“Good Morning Everyone! Welcome to our 3^rd Interschool Cooking Competition! Today, we’re going to witness a flaming hot competition from the representatives of each school. I’m Taguchi Junnosuke and I will be your MC for today. EVERYONE, YOU READY?!” Junnosuke energetically said. He was quite stylish with his hair that flowed to the right and with his left side trimmed and wore with him a bright cheerful smile.

“Before I introduce the contestants, let me introduce to you, our judges! Our First Judge is a graduate from Trattoria Baccanale. Mr.  Shogo ‘Jun’ Ban”

Shogo stood up and waved his hands. He had a fly away hair that ran to his neck. After waving, he smiled then sat back down, he had a couple of fans shouting ‘Jun’ at him as if he was some kind of an idol.

“For our second judge, he’s a substitute teacher at Aikawa High School and is also a Top Chef at Ginza, Mr. Muraki ‘Masahiro’ Shingo!”

Shingo then stood up, gave a bright smile then said ‘Good Day!” with all enthusiasm then sat back to his seat.

“For our Final Judge, he’s an import from Korea and is famous for being a food critique, please help me welcome, Mr. Max Changmin”

The man that kind of looked like the MC stood up. He was a tall guy but he had an aura of royalty around him. His hair wasn’t trimmed like the MC but you could see the similarities. Changmin then waved then sat back down.

After introducing the Judges, the MC, introduced the contestants, and then the contest started. The theme was ‘Budding Love’ and they were given an hour and a half to finish their delicacy.

The Competition has just started. Ryosuke and Mirai were shaking. It was their first time and they didn’t like it. Their utensils kept on falling and their hands were shaking. They watched Kanata and his partner and they were perfectly calm.

“What do you mean the only person who can cook in your class, you’re completely calm” Mirai uttered with annoyance

Their nervousness grew bigger in every minute that passed. Ryosuke gazed at Mirai and she was no good. She was sweating and her hands were literally shaking while slicing the ingredients. Ryosuke gave her a smile though he was just as nervous as her. He held her hands and said “I’m here Mi-chan, if you need help I’ll always help you”

Mirai smiled and gained confidence. She saw through Ryosuke’s smile that he was as nervous as her but he still smiled for her.

“Thank you Ryo-chan” she replied then went on with her business.

As time passed by, both of them got the hang of cooking.

Unconsciously, both of them created an ambience of ‘Budding Love’.

Stage personality was a part of the criteria and both of them was perfect, though others were in order but they had the perfect aura around them. The utensils kept on falling apart but it was as though the girl was nervous and so as the guy because they liked each other.

The pair at the audience side was also nervous for their friend.

“I hope they win” Umika muttered as she clenched her fist

“They will Umika-chan” Chinen replied as he held her clenched fist then gave her a smile. She then smiled back then held intertwined their hands.

Minutes passed when Junno (MC) signaled that cooking time was over. It was time for presentation. Other contenders started presenting their dishes, Mirai and Ryosuke’s confidence to win became tinier and tinier each time. Especially when Kanata and his partner presented their cake, their presentation was wonderful.

“The white frosting symbolizes the pure hearts of the couple and the pink symbolizes the budding of the love of the lovers.” Kanata’s partner explained

“When making a cake, you need to be exact with all the measurements, a single mistake and the cake’s taste will change. It’s the same with love, it must not be too sweet nor too bland or else it will affect the appetite” Kanata added

The judge named Changmin nodded. Surely, the judges liked their creation and with an explanation like that, it’s their win. After Kanata’s explanation, Mirai and Ryosuke were called. The judges asked them why they created a bento.

“Bento is either a takeout or a home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. Bento boxes are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores. However, many girls spend time and energy to carefully prepare a bento for their loved ones. They put their whole heart into it to make the person they love feel the warmth and the love they exerted in that bento” Ryosuke intelligently said.

“Giving bento to the person you like, this is only unique in Japan.” Mirai added

The judges was given time to tally the total scores. While at it, Mirai was drenched with perspiration. She was shaking. She never expected it to be this nerve wrecking.

“Ryo-chan, I’m worried. Kanata’s cake was wonderful, no, it was perfect! I don’t want to lose Ryo-chan” Mirai uttered with her eyes begging for a comfort.

“Mi-chan, we did our best right?” Ryo answered while patting Mirai’s shoulder.

“I did my best that’s why I want to win Ryo-chan”

“Mi-chan, whether we win or we lose, we must be happy. We only practiced once right? We didn’t take this too seriously” comforted he, Mirai was always a worrywart during contests.

After a few moments, the judges finished tallying. It was time for the winners to be called.

Drum rolls started to play. Everyone could feel the pressure, every person paid attention to the contest results.

“Sorry for the long wait, we will now announce the winners” Junno excitedly stated “And to announce the winners we have here Mr. Changmin” he added

As Changmin was walking towards the stage, Ryosuke and Mirai’s heart were racing, almost becoming numb, and their hands were cold.

Mirai glanced up to Ryosuke only to find out he was about to burst. Ryosuke’s sweat was dripping. Mirai then held his hands. Both their hands were cold but intertwined together which lowered down the nervousness they felt at the moment.

“The 3^rd Place goes to— the Suzuki and Hongo pair” Mr. Changmin announced.

For a moment both Ryosuke and Mirai felt numb all over their body, as if the world has lost its sound, they couldn’t hear anything. Was it them who were called? They couldn’t believe, especially Ryosuke, when they only practiced once. Ryosuke stepped forward with hands still being held by Mirai to claim their award. They posed for a picture which Chinen took whose obviously congratulating them for landing the third place. Everyone from their school was clapping their hands. Out of 8 schools that entered, their school took the third place.

After posing for a picture, the second and the winner were announced.  As expected, Kanata and his partner won.

After the contest, everyone congratulated them and they even planned to have a little party for the said victory. But Mirai wasn’t happy at all. Everytime someone congratulated them, she felt insulted. So she went to the rooftop to have some fresh air, she weren’t happy and wasn’t even smiling. She was mad, very mad for their loss.

“What congratulations?! Are you kidding? we lost!!” She yelled angrily “The only one from my class who can cook? I bet right now you’re laughing. Go on! LAUGH ALL YOU WANT! Laugh because I lost even though I did my best” she added as she kept on kicking the concrete wall.

From behind, Ryosuke could see Mirai kicking the wall shouting out all her anger. He knew Mirai wasn’t happy with the results especially when she did all she can in order to win. Well for Ryosuke, it was one of Mirai’s cute points.

“Don’t be such a cutie—” he muttered to himself as he smiled.

“Mi-chan!!!” he called as he ran towards Mirai. She then looked back still wearing that frown face she had.

“Ryo-chan…” She whispered

“How did you know I’m here?” she added

“How can I not know? You’re my bestfriend” he said

“And I know you’re here because you weren’t satisfied with the results” he added

“You really know me well” she replied holding back her tears.

“It’s alright to cry Mi-chan, you can cry on my shoulders” he said as he patted his chest

“That’s not your shoulders Ryo-chan, that’s your chest” she said with her tears welling up on her eyes, ready to fall to her cheeks.

Seeing this, he then pulled Mirai to him as he caressed her hair and hugged her.

“It’s okay Mi-chan, in every contest there has to be a winner” he said

“But—I did my best Ryo-chan! Still I lost!” she cried as she lost control to her tears.

“All of the contestants did their best Mi-chan. I even consider myself lucky because we managed to grab the third place.” He explained.

“It hurts me to see you crying Mi-chan” he whispered, loud enough for Mirai to hear.

“Why?” She asked looking at Ryosuke straight to his eyes.

“E—hh? Ehh, umm” He replied trying to avoid Mirai’s stares. He didn’t intend to say that out loud. He admits it, he finds Mirai cute when she’s a little angry but it hurts him the most when he sees Mirai crying.

“I don’t want to see you crying, because—” he stopped in the middle of his sentence, he knew this could give a scar to their friendship but he had no choice his heart is telling him to confess.

“Because?” she asked

Ryosuke breathed in and hugged Mirai, his chin was on Mirai’s shoulders.

“Because I like Mi-chan so much that it hurts me to see you cry” he whispered which made Mirai’s heart race.

“I won’t make you cry Mi-chan, so can you go out with me?” He asked. Mirai’s face was all red and her heartbeat was so fast and loud that it could just break out of her rib-cage in response to Ryosuke’s confession. She could just die from happiness right this moment.

Mirai then hugged Ryosuke tightly and smiled. “Ryo-chan…” She whispered back to Ryosuke.

The End

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you so much for following this short story-- I'm sorry for the long wait, so I uploaded two chapters to make it up for you. I hope you like it~ If possible can you please comment, it gives me motivation- Thank You!