She sat as gracefully as she could, not used to dealing with a person her age with such manners. She listened as he assured her of his delight in her company, managing to hold the pink in her face back to a minimum.
“You’re so nice! Trust me, my eclairs are delicious. That’s actually a fact, it’s in the encyclopedia and everything.” Grinning, only half-joking, Karin cupped her cheek in her left hand, which appeared to be her dominant, surprisingly to some, and listened to him speak. He had the most soothing, lilting voice she’d ever heard. It was as if every word he said was uttered with utmost conviction; like he didn’t say things he wasn’t sure of. She found herself almost in a trance just from the sound of his voice. Luckily, she was able to snap out of it upon being asked a question.
“Hope’s Peak is incredibly varied, yeah. I mean, I know a woodcarver, a movie critic, a class representative, a soccerplayer, a mermaid…” The girl laughed, shaking her head. “She’s not really a mermaid. But she’s sure good at pretending.”
“I’ll trust you on the reputation of your baking, but the proof, as they say, lies in the pudding.” Hakuba smirked, tilting his head as he reached for the first of the eclairs – the chocolate one. He carefully tore it in half, doing all that he could to avoid getting sticky mess on his hands, and regarded it curiously. It certainly looked good. The texture of the pastry felt correct. It smell was, too. So far, so good.
“But, yes; I’m very impressed. All of that and at high school level? It sounds more like a university… but perhaps the classes aren’t focused on your individual skill sets… You, already being an accomplished baker, wouldn’t necessarily benefit from specialized classes. I wonder if it’s the same for all students there…?”
The detective was thoughtful at this as he took a bite of the halved eclair.
Oh God. She wasn’t kidding.
