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describing shibuya as quaint would be nothing more than an exaggeration, especially during such a busy seasonal weekend. packed like sardines in the main streets that flowed towards the 707 building, individuals rushed to all sorts of department stores to soak up the new year sales before the world started turning in its familiar, sequential motion once again. the cold, industrial air tasted bitter on ryuji’s tongue, and he exhaled softly to watch it freeze on impact with the atmosphere. his chuckle at the simplistic action filled his chest with a joyful warmth. it's times like these when ryuji feels a sense of peace, finding fondness in the mundane business of the streets he calls home. it was not long ago that he had sworn himself to protect this city, wanting to bring safety to each brick and pebble that made up tokyo, and the pride he felt walking through the peacefully chaotic streets was nothing short of grandiose.
the heat from his happiness began to spread to his cheeks when he noticed movement on his arm, turning his head to spot his girlfriend readjusting her hold. haru looked up at ryuji and squeezed his bicep in an attempt to draw him closer, and of course he obliged. wandering around tokyo with haru felt much more exciting than venturing on his own; sure, he didn't have much purpose, but her spontaneity always made his heart race a little faster for all of the right reasons. she was usually so put together, organised to a degree that ryuji couldn’t possibly fathom - with his scrunched up worksheets next to empty curry bread wrappers at the bottom of his school bag. perhaps then, times like this when they floated through shibuya with no plan nor direction, gave her a small glimpse of freedom from that stiff way of life. she could make decisions without second questioning their significance, and ryuji could watch haru’s eyes glisten in the soft afternoon sun at something so innocent and sweet.
ryuji believed he had caught her in one of those moments, the sun gazing upon her angelic features as her pupils widened at the sight of a small bakery.
it had a comfortable yet rustic feel to its exterior, and ryuji could guess that its bold font, symbolising the passion behind its handcrafted goods, had definitely sparked a firework of curiosity in haru’s chest. he knew that his girlfriend took a liking for spots like these - it's the reason why they continued to frequent leblanc, even after it stopped being their hideout. something about the freshly baked smell lingering through the open doors, coupled with the minimal seating and distinctly vintage decor, made haru’s heart flutter. and well, if it appealed to haru, then ryuji couldn’t help but fall in love with it too.
“did ya want to give it a look?” he asked, wanting to hold onto haru’s smile for just a bit longer.
she nodded, “if that’s alright with you. i just want to look through the window, maybe it could inspire ideas for that coffee shop i mentioned to you before.”
holding onto haru as they crossed the street, ryuji hummed in agreement. ”‘m glad you’re still goin’ through with that, seems way cooler than another five burger restaurants.”
”you know that i can’t give up big bang burger, ryuji.” haru moved her hand down ryuji’s arm to intertwine their fingers, before beginning to swing them back and forth. “see this as … an extra venture for my own pleasure.”
”like a side quest?”
”yes, exactly!” she giggled; ryuji knew that he had an edge of childish wonder in his personality, and often wondered if haru ever grew tired of such a trait. yet, every time that thought rose into his mind, her gentle voice managed to hush it back to sleep. “but, instead of slaying a dragon, i’m making cupcakes and tea.”
”as long as i can be the official taste tester of the company.”
”i wouldn’t have it any other way.”
glancing through the windows of the bakery, the couple were in awe of the abundance of goods on offer, from choux buns to bagels. neat rows of cupcakes stood proudly at the front of the display, each swirl of frosting styled into a point and decorated with orange and sparkly sprinkles. everything seemed so neat and organised, and a warmth spread through ryuji’s chest when he saw haru’s eyes glistening at the sight of the baked goods. her eyes wandered across the aisles of treats, admiring the precision of the buttercream icing and the flakiness of each golden croissant.
ryuji knew that haru’s eye for perfection never fell short of accurate, because her attention honed in on the designs on top of cookies, and the pipework on the tiered cakes. ryuji watched as she gushed over the trays of macarons, lined up neatly in their respective flavours, and how the sparkling glitter atop of the cupcakes, brightened by the winter sun, was reflected like stars in her eyes. her passion for the small details in life is what made ryuji fall in love with his girlfriend, watching her refuse to take life’s intricacies for granted - and its probably what made her fawn over ryuji. she always noticed his tiny quirks - the freckles that blossomed in late february, the odd, multi-coloured ankle socks, the tight squeeze of his hugs that fell into a gentle yet grippy hold, like a honey bear. his obedience to haru and her needs allowed her to point out every inch that she loved, and ryuji wished that he had her eye for detail when it came to loving her. there were so many things he could list about his partner, yet none of his options came close to the fine print haru could note about ryuji’s life.
he had always seen her as immaculate - fine china fresh from the box - but he wished there was a way for him to see her as more than her perfections. she was human after all, and he felt like her upper-class life had tired her from being seen as a goddess. haru always seemed like she wanted to be brought back down to earth, but ryuji struggled to find ways to tether her when they were both so used to being metaphorically miles apart.
yet, he was determined to fulfil her wish. he wanted to make haru feel just as human, and drag her further away from her father’s exploding spaceship into the safety of his orbit.
she watched as the bakers delicately placed each item into personalised boxes, tucking them into their own bed of snug cardboard before whisking someone else into their own sugary dreamland. ryuji could see haru’s pupils widen at the takeaway box, and just as he fished around in his pocket for some spare change, she softly sighed. it was almost out of earshot, attempting to let it go unnoticed by the blond, but ryuji needed good hearing throughout his years - a safety net to prepare him for the worst. he knew all too well what that noise could mean from someone as typically joyful as his girlfriend, so he tensed as he attempted to suss the situation out.
haru’s eyes fell solemnly on a bright cake that hid in the corner of the display. the sun’s rays stretched over its exterior, and was just able to bring the shine of the freshly glazed cake into vision. the seamless yellow buttercream hid any imperfections that the cake could offer, whilst the accented flowers contrasted the mellow, mature tone with a touch of lilac. the contrast was subtle, yet appealing to the eye. the ruffles in the buttercream surrounded it like a petticoat, giving the design a softness that could even calm a rough heart like ryuji’s. its placard said it was a lemon cake, and the blond could already imagine the bittersweetness on his tongue.
however, he could also see it in haru’s eyes.
her typical whimsy was replaced with a dull glimmer, and the once present excitement had disintegrated under the uncomfortable winter heat. she buried her face into her scarf, obviously trying to hide her expression from ryuji. typically, this display of creations would bring joy to their bubble, sparking an explosion of discussions around haru’s dream plans and how ryuji could help to execute them — ryuji always enjoyed making haru’s dreams a reality — but something about this sudden change of pace made him aware of the path her mind was walking her towards. it struck a note in ryuji’s head, a sour tone that lingered in his throat as he watched haru’s emotions suddenly curdling from the happiness she once displayed.
he attempted to reach out and pull her away from her thoughts, but haru shoved her hands in her pocket. ryuji didn’t want to be confused, since haru is usually an open book, yet it was as if the words she was trying to non-verbally communicate were in a different language - one which ryuji was struggling to translate. perhaps she wasn’t in the mood for physical comfort, but that didn’t pause his concern. instead, he placed his hand in an attempt to cover the display, drawing her attention to his striking yellow gloves.
haru blinked a few times, before dissolving the worry on her cheeks and stretching a smile onto her cheeks. “sorry, i didn’t mean to get lost in thought like that.”
”’is chill,” ryuji responded, a breath of reassurance amongst his words. “are you all good though? you got me worried for a second there…”
forcing her head down and away from ryuji, haru played with the leather of her clothes, picking at the fabric like a cat scratching its post. her actions were sporadic yet not vicious, as her body stiffend to conjure up a response. ”i’m fine… looking at the displays just reminded me of some things.”
“what things?” ryuji knew that question was going to bear no fruits, as haru further buried her face out of sight of the bakery display and from her partner’s worried eyes. her silence wasn’t even covered by the roar of engines behind them, the street becoming just as curious about her change in character. the blond sighed into his scarf, before taking a step closer to haru, moving his hand from the display to gently rest upon her arm. “i don’t think leavin’ this alone is the best idea, roo. walkin’ home with all that baggage on ya shoulders ain’t great for your head.”
“i don’t want to trouble you, ryuji. i’m honestly fine.” suddenly pushing her head up, she smiled at ryuji. she never liked getting others involved in her business - it’s the reason why she tried to recover quickly from her father’s passing - but ryuji was too intertwined in haru’s well-being that ignoring the dust gathering on her happiness was now making him choked up. this was her dream, her life purpose outside of taking control of the family business. so, suddenly seeing her crush herself and dim the light that she had once powered for others, ryuji couldn’t watch her self-deprecation for much longer.
he snaked his hands into haru’s, squeezing her palms and hoping to transfer some warmth through the thick, chilling leather. ”you’d trouble me more if you left me in the dark. i’m your boyfriend - making sure you’re happy is, like, in my job description.”
the sweet tone dripping from ryuji’s tongue finally began to soften haru’s walls, allowing them to crumble upon contact. her smile only dropped slightly, yet it seemed far more earnest when she brought herself to meet his eyes once more. the shine in her eyes that once could light up a room had dulled to a haze that fogged her pupils, and her hair curled around her face to hide the pale colour of her cheeks. what had caused her mood to shift so suddenly? she usually loved observing the rows of treats, yet they had caused her more agony than admiration. the handicraft going into each swirl and flake had fallen flat in her eyes, and all of the passion that had filled her heart minutes earlier had melted like buttercream in the ambitious sun.
“i thought that something like a bakery would bring me … comfort? warmth?” haru shifted ryuji’s hands in her hold, struggling to find a comfortable position. “yet instead, i’m reminded of frozen, stiff smiles.”
ryuji tilted his head, trying to hide his confusion with a sympathetic expression. although, much to his demise, he was a very expressive person. so, his eyebrow twitched upwards, and haru happened to notice. she didn’t show any signs of annoyance - in fact, she didn’t show much at all. instead, she blankly stared at the window, as if it was a black hole that was desperately sucking her attention away.
”when my father was alive, investors used to visit our residence to discuss future expansion plans for the big bang burger brand, as well as potential options for new okumura food branches.” she softly spoke, her stature stiffening despite the information slowly being lifted off of her shoulders. her tone had an edge, as if the memories leaving her lips left a sting on her tongue. “they all had too much money on their hands, and my father was willing to take much of it for his company - even if okumura foods didn’t need it all. they were all very greedy, and it was clear from their taste in food. each investor would bring boxes upon boxes of goods to our house, both savoury and sweet. yet, my father’s closest advisor would always bring a delicate box of symmetrical macarons.”
ryuji followed his girlfriend’s eyes, which had landed on a shelf of the colourful treats that haru had just mentioned. they weren’t perfect, by all means, but they were vibrant and smooth. when a worker moved to pick them up with a pair of tongs, they were strong enough to hold their form, whilst the cream in between protected each side from collapsing entirely. ryuji had never tried a macaron before - he always considered them to be posh people food, and he never had that type of money to splurge on fancy pastries. yet, he could always appreciate how pristine they looked, how put together they seemed all neatly in their rows.
he also noticed how quickly they could crumble.
“the macarons were never addressed to my father, however. they were always a gift to me. i was allowed to sit in on some meetings regarding business deals, and this advisor wanted to get on my good side so that he could convince my father to give in to his ideas.” her finger lingered against the glass for a moment, reaching out towards the rainbow of flavours that the macarons offered. “it seemed to work in their favour, and the macarons themselves were delicious, yet i couldn’t help but feel used.”
leaning against the glass so that he could face haru, he hummed curiously. “how so?”
“my father was being bribed through me; i was never a part of the equation, only ever seen as a tool to create deals. they would make me happy, and that made my father happy.” haru sighed as she took a step closer to her partner, now pressing her palms together as her lips became buried beneath her scarf. “it’s such a shame, since i loved their taste. but their significance means nothing to me anymore. they lack any sort of emotion, and were used to show a different sense of greed.”
“isn’t enjoying the taste an emotion anyways?” ryuji pondered out loud, “clearly you felt somethin’ to remember that memory even now.”
”you’re probably right.” haru tilted her head, ryuji’s words dancing in her head alongside her doubts. he was right, yet it wasn’t enough to clear her conscience. everything regarding her situation continued to force their way through the cracks to fill every inch of her thoughts. anything joyful relating to such a colourful treat had been painted over in black and white - just another dull painting in her father’s mansion, hanging directly adjacent to her own portrait. “i just cannot shake the fact that they were used as a manipulation tactic; it would be easier to relate them to akira’s gun in the metaverse than another pastry for that reason alone.”
watching the spark inside his girlfriend being extinguished by her past, ryuji felt a flame burn inside his chest, aching to revive what had been lost. of course, his words would be nothing in the grand scheme of haru’s life - he didn’t have a time machine to change what had already be done (although, he would pay too much to punch old okumura-san in the jaw - a much better business venture than the food industry in his eyes). however, he could try to soften the blow of what was resurfacing. “they can’t take that happiness away from you, though. you deserve to feel excitement towards what you love - thats the whole reason why you wanted to open the bakery in the first place.”
”true, but that’s because i find joy in the process now, rather than the consumption.” haru looked up in appreciation. sometimes, people underestimated haru’s resolve because of her class, assuming that haru’s lack of independence led to a sheltered attitude. but often, ryuji believed that she was more mature than him. she had to pick up the pieces of her childish father, whilst ryuji could barely handle his own baggage. it took the introduction of the thieves into his life to untangle himself from his struggles, and without haru and akira, ryuji truly believed that he would be stuck in the shadows of his abusers until his own demise. she was everything ryuji wanted to be. “i don’t want to force an expression for someone who doesn’t even care for my favourite flavour of macaron, i’d rather see someone light up because they love the flavour of my creations.”
she looked up at ryuji and smiled. ryuji could see an expression somewhat unfamiliar to someone of her situation; a glimmer of hope, sprinkling amongst the ashes of her past. it was barely enough for ryuji himself to drink in, but it was there, sparking a flame that would light up haru’s path to happiness.
ryuji could feel the heat from her fire warming his own chest, and he responded with a proud grin.
“is that why you bake for me all the time?”
giggling at the question, his girlfriend turned to look at the macarons again, their bright colours eager to be seen in her sparkling eyes. yet, her attention was never fully focused on them, and instead landed upon the reflection of the blond. ”exactly - because i like seeing you smile because of me, rather than for me.”
“you’re always the reason i smile, roo.”
ryuji smiled back at haru, before facing himself through the window. a hint of red held tightly onto his reflection, as the glass’ transparency washed away the vibrant outfit. it clung to his cheeks like buttercream, and ryuji moved his sleeve to wipe its crimson shine from his face. he always knew haru was perfect, but finally watching her come to terms with her own confidence was an honour in itself. her gorgeous wings were finally spread to their complete length, shining against the cold rays of sunshine in preparation for her departure towards mental freedom.
yet, ryuji wanted to hide behind her shadow, like a duckling too afraid to flee the nest. his clothes in the window seemed dull against the fruity macarons, and there were more cracks in his facade than in the neighbouring meringues. the same sun that supported haru’s self-esteem hid from his presence, casting a shadow that only grew at the same pace as his frown. he moved his head, and was thankful that haru’s heart-shaped earmuffs were staring back at him. he could patch himself up, pull himself together, and let haru hold onto the spotlight she rightfully deserved.
but then again, haru would be the one to call him a hypocrite. it would be like arguing with morgana all over again - which makes sense, considering the two had a bond that not even akira could comprehend. he was the one going on about letting go of heavy baggage, and all of that. she would want to know more, and ryuji would either spill the beans and bring down the mood, or ignore her entirely and ruin a lovely moment.
so, instead, he did what he assumed to be correct in this scenario:
divert from the subject entirely before haru could even pick up on it.
“you know, i used to enjoy baking too, back before i started high school.”
“i never took you for the artsy type, ryuji!” she beamed suddenly, and ryuji returned her energy as the adrenaline began to settle in his veins. ryuji sakamoto, you’re a genius.
”i wasn’t! honest!” he shook his hands, whilst haru giggled at his reaction. “it was mainly ma, she needed somethin’ to take her mind off of the legal shit with my father, and i knew she liked spending time in the kitchen - although i tried to help her with that too; my ol’ man was one of those cringey, incel types futaba finds on reddit, literally owned a fedora and called women ‘females’.” mocking his father was one of his favourite pastimes, and it seemed to amuse his girlfriend too thankfully. ryuji tipped a pretend hat and watched as haru visibly cringed, which got a breathy laugh out of his lungs. “anyways, gettin’ side-tracked. i saw that she liked cooking, ‘nd thought she would like cookin’ that wasn’t for survival, ya know?”
“that’s really sweet of you, ryuji. is that how you learned to make those treats for the christmas party?” haru questioned, thinking back to the array of confectionary ryuji had delivered to leblanc for the holiday.
he vividly remembered the confusion lingering in the air whilst the group tried to decipher the situation. they acted as if he had forced a puzzle into their hands to solve, when he just wanted to show his affection to the people who changed his life over the past year. it was almost like they had assumed it wasn’t possible from someone like him, words unspoken but delivered clearly by their tense gasps and shocked pupils. he did enjoy a challenge though, especially since he could no longer show his success with a gold medal - orange icing was close enough, no?
”yup! ma taught me everythin’ i know, from sievin’ the flour to icin’ the cake.” pride dripped from his lips as ryuji spoke of his mother, and his heart fluttered in his chest at the memory. a vignette grew around his thoughts, the stagnant images of the past faded and stained with time. ryuji sighed though, trying his best to push them back into his long-term memory. “but, that christmas party was the first time in a while i’d been motivated to bake, to be honest. i don’t exactly feel confident in doing somethin’ as delicate as bakin’.”
”well, that’s not true at all, you’re a worthy patisserie in my eyes.” haru tilted her head, a look of fondness glazing her face which ryuji couldn’t resist. he couldn’t lie to something so sweet and sincere, saying it was just his manliness getting in the way - it was another form of escape, but he had no treasure to show for it.
his father was a coward, using excuses to make known his disdain for his son. he had been a coward in the past, getting physical instead of being logical in front of his academic abuser. ryuji was so used to running away, as if the starting pistol’s roar alerted predators of his vulnerability. however, ryuji never thought to stray from the track, where a girl with a wide-brimmed hat and purple bloomers stood tall to guide him towards the true finish line.
he was so focused on haru’s own goals that he forgot it was a team effort. she was waiting for the baton pass, but ryuji was sprinting the entire race on his own. she wanted to give ryuji the same hand that he had offered her, and here he was, declining it like an idiot. ryuji bit his lip, and grumbled as he fought back the urge to hide again.
“it’s more complicated than that, though.” the starting words dangled in the air, scratching at his skin with their sharp edges as his bones tensed up. “after what happened with him, and kamoshida, i look down at my hands… i think about what they’re capable of… and i realise that i’m not worthy of makin’ art like that.” his hands themselves were gloved, but visions began to flash of his palms, his knuckles, his fingers. every part was tainted by his past, and it only worsened in contrast to haru’s delicate digits, when her skin would brush over his calloused fingertips. “i’m too rough, too destructive; i can’t make somethin’ fragile when these hands are only used to fightin’…”
“that doesn’t mean they’re only made for fighting though,” haru spoke as softly as she moved, her words gracefully wrapping around ryuji’s neck like a scarf whilst she clasped her palms around her boyfriend’s hands. “you always have the ability to be more than those actions.”
ryuji pulled his fists away from her, staring bullets into his shadow on the ground instead of facing her. “you don’t understand!” he gritted his teeth after raising his voice so suddenly. haru was stunned into silence, and ryuji struggled to pick his composure up from where it had drowned in the darkness of his silhouette. with his body trembling underneath his puffer jacket, he shoved his hands into his pockets and pulled his arms closer to his torso. he had fumbled the baton pass before he was in reach of his girlfriend - how pathetic, voices that didn’t belong to him echoed in his head. “i tried makin’ cookies after what happened with kamoshida - those sugar ones with the icing on top. me and ma used to make ‘em when i was younger, so i thought it would cheer me up… but…”
floods of images flashed past his eyes, of red icing scattered across tabletops, of black rocks that once held promise, of a teary-eyed boy and his stained fingertips. every reminder of his opportunities slipping out of reach caused his face to scrunch in pain, scraping his tongue against his teeth to rid the sour flavour from his mouth. it hurt to remember, and he blinked back signs of distress to not show further weakness to his girlfriend.
haru had been so strong when recalling her own cards, yet he could barely glance at his own hand without wanting to fold. their power over him was too strong, and he didn’t even realise how desperately he continued to cling to the aftermath of its events. if only he had been strong enough to stand up to his father; if only he had been rational enough to handle kamoshida’s crimes; if only he had been gentle with himself to have given the cookies the same respect. before he had even donned the phantom thief mask, a different one had covered his eyes from his true self - and perhaps, if akira and the thieves hadn’t intervened, he might’ve been forced to confront his own insecure shadow.
“did it stop you from baking then?” haru interrupted his stream of thoughts, the warmth of her words soothing the shivers that ran up his spine. “you let them win again, which is why you feel so awful about yourself now.”
“but i can’t change that now… they already left their mark…”
his girlfriend chuckled, resting her hands on his shoulders and shaking him. “ryuji, we’re phantom thieves, changing things is our job.” grinning, she willed her way into his vision, and ryuji could feel his heart slowly calming from her embrace. “if you can save the entirety of tokyo and give them the confidence to live their lives to the fullest, then why are you still tethered to your previous self?”
ryuji tried to turn away once more. the shame of his faults being served to him on a platter tore him apart, even though haru tried so hard to calm him down. the chilly breeze began to settle around them as he chewed the inside of his cheek. “‘cuz that’s what the world sees. i can save the world from being overtaken from hell, yet i’ll always be the stupid delinquent; i’ll always be my father’s son.”
“only if you let the world think that.”
the sun parted the clouds, letting its rays bounce on puddles and glass panes. the glow hugged haru’s cheeks, and in turn sparked a glow in ryuji’s eyes. the world didn’t accentuate his shadow, or hide from his sunken eyes and soiled smiles. the sun didn’t judge him for his actions before, it could only see the ryuji that bathed in its glory today. the people of shibuya, who rushed past their motionless bodies in waves, had their own worlds to focus on. each individual had their own baggage to carry on their shoulders, pretending that their bubble was perfect when they instead polished the dirt and scum which made up who they were. without those flaws, their hard work would go unnoticed, and there would be no strengths to illuminate if they were perfectly balanced.
the bakery next to them, so uniform and spotless now, was probably in shambles when they crafted their first cookie. countless attempts and fails were likely seen before they could finally say their cookie was worthy of the world’s enjoyment - and yet, ryuji assumed that one piece of evidence fixed a guilty judgement upon his head. the phantom thieves themselves never gave up at the first hurdle, yet ryuji allowed himself to cling to his previous failures.
despite that, ryuji had failed to consider perspective. it was the singular thing that separated haru’s growth from his own pain. she could see her negative world from a different viewpoint, and it paved her a path to spread her wings; whilst ryuji had limited himself to the ground, ripping his feathers apart when dragged through the concrete and gravel. if he could find a new perch, and see his past as a catalyst to his own change, rather than a definition of his character, then maybe he could finally escape the shadows of those who attempted to control his past, present and future.
“… you’re right, i need to start takin’ my own words to heart.” ryuji exhaled before finding himself unable to stop smiling at his girlfriend. “we’ve already been through a ton of shit, but we’ve still got plenty more chances to make up for that stuff. that means we both gotta stop hidin’ from what makes us scared or upset, ‘cuz we’ve always got each other to help us through it all.”
“exactly. from here on out we should both act more honest and open with one another, okay?” her hands moved down to finally hold onto ryuji’s again without resistance, and gold hidden amongst the deep brown in his eyes began to glow as he looked at haru. “i can start with the honesty part though: you’re a lot sweeter than you realise, ryuji.”
the fondness melted as quick as ice as ryuji started to get flustered from the comment, much to haru’s amusement. “that’s not what this is about!” he stuttered, trying to calm himself down to speak again. “besides, i can’t hold a birthday candle to your lemon cake, roo. you’re sweeter than pie, as they say - well, maybe not certain pies, you’re not a meat pie—“
the ring of her laughter, like a gentle bell signalling an open door, brought a wave of comfort rushing through ryuji’s body. the way haru squeezed his hands with every exhale, holding onto him to share this moment with him. he could tell that she desired his presence for her own happiness, but wanted to spread it through his veins, and let him know that every giggle, every chuckle, and every smile was dedicated to him. if he had the courage, he would lean forward and kiss her, so he could savour her joy and pick his favourite flavours to gift back to her; but that would mean an end to her joy, it would pause her song of laughter, and ryuji wanted it to repeat in his mind over and over again. therefore, he listened until she was ready to stop, and he struggled to tell where the winter heat started and his flustered fondness ended.
unfortunately, her giggles did come to a standstill, but it was soon accompanied by a wide grin, which ryuji pleasantly welcomed. “on the topic of lemon cake, how about we have some to commemorate this moment? i’ve always known for lemons to be palate cleansers at dinner parties, so perhaps it could be like a fresh start for us!”
the pair of them turned back to face the display case in the bakery’s window, and they were met with the same cake from earlier. it seemed just as pristine as before, with its lilac flowers and buttercream swirls welcoming them inside. he could already imagine the sour tang on his tongue, soothed by the pillowy icing as he spooned a bite to feed haru.
ryuji refused to hesitate as he smiled back at his girlfriend. “that sounds awesome! i’m so down!” he bounced on the balls of his feet as he exclaimed. although, before he could pull her inside, an internal force stopped him. buying the cake would be good, but the moment would falter into nothingness soon after. they had talked so proudly about change, yet here he was, about to fall back into his habits again. haru talked of this moment being a new start for them both, so why would they half-ass it? putting the pieces of the puzzle together and creating something new together seemed more enjoyable anyways - and ryuji would climb mountains and part oceans if it meant that he could spend more time with haru.
squeezing her hands, the blond inhaled slowly. “actually, roo… could we maybe make the cake together instead? it might be kinda fun baking with you…”
turning back to face her partner with the same childish wonder that had blossomed from observing the cake, haru gasped in delight. her cheeks turned rosy and were lifted by her smile, as she made an awful attempt to contain her excitement. “i’d love to, ryuji!”
”for real?” the boy widened his eyes and matched her energy in an instant. “it can be practice for your coffee shop!”
“that’s a brilliant idea! as long as my taste tester is ready to take on the challenge…”
”hell yeah!”
as they spun on their heels to walk away from the bakery, stepping into the winter sun, ryuji intertwined his fingers with haru’s and observed the street he had turned his back to. everyone was busy, as expected for shibuya, but their presence provided a warmth that thawed his anxious heart from within. there were faces of all emotions, rushing to make additions to their shopping lists or make amends for past mistakes. ryuji used to see himself as a speck amongst the sands that travelled through each narrow street in tokyo; yet now, the pride he felt for his city extended to his own efforts too, since his first step in rebellion led to their ability to freely walk in a peaceful shibuya.
in haru’s hands, he had no need to feel shame or disappointment. he could step away from his dull shadow and, at long last, see that the world was full of colour.
ryuji was so excited for their lemon cake.