Seat Number Zero

Part 14

6 months later...

"Congratulations on graduating," Yumi said, handing a bouquet to both Ako and Izumi. Aiko accepted the flowers before tackling Yumi in a tight hug with tears of bittersweet streaming down her face.

"... So in total, it was 117 losses to 27 wins and 120 ties..." Izumi quietly mumbles bitterly, "Damn I still couldn't beat her."

"Aw is someone salty because they lost to a junior two years younger than him," Yumi smirks.

"Don't mind," Saito placed a hand on Izumi's shoulders so he wouldn't explode. Izumi exploded anyway.

"Well say in touch I still want to challenge the two of you once I graduate," Yumi said.

"Well actually, I won't be continuing my studies at Totsuki Academy," Aiko said sheepishly.

"What? You're quitting culinary!"

"Yeah," Aiko said dejectedly. "My family is very strict on upholding family traditions."

"That's dumb." Izumi scoffs.

"What do you plan to do then," Isshiki asks.

"Well, I plan to rebel of course. But if that doesn't work, you'll probably find me at a shrine." Aiko responds.

"You're amazing Aiko I don't think I could survive in that kind of stuffy household," Yumi said.

"My only talent is cooking, so I can't even imagine myself anywhere but in the kitchen.

*********

"The dorm is so quiet..." Yumi sighed upon walking back into the dorm after the graduation ceremony.

"It's actually kind of creepy," Saito comments cowering behind Isshiki.

Yumi raised a brow at Saito then stared at the empty dorm building that's looking very much like a haunted mansion. Then an evil idea popped into her head.

"Demon! Do you remember me? It's ya girl Yumi." Yumi laughs maniacally at the building. "Rejoice! For I have returned!"

"What are you doing?" Saito turned pale.

"Demons!" Yumi yells. "Turn on all the lights." Absolutely nothing happened.

"Oh don't worry he's just shy." Yumi turns to Saito, reassuring him.

"She lost her mind," Saito said.

"Demon! I command you to haunt us." Yumi continues to taunt the nonexistent ghost. "You're not trying hard enough."

"Oh my goodness shut up." Saito looked as is he's about to cry. "Do you have a death wish?"

The light on the far left side of the building suddenly lit up, Saito silently screamed at the sight.

"Hey look, look the lights on," Yumi yells excitedly.

"Eek!!" Saito screams then starts praying to no one in particular. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, oh great one I offer Yumi as sacrifice, please spare me. I'm too young to die."

"Alright, that's enough out of you." Isshiki lightly scolded Yumi with a hit to the head. "Come on we wouldn't want to wake Ms. Fumio up."

"Too late." Yumi turns pale as she points towards the entrance of the door.

The front door opens, and out comes a figure scarier than any demon that can crawl out of hell.

"Who was making all that racket at this hour." Ms. Fumio roars at the bunch.Without hesitation, both Saito and Isshiki pointed at Yumi.

"Oh come on!." Yumi dramatically placed a hand on her chest, looking very hurt. "After all we've been through."

Seeing their actions, Yumi couldn't help but think that she was too careless in choosing her friends.

"Come on now we still have chores to do." Isshiki turns towards Saito.

"How can you think of chores when I'm literally about to be sacrificed to the devil herself," Yumi exclaims pointing at Fumio.

"You brought this upon yourself." Isshiki gave her a big smile.

"Traitor!!" Yumi cried tears of blood.

***********

2 hours later

"Those two ditched their chores today on purpose," Yumi whined. "Why do I have to pick up after their mess."

"Why don't we cook dinner Yumi." Isshiki inwardly laughed at her misery.

"We still have leftovers from the graduation party from yesterday." Yumi sighed. She can't even cook her frustrations away.

**********

"What happened to her?" Isshiki asked Ms. Fumio as he looks at Yumi who's sitting upside down on the couch in the living room area giggling creepily to herself.

"I don't know. Probably someone accidentally knocked over some wine and it may or may not have spilled into the soup she was brewing for a few days now." Ms. Fumio laughs. "And it definitely wasn't revenge for waking that person up by screaming demon at the dead of night."

"How oddly specific."

"Though it would be fine since Yumi always uses wine in her cooking." Ms. Fumio shrugs. "Well she is still young, 20%+ alcohol isn't what she can handle right now."

Isshiki sighed helplessly before deciding to go and try to help the drunk Yumi.

The keyword here is 'try.'

"Ow!!" He groans holding his nose after having her foot planted right onto his face.

Hearing the sudden noise, Yumi stopped laughing and sat upright grabbing his face to examine his injuries. "Are you alright? It didn't hurt that bad right?"

With her hands still holding him and due to the positioning, she ended up pinning him to the couch. "Hm? You look fine to me. Why did you yell in pain?"

"I made some tea to help sober her... up" Ms. Fumio voice falters after entering the room.

Seeing two teenagers, one drunk on top of the other is never a good look. "Oh my, well I'll leave you to it, this reminds me of Aiko and Izumi when they started dating."

As if snapped back to reality for a moment Yumi immediately bolted up from her seat. her mind is already delirious from the alcohol and paired with the shock and sudden movements she fainted right on the spot.

Isshiki was at a loss for words seeing as the shock of her two closest friends eloped without her knowledge made her pass out.

"Those damn traitors." She mutters in her sleep.

"Pfft" He couldn't help but let out a laugh.

***********