A few hours earlier
Tenma Household - Living Room
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Saki
It's just... I can't help but feel a little anxious since you're really here at my house, Airi...!
Airi
Hehe. I'm glad you're so excited about having me over, but we have a busy day ahead of us and don't have a minute to waste!
Tenma Household - Kitchen
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Airi
Wow, your kitchen's also pretty big!
There should be more than enough space for us to bake our sweets!
There should be more than enough space for us to bake our sweets!
Airi
The sponge cake base is gonna take up the most time, so we'll start by baking those. After that, we can start making decorations and stuff for them.
Saki
Right, because it's the basis for everything we're doing! But it still seems really hard...
Airi
I know.
But there's no show without a stage, so we'll need to make ours before anything else can happen!
But there's no show without a stage, so we'll need to make ours before anything else can happen!
Airi
Be careful when using an electric mixer. Things are gonna start flying all over the place if you don't keep a close eye on what you're doing.
Airi
Once you feel the dough's nice and mixed, can I have you start working on the cookies?
Saki
Oh, I've made some before so I know how!
Except, I remember having some trouble kneading the dough...
Except, I remember having some trouble kneading the dough...
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Saki
Marzipan...? Isn't that the stuff they use to make the edible Santa Clause dolls you see on top of Christmas cakes?
Airi
Yup. My plan's to make dolls of everyone from MORE MORE JUMP! for the top of my cake.
Saki
Um... Can I try helping with that?
I know your cake means a lot to you, so I wanna lend a hand where I can...
I know your cake means a lot to you, so I wanna lend a hand where I can...
Saki
So add a couple of drops of red food coloring to the marzipan and... Oh no! I put in too much! It turned bright red!
Airi
That's okay. Marzipan's pretty easy to make, so you can just try again with a fresh batch.
Airi
As for this red marzipan... Hmm...
What if I turned them into hearts for us to use as extra decorations?
What if I turned them into hearts for us to use as extra decorations?
Airi
Emu, can you start piping the ganache onto the macarons? They don't need much so go a little bit at a time, okay?
Saki
Hehe. Looks like our chocolate cakes are gonna turn out amazing, and it's all thanks to you, Airi♪
Saki
I'm always relying on my friends for help, especially during band practice since I'll run out of stamina sometimes...
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Saki
Which is why I want to learn to be able to bake and make gifts like this on my own one day!
Airi
You want to give back to others all on your own... There are times when I want to accomplish something by myself, so I totally get how you feel.
Airi
Idols aren't exempt from that either. There are plenty of things that we can't do on our own, but we're able to grow because we have each other.
Airi
I'm not saying it's bad to set out on your own. I'm saying that you're not alone and you can always ask for help whenever you think you need it.
Saki
Yeah, you're absolutely right.
I convinced myself somewhere along the way that I had to be able to stand on my own.
I convinced myself somewhere along the way that I had to be able to stand on my own.
Saki
But this is why you're the best, Airi!
You're sparkling just the way you did on TV... No, I think you're even brighter than before!
You're sparkling just the way you did on TV... No, I think you're even brighter than before!
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Airi
Hehe. Thanks.
I'll be making some for you too, so you'll have that to look forward to.
I'll be making some for you too, so you'll have that to look forward to.
Scramble Crossing
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Shizuku
Is something the matter?
You two seemed awfully startled when you were by the intersection just now.
You two seemed awfully startled when you were by the intersection just now.
Tsukasa
But she seems to have told them that she won't be able to make band practice because she had a family outing to attend to...
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Shizuku
(Oh, so yesterday...
I may not have been imagining things. That really might've been Airi.)
I may not have been imagining things. That really might've been Airi.)
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Airi
Now we just need wrap it in plastic after everything hardens and settles. Make sure not to touch it once we do that, alright?
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Sound Effect: Play
Tsukasa's Voice
<What's wrong?!
I bumped into Ichika just now and she said that she has band practice today...>
I bumped into Ichika just now and she said that she has band practice today...>
Tsukasa's Voice
<But she also said that you wouldn't be able to make it because we were going somewhere as a family. Why did you lie to us like that?>
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Tsukasa's Voice
<Are you in some kind of trouble?!
I'm heading home right now, so sit tight!>
I'm heading home right now, so sit tight!>
Airi
Right. We can't box them up or put them in the fridge yet. If they do actually all come here, it's game over...
Next Chapter: A Sudden Occurrence?!