Chapter 136: S2 Episode 35 - There is No Such Thing as Friends
Fraise worked together with me as we prepared the entremet. Since she was highly acclaimed by all the sweets spirits we've encountered, her skills were no joke. After I formed a contract with her and worked by her side, I could see just how advanced her skills were when she baked with me.
She was unbelievably fast when it came to perfectly frosting desserts and had adept knowledge in a majority of things that even I was inexperienced in. I could only imagine what Sucre was like when she trained her.
"I can't believe *she* would do that…" Fraise spoke sadly to me as she helped me by my side. Knowing who *she* was referring to, I couldn't help but grit my teeth in response.
"I know, but it doesn't matter now. We can talk about that later, so let's focus on something more important than that," I reminded her, trying to focus our attention back on what we were doing.
"Keiko, I just wanted to say… I'm sorry about what happened before. I had no right to say those kinds of things to you… I-I was just frustrated…" Fraise genuinely apologized while she bowed her head down to me.
It was hard to forget the contents of the argument that caused us to act that way, but what she said wasn't wrong. She didn't have to apologize to me, who continues to be stubborn and ignore her worries. If anything, she was only concerned about me.
"You don't need to apologize since… what you said wasn't far from the truth," I responded, gazing at the bowl of batter in a daze.
I thought back to Fraise's last words that she said to me that day before leaving me alone.
---
"All I know is that if your mother was here now… she'd be greatly disappointed in you."
---
'If Mom were here, sitting in this audience right now… I wonder what she would've thought if she looked at me now? What does my family think of me when they watch me on TV?'
Fraise looked at me sadly as she also recalled her words. It was obvious that she said it in a fit of rage, but she knew that "sorry" couldn't erase an ingrained memory.
When I and my team practiced making this cake, I would always think back to that argument Fraise and I had when we stopped talking to each other altogether. It was hard not to admit that I was bothered by her words, but I would always envision a different world where my mother was still alive and here right now.
Imagining that kind of world was a dream all in itself to me, but if I wished for that to be a reality, what would happen to Kaori and her two sons? Where would they fit in that alternate life?
If my mother was alive, she and my father would surely be happy together, loving each other. If she was still alive, I might've had a *true* little brother or sister by now. If she was still alive, I would've received more guidance from her. If she was still alive, people would love her more than before. If she was still alive, I wouldn't be pushing myself so hard right now…
I wished for her to come back to me and my father but, despite not ever wanting to admit it… Isn't it better off that she was dead?
'Geez, what is wrong with me! Snap out of it, Keiko!' I blinked my eyes that had been in a slight daze and continued what I was doing. Maybe it was the tiredness I felt because of the sleepless nights I experienced, or my hunger that I kept ignoring. Whatever it was, I wasn't in my right mind.
"Now, I'll explain things for those of you watching," the MC said as he faced the audience and the main camera. "On top of being judged for taste, the teams will have to make entremets and petit gateaux for decoration, sampling, and photography: 3 in total. As you have 10 hours, if you make it too quickly, the taste will fall—so it's recommended to take your time and move at a moderate pace. For those of you watching here in St. Marie's Auditorium, concessions will be open throughout the 10 hour period if you get hungry, need to take a walk, or use the restroom!"
Since it seems like the academy didn't think that people could sit for 10 hours straight, it looks as if they already prepared alternatives for people to walk around and catch a break if they needed to.
After the MC announced this, I had already finished making the genoise batter for my cake's entremet. All that was left was to bake it.
"Ooh, take a look at this! Michiko Keiko wastes no movements, as if she's elegantly playing music. Fast, soft, and gentle she is," the MC commented on each of my movements until he looked over at Tennouji Mari. "Tennouji Mari isn't too far behind either! Seeing as she's Henri Lucas's pupil, we can see her dexterity and exquisiteness in the kitchen as she bakes."
Not too long after I finished making the genoise batter, Tennouji Mari followed behind.
After practicing each element of the cake I had to make, it was obvious that my speed had finally surpassed Tennouji Mari's, and it has only been a week since the Christmas Party.
'I can't get too ahead of myself. Even if I'm faster than her right now, all that matters is the final results of our Dream cakes.'
"Okay, we're doing great so far!" Fraise energized us and I nodded my head in agreement.
When I took a quick glance at the stations the Sweets Princes worked at, I realized just how calm they'd gotten. We were all a bit flustered at the sight of the cameras at our stations at first, but we somehow managed to ignore it as if it was just an accessory.
Hanabusa was carefully making his intricate candy sculptures, Kashino was now beginning to work on the Angel statue, and Andou was meticulously making separate petit gateaux for each element to fit onto the cake.
As I looked at my hard-working partners and their sweet spirits, I felt calm knowing that we were doing alright. There was no doubt in my mind that this last and final cake we would be making would be the best one we've ever made for this round. We could just imagine the pure excitement people would have when they saw our meticulously thought-out cake.
It may just be the cake that the world has never seen before.
I thought about just how much I shut down in front of them ever since I transferred to the academy. I was awkward and aloof, but the Sweets Princes and their sweets spirits helped raise me to be who I am today. They helped me climb the stairs one step at a time no matter what obstacles we'd faced together.
As I looked at the oven that was now baking my genoise cakes, I turned back to my busy comrades who solely focused on their own thing.
'Not only did they help me become who I am today, Fraise and I also helped them climb the steps closer to their dreams.'
Kashino, who was guarded around me at first, slowly started to open himself around me and the others. He still had nothing good to say, but he was more approachable than before when I saw him.
Andou, who seemed insecure of himself and distracted by things, easily developed into a valiant boy full of confidence who couldn't be swayed by the actions of others. He was still humble and kind, but he was a lot more serious than before.
Hanabusa, who tried to charm others with his handsome looks to get them to like him, became even more serious in the kitchen than before. He was always a bit playful in the kitchen which was a bit of a refresher, but after we grew as a team, he calmed down a bit with his ego. His candied decoration developed as a result, but it's still fair to say that he tries to show off his looks to the public, though not as conceited as before.
As they all grew by my side, why did it feel like I was the one who was stuck at the bottom of the staircase?
As everyone moved forward, why had I taken a few steps back? My development wasn't as strong as the others yet they still believed in me… Why?
It felt like I was being left behind as they made their way up that stairway towards their dreams. Nobody was by my side at the bottom of the steps and nobody turned around to look at me.
It was as if I was drowning in a sea of darkness. I could see the light from the surface, but I lost all the energy to swim up.
Had I really not matured enough as a person to be where they were now? Why was I sinking to the bottom while they climbed towards that bright light?
No… I already knew the answer to that question. I just didn't want to admit it.
* * *
"Mari… why did you do that? I thought we were friends with Keiko and the others?" A honey blonde sweets spirit asked her human partner who was placing her genoise batter into a cake pan and into an oven.
"There's no such thing as "friends" when it comes down to competition, Honey," Tennouji Mari told her sweets spirit, but even in her honey-gold eyes, she felt lost.
'Keiko never did anything to warrant anything against me, but what had driven me to do such a thing to her?'
Mari knew about what would've happened if Keiko responded to the reporter's questions wrongly back there. If it meant increasing her and her team's fame, it was hard to turn the offer down. This wasn't like her. She was always known for her fairness!
But, when it came down to it, it was as if something clouded her mind when she took up that offer. As if something was controlling her to make that decision.
Just like everybody else, she had a dream she wished to accomplish. Her dream was to be by her teacher's side and learn all he had to teach her. She also wanted to admire him by his side. If she could be the only woman there by his side, there would be no one competent enough to be next to him but her!