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Macaroon , chocolate, canelé, tartelette, marshmallow, gateau chocolat, and for today, strawberry shortcake.
A new rendition of the “ramen map” had made its way throughout the members of Mankai company; only this time, it was centered on different sweets and desserts. Just like before, the goal was to visit as many cafes and patisseries, try out their specialties, then write a review for the rest of the Mankai members to know. Not everyone wanted to join though, specifically people like Sakyo, Chikage, and Tasuku were reluctant to join; citing excuses like “I’m too old for sweets,” “it’s not good for my health, and it’ll ruin my diet,” or even shove an entire chili pepper in his mouth to shut everyone from bothering him about the map.
It’s not good to force them if they really don’t want to do it, Omi thought to himself; this challenge was his idea after all. He wanted to find a fun way to get to know everyone's preferences on desserts for future reference, even if it might not be good for their wallets and health… Actually, Omi might have not thought that part through. Oops?
Well, maybe he had other objectives too.
**
He looks at the purple-haired boy sitting across him, poking the slice of strawberry shortcake in front of him with a spoon tinier than his own hand. Omi just smiles,
“Do you not like it?” he asks, though he can already tell just from the boys motions and look on his face.
Juza looks up from his plate. His eyes widen, he might have been too immersed in the cake that he had forgotten about his companion. “Uh,” he pauses to collect his thoughts, “It’s ok, I guess.”
Omi chuckles at Juza’s lacking response. “The one yesterday was better, right?” he easily interprets Juza’s abstraction, “I can tell just by looking at you.”
Juza nods, but is still sheepish from his lack of statement. Consequently so, Juza takes another bite and thinks really hard for a way to better represent his opinion. “It’s not the best, but it’s not the worst either.” He suddenly thought of the cake from yesterday: “it has less strawberries, not enough filling, and the actual cake is too thick,” he looks back at the cake, “It also lacks lots and lots of sweet, delicious whipped cream topping too.” Heh, Juza got all blushed up just thinking about it.
The brunette man lets out another soft smile, seeing Juza’s detailed reaction to the somewhat disheartening cake really impressed him! “I’ll take note of that,” he says, except he only writes it in his heart. Omi points at the cake, “actually yeah, you can’t really see the filling ‘cause the strawberries are too big.”
“Mm,” Juza picks up the strawberry Omi was pointing to and eats it. With his mouth still full of fruit, Juza clarifies, “But the one last time wasn’t as sweet as this one.”
That just means this one is really, really sweet right? Omi thinks to himself, furrowing his eyebrows a bit from confusion. Juzas sweetness meter is quite different from the average human being after all. Still, he takes note for future reference of how much sugar not to put.
Nonetheless, in 3 bites, Juza had finished the cake.
“I’m glad you still enjoyed it,” Omi chortled, handing Juza a napkin to wipe the cream off the side of his mouth with.
The latter just nodded as thanks. Juza definitely wasn’t the best with words or loud reactions, but since it was just him and Omi at the cafe, he feels at ease.
Even Omi knows, and feels, that way.
It wouldn’t have been the same if Banri or Tenma was with them for sure; neither would it have been the same if Juza had gone cafe-hopping with Kumon and Muku. Likewise, it wouldn’t have been the same if Omi had gone with Taichi or Tsuzuru.
It’s just as if it was just right for them to go together.
**
Still, even after already completing 4 days worth of reviews, Juza really didn’t know how to respond to Omi’s invitation for them to complete the map together.
“Omi-san--”
But just as Juza was about to say something, the cafe waitress appears at the side of their table and places a bowl of brown something in front of the two. Excusing herself out, she politely tells them to enjoy their chocolate pudding.
“Chocolate pudding, huh...” Omi mutters, his face painted with confusion. His eyes squint while his eyebrows start to twitch. Is this really chocolate pudding?
He glances over at Juza, who doesn’t exactly seem bothered by the odd presentation of the “chocolate pudding.” In fact, from Omi’s perspective, it seems like Juza really just wants to eat it already.
“Kinda looks like the shit Azami puts on his face at night.”
“Ah,” Omi pauses to look back at the dessert, You’re right…” He was appalled by the realization. It was true: Azami does cover his face in a chocolate-like mask, and sometimes he even gets Banri to join in. On the other hand, he recalls that, like himself, Taichi hesitates in trying it out; while Sakyo refuses to (but that doesn’t stop Azami from ratting him out on it and his old age, mocking how it’ll ruin their look on stage; so in the end, he has no choice but to comply).
Omi can’t help but chuckle at the memory. Seeing his reaction, Juza tilts his head in confusion, muttering a soft “huh.”
“Oh, I was just thinking about what you said; and how Banri says you’ll end up eating the mask before it even gets on your face,” Omi explains, still chuckling. Reliving memories of his troupe truly does give him that feeling of content.
“ Tch. Stupid Settsu..,” Juza snarls, “ he’s a dumbass for even thinking that.” Juza rolls his eyes, then proceeds to take a scoop out of the pudding.
At first bite, Juzas eyes light up as a little blush surfaces just under his eyes. “It’s good,” he says as he continues to rapidly eat the pudding. “It’s really, really good.”
Omi’s face lights up at the sight. Seeing Juza’s shift in mood as he indulges in the dessert made Omi’s mood shift as well. From just simple delight from spending time with Juza, his feelings evolved into something much more than that. Omi could do nothing but bare a wide smile; “I’m glad you are enjoying.”
In the midst of his indulgence however, Juza paused to look at Omi, who just couldn’t hold back his soft blush and bright smile.
“Omi-san, why aren’t you eating? Don’t you want to try it too?”
“ Ah.” Omi might have actually forgot that he could also eat what was being served.
“I mean, you’re the one paying for this… I feel bad... that I’m the only one eating.”
“Huh?” Omi shakes his head, “No, it’s fine.” He smiles back at the boy, “I’m already full just watching you eat.”
Juzas freezes; eyes widen and eyebrows raised. Omi turns silent too. An awkward 5 seconds passes then, immediately, both of them blush red. Omi, especially, turned bright red. He can’t believe he just blurted something like that out loud.
A few more seconds of awkward eye contact and silence passes; neither knows what to say next.
Then, Juza suddenly counters by pointing a spoonful of pudding in front of the former’s mouth. “You know, it tastes way better than it looks,” he says, slightly stuttering.
Omi is in even more shock; turning bright pink as flustered by Juzas action. Where- where did he even learn this from?!
He stares into the spoon in front of him, then back to Juza, who is still trying to maintain awkward eye contact with him. The only logical response is to accept, right? I mean, it’s Juza. Omi goes for it: directly taking a bite from the Juza’s same spoon, by his hand too. “Wow, it really is delicious!”
“Right.” Juza’s eyes twinkled, which left Omi in even more of a fluster. Which, in turn, lead to both into a laugh.
Meanwhile, the two girls at the table across them were also flustered by what they had just seen. Omi notices them first: he breaks his laughter and blushes harder. Juza withdraws, glances back to them, and realizes what had just happened.
This is the sort of things couples do on a date… r-right.. Omi’s thoughts are swirling through his mind, overwhelmed by the series of events; which was unlikely for the usually calm and composed adult.
He looks back at Juza, who was also flustered, pink cheeks and all. What was confusing to him, though, was how his eyebrows were furrowed just staring into his plate.
“ Haha ,” Omi forces a laugh, “Two big guys eating sweets in a cafe together, how odd,” he forces a smile. “They must think we are on a date or something.”
Juza - who actually thought it was a date - pulls back and looks over his left side: “I’ve never been on a date before, so I guess it is?”
Omi, who thought he was being sarcastic, let out a sigh of relief and another awkward smile. “I’m glad it doesn’t bother you.”
“Why would it bother me?” He says while looking back at Omi, who was taken away by that answer, then continues to eat his pudding like normal.
How cute, he doesn’t get it~ Omi feels his heart shatter yet can’t help but smile again, now less awkward than before. Spending time with Juza just fills up a different gauge in Omi’s heart; and even if they were just to remain the same way, that was more than enough for Omi.
**
A week had passed since then: The sweets map challenge had been officially over, rewarding Omi with many new ideas for his next creations, but leaving the rest of the participants with stomach aches, weight gain, and acne breakout (along with lectures from certain members).
That didn’t stop Omi from making double chocolate chip cookies for a particular sweet tooth with no limit though. He mixes the dry ingredients together, humming a soft tune, “Maybe next time my feelings will get through to him~ fufu.”