𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝙵𝚘𝚘𝚕 - 𝙺. 𝚂𝚊𝚔𝚞𝚜𝚊 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

Chapter Thirteen - For Me?

Chapter Thirteen

"Ta daaaaaa," Sajima motioned grandly with her free arm toward a local farmer's market entrance. It was an additional half-hour walk to get there. Still, Sajima was hopeful that the Sakusa would be okay with seeing as it wasn't a very popular attraction on a Saturday morning since it was a smaller market.

Sakusa surveyed both sides of the streets where grocers and store owners had rented the spaces in front of their stores to farmers from neighbouring communities. Shelves, baskets, and crates full of fresh produce were plentiful, offering colourful scenery, while other vendors had carefully placed knickknacks, clothing, or artisan goods displayed on tables. "You wanted to go grocery shopping?"

"You always go get groceries on Saturdays, right?" Sajima shrugged. It'll shorten your store trip, and I could use a few things too. Besides, it's nice to get some fresh air in the morning, don't you think? It's a beautiful day today."

A little surprised she'd remembered part of his routine that had only been mentioned in passing, Sakusa nodded. "Beautiful," he mumbled while glancing down at Sajima. "You're right."

"Ooh! Sakusa!" She tugged at his sleeve and pointed toward a vendor with a faded yellow sign hanging from their petite wooden table. "Have you had all-natural honey?"

He looked over to the stall and gently squeezed her hand as he tugged her into motion. "No, I haven't. Have you?"

"It's a total game changer! I love honey in my tea; the flavour is much richer than honey stuffed with preservatives. Honey wheat bread too! It's always eye-opening to notice the difference between things like that."

"I feel similarly about produce. It often tastes better when you can buy directly from the source," Sakusa hummed as they approached the table.

"Oh my gosh," Sajima gasped at the vast array of products, pointing out a blueberry honey lip balm. "Is this with real blueberry honey?"

The woman behind the table, who appeared to be in her late 40s, her hair beginning to grey and her laugh lines prominent, nodded with a smile. "It is. Our farm neighbours another that grows many fruits. We've been experimenting by placing a few apiaries near the property lines."

Sajima glanced up at Sakusa to explain. "When bees pollinate certain things, it'll change the taste."

"I never would have guessed you had an interest in beekeeping," Sakusa mused, growing more curious to learn about her when this had seemed so unexpected.

"Bumblebees are pretty cute, but I'm just a fan of honey. Since I started buying locally, I've been learning more." As she surveyed the products, Sajima also noticed a salve for minor muscle aches and injuries and figured it might be something Sakusa could make use of. She took her wallet from the bag hanging over her shoulder and asked for a few items, which were promptly compiled in a small package with a twine bow.

Sakusa allowed Sajima to guide them throughout the market, their hands occasionally brushing against each other or intertwining as they went from stall to stall. They'd procured various fresh produce and enjoyed the warmth that the late morning sun had to offer. The crowd began to thicken as the clock approached midday, an unfortunate sign to Sajima that she knew she couldn't keep Sakusa in her company much longer. She was running on fumes, but with the distraction of a very handsome man causing a kaleidoscope of butterflies to reign over her stomach, she managed to push through. She wouldn't give up any time he was willing to spend with her.

Aware of Sakusa's aversions, Sajima looped her arm around his and peered up at her crush. "It's getting pretty busy, and I promised not to disrupt your routine too much, so maybe now's a good time to head back?"