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Kojiro takes a bite of the cheesecake, savoring the way the flavors complement each other. Switching to a raspberry sauce drizzled over the top had been a significant improvement from swirling it into the cake, but the lemon was still coming out a bit too tart to satisfy Kaoru’s sweet tooth. He's been playing with this recipe for three days now, but it never seems to come out the way he wants it to. Maybe he's just overthinking things due to his determination to spoil Kaoru even more than the previous years. Things had smoothed over now, but Kaoru had hit a low point after being attacked by Adam, and Kojiro wants to make sure he feels extra loved. He might not be able to vocalize how much Kaoru meant to him without giving away the feelings he kept secret, but he's going to make him the perfect cake even if it means not leaving the kitchen between now and his birthday.
His frustrated sigh pulls Miya’s attention away from his Animal Crossing villagers, and he crosses the room to try Kojiro's latest attempt. “It’s good, you can taste the raspberry a lot more now that you've switched to a sauce. They’ve all been good though, and I don’t get why you’re trying so hard on this when you’ve already got a perfectly good dessert menu,” Miya comments between bites.
“My patissier makes most of those, not me. Besides, this is special, it’s for Kaoru,” Kojiro explains. “Reki’s your best friend right? Wouldn’t you do something extra nice for him on his birthday?”
Miya rolls his eyes, scoffing.“Mhm… sure, it’s JUST because he’s your “best friend”.”
“HEY! What’s with the air quotes?” With his hands on his hips, Kojiro resembles a father scolding his child for having too much attitude. In fact, his staff often tease him for becoming a "single dad" when Miya comes by during business hours.
Miya rests his elbows on the counter, leaning into his hands as he shakes his head. “I am sick and tired of the pining in this friend group. You’re all putting forests to shame. I’m surrounded by idiots, truly.” Now it's Kojiro’s turn to scoff.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” His brow furrows as the gears turn in his head, too wrapped up in the implications of Miya’s words to come up with a retort to his taunting.
“Langa and Reki. You and Cherry. Shadow’s the worst though. First, it was his manager now it’s Reki’s. Maybe he’s just got a weird thing for managers, I don’t know what goes on in that clown’s head.”
“What did you say?” Kojiro questions, eyes wide with shock.
“You didn’t know about Shadow’s crush on Oka? Man, you’re slow.”
“No no no, about me and-”
“Cherry? About your painfully obvious mutually head over heels old married couple love?” Miya raises his eyebrows in mockery as he watches Kojiro turn bright red.
“Our what now?” He manages to choke out.
“So you ARE slow.”
“Kaoru doesn’t- He- I- No???” Kojiro is dumbfounded. Years of yearning in secret and he gets busted by a thirteen-year-old who’s only known him a few months.
Miya sighs, kneeling on his chair to get on eye level with Kojiro and grabs his cheeks, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Listen Pops, he loves you AND that honey-peach semifreddo on the menu. You don’t need to pour your heart out making him some fancy new dessert, so stop stressing over cake and just tell him how you feel. That’s the best gift you could give him. Plus he’s rich. You can’t buy him anything he can’t buy himself, so confessing is really all you have to offer anyways.”
“Kaoru… loves me?”
“Yes. Literally, anyone with eyes and two brain cells to rub together could figure that out.” Miya flicks his forehead. “Apparently you don’t have that.”
“He’s that obvious?” Kojiro's voice is soft, his mind going into overdrive at the suggestion that his love is requited after all.
“YES. The lingering glances, the way he seethes when you dote on your fangirls, the time he busted out of the hospital to go see you when he was supposed to be getting tests done, all that flirty bickering- Oh god the bickering, please just get married and end my suffering.”
Kojiro lets out a deep rumbling laugh and ruffles Miya’s hair. “I’ll try my best. Thanks, Miya. I never imagined I'd be taking romantic advice from someone your age, but you’re surprisingly insightful.”
“I’m young, not dumb.” He leans back in his seat, picking up his switch to start playing again. “Well, let me know how operation matchablossom goes.”
“Operation what?”
“Matchablossom. That’s what we call you guys. Because he’s Cherry Blossom and you’re green. Like matcha.”
“Interesting…” Kojiro falls silent for a bit, then snaps his fingers. “You know, I know you told me to go with the semifreddo, but I’ve just had a new idea for a recipe.”
Miya looks up from his game to stare blankly at the chef. “You’re insufferably corny, take me home.”
“You don’t want to taste test this time?” He teases, gently elbowing Miya’s shoulder.
“Woah now, I never said that. You’re making it tonight?” He stares expectantly at Kojiro, excited at the promise of more sweets. At his nod, Miya shrugs nonchalantly, trying to play it cool like he didn’t just respond like an excited puppy. “I guess I’ll stay until S then.”
Kojiro smiles and dramatically raises his hand to his forehead. “Thank you for continuing to bless me with your presence, whatever would I do without my most trusted advisor?" He coos, laughing at his own joke as he walks into the kitchen to grab the necessary ingredients.
“Die alone like an idiot, probably.”