This is for Everything

Chapter 133: S2 Episode 32 - This is for Everything

"T-the public can see your actions! You're only bringing down your reputation, Michiko Keiko!" The reporter threatened but that meant nothing to Keiko.

"If that's so, so be it! I still have a few "easy to answer" questions for you. Say… Did you get paid to do—" Keiko hadn't finished her question and was completely interrupted by the reporter.

"—W-what do you mean? I only work for Japan Today! How could I ever do that?!" The reporter raised her voice but Keiko was completely unaffected.

"Ha, as expected," Keiko scoffed at the reporter's words before a wicked grin appeared on her lips. "Only those guilty of committing such actions begin to start defending themselves before the question is even fully asked."

At this, sweat could be seen dripping down the reporter's face. Although Japan Today's cameraman could've stopped filming before things escalated this way, even he was captivated by this scene unfolding that he couldn't stop filming!

Keiko turned her attention towards Tennouji Mari who was also seen to be visibly sweating to the side. The confident smile Mari had before was now replaced with a look of worry. Even so, Keiko kept going.

'You started this, Tennouji Mari. Although I can tell you just wanted to raise your group's fame by second-handedly slandering me and my team, did you actually think about the consequences of your actions? About how me and my team could suffer from this?'

Keiko was aware of Tennouji Mari's dream and just how much she wanted to be by Henri Lucas's side. Even Mari was willing to use these dirty tricks to gain more attention from the public due to how much she wanted this dream. She was similar to Michiko Keiko who also wanted to reach her dream, but even so, Keiko wasn't willing to go *this far* to disgrace her competitors in this way. Sure, she used Mari's words against her, but it wasn't the same as deliberately trying to make her slip up.

"My father is one of the top prosecutors of Japan, Michiko Kenji, so I've learned a few things about law from him. Seeing as to how flustered you've become to an unfinished question, I would like an official investigation behind this matter! Let us see after this competition if you are involved in a second-party's bribing!" Michiko Keiko ended it there, coolly whipping her long brown hair around and strutting towards her station.

Everyone watching her was completely speechless because they didn't know how to react. The reporter was visibly pale as if she'd seen a ghost, and even Tennouji Mari was sweating profusely.

Just what was going on?

Since nobody could add in their opinions due to the lack of proof, the audience couldn't take sides. Was Michiko Keiko just spouting incoherent nonsense, or did her words actually reveal some truth behind this matter?

"Could she actually be right?"

"Well, Michiko Keiko was given some strange questions to ask. It does seem fishy…"

"We want an investigation!"

"Yeah! Let's have an investigation to see who's right!"

"Only Tennouji Mari was asked a probable question!"

The voices of the live audience who witnessed everything in real life began chiming in one by one until the room went out of control.

It had gotten blown out of proportion that the academy's chairman had to step in.

"Please calm down everybody!" Chairman Moriyama tried to appease the loud people through a microphone, and finally, the room seemed to quiet down.

"We shall focus our attention back on the competition! There will be a formal investigation held after the proceedings of this final round!" Moriyama said, which appeased the hearts of the people somewhat.

No matter how anyone saw it, Michiko Keiko had brought up a valid point. There was something fishy going on. Could it really be that the reporter was bribed by another party?

Following the instruction of the chairman, the audience brought their attention back to what they'd actually come for—the final round of the Cake Grand Prix.

The Japan Today's newscast hurriedly left the stage after the screams of the people, but now other news stations were starting to get their cameras ready to watch the final round. Even Tennouji Mari, who wore a pale face, walked back to her station. Her three male teammates saw the sudden change in her expression. There was no more confidence, instead, it was fear.

Next to her was her childhood friend, Kaidou Rui, who was stationed adjacent to her. He looked at her with afflicted eyes as if she'd done something terrible.

"Mari… d-did you—" Kaidou Rui began his question before being interrupted.

"—Let's just focus on this competition. If we win, then it won't matter anymore," Tennouji Mari tried to convince her teammates who eyed her, but it really was just a way to convince herself that everything was going to be okay.

~

When Michiko Keiko walked to her assigned kitchen, the three sweets princes and their sweets spirits looked at her, who had a somber expression. It wasn't sad to the point of people pointing it out, but it was just a look of disturbance as if she'd been betrayed by a trusted friend.

After witnessing what had just happened when they talked to the reporter, the princes and their partners couldn't believe what they heard. Yet, after hearing the questions the reporter asked Tennouji Mari and Michiko Keiko, it was quite obvious that there had been some sort of favoritism towards one side rather than the other.

They never doubted Keiko's presumptions. She always had accurate instincts so they would stick with her until the end.

"Are you okay, Michiko?" Hanabusa asked Keiko who faintly nodded her head.

"Yeah, I'm all right. Let's just focus on winning this competition," Keiko declared to which her teammates dropped their worries, seeing how quickly she was able to jump back onto her feet.

They nodded their heads at their trusted team leader's words which encouraged them. If she said everything was alright, then it was alright.

However, as she tried to put on a brave face in front of her teammates, she could feel this stinging pain everywhere on her body. Her head ached terribly, her heart was beginning to race, and she could feel a shortness of breath. Despite all of these feelings, she hid them well under her strong-willed persona and would fake everything until she and her team won. Her body hadn't given up on her yet which meant that she could still do it.

She needed to win this competition, for everything.