Kohaku: Like Comparing Cherry Blossoms (Feature Scout 3*)

[shivalries]

Thanks Amagiiz for proofing!

Story Title: Like Comparing Cherry Blossoms
Season: Summer
Writer: Yu-masu

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T/N: The title "Like Comparing Cherry Blossoms" (Jp: 桜の背比べ) is a play on the Japanese proverb 団栗の背比べ (donguri no seikurabe; "comparing acorns"), which means "comparing two things that aren't very different from each other". Kohaku and Tsukasa both have the cherry blossom kanji 桜 in their names, hence we're comparing two very similar cherry blossoms here.

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[Seisou Hall Common Room]

Kohaku: The day's come at last... sonny boy.

Tsukasa: Yes. It's quite unfortunate; I would've liked to avoid getting violent with you, Kohakun, but...

Kohaku: The hell're you talkin' about? Didja forget about the time you an' yer merry little group abducted me?

Tsukasa: I simply had no choice back then. However—

Depending on where victory falls today, I may have you join me again... Not a bad idea at all. Of course, it would be with your consent.

The burdens we shoulder are different, but you will always be my cute little brother.

And the elder should protect the younger. I'll be sure to lavish you with my affections. Fufufu... ♪

Kohaku: If you're thinkin' I'm just a cute lil' pet, you're makin' a biiig mistake, boy.

I'm a wild beast. If ya try an' pet me, I'll bite—then I'll gobble you right up, head to tail. Ko ko ko ♪

Hajime: Oukawa-kun, Suou-kun. You're already here, huh?

I'm sorry you had to go out of your way just for me.

Kohaku: Aw, hush now. When ya gave us a holler askin' us for a good shop so's you could buy some tasty sweets for your family, why, as a humble member of the sweets club myself I couldn'ta said no.

Tsukasa: Rather, I'm honored you would call for us. I'd love the chance to introduce my favorite confections. ♪

Kohaku: The stuff we've brought, see, these are the real cream o' the crop here. It's a war t'see if me or the ol' boy's troops will win.

Well, it's a given that my dessert's better'n his, for sure.

Tsukasa: We won't know until we try, will we? This is why we're having a tasting today.

Now then, let's get to it. Here you are.

Hajime: Wow... They both have such fancy wrapping! How lovely. ♪

Kohaku: Hmm...? That's a mighty stylish box ya got there.

Never woulda thought you'd really bring some Western thing. Back in the day, ya loved the traditional stuff.

Tsukasa: And I still love it now, too. It's just that I also became interested in Western sweets on top of that.

And besides, in this global era, I think it's rather unfitting to restrict oneself to only "Western" or "Japanese" sweets.

If you shut away your heart from the influences of other cultures, your knowledge will remain limited, you see?

Kohaku: You're so obsessed with this stuff... Well, relax while ya still can, boy.

Try my dessert and you'll be havin' a change of heart 'fore ya know it.

Tsukasa: Fufu. I could say the same to you.

My recommendation today is this gâteau au chocolat. A luxurious cake baked with the finest chocolate fills the senses with the full-bodied fragrance of cacao...

And with orange peel as the accent, even the aftertaste is exquisite.

Kohaku: Gâteau au chocolat my ass! Whatcha actin' so fancy for, huh? That's a chocolate cake if I ever seen one!

I brought daifuku with me today. Don'tcha look down on it, now. It's more than just sweet bean paste an' mochi, ya hear? [1]

Even the head honchos of Japan wouldn't be shy to give these as gifts!

Hajime: Dark gâteau au chocolat and white daifuku... I think it's a coincidence, but they really do contrast with each other, huh?

Kohaku: Like the fight between light an' darkness, ain't it, boy?

Tsukasa: Indeed. My gâteau will emerge victorious, however.

Kohaku: Dumbass. 'Course it's gonna be my daifuku.

Now, fair an' square... let's taste! Munch munch...

(...What the hell? Who let chocolate cake this rich even exist?!)

(I thought it'd be dry, but it's like eatin' pure, creamy chocolate! And yet, it's got a real nice weight and firmness to it!)

(Oh boy, if I end up rememberin' this taste, it'll throw my definition of "chocolate cake" out the window! In front o' the boy, I thought I'd be all graceful an' eat it bit by bit...)

(But if I let my guard down, I might jus' devour it all...!)

Tsukasa: (......)

(...I've miscalculated. To be honest, I'd thought this was simply your average daifuku.)

(But the mochi is as smooth and soft as a baby's cheeks, and melts in my mouth as I eat.)

(And above all, the fruity surprises hidden within the bean paste—they bewitch my tongue like a skilled assassin!)

(It is open, honest, and does not betray itself... I cannot but acknowledge its deliciousness.)

Kohaku: (Yeah, but I don't wanna say it. The second I admit it's tasty, that's it for me.)

Tsukasa: (But I cannot simply fall silent either...)

Kohaku: ......

Tsukasa: ......

Hajime: Munch munch... ♪ Hmm, both are pretty yummy~ ♪

Suou-kun's gâteau au chocolat and Oukawa-kun's daifuku... It's hard to say which is better. Would it be okay to take both for my family instead?

Kohaku: O-Oh yeah! Ain't no rule sayin' ya can't buy both, right?

Tsukasa: Ah yes, certainly! That would be the best! I'm sure your family has their own preferences, after all.

Hajime: Ehehe, then I'll go ahead and do that... ♪

When I saw them, I automatically started to worry over which one I should choose, but...

With two different sweets, that just means double the fun and double the happiness, right? I'm glad I asked you both.

Tsukasa: It's an honor to be of service. If there is anything else you need, then do not hesitate to call for us.

Kohaku: Yep, we know loads of other delicious sweets, too.

...So it's a tie today, eh, sonny?

Tsukasa: It seems so. Shall we have another match sometime? Next time, I'll bring a real masterpiece that'll outmatch you at last.

Kohaku: Come at me. I'll beat ya at your own game! Ko ko ko... ♪

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[1] Daifuku is a Japanese dessert made of "mochi" (pounded rice) filled with "an" (sweet bean paste). Here's a picture. Kohaku's daifuku probably looks something like this, though.