Baumkuchen

As the morning came, Shishio opened his eyes and was about to start his workout, but when he moved, Shiina, who was sleeping on his arms, opened her eyes slightly, wiping her sleepy eyes slowly. "Shishio?"

"It's still morning. You should sleep." Shishio patted Mashiro's head gently.

However, Shiina didn't sleep and asked, "Who is the one sleeping on your bed?"

Shishio was surprised and asked, "You can see Mai, Mashiro?"

"Um." Shiina nodded with a confused expression since Mai suddenly appeared and was sleeping on Shishio's bed when she opened her eyes in the middle of the night. However, she understood why Shishio asked him to sleep with him on the futon last night.

Yesterday, after Shishio ate dinner while talking with the rest members of Sakurasou and being scolded by his aunt, he returned to his room to talk with Mai, but Mai had slept directly on his bed, which made him helpless. However, he didn't feel surprised since he saw her for the first time. He could see dark circles under her eyes, showing that she lacked sleep.

Still, soon after, Shiina entered his room and asked him to sleep together.

Shishio didn't mind, but he told Shiina that he needed to do something before they slept, to which she agreed.

However, when they were together until they slept together, Shiina didn't see Mai's figure sleeping on his bed, which was why Shishio was surprised when she suddenly told him that she could see Mai, who was sleeping soundly on his bed.

Shishio looked at Shiina, who was waiting for his explanation, and said, "Let's talk below. I'll bake you a Baumkuchen too."

"Baumkuchen!" Shiina's eyes shone brightly when she heard the word "Baumkuchen" from Shishio's mouth.

"Yes, I'll bake it for you." Shishio kissed Shiina's lips, then said, "Let's go together."

"Um."

Before he left, Shishio left a letter on the side of his bed so Mai wouldn't be startled when she suddenly woke up. After that, he left with Shiina to bake her a Baumkuchen since he had promised her.

Shiina followed him while holding Shishio's pillow since she would continue to sleep while listening to Shishio's story of how Mai could sleep on his bed so suddenly?

Still, if Shishio knew what Shiina thought, he would ask how she would listen to his story while sleeping?

Shiina just followed Shishio, but suddenly she stopped and returned to his room again. She forgot to bring her blanket, and after she got it, she strode to follow him to the yard to see him, baking a Baumkuchen.

Looking at Shiina, who followed him while holding the tip of his t-shirt, Shishio was wondering why it felt like he had a pet instead of a girlfriend?

---

While Shishio prepared to bake Baumkuchen, Shiina lay on the corridor, hugging her blanket tightly like a cocoon. She was quite sleepy, but she looked at Shishio, who made a campfire in the yard.

As the fire was on, Shishio mixed a dough for Baumkuchen that was made from water, flour, sugar, and butter. All of them were simple ingredients, but everything seemed to be so delicious under his care, even though it hadn't been baked yet.

*Growl!*

Shishio turned his head and saw Shiina, who had stood next to him with a blanket around her body. He could only smile and say, "Be patient, alright?"

Hearing Shishio's words, Shiina showed a disappointed expression.

"You might get a stomachache if you eat this dough. Wait a moment." Shishio then took a stick and created a lump around the stick. As the lump was created, he cast it over through the fire from a distance, and as the surface baked, he added more mix around the lump. As he baked, the sweet smell permeated through the air, which caused Shiina couldn't take her eyes from it.

Shishio sat near the fire with a stool, and Shiina sat next to him.

"It's Baumkuchen..." Shiina said in amazement.

"Is this your first time seeing it?" Shishio asked.

"Um." Shiina nodded since she had only seen the finished product but never the baking process.

"While waiting, should we talk?" Shishio said since he knew that sooner or later, a lot of people would wake up after they smelled a sweet smell that came from the yard.

"Um." Shiina nodded and only remembered Mai, who was sleeping in Shishio's room.

Shishio knew that Shiina might forget about Mai, but he didn't overthink and explained what had happened to Mai to Shiina.

Shiina, who heard Shishio's story, only listened to his story in silence and didn't even doubt his words, but she showed a surprised and sad expression when she knew about Mai's situation. After all, if she was in Mai's place, she also wasn't sure what she would do. "Shishio, you're going to help her, right?"

Shishio looked at Shiina and asked, "Is that okay with you?"

"Why not?" Shiina asked with a confused expression.

"I mean, you're not jealous?" Shishio had always wondered what Shiina thought when he was together with other girls.

Shiina stared at Shishio for a moment and said, "Isn't it a bit too late to ask me that?"

"...You're right..." Shishio was helpless at this moment since he knew it was quite late for him to ask her this question, especially when he had a lot of women around him already. Still, he wanted to know what she thought about this matter. "So, what do you think?"

"I'm jealous," Shiina said as she leaned her head on Shishio's shoulder.

"...I see."

"I'd be lying if I never thought what if I had you alone for me, but after we're together, I have realized something."

"What did you realize?" Shishio looked at Shiina curiously while baking the Baumkuchen.

"You're a beast," Shiina said without changing her face.

"......."

"I can't handle you alone."

"......."

"So I think it is the right choice if you get more girls," Shiina said.

"......."

"Is that okay?" Shishio was lost for words.

Shiina snorted and said, "You have taken Nana, Saki, Miu, Roberta, and even Nanami, right? So what are you afraid of now? Be confident like you have always done, Shishio." She looked at Shishio and smiled. "I am happy that you're worried about me, but I'm alright as long as I know you love me."

"Mashiro..." Shishio changed his mind.

Shiina wasn't a pet. Instead, she was a wonderful girlfriend.

They stared at each other for a moment before they started to kiss each other. If possible, they wanted this time to continue, but as time passed, many people were awoken by the sweet smell of the Baumkuchen.

But before that...

"Shishio."

"Hmm?"

"Help her, alright?"

Shishio looked at Shiina and nodded. "Yes."

Shiina snuggled on his arm again and knew that even though she might not be the only one, she was the most treasured one. "Shishio."

"Hmm?"

"I love you," Shiina said with a smile.

"I love you too, Mashiro," Shishio said with a smile.

They kissed each other again, and if Shiina wasn't in her period, then they might start a wrestling match on his bed right in the morning.

---

With Baumkuchen ready to eat, Shishio then asked Chihiro to skip today's class, which made her dumbfounded.

"Why?" Chihiro frowned since there was a Monthly Exam on Wednesday, which meant there were three days before the exam, but her nephew suddenly asked her to help him skip school, which made her inexplicable.

Still, Shishio was good at making excuses, so it didn't take long before Chihiro gave him a nod, which made her helpless.

Shishio knew that unlike Shiina, whose mind was working differently from other people, there was no way Chihiro would believe the reason why he had decided to skip school.

Mai's condition was too unique, and it would be hard for someone to believe her condition unless they saw what had happened.

Even if they saw what had happened, Shishio didn't think that someone might help her either, making him understand why Mai could give her life Sakuta. Even if Mai's condition might be cured, he believed that she might have a trauma about her condition, and she would still be afraid that her condition might relapse, which was why she had always stayed next to Sakuta if possible.

But of course, Sakuta's determination to save Mai was also one point that made Mai fall for him.

Still, right now, the one who helped Mai wasn't Sakuta, but it was him, Shishio.

Shishio knew that he needed to help Mai, so he needed to skip school today.

Chihiro gave Shishio permission, and at the same time, she reminded him not to stay out so long since she had always been doubtful whether Shishio still had his virginity or not. After all, he often stayed outside.

'Wait, has he lost his virginity?' Chihiro wanted to ask this question, but suddenly the appearance of Ryuunosuke in his uniform shocked everyone.

"Huh? Ryuunosuke? Why are you wearing your uniform?" Mayumi asked, dumbfounded, ignoring that there was still a Baumkuchen crump on the corner of her lips.

"Isn't it obvious that I'm going to school?" Ryuunosuke looked at Mayumi as if she was an idiot and said, "The exam is near. The school might expel me if I keep skipping school. Can you understand that?"

Mayumi was furious and wanted to flip the table, but when she thought that the Baumkuchen was still on the table, she stopped and said, "Shishio, don't give this kid a Baumkuchen! This kid is too annoying!"

"......."

"Okay, stop fighting, or should I take all of your Baukumchen?" Shishio threatened and caused them to be silent, stopping fighting each other.

They continued to eat and ignored all unpleasant matters before enjoying the Baumkuchen that Shishio baked. As they ate it, they felt that they were standing near a beautiful lake, enjoying nature as they ate the most delicious thing in the world.

Still, as Nanami ate the Baumkuchen happily, she noticed Shishio's gaze, which caused her to lower her eyes shyly since she was afraid that she might be eaten by him, or she might be waiting to be eaten by him?

Still, Nanami wondered whether she should make their relationship serious or just play around.

"..."

Nanami nibbled the Baumkuchen on her hand while thinking about what she should do.

After everyone ate the Baumkuchen and breakfast, they went to their own.

Nanami, Shiina, Ritsu, and Misaki went to the school together as Ryuunosuke followed them gloomily from behind.

Misaki invited Ryuunosuke to join them, but Ryuunosuke rejected without hesitation since he didn't want to get near the girls.

Ryuunosuke looked at Shishio before he walked away with a sigh since he wanted to talk with him about what Shishio asked him yesterday, but after knowing that Shishio was going to skip school, there was nothing that he could do, and he just hoped that Shishio could succeed since last night was his first time to see him have such an expression.

Ryuunosuke wanted to take out his laptop, but then he knew that it was dangerous to use it in the middle of the street.

Shishio waved his hand as he watched them walk to school before turning his attention to his room and seeing someone looking at him from the window. However, he didn't look away from her and smiled warmly, which caused the girl to quickly hide in embarrassment.

'Well, let's work hard.'

There was a girl who needed his help, and he would help her until the end.

His reason was pure, and it wasn't related to the fact that this girl was beautiful and he was greedy for her body.

Really.

Please believe in his pure eyes.