After calming down with a long, unhurried stroll around the city to clear my head, I found myself standing in front of a cozy neighborhood bakery.
Sweets were really my thing, so I walked straight through the door with absolutely no hesitation.
I can’t lie, the moment I stepped inside, the warm layout felt strangely familiar in my memory for some reason, but that couldn’t be possible since I knew for an absolute fact this was the first time I’ve ever set foot here.
“Hey, welcome in!” A cheerful, older lady greeted me warmly from behind the counter as I walked further into the compact, beautifully aromatic shop.
A pristine glass display case filled with all kinds of freshly baked sweets immediately caught my full attention.
“How long can these last in the refrigerator?” I asked, leaning over the glass to examine the options.
“These over here on the right can last for about three days, while these delicate ones on the left can last for a whole week,” she explained with a bright smile.
Nodding thoughtfully, I pointed through the glass at a few specific items.
“Alright, I’ll take these three on the end, and the four right here in the middle.” “Sure thing!
Are you buying a share to split with your girlfriend?” she teased lightheartedly, reaching for a cardboard pastry box.
“Some of it is definitely for her, but honestly, most of it is just for me,” I chuckled, resting my hands in my pockets.
“I absolutely love sweets.
It really gets the mind going when you need to think.” The gentle older woman put my order together with experienced finesse.
My attention wandered elsewhere until it settled on the back of a familiar head of hair.
I say that, but it is more that her small height really was memorable.
[Choices have arrived!] 1.
Say hi – Random Reward 2.
Do nothing – nothing […] Once the nice lady finished boxing everything up, I paid for the treats, took my bag, and turned on my heel to head straight over toward Waguri’s small table.
“Hello again.” “EEK?!
Oh, it’s you!
You totally scared me…” She jumped slightly in her seat, a hand flying over her heart as she pouted cutely, though she didn’t stop munching on her slice of cake.
[Reward distributing…] [Reward: Two Universal tickets to an aquarium.] “Sorry, sorry,” I smiled, holding up my bakery bag in defense.
“I just saw you sitting here and thought I’d come over to say hi.” I didn’t care too much about the reward text floating in my vision, though I figured it would probably be useful later on for my own date, assuming Miyako and I could even hold back long enough to actually make it to an aquarium.
“This is perfect timing, actually!” Waguri beamed, her face lighting up as she swallowed her bite of cake.
“Can I please get your name?
I totally forgot to ask you last time!
I’m Waguri Kaoruko, and I’m so sorry for making you pay for me the other day.
I’ll send you the money for it right now!” “It’s totally fine, Waguri-san.
My name is Sarukomi Tatsuya.
Feel free to call me whatever is most comfortable for you.” “No, I really should pay you back somehow!” she insisted, her large eyes full of determination.
Before I could wave off her concern again, the older lady behind the counter looked over at us with a curious expression.
“You two know each other?” “A-Ah, yes!
He’s the one I told you about, Mrs.
Tsumugi.” “Oh~!” The woman’s eyes widened in realization, her smile growing even warmer.
“Thank you so much for helping her out the other day.
If I would have known you were that boy, I could have given you a much better discount on those pastries just now.” “There’s really no need, ma’am.
I was just repaying a favor I already owed someone else,” I replied smoothly.
“You mean Rintaro, right?” the lady asked, gesturing toward the back door of the kitchen.
“He should be home any minute if you want to stay and talk to him.” “Huh?
Oh.” I smacked my forehead.
‘That’s why this place seemed familiar.’ This was Rintaro’s home and bakery that his parents ran.
“He probably wouldn’t remember me anyway,” I reasoned with a small chuckle.
“He just helped me out in passing while we were on the street, but you’re right, I should probably stick around to say a proper thank you.” Dingaling~ The front door bell jingled right on cue.
“Oh!
Perfect timing!
Rintaro, come here for a second,” his mom called out.
Rintaro walked into the main shop area, his eyes instantly shifting between Waguri and me.
A highly cautious, slightly tense look took over his face the moment he saw us sitting together.
I rolled my eyes playfully and raised my hands.
“Dude, relax.
I’m not here to take your girl.” “H-Huh?
W-W-Wait!” Waguri’s face exploded into a violent blush.
She tried to frantically wave her hands in front of her face to deny it, but her short arms made the gesture look entirely unconvincing.
“What?
Aren’t you two dating?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at the sheer level of panic between them.
“N-N-N-No!” she squeaked.
“What the?
Rintaro, dude.
The hell are you doing?” I sighed, turning a judging gaze toward him.
“I know, right?” Rintaro’s mom chimed in, leaning over the counter and shaking her head in pure exasperation.
“These two are just way too innocent and slow about these kinds of things.” “Hah.
You’ve really had it rough trying to watch over them, huh, ma’am?” “S-Sniff.
My Rintaro is just so completely blind,” she joked, wiping away a fake tear.
“Don’t you worry, ma’am.
I’ll help push them along!” I patted my chest confidently with my free hand.
At the same time, my fingers slid into my pocket to grab my phone.
Remembering the two digital aquarium tickets I had just received from the system, I made a quick decision to hand them over.
They were digital, so transferring them would be effortless.
“Waguri-san, can I get your Line ID real quick?” “E-Eh?” “Just trust me on this one.
You’ll definitely thank me later.” She nodded slowly, thoroughly confused, and the two of us quickly pulled up our QR codes to add each other.
The second the connection went through, I sent over the aquarium vouchers.
“You two go ahead and use those this weekend.
My girlfriend and I probably won’t be able to use them anyway,” I stated with a smirk.
Rintaro’s mom looked over and saw the tickets.
“My!
Rintaro, you’ll be busy this weekend!” “M-Mom, please be quiet.” Rintaro glanced at me while talking to his mom.
I gave him a thumbs up full of intent.
“You two have fun,” I laughed, stepping back from the table.
“But Rintaro, let me add you too, man.
I need to secure a direct line for when I want to get more of these sweets, dude!” I joked, handing over my phone with my own QR code displayed.
Once he finished scanning the code, I gripped my bakery bag tightly and prepared to leave.
“Hey, you two, before I head out, I just want to say one quick thing,” I paused by the door, my tone turning a bit more grounded as I looked back at them.
“Other people’s opinions shouldn’t matter at all if you genuinely like each other.
Do with that advice what you will.” I offered a final wave, pushed the door open, and walked out into the afternoon air to head straight home.
These desserts needed to be thrown in the fridge quickly!