Bai Ying stood in front of the kitchen counter, arms crossed as he eyed the ingredients laid out before him. Flour, sugar, eggs, butter—basic staples, nothing particularly intimidating. Yet, for some reason, he hesitated.
The rest of the group loitered around the kitchen, waiting expectantly. Hairo, always enthusiastic about teamwork, looked eager to see the results. "Alright, let's see what you've got, Makoto! If you're as good as Teruhashi says, this should be a piece of cake for you."
Kaidou, arms crossed, narrowed his eyes. "Tch. Cooking in unfamiliar territory… This is exactly the kind of situation where the Dark Reunion would strike. We can't let our guard down."
Bai Ying barely spared him a glance. "Right. I'll be sure to watch out for any sudden, nefarious attempts to sabotage our sugar supply."
Saiki, standing off to the side, exhaled slowly.
Teruhashi wasn't particularly enthusiastic, but she did seem confident in her assessment of his skills. "Well, you did bake before. It's not surprising you're good at it."
Bai Ying smiled wryly. Except I have no memory of that.
Which meant he had to cook.
Great.
Still, there was no avoiding it now. He reached for the measuring cup, intending to at least try—and then something clicked. His hands moved with ease, muscle memory kicking in like a well-rehearsed routine.
Without thinking, he measured the flour precisely, cracked the eggs with one hand, and stirred the mixture with an efficiency that felt unnatural to him. It was as if his body already knew what to do, following steps ingrained from a past he hadn't lived.
"…Huh."
"Wow," Chiyo breathed. "You really can cook."
Hairo nodded approvingly. "This is amazing! You're so precise with your movements—it's like watching a professional at work!"
Bai Ying didn't respond immediately. His fingers moved on autopilot, folding the ingredients together smoothly. This is weird. He hadn't expected to actually be good at this. He'd assumed he'd struggle a bit, that he'd have to rely on vague knowledge or wing it entirely.
But no. His hands worked with an ease he didn't consciously control. It was like the knowledge was buried deep in Makoto Teruhashi's body, waiting for the right moment to surface.
How competent was Makoto, exactly?
Even Saiki looked mildly surprised—though that surprise quickly faded into his usual blank expression.
Bai Ying smirked. Even you weren't expecting this, huh?
He continued mixing, letting the realization settle in. Maybe this wasn't so bad. If Makoto's skills could be this useful, he might as well take full advantage of them.
He turned toward the others. "Alright. If we're running a café, we'll need a solid menu. What desserts are we working with?"
Hairo, ever enthusiastic, immediately pulled out a small notebook. "I wrote down some ideas! Cakes, cookies, pastries—things that are easy to serve but still impressive enough to draw in customers."
"Nothing too complicated," Teruhashi added. "We don't want to overwork ourselves."
"Good call," Bai Ying said, rolling up his sleeves. "Let's start with something simple. I'll make a basic sponge cake first to test the oven."
As he turned back to the counter, he caught Saiki watching him with a mildly unreadable expression. Not quite surprised, but definitely observing.
Bai Ying grinned. Oh, you're definitely curious now.
The kitchen smelled warm and sweet, the rich scent of freshly baked sponge cake filling the air. Bai Ying pulled the tray out of the oven, setting it on the counter with a satisfying clink. The golden-brown surface looked perfect—soft, fluffy, and evenly baked.
He took a step back, staring at it. I actually did that.
A strange sense of accomplishment settled over him. It wasn't just that the cake turned out well—it was the fact that he had done it effortlessly. This was, without a doubt, Makoto Teruhashi's skill at work.
Hairo clapped his hands together, looking like he was about to cry. "Makoto! You're a natural!"
Chiyo gasped. "It's beautiful! It looks just like something from a bakery!"
Kaidou, despite his usual paranoia, nodded in grudging approval. "I suppose it's… adequate."
Bai Ying smirked. "High praise coming from you."
The real test came when they actually tasted it. Hairo eagerly grabbed a knife, cutting the cake into neat slices. The first bite had Chiyo practically swooning.
"It's so soft! And the texture—!"
Teruhashi, always more composed, took a small bite and nodded. "It's good."
"More than good!" Hairo declared. "With Makoto's skills, our maid café is guaranteed to be a success!"
Bai Ying accepted the praise easily, though his mind was still processing the fact that he had this talent to begin with. He wasn't going to complain—if anything, it worked in his favor.
Then his gaze drifted toward Saiki.
The psychic had remained silent through most of the commotion, standing slightly apart from the group as if waiting for them to settle down. His expression was unreadable, but Bai Ying had a feeling he was analyzing everything.
Which meant it was time for Bai Ying's next move.
He leaned against the counter, tilting his head slightly. "Alright, since that was a success, I'll be making one more thing."
Hairo perked up. "Another cake?"
Bai Ying smirked. "Not quite."
His eyes flickered toward Saiki, who immediately looked like he regretted existing.
"I'll be making coffee jelly."
The room fell silent for a brief moment before Chiyo clapped her hands together excitedly. "Oh, that's a great idea! It's unique, and it'll give our café a more sophisticated menu!"
Hairo nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! And it's a simple dish, but one that needs just the right balance of sweetness and texture to get right!"
Saiki, meanwhile, was still staring at Bai Ying like he was contemplating telekinetically throwing him out of the house.
Bai Ying pretended not to notice, instead grabbing the necessary ingredients.
"You don't have to look so suspicious, Saiki," he said, smirking. "It's just coffee jelly."
Saiki didn't say anything. But the fact that he hadn't immediately left the room meant he was definitely paying attention now.
Bai Ying turned back to the counter, already picturing how this was going to go.
The kitchen was a blur of movement as everyone continued their tasks. Bai Ying worked seamlessly, hands moving with instinct as he folded batter, whipped cream, and arranged delicate pastries on trays. It was an odd sensation—his body remembering skills that he, Bai Ying, had never actually learned. Makoto Teruhashi had known how to cook, but Bai Ying himself? Not so much.
He stared down at his handiwork. The rows of evenly shaped pastries, the smoothness of the batter—there was no hesitation in his movements. It was automatic, like muscle memory he hadn't even realized he had.
"Huh."
A quiet exhale from beside him. Bai Ying turned his head slightly to find Saiki watching him, his expression unreadable but his gaze lingering.
Saiki noticed him looking and turned away, adjusting his glasses. Interesting.
"What?" Bai Ying asked, smirking as he leaned just a bit closer. "Surprised?"
Saiki didn't respond, but Bai Ying could practically hear his thoughts.
There's no way someone like you should be this competent.
Bai Ying chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
He expected Saiki to deflect, to come up with some dry, dismissive remark, but the psychic only glanced at him before returning his attention to the coffee jelly Bai Ying had prepared earlier.
The dessert sat on the counter, its smooth, glossy surface catching the light. Bai Ying had plated it with precision—just the right balance of cream and coffee, an elegant swirl on top. It looked perfect.
More importantly, Saiki hadn't looked away from it for the past minute.
Bai Ying leaned against the counter, tilting his head. "You can have it, you know."
Saiki's eyes flickered toward him. Bai Ying smirked, resting his chin on his palm. "I did make it for you."
A brief pause. Then—Saiki picked up the spoon and took a bite.
Bai Ying watched intently, searching for any reaction.
Saiki was unreadable at first, chewing slowly. But then, in the smallest, almost imperceptible movement—his lips parted just slightly, and Bai Ying caught the way his fingers curled around the spoon a little tighter.
Victory.
Bai Ying chuckled under his breath, satisfied.
For a moment, it was just the two of them, standing in the middle of the bustling kitchen.
And Saiki, despite everything, didn't seem to mind.
After the success of the coffee jelly, the group continued their practice session with renewed energy. Bai Ying, however, couldn't shake the feeling of Saiki's gaze lingering on him just a little longer than before.
The kitchen remained a whirlwind of activity. Hairo's enthusiasm had led to several near disasters, Kaidou kept mumbling about 'dark forces sabotaging his dough,' and Nendou… well, Nendou was just making a mess.
Somehow, Bai Ying had ended up in charge of plating and presentation. Teruhashi assisted, though she seemed more amused by his concentration than anything else.
"You're really focused, Makoto," she commented, watching as he carefully garnished a plate of pastries. "It's kind of surprising."
Bai Ying smirked. "Didn't expect me to be good with my hands?"
Teruhashi rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant."
"Mm," Bai Ying hummed, but his focus wasn't really on her anymore. His gaze shifted—instinctively—toward Saiki, who was sitting quietly at the edge of the kitchen, eating his coffee jelly with a steady, almost contemplative look.
For someone so reluctant to react, he sure was taking his time eating it.
Bai Ying leaned against the counter, tapping a spoon against his palm. "You're not bad at expressing yourself, you know."
Saiki gave him a look. "What are you talking about?"
Bai Ying gestured toward the empty glass in his hands, his smirk widening. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you actually enjoyed that."
Saiki adjusted his glasses, avoiding his gaze. "It was adequate."
Bai Ying chuckled. Liar.
Something about Saiki's subtle reactions—the slight twitch of his fingers, the way he refused to meet Bai Ying's eyes—felt oddly… endearing. It was a different kind of victory, seeing past the layers of deadpan indifference.
And Bai Ying? He wasn't sure if he liked it a little too much.
The thought lingered as the group continued working.
Eventually, as the trial run wrapped up, Hairo clapped his hands together with a broad grin. "Alright! That was a success! I think we're ready for the festival!"
The group cheered—well, most of them. Kaidou looked relieved to have survived, and Saiki, as expected, looked like he regretted ever agreeing to this.
But Bai Ying? He was still smirking.
Because when he glanced at Saiki one last time, he caught it—so faint that no one else would have noticed.
The corner of Saiki's lips, just barely, had twitched upward.
Bai Ying looked away, hiding his grin.
The kitchen was finally winding down. With all the food prepped, tested, and begrudgingly approved (even by Saiki), the atmosphere shifted into something more relaxed. The air was still filled with the lingering scent of sugar, coffee, and the occasional burnt pastry (courtesy of Kaidou's 'experimental' attempt at deep-frying something that should never have been deep-fried).
Nendou had somehow ended up sprawled on the floor, patting his stomach with a satisfied grin. "Man, that was some good eatin'!"
Hairo nodded enthusiastically. "This was a great team effort! We're going to do amazing at the festival!"
Kaidou, meanwhile, was muttering under his breath, probably still recovering from whatever 'dark organization' he thought was targeting his batter.
Bai Ying leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, watching them with amusement. So much energy. If he weren't trapped in this world, he'd almost find it exhausting.
His gaze flickered toward Saiki. The psychic was still sitting in his usual quiet spot, an empty glass in front of him—the remnants of the coffee jelly Bai Ying had made.
He ate every bite.
Bai Ying tapped his fingers against his arm, thoughtful. He had made the dessert mostly as a joke, expecting Saiki to either ignore it or make some dry comment. But instead, Saiki had actually eaten it—slowly, deliberately, as if savoring it.
That was… unexpected.
Bai Ying smirked. "I should make that again sometime."
Saiki shot him a glance.
"You liked it," Bai Ying teased. "Don't deny it."
Saiki turned away, adjusting his glasses. "It was adequate."
Bai Ying grinned. That's not a no.
Before he could push further, Teruhashi clapped her hands together, her usual dazzling smile in place. "Well! Now that we're done, we should probably start cleaning up."
A chorus of groans followed, but no one could argue. The kitchen was a mess—flour-covered counters, sticky utensils, and a suspiciously large puddle of something that no one wanted to claim responsibility for.
Hairo, ever the motivator, raised a fist. "If we work together, we can finish in no time!"
Bai Ying rolled his eyes but didn't protest. As much as he hated the idea of more work, he didn't exactly want to leave his kitchen in ruins.
With everyone pitching in, the place was soon back in order. Plates were stacked, surfaces wiped down, and ingredients packed away. It was almost—almost—efficient.
At some point, Bai Ying found himself next to Saiki again, both of them rinsing off utensils in comfortable silence.
Bai Ying glanced at him, tilting his head. "So. Did I pass the test?"
Saiki didn't look at him. "What test?"
"The one where you analyze me and decide whether I'm worth keeping around." Bai Ying smirked. "I'm sure you've been evaluating me this entire time."
A pause. Then—so quietly it was almost missed—
"…You're not terrible."
Bai Ying's fingers stilled under the water.
For Saiki, that was practically high praise.
He turned slightly, studying Saiki's face. The psychic's expression remained as unreadable as ever, but there was something in the way he didn't immediately leave, the way his fingers lightly tapped against the counter—just a tiny, almost imperceptible habit.
Bai Ying smirked. "Well, well. High praise from you."
Saiki said nothing, but he didn't deny it.
Something warm curled in Bai Ying's chest—subtle, almost unnoticeable, but there.
This was fun.
And for the first time in a long while, Bai Ying thought—maybe he didn't mind being here so much after all.