𝙱𝚊𝚍 𝙸𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚜 - 𝙺. 𝙱𝚘𝚔𝚞𝚝𝚘 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

Chapter Twenty Three

It took all of five seconds before Idoki was recognized by the owner of the bookshop in town, a wide smile crossing the older woman's face as their eyes met. "Idoki-chan! It's so lovely to see you back! Are you here with Kita-kun? Should I grab a basket for you?"

A soft chuckle left Idoki's lips as she gave the woman a friendly wave. "Good evening, Satori-san," she tangled her fingers with Bokuto's and leaned into his side. "This Kotaro Bokuto, my date. We won't be needing a basket today, but we heard about the little cafe you added and were hoping to try it out."

"Your date," the woman's head tilted to the side as she tucked a strand of greying black hair behind her ear. "What happened with Kita-kun? I always thought you two were meant to be."

Bokuto felt a pang in his chest at that notion but kept his approachable smile present, the gentle pressure Idoki had pressed against his hand reassuring as she spoke. "Shinsuke is a wonderful person, but it just wasn't in the stars for us."

Satori sighed, giving the woman a sad smile before looking at Bokuto and crossing her arms over her chest. "You better treat her well, Bokuto-kun. She's everything that's right with this world and I'll put a curse on you if you hurt her."

Idoki sputtered a laugh at her threat and Bokuto's polite smile widened into one much more sincere. "Curse or no curse, I'd never dream of doing anything other than spoiling her rotten and making her smile."

"Good," Satori nodded. "Then you will be needing a basket today. Go order with Taniguchi and then look around, I've got some new novels I know you're gonna love, dear."

"Oh, I don't know if we have time. We're also going to a movie afterwards."

"We can skip the previews," Bokuto suggested and Idoki looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Really?"

"Of course," he chuckled. "You really think I'd bring you to a bookstore and not give time to browse? We've got over an hour before we have to be there and maybe an extra ten or fifteen minutes if you take into account the previews."

A shit eating grin lit up her features and she stood on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek. "You're the best."

Satori smiled as she watched Bokuto's cheeks tinge pink and his smile turned into one of a love drunk fool. She shooed them away to the back of the establishment where a small counter with a glass display case acted as a barrier between the rest of the shop and the coffee machines behind it.

"Wow, everything looks so good," Bokuto hummed as he tugged Idoki into his side, letting go of her hand in favour of wrapping his arm around her waist. "What would you like, Sugarplum?"

"Oh! Apple pie," she pointed excitedly at the half empty pie plate. "I haven't had that in ages."

Bokuto smiled at who he assumed was the man mentioned earlier, Taniguchi. "Can we get a slice of apple pie and a slice of red velvet cake, please?"

The lanky blond teenager nodded. "Sure. And were you interested in some drinks to go with it? We just got in a new blend of green tea that's sooo good."

"That sounds perfect," Idoki concluded and Bokuto quickly agreed.

"Two green teas as well then."

"Great, I'll get started on those while you two browse the shop."

In record time, Idoki had tucked her arm snuggly around the crook of Bokuto's elbow and led him towards the fiction section.

A feeling of contentedness washed over the redhead as she began skimming over the titles on the shelf for new books, her hand confidently latched onto Bokuto's as she did so. Idoki excitedly pointed out stories that she'd heard good things about as well as ones she'd read already because she'd picked them up at the shop Akaashi had shown her.