Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 22

_Chapter 22~ Unique_

"Iwasaki!"

Thankfully, the male spun around. "What is it, Kikuchi?"

Issuing one last breath, I thrust the container of cake towards him. "I-I made it!"

Ryu honestly appeared caught off guard as he received it. "The chocolate cake?"

"Y-yeah." I forced a smile, scratching the back of my neck. "I actually made it yesterday but I got nervous since it was Valentine's Day and... Stupid, right? Anyway, I hope you like it."

The silence that met me piqued my curiosity. I glanced his way, expecting to see him stuffing his face. Instead, however, Ryu held it far from him, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It really does stink like garbage."

My eyelids snapped open and I lurched upright in bed, doused in cold sweat. My heart pounded frantically in my chest.

Stink... Stink...

Reaching over and slapping my hand on the desk near my bed, nothing came to greet me. I extended my arm further but managed to miss the target of my slap this time, allowing me to tumble off my bed. I fell onto my face but quickly dragged myself over to my bag, rummaging for my cell. After catching it, I fumbled for the home button and turned it on.

'2:53 AM' stared back at me and I bobbed my head. That was more than enough time.

Clambering to my feet, I grabbed my recipe book off the bookshelf and raced out of my bedroom towards the kitchen. I chucked the whole cake I'd previously made for Ryu in the garbage, grabbing a large bowl and some eggs from the fridge. It was better to start from scratch.

Just in case.

*           *          *

"You're really weird you realize that, right?"

"Oh, shut up," I told Daichi with a large yawn.

He shook his head at me. "You stayed up making him another cake? Why?"

I waved my hand, unable to keep my eyes open as I walked. Daichi hovered around me, steering me clear of passing students and walls.

"What do you mean 'why?'" I whined with a frown. "I had it with me for community service and I smelt like garbage. How about if the cake reeked of it when I gave it to him? That'd be horrible!"

He sighed. "You're such a worrywart."

"Don't call me a wart. Ew."

"That's not what I meant..."

I was seconds from bumping into somebody when Daichi seized my arms and tugged me back. He then led me into another hallway.

"Seriously," he said, "you're lucky you have somebody like me by your side."

Promptly after saying that, I collided into something rock solid. Grumbling, I rubbed my throbbing nose and squinted at the wall I retreated from.

"Yeah," I spat, shaking his grip off me. "So lucky."

"See, uh, that was a miscalculation."

"Whatever."

Daichi fell into step with me. "You're giving it to him today, right?"

I nodded. "For sure." As soon as the words left my mouth, I halted in my tracks. "But how about if it still smells?" Reaching into my bag, I smacked the container to Daichi's face. "Does it? Tell me."