Side story 34: Misaki and cakes.

This Starina place is more like a cafe than a cake shop. The store is divided into two section, each section for a type of customer. If you’re just going to buy some cakes and head back home then you go to the cashier on the right, if you’re going to eat them at the store then to the left.

“Welcomeー, feel free to sit anywhere.”

Walking to the left section, Ryuusei heard a waitress’s voice and seated Misaki on an empty seat for two nearby. The chairs here are height-adjustable one, so Ryuusei make it as high as possible before sitting down on the other side.

“Wide.”

Misaki muttered, in which Ryuusei responds with “Yeah.” The Gyudon shop that the two visited almost everyday is not even comparable, and it feel like this place here is even bigger than the sushi restaurant they had been to once. Although its actual size is about the usual family restaurant, but because of the seats’ layout, the color of the wall and other elements make it feel more spacious.

Ryuusei’s expectation for the store rose as a result.

Now if only the cakes are as good as they say, Misaki’d be happy about it and the plan for today would be perfect.

Clang, he heard a small sound.

Ryuusei looked toward the sound, and he saw a young female customer. Apparently she had just received what she ordered. On her table is a slice of shortcake on a plate with a glass of water. She picks up the spoon that was on the plate, then proceeds to slice the cake and brought it to her mouth with a gesture that shows her good upbringing.

Ryuusei swallowed his saliva. Although the cake looked just like any other cake you could find in a supermarket, but the cake she’s eating looked so good that he felt like he’s going to drool if he’s not careful. Or that’s what he thought.

And so, the girl ate the cake.

“Mmmmmmm～～～mmm! My first ever Tenten cake in half a yearrrrrrrrr! Nom nom, sho guuud♪ Dis is sho gooood～”

Ryuusei is at a loss. There’s no way it is that good. He looked around the store for as if he’s looking for agreement, however the other twenty or so customers didn’t even bother looking at her.

……Just what is going on here. Are you sure that that cake isn’t infused with some lethal drug or something?

Ryuusei looked around with a worried face. And then the black-haired waitress who had been running around the store energetically just now finally came to their seat.

“Thank you for the waitー Wait, onee-san you’re a first-timer here aren’t you.”

“I’m onii-san.”

What a flashy waitress, Ryuusei thought so and replied back calmly.

“Seriously? Your skin is even more beautiful than Miku’s. So, is today her birthday or something?”

“Yeah, anniversary, something like that.”

It’s Misaki’s coming-back-home celebration.

“Ohー I see. Then I’d recommend strawberry shortcake. And also Amaretti.”

“Amaretti?”

“It’s a Macaron-like snack. You know Miku’s little sister is six years old currently, and she looks really happy everytime she eat them, so I think maybe your daughter will like it too.”

Her sister is the same age as Misaki huh. That’s quite a large age gap between sisters, thought Ryuusei while turning to Misaki to see her respond.

“Do you want to try it?” (Ryuusei)

“……Un.”

Misaki nodded after a short pause to think.

“Then I’ll have two cakes, and also one of that Amananchara thing.”

“Okaーy. Your daughter is so good-mannered and so cute isn’t she.”

She speaks while operating a device on her hand. On the other hand Ryuusei for some reason felt happy hearing her say the word ‘your daughter’. Of course he knows that she didn’t mean anything deep by that word but still.

“You want some orange juice too miss?”

“……Un.”

While Ryuusei’s still thinking something has already been ordered. He noticed it of course, but decided it’ll be better to just let it slip.

“Can I get you an iced coffee nii-san?”

“Yes, please.”

“Any sugar or milk?”

“Without please.”

“Alrightー Is there something else you want?”

“That’s all for now.”

“Okaーy. Take your timeー”

Waving her hand lightly, the waitress left for another seat. While watching her back, Ryuusei thought that she’s really casual on her speech up until the end. However, he also thinks that it kinda made him felt good. With that in mind, he looked around the store and found that all other customers seemed to be in relaxing mood too, some even chat happily with the waitress. Seeing that, he’s convinced that he’s right.

At Aniki’s shop he’s strict about the choice of words, but if she’s dealing with a customer like me who doesn’t care about such thing, then I think it’s better to talk like that.

“Case by case huh……”

“……Case?”

Misaki tilted her head upon hearing Ryuusei’s muttering, puzzled.

“As for Misaki…… well something like word choices is still too early for her I guess?”

Ryuusei muttered, wondering if he’s even capable of teaching it in the first place.

And of course, Misaki didn’t understand the meaning of his words at all.

It was about five minutes later that the order arrived at their table.

“Thanks for the wait― Oh by the way nii-san, what do you do for a living?”

The same waitress huh, she asked him while moving the cake from the round tray to the table.

“Thanks. Well, I’m a programmer for the time being.”

“I see. Do you know any good teacher?”

“Teacher?”

“Yup. The professor at Miku’s university is too incompetent you seeー, so now I have to find an educational training on my own. That’s why I’m looking for one.”

He felt like he just heard some unbelieveable words from her mouth, but Ryuusei decided to not think too much about it.

“I see.”

“I dyed my hair black during this spring break, but my old school is out of the question too and both Chibi and Saki have gone aboard, that Ese ojou-sama is too high-leveled, and all the newcomers are from foreign countries, really I just can’t anymore.” 1

“……That’s rough.”

Ryuusei answered back with a bitter smile, still wondering why he have to listen to her complaint.

“Really. That’s why please tell me if you know one.”

“Sure, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Thank you. Then see yaー”

……

“Then, Misaki, the cake……”

He pulled himself together and look at Misaki.

And there, he saw Misaki making a happy face with the spoon already in her mouth.

“……You started eating already huh.”

“Tasty.”

She said, then took the second bite. But well if Misaki’s happy then whatever, and so Ryuusei started eating his cake too.

The cake looked the same as any ordinary one. It’s just a normal cake with white whipped cream and a little strawberry on top. But seeing that Misaki’s hand never stopped at all, he feels like it’s going to be really delicious for sure.

He gulped, then picked up the spoon.

“It’s quite firm. Or elastic……?”

Unlike the ordinary one, he felt like his spoon bounced off of it. It felt like what Misaki’s cheeks feel like…… No good, anymore than this and it’ll get dangerous. Ryuusei listened to what his mind told him, and then grabs the cake with his hand and thrust it into his mouth without hesitation. In that same moment, Ryuusei’s jumped.

……This is, too good!!

Its a whole another level compared to ordinary ones. Even Ryuusei who thinks that any food that went through his mouth is all the same, is impressed with this cake. Honestly he isn’t even sure if this deliciousness is because the ingredients used is of high quality, or just because its price is very high so his body made him believe that it’s delicious.

The whipped cream is really fresh. It has firm elasticity and a deep flavor that seemed to amplified the flavor of other ingredients many times over. And not just that, its exquisite sweetness that’s not too heavy. And inside the whipped cream is a fluffy sponge thing. Very different from the ordinary ones that’s all dried, it’s as if, as if…… My vocalbulary can’t even describe it!

Ryuusei was about to have his second bite, but then he remembered that he just ate all of it with just his first bite.

“……I should’ve-, should’ve slowly taste it more.”

He regretted it from the bottom of his heart, but then suddenly he saw something white shining in front of his eyes.

He looked up, and what he saw is Misaki holding out a spoon with a cake on it to me.

“Ahhーn?”

At that moment, a sharp electric current pierced through Ryuusei.

……Misaki, what the hell is this, where did you learned this!?

Whoever taught her this come out right now! I’ve to give my thanks to you!

“……Ah, ahhhーn.”

Ryuusei obediently closed his eyes and opened his mouth.

“……”

“……”

However, no matter how much he waits the cake never made it into his mouth.

He curiously opened his eyes, and saw Misaki desperately reaching her hand out as far as possible.

“……You can’t reach me?”

“……Un.”

Misaki’s dejected.

Ryuusei also dropped his shoulders in dejection, but then suddenly smiled.

“Oh well, that was delicious.”

“Un.”

Very satisfied.

The two of them stood in line for the cashier with a receipt in hand. The number started to increase around five o’clock, and with only one cashier the line moved slowly. But for Ryuusei who had just ate a good cake he’s in a very good mood as he chatted happily with Misaki.

“Do you want to buy anything else to eat at home? ……Ah, well, we don’t have a fridge though.”

“Yui-chan.”

“Oh, yeah right. Speaking of which, when is Yui-chan’s birthday again?”

“Tomorrow’s tomorrow?”

“Overmorrow huh, that’s really close isn’t it, but well that’s also a perfect timing.”

Since Misaki is six years old, so Yui-chan is going to turn seven right? Then seven small candles…… While thinking about such stuff, Misaki pulled on his sleeve with a thud.

“What’s it?”

“What about Ryo-kun?”

“Birthday? Mine is…… if I remember correctly it’s the Christmas day. Wait, when’s the Christmas day again……”

People tend to forget their birthday if it’s not celebrated. Ryuusei barely remembered that it was Christmas, but not only that, since it’s a holiday that he has nothing to do with he also forgot when it is as well.

“Kurisumasu……” (Misaki)

While Ryuusei’s fighting against his memory wall, Misaki firmly holds the word she heard in her mind.

“Next, person?” (Misaki)

And then the line moved forward, and now it’s Ryuusei’s turn. He responded after a short delay and held out the receipt in his hand.

“One thousand two hundred and fifty eight yen, that’ll be.”

“Oh, yeah, well, okay.”

Ryuusei flinched upon hearing the quite different intonation of Japanese language, and also seeing the face of the clerk. Blond hair blue eyes and white skin, definitely not a Japanese person.

“Ummm, I want to order a birthday cake too……”

Ryuusei who had a history with blond-haired people speaks fearfully. However the clerk who seemed to be used to reaction like Ryuusei’s continued with a smile.

“Write on this paper, put it in the box in front of the store, please?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Ryuusei is stiff and nervous.

Maybe because his reaction is funny, the clerk put her hand over her mouth, her shoulder shakes a little. 2

“Cake, how was it, I wonder?”

“It was delicious.”

“Thank you. Darling’s going to, be happy.”

“Is that so…… Eh, ah, so you’re a married couple running a store.”

“Un. Come again, please.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Ryuusei left the store, nervous from the start to the end. After that, Ryuusei fills in any necessary information in the paper he received, and put it in the box. It’ll be sent via mail, the payment will be collected on delivery.

“Thanks for waiting Misaki. Let’s go home.”

“……Un.”

After that, the two of them went home.

“It was tasty.” (Misaki)

“I see.”

Misaki says it repeatedly. Seems like she really liked the cake there.

“How was that cookie-like thing? I’ve not eaten any.”

“Fluffy.”

“Hahaha, I see. So it’s fluffy huh.”

I’m glad we came here, Ryuusei thought from the bottom of his heart.

While Misaki’s reminiscing its deliciousness, she saw Ryuusei’s hand that’s swinging around at exactly her eyes level.

If she just reach out a little she can reach it.

But that’s, not yet time, let’s wait a little longer.

“Misaki? What’re you looking at?”

“……Nothing.”

Hurriedly turning her face away, then ran off.

Ryuusei frowned a little, but then immediately walks next to her again.