White Anemone Petals

Chapter 12

Info-chan: Kokona Haruka plans to make Taro go to the formal dance with her. She wants to confess her feelings to him at the dance.

Ayano felt her blood boil as she read the text from Info-chan. It was Monday on the week of the dance, and someone wanted to steal her cousin's date from her. Ayano refused to allow that to happen. She was in the courtyard, looking up just in time to see Kokona walking over to Taro. She moved closer so she could overheat the conversation and intervene if Taro agreed to go with her.
"Taro... will you be my date to the formal on Friday?" Kokona asked, blushing a little bit. Ayano could feel her breathing deepening, and herself becoming angrier. She easily controlled it, not letting even the tiniest bit show.
"Sorry, Kokona. I've already got a date to the formal." He apologised sincerely. Ayano smiled, he was remaining faithful to Cupa. Kokona was beginning to get a little upset and defensive.
"Who are you going with?" She snapped a little. He sighed as she reminded him a little bit of Osana, who'd been killed by Ayano.
"Cupa." He told her. She made a frustrated groan before walking off. She was friends with Cupa, and didn't want to lose her friendship over a boy. That didn't mean she wasn't going to stop asking him. She knew Cupa was a forgiving person, so any animosity between them wouldn't last long. What she didn't know was that taking Taro from her would be a death sentence for Cupa.

At lunchtime that day, Cupa sat in the cafeteria with Saki and Musume. They had began to discuss who they were taking as dates to the formal dance on Friday.
"I asked Budo and he said yes." Musume said happily to the girls. She'd previously told them she liked him, but they hadn't really spoken to each other.
"I so happy for you." Cupa told her with a genuine smile. She liked seeing her friends happy. She couldn't remember ever seeing Musume that happy.
"I heard that Kokona was asking Taro to the formal." Saki mentioned casually. Cupa began to choke on her drink and a couple of bloody petals. She pulled a couple of tissues from her bag and put the to her mouth as she choked up the petals and water. That way, her friends wouldn't see the petals of the blood.
"OMG. Are you ok Cupa?" Musume asked as Saki reached over and started rubbing and patting her back. She nodded her head a little once she was fine.
"I asked Taro already, though..." Cupa murmured softly to the girls. Kokona obviously hadn't known this before she asked. Taro had said no, but Cupa didn't know that. She feared he had said yes to Kokona, and she would lose him.
"Oh... I'm sure he let her down gently." Saki tried to console her. She nodded her head weakly, hoping Saki was correct. "I'll talk to her, don't worry."

That evening, Ayano stood outside the cooking club room waiting. After Amai had been kicked out of school, Kokona had been made the new cooking club president. She was alone right now, which meant Ayano could just kill her without witnesses. It would be so easy, but she didn't. She heard footsteps, and saw Riku Soma peeking into the cooking club room. Ayano could see the love in his eyes, and realised he had a crush on her. She could eliminate Kokona peacefully if she could convince Riku to confess his feelings to her. She lightly grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him away from the door.
"Do you have a crush on Kokona?" She asked bluntly. He was a little surprised by her question, but nodded his head anyway. She smirked as a plan formed in her mind. "Ask her to the dance." She told him.
"What if she rejects?" He asked in concern. Ayano made a loud groan, staring at him. She didn't care about his concerns, she just wanted Kokona to be eliminated as a rival.
"Just go ask her." She demanded. He jumped a little, surprised by Ayano's reaction. He nodded his head, walking back over to the cooking club. Ayano followed closely behind.

"Hey Kokona." Riku made his presence known as he walked into the cooking club room. Kokona looked up at him with a smile. She was friends with Riku, and liked to see him in the club room. Ayano stood outside the club room watching everything that they were saying to each other. Kokona didn't know she was there.
"What brings you here?" She asked, giggling a little. He began to blush and play idly with his fingers. He didn't know where to start, having never asked a girl to a dance or on a date before.
"Will you go with me to the formal on Friday? Like, as a date?" He asked a little hesitantly, blushing even deeper. The purple haired girl looked surprised by his request. She made a small sigh, lightly shaking her head. The next words to leave her mouth made Ayano's blood boil with rage.
"Sorry, but I'm going with Taro."