delicate • a collection of the music freaks oneshots

Bakeries, Strawberries, and A Pretty Boy

💗 : Suke
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Sean sighs. Some days are truly stressful. He loves producing music, really, it's always been his dream and he's so happy to be living it. But sometimes it's stressful when he can't seem to come up with perfect lyrics. He knows he's talented but days like these make him feel insecure and like he can't do anything right.

He would've gladly kept quiet about it and taken his distress to his grave, but unfortunately (or fortunately), his best friend happens to be the nosiest motherfucker and got the truth out of him effortlessly. And that's how he's standing here, outside a bakery Jake told him to take a break in and not to be whiny about it. Well... he can definitely use a break.

Sean opens the door, the bell ringing above him. The first word that comes to Sean's mind is cozy.

The bakery primarily follows a hazelnut color theme, looking like it's straight out of a coffee shop aesthetic online. There are people inside, not enough to feel too crowded, just enough that Sean lets the soft chatter wash over him, calming his tense shoulders. Reminds him of his younger years, back in high school, left without any worries except his grades and taking care of his friends and himself.

Sean takes a seat near the window, taking in just how pretty everything looks. Jake was right, it's really comforting. Sean has always really loved pretty things, his collection of rainbow key chains existing purely because they're pretty. Probably how Jake finds it so easy to choose a gift for hi—

Oh.

So that's what Jake meant by he might find someone of interest there.

Because as he looks at the pretty ginger boy standing right in front of his table, he's definitely interested.

"Anything I can get for you?"

Sean looks up at the boy who's most definitely an angel from heaven. Where are his wings? When did Sean's eyesight get so bad that he misses something as noticeable as wings?

"Right, I-I don't know, what will you recommend?" He cringes at his stutter.

The boy hums, thinking. "Well, I think you'd like our strawberry cake roll since it looks really pretty." He looks like he wants to say something else but just smiles.

"Strawberry cake roll it is, then."

The boy writes it down, nods, and walks off to another table, leaving Sean in awe.

The boy even walks elegantly, a bright smile etched on his face, charming people effortlessly. If he has a lover they must have saved a country in their past life.

Sean tears his eyes away from the boy before he notices him staring, deciding to open his laptop and look for inspiration (even if Jake would be mad at him later).

Unfortunately, he soon lets out a frustrated groan, slumping down on the keyboard, probably messing up his work but he doesn't care anymore. He miserably chews on the strawberry cake roll a female waiter handed him a minute ago, registering somewhere in his mind how the dessert is truly mouth-wateringly good.

However, what he didn't expect was the pretty boy to be beside him, sensing his frustration.

"What's wrong?" he asks. Sean gulps, noticing out of the corner of his eyes that a purple-haired boy who wasn't previously here serving others. The ginger probably has a break, that's why he's here.

"Oh, it's just, I can't get these lyrics right. I have to finish these before a week but it's frustrating the heck out of me."

"Hmm, can I sit here?"

Sean had expected him to leave after giving sympathy, so he blinked, processing the statement. "Yeah! Yeah, sure."

The ginger slips into the seat beside him instead of across, taking a look at his laptop. "What are you stuck on?"

"There's this part I can't get right. I don't know what to write next, it feels unnatural to just add more lovey-dovey lyrics, I dunno."

The boy pushes closer, getting a proper look at the words.

They're all really sweet. Sounds so sickeningly in love. Sean silently wonders if they remind the boy of a certain special person.

"This is really nice," the boy says genuinely, his voice dripping with honey, and Sean flushes, "I don't really have any experience in love, but I have an idea."

"You haven't even listened to the demo yet," Sean mumbles with a pout, no actual annoyance in his voice, and the ginger smiles playfully.

"You're stuck on the ending, right?" Sean nods. "Well, since the song is practically ending, why not give it a twist?"

Sean raises an eyebrow, willing him to continue. "Why not end it in a way implying an unhappy ending?"

Sean stares, the gears in his head turning, and almost jumps up from his seat in excitement. "Oh my God, you're a genius!"

"Aren't I?" he says cheekily, a faint blush tinting his cheeks.

Sean frantically types away at his laptop then stops, playing the melody with the lyrics in his head, and he claps his hands together. "This is it! This is exactly what was missing!"

The other boy watches Sean light up. "Is that all you needed help with?"

"Mmm no, but I think I can deal with the others now, I have a couple of ideas."

Sean doesn't realize it implies that the boy has to go until he points it out with a pout. "Does that mean I have to go? I haven't even gotten your name yet."

Sean blinks, grateful that his blush won't be that noticeable due to his dark complexion.

The boy on the other hand has his cheeks painted with light pink, looking too much like the pink strawberry cake roll he ate earlier. Sean wants to eat him.

He clears his throat. "My name is Sean. And you don't have to go, but only if you tell me your name."

He giggles, relaxing. "My name is Luke. Nice to meet you, Sean. We should get to know each other more. How about you tell me about yourself first?"

Sean hesitated a little but spoke anyway. It was almost surprising how quickly his initial shyness dissipated into the air. Luke was an easy person to talk to, listening intently and giving his input whenever he wanted, speaking his mind. When Luke talked about himself and his life, Sean found out a lot of things about him. He's the shop's owner's son and works here when he has free time from his work as a teacher in a music academy. The girl who served Sean earlier was Millicent, or Milly, as she liked to be called, and the purple-haired guy is named Zander, Luke's childhood friend.

By the time Luke had to go, Sean wasn't sure what he loved most about the ginger. The way he talks animatedly, his eyes lighting up when speaking about his best friends, how he leans in, listening and talking back to Sean. It made him feel so cared about, like his interests matter too, and— wait, where was he?

Right, Luke had to leave.

"I'm so sorry, I have somewhere to be right now."

Sean tried to not show his disappointment but failed, visibly deflating when Luke stood up. Luke only smiled at him, his gaze holding something akin to fondness.

"You know, you can always text me, in case you have writer's block." Luke smiled, taking his phone out and looking at Sean expectantly.

Sean stood up so fast he almost stumbled over.

Exchanging numbers, Luke put a hand on Sean's shoulder, squeezing lightly.

"Hope to see you around here again."

Sean hopes to see him more often, too.