all. But he remembered Isshiki's words about there not being anyone else in their group of friends who favored sweets. Also, he had managed to impress Momo to the point that she was willing to train him further, a feat that few people can say that they accomplished.

Even if he still wasn't completely sure about what he wanted to, he wasn't stupid to let this golden opportunity to go to waste.

"I…I would love to take an internship with you." He replied.

"Good."

It didn't take long for Isami to clean up. He packed the remains of the cake and offered the rest to Erina and Hayama, which the latter ended up accepting so he could share with Shinomi. Seeing how late it had gotten, Isshiki had gotten himself and Isami a car to take back to the dorms. The younger brunet swore that his senior was more excited about these turns of events than he was, and he was the one who was most affected. Still, it had been Isshiki's plan all along and he was probably happy that it succeeded.

"Just hold off from telling anyone until dinner so everyone knows at the same time." Isami requested.

"Alright." Isshiki beamed.

They were the last to get back. Isami knew that Takumi had the same plan as him to go back to the dorms as soon as possible today. Takumi said it was because he wanted to plan the dinner he was in charge of today, but Isami knew better it was more because a certain redhead came back. Unlike Isami, the blond had succeeded in that plan because when he peeked in the kitchen his brother was chopping vegetables while Yukihira seemed to be cooking something in a frying pan, both too engrossed in their banter to notice him.

Isshiki kept his promise to wait until dinner to say anything. The senior waited until there was a natural lull in conversation before he said anything.

"Isami's going to train under Momo for his internship." He put out casually. The lull shifted into dead silence as the rest of their dormmates processed the shocking information. Then…

"EH!?"

The tables exploded and started to demand answers from the younger Aldini.

"I'm just a victim." He said meekly, turning the attention to their senior.

"You're making it seem like I lured you into the office with vague information and pressured you until you agreed to make a dish because I thought you had something worthwhile to show." Isshiki chuckled.

"You…literally did that."

"No, I had your consent."

"After Erina stopped you two from kidnapping me." Isami reminded him.

"What insane plan of yours did you drag Isami into?" Yuki demanded of the senior.

"Nothing bad!" He defended himself.

After the senior explained what he had done, and Isami had answered questions and promised to cook a dessert for everyone, dinner came to an end. A few hours and a bath later, Isami was finally able to continue with his original plans of the day, which was to spend some time with his girlfriend.

At first, all they did was spoon as they talked about the events of their week that they had not texted each other about. However, when they reached a comfortable silence, Isami's hands decided to carry on the conversation for a little while, going from resting on her stomach to playing with her sensitive chest. Hearing how her breathing started to get heavier as he played with her boobs only made him want to touch her even more.

"Here." He sat up and pushed the covers off them. "Sit on me."

The bluenette did what he wanted and straddled him. He slid off the currently useless button up shirt and kissed and sucked whatever he could reach on her abdomen. He then shifted her in order to get his mouth to focus on her boobs. He tried to give the same amount of attention to both of them, but his girl started to get impatient and pushed him back down. He let her take control as she made him take off his shirt. Then she kissed down his neck to his chest, leaving marks on his skin as she made her way to his nipples. She made sure not to play with them too long because she knew his got so sensitive that they would hurt after too much stimulation. This time however, Isami decided when he had enough and had them switch positions so that she was on her back again. He was careful to not put his full weight on her when he did that, as he had a fear of crushing her small frame even when he wasn't as big as he was now.

"You need to take these off." He growled as he pulled off her pants. When he saw the small wet spot on her underwear under the lamp light, he grinned. "I think I saved your underwear from being completely soaked." He declared as he slid them off to expose her completely.

"It's your fault that they were in danger in the first place." She told him.

"It is?" He let his finger lightly brush her very sensitive nub. She tensed up at the sensation.

"Mhm." She lifted her arms above her head.

"I apologize, dear Luna." He slid a finger in her hole with ease. Then two. "Please let me fix the problem I caused?" He begged as he curled his fingers inside her.

"W-Well, since you asked so nicely…" One of her arms shifted downwards, and Isami saw a familiar square of foil in his vision.

"Did you have this under your pillow?" He plucked the condom from her fingers and started to put it on.

"I didn't want to waste time grabbing one from the nightstand, so I've started hiding one here."

Isami chuckled before pulling his girlfriend towards him.

"So basically, you just want to be fucked as soon as possible."

"You're the one who was begging to do so a minute ago." Megumi reminded him.

"I can't help it. I can't just take a beauty without permission." He kissed her stomach before he rubbed against her entrance, relishing the whimper coming from her. "However, it's good manners to not only wait for her permission but for her to want it as well." He reached up to roll a nipple in his fingers. "Well, does she want it?"

"Yes, please!" Her whine was music to his ears.

"I'm glad." He pushed himself in, exhaling at the tightness that quickly wrapped around him.

"Fuck…" Megumi swore.

"My thoughts exactly." He let out a breathy chuckle, fighting the urge to move until she asked him to. Once she did, he gradually picked up speed until he was going all out, letting the pent-up energy he had go into pleasing her. He was going rougher this time, but he was able to keep his head clear enough to make sure she was enjoying it as well. She seemed to be, as he managed to get her to release twice before reaching his limit. It took his pleasantly numbed brain a few seconds to realize that he had fallen on top of her.

"Merda, I didn't to squish you like this." He started to move but Megumi stopped him by putting an arm around him.

"You're fine." She whispered. "Stay like this for a bit."

Reluctantly, he followed her order. Anxiously, he stayed on top of her until their breathing calmed down and he was sure he could get up without trembling. He lifted himself up with the excuse to throw away his trash. Once he did, he saw Megumi looking for the clothes they discarded. He decided to do the same. As usual, she stole the shirt that he had worn instead of taking the effort to wear and button her own shirt. Isami didn't mind because he slept shirtless.

Plus, he wouldn't get cold tonight as he was going to sleep with his living furnace tonight.

He checked his phone to see if it was plugged in before going to join the female in her bed.

"I have a feeling that I'll actually sleep through the night this time." Megumi said drowsily.

"Well, seeing how it's going to be past eleven, I don't think you'll sleep as much night as much as you will morning."

Megumi laughed before snuggling up next to him. "Good night, my love."

"Good night, Luna." He mumbled, letting her earthy scent lull him to sleep.

"Megumi!"

A voice and the sound of someone knocking on the door half-dragged Isami out of his dreamless sleep.

He fought to wake up. He was dimly aware of the bed shifting next to him. He decided Megumi would take care of it and come back to bed. The thought made him lose the will to fight. He let himself fall asleep again as he heard Megumi speak to them…

"Oh, Isami's here!"

Hearing his name from the now closer voice woke him enough to get into a sitting position and to rub his eyes free of the sand that formed on them.

"He is?" Isami immediately recognized the second voice being Takumi's.

His brain still trying to catch up with him, he turned his head towards the direction of the voices. There was no sunlight streaming through the curtains and the overhead light was on, good indications that it was very early in the morning.

No wonder he was having trouble waking up. His mind was very slow around this time.

There were also three people in the room. Yukihira, most likely the person who woke him up initially, was the closest one to him. Takumi was standing a few paces inside the doorway, staring at him in surprise. Megumi was the furthest, looking terrified as she still held on to the doorknob. Her eyes locked with his, but he could not figure out what she was silently trying to tell him right away because his brain was still trying to wake up. It was only when her hand moved to adjust her shirt…

Wait…

She was wearing his shirt.

That was the moment his brain decided to function properly and enlighten him of the "Oh, shit!" situation he and Megumi were in.

"Morning, Yukihira, Nii-chan." He greeted, trying to make sure his distress didn't transfer over to his twin.

"Did you sleep over again?" Yukihira asked.

Isami froze. He heard a little squeak come from the direction of the door as well.

"Wait. 'Again'? What do you mean by that?" Takumi nearly demanded from the redhead.

"Yeah. They spend the night in each other's rooms sometimes. I see them travelling between rooms occasionally when I'm up late at night or in the early morning."

"I didn't know this." Takumi murmured.

"You didn't? But I've seen Megumi come out of Isami's room a couple times after you guys leave in the morning for exercise. I thought you would have seen her then."

Why did Yukihira's observations have to happen at inconvenient times?

Isami looked over at Megumi, who was still standing by the door. The poor girl was pale and shaking, her expression mirroring his own as she stared in horror at her best friend.

Takumi didn't say anything else back, but the younger brother noticed that his hands were shaking. The blond's cerulean eyes settled on the bluenette nearly cowering by the door. Isami, not wanting Megumi to take the brunt of what might happen next, got out of the bed and made his way to her. He wrapped his arms protectively around her shaking form before letting his own cerulean gaze stared down his brother.

"…She's wearing your shirt." Takumi noticed. Isami could tell by his voice that he knew what had transpired last night.

"She is." The brunet confirmed, feeling the female press against him. He heard the blond take a deep breath.

"How long?" Takumi asked, his voice eerily calm. "How long has this been going on?"

"Around three months." Isami replied.

"Around three…" A disbelieving bark escaped from Takumi as his hand flew up to his golden locks. He grabbed a fistful of hair and released it. Isami could feel the tumult of emotions from Takumi and knew the motion was a way his brother released tension. "Why didn't you guys bother to tell me?" He hissed.

"Can we explain ourselves later, when everyone has a chance to clear their minds and calm down?" Isami suggested.

"Calm down? I hear that my younger brother has been secretly fucking around for the past three months and I'm expected to be 'calm' about it?" Takumi's voice was rising in both volume and pitch. It was only a matter of time before other people in the dorm heard him.

"Takumi, please." Megumi spoke quietly from Isami's arms. "I don't need everyone to know about this right now. Just please, hold on a little longer."

The blond glared at the couple, a scoff leaving his mouth before storming off. Isami heard a door shut a few moments later.

"Soma," Megumi called. Isami had nearly forgotten about the redhead in the room. The other male had been unnaturally quiet during the exchange. Isami noticed that he had a confused yet somber expression on his face. "I'm sorry but I'm not up for a trip to the fishing market right now."

"That's okay." The redhead waved it off. "I'm sorry for barging in your room again. If I had known that-…"

"This is not your fault." Isami cut him off. "This was bound to happen eventually, but I had no idea he would be this angry. But if you really feel like you have to do something to make up for this, can you check on Nii-chan? He needs someone that he can trust right now and it's surely not me."

"I can do that."

"And please, don't mention this to anyone else right now. This is already troublesome enough without other people sticking their noses in this."

"Okay." With that, Yukihira left the room.

He was polite enough to shut the door, leaving the couple alone to figure out how they were going to pick up this unexpected mess.

End of Round One


First Section

- I really needed to have another task for the second years. This was my best attempt.

- I intended to make Shun a good friend for Isami, so here's my way of doing so.

- I really hope the dream makes sense.

Second Section

- Second date! I was writing this during the hype for the planets aligning and I thought why not have them stargaze at the end of autumn.

- I was looking up how cold it got around this time of year and was actually surprised that it didn't get that bad in Tokyo. I also realized that Florence and Tokyo have similar averages, but one has a little more humidity than the other. I honestly thought Florence got hot and humid like where I live but nope. Climates are different, though.

- I was going to reference the Gemini constellation, but when I looked up which ones are around at that time only half of one twin is visible. I don't know constellations so I could be wrong.

Third Section

- Blond tsundere #3 worry squad is a go!

- It's actually very hard to keep track of the days. I'm going to put a note here for myself that this is probably the last week of November or first week of December.

- I just love the idea of Isami trying to make his big brother happy. Even if it sometimes hinders him.

- I should really start baking the recipes I find online so I can describe the foods more. Also, my body just groaned at the thought of how much effort that might take. I want and don't want to cook.

- Isshiki is over here circling Isami like a shark.

- I swear, too many names that start with the letter I.

- The discord has made me think that the original E10 were like a lowkey family. The new E10, well…

- From the moment Isami stepped into Takumi's room, that whole conversation was in Italian. I'm just too lazy to show it.

Fourth Section

- Okay, I had to fix the format of text messaging in the story. Apparently, FFN hates words that start from the right, so I bolded and italicized to show the difference in who is talking.

- Isshiki x Takumi…Hmm…another rare pair that can work. What do you think, oxidizing_cauliflower?

- Also, Isshiki, let my baby go to his girlfriend!

- The first person I think of when I imagine the dorms is Yuki, so even if Isshiki is the advocate, Yuki would always be the star of Polar Star.

- And Momo appears! Please excuse the way I handle her, I'm still unsure on how to write original E10 members.

- Erina managed to stop a kidnapping.

- Okay, was it kind of obvious that I was going to make Isami a pâtissier? I mean, like Isshiki said, there a serious lack of them in the group and seeing there was practically nothing on Isami's file pushing him towards anything else… It's not like the idea hadn't been used before. I remember a Tumblr post head cannoning that the twin had a Shokugeki between each other (I should write that.) and Isami turned out winning and everyone was shocked to find out that he was proficient in sweets. There were a couple of fics that alluded to him being good with sweets as well. And look at him! Doesn't he seem to fit the role of a pâtissier? He's such a precious baby.

- Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta cake was the full name.

- These damn rich people. I have an image of the Aldini family being well-off as well, but not as rich or naïve as Erina's family.

- You know damn well Takumi would rush home to see his boyfriend rival.

- Cue surprise.

- I haven't written a sex scene for a while because I did not want them to get too repetitive. But the goal of the story is to have them a bit perverted, so I won't completely stop on those scenes.

- A wild Soma and Takumi appear!

- I've struggled for so long trying to figure out how Takumi would find out their secret. Should I have had him walk up when they were kissing? Have Isshiki kind of allude to it? A one-sided attraction observation from Mimasaka about Isami because apparently that ship sort of took off? Nah. Let's have our friendly selectively observant insomniac Soma turn into one of those elderly women who have nothing else to do but to peek out of windows and watch the neighborhood. In this case, peeking out from his room and observe the dorms. Good thing he didn't tell anyone up until now. (His punishment is now to watch even more shit go down.)

- Protective Isami knows how dangerous calm Takumi can be.

- Honestly, as much as I root for our main couple, I have to feel bad for Takumi. I did this intentionally, but I still feel for him.

- Soma just wanted to go to the fish market and ended up accidently causing and witnessing a drama. Poor boy is so confused but he goes to help, anyways.

Thanks for reading! I'll see you guys in the new year!