Chapter Text
Toya dropped into the chair behind his desk, letting loose a sigh. That was the roughest dinner I’ve had in months.
Still, I’m glad Akito cheered up a little when he tried the cheesecake. It really did taste good.
I was worried there for a bit, but…
He breathed in, then out.
I need to start the earrings now.
This is my one chance at changing things.
He grabbed the orange and retrieved his clearest resin. He left them on his desk and dug through the jewelry box, locating a hook fashioned from the same metal Akito’s current earrings were made from. That should be everything for the first piercing.
Toya quickly peeled the orange and set the peels aside (offering his future self a small apology–there was a high chance they were going to rot before he had the chance to use them on the project he’d been considering), popping a few slices into his mouth and arranging a few more on a baking sheet. He slid the tray into the oven and ensured the heat was as low as he could make it, watching the fruit carefully for a few minutes before returning to his desk. I haven’t dried fruit in a while. I hope it doesn’t cook too much.
He waited impatiently for what felt like forever, noting how the twilight outside was beginning to grow. It’s getting late.
If I stay up too long, Akito will fuss at me tomorrow…I need to try and hurry this up.
The oven timer went off and Toya raced to pull the oranges. He was glad he’d picked multiple slices just in case–a few had shrunk a little too much for his liking. They’ve almost shriveled up. Well, I suppose I can eat them later.
He pushed the smallest ones aside with his spatula and studied the three left over with care. This is the largest one, but the shape isn’t very pretty. I may have squished it a little when I was peeling the orange.
The shape on this one is smoother, he noted as he picked up the second largest, studying it from multiple angles. It’s so nice and round, and the pith is still well pronounced. It’s a striking contrast against the orange.
Excellent. I’ll choose this one.
Toya wrapped his usual mask around his face and slid on his gloves before pouring just enough resin to coat the orange into a cup and carefully mixing it together. Once that was done he slid a pin into the tip of the orange–both to hold onto it properly and to mark where the hook would go later–and slowly dipped it inside.
This part was always his favorite. It was soothing as usual to swirl it around in the resin and coat it completely, and he usually had to force himself to take it out at last and set it in his windowsill to cure. Today was no different, and after a couple minutes of stirring Toya reluctantly dragged the orange out of the cup and dangled it above the cup to shake off the excess resin.
The part that followed was his least favorite–leaving the piece in the sunlight of his window to cure. It always took him at least a week, usually two if he did two coats. I’m so glad I remembered the holiday in time.
Praise Helianthus, too, for always being so sunny.
He swiftly took the orange piece upstairs and set it on the windowsill. I need to do everything else tonight or they might be late.
But I still don’t know what to do for the second earring, and I can’t start it until I’m absolutely sure of what I’m doing…
Toya sighed to himself and seized his sketchbook again, willing an idea to come.
I want something small, so any more flowers are out.
Maybe I can just paint them? If I thin out my watercolors and dip the “tears” into them, they’ll be nice and colorful.
…I’m sure there’s still something I haven’t thought of, though.
I just need to keep thinking.
He scribbled down draft after draft, filling a solid two pages with plans. The lack of marigold flowers continued to nag at the back of his head the entire time–why, oh why couldn’t Valentines’ Day have fallen on a day in a month where they were blooming?!
I have so many ideas now. Surely one of these will work.
Toya stared at the pages before him, his heart sinking a little.
None of them were right.
…It’s late. I’d better rest.
He quickly slid the sketchbook back into his desk and put up his materials, reminding himself of the progress he’d made that day. I came up with a lot of ideas, and I finished the first half of the earrings. I even managed to buy the jacket, too.
I’ve got two weeks to work out what to do for the second earring. This will be fine.
He repeated this to himself as he went upstairs and flopped into bed, firmly drilling it into his head.
I have time. It’s going to be fine.
It was not fine.
A week went by, and although he filled his sketchbook with another page or so of ideas he made no progress on the second earring.
Toya glumly dipped the first earring into its second coat of resin, staring ruefully at the abandoned sketchbook a few feet away from him. I’ve not even begun to narrow down all the choices I have.
The holiday’s in a week, and yet I…
He hadn’t touched it in a couple of days now. He’d truly meant to sit down and at least go discard some of the weaker ideas, but just knowing he’d end up crossing all of them out had sapped him of the motivation he so dearly needed to continue.
Was he really hitting a creative block right when he needed his focus most?!
Toya slowly turned the orange around above the cup and brushed off the excess resin, faintly pleased with how half of his project looked. The orange is turning out well. At the very least, if I can’t come up with another idea, this piece will look nice.
I hope Akito likes it.
…I wish I could come up with the perfect idea already.
I only have a few days until the 14th. The resin takes so long to cure that if I delay any longer the gift will be late.
His stomach rumbled, and he realized with a start that the sun was already at its zenith in the sky. Oh. I need to eat lunch.
I wonder if Akito feels up to eating together…
…he’s been a little distant lately.
Is he just tired? Or upset with me?
Whatever it was, Akito wasn’t spilling. He doubted the baker felt up to lunch, anyway–he’d mentioned being busy for a few days just that morning, so it was probably wise to leave him alone and hope whatever he was going through sorted itself out somehow.
I’d be better off heading down to the Shiraishis.
Maybe going on a walk will help me come up with something, too. The flowers always manage to cheer me up.
Toya packed everything away again and slid on his sandals, grabbing his jacket and keys before heading out the door.
The warm winter sunlight greeted him with its usual blinding harshness, and as usual he simply squinted and pressed onwards to the cafe. Much to his disappointment–although he’d already known it was unlikely–Akito wasn’t waiting outside the store, which was a pretty good indicator that he didn’t feel like eating together.
It stung a little more than it should have.
…I wonder what he’s up to.
I hope he isn’t just avoiding me.
If I give this to him, will he…
He irritably shook his head. I’ll get nowhere if I keep coming back to this. I’ve already decided to tell him everything.
I’m so tired of just going around in circles.
“Hey, Toya!” An called as he stepped inside with a sigh, quickly pulling a mug down from the shelf and filling it with coffee. “Whoa, what’s with the long face? You got artblock or something?”
“Yes, actually,” Toya admitted, settling down into his chair. “I’ve run out of ideas, but my deadline is coming up. I don’t have any more time to waste.”
“That sounds rough,” Kohane said sympathetically. “Have you tried taking a break?”
“Yes. I’ve not done anything major in the past couple days. It hasn’t worked.”
“Sounds like a real pickle. Wanna sandwich?”
“Yes, please.”
He allowed his shoulders to slump a little as the two women buzzed around the shop. Normally its cozy atmosphere was enough to calm him no matter what was bothering him, but today it just wasn’t working. His mind spun and whirled in dizzying cycles ‘round his head, bombarding him with useless ideas and panicky “what-ifs.” He was starting to feel sick of it.
No matter what I do I end up back at square one.
Can I really handle this?
“So…feel like spilling the beans?” An asked, offering him a smile as she set his food down in front of him. “I don’t often see you this bummed out, Toya.”
Toya delayed replying, slowly chewing for a few moments before considering his answer. “I don’t know,” he said at last. “I’m not quite sure what to say.
“You see, I…” He hesitated. “Actually, could I–could I ask something personal?”
An raised her eyebrows but nodded. “If it helps.”
Toya gathered the last of his nerve before asking, “Which of you first confessed to the other?”
They both looked surprised, but their expressions melted into smiles again before long. “It was me,” Kohane said lightly.
“Do you mind…if I asked how that went?”
“...Is it fine if I tell him, An-chan?”
“Of course! I’ll hold down the fort,” An replied, giving her a swift kiss on the cheek. “It’s nice and quiet today, so don’t worry about taking your time, darling.”
She grabbed the sandwich her wife had just finished and whisked away. “Thank you!” Kohane called after her.
She crossed her arms and leaned against the counter, smiling a little. “So. You wanted to hear about how we got together?”
“Yes. But only if you don’t mind,” Toya added hastily. “I understand it’s likely quite…”
“It’s alright! I don’t mind telling you. Plus, I have a feeling there’s a reason you’re asking,” she said lightly. “Where to start…?”
Kohane thought for a moment, tapping the counter as she gazed out the window behind him. “My family came here from the town over a few years back because my mother was a bit ill, and the sea air was supposedly good for her,” she began. “We were only going to stay the summer, but I met An-chan and my parents took a liking to Helianthus, so we decided to stay for good.
“Meeting An-chan…it felt like I’d met the sun herself. She was just so vibrant and full of life, and working with her at her dad’s cafe was the best. I fell for her pretty quickly, and I was so scared to tell her because we were going to move back.”
She shrugged. “The actual confession was kind of boring, honestly. We were walking back home together after I learned I was getting to stay for good, and it just kind of…slipped out.”
“It did?”
“Yep.” Kohane giggled a little guiltily. “An-chan’s proposal was much more exciting. Oh, she went all out! Balloons, flowers, a beautiful ring she bought from the most prestigious jeweler in my hometown…I still get butterflies when I remember it.”
“That does sound exciting,” Toya said sincerely. “If I may—well, how did Mrs. Shiraishi react to your confession?”
“She was over the moon! I’d never seen her so hyper.” She gazed dreamily at An as she laughed with a customer across the cafe. “Honestly, I was terrified at first. But…she accepted me just like that. It was amazing.”
“...It does sound amazing.”
“Now.” Kohane turned back to him, and her expression became more knowing. “Is this about Shinonome-kun?”
“Ah…” Toya opened and closed his mouth for a few seconds before eventually nodding nervously. “It is.”
“I don’t blame you for worrying. But you two are really close, so I have a feeling things will work out,” she said reassuringly. “Are you going to do something for Valentine's Day?”
“I’m trying to, yes. I haven’t come up with all the ideas I need yet, though.” He morosely took another bite of his sandwich. “I only have a week until the holiday, and I’m not even finished with my gift. I’m starting to lose faith in myself.”
“Mm…are you missing some inspiration?”
“I suppose,” he admitted. “The marigolds aren’t in season, so it’s made a lot of my usual planning process harder.”
Kohane frowned thoughtfully, tapping her chin as she gazed out the nearby window. “Does it have to be a big flower?”
“I’m doing a small pair of earrings, so ideally I’d like something that isn’t too large,” Toya answered. “I thought a petal might work–specifically something orange–but I can’t think of anything else.”
She considered it for a moment longer before abruptly breaking out into a smile. “Aoyagi-kun, will you come with me? I have an idea.”
“Oh–sure.”
Toya quickly got up from his chair as she hurried around the corner to go speak with An, hastily whispering something in her ear before beckoning for him to follow her. Kohane led him outside the cafe and around the back, directing him towards the pump. “For the past few weeks, the base of our pump’s been a bit leaky, so it's been spilling a little water into the dirt around it,” she explained, crouching down beside it. “We’ve gotten a few more weeds lately as a result. See?”
“Weeds?” Toya repeated as he followed her example. “Why haven’t you pulled them up yet…?”
He understood why as soon as he took a proper look–the “weeds” in question were dandelions.
Fluffy, fluffy dandelions, both the yellow fuzzy kind and the wispy wish-granting kind cheerfully dotted the earth below them. He stared in awe as Kohane let out a little chuckle. “I know they’re technically weeds, but we haven’t had the heart to pull them up yet. Especially since they worked so hard to grow, you know?”
“They did?”
“Yep! They barely had any water to work with, and they’re still blooming so beautifully,” she explained. “Isn’t that amazing?”
“It really is,” Toya replied, unable to take his eyes off the little things. They couldn’t help but remind him of Akito.
…Now, there wasn’t a lot he knew about the other boy’s past.
He knew he’d left his hometown with his sister shortly before turning 18, but that was about it. He was just as closed off sometimes as Toya had once been–charmingly grumpy most of the time but sickeningly polite to strangers, stubborn to a fault about the smallest things, and open about others’ feeling yet silent when it came to his own.
Toya often wondered what kind of life he’d lived before coming to Helianthus. He’d thought about asking many times, but had chosen to leave the issue be each time.
Whatever had happened, though, Akito was here now–and he was still carving his own way of life out despite whatever his circumstances may have been.
He really was just like a dandelion.
…I see.
The answer was so simple.
“Thank you for your help, Mrs. Shiraishi,” he said at last. “I think I know what to do now.”
Kohane beamed and got to her feet. “I’m happy I could help! Ah, please don’t forget to bring your lunch with you, Aoyagi-kun.”
“Oh–you’re right.”
“Good luck!” she called as he quickly yanked up two different dandelions and dashed inside to grab his lunch.
Toya skidded to a stop in front of his store and hastened inside, dropping the half-eaten sandwich aside and dragging his resin out of the cabinet. Alright, alright, alright. I have my inspiration now.
What do I do with it?
I suppose I can put a few of the dandelion spores inside the tear drop mold. They’ll look beautiful suspended in the clear resin.
I don’t think I’ll end up using the yellow petals, but maybe I can string some yellow beads on the chain for this one. It’ll contrast nicely with the orange earring…rather like Akito’s hair.
I hope he likes them.
He set out all of his teardrop molds (six in total–just in case!) and set a dandelion spore inside each one, carefully mixing his resin and pouring it into each mold. As expected, some of them were squashed slightly under the weight of the resin, he thought. I’m glad I made multiple copies just in case.
When they’ve all cured, I’ll pick the best one out and attach the hook.
Toya ate the last of his (now cold) sandwich while he cleaned up his workspace, humming slightly to himself as he did.
I wish the time would pass faster.
The next few days passed in an antsy haze.
Toya couldn’t help but check on the molds every morning he woke up, for once unable to appreciate the slow change as it dragged on. He tried to comfort himself with the knowledge that at least I was able to come up with something, but it was little comfort when his worries that Akito might reject the gift returned.
Akito seemed just as stressed as he was as the days steadily ticked by. More often than not Toya caught him staring off into the distance or quietly taking notes in a little notebook, often crossing things out with a disgusted murmur and jumping when he noticed Toya was watching him. His behavior was odd and even a little suspicious–but for some reason he found a kind of hope inside of it.
Maybe, just maybe, Akito was planning on some kind of gift.
And even if he was determined to hide his identity, maybe Toya could catch him in the act this time.
…That’s if it’s him.
Or that it’s me he’s trying so hard for.
Toya was having a hard time telling whether his confidence was really just arrogance. It made so much sense to assume that Akito had been the writer of the letter that had sparked it all, but what if it wasn’t? What if Toya was just deluding himself?
No matter how many times he asked himself this question his ever-wise mind wasted no time in handing him the same answer–just wait and see, Toya.
There’s not much I can do about this until the actual holiday.
Just wait and see.
He waited four days, five days, six days–growing more and more impatient as time passed–and finally the seventh day arrived, and Valentine’s Day was upon him.
Toya woke up that morning to the gentle tune of the alarm box Akito had bought him, for the first time in two solid weeks completely calm.
I’ve done all I can, and it’ll all be decided today.
The thought of failure and rejection–or even learning there was someone else Akito had had his eye on this entire time–still lingered in the back of his head, but for the first time in a while it didn’t feel like it was burying him. He’d truly done all he could, and all that mattered now was to say as much to Akito.
What do I do first?
His stomach answered him rather impatiently. Alright. Breakfast it is.
Toya got dressed and slid his sandals on, soothed as always by his little routine. He made sure to grab the little bag he’d put together the night before for the Shiraishis before opening the door to the usual blinding sunlight and stepping outside, deciding to swing by the Shinonome orange tree to see if Akito was there.
Akito was there, scrutinizing the oranges at the highest part of the tree with his usual sharp gaze. “Good morning, Akito,” Toya called out, heart fluttering as the baker pulled away and grinned a little. He looked a little less gloomy today, thankfully. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yep. I was up late planning a new recipe, but Ena made me go to bed before morning,” Akito said with an eyeroll. “Want an orange? They’re really nice today. Probably the last of the harvest, too.”
“Oh, yes. Thank you.”
His friend dropped a perfectly round orange into his hand and hopped off the ladder, whistling in appreciation as he checked over what he had. “Yeah, these are perfect. I can’t wait to use them.”
“What are you going to use them for?” Toya asked curiously.
Akito hesitated only a second before answering. “Chocolate oranges,” he replied. “The kind you dip into melted chocolate and let ‘em harden.”
He hummed in appreciation at the thought. “I can’t wait to try them.”
The baker cracked a faint grin. “I can’t wait for you to see ‘em either.”
He glanced back at his house as though thinking. “Ugh. I wanted to have breakfast with you this morning, but I need to start making the chocolate right away,” he muttered. “And you’re probably gonna be busy with customers all day, right?”
“Oh–yes. Could we do lunch instead?”
Akito hummed a little tensely. “I don’t think I can make even that. Chocolate’s a pain in the ass to work with.”
“Oh. That’s alright,” Toya reassured, slightly disappointed. “Well…maybe we can do an early dinner? We don’t have to eat as late as we normally do.”
The baker thought about it for a moment. “Maybe four?”
“Four sounds nice. Just come meet me in the store when you’re ready, and we can head to the Shiraishis’ place.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Akito said with a grin. “Alright, see ya later. Good luck with all the customers today.” His smile became more teasing–and also a little tight. “Don’t make yourself sick on all the chocolate you end up getting.”
“What? Oh–I won’t, I swear,” Toya promised with a little laugh. “I’ll probably share it with everyone else like I did last time.”
“Cool. I’d better go get started now.”
“Good luck with the chocolate!” Toya called after him as he hurried back towards his house.
Akito gave him a silly salute before shutting the door behind him, and with that Toya turned and headed for the cafe.
As expected the next few hours were busier than ever. Toya spent half his time serving customers both local and from the latest ship, everyone clamoring for the “rarest” or “prettiest” items for their partner or partner-to-be. A few people (mostly girls) came in to drop off chocolate, some of it obligatory and some of it romantic. He politely accepted each bag and stored it underneath the counter, offering a silent apology to all those who’d sought to confess to him and going about his day.
His work was fun like it always was, but he couldn’t deny how exhausting it was to deal with all the holiday shoppers. By four o’clock he was exhausted–but just remembering his upcoming meal with Akito was enough to put all the morning’s pep back in his step.
After a few minutes of quiet followed the last couple Toya finally flipped the sign around and cast off his apron. He spared the register a single glance and a second’s worth of debate before simply closing it and locking it, resolving to deal with it in the morning. I can’t imagine doing anything else but heading out with Akito right now.
He should be here any minute…
The bell jingled pleasantly as the door swung open, and he quickly sat up to see Akito step inside. “Yo,” he greeted. “Wow, you were completely cleaned out.”
“You can say that again,” Toya said with a wry smile. “I’m glad I thought to set aside the items I wanted to save as gifts for everyone else before I opened or there’d be nothing left.”
“Gifts…oh, shoot, I forgot to grab mine,” the baker cursed, smacking his palm against his forehead. “Sorry, can we swing by my house again?”
“I don’t mind. Let’s go.”
“I’ll make it quick, don’t worry,” Akito promised as they began to walk down the path together. “I gave Ena hers already, but I didn’t have time to head out to An’s place yet, so I haven’t delivered her and Kohane’s chocolates. Can you believe Ena almost ate them this morning?”
“If there’s ever a day Ena-san stops stealing your food, it means the world is ending,” Toya said with a chuckle, wondering idly what Akito not having casual chocolates for him meant. “Ah, there’s your house.”
“Alright, be right back.”
Akito raced into the house and was back within five minutes, breathing heavily and carrying a little bag. “Had to hide ‘em after this morning,” he explained. “You got your gifts, too?”
“Yes, thank you. Let’s head that way now, shall we?”
“Lead the way.”
It had been a while since they’d gone out to eat. Between Toya’s own plans and whatever had been weighing down on Akito, they’d not spent as much time together the past couple of weeks as they usually did.
I hope all that wasn’t for nothing.
I dearly want to hope.
…I want to keep spending time with Akito, no matter what.
I have to make sure I tell him that later.
“Nice to see you guys again!” An called as they stepped over the threshold, already filling a mug full of pure black coffee for Toya. “Happy Valentine’s Day!”
“Thanks,” Akito muttered, looking a bit embarrassed. “Same for you two.”
He dragged back him and Toya’s stools, plopping the bag down on the counter. “Here. Obligatory chocolates.”
“And here are some resin crafts as well,” Toya chimed in, setting his own down beside it. “They’re just things I had already, but I thought you would like them.”
“Oh, wow! Thanks, you guys,” Kohane said happily, opening Toya’s bag as An eagerly ripped Akito’s open. “Wow, Aoyagi-kun, these flower keychains are so beautiful! Oh, are these coasters for our parents?”
“Yes. Since Mr. Shiraishi’s business revolves around coffee and your parents like to drink a lot of tea, I hoped it was a thoughtful enough gift. Are they alright?”
“They’re awesome! Dad’s gonna be obsessed with them, I know it,” An chirped. “Akito, these smell amazing!”
“Thanks,” the baker said, sounding pleased. “It’s just chocolate, but I flavored it with orange extract, so it should taste nice and citrusy.”
“Oh, I’m gonna devour these when I get home,” An teased. “Poor Kohane won’t even get to eat any of ‘em.”
“An-chan?! Nooooo!”
“Sorry, Kohane! I can’t help it!”
“Please resist! You have to, please!”
“Don’t make yourself sick eatin’ them all at once,” Akito snorted as the two playfully fought over the bag. “When you’re done flirting, can we get our lunch? We’ve not eaten in hours.”
“You’re so annoying! Fine, fine,” An groaned goodnaturedly. “Oh, hey, how come you didn’t give Toya his–”
“I’m giving it to him later!” Akito said quickly, voice raising a little as he spoke over her. “I haven’t made it yet.”
“S…Same here,” Toya added, shooting a glance at the baker to see how he reacted. “I’m going to give Akito his gift later.”
Kohane gave him a little wink as she turned away to prepare Toya’s usual toast. Akito raised his eyebrows. “Sounds like it’s a pretty serious gift, huh?”
“It is,” he insisted. “I’ve spent the last two weeks working on it.”
Akito’s ears colored slightly, and he focused on stirring an unhealthy amount of sugar into his mug. “That’s a lot of effort just for a obligatory Valentine’s Day gift.”
“It’s not obligatory.”
Akito dropped his spoon.
Oh.
That was a mistake.
The baker avoided his gaze as he picked the spoon up again and wiped down the counter with his napkin, and Toya felt like slamming his head into the counter. I’ve gone and done it now. Excellent work, Toya.
What should I do? Take it back?
But if I’m going to tell him later–
–is this truly a bad idea after all?
“...either.”
“What?” Toya managed, realizing Akito had said something while he was spiraling.
Akito cleared his throat, staring resolutely at his mug. “I said, yours isn’t obligatory either,” he mumbled. “Sorry for being a coward about it.”
Toya stared at him in shock for a few seconds, unable to fully process what he was hearing.
Akito’s gift wasn’t obligatory?
It’s not…obligatory?
It really isn’t.
“Wow, you two are super red in the face,” An commented as she set their sandwiches down in front of them. “It’s about time.”
“Shut up,” Akito protested, raising his head to give her a half-hearted glare. “Mind your own business, An.”
“Yeah, yeah. Enjoy your lunch, Toya!”
“Ah–t-thank you, Mrs. Shiraishi,” Toya stammered, hastily unwrapping his sandwich and taking a bite. “We will.”
The two ate in silence for what felt like an eternity, the chatter around them slowly fading in the background as Toya thought about what he wanted to say.
I’ve as good as told him it’s a real Valentine’s Day gift now.
I still want to properly tell him that I’m in love with him, though. I definitely have to.
And…
I want to tell him exactly how much he means to me.
Akito was the first one here to befriend me, and he’s the first person I really fell in love with. I want to tell him that no matter what.
I just hope I can find the words to do so.
They finished, and by silent agreement they said nothing until they’d left the shop together. “I need to head back and grab your gift,” Akito muttered. “Wanna meet at the beach?”
“I–yes. I’ll meet you there, but I might be a bit late because I need to make sure nothing falls apart.”
The baker nodded, not quite meeting his eyes. “Alright. I’ll see you there, Toya.”
Toya nodded back. There was an inexplicable lump in his throat as he turned and headed for his store.
It’s happening.
What do I do? What if I can’t say it?
I think it could be alright now, but–
But what if something goes wrong?
What if Akito doesn't really want…
What do I do if that’s the case?
The calm he’d felt that morning had faded, leaving him the same panicked, nervous wreck he’d been all month. What if he wasn’t cut out for this after all?
Toya grit his teeth and swung open the door to his store. Stop it. I already made up my mind.
I’m going to give my gifts to Akito and tell him exactly how I feel. No more worrying and going back and forth.
It’s finally time. I have to make the most of this moment.
He headed upstairs to check on the teardrops, grabbing the best two from the windowsill. He took the jacket out of the closet and hurried downstairs, moving faster than he ever had in his life to attach the string of beads he’d prepared that morning to the teardrops and make sure it was secure. He just barely remembered to grab the orange earring as well and stuff them both into a bag before racing outside again, running down the road and into the sunset.
The distance between the store and the beach had never felt long before, but even as Toya sprinted down the path it felt like forever.
I want to tell him.
I’m scared to.
But I can’t wait.
I’ve waited too long to do this.
I want to tell Akito exactly how I feel.
Toya staggered to a stop to catch his breath as he stopped on the beach, looking around for Akito. Where is he? Did I beat him here?
No, there he is!
The baker was waiting near the water, anxiously tapping his foot as he looked around. His gaze landed on Toya and his eyes widened in alarm. “Whoa, dude, did you run all the way here?”
“Yes,” Toya wheezed, standing still at last and waiting for Akito to hurry over to him. “Didn’t want to keep you waiting.”
“You told me you'd be late. It wasn’t a big deal,” Akito said in exasperation. “Geez, Toya, you’re so serious.”
“This was important.”
“...I guess.”
Akito grabbed his arm and dragged him over to a log wedged into the sand just a few feet away from the water. “Come on, sit down and catch your breath.”
“Alright…”
The two sat in silence for a bit, not saying a word until Toya no longer felt like his lungs were collapsing. “Feeling better?” Akito asked at last.
“Yes, thank you,” he said gratefully. “Sorry. I just wanted to be here quickly.”
“I understand that, but take care of yourself more,” the baker scolded gently. “I don’t need you collapsing on my behalf.”
Toya couldn’t help but smile. “Understood.”
He quickly stood up, fidgeting slightly with the gifts in his hands. “So…well, is it fine if I give you these?”
Akito nodded a little hesitantly, glancing between the clothing bag and the tiny paper bag. “Sure.”
“Alright. For starters–well, you seemed really disappointed by not getting to buy this, so…”
Toya thrust the clothing bag in Akito’s direction, and after a second of shocked staring Akito accepted it. “No way,” he muttered as he unzipped it. “Toya. This had to be–”
“It doesn’t matter. It was for you,” Toya said sternly. “You bought me that music box, so I wanted to repay you. Don’t protest.”
Akito laughed at that–really laughed. “Wow. You…okay, that’s fair. I won’t.”
“Secondly, here’s this. I made these, so they’re not really as nice as the jacket,” Toya continued, handing him the smaller bag. “I hope you like them. I barely got them done in time.”
“You and me both,” the baker muttered drily as he opened the bag. “Are these earrings? Hold up, is this a real slice of orange?”
“Yes. Are they alright?”
“Toya, they’re amazing,” Akito managed, holding them up to catch the sunlight. “And this chain–”
“It’s from the first time the Aureus ship stopped here a few months ago. I’ve been saving it for a while,” he explained. “It’s real gold.”
“Holy shit. Dude, these are so–I feel like royalty just holding ‘em!”
He felt a smile tugging at his lips. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Akito wasted no time in tugging out his usual earrings and sliding Toya’s in instead. “How do I look?” he asked with a grin.
“You look amazing,” Toya said sincerely, easing back down on the bench.
The other boy tugged awkwardly at the teardrop chain, his grin fading into a more bashful smile. “Thanks. I can tell you put a ton of effort into them.”
He fidgeted for a second before taking a deep breath. “Alright. So…I wasn’t going to give this to you properly. I was just going to drop it off at the store tonight…like I did last year,” he admitted. “I know, it’s lame. I just–just in case there was a chance you were wrong, and you didn’t expect it to be me…
“...Well, there’s no use in putting it off any longer. Here.”
Akito took the little candy beside him and set it gently in his lap. He caught the warm scent of chocolate (ah, the chocolate oranges) before Akito carefully laid a little envelope on top. Just like before it was unsigned, addressed to him–Toya.
Toya slowly picked up the letter and unfolded it, holding his breath as he delicately slid the parchment out.
Toya,
It’s been a whole year of being by your side and I’m still as in love with you as I was last Valentine’s Day. I’m truly glad to keep spending all this time with you.
I love watching you try new things, I love watching you laugh, and I love watching your face light up when you see me. Everything about you makes me smile.
I’m sorry I can’t say this to your face. Please keep being my friend for another year.
Toya read it again and again, for the first time noting the messy way he drew his s’s and the slightly shaky scrawl to the words. It was undoubtedly the same handwriting the letter he’d gotten last year had been written in, and if he inhaled he thought he could detect the barest whiff of citrus from the paper.
“So it really was you,” he breathed.
“...Yeah. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.”
Akito stared out at the turquoise sea before them. “I really wanted to at first,” he said at last. “You were so earnestly going around and asking everyone who sent it. You were so confused, and so excited–I really wanted to tell you and see how you’d react. Maybe you’d be happy. Or maybe you’d be disappointed, and I just couldn’t stand it.”
He tugged at the zipper on the jacket, running his finger over the grooves inscribed on it repeatedly as though to calm himself. “Like I said, I wasn’t planning on giving you the letter to your face. Even though you as good as told me a couple weeks ago that you actually wanted it to be me–I just didn’t believe you.”
Akito let out a wheezy chuckle. “But then you just straight-up told me today that you weren’t just giving me an obligatory gift. Even I couldn’t ignore that.”
“I’m really glad you changed your mind, Akito,” Toya said gratefully. “Really, I…”
He thought over what he wanted to say before looking back up at the boy beside him. “You were there for me when I felt completely alone. When I first left my family’s house and jumped on the first ship out of the city, I had no idea where it was going, and I didn’t care. Wherever I ended up, it would be fine as long as it wasn’t home.
“But Helianthus became my home before I’d stayed there long, and while other people like the Shiraishis were there for me, it was mainly because of you. You looked out for me, you helped me get my store started, and you were patient with me when I didn’t know how to be human. I started crushing on you pretty early, and it didn’t long for my ‘crush’ to become more serious.”
Toya laced his fingers together and pulled them apart again. He was starting to feel nervous despite himself.
“So…Akito, will you please be my partner?”
Akito didn’t reply instantly.
He gazed out at the sea without really seeming to take it in, fiddling with the little orange dangling from his left ear.
“Honestly, I’d love to,” he said at last. “But…are you really sure you want someone like me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I knew you’d say that,” the baker mumbled. “It’s just…I’m not really special. Back home, I was–I was good at some things, I guess. Just sports. But here I just–I just bake stuff. You don’t even like sweets that much. I don’t really have anything to offer.”
“I love the sweets you make, though,” Toya protested, unconsciously leaning forward. “You always try to make them a little bit more bitter for me. I really appreciate that, Akito.”
“But–”
“You’re always considerate of me like that. If there’s something I can’t eat, you adjust it so I can enjoy it. If I don’t feel good because of work or memories or whatever, you’re the first to check in with me. And if I start feeling anxious or guilty–or feel like I’m just a coward for running away from home–you’re the first one to tell me that I didn’t have to stay. It’s always been you, Akito.”
“Yeah, well–”
“I don’t need someone ‘special.’ I don’t care about that at all.”
“...You really mean all that?”
“Yes, I do. I’ll say it again and again if I have to, and I’ll mean it every time,” Toya said boldly. “Why would I be disappointed by you? You’re the only one I want.”
“Geeeeeeez,” Akito groaned, covering his face. His ears were bright red. “You know how to say just the right thing, don’t you?”
“Ah…sorry if I said too much.”
“No–no, it’s fine,” the baker said hastily. “It’s just a lot to take in.”
He spun his earring ‘round his finger as he thought. “I still don’t think I’m all you need,” he sighed. “But…I really do like you. I guess that’s enough.”
“It’s enough for me,” Toya promised him. His heart was doing jumping jacks in his chest (it was much more athletic than he was.) “So…?”
“Alright, yeah. I don’t got any more arguments,” Akito laughed. “I’ll be your partner, Toya.”
“Really?”
“After you did all that? Well, duh.”
…He’d really done it.
“Thank you,” he said at last. “I’m glad I could tell you.”
Akito’s smile was softer than he’d ever seen it before. “Me too.”