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? ~ - As many strawberries as there are, so many near-misses — the night the tart falls apart
The afternoon before the culture festival. In the cooking classroom, the sweet smell of butter mingled with the faintly burnt scent of custard.
"Big Sister! Did you finish whipping the cream yet?"
Mococo asked while retying the strings of her pink apron. The white dog ears on top of her head twitched restlessly.
"Yes, I just got it to soft peaks. Mococo, how's the tart base on your end?"
Fuwawa glanced at her little sister while checking the cream in the bowl. Fuwawa's ears, above her light blue apron, trembled just slightly with nerves.
"Perfect! It baked beautifully! Look, look — nice color, right?"
Mococo held up the tart base she'd just pulled from the oven with both hands. A warm, toasty aroma rose from the golden-brown crust.
"It really did bake beautifully. Mococo, you've gotten so good at this."
When Fuwawa smiled, Mococo's ears bounced happily.
"Ehehe! 'Cause you taught me, Big Sister!"
Just then, in the corner of the classroom, a boy timidly raised his hand. Messy black hair. A bit of bedhead still sticking up. A slightly oversized black wristband on his wrist. It was Tanaka Takeru.
"U-um... is the custard okay like this?"
Takeru nervously held out the bowl of custard. A few small lumps remained.
Fuwawa peered into the bowl.
"Yeah, it's fine. If you put it back on the heat just a little longer, it might get smoother. Takeru, can you help me stir?"
"Y-yes! Of course!"
Takeru nodded, his face bright red. Fuwawa's dog ears picked up the tremor in his voice.
(Takeru... he's really nervous.)
But she could tell how hard he was trying. Lately, watching him like this had felt strangely comforting.
──
A berry tart made by three people. The final trial run for the Pair Sweets Contest.
Tomorrow was the culture festival. The day after was the real thing.
"Okay, time for toppings! Mococo's putting on the strawberries!"
Mococo hugged a bowl of freshly chilled strawberries with both hands. The bright red berries glistened.
"Wait, Mococo. Spread the custard flat first. Otherwise the strawberries won't sit evenly."
Fuwawa spread the custard across the tart base with a palette knife. Her movements were careful and precise.
"I know that! Mococo can do it properly too!"
Mococo pouted slightly, watching her sister's hands.
"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. You're very skilled, Mococo."
Fuwawa spoke soothingly.
The custard spread flat. Next, Fuwawa piped the whipped cream beautifully from a pastry bag.
"Wow... Big Sister, you look like a pro!"
"Fufu, Mom taught me. Now, Mococo. Would you place the strawberries?"
Fuwawa held the bowl of strawberries out to Mococo.
"Yeah! Leave it to me!"
Mococo pinched one strawberry and gently placed it in the center of the tart.
"Ehehe, cute, right?"
"Yes, very."
Mococo placed a second, then a third.
A fourth. A fifth. A sixth.
Fuwawa's ear twitched.
"Mococo, wait a moment. Aren't there too many strawberries?"
"Huh? You think so?"
Mococo stopped. Eight strawberries were already crammed onto the tart.
"The cream base will collapse under their weight. And we're still putting blueberries and raspberries on, right? We need to think about balance a little more."
Fuwawa spoke gently, but firmly.
Mococo's ears went completely still.
"...Big Sister, you always do that. You always treat Mococo like a child!"
Mococo's voice echoed through the classroom.
"Mococo...?"
Fuwawa looked at her sister, startled.
"Mococo thinks about things too! I put them on this way because I thought it looked cutest! You always say everything Mococo does is wrong! It's my tart!"
Tears welled in Mococo's eyes.
"Th-that's not it, Mococo. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm saying it'll fall apart..."
Fuwawa tried to explain, flustered. But Mococo wouldn't listen.
"Shut up! Big Sister, you idiot! You don't understand Mococo's feelings at all!"
In that instant, Mococo swung her arm violently.
Clatter!
The bowl of strawberries hit the floor and shattered. Bright red berries scattered everywhere. The container of powdered sugar toppled too, sending white dust into the air.
"Mococo!"
Fuwawa cried out before she could stop herself.
Mococo stood frozen, seemingly shocked by her own actions.
"...Ah."
A tiny sound escaped her lips.
Silence.
Strawberries strewn across the floor. Shards of the broken bowl. White powder.
A heavy atmosphere settled between the three of them.
"F-fighting is bad, you two... please calm down..."
Takeru timidly stepped between them. His face was pale, his voice shaking.
"Takeru, you always take Big Sister's side!"
Mococo shouted at him.
"Huh...?"
Takeru's body went rigid.
"Whenever Mococo says anything, you always look at Big Sister's face! You think she's right, don't you! I don't care anymore!"
Mococo's words stabbed into Takeru like blades.
Fuwawa could see the color drain from his face. The sound of his throat catching reached her dog ears.
(Takeru...)
"I... I'm sorry..."
That was all he said before he ran out of the cooking classroom, head down.
Slam!
The door shut.
Footsteps racing down the hallway faded into the distance.
Fuwawa stood rooted to the spot. She couldn't chase after him. She couldn't call out.
(She heard the sound of Takeru's heart breaking.)
Fuwawa's dog ears drooped limply.
──
Only Fuwawa and Mococo remained in the classroom.
Mococo was still frozen in place. Her shoulders trembled in small shudders.
Fuwawa turned toward her.
"Mococo..."
"...It's not Mococo's fault."
Mococo murmured quietly.
"...Big Sister, you always treat Mococo like a child... And Takeru always takes your side..."
Mococo's voice was shaking.
Fuwawa couldn't say anything.
She couldn't chase after Mococo. She couldn't comfort her.
She just stared at the mess on the floor.
"...We need to clean up."
Fuwawa murmured quietly and crouched down.
She picked up the shards of the broken bowl, one by one, carefully.
Her hand trembled as she picked up a spoon.
(I couldn't say anything to Takeru.)
She put the salvaged strawberries back in a bowl. Washed the muddy ones under the tap.
The cold water stung her fingertips.
"...I couldn't say anything to Takeru."
Fuwawa murmured aloud.
(When Takeru ran out, I thought I had to chase him.)
(But my body wouldn't move.)
(I hurt both Mococo and Takeru.)
Tears spilled from Fuwawa's eyes.
Quietly, quietly, the tears fell.
──
In the corner of the classroom.
Mococo sat hugging her knees.
Her pink dog ears drooped completely.
"...Why did I say that?"
Mococo buried her face in her knees.
(Big Sister isn't wrong.)
(Mococo just put too many strawberries on.)
(Big Sister is always thinking about Mococo.)
Tears spilled from Mococo's eyes.
"...Big Sister, I'm sorry."
But her voice reached no one.
Fuwawa and Mococo, though in the same classroom, had their backs turned to each other.
As if they had lost forever the chance to apologize to one another.
──
The next morning.
A heavy atmosphere hung over the classroom.
Fuwawa sat at her desk. Mococo, in the seat behind her, kept her head down.
Yesterday's events lay between them like an invisible wall.
"Good morning."
Their homeroom teacher, Yukino Syrup, entered the classroom. Her long rabbit ears seemed to droop just a little more than usual.
"Good morning, everyone. Um... I have an announcement today."
Yukino-sensei looked around the classroom, seeming reluctant.
"Tanaka Takeru-kun is absent today with a high fever."
In that instant, Fuwawa's heart leaped.
(Takeru... a high fever...)
Takeru's pale face from yesterday flashed through her mind.
(It's our fault.)
(Because we hurt him...)
Fuwawa gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.
Behind her, she heard Mococo biting her finger.
Fuwawa didn't turn around.
──
After school.
Fuwawa was alone in the cooking classroom.
She wanted to redo yesterday's failure.
She wanted to apologize to Takeru.
So she baked the tart again.
This time, she arranged the strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries in perfect balance.
(Will Takeru be happy?)
(I'll take this and go visit him.)
Fuwawa packed the finished tart into a box.
She tied a light blue ribbon around it.
(I have to go.)
(I can't leave Takeru alone.)
Fuwawa carried the tart box home.
──
The entryway.
As Fuwawa was about to put on her shoes—
"...Where are you going?"
A voice came from behind.
She turned. Mococo stood there, blocking the front door.
"Mococo... I'm going to visit Takeru. I rebaked the tart."
Fuwawa said quietly.
"Why does Big Sister get to go?"
Mococo's voice was shaking.
"Why...? Takeru got a fever because of us. I have to apologize..."
"It's not our fault! It's because you treated Mococo like a child!"
Mococo shouted.
"Mococo... please, let me through. I want to apologize to Takeru properly."
Fuwawa looked into Mococo's eyes.
"No! Big Sister, you're so unfair! Mococo too... Mococo too, about Takeru..."
Mococo's voice grew wet with tears.
"Mococo likes Takeru too!"
She shouted it.
She'd said it.
Mococo clamped both hands over her mouth.
Even she was surprised.
(I said it...)
(To Big Sister... I said it...)
Mococo's pink eyes went wide.
Fuwawa's dog ears went rigid.
Her light blue eyes stared at her little sister.
"...Mococo."
Fuwawa's voice was hoarse.
"Big Sister, you always give in to Mococo... Even when Mococo is selfish, you just smile and forgive me... So I thought you'd give up Takeru for me too..."
Mococo's tears fell in drops.
"But I was wrong... You like Takeru too, Big Sister... I could tell just looking at your face... Mococo was thinking something so sneaky..."
Mococo sank to the floor.
"Mococo..."
Fuwawa crouched beside her sister.
"I... I also... about Takeru..."
Fuwawa's voice was trembling too.
"I... like him too..."
She said it.
For the first time, she put her feelings into words.
In front of her sister.
In front of herself.
"So... Mococo, please. Let me apologize to Takeru. He got a fever because of us. That much, at least, I want to do properly."
Fuwawa took Mococo's hand.
Mococo didn't pull away.
But she didn't squeeze back either.
"...Big Sister, I'm sorry."
Mococo murmured quietly.
"Mococo... I'm sorry too. I wasn't thinking about your feelings."
Fuwawa apologized too.
But neither of them could give up their feelings of "like" for the other.
Even as they said "sorry" to each other, the feelings for Takeru in their hearts wouldn't disappear.
──
The morning of the culture festival.
Fuwawa was in her room, tying a light blue ribbon.
Her face in the mirror looked a little worn.
(Today is the culture festival.)
(But will Takeru be able to come?)
Fuwawa picked up her smartphone.
A message from Takeru had arrived.
The screen glowed, still unread.
Fuwawa brought her fingertip close to the screen.
But she couldn't open it.
(I'm scared.)
(I'm scared to know what Takeru wrote.)
Fuwawa set the smartphone down on her desk.
──
Mococo was in her room, tying a pink ribbon.
(Is Big Sister angry?)
(Mococo said terrible things to her.)
Mococo looked at her smartphone.
A message from Takeru had arrived.
The screen glowed, still unread.
Mococo brought her fingertip close to the screen.
But she couldn't open it.
(Did Takeru start hating Mococo?)
Mococo shoved the smartphone under her pillow.
──
The entryway.
Two smartphones sat side by side on the shoe rack.
The one with the light blue case.
The one with the pink case.
Each had one message from Takeru.
Both screens glowed quietly, unread.
Below the shoe rack, two pairs of shoes for two different destinations sat lined up.
Light blue sneakers.
Pink sneakers.
Fuwawa headed for school.
Mococo was still inside the house.
The two of them were about to start walking separate paths.
──
The sky over Moflessia was heavily overcast, despite it being the morning of the culture festival.
The air of the town that should have been sweet felt somehow heavy today.
The scent of ber
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