WONDERLAND

six: "'a lesson on first loves'"

Patience is a virtue of victory; good things come to those who wait.

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"Good morning, pupils of this glorious institute." Azami Nakamura's voice travels through the announcements in every classroom of Totsuki. 

"It has come to my attention that some of the students here resist the right, true way of cuisine and my authority. However, I am no dictator. I am not a tyrant, I shall give you a chance for I truly wish to glorify Totsuki as my predecessors once did. Someone has challenged me. They were once a student themselves at this school, the First Seat, the Arbitrator of Clockwork... Mahiru Tetsuya, is her name. From next week on, you may challenge your fellow students for whatever you may desire — council seats, positions, anything of materialistic value. And the opposition will have no choice but to accept. The victor shall remain in Totsuki and the culinary industry. At the end of the year, we will issue a vote to the student population of who they believe to best be in control of Totsuki. This plan will be effective starting next week, please plan carefully."

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"Miss Tetsuya!" A masculine shout gains Mahiru's attention. The person who she had left in charge of Worldwide Cuisine kneels over, hand on his knees in front of her. "Is it true? Is it really true? That you're coming back?" 

"Yeung-san," Mahiru greets. "Yes. I will be returning. Thank you for your hard work."

"We have waited long for your return," Jisung Yeung replies, his grey tunic fluttering in the wind. The Korean medicine-food genius. 

"Oujo," Sakai runs a hand through his spiky hair as he grinned, "shall I accompany you?"

Mahiru nods faintly before following Yeung. Mahiru established the research in her second year, when she became tired of the continued outraged squabbles at her and Tsukasa's arrangement. So when they each created their own challenge, Mahiru's terms changed to the alliance of all of the main superpowers that had a chance against her. Of course, at the time, she knew that it was a huge gamble. It could blow up in her face and create a bigger dissonance that could cost her the first seat, but looking at it now— the HQ that looked more like a compound than it did a garden, a solid alliance that could last the storm, Mahiru's gamble had been worth it.  

"Dieu merci!" someone else cries. Jacques Kanno ran out of the European-esque house in the compound towards her, beaming with a familiar enthusiasm that Mahiru found rare in the current Totsuki population she had just observed through the headmaster's office. 

The European Country Research head stops beside her, panting exaggeratedly. "I have waited for this day to come!" he declares, pushing up his glasses. "Post your absence, the Worldwide Cuisine Research has expanded its territory by four acres, absorbed four others researchs and aligned ourselves with the neutral party. Of course," he adds to the report, peeking at her expression carefully, "should Mahiru-oujo wish it, we will tune our alliance to that of the Polar Star Rebellion." 

Mahiru shakes her head. "There's no nee—"

"And why would we do that?"  

A feminine figure comes stalking out of a traditional Japanese house. 

Yeung frowns. "Marika—"

"No," the only person who almost won against Mahiru said, "we will not follow her."

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"I would like to share a proposal, Tetsuya-san." 

Mahiru turns, smiling softly. Looking into the eyes of Marika Shima, the fiery pupils, the firm set mouth, the boyish haircut. "You do, Shima-senpai? Why, you honour me."

Shima closes her eyes then opens them back up. "I have mistaken your personality, Tetusya-san, forgive me. I thought that by absorbing those researchs, you had been vying for power. Power you should not have. Only now do I realize that you had done it for the good of Totsuki, for its spirits and the students that wish to display their passion for cooking by ending the unrest between those researchs. I apologize deeply for the offence I have caused."

For a long while, Mahiru does not reply. On the other side of the desk, she sees Shima's hands clench and unfurl. Then she turns. Shima clears her throat awkwardly.

"Well if that's al—"

"Is that really all?" Mahiru asks her. She hears the breath Shima lets loose. "Do you only want to apologize?" She turns back to face Shima, now a woman who looks like a deer caught in head lights. "They asked me for many things. Power, peace. Most of all, they wanted change. What is it that you truly want to say, Shima-san?"

Mahiru knows how to spin those words. She's had much practice at spinning those illusions. 

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"No traitor is worthy of my respect," the same woman now stands in front of her with distrust clear in her eyes. Mahiru feels something distinctly akin to bitterness in her gut. 

"Traitor? I never lied, Shima," Mahiru says. "How do you think this world changes? What is the price of that change? I'll tell you, that price is war."

"And do you hope to rule by fear?" she retorts back with a fierce scowl. 

"Marika. This isn't just about you," Yeung says. "This is about Totsuki, about the culinary world. If Azami Nakamura takes over..." 

"Yeung—!" Her eyes flash.

"Enough. If you don't agree with my methods, you are welcome to leave." You are welcomed to follow Azami Nakiri. 

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"Mahiru!" Her name escapes in an exhale of... Relief? Anger? Sadness?

"Kobayashi," Mahiru says, hating the bitterness it leaves on her tongue. Rindou's name had always left her lips with the feeling of fond exasperation and hidden laughter. Mahiru can't even bring herself to wonder how it became like this. Because she knows acutely why. 

"Can, can we walk?" Rindou asks, and the hesitation from the wild and untamed Rindou almost hurts Mahiru physically. 

"Yes," she replies blithely. Mahiru takes off without a second thought, hair swaying in the breeze and her loafers silent against the road. 

They walk in silence for a long while. The scene is familiar in a saddening way. This had been the same path they walked on during their first year. Except, back then, the silence had been full of hope and curiosity. Rindou was the black horse of the examination, staring unabashedly at every moving thing, from the flowers to the people to the buildings. Mahiru was a stoic, cool figure. The Tetsuya Heir, the prodigy who created a recipe out of scratch in five minutes.

"Ne, Mai. Are you mad at me...? At us?"

"No."

"You can still join us."

"Don't mistake the lack of anger for approval at your actions."

Rindou doesn't reply.

Mahiru stops. "You know, I did approve of your ideals. Once."

"Is that the only reason? You left us because you no longer agreed with us? Then maybe you should've left long ago, Mahiru. You stopped loving cooking long ago."

"I would've stayed."

A sharp gasp.

"But the reason that I am going to dethrone you through your means of administering change—"

She turns to look at her former partner-in-crime.

"—You've... Disappointed me, Rindou Kobayashi."

She doesn't pause to look at the crushed expression on her best friend's face.

( Abandon your ties, your loves. The only thing matter yourself. Love yourself, love your diamonds. They are the only ones that will never betray you. )