The festival had barely started, and already the classroom was a chaotic mess of customers, loud chatter, and far too many squealing voices. Bai Ying wasn't sure what was more overwhelming—the sheer number of people pouring into their maid café or the fact that nearly every single guy in the room was dressed in a frilly maid outfit.
"Oh my god, Teruhashi-san, you're so handsome!"
A group of girls practically swooned as Teruhashi Kokomi gracefully accepted their compliments, flashing her usual dazzling smile. "Oh my, you're too kind," she said sweetly, tilting her head in that perfect idol-like way.
Bai Ying, standing near the counter, adjusted the apron of his own maid outfit and gave her a sidelong glance. He wasn't the only one who noticed how quickly the girls were losing their minds over her appearance.
"I mean, with that uniform, she could totally be a prince!"
"So cool! She's wasted as a girl!"
The admiration for Kokomi was expected. What Bai Ying hadn't expected, however, was the sudden shift in attention toward him.
"Wait—Makoto-san, you look… actually really pretty."
"Right?! I didn't realize how much he looks like Teruhashi-san until now!"
Hairo, ever the loudest in the room, cupped his chin and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you do look like Kokomi!"
Bai Ying stiffened.
Kokomi's smile twitched.
It was subtle—barely noticeable to the average person—but Bai Ying caught the way her fingers clenched just a little too tightly around the serving tray she was holding.
"Oh," he thought, fighting the urge to grin.
And just when he thought the moment couldn't get any better, Kaidou dramatically pointed at both of them.
"This… this must be the work of Dark Reunion!" he declared. "What if they're actually doppelgangers of each other, sent to confuse us?! It's the perfect deception!"
The entire table went silent.
Even Hairo blinked at him. "Uh… Kaidou, they're siblings."
"That's exactly what they want us to think!" Kaidou insisted, crossing his arms. "We need to be careful. If there's an evil organization behind this, who knows what they'll do next?"
Then, as if suddenly realizing something even more suspicious, Kaidou's eyes widened.
"Wait a minute! Makoto's practically glowing too!" he exclaimed. "What if—what if he's harnessing some kind of supernatural energy?!"
Bai Ying took a sip of the tea he wasn't even drinking to hide his laughter.
Meanwhile, Kokomi was trying very, very hard not to look personally insulted.
"Ehehe, of course we look similar," she said, voice just a little too tight. "We are siblings, after all."
Before Bai Ying could tease her, however, he caught a familiar figure moving behind the counter, and his heart still did a weird little flip.
Saiki.
Bai Ying had already seen him in the maid outfit yesterday, had already suffered the mental crisis that came with it. He should've been prepared.
He wasn't.
Somehow, the sight of Saiki in full costume, framed by the lively festival setting, made the effect even worse. The wig, the frilly dress, the complete contrast between his stoic expression and the outfit—it was a lethal combination.
Bai Ying hated how easily it got to him.
But before he could even attempt to shake it off, things in the café were already spiraling into chaos.
"Makoto-san, can we get a picture with you?"
Bai Ying barely had time to react before a group of girls gathered around him, their eyes practically sparkling.
"Ah—"
"You're seriously so pretty, it's unfair!" one of them gushed. "You and Teruhashi-san look like twins, but you have this elegant charm too! It's different from hers!"
Kokomi's eye twitched.
Bai Ying, sensing danger, put on his best polite smile. "Thank you, but I should—"
"Come on, just one picture!"
"Makoto-san, do a cute pose!"
Before he knew it, they had their phones out. Someone grabbed his wrist and positioned him in the middle of their group, and with an all-too-familiar click, the damage was done.
"Perfect!"
"I'm totally posting this!"
Bai Ying barely stopped himself from groaning. He wasn't against taking pictures, but this was exactly how rumors started. The last thing he needed was for his already chaotic school life to get even more dramatic.
"Alright, alright, I should get back to work now," he said, slipping out of their grasp as smoothly as he could.
As he returned to the counter, he caught sight of Saiki standing near the register, his gaze sharp and unreadable.
Bai Ying blinked.
…Was it just him, or did Saiki look mildly annoyed?
No, that couldn't be right.
Saiki didn't care about things like this, did he?
Bai Ying was still trying to figure it out when another girl approached, a shy smile on her face.
"Makoto-san," she started, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "Um, can I get your recommendation for a dessert?"
Bai Ying tilted his head. "Ah, well, that depends. Do you like sweet or less sweet things?"
"Hmm… I like whatever you like."
Bai Ying's mind stalled.
"…Huh?"
The girl giggled, clearly enjoying his reaction. "Whatever you like, I'm sure I'll love it too!"
Bai Ying opened his mouth, closed it, then let out a soft chuckle. So that's what's happening.
He could feel a few more eyes on him now—other girls who had been watching the interaction, clearly interested in joining in. He wasn't , but apparently, the maid outfit had some effect.
"Alright," he said, leaning forward slightly. "Then I'd recommend the strawberry shortcake. It's light, fluffy, and sweet. Just like me, wouldn't you say?"
The girl turned red.
From the corner of his eye, Bai Ying caught Saiki moving.
A second later, a plate of strawberry shortcake landed on the counter—hard.
The girl jumped, startled.
Saiki, still in his maid outfit, adjusted his glasses. His expression was unreadable, but there was an almost pointed air to the way he placed the dessert down.
"There," he said. "Strawberry shortcake."
Bai Ying stared at him.
Then, slowly, a grin tugged at his lips.
Oh.
Oh.
Was Saiki actually—?
No, no, Bai Ying wasn't going to assume anything. But the timing was suspicious. Very suspicious.
Bai Ying's grin widened as he observed Saiki's subtle display of jealousy. The usually composed psychic seemed slightly perturbed, a rare crack in his stoic demeanor.
"Thank you, Saiki," Bai Ying said, his tone light but teasing. "I appreciate the prompt service."
Saiki adjusted his glasses, his expression returning to its usual neutrality. "Just doing my job."
The girl, oblivious to the undercurrents between the two, took a bite of the shortcake and beamed. "This is delicious! Thank you, Saiki-san!"
Saiki gave a curt nod before turning to attend to other customers. Bai Ying watched him go, amusement dancing in his eyes. It wasn't often he saw Saiki affected by emotions, and this glimpse of possessiveness was both surprising and endearing.
Deciding to test the waters further, Bai Ying engaged the girl in light conversation, eliciting more laughter and smiles. He could feel Saiki's gaze flickering toward them intermittently, the air around him growing subtly tenser.
After a few minutes, Bai Ying excused himself and made his way to the counter where Saiki was preparing another order. Leaning casually against the surface, he remarked, "You know, jealousy doesn't suit you."
Saiki didn't pause in his actions, but Bai Ying caught the slight twitch of his eyebrow. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Of course not," Bai Ying replied, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "But just so you know, there's no need for it."
Saiki finally looked up, meeting Bai Ying's gaze. His eyes, usually impassive, held a hint of curiosity. "And why is that?"
Bai Ying's smile softened, sincerity replacing the teasing. "Because I'm exactly where I want to be."
For a moment, the bustling café seemed to fade into the background as they held each other's gaze. Then, with a barely perceptible nod, Saiki returned to his task, the tension in his shoulders easing ever so slightly.
Taking that as his cue, Bai Ying exhaled and rolled up his sleeves. No point in overthinking—there was work to do. He stepped into the kitchen, eyes scanning the controlled chaos around him.
"Alright," he called out, clapping his hands together. "What's the situation?"
"We need more shortcakes!" Mera called, already halfway through piping whipped cream onto a batch of fresh pastries. "And someone's burning the crepes!"
"That would be me," Kaidou admitted sheepishly, waving away smoke. "But in my defense, Dark Reunion is clearly sabotaging this operation!"
"Step aside before you set off the fire alarm," Bai Ying said, nudging him away from the stove. "Go help with plating instead."
As Kaidou shuffled off, mumbling about conspiracies, Bai Ying quickly took over. He sliced strawberries with precision, adjusted the heat, and instructed the other students like a seasoned chef. Even Hairo, the ever-enthusiastic class rep, was taking orders from him.
"Makoto's practically glowing!" Kaidou whispered dramatically. "He's like the protagonist of a cooking anime!"
Before Bai Ying could respond, a commotion erupted outside the café.
"Woah, she's so cute!"
"Wait, who's that? Is she from our school?!"
"Oh my god, it's Rifuta Imu!!"
The door swung open, and Rifuta Imu stepped inside, exuding confidence with a playful twirl of her hair. She flashed a dazzling smile, basking in the attention as gasps and whispers spread through the café.
Makoto had just stepped out of the kitchen, drawn by the noise. He had barely taken a moment to enjoy the chaos of the festival before he heard yet another commotion and decided to investigate. And, well—this was entertaining.
"Hehe, thank you, thank you~" she giggled, her fans practically swooning in the background.
Then, she turned toward the counter—and her smile instantly dropped.
Because standing there, dressed in a crisp butler uniform, was Teruhashi Kokomi. Looking unfairly, devastatingly, ridiculously handsome.
Rifuta froze.
Her eyes widened.
Her brain short-circuited.
Kokomi, oblivious, greeted her smoothly. "Welcome. Would you like a table for one?"
Rifuta, still staring, grabbed the sleeve of a random passing student, gripping it like her life depended on it.
"H-holy crap," she whispered. "Why is Teruhashi-san HOT?!"
The student—completely unprepared for this—blinked at her. "Uh… genetics?"
Bai Ying, watching the entire thing unfold, nearly dropped the bowl of batter he was holding. Oh, this was gold. He was never letting Kokomi live this down.
The café buzzed with energy as Rifuta struggled to process what she was seeing. Bai Ying, grinning from ear to ear, had to turn away to hide his amusement.
Kokomi, on the other hand, maintained her usual air of perfection, even as the murmurs of admiration around her grew louder.
"She's so cool…"
"Wait, does this mean Teruhashi-kun and Teruhashi-san really look alike?"
"They could be twins!"
Kokomi twitched.
Bai Ying, already prepared for chaos, casually slid next to her. "Wow, Kokomi. I guess that means I look just as cool as you, huh?"
Kokomi's perfect smile remained in place, but there was a slight stiffness to it. She let out a light, practiced laugh.
"Makoto, you're always saying such strange things," she said smoothly, flipping her hair. "But really, I don't think we look that alike."
Her tone was pleasant, but there was a barely perceptible tension in the way she spoke—as if she were trying just a bit too hard to brush the topic aside.
"Yeah, but even Hairo said it," Bai Ying pointed out, gesturing toward Hairo.
Hairo, who had absolutely not been paying attention, suddenly found himself thrown into the conversation. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, you do look like Kokomi!"
The café fell silent for a split second.
Kokomi's eye twitched once more.
"Maybe," Kaidou interjected, pointing dramatically, "I told you guys! this is the work of Dark Reunion! They must be doppelgängers of each other, meant to confuse us into—ACK!"
Kaidou's conspiracy theory was abruptly interrupted when Kokomi "accidentally" stepped on his foot.
"Oh my, how clumsy of me," she said sweetly, flipping her hair. Then, with a practiced, dazzling smile, she added, "I'm so sorry, Kaidou-kun. I hope that didn't hurt too much."
Her voice was dripping with innocence, but the sharp glint in her eyes suggested otherwise.
Bai Ying smirked. Oh, she is so mad.
Meanwhile, Rifuta finally recovered from her shock and grabbed Bai Ying's arm. "Makoto, Makoto! You have to tell me—how is Teruhashi-san this handsome?! Is she single?! Would she date a cute underclassman like me?!"
Bai Ying nearly choked on laughter. "You're asking me?!"
"I'm desperate!" Rifuta wailed.
Kokomi, maintaining her usual dazzling smile, let out a light, practiced laugh. "Oh my, Rifuta-chan, you're quite bold," she said smoothly, though there was a slight edge to her tone.
Rifuta, still in awe, clutched her chest dramatically. "So cool…"
Bai Ying gave Kokomi a look that said, Yeah, sure, totally not mad about the comparisons.
Kokomi ignored him.
Across the room, Saiki sighed, already regretting not leaving the second his shift ended.
Meanwhile, Rifuta had completely abandoned all sense of dignity. "This is insane," she breathed, eyes darting between Kokomi and Makoto like she had just discovered a new scientific phenomenon. "How are you two even real? It's like—like a cheat code for genetics!"
Makoto blinked. "Uh, thanks?"
But Rifuta wasn't done. She turned to the nearest person—Aren. "You see it too, right?"
Aren crossed his arms, looking between them. "Yeah, you do look alike."
Makoto smirked, turning to Kokomi. "So, sis, what's it like being publicly acknowledged as my twin?"
Kokomi's perfect smile remained in place, but there was a barely perceptible twitch in her brow. "Well that's a funny thing to say," she said smoothly. "Though, I do think some comparisons are better left unsaid, don't you?"
Makoto grinned, knowing full well that he had successfully gotten under her skin.
Before the tension could escalate further, the café door suddenly swung open, and the room collectively turned toward the newcomer.
Makoto, hearing the sudden shift in energy, stepped out of the kitchen to see what was happening—completely unaware that the real chaos was just about to begin.