Work Text:
1
Makoto stood behind the counter, trying to take slow, deep breaths.
The optimistic boy was starting to lose enthusiasm as he glanced at the clock of the cozy little coffee shop he worked at, anticipating the entry of a very prestigious client who came once a month. Today, Makoto was informed, was that day.
"Has he arrived?" a kind voice asked from behind Makoto.
Makoto turned and shook his head, swallowing nervously. "Not yet."
Makoto's boss, Mrs. Yamato, nodded. "I see. Well, if he does stick to his word—I have no doubt he will—I must ask that you pardon his attitude. He has a lot of pressure placed on his young shoulders."
Makoto smiled at the elderly woman, knowing that she sees the best in everyone. "I mean, that's to be expected. He is heir to the Togami Corporation, right? That's got to be stressful."
Mrs. Yamato smiled back at Makoto and tousled said boy's hair. "I knew you would understand. I'm proud of you, Makoto."
Makoto beamed, and the bell that signified entry rang throughout the quiet shop. Makoto turned and stopped breathing for a moment.
It was him. The famous, rich, and mature guy in the country.
Byakuya Togami.
Makoto immediately stood up straight, plastering a wide smile over his nerves once Byakuya got up to the counter. "Hello! You must be Mr. Togami!"
Byakuya lifted his chin, peering down at Makoto with a sneer. "Wow, the dim-witted plebeian is a little smarter than he looks."
Makoto internally cringed. "U-Um, dim-witted seems...a little rude."
"Your point?"
Makoto blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I said, your point?" Byakuya's look didn't falter once.
"My point is, that's rude," Makoto tried to explain. "You shouldn't treat all of us who aren't rich like third-class citizens."
"Tch. You say my name, but I don't think you know who I am." Byakuya leaned forward. "I am Byakuya Togami, the heir to the most prosperous organization in the world. I would suggest you keep your mindless and pathetic chit-chat to a minimum, lest you lose my business and the extra money that keeps this place running."
Makoto felt a spark of anger in his gut, but he forced it down with a patient smile. "I apologize, Mr. Togami. Anyway, what can I get for you today?"
"A black coffee," Byakuya muttered. "No sugar or cream."
"Got it," Makoto muttered back. "But...isn't that a little basic? Maybe you could try our August special—a Mocha Cappuccino!"
Byakuya glared at him. "Did I ask for your suggestions?"
Makoto sighed. "No..."
"Then don't suggest to me what I should or shouldn't drink."
Makoto was about to snap, but he remembered what Mrs. Yamato said.
I must ask that you pardon his attitude. He has a lot of pressure placed on his young shoulders.
With that, Makoto breathed out, calming down. "Okay. That would be ¥10."
Byakuya placed the exact amount of money onto the table, and Makoto went back to the coffee.
Hm...maybe I could add a packet of sugar to sweeten things up, Makoto thought, and he complied with his thoughts.
Makoto brought the drink out to Byakuya and smiled. "Enjoy your coffee, Mr. Togami."
Byakuya took a sip and choked, barely able to swallow it. "You put sugar in this!"
Makoto tried to look innocent. "H-Huh? No way! I would never do something like that!"
Byakuya's hands were clenched into fists. "I demand I talk to the owner of this place!"
Mrs. Yamato stepped from the doorway to the back, obviously having heard the whole conversation. "Yes, dear?"
"This worker—Naegi—he got my order wrong. He purposefully added sugar."
"I'm terribly sorry, dear," Mrs. Yamato sighed. "You see, Makoto is new here. Not only that, but he's partially deaf."
"I don't see any hearing aids," Byakuya growled.
Makoto's palms got sweaty. "H-Huh? Did you say you were near gang raids?" he stammered, trying to play along.
Mrs. Yamato placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder. "I'll tell you what. I'll remake your order, and I'll add one of your favorite pastries to the mix. How does that sound?"
Byakuya looked annoyed, but he nodded. "Fine. Also, consider firing Naegi. He's incompetent."
Makoto did his best not to frown. However, Mrs. Yamato laughed. "Of course, dear. I'll be back in a moment. Makoto, a word?"
Makoto followed Mrs. Yamato into the back. She stopped and looked at him, her squinted green eyes holding a mixture of humor and understanding.
"So, you altered a customer's order on purpose, hm?" Mrs. Yamato hummed, pouring the fresh coffee into the to-go cup.
"In my defense, he was nothing but rude! Not only that, but he—"
"I understand, dear. However, if you do that to every rude customer we get, I'll have to fire you. Do I make myself clear?"
Makoto sighed. "Yes, Mrs. Yamato."
Mrs. Yamato smiled gently. "Alright. You're a good soul, Makoto. It would be a shame to do that to you."
As Makoto watched Mrs. Yamato walk away, he was filled with determination.
I'm going to befriend Byakuya. Not only that, but I'm going to get him to like sweet coffee drinks!
With that, a proud smile made its way to Makoto's face.
Just you wait.
2
The next time Makoto saw Byakuya was a weird time.
It was late evening, and the CLOSED sign hung on the door when the door opened and shut quickly.
"Sorry, we're closed," Makoto called, looking up from wiping down a counter. He froze, seeing Byakuya's concerned face.
Byakuya looked, then coughed, standing up straight. "Oh. It's you. I see the old woman didn't take my advice after all."
Makoto crossed his arms. "Well? Aren't you going to leave?"
Byakuya crossed his own arms and shook his head, going up to the counter. "I can't."
"Yeah, I think you can," Makoto sassed, dropping the rag with a glare. "You have two legs, don't you? You can just walk—"
"I can't," Byakuya repeated, and Makoto stilled at Byakuya's terrified expression.
"Why not?" Makoto asked.
Byakuya hesitated. "I wished to spend some time in one of the libraries my family invested in, and, as soon as I stepped out, I met this...rather odd girl. She introduced herself, and she smelled terrible. However, she didn't stop there. She...drooled. She eyed me like I were a snack."
Makoto shuddered, the image clear in his head. "Wow."
"I walked away, and she followed me. I kept making turns, and I called my chauffeur, but there was no response. She still continued to follow me, begging for a chance to go on a date. I, being perfection, cannot stand the thought of dating a wretch like her, so I declined. The girl sneezed, and...well, let's just say that I was forced to run if I didn't want to lose my life. I wasn't scared—I just knew it would be pointless to fight against Genocide Jack." He added the last part with a rush.
"...Wow," Makoto repeated. "I'm...sorry. Are you okay?"
Byakuya scoffed. "Of course I'm okay. I just needed a place to reside until my chauffeur can come pick me up."
Makoto whined, looking to the clock. He was tired, and he also promised to watch Sayaka Maizono's new reality show with his little sister, Komaru.
However, Byakuya was in a desperate situation, and Mrs. Yamato went home early due to back pain, so...
"Alright. Fine. Just...stay out of my way while I clean, okay?"
Byakuya nodded once, wrinkling up his nose. "Well, at least you know that this place needs cleaning. It's cleaner in a pig's pen."
Makoto refrained from rolling his eyes. "What do you have against the common people?"
"Everything," Byakuya replied simply. "You're spoiled, all of you. Running away into a world of self-indulgence. Battle, competition, rivalry—you run away from it all. That is why 99% of you amount to absolutely nothing. You could all disappear and it would be of no consequence to us 1%."
Makoto slammed the rag he had in his hands down on the counter, unable to not fight against this cocky, self-centered man. "We do too matter! Without us, you wouldn't have money in your pockets! Not only that, but you were guaranteed success from the day you were born, so—"
"Hold it," Byakuya spat. "I was—you think I was guaranteed success from the day I was born!? Naegi, I don't know if you know this, but I had to fight battle after battle. That's the only way I emerged victorious. I had to fight a long and hard battle to get where I am. That's why I'm confident and self-assured as to why I'm so great."
Makoto blinked slowly. "I...I'm sorry, Togami. I didn't...I didn't realize—"
"Clearly," Byakuya seethed, pulling away from the counter. He turned on his heel and stormed to one of the tables, calling his chauffeur.
Makoto looked down at the counter, which was so clean that it showed his reflection. Makoto sighed, taking the rag and moving it to the other tables.
The two of them were in silence until Makoto got to Byakuya's table. He didn't look Byakuya in the eye. "So, um, while you're here...would you like some coffee?"
Byakuya tched. "Not particularly, but fine. You should know by now what I want."
Makoto frowned. "I mean...our special this month is an Espresso Macchiato. Are you sure you wouldn't want to try that?"
Byakuya glared.
"Okay, okay," Makoto sighed. "Hang on a minute."
Makoto turned away and went into the back. Luckily, a new shipment of coffee came in, so Makoto quickly started the quarter-pot of coffee. As soon as it was done making, Makoto poured the coffee into a mug and poured himself a cup.
I wonder...what does Byakuya see in this?
Makoto took a sip, and Makoto choked, spitting the bitter drink into the sink. That's disgusting!
Makoto quickly added sugar and creamer to his before taking both mugs to Byakuya's table. He placed the mug with Byakuya's coffee in front of him before sitting down and taking a sip of his own drink.
"I, um, want to apologize for earlier," Makoto murmured. "I want to understand, though...what do you mean, you've fought battles and emerged victorious?"
Byakuya sighed. "Well, since I'm stuck wasting my time with a useless commoner like you, I guess I could explain. It has to do with the secret to the Togami family's prosperity. Our success comes from our family's rather…peculiar inheritance system."
Makoto's eyebrows furrowed. "Peculiar inheritance—what do you mean?"
"You see, our family head never takes a wife. Rather, he couples with exceptional women the world over, in order to bear as many children as possible. They then make the children compete, and only one can come out on top. And whoever it is…earns the right to become the next head of the family."
Makoto's brain immediately went to the sumo wrestlers he had run across on TV a time or two. "You mean…you have to fight your own brothers and sisters!?"
"For my battle, there were fifteen of us in total. When all was said and done, only one was still standing—the youngest brother. Me. In the entire history of the Togami family, the youngest male had never won."
Makoto's jaw was dropped open.
"Could you close your mouth? You look more braindead than a goldfish."
Makoto quickly closed his mouth, taking a drink of his beverage.
"So, now do you understand? I won my title in open combat. That is how I became the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. I was not born into greatness. I had to earn it. I put my life on the line, and I earned the right to be called the chosen."
"You put your life on the line…? Then…what about your siblings?"
"Dead," Byakuya replied simply.
"D-Dead!?" Makoto shrieked.
Upon seeing Makoto's expression, he clarified. "I don't mean that literally, of course. They become dead to the family, unfit for the name of Togami. Of course, for them it really is like death. They're forced to become one of the 99%. One of you."
Makoto sighed in relief. "But it must've been really hard, right?"
Byakuya let out a humorless laugh. "You can't even imagine. Which is why the survivor is recognized as the chosen. When you take over as the head of the family, all the weight of that family comes to rest on your shoulders. That is how dedicated I am. I am forever dedicated to keep on winning. And so I shall. Otherwise, I would only feel pity for those I'd already defeated."
Makoto nodded once. Though he didn't completely understand...it would make sense.
Out of the corner of Makoto's eye, he saw headlights on the street.
"That would be my ride," Byakuya muttered, standing up. He dug into his blazer pocket, took out a wallet, and placed a few yen on the table. "Here. For the trouble. Just...don't expect gifts like this often."
Makoto picked is the money once Byakuya left and gasped.
¥500,000!?
3
Makoto stood behind the counter while being scared out of his mind.
I hope Mrs. Yamato's okay, Makoto thought, pacing behind the counter while holding back tears of fear.
"I hope you don't always look as though you're a constipated walrus. It would be bad for your business."
Makoto looked up, somehow feeling better at the sight of Byakuya. "Byakuya! Did you hear about Mrs. Yamato?"
Byakuya's eyebrows furrowed. "When did I give you permission to use my first name?"
Makoto flinched, feeling extra worried today. "Sorry."
"It's fine, but don't do it again; I was just confused," Byakuya dismissed. "Now, what was this about Mrs. Yamato?"
"She's in the hospital due to a broken leg," Makoto explained, nervously straightening the chalkboard that had the monthly special on it. "Um...want to try the October special? S'mores Latte!"
Byakuya shook his head. "No. Black coffee. And, your point with Mrs. Yamato is...?"
"She'll make a full recovery, but...she doesn't have too much longer left." Makoto swallowed back the tears that made their way into Makoto's eyes. "So, she's really worried about to who the coffee shop will go to when she's gone."
"Then, I'll buy it," Byakuya replied simply.
"No way!" Makoto protested. "You'd capitalize it! That's what she's afraid of, that some famous and rich guy like you will turn her coffee shop into a—"
"Fine, then. I'll buy it. But, you get it."
Makoto blinked. "Huh?"
"I'll repeat myself for your tiny brain to understand: I'll buy the coffee shop, but then I'll sign ownership of the actual building to you. 5 percent of your profits will go to me, of course, but no more. I won't turn it into a famous place."
"But...why me?" Makoto asked. "And...why are you being so kind to her?
"Because," Byakuya shrugged. "Before you started working here, this coffee shop is the one place that wasn't too loud or quiet. And I decide that you would be the best fit because you have a passion for this place. Out of all the people Mrs. Yamato has hired, you're the only one who treats this place the way Mrs. Yamato would want: a second home."
Makoto couldn't help but smile, feeling...grateful thanks to Byakuya. He didn't even argue, bringing Byakuya his coffee.
"So, why do you like this place?" Byakuya asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Well, Mrs. Yamato gave me a job when the other places rejected me," Makoto shrugged. "She's really kind. And...I kind of grew attached thanks to the atmosphere."
Byakuya nodded slowly. "I see."
Makoto couldn't help but prattle on for a while about some of his adventures with the coffee shop (surprisingly, there were several—there was rarely a boring day there), and, somewhere, in the back of Makoto's brain...he found that he actually liked Byakuya.
4
Makoto was in charge of the place while Mrs. Yamato recuperated, and Byakuya came inside the shop to help Makoto out a little.
It was...nice. Byakuya was nice. Or, at least, as nice as a rude and privileged (but highly intelligent) businessman can be.
However, in spite of everything, Makoto still hadn't bailed on his quest to get Byakuya to try and drink something other than black coffee.
Makoto made jazz hands, motioning to the chalkboard of the Monthly special. "Would you like to try November's special? It's Oolong Tea!"
Byakuya wrinkled his nose. "No."
"Oh, come on," Makoto groaned, face-planting into the counter and letting out a small yelp, sitting up quickly. "I thought you finally becoming nice!"
"What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word. As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee."
Makoto blinked.
"Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet," Byakuya explained.
Makoto nodded once. Then, he exclaimed, "Hey! Did you just say that you hate me!? I thought we were becoming friends!"
"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Byakuya traced the rim of his coffee cup with his finger, staring at Makoto intently.
"Um...Mark Twain, right?" Makoto asked.
"Right," Byakuya nodded.
"What's your deal with American and English poets and authors today?"
Byakuya shrugged. "Some of them were intelligent."
Makoto reached under the counter and placed the bell on top, about to go in the back and check the cappuccino machines.
"Makoto," Byakuya stated.
"Yeah?" Makoto looked up.
"'You know I always liked you,' said Fisher, quietly, 'but I also respect you, which is not always the same thing. You may possibly guess that I like a good many people I don't respect. Perhaps it is my tragedy, perhaps it is my fault. But you are very different, and I promise you this: that I will never try to keep you as somebody to be liked, at the price of your not being respected.'"
Makoto stared. "...Byakuya...?"
Byakuya couldn't look Makoto in the eye. "G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Knew Too Much."
Makoto opened and closed his mouth a couple of times.
Did...Byakuya just tell me he likes and respects me...?
Before Makoto could say a word, however, Byakuya's phone rang.
Byakuha flipped it open, putting it to his ear. "Yes?"
Silence passed, and Byakuya's expression went carefully neutral.
"Alright. I will be there soon." Byakuya ended the call and gave Makoto a grim smile.
"Well?" Makoto asked.
"Death lies on her like an untimely frost / Upon the sweetest flower of all the field. Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet."
5
It had been five months since Byakuya came into Makoto's life, and things had changed.
Makoto was now the owner of a coffee shop, and he was even joking around with Byakuya himself.
Well, he was, until today.
Christmas Eve, also known as what would've been Mrs. Yamato's 87th birthday if she hadn't passed away due to age.
From the moment Byakuya got that phone call, Makoto was expected to take on his role immediately. Byakuya was there, however, guiding Makoto through everything.
Makoto sat in the empty coffee shop that December evening, looking at the little tree he had found in the storage closet in the back that he put up. It was pretty despite its small size.
The door opened, and so entered Byakuya...bearing gifts...?
"Hello, Makoto," Byakuya huffed, placing the gifts onto a nearby table. "I somehow suspected you'd be here."
Makoto looked up and raised an eyebrow. "What's this...?"
"For you and your sister, of whom I have yet to meet," Byakuya muttered, kicking the snow off of his boots. "I realize that this year must be difficult for you peasants, so I have decided to give gifts to those whose establishments are...acceptable."
Makoto grinned, ignoring the annoyance in his gut. "Thanks, Byakuya."
Byakuya handed Makoto two boxes: one big, one small. "These are for your sister. I wasn't sure what she would like, so I decided that you could not go wrong with a real and flawless diamond necklace or a Birkin Bag."
Makoto nodded slowly. "Okay? And? What's so special about a Birkin Bag?"
"It's the most expensive purse in the world," Byakuya replied. "Anyway. This gift is for the tree."
Makoto was handed a smallish box. When he opened it, there was a beautiful glass star, perfect for the small tree.
Makoto rushed over to the tree, carefully placing the surprisingly lightweight star on top and beaming. "It looks great! Thank you, Byakuya."
Byakuya let out a slight cough. "It's...no problem. And...these last two are for you."
Makoto opened the bag, first, and he almost died at the sight of a suit.
"I figured that, since we will be having meetings soon, you needed to look the part," Byakuya explained.
Makoto opened the smaller box and gasped.
"It's the best watch one can get," Byakuya murmured. "It's the most accurate watch in the world, and it will automatically switch to whatever time zone you're in. That way, it's already set."
Makoto held it up to Byakuya. "Can you help me put this on?"
Byakuya nodded once and took the watch out of the box. For some reason, his cheeks were starting to turn red, but Makoto assumed it was because of the cold.
Makoto moved his hand around, admiring the new watch. "Thank you so much! I appreciate this!"
Byakuya couldn't meet Makoto's eye. "It's...not a problem. Those are cheap compared to how much money my corporation has."
Without warning, the annoyance Makoto felt earlier sparked into a flame. "Oh, yeah. It's not like you actually care about this place. You could lose this place anf afford it."
Byakuya was taken aback. "Excuse me?"
"You think you're sooo great just because you have money," Makoto spat, uncharacteristically upset. "Well, I have some news for you, Togami." Makoto's voice came out like poison at Byakuya's last name. "We don't want your business. Not unless you're willing to actually try our other coffees as well as that fucking. Plain. Black. Coffee."
Standing there, breathing heavily and fists clenched, was Makoto, glaring at Byakuya with all his might.
This was the first time Makoto had ever seen Byakuya shocked.
Makoto froze and blinked, then covered hsi mouth, realizing what he'd said.
"B...Byakuya..."
Byakuya crossed his arms and pursed his lips, staring at Makoto for a moment. Finally, he said quietly: "It's 'Togami' to you, Naegi."
Byakuya turned on his heel and left without another word.
Makoto watched Byakuya leave, unable to find it in him to chase after him. Finally, Makoto sunk to the ground, pulled his knees up to his chest, and hid his face in them, sobbing on Christmas Eve.
+1
It was the new year, and Makoto was still held down by the weight of the old one.
Byakuya hadn't let go of Makoto's coffee shop, but Makoto knew it was just a matter of time.
Speaking of which...
Byakuya hadn't come in at all this month for his mandatory monthly check-in.
Anyone who knew Makoto saw that he wasn't acting like himself, and Makoto knew he wasn't, either.
Makoto was wiping down the counter when the door opened again.
Makoto didn't look up as he mumbled, "Order."
"I would like this month's special, please," said a familiar voice.
Makoto looked up, and his heart almost stopped beating.
Byakuya.
"Well?" Byakuya's voice was impatient, but his eyes held a certain expression Makoto couldn't describe. "Aren't you going to get me my drink?"
Makoto nodded quickly, leaving silently to get to work on the Peppermint Latte. A few minutes later, Makoto presented Byakuya with the latte.
Byakuya picked up the drink, setting down the ¥20 that was required. (Makoto had raised prices due to the fear that Byakuya would, indeed, stop supporting the coffee shop.)
"Why are you here?" Makoto mumbled, unable to look in Byakuya's blue eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Makoto's head snapped up. "I'm—I'm sorry?"
"I'm sorry." Byakuya's expression was genuine.
Watching and listening to an apology come from Byakuya's mouth was like watching the leader of Korea say that he's completely for the freedom of the people.
"For what?" Makoto choked out, still struggling to breathe. "I'm the one who should be apologizing."
"No. You were completely justified. I was being rather...stupid, capitalist-wise."
Makoto blinked.
"I mean, let's face it: who would want to support a place when they don't even know what each aspect is like?" Byakuya stared down at the latte, stirring his straw nervously. "So...I'm sorry. Truly."
Byakuya was...being honest.
And genuine.
And—and humble.
Makoto cleared his throat, realizing he'd been silent for a while. "It's...it's okay. I was...also out of line. I'm sorry, Byakuya, because I didn't consider you."
"Didn't consider me?" Byakuya laughed. "You've been considerate since the day we met."
"But...I wasn't that night." Makoto finally looked up. "You were grieving, just like I was. You care and miss Mrs. Yamato too. However, I let the stress get to me. You didn't. I had no right to go off on you like that. I'm sorry."
"I forgive you," Byakuya nodded.
Byakuya and Makoto both looked at each other, and they both smiled.
They were worlds apart, and the one place they could meet in the middle and stand as equals...was a coffee shop.
A giggle escaped Makoto, and Byakuya couldn't help but chuckle, too.
"We must look ridiculous," Byakuya snickered.
"Probably," Makoto snorted.
Byakuya took a quick drink of the latte, and his expression went blank. "...Makoto."
"Yeah?"
"...I would like another order of this, please."
Makoto nodded. "Of course! Anything for you, Byakuya!"
Once Makoto turned his back to Byakuya, he found he could breathe again.