Pure Love ✕ Insult Complex

Chapter 1358. School Festival B / Bakery’s Offense and Defense

「 Can’t be helped then. Let’s disperse our audience a bit 」

Edie smiled wryly.

「 I’ll take Mitama and go to the sports measurement of the track and field club 」

Oh right, the women’s track and field club hosted an event where one could measure their 50-meter run and long jump records.

「 Jun’s also here so I’ll take her 」

Jun? Oh, Grace Marinka, the former pro wrestler.

She’s living with Kendou Maria and Kudou Haruka in the training hall of Kouzuki SS

They’re preparing to appear in the martial arts tournament in winter in America.

The other participants are Rodulfo Seiko-san, and Daiporon-san, they often train there too.

Especially since Grace-san is a stamina monster. She’s absorbing the techniques she learned from Edie at a great pace and she’s growing stronger.

「 The cafe’s too crowded and there are no free seats, let’s go inside the bakery 」

Edie smiled.

「 As for everyone else, you can go there 」

With that said

「 Mizuki-sama! 」

Going inside, someone suddenly came to us and called Ishigami Mizuki

「 Anju 」

Oh right, the bodyguard of Ishigami house, Kurose Anju-san is also here

「 I’m very sorry. Uhm, I got separated from you 」

Kurose-san was fighting the rebel units of Kouzuki SS in this bakery just an hour ago.

Then, the Ishigami siblings got dragged to the secret facility, so they got separated.

「 Mizuki-sama, I’m glad that you’re safe 」

Kurose-san doesn’t know that I deflowered Ishigami Mizuki

She’s taken a bath and her clothes are in order.

If you take a closer look, her hips look like she’s in pain, and she’s not wearing any underwear, which is not normal, but…

Kurose-san’s a virgin so she doesn’t know.

「 Anju, I… 」

Ishigami Mizuki hesitates to speak.

She’s a young lady with pride.

She can’t talk about the disgrace that happened to her in public.

「 Yoshida-kun!! 」

Ai calls me from the bakery.

「 Yoshi-kun, we’ve been waiting 」

Megu’s wearing a white robe, doing work.

「 Yeah, sorry. It’s just that we encountered some trouble that we couldn’t return early 」

「 Is it good now? 」

「 Yeah, it’s mostly over now 」

My job as Kuromori Kou that is.

That’s why I have to return to my duties as Yoshida Yoshinobu.

「 We had more customers than expected, so we’re having a lot of trouble getting things done 」

Katsuko-nee also came over and said.

「 The tennis club girls are overworked and they’re about to collapse 」

I see. Five of the tennis club girls working here are already feeling tired.

Even if we had the manpower, if they lose concentration due to fatigue, that’ll affect the product.

「 Okay, I’ll help out 」

I jumped inside the bakery’s entrance and put on a white coat on top of the school uniform.

「 I’ll help out too! The tennis club girls can rest 」

Mana said.

「 Wow, it’s Mana-san! 」

Seeing Mana, the tennis girls cheered.

Mana once taught the tennis club girls how to make bread.

So, she’s acquainted with the girls here.

「 I’m here now so you don’t have to worry anymore 」

「 As expected of Mana-san 」

「 Please do 」

Although, they don’t know that Mana’s younger than them.

「 Megu, now that Darling’s here, we’re going to the track and field team 」

Edie toldmMegu.

「 Jun’s coming too 」

「 Sure 」

Grace Marinka who’s sitting close to the wall, replies.

「 It’s great to see everyone working together to make something like this 」

「 That’s right, Jun’s usually doing everything alone, which isn’t good 」

Edie said with a wry smile.

「 Then, Yoshi-kun, I’m going to the sports ground too 」

Mana says while taking off her white coat.

「 Yeah, sorry. We can’t stay together a lot 」

「 Don’t mind it. I know that Yoshi-kun’s got it hard too 」

「 It’s just the first day of the school fest anyway 」

Tomorrow, I’ll ask Minaho-neesan and Shou-neechan to not do some weird events

「 Yeah, see you later 」

「 Darling, I’m going too 」

Megu, Edie, and Grace-san left the bakery.

「 Mizuki and Kurose-san can sit over there 」

I point at the seat Grace-san was on earlier.

「 Kinosh*ta-san and Yomi… 」

Edie left looking confident because Kinosh*ta-san will stay as my bodyguard.

Yomi, who has her Miko powers, is also here.

「 I’ll be watching outside 」

Kinosh*ta-san said.

The outside has the open cafe and Anya.

Kudou-papa’s subordinates should still be here, watching over if there are still enemies.

「 Sensei, should I also help out with the baking? 」

Yomi said.

Yomi can do it since she lives in our place.

「 Yeah, please 」

Once I’m done changing, I went to the oven.

「 Ai and Katsuko-nee can take a break too 」

「 A-Ai’s… 」

「 Just take a rest 」

Ai has been working since this morning.

「 Katsuko-nee too, drink some coffee or something. 」

「 Then, I’ll do just that 」

Ai and Katsuko-nee also entered their break time

I checked what was baking in the oven first.

「 Good, let’s do this 」

I start working with Mana and Yomi.

「 Baker-kun’s so fast! 」

The tennis club girl is surprised by my work.

I’m not that talented in creating new pastry like Ai.

I’m not as skilled as Katsuko-nee who can make any pastry delicious either.

But, after half a year of training.

My speed in this work is faster.

I move quickly, efficiently, and accurately.

So, no matter how much I’m rushed, I don’t make sloppy work.

I make more and more bread of the same size, same volume, and same flavor.

「 Here, this one’s okay Onii-chan 」

「 Sensei, turn mine over 」

With Mana, the master of housework, and Yomi, who can read my mind and work ahead of time…

We move forward without problems.

「 Onii-chan, which one should go first? 」

「 The right one 」

「 The third oven is ready! 」

「 Okay! 」

I put the baked bread on the pad and start preparing to bake the next loaf.

「 Wow 」

Ishigami Mizuki mutters while watching us do our work.

「 Here, coffee 」

Katsuko-nee gives Ishigami Mizuki a coffee.

「 Also, these are the pasty we baked. 」 Try it 」

The newly baked bread…

「 I also had that earlier, it’s delicious 」

Kurose-san told Ishigami Mizuki

「 Yes, try it 」

Ai smiled at Ishigami Mizuki

「 T-Then, I’ll take one 」

Ishigami Mizuki takes a small bite, just like a young lady of nobility, and tasted it.

「 My, it’s delicious 」

「 That’s right, Mizuki-ojousama 」

Kurose-san smiled.

「 When you eat something delicious, it makes you smile unconsciously, right? 」

「 U-Uhm, which school do you come from? 」

One of the tennis girls asks Ishigami Mizuki.

「 West School 」

Kinosh*ta-san, who isn’t even a high-school student, just flat out lied.

「 Huh? But, that school uniform isn’t from the West School, right? 」

Kinosh*ta-san looked at the uniform she was wearing.

「 Which west school do you think this is? 」

「 Huh, maybe the West School on the other side of the station, right? The one near the beach park 」

The tennis club girl said.

「 That’s wrong. Ours is much further west than you think, it’s close to India 」

「 India? 」

「 Yes, India west School! 」

「 Huh? Where is that? 」

「 India! 」

「 India? Which prefecture 」

「 Somewhere around here 」

Kinosh*ta-san points in the direction of India.

Err.

「 Kurose-san’s a returnee. They were in Switzerland until before summer 」

I tried to throw a lifeboat.

「 Oh, I see 」

「 Amazing 」

「 Switzerland, it’s the same place as Haiji, right? 」

「 Stupid. Haiji was in the Alps, right? 」

「 Huh? I thought Switzerland got the alps? 」

「 Haiji’s grandfather was a Swiss guard 」

「 The hell? 」

The girls are rolling around with their conversation.

「 U-Uhm 」

Ishigami Mizuki speaks up.

She looks at me.

「 Why are you making pastries? 」

Oh, I see.

Ishigami Mizuki only knows me as Kuromori Kou, Kouzuki Misuzu’s partner.

She finds it weird that I’m accustomed and skilled at making pastries here.

「 If you have a way to make money, you can feed your family, wherever you go 」

I stopped moving my hand and said.

「 If I can make good bread, then I can survive anywhere I go 」

「 But… 」

She must be thinking “What is this guy related to the Kouzuki house saying?”

I get how she feels.

「 Isn’t it just impressive to learn a new skill by yourself? 」

I said.

「 In the end, relationships, and connections are just a power that’s not my own. If I rely on it too much, I won’t be able to survive when I need to 」

Jii-chan’s protection isn’t forever.

Jii-chan is aware of that too.

That’s why he gave Kouzuki SS to me even though I’m still in high school.

It’s because he thinks that it’ll be too late to give it to me when I’m an adult.

「 You need to learn how to survive on your own. It’s all so you can keep your family safe 」

Ishigami Mizuki stares at me as I work.

「 Haa, Baker-kun’s lines are so mature, I guess that’s to be expected of someone with a fiance 」

「 Going to university and getting a job at a good company is your best-case scenario, but it’s also a good dream of learning skills now and opening a bakery with the girl you like 」

「 Dunno if I can do that with my boyfriend though 」

「 Really? I think I like boys like Baker-kun. Oh, just saying that I don’t want to take away someone who already has a fiance 」

「 Yeah, that girl’s quite strong-willed and scary 」

「 And she has Takeshiba-san on her side too 」

「 You know that she’ll crush you flat if you approach Baker-kun 」

They were just working with Megu earlier and yet they say it like that.

I see. So Megu looks that way from their perspective.

「 Ai, and that girl, Edie-san, she’s good friends with them. 」

「 Also, Natou-san 」

The tennis girls look at Ai.

Ai was a former tennis club member, and she was famous as a timid freshman.

「 They’re all good people 」

Ai said bashfully.

「 They’re good people, but you know, they’re too unique. Anyway, they’re amazing 」

「 Our Kana too, she’s beautiful, cheerful, and strong-willed, or should I say… 」

「 She’s out of the ordinary 」

「 I guess Ai also got stronger if people like them are next to her 」

The tennis girls told Ai.

「 I’m… just doing my best… following Katsuko-san and Yoshida-kun 」

Ai’s embarrassed as she speaks.

「 Ai wants to join the bakery after graduating…so I’m doing my best not to get left behind 」

Ai said, yet she’s much better at baking than me now.

I only win against her when it comes to working speed.

「 Yes, I do plan on opening a bakery as soon as they graduate 」

Katsuko-nee said.

「 We made the baking course in high-school, so we must make a place for work after graduation 」

「 Huh? Katsuko-san’s opening a shop? 」

「 Yes. I’m just saving up funds. So, in two years, I’ll be working with the first two students of the bakery course 」

Katsuko-nee, Ai, and I will start a business.

「 Your own store so suddenly? 」

「 Ai and Baker-kun, don’t you want to train in some kind of famous restaurant or something? 」

The tennis girl asks.

「 If they’re this good at baking, it’s better to start our own shop than training on other restaurants. Besides, it’s hard to learn the sense of management if you’re still an employee 」

Katsuko-nee replied with a smile.

「 These two are already doing their cost accounting 」

「 Yes…I’m learning 」

Ai nodded.

「 Working on an ordinary store…won’t teach you a lot…like what Katsuko-san teaches me 」

「 Oh, I see. If you’re an employee on a regular bakery, then you can only make and sell as you’re told by your superiors 」

「 It looks hard to open your shop. I don’t think I can do that 」

「 But, you have a lot you can’t experience if it’s not your own 」

Katsuko-nee said.

「 In exchange for carrying all the responsibility, you can build the store to your desires. It all depends on you. The best part with that kind of business is that it’s the same for a small bakery or big company. Some things are only someone who ran a business will understand 」

Then, Katsuko-nee looked at Ai and me.

「 And so, the bakery I’m opening in two years will be co-owned by these two. I’m not going to spoil them by hiring them 」

Ai and I will carry the same responsibility as Katsuko-nee.

「 Then, that means that Ai and Baker-kun are already bosses as soon as they graduate 」

「 Are you an idiot? There’s only one boss

「 Katsuko-san’s the boss and Ai will be the director or something 」

「 Director? 」

「 The one in charge of management and other stuff 」

「 Eeh? That sounds cool 」

The tennis club girls laugh.

「 Still, it’s kinda weird hearing that you’ll open a bakery as soon as you graduate, but… 」

「 Baker-kun being a director of a company, it’s strange 」

「 Ai being a manager…it’s funny, but… 」

Ishigami Mizuki listens to the high-school girls’ ordinary conversation.

「 Onii-chan, this one’s done 」

「 This one’s done 」

「 Good, next! 」

Mana, Yomi, and I improve our teamwork.

「 Nobu, the other pastries are sold out! 」

Kana-senpai jumps in from outside the bakery.

「 Yeah, we got three new freshly baked batches 」

「 I’ll take them! Is this good? 」

「 Yes, this, this, and this one 」

Mana points which pads are ready

「 Tashiro-san and Sumita-san, help me carry these 」

Kana-senpai told the resting tennis girls

「 Yes, I get it 」

「 Okay, let’s get back to work 」

The two girls stood up.

「 Ai’s about to finish too 」

Ai stays in her post.

「 I’m sure that once the talk show is over, they’ll buy some bread and drinks again, so bake more! 」

Oh, Anya and the twins are having a talk show with Nei.

「 I think that’s the biggest hurdle. Today’s the first day, so the customers should decrease 」

Tomorrow, is the closing party, so it’ll get busy until evening, but…

Today, all the events of the school festival will be over by evening.

「 Let’s do our best! 」

Kana-senpai cheers us up.