Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

My favorite bakery is nowhere special. It's been there since I first walked by this block, but I've never seen more than four people in there at once. That's counting me, the cashier, the worker I can sometimes see in the back, and at rare moments, one other customer that comes in to pick something out from the popular rack and leaves in a hurry.

I love the peace and quiet of being able to figure out exactly what I'm in the mood for on any given day, walking rounds throughout the rows of selections just to lose myself to the multitude of aromas coiling around the air and making each step more precious than the last. Even the chime of the door sounds sweeter than any other door chime I've heard—or maybe I'm imagining it, but it doesn't matter.

"Welcome, traveler. I've been expecting you." Not a day has gone by where the cashier doesn't pull this joke. It's never any less dumb than the first time I heard it, but I always catch myself grinning waiting to hear those words as the chime rings through my ears. I give him the classic adventurer's greeting—a double-hand wave before I quickly rush to the bread aisle. I don't know what I'm in the mood for, not until I've made myself familiar, once again, with everything this charming bakery has to offer. Sure, with my hands tied above my head, my eyes blinded with an itchy rag, and a helicopter swinging me across the city with me hanging by a withered, loose rope tied loosely around my waist, I could recount the precise order that my eyes glaze across each item thrice over without even a second to catch my breath.

Ah—I hear the cashier loudly, obnoxiously, I may add, cough to grab my attention. "Girl, if you're going to just stand there, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're disturbing the other customers." I don't have to take the bait. I know exactly how many other customers I'm disturbing by getting lost in my thoughts. But it's fine—there's no fun without entertaining the cashier's dumb games. I turn around, preparing how I'll act shocked and remorseful. "O-oh, I'm sorry. I'll get out of your way now." Perfect! I'm sure the cashier will be amazed by my polished acting. With the stammer and hesitant turnaround, what less could you call this performance but masterclass?

"Haha, don't worry about yourself. It's no trouble." I must say, even the cashier has upped his acting game. It sounds so genuine, in fact, it sounds like it's not even his voice. When did he train that? It's relaxingly calm and refined, almost like an adult's voice. Well, I'm sure the cashier is an adult, but not one of this degree, if that makes sense.

I take a breath of satisfaction and look up. Now then—

…

Huh?!

"What's wrong, miss? You look like you've seen a ghost." My attention snaps to the cashier, taunting me again like this is one of our usual games. Anything but! Wait…

One, two, three, four… step, step, step… the worker is in today. Well, obviously she is. So that makes…

Five people in the bakery?!

I turn back to the bread aisles, my heel making a loud clack as it slams onto the marble floor. I flip back to the cashier, making sure I see clearly the worker kneading the dough in the back. There's no mistaking them. Flip… there's no mistaking these two, either. I rush to the front counter, my steps growing faster and louder as I get closer to the grinning cashier. "What kind of prank is this?" I whisper, cupping my hands around my mouth.

His laugh booms through the bakery like it always does, even momentarily startling the two enigmas walking down the bread aisles that are supposed to be trekked by me. "What's got you so frantic, girl? Terrified of Sensei or something?"

Sensei, Sensei… maybe that girl is some kind of teacher? Those huge wings… and that terrifying minigun would turn me obedient in no time. "Well, she looks kind of scary, but she doesn't seem all that scary walking into a bakery with that man…"

The cashier crosses his arms, taking a good, distant look at the pair making the same rounds I do in those aisles. I certainly can't be mad at that—I didn't think anyone would ever pick anything beyond the first row, but these two could be professional bakery enthusiasts like myself. "Hmph. I can't say I recognize that young miss either, but I'd expect you know 'that man' to be Sensei, right?"

The man is Sensei? Now that I think about it, it does make sense that the adult would be the teacher, but he doesn't look that sophisticated to be a teacher, not one the cashier would label Sensei outright. "I don't think I recognize him."

Just as he seems prepared to bellow another grand sound, he holds his fist to his mouth and clears his throat instead. Nice save. "That's unexpected. If anything, I should be the one who doesn't know the man, yet you don't know either of them? Especially so, Sensei? The face of the GSC's Schale? The leader behind all those city-wide major operations from the last few months? What do you get up to day-to-day that you don't at least know his name? Even this sad cashier knows his face, yeah?"

…I don't like that question. Actually, what do I do day to day? Go to class, visit the bakery, go to my dorm, and…

Wow. Is that really it? Can't I think of a single event that happens in the rest of my day-to-days? Maybe reading, scrolling the internet, doodling in one of my notebooks… yeah, but I wouldn't call those serious hobbies. I might do one or two of those every couple days, but there's nothing I love more than visiting this bakery.

Oh, my part-time job that lets me afford all this bread, huh. That counts…

"Hey, superstar. Love you and all, but I've got to do my job." I turn around and see those two waiting behind me, a tray of colorfully assorted breads in the tray sitting in Sensei's hand. So varied, and perhaps only one of five are from the popular rack. The variety is beautiful, it almost drags me in to admire up close, but I manage to steel myself. I nod in apology and step aside, stepping slowly to the bread aisles to finally make my selections. 

…

I feel like a third wheel.

Sitting down two tables across from them is no different from one, a thousand, or even being at the same table with them. I'm not trying to eavesdrop, but it's hard to tune out the only voices in this tiny bakery.

"Which one are you liking more so far, Hina?" Sensei rests his elbows neatly on the table while leaning in to extract an answer out of her.

The girl named Hina messes around with the wrappings, echoing crinkling sounds throughout the bakery, but I can't help but admire how refined her fumbling looks when it's someone who appears as menacing as her. "The first one was a bit too sweet. The second one was better, but I like the softness of the first one more…" She finally gets the bag open as she picks up the third bread to test. With both of her small, gloved hands wrapped perfectly around the irregular bun, she brings it to her face and takes an elegant bite fit for a queen. No, a princess. No, a… child? I don't know, Something within me wants to portray everything she does like she's royalty, but why does she look so innocent when she bites down onto the bun? It's a bite so tiny it's more like an ant clamped down on it, but it's enough to make her scowl loosen into a warm smile while Sensei reflects her with a beaming grin of his own.

After some time chewing, she sets the bun down, her head following the placement as her eyes dart to examine the other two she tried. "This one is more savory, so I can't really compare it to the other two."

"Haha, it doesn't have to be so strict." Sensei drops his finger on the wrapping, pulling the bun toward him as he drags his finger across the table. "Did you like it, at least?"

Hina's already-dropped head drops further toward her chin before she lifts it up to look at Sensei. Her smile seems to grow when her eyes capture Sensei's face. "It was tasty."

Sensei lifts the bread and takes a quick, large bite, fit for someone his size, and drops it back onto the wrapping while exaggerating his chewing. Or not, it just looks that way compared to Hina. "Yeah, it is a bit savory. It would go good as a bread roll for a soup, I'd say."

Hina's smile devolves into a worried frown. "S-sensei… that was the spot I…"

Sensei looks down at the bun, tilting his head to get a different look before his face perks up. "Ah! Aha!" Suddenly, he breaks out into a laugh like she was tickling him nonstop. "I see now! So even a girl like you notices something like that, huh?"

Hina turns away momentarily, her face looking toward the door (I'm seated closer to the cashier) while Sensei tries to calm himself down. Once the laughing mostly stops, she turns back to him, her knuckles resting against her chin as she stares him down with a calm fierceness, yet with a hint of affection. "I just—it may not be sanitary, you understand."

What might've been a concluding laugh jumps back to one of new heights after Hina finishes her line. "I don't—" His laughs cut himself off. "I didn't expect those kinds of concerns to come from you." He places his palm against his chest, breathing out forcefully to stop his laughter. "You—" A chuckle escapes him as he looks at Hina, "—you're seriously the cutest student I know sometimes, you know that?"

Immediately, Hina jumps from her chair, her wings flapping and her cheeks flushing as she leans toward Sensei, presumably trying to stop him, but she doesn't make a move to do so. "Sen—sei…!" she mumbles through gritted teeth. "Please don't say such weird things in public…!"

Sensei waves his hand a few times, getting Hina to sit back in her seat while her wings continue flapping to express her fluster. "Why does the truth bother you so? Besides, there's nothing but lovely people in this bakery. Are you worried about someone finding you cute?" I quickly turn my face back to my breads as Hina shows sign of turning toward us. Wow, such colorful breads today! This one's got so much color! This one too, so vibrant! So majestic!

…Why haven't I opened any of them yet?

"…You're such a handful, you know that?" I hear the cashier chuckle behind me. Daring to look up, I commit myself, seeing Hina's scowl directed to Sensei and not toward us. Phew. As they continue their taste-testing, my eyes turn back to the bread pile below me. I've never thought myself to let any bread go unopened after even a minute of purchase, even if I were to buy out the entire store twice over. Yet today, my eyes are so enthralled by the bubbliness exuding from those two that I can't even find a second to properly focus on my bread at all.

…

"What a wonderful bakery!" It's like Sensei is proclaiming this to the world, yet there's nobody that can hear these words but us five in the bakery. "My thanks again." Hina nods respectfully.

The cashier laughs with his usual booming cackle. "It was an honor to host you two! You're always welcome to enjoy our finest, freshest selections, anytime! Well, as long as it's during business hours. And anywhere! As long as it's at this bakery."

Not one to lose, Sensei's laugh mirrors the cashier's with a scarily accurate replication. "I'd love to visit this place again! Perhaps I'll have to give it my official recommendation!"

"No, no, it's no good if this place loses its underground charm." I feel the cashier's eyes glancing at me with those words, but I can't stop looking at my bread. My unopened bread. "We'll welcome you with open arms, but if business is booming, I'll come after you, got that?"

Sensei shouts out a final laugh before turning back to the door. "Then I'll see you when the time is right."

Hina nods again. "Thank you very much." She turns to follow Sensei.

"Be well, travelers!" The pair push through the door and leave the bakery.

And now it's back to how it was.

…

I scoop up the bread pile and shove it into my bag. I feel the mushed buns pressing against each other, even through each of their individual wrappings, but I don't care. It'll taste the same anyway. I stand from my chair and wave to the cashier without looking back. "Thanks for today. I'm heading home for the day."

"Wait there, girl." I stop, but I still don't turn around. "You got somewhere to be? I've never seen you leave without dumping all the clean wrappings in the bin over here." I know where he's pointing, even if I'm not looking. "Upset stomach?"

I grip the handles of my bag as I continue walking for the exit. "I'm okay. Didn't feel like eating them right now."

Across the bakery, I can hear the cashier's quiet sigh drifting toward my ears, but it gets blocked by the door chime blaring through my ears. "Be safe, girl. I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

I nod. "Just like always." I step into the street as the bakery door drifts to a close behind me. I look up to the amber sky above me—I always remember one bright blue when I leave the bakery, but today is different.

It was all different.

Something's changed.

Chapter Text

I'm feeling good about today.

Today's bakery trip went smoothly, and without any… extravagant events taking place. I felt so good, in fact, I didn't even bother thinking about what I was in the mood for; it's like that knowledge was internally baked into my mind and body. I'm sure the cashier caught on, too: "What's got you dancing all over the store, girl?" Did it really seem that way? I can't really tell how I'm acting when I'm happy like this.

There isn't really any particular reason why I should be this happy. It's not like I won the lottery, aced an exam, shook hands with the Acting President… that last one may not be much of a joy worth commemorating anyway. I mean, does anyone really need a reason to be happy? There's times where it's just that way because… it's just that way. I can sense today's going to be one of those times.

I know there are many types of people in the world. People who love bread, and people who are out of their mind are good examples. But of course, everything has that kind of division, and the weather is no different. I'm sure any would complain about it being so bright that you'd melt with your own outfit if you weren't properly shaded, but everyone's got their reasons for how they feel. My reason?

fwip

My parasol's the cutest there is! The handle grip is designed just like a freshly-risen loaf of bread, and looking up reveals a paradise of floating breads that may or may not have led to six near-collisions with older folk and two with a tree… and one actual collision with a trunk. Nine isn't really that many violations, but as for how often I get to use this thing? That's a statistic best left confidential.

The heat doesn't really get much better, but it's fine! I'm used to sweating my brows off thanks to work. I've come to appreciate that sauna of a building because I can use the funds to shop at the bakery, and I think part of that appreciation rubbed off on my thoughts about hot climates. Besides, you can't bake good bread in an ice box.

I have to admit, as used to the heat I am, it doesn't mean it's not harder to walk around compared to cooler weather. Thankfully, there's a nice, big tree with a place to sit all around it. Even if there's enough shade for my entire street, I still won't drop my parasol just yet.

"Gyah! I can't take this anymore! Why am I the one that has to be out here, anyway?! I'm the underclassman, so shouldn't I be the one that gets to relax within the walls of Millennium while the more responsible upperclassmen go do all these dumb errands?"

…Some people really are loud, aren't they. I'd put my heart on the line that the bakery's cashier could win a loudness competition (however they'd judge it, I know he'd find some way to adapt), but whoever that girl is would be a really tough contender. I don't even know where she's yelling from and she's still as clear as day. But then again, my parasol has me distracted…

"Aren't you—"

"And another thing!" For a brief instant, I heard a voice of reason try to reach the girl, but it seems that desire was lost on her. Condolences to the one who foolishly attempted to help her out. "What is with this stupid uniform anyway? Don't you think Millennium should adopt some kind of summer uniform for this kind of weather? A jacket, a blazer, a button-up… why am I dressed like a poor businessman going to his millionth meeting of the week?! This is madness, I say!"

…Forget madness, is there a competition for speed complaining? I don't know a single person, even any I've passed on the street or overheard at school, that can blabber as much as her. Geez, I understand having something to complain about, but when is it ever so dire that it requires this much express complaining without a break? All I can hope for is that whoever's with her can bring her back to reality.

"I thought you would've preferred something like this over self-reflection. Considering that, don't you hate being within the walls of Millennium?"

"Well—! It's not like I have nothing to do in there… and even if I was bored, you would come save me, right?"

"Hm… I don't know, I'm not always available for you. I've got work to do, like what we're doing now. I can't drop everything to give you company."

"Guh… you make a good point. But still! My argument about the outfit still stands!"

"Haha, I think you raise some valid points, but I don't see Millennium's uniform changing anytime soon. If it's any saving grace, you're always free to remove those extra layers."

"It doesn't make it any less hot outside…"

Wow. Consider that a tamed beast. I was praying for some proper damage control, but that was an impressive showing of quick communication therapy. That can't be an easy skill to learn. I could see that person calming me down if I ever got upset (cause? Perhaps a wasted tray of bread), but then again, I don't think I get upset often.

…I will say, that voice sounds kind of familiar, too. Maybe I'm just overthinking it, like I'm imagining the voice to be familiar since it's one I can find comfortable. Well, whatever…

…

Huh? I must be imagining it, right? My vision must be getting blurred by the heat, but that height, outfit, and… voice…

Is that…?

The pair stop in front of me. What kind of timing is that…? The girl drops her head with her torso, as if sleepwalking, or defeatedly trudging through a hot afternoon. Either of the two. "If it wasn't for you, Sensei, I wouldn't be out here slaving away for my upperclassmen."

Sensei presses his hand on her head, as if trying to drop her to the floor, or ruffle her hair. Either of the two. "If it wasn't for me, Koyuki, you wouldn't have been let out of the Self-Reflection Room in the first place." He sighs like a huge weight of memories just dumped itself on his head. "You should be thankful Yuuka and Noa trust me enough to watch you while they let you free of your cage outside the district. If only you understood the trouble Yuuka goes through for you… but then again, it'd be nice if she were more straightforward about it."

"Whatever you say." Koyuki grinds her arm against her forehead, swiping a hand flick worth of sweat off toward the floor. It lands near my foot, almost hitting against the side of whatever surface I'm sitting on too. That's some crazy speed, alright. "Can we take a break, at least? I can't stand another minute in this heat. Let's just take a seat! Please! If other people can do it—" Is that a remark about me? That's random. "—then we can too!"

Sensei lets out a sigh fit for an adult that has to… watch this kid. "That's fine. I wouldn't keep dragging you through the heat if it's bothering you to begin with." They move forward, and my eyes can't help but track them. I'm definitely being a creepy stranger, but it's hard to take my eyes off of them. Where else would I look, anyway… off in the distance, like a normal stranger?

Yeah. That's probably where I should be looking.

Sensei and Koyuki sit down some distance around the tree from me, but a side glance is still enough for me to clearly see them, even when I try to be a little more inconspicuous. Hearing them from this distance would be a harder task, but I know the queen of speaking loudly and speed complaining would never let me down.

…

Or so I believed. I never thought someone like her would be capable of change. Yet here I am, witnessing the rebirth of someone truly reformed. Not a word. I have no way to tell what they're saying. It's not like they're whispering, but I can barely hear the sounds of their voices, much less what they could be saying. All that I can ever hear are Koyuki's booming laughs (shoutout to the cashier) and Sensei's softer chuckles. At least they seem to be having fun…

crack

…What was that noise?

Forget looking normal, that noise didn't sound like a noise that should've been made. I can't exactly tell what it was, but it came from where those two are sitting. Did someone crunch a leaf under their foot or something? It wouldn't make sense for a leaf to suddenly be under there, there's no wind blowing. I'm glad there isn't any wind in this heat, either, but ignoring my pointless thoughts, what was that cracking sound? The next thing I'd suspect is someone was breaking their bones, but that would never be so loud that I could clearly hear it from over here. Come to think of it, the sound felt more… upward?

A cat? I thought a cat would be purring if it was stuck up there. Actually, this tree should be way too high for a cat to even think about climbing on, much less actually hop onto one. Never mind that, a cat wouldn't cause a cracking sound either, they don't make those sounds.

Then, that branch it's walking on…?!

"Woah! It really is a cat!" Koyuki's head shoots up to observe the branch above them. "I can barely see it from here, but yeah, there it is!"

Sensei's voice is still faint, but the cat conversation seems to have put more energy into them. "You could probably get a better look if you moved aside. Slide over here, you'll get a better look."

"Let me see! Let me see!" Koyuki presses her hands against the, um… "surface we're all currently sitting on" (it's whatever is guarding the tree, so maybe the rim of a large flower pot or something like that?) and practically leaps toward Sensei, their shoulders slamming together as she looks up to try and see the cat. Sensei hardly seems bothered by this action—I guess that level of energy and forwardness is normal? "Oh! There it is!"

"There it is, alright." Sensei tilts his head, maybe to give the two of them some semblance of space, and follows Koyuki, looking up to see the cat. "It doesn't seem very afraid, as high up as it is."

Koyuki starts laughing. "Really? It looks like it's trying to run away from someone! It's got a pretty good hiding spot, and a great escape route right there!" She points up. I have no way of telling what she's talking about. "It's too bad I'm the only one with the credibility to be a master escape artist!" Her laugh is strangely unique. It's unlike Sensei's, the cashier's, mine, and honestly, anyone I've ever heard laughing on the street. It's more, how should I say this… memorable? I can pin someone's laugh to that person, but I could see many people having similar laughs. I'd be willing to make risky bets that nobody else has a laugh like Koyuki's.

"Here, kitty!" Koyuki stands, raising her hands and clapping at the cat. It jumps, landing once more on the branch before jumping away. "Wow, just like I imagined! That cat might just be the veteran of veteran cats at running away. I've got a ways to go…"

crack

There it is again. It has to be the branch; it cracked right as that cat landed on it before jumping away. But then…

…It looks a little large, even at this distance…?

Koyuki lets out a proud sigh, like she just proved herself to the world. Did she even do anything? Putting her hands down, she dons a look so obnoxiously smug, yet so befitting for someone like her. "Now then—" At the sound of a third, disturbingly prolonged cracking sound, she stops, looking up with Sensei at the branch. "That's weird—"

"Koyuki!" A fourth, loud crunchy sound erupts through even my ears as the branch cuts itself loose from its host, wishing the world its last farewell before free falling to its demise… but not just its own. Sensei jumps up from the, uh, thing, and seizes Koyuki by her shoulders, slamming her forward and stumbling toward the ground; meanwhile, the branch continues falling toward where Koyuki was standing, banging upon the thing (that I'm still sitting on) and staggering from that nasty concussion, sliding toward the ground and rolling off the "thing" before knocking itself out on the ground.

I turn my gaze away from the branch to see Sensei struggling to maintain the two of them on their feet as his weight is still pressing down on Koyuki. Koyuki, seemingly out of tune with what's currently unfolding before her, is doing nothing to help push Sensei off of her. That's what it looks like, anyway… "Sensei… you can get off me now…"

"I'm trying! It's hard to move without losing my balance." Through gritted teeth, Sensei continues wiggling in place while trying to utter his reasons. Koyuki sighs, leaning toward Sensei and quickly getting him to regain his proper balance before standing straight.

It's strange… I'm sure they're speaking so softly that I couldn't even hear them if they were in front of me. "Thanks… for saving me." It's something more than a whisper, something I can't describe, yet beyond the midst of the chirping birds, the chattering passersby, and not to mention, how far away they've stumbled from where I remain sitting during this entire charade, her voice comes through to me so clearly it's like she was whispering in my ear.

…Not that I'd want someone who sounds like nihahaha to come anywhere near my listening appendages.

"I…" Koyuki shuffles around before pointing ahead. "W-why don't we get back to work now! I don't want to imagine what Noa would say if we didn't finish our work in time."

Sensei retains his look on Koyuki, dusting himself off before turning to resume their walk. "You seem to have omitted someone else that would likely have something to say to you."

"What, Yuuka? She can yell at me all she wants, I'll take that over even a seemingly-innocent glare from Noa any day!…"

"Is that so? I'll give Yuuka a heads up about that…"

"Ack! You better not! Traitor!…"

And soon, their voices drift away to the point where I can't hear them.

…

Nor see them.

I stand from where I've been sitting and look up into my parasol. I can't stop myself from flashing a smile when that paradise comes into view.

But as I look down, that smile fades.

It's so hot today. I should wash up when I get home.

…Sometimes it's hard to stand the heat.