"Yeah, set the temperature to a hundred-sixty for eight minutes… And done."
I set the pan filled with the cookie dough in small but various shapes due to Yuigahama insisting on it after I accidentally blurted out what shape she wanted.
Komachi always wanted different shaped cookies whenever I baked for her, to the point my mouth worked on its own whenever I started to bake.
"Oooo! Like thanks so much, Hikki! Though like I never expected you to… Um… Know how to bake, I guess?"
How rude. Boys can learn to bake as much as girls, Yuigahama. Although, I don't think any boys want to be a house husband like me, hence needing to learn how to bake is apart of the job description, along with other miscellaneous skill sets that I have mastered!
Granted I thought of that after the first few times I baked for Komachi.
I idly undid my apron then walks over to the rack meant for it, "Oi. I know my eyes convinced you otherwise, but I have learnt all of the skills necessary to become a house husband. That includes baking."
"E-eiiiii?! Hikki wants to be a house husband?!"
…Oi, I know that it's surprising but is there really any need to be that shocked?! And is your mouth twitching right there?! You're lucky I need to be nice to you or else I would rain down justice on you!
"O-oh, like I am not laughing at you, Hikki, just that…"
"…What?"
"Um… Like, I thought… Oh… Um… How your looks, like, doesn't go well with house husband?"
"…Air head bitch."
"Hey! Like I heard that! I am not a bitch!"
"…You heard me from there? And you're not denying the air head?"
"Hikki! That is like so rude!"
I roll my eyes at her, my patience rapidly thinning out. It's one thing to be forced to try and be nice to her to fill up her bar but enduring criticism raining on top of that? Sorry but the tsundere trope died years ago.
"Yeah yeah, whatever. Take a seat and wait for… Five? Minutes left."
I quickly take a seat on a nearby chair then take out my book from my pocket, a short light novel that has the same trash plot that keeps on getting recycled over and over by the Japan community of LN so that trash readers will keep buying it.
Oh wait, I forgot that I am one of such of the readers.
I sneakily glance at Yuigahama, only to see her looking right at me. Our eyes met and she quickly looks away with her cheeks… Reddening a bit, I think.
"U-um… Hikki?"
"Yeah?"
"S-so… Like, I… Just want to say that… N-never mind!"
Hmm? Now I am curious about what she wanted to say. I put down my book on the counter then turns around to directly look at her, "Just spill it out."
Shit. Did I go too overboard? That flinch means bad right? "U-um… That, I am glad that Hikki like isn't like those guys who flirt by saying cheesy pick up lines."
…It's not like I want to… Blame the system that decided to fucking make the other options terrible or costly! Some part of me dies whenever I hear my mouth spouting those words you know!
I don't say anything to her, though she apparently takes this as her cue to continue, even though I really don't want to get stab anymore, "Like, during our first year, most of the guys in our class would, like, ask me out by saying cheesy pickup lines that they heard from the internet or old people, thinking like it would work."
…Ouch, you know that those people would cry if they heard you? But since those guys don't need to deal with my situation, I don't care! Unless I can transfer this stupid system to them! Wait. Can I give you away to a random person?
"User cannot transfer system rights to another User."
…Well fuck you too box. My hopes are fragile, you know?! Delicate I say!
"U-um, Hikki? Like, are you there?"
"…Yes."
"Ah, like, good! So, like, I am glad that you aren't like them! Unlike the start, like, that is."
…Is there a hole nearby that is big enough for me? I want to bury myself in it and never want to show my face to her or anybody else.
Yuigahama opens her mouth again, most likely to kill me once and for all, but the tell-tale sound of the oven saves me and I quickly latch on to that, "Oh, the cookies are done!"
I quickly get up and walk over to the oven while putting on the mittens, "Come on, it's better to eat it while it's hot." I open up the oven, my noise instantly assaulted by the fresh smell of cookies, then slowly take out the tray.
"O-oh, um, Hikki, I, like, why not wait for Yukinon to come back?"
As if speaking a taboo word, Yukinoshita comes into the room with a bang. Albeit in a sluggish manner and tired expression but she's still kicking.
"Yuigahama-san, I plead with you to learn how to bake until you are sufficiently trained."
"…You know, her cookies weren't that bad."
"Shut. Up. Hikigaya."
Seeing the downcast expression of Yuigahama, I quickly lifts up my tray to Yukinoshita, "Here. I baked my own cookies while you were away."
Hah, didn't expect me to be able to bake, did you?! It's my win since I can see that surprise in your eyes! Oh, you want to fight? I see that challenging look, then bring it on!
"I never expected that you would be able to bake, let alone make decent looking cookies at that. It is my mistake to think that you would have no skills that you are adequate in."
…Oi. Can't you let me have this victory?! I am already your punching bag due to the damn system so have mercy on me!
Yukinoshita slides over to me and slowly takes a cookie, a starfish shape, "Hmm, a normal texture…" She takes a tiny bite of the cookie then slowly tastes it, "Oh, it's actually edible… Normal chocolate cookie…"
She then takes a normal bite, "Hikigaya-kun, I will graciously bestow upon you a 5.0531321 out of 10 for your cookies. Be honored that your cookies taste almost better than the store bought ones."
…Do you really want to see me cry? I know that you are a loner with a venom tongue but wow your words can bring the most resilient people to their knees. At least I can boast that my cookies taste better than the store bought.
Yuigahama suddenly appears right beside me and snatches a cookie, this one being a square, "Oooooo~! This, like, tastes almost the same as Yukinon's cookies!"
"…I find that highly improbable, Yuigahama-san. Please go back and reflect on your words."
"Ehhhh~! I like, am not wrong! Hikki and Yukinon cookies taste almost the same!"
Yukinoshita merely walks past us, "Club time is over now. Please assist me in cleaning up the place and eating all of the cookies or storing them, then we will go back to the club to officially end the session."
"Isn't that… Too much of a hassle to go back to the club even though we have our bags by the doors?"
"I know that you want to go back home to be a true fish but do keep in mind that we are in school, in club sessions, and that I am the club president."
…Clear the game, Hachiman. Remember that this is all for clearing the game and to not harm Komachi. I might as well just clean the whole place by myself while I am at it!
…Oh you gotta be kidding me. I fucking jinxed myself.
"A – Yeah yeah. Whatever you say, Ice Queen. Keep your holiness, oh I mean, authority as club president away from me."
"B – I can tidy this place up by myself. Both of you don't need to dirty yourself by doing this lowly work!"
"C – I can clean this place by myself if both of you give me your panties."
…I wonder if a gun works here? That police guy should be nearby at this time…
*DSEDSEDSE*
A/N
I am back with another chapter! Had a... Very fun but annoying time at CF. The queuing right under the sun, the sea of flesh indoors, but the most annoying of them all is the fact that all of the booths didn't specify which item that they are selling so I needed to wander around in order to find if they got the merchs I want! All of those Arknight and HI3 merch I missed! Then the fact that you needed to travel such a long distance to get into ground hall is just bullshit! Like the fucking queue reached all the way to the end of the park and into Suria! Oh and I fucking lost my keycard to my hotel room on the first day! Had to search around the place while my legs were screaming at me then on the second day, I got lost trying to get out.
Anyway, the negative aside, I really enjoyed my first cf experience since I met wonderful and nice cosplayers that cos as my waifus (unfortunately I kept missing most of them... But at least I took a selfie with Surtr cosplayers!) (also I was hoping to find a Kiana cosplayer there...) and a few of them even gave me free food and stuff! Thank you to that Bloodborne Doll cos for the artwork! Won lots of prizes from the predator stall (a bag and an umbrella) and that guy who had the AK clipboard who gave me the free AK sticknote! Got a goody bag from play testing a very decent new RPG game that got a shirt in it, met... A friendly acquaintances from my Highschool days that we drifted apart, and above all, I got a signature from Suzuki at the meet and greet!
Oh yeah, I won't lie that it kinda stung a bit on how no one recognized me there (even though I expected it since I gave such a vague ass description) since I made it obvious enough by wearing the world of warship tag and the ribbon around my neck, that is also attached to my wallet (how did no one try to snatch it is beyond me). Would have given the person mentos and asked if they wanted me to focus on which fic or tell me their ideas to write.
Oh well, I'll just keep on writing. Anyway, on to the comments!
Deathenglegamers1144 - *shrug* you can believe what you want but I got pictures that show the result of me coughing up blood
Cookie-4IS - 8man, the speedrunner! And *REDACTED*
Wicked.A - F. And *REDACTED*
shadbin10 - all apart of the plan (well, the current plan that is.) and I don't really mind if people don't like me, since I am used to it from my middle school years
CrazyxEnigma - yep and yeah, it would have been funny as hell
striker sigma - *pleased Yukino's face*
