adoringpast | ic inbox for recolle part deux;

[ Mao can manage the basics of baking but real technique is usually left purely in the hands of his mom. He's feeling pretty lucky that Mizuki came through with the egg whites since they're crucial. He nods and brings his bowl over to where Mizuki's working. ]

Yeah, all set. You want to mix and I can sift?

Sure. [ he readies the bowl of egg whites and hands mao the sifter. ] Ready when you are.

[ when mao starts sifting, he will do his best to fold the two mixtures as best as he can. look at them, working like a well-oiled machine. ]

[ And off they go. It's nice, at least to Mao, actually working in sync like this. It's not something that happens a lot with Mizuki, after all. Maybe they're even good enough to talk while they do this? ]

So how'd I manage to catch you at home? No big birthday plans?

[ He doesn't even seem to be in a rush about this... is he not going out?

I already did. I claimed my presents somewhere.

[ akechi's cupcake was positively delicious and ngl he can't wait on how this angel food cake will turn out. ]

But other than that, not really. I don't mind though. I can't stand birthday parties.

[ that and, you know, having broken up with keito has thrown a wrench at his birthday plans overall lmao ]

If you say so. It's your birthday, you should spend it how you want to.

[ Even if it does make him kind of wonder if he's... the only person coming to Mizuki's place for his birthday. It's great, he's glad to be here, but it seems like kind of a bummer too. ]

What would you do if somebody threw you a surprise party, though?

[ technically lelouch did come over to give his birthday present but only at the flat building's lobby; lulu has been banned from sena house until further notice, actually. ]

I'd nope the fuck out of there because I hate surprises like that. I need to emotionally prepare myself for shit like that first? It'd be worse if the wiseguy who planned all of that brought a lot more people than intended, like what happened with Keito's.

[ Wow... there's a story Mao is not likely to ever get to hear but that must have taken some serious effort. ]

Birthdays are weird. I don't know anybody who likes having their own birthday celebrated but people seem to like doing it for other people. I think part of what happened with Keito's was just Leo, though. I only met him a couple times but he seems to like bringing people together.

He does that. Maybe it has something to do with being a "king" in our previous lives and all.

[ just. casually drops that bomb as he continues sifting the ingredients together. ]

Anyways, it doesn't matter at this point.

[ Yeah, that's not something Mao expected to hear. ]

A king? I guess that makes sense, kings lead knights and bring kingdoms together, but he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to get into violent battles. [ Even metaphorical musical ones. ]

Why doesn't it matter? He could still show up here for all you know. [ The night is young, Mizuki. ]

I know right? He's not the type to harm anyone at all.

[ which is why it's confusing that someone as free-spirited as leo could be the king of knights in the first place. ]

But uh... [ crap, did keito really not tell him? how annoying. he stops stirring but only to rest his hands for a bit, and sighs. ] He's not coming. We broke up a few days ago.

[ y i k e s ]

[ ... Mao stops his sifting, too, because he was definitely thinking of Leo showing up. Keito never does anything spontaneously so there'd've been plenty of time for Mizuki to warn him off.

If it was still necessary. ]

That sucks. I'm really sorry, Mizuki. Do you wanna... talk about it?

[ He's pretty sure he knows the answer but he can't not offer. ]

No, it's fine. It was kind of inevitable, given our pasts. It got complicated.

[ and he's still pretty hurt from all of it, even if he knows that it's all his fault. but to show mao that he's not bothered about it he lifts a hand to ruffle at his hair, forcing a tiny smile. ]

We just need some space and all. Come on, let's get this over it.

[ and he goes right back to sifting. this should be enough, right? ]

[ It feels weird to get his hair ruffled right now and Mao can tell Mizuki's deflecting, but he's being honest enough that Mao can accept it. He's still curious, especially about the pasts being hinted at, but he can let it go. ]

If you say so. You know where to find me if you change your mind.

[ Mizuki won't, but Mao wants to offer in case nobody else has. He lets Mizuki take the sifter and nods, moving to bring the round pan over. ]

I think it's just about ready to go in.

Right.

[ The tube pan's right over there, so it's all in the matter of carefully pouring the mixture into it. ]

Go open the oven for me. [ 'cause he's gonna toss this baby in there ]

Yessir.

[ Mao's one step ahead of him, checking the recipe and setting the timer once the door is open. What a well coordinated team.

With maybe one link being a little weaker than the other. ]

What did you mean about your pasts? Is this about memories?

[ Because if it was about their actual pasts, Mao figures he'd have some inkling what Mizuki was talking about. ]

[ he hops onto one of the island chairs, sighing. ]

Keito was... I dunno how much he told you or if he even told you anyway, but he was more than involved in the war that happened in that school.

[ he's not about to say that keito himself did all that nasty shit since it's still pretty up in the air, but. you know. ]

[ Mao leans on the counter and shrugs. Keito didn't really tell him anything in the end but that just means Mao can't judge his reasons for keeping it to himself. It's Keito, he's going to trust him regardless. ]

I know we were on the student council together, so... did he say if it was part of that? Or was he part of something else, too?

He was the vice president like you told me, but.

[ sighs once more, looking back to that one time during one of their dates when he'd broke down bc of it. ugh. ]

He said that he was the one who started the fucking war, but I'm not buying it. Not yet. There's still so many gaps in our memories to actually pin everything on him. Besides... he could never do something like that.

[ lmao ]

[ Mao's trying to be careful since even just asking feels like prying, but at the same time he's going to take whatever Mizuki's willing to give him on this front.

Except that. That makes him frown and stand up away from the counter. ]

What? No way. Sure, he was the vice president, but he was only the vice president, and besides, it's Keito. Unless he was completely different there, but from what I've remembered of him, he wasn't.

At least you actually remembered him, because I never saw him in my memories at all.

...I don't even know what he was to me.

[ he clenches his fists without realizing it, so maybe it's high time they segue to another topic. keito's still a pretty touchy topic to discuss right now. ]

But whatever, what's done is done. It's better that we don't get too emotionally attached like that the more memories we get from that school.

[ And there's the reaction Mao was worried about. He nods quickly, more than willing to at least move laterally away from Keito.

Doesn't mean it's any easier, though. ]

So... what happens if you and I remember more about each other?

Depends on who we really were. Knights and Trickstar seem to be rivals of some sort, if they kept on competing like in that chess live and the one with the fireworks on the beach.

[ shrug ]

But it can't be that bad. The idol industry is that ruthless, after all. It's natural.

[ BOY IF ONLY ALL Y'ALL KNEW ]

I wouldn't mind the rivals part that much. There's nothing wrong with some competition, unless it was something to do with the war. It didn't feel like a war, though, just like concerts with some extra pressure.

[ When it all comes crashing down, at least they'll have this memory to go alongside the real ones........ ]

Maybe it's the school's specialty. I don't know. Maybe Keito knows more about it, since he was the vice president. He could've gotten more memories of it by now.

[ why!!! must keito be brought up here every damn time. ]

Maybe. He must've remembered something but if that's what he thinks I don't know if he'll want to talk about it. Especially if it had to do with the student council somehow.

[ Keito's doting doesn't lend itself to frank conversations about wars, really, which means Mao's not sure how much he'd tell him in the end. ]

Sorry, you probably don't want to spend your birthday talking about Keito and Yumenosaki, huh? ... Oh, my mom saw one of your commercials the other day, she was really excited about it.

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