A sweet aroma of artificial flavoring filled the home economics classroom.
"So, Yuigahama-san, you want to convey your feelings to someone through handmade cookies?" Mori Shinra asked, blinking.
Yukinoshita, while expertly opening the refrigerator to take out ingredients like eggs and milk, replied, "That's right."
"A love confession?" Shinra asked, feigning ignorance.
"It's an apology!" Yukinoshita slammed the refrigerator door shut and ordered him unceremoniously, "Bring over the scale and bowl from over there."
"Don't even know how to say 'please' when asking for help. How rude," Shinra grumbled.
Yukinoshita thought about it, felt he had a point, and rephrased, "Please invite the scale and bowl from over there."
"Are we making a religious offering to the scale and bowl?" Shinra retorted.
The word 'invite' was usually reserved for moving statues of deities.
Watching the two of them bicker, Yuigahama Yui couldn't help but tug on Hikigaya Hachiman's sleeve and whisper, "Are they always like this?"
"Huh? Don't worry about it. They're not really fighting," Hikigaya replied, assuming that's what she was worried about, his tone nonchalant as if this was a common occurrence.
"I know that much!" Yuigahama lightly tapped Hikigaya's shoulder with her small fist, as if expressing dissatisfaction, though it was a painless gesture.
After a pause, she continued, "It's just that Yukinoshita-san is a little different from what I imagined. Mori Shinra-san is too."
Yuigahama knew of Yukinoshita. Her fame in the girls' social circles was no less than in the boys', and in some ways, even greater.
However, compared to the boys' admiration, affection, and pursuit of Yukinoshita, the girls' feelings were more of wariness, envy, and jealousy. They would often secretly compete with her, even if Yukinoshita herself was unaware and wouldn't care.
Yuigahama had no intention of competing with Yukinoshita. That was her friend Miura Yumiko's thing. Therefore, her image of Yukinoshita was usually built from conversations with her friends.
It wasn't until today that she had truly met her in person and found that she wasn't as unapproachable as her friends had said. Just watching her bicker with Mori Shinra, she didn't seem like an Ice Queen at all, but rather like an ordinary high school girl... well, maybe just a bit prettier.
"How is she different? That side of her is only open to a select few," Hikigaya said, seeing things clearly.
It's not that the goddess isn't gentle; her gentleness just isn't open to you.
"Eh? Is that so?" Yuigahama was taken aback. She felt that what Hikigaya said made some sense, but it also didn't seem entirely right.
Yuigahama was a girl who was good at observing others. Therefore, she could clearly sense that Yukinoshita wasn't as cold as she appeared on the surface. Her actual interaction with her also gave her this impression; in fact, she felt that she was quite gentle.
It was just that this gentleness was hidden under a cool exterior, not easily perceived by others.
"More importantly, are you planning to apologize with handmade cookies?" Hikigaya brought the topic back.
At this, Yuigahama's spirits lifted. She nodded happily. "That's right! There's nothing better than something handmade to convey your feelings, right?"
"That's true," Hikigaya did not deny it.
"So, Hikki, you should make some too!" Yuigahama's big eyes sparkled as she looked at him. This made Hikigaya feel extremely uncomfortable, like a salted fish from a damp, dark place being dragged out to bake under the sun.
Besides, Hikigaya wasn't as dense as he appeared. After spending these past few days together, and based on some of Mori Shinra's usual behavior, he was basically certain that the other party had recognized him long ago.
And since Shinra already knew about him, there was no reason he wouldn't know about Yuigahama...
"By the way, Yuigahama, have you considered something?"
"What?"
"Having the person you're apologizing to teach you how to make the cookies for the apology, and then apologizing to that person. Won't that be a problem?"
"Is that a tongue twister?" Yuigahama Yui felt a little dizzy listening to it and couldn't quite grasp what he was trying to say.
Helpless, Hikigaya had to slow down and repeat what he had just said.
After understanding, Yuigahama Yui's face stiffened, and she then fell into a state of panic, at a complete loss for what to do.
"So you really didn't notice..."
Seeing this, Hikigaya sighed and then comforted her, "But doing it this way might not be a bad idea. As long as you perform well later, it could actually make the person you're apologizing to realize your sincerity."
"Really?"
"Even if it's not, there's nothing you can do about it now, is there?"
"Mmm..."
Hikigaya wasn't lying to her. In fact, if Mori Shinra already knew that he and Yuigahama were involved in that car accident, the fact that he was willing to be in the same club with him and teach her how to make cookies already showed that he didn't care about the incident. He just hadn't said it out loud.
Of course, whether Shinra cared was his business. Whether they apologized was their business. They couldn't just not apologize for their mistake because the other person didn't care, could they?
Hikigaya couldn't do something like that.
After Yukinoshita had prepared everything needed to make the cookies, she noticed that Hikigaya and Yuigahama were still whispering to each other in the corner. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"What are you two still standing there dazed for? Go put on your aprons!"
"Y-yes!" Private Yuigahama, having been called out, immediately stood at attention and hurriedly put on her apron.
It was hard to tell if it was because she was too nervous or if she rarely wore one, but although she had the apron on, it was crooked and twisted, and even the tie at the back was a mess.
Yukinoshita couldn't bear to watch any longer. She put down what she was doing and went to help. "Your knot is crooked. Don't you even know how to wear an apron?"
"I'm sorry, thank you... Hey! I do know how to wear an apron!"
"Then wear it properly. If you do things carelessly, you'll end up like Hikigaya!"
"Is my name some kind of derogatory term?"
"Hikki is actually pretty great..." Yuigahama whispered.
"Hmm?" Yukinoshita, as if sensing something, looked thoughtfully at Yuigahama and then at Hikigaya.
"Hikki~ can you help me tie the knot at the back?" Mori Shinra said in a high-pitched voice, turning his back to Hikigaya.
Hikigaya felt a shiver run down his spine and looked at Mori Shinra in horror. "What's going on? Are you possessed?"
Shinra sighed and said pointedly, "This is why I say you have no understanding of human nature."
"I'd rather not hear that from you, of all people."
Despite his words, Hikigaya still obediently helped tie the knot on Shinra's back.
On a side note, Yuigahama Yui's apron remained improperly worn until the end of this chapter.