Fluffy Moco School Life! ~ Hey Hey, What Shall We Eat After School Today? ~
Fuwawa and Mococo are twin sisters with fluffy white dog ears. Today marks their first day at a small local school. Fuwawa loves light blue, and Mococo loves pink. They always greet everyone together, saying "Hello!" in perfect unison.
Fuwawa, the older sister, is calm and a bit easygoing. Mococo, the younger sister, is full of energy and a little childish. Their favorite things are berry sweets like strawberries and blueberries, as well as games and anime. During free time at school, they play
Fluffy Moco School Life! ~ Hey Hey, What Shall We Eat After School Today? ~ - The Storm of the Pair Sweets Tournament — Strawberries and Feelings That Pass Each Other By
"Big Sister! What are we doing after school today?"
A voice full of energy flew at her from the seat behind. Fuwawa Abyssguard turned around to look at her little sister's face. The twin-tails tied with pink ribbons bobbed up and down.
"Let me think. I might want to stop by the bookstore today."
"Whaaat! Then I'm coming too! Did new releases come out? I want a game strategy guide!"
Mococo's white dog ears bounced excitedly. Fuwawa let out a small giggle.
(She's as energetic as ever.)
Two weeks had passed since they transferred to Mofuresia Academy. Fuwawa and Mococo's daily life was slowly beginning to be dyed in new colors.
Soft spring sunlight streamed through the classroom window. In the courtyard, the berry shrubs swayed in the wind, rustling softly.
"Alright, everyone, take your seats."
Standing at the podium was their homeroom teacher, Miss Yukino Syrup. Her long rabbit ears stood straight up, and she wore a white blouse with a navy skirt. Her gentle eyes swept across the classroom.
"Today, I have an important announcement for all of you."
The classroom fell silent.
"It's about the November school event—the Pair Sweets Competition."
In that instant, the atmosphere in the classroom shifted.
"It's here! I've been waiting for this!"
A girl with a chestnut-colored short bob stood up from the middle of the classroom. A small star-shaped hairpin glinted on the left side of her hair. The tiny mole under her right eye moved along with her smile.
"Tanaka Kurumi, please take your seat."
"But Miss Yukino! When you say Pair Sweets Competition, that's Mofuresia Academy's biggest event, right!? If you win, you get to serve your creation in front of the whole school! And since you make it as a pair, if your compatibility is good... you know?"
Kurumi grinned and elbowed the person next to her. The classroom grew noisy.
"Oh, come on, everyone reacts so fast! Miss Yukino, can I continue the explanation?"
Miss Yukino smiled wryly and clapped her hands.
"The Pair Sweets Competition works like this: each class forms pairs, and you have ninety minutes to make a sweet that gets judged. The winning team earns the right to serve their creation in front of the entire school."
"That's it! That's the one! The dream stage!"
"Kurumi, you're too loud."
Laughter rippled through the classroom.
Fuwawa quietly touched her own dog ears. When she got nervous, the tips of her ears tingled.
(A pair, huh...)
Who would she be paired with? As she thought about it, the person who came to mind was—
"Now then, pairs will be decided by lottery. Fairly, leaving it to fate."
Miss Yukino placed a small box on the podium. It was a lottery box covered with a red cloth.
"Fate! Nice, fate! Who am I gonna get? I'm so nervous!"
Kurumi leaned forward. She was the information broker who knew every rumor in the school, and she loved romance talk. A girl whose reason for living was cheering on other people's love.
"Please draw in order, starting from the front row."
The classroom began to stir restlessly.
Fuwawa felt her heart beat just a little faster.
(Calm down. It's just a lottery.)
She told herself that. But her dog ears were honest. They twitched in small, quick spasms.
"Fuwawa, you're next."
Hearing her name, Fuwawa stood up.
The few steps to the podium felt terribly long. The gazes of the classroom gathered on her back.
She put her hand into the lottery box. The feel of paper was cool against her fingertips.
She drew one.
"...Um."
She unfolded the paper. The name written there was—
"Tanaka Takeru."
In the corner of the classroom, there was a clatter.
Tanaka Takeru had tried to stand up from his chair and banged his foot against the desk. His messy black hair swayed. His gentle brown eyes were wide open.
"O-ow..."
Tanaka held his foot, his face bright red.
"T-Tanaka, are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine! Sorry! Um, uh, p-please treat me well!"
Tanaka bowed over and over. Even his ears were bright red.
Fuwawa's dog ears twitched again.
(Tanaka and I are partners.)
Something tingled deep in her chest. It wasn't a bad feeling. If anything, it was faintly warm.
But the moment she became aware of that warmth, Fuwawa turned around to look at the seat behind her.
Mococo was staring right at her.
Her big pink eyes wavered, as if she wanted to say something.
"Mococo?"
"...Huh? Oh, yeah, it's nothing!"
Mococo laughed hurriedly. But that smile wasn't bouncing up and down like usual.
"Next, Mococo."
Mococo slowly stood up. Normally she would trot up to the podium, but today her steps seemed somehow heavy.
She drew a lot. She unfolded the paper.
"...Um, from Class Three, Nekoda?"
From another part of the classroom, a voice went "ohh."
Mococo stared at the paper, unmoving.
"Mococo?"
"......"
Silence.
And then, the next moment.
"No fair!!!"
Mococo's voice echoed through the entire classroom.
Everyone looked at Mococo in surprise.
"No fair! Only Big Sister gets to be paired with Tanaka! Mococo wants to make sweets with Tanaka too! Redraw! Redraw it right now!"
Mococo lunged at the lottery box.
"W-wait, Mococo!?"
Miss Yukino hurriedly scooped up the box.
"But! But Big Sister always gets everything! Mococo wants to make sweets with Tanaka too!"
Mococo's dog ears were standing on end. Her pink eyes were wet with tears.
The classroom went dead silent.
Everyone held their breath.
Fuwawa felt her heart clench tight.
(Mococo...)
Her little sister's feelings came through painfully clear. The dog-eared sisters had the ability to read emotions from the tone of a close person's voice and changes in their heartbeat. Mococo's voice was trembling not just with anger, but with sadness and loneliness.
"Mococo. The lottery was decided fairly. We can't redo it."
Miss Yukino said quietly. A gentle but firm voice.
"...But."
Mococo's ears drooped.
The air in the classroom grew heavy.
That was when.
"U-um...!"
The one who timidly raised his hand was Tanaka.
Everyone's gaze gathered on Tanaka. His face bright red, he swallowed again and again.
"Um... how about the three of us make it together?"
"Huh?"
"I mean... pairs are two people, but there'll be leftover ingredients... and besides, making it with three people might be more fun... i-is that, no good...?"
Tanaka's voice nearly faded away at the end.
The classroom stirred.
"Three people!? That's totally fine!"
Kurumi shot to her feet.
"Miss Yukino! Three people is okay, right? It's not like it costs anything extra, and it sounds fun! Come on, it's fine, right!?"
"Kurumi, this doesn't concern you."
Miss Yukino sighed. But her mouth was smiling.
"...Very well. If the three of you make it together and submit it as a pair entry, I'll give special permission."
"Yay!!!"
Mococo's face lit up. The ears that had been drooping just moments ago bounced right up.
"Tanaka! Thank you! Mococo will definitely make something delicious!"
Mococo ran over to Tanaka's seat and grabbed both his hands.
"Y-yeah... nice to work with you."
Tanaka looked down, his face bright red.
Fuwawa watched the scene.
(Thank goodness. Mococo smiled again.)
There was a part of her that thought that.
But beneath it.
(...I was supposed to be the only one paired with Tanaka.)
A small, tiny possessiveness showed its face.
Fuwawa noticed that feeling and gasped.
(What am I thinking?)
Her little sister's smile was the most important thing. She was supposed to have decided that.
Fuwawa's dog ears unconsciously flattened against her head.
──
That day after school.
The three of them headed to Berry Hills Farm to prepare for the Pair Sweets Competition.
"Big Sister! Hurry, hurry! I can't wait to pick berries!"
Mococo was bouncing in front of the school gate. The downcast look from earlier was nowhere to be seen.
"Wait, Mococo. Did you forget anything?"
"I'm fine! I've got my wallet and my handkerchief!"
"U-um... both of you, I'm really sorry. Because of me, things got all complicated..."
Tanaka said apologetically.
"It's not your fault, Tanaka. If anything, thank you. The reason Mococo looks so happy is because of you."
"Huh... th-thank you..."
Tanaka touched his ear and smiled bashfully. He had a habit of touching his ear when he got nervous.
(He really is kind.)
That's what Fuwawa thought.
Berry Hills Farm was on the outskirts of Mofuresia City. Thirty minutes on foot from the academy. Once you passed through the city area, berry fields spread out all around.
"Wow! Amazing! It smells like berries!"
When they reached the farm entrance, a sweet fragrance wrapped around the three of them.
"Welcome. Here for the picking experience?"
A farm staff member greeted them with a smile.
"Yes, three of us."
"Got it. Twelve hundred bells per person. Grab your baskets from that shelf over there."
The three of them took baskets and headed for the strawberry field.
"Big Sister! The strawberries over here are huge!"
Mococo was waving from the back of the field.
"You're right. So red and delicious-looking."
Fuwawa crouched down between the rows of strawberries. The smell of soil mixed with the sweet scent of fruit.
(The scent of berries is somehow calming.)
She remembered coming to this farm with their mother when they were little. Their mother always picked the sweetest strawberries.
"U-um... Fuwawa."
Tanaka's voice came from the next row over.
"What is it?"
"Is there, um... a way to tell which strawberries are sweet...?"
Tanaka stood there holding his basket, looking troubled.
"Fufu. Let me think—the ones with deep green leaves at the top and a glossy shine are sweet. Also, the ones that are red all the way to the tip."
"O-oh... amazing. You really know your stuff, Fuwawa."
"My mother taught me a long time ago."
Fuwawa picked a strawberry from her hand. It was large and heavy.
"Here, this one looks really sweet."
Without thinking, Fuwawa placed that strawberry into Tanaka's basket.
"Tanaka, this strawberry looks sweet."
"Huh... th-thank you!"
Tanaka's face went bright red. He tried to readjust his basket and nearly dropped it.
"Wah!"
"Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine! Sorry!"
Tanaka clutched the basket to his chest and bowed repeatedly.
(...Huh?)
Fuwawa looked at her own hand.
(Did I just put a strawberry in Tanaka's basket?)
It was unconscious. Her body had moved on its own.
Fuwawa's dog ears grew hot.
"I-I'm sorry, I just put it in without asking."
"N-no! I'm happy! Anything you pick is bound to be delicious!"
Tanaka gazed at the strawberry in his basket like it was a treasure.
(...See, that's why you say things like that.)
Fuwawa felt her chest tighten.
That was when.
A few steps behind, Mococo had stopped.
Mococo stood holding a basket full of blueberries, watching the two of them.
(Big Sister always gets everything.)
She murmured in her heart.
(She gave Tanaka a strawberry.)
(Big Sister's face was so gentle.)
Mococo's pink ears slowly drooped.
"Mococo picked blueberries too! Look!"
Mococo raised her voice cheerfully. Even she could tell she was forcing it.
But Fuwawa and Tanaka were looking at each other and laughing, and they didn't notice Mococo's voice.
"Hey, Big Sister! Mococo's blueberries are really big!"
She called out again.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, Mococo. What a beautiful color."
Fuwawa turned around. But her eyes were still turned toward Tanaka.
Mococo hugged her basket tight.
(Big Sister hasn't noticed.)
(How Mococo feels watching this.)
Her chest ached with a small pang.
Like a strawberry thorn pricking her finger.
──
After finishing the berry picking, the three of them left the farm.
"That was fun! Mococo picked so many blueberries!"
Mococo said, bouncing along. She tucked the earlier pain deep into her heart.
"Yes. We found some really good ones."
"U-um... as a thank you, I'll treat you to crepes."
Tanaka said suddenly.
"Huh?"
"No, I mean... you two taught me all sorts of things, and you've b
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