Sugar Rush

2

I've always been fascinated by the making of the food I eat every day, especially what concerns bread and baked goods. It was my drive to waking up this morning and preparing some of the baked goods for the shop today, especially today's special-our shop's most famous Kikufuku. This was a popular sweet here and was often described to be "A soft and round rice cake filled with light-textured cream and strained sweet bean paste with a supple texture. In addition to standard flavors of plain, green tea, roasted tea, and Zunda, seasonal flavors including strawberry, blueberry cheese, and tomato. Today's flavor was going to be blueberry cheese.

Though it brought smiles to the many customers my shop served. This particular dessert was close to home for me...

Lay down your head
And close your eyes
And when they open
The sun will rise
...
Here it's safe
Here it's warm
Here the daisies guard
You from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet
And tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.

I smiled as I remembered that song.  A single drop of melancholy welled up from the corner of my eye. My eyes soon began to ooze the salt of my soul and as it streamed from my eyes. Hot torrents of sadness and grief scampered down my face and yet the warm smiles and gleeful expressions of my customers always cheered me up.

I used my sleeve to whip to tears as I was near the shop but soon stopped when I noticed a figure standing at the gate of the shop, leaning against it while looking up at the sky.

"The guy from yesterday..." I thought as I slowly walked towards the shop, "I guess he really kept true to his word."

"Oh, Ohayo~!" he waved.

"I didn't think you would be an early bird?" I questioned as I smiled and proceeded to open the shop.

"Well you make some damn good pastries," he complimented.

"You know you never introduced yourself," I said as I pushed the door open and stopped to get his name. I mean for someone to be waiting at the shop at 05:00 was absurd and to eat all those pastries by himself ...or maybe he had a party-who knows. All I knew was that he was weird.

"My name is Gojou Satoru, but you can call me Satoru~" He grinned

"Oh, call me Saya?" I smiled back, "I do need to make some of the pastries for today, so maybe I'll see you in the next couple of hours."

He seems to have pouted at that response causing me to look at him a bit confused at why he would be pouting.

"Um, D-Did you want to come inside?" I asked.

"Don't mind if I do," he cheered as he waltzes right in through the door causing me to blink a bit confused at his sudden assumption of me asking a question as an invitation of entry. But he seemed to be harmless for the most part so I guess it wouldn't be so bad to let him wade around the bakery.

I walked to the back of the kitchen and started baking.  First started with easy recipes, and as my experience grew I challenged myself with more complicated and time-consuming recipes, such as sourdough, match swiss role, castella cake,  and today's special Kikufuku.

By the time I had finished with the baked goods and waited for the last few to finish baking in the oven. I looked around and noticed the kitchen was a mess. Eggshells were scattered across the counter and floor, flour-covered most of the surface, bowls with some kind of batter in them were spread out across the table.

And there stood Satoru hunched over looking at one of the cookbooks I had in the kitchen for decorations, reading each page-each recipe.

"This looks so delicious," He laughed and licked his lips as if the food was right there in front of him.

A soft smile painted on my face at the scene before me. I never knew someone who loved sweets as much as I did...maybe even more. I walked over to him and looked at the page

"スフレチーズケーキ (Souffle Cheesecake)," I thought to myself

That was another favorite of mine, given the fact that it was a melt-in-your-mouth combination of creamy cheesecake and airy soufflé.

"You seem to have a sweet tooth," I laughed lightly at his admiration for sweets.

"I do," he answered, "But yours has been the best I have ever tasted."

I smiled. Words like those always warm my heart.

"Maybe when you have some time, we can make that cake together if you like?" I asked.

He turned his head and looked down at me giving me a cheeky grin. Maybe it came off a bit too forward, but I only thought about his passion for sweets-nothing more. Besides, he did come here with a girl yesterday and they were holding hands so he does have a girlfriend.

"Are you asking me on a date?" he teased as he smiled. Immediately my cheeks to go a light shade of red, blushing from his question. It did come off a bit forward.

"N-no, I was just offering s-since you like s-sweets so much and you h-h-haven't turned the page," I muttered under my breath, "My apologizes, please forget the offer."

I bowed profusely at the man. He laughed at my gesture. This was so embarrassing, I didn't really like it.

I turned around and dove into my pastries. I washed and cut the strawberries I was going to top the cake with and after, I began to mix the ingredients for the white frosting and lemon filling for the cake. I had just finished mixing it when the timer went off with a loud ding. I went to the oven, pulling on oven mitts, and I took out the steaming cake pans that sent a delicious aroma around the kitchen and bakery front.

"Why doesn't he just leave...it was as if he was trying to getting under your skin on what I said...maybe it was a bad idea to make him come in."

I never really liked the attention that came with the shop only the smiles and happiness. Deep down I was very shy and this place was a safe and quiet place to be myself. The fear of constant judgment turned me into a frightened soul afraid to speak but would show kindness to those in need.

My head jump upwards when I heard the sound of something or someone slamming their hand on the counter I was working at. But, words left me when I felt a finger underneath my chin raising it to meet the small round lens of Satoru's glasses as he grinned. My cheeks again got warm at his gesture and even when he was moving his face closer towards mine.

This would have been quite the romantic scene but given everything I had witnessed about the man. I realized the grave mistake I had made...so I guess when the words left my lips, he was quite confused at my response.

"Please leave..."