Don't Try the Noodles

Secret Chapter

❤️ 2020 Valentine's Day Special 🖤

Chapter Song: Eve - 心予報 (Kokoroyoho / 마음 예보 / Heart Forecast)

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Secret Chapter

(The following chapter takes place around four years earlier when Bailey and Caleb were in eighth grade.)

Bailey

"Hey, Bae," Emma says, peeking her head out of her fashion magazine. "Do you think I should try making chocolates this year?"

I drop the romance manga in my hand. Thinking about the fact that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I look at her wide-eyed and almost squeal. "You have a crush?!"

She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, as if. You've seen the boys in our school. None of them can even compete with Raphael. My crush standards are very high now because of him, you know."

Raphael was a French foreign exchange student that Emma dated last year. He moved back to France after the summer to pursue a modeling career. To be honest, I don't think Emma's fully over him yet.

"Right, my bad," I say, looking down aimlessly. "But some of the boys in our school are okay."

Emma scoffs. "Yeah? Name one."

Caleb Edmonds.

I can't bring myself to say that out loud. My face is warm just from the thought of him.

"Never mind..."

"Anyway, I was thinking about making chocolates because of all those anime shows we've been watching. It looks kind of fun. And who says you have to give the chocolates away to a boy on Valentine's Day? I'll make them, and I'll eat them. I'll give you some too, of course."

"So, that's what it is. I've always wanted to try making chocolates too. For fun, I mean."

It is half true. The other half is a fantasy of me giving them to Caleb. A girl can dream...

I need to stop thinking about him with my best friend around. It's too dangerous. She has no idea I've been crushing on him since sixth grade—

"Hey!"

I shudder in surprise. "Uh, y-yeah?"

"We should make the chocolates together! Let's buy the ingredients after school tomorrow and make it at your place."

There are two reasons Emma wants to make the chocolates at my place. The first is that with my dad being a chef we have a lot of cooking tools at home, most of which barely get used anyway. My dad may be a professional cook, but once he's off work, he mostly sticks to making ramen. The second reason is that Emma has three rowdy younger siblings she does not want to share her sweets with. I've seen those three on insane sugar rushes before. Emma and I tend to leave the house whenever that happens.

I nod without much deliberation. "Okay, sounds good."

***

"Remember our plans after school," Emma says, waving goodbye after lunch.

"Yup," I say excitedly.

Unfortunately, Emma and I don't share any classes in the afternoon. I have a lot of advanced classes, while Emma is more than happy with her C plus average.

I'm walking to math class when I see someone who shares all of the advanced classes with me. It almost seems unfair that one boy can be so good-looking, kind, sociable, and smart.