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The mall really wasn't that big so Tanjiro had no idea how he was lost. He had stumbled around the perimeter of the mall at least three times. His secondhand phone didn't have any data left, not that the mall had a good connection anyways. He was only a few minutes late for his date with Kanao but his stomach was already in knots. The thought of her being left to wait made his panic even worse. Their planned meeting place was some new and trendy cafe Nezuko saw online so there was really no way it should've been so difficult to find.
Tanjiro gathered his courage to begin another lap around the mall. There had to be some corridor or hallway he missed. As it grew later into the afternoon the mall was steadily growing more crowded. He had really wanted to buy Kanao one of the rabbit cookies that made the cafe more popular. If he wasted any more time there was a chance they could sell out.
It was harder now to walk quickly while dodging the throngs of people that filled the walkways. Tanjiro had to step beside groups of teens and duck past gatherings of women. It was a hard task to keep on the path while being mindful of his surroundings. It only took a few minutes of pushing past the crowds before he crashed straight into a complete stranger. Before Tanjiro could even look up apologies were spilling out of his mouth.
"Don't worry about it." The older boy brushed off his shirt and rose up smoothly. He was a little taller than Tanjiro and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine! But please I apologize again." Tanjiro bowed stiffly and bit his lip. "I didn't mean to cause you any trouble." He got ready to bow again but the hand returned to his shoulder, this time with a little more force.
"Do you need any help?" The older boy was blunt, he drew his hand back to his side and waited a beat for a response.
Tanjiro hesitated for a moment before nodding sheepishly. "It's a new place that just opened up a few weeks ago, Midnight Tearoom?"
"I'm headed there too, so I'd be happy to show you." He does not wait for a response before turning and starting with a quick pace down the walkway.
It takes a moment for the words to sink in and Tanjiro is quick to turn and begin following. "Thank you so much! My name is Tanjiro by the way. Have you been to this cafe before? My family runs a bakery so truthfully I don't try other places very much. I heard this one is really good though."
"I've been there a few times." His voice is soft and steady. "My name is Hananoi."
Tanjiro gets the sense that Hananoi isn't very talkative so for a moment he resolves to spend the, probably short, journey in silence. He studies Hananoi for a moment. The boy looks relatively average. It's likely he's only a tiny bit older than Tanjiro. His hair is cropped short and- "Ah your earrings are so cool!"
At that Hananoi seems to perk up just slightly. A small smile graces his features. "My girlfriend got them for me." They're clusters of golden stars. "She's the one I'm meeting at the cafe."
If it's possible Tanjiro grins even wider. "I'm meeting mine too! Well… I don't know if I can call her my girlfriend. We're just…" Girlfriend probably is the right word but the thought makes Tanjiro's stomach do flips. "So have you been there with her a lot?"
Hananoi's brow furrows slightly. "No, I went by myself to pick out the best food and test different resting places to see which would be the best."
Suddenly Tanjiro is doubtful is his ability as a not-quite-boyfriend. Is the kind of thing everyone does for their partner? He could certainly picture Zenitsu finding the perfect seat for Nezuko. Kanao prefers to wear long sleeves so they shouldn't sit right next to the heater. Near the door makes for a lot of noise that might interrupt any conversation. He really should've considered this beforehand.
"Don't worry." Hanonoi isn't very perceptive but Tanjiro wears his emotions plainly. The constipated look on his face removes the need for words. "It's a very comfortable place and most of the seating is perfectly adequate. I have a few backups in case my choice is already occupied."
The boy's shoulders relax slightly. He should just focus on spending time with Kanao. Midterms have just ended and while Tanjiro's grades were middling Kanao certainly has something to celebrate. She's been busy with studying and Shinobu is a very strict guard while her younger sister studies.
"Do you go to school nearby?" Kimegaku is a small school, Tanjiro could probably name all the students by memory.
"I live a few towns away, but Hotaru really wanted to come here. She likes… cute things."
Tanjiro frowns. It's unlikely then that they will cross paths again. "My family runs a bakery! If you ever visited I'll give you a discount." Though Hananoi dresses very stylishly. Money doesn't seem to be an issue for him. "Sometimes we bake bread into animals, frogs or bears. My sister is really talented at it." Tanjiro's own attempts more closely resemble yokai.
"What about pork buns?" It's the first time Hananoi is really interested in the conversation. He stares intently at Tanjiro, waiting for his answer.
"On Thursdays we do! They're expensive to make so we have a rotating menu. The rest of the days we have-"
"We'll come on a Thursday then." He has no interest in the rest of the menu.
Despite the interruption Tanjiro smiles. If Hananoi comes to the bakery even once surely it'll be another chance to cement what is clearly a promising friendship.
"We're here." The pair takes a turn down a skinny hallway before it opens up to a small cluster of shops. Hananoi points to a small sign in chubby cursive lettering. Tanjiro can see Kanao waiting patiently in front. The only reason he doesn't run towards her is because he still has to thank someone.
Tanjiro bows as deep as he can. "Thank you for your guidance! Please visit my family's bakery sometime."
Hananoi regards him carefully. "It's no issue." A beat passes. "The third table of the left is the best one, you should sit there."
"Are you sure?" Tanjiro knows very little about the other boy but this seems like a very grand gesture. "Don't you need to sit there?"
"Hotaru won't be here anytime soon. Our date isn't for another two hours." The time would seem excessive if Tanjiro wasn't running fifteen minutes late. Next time he might do the same himself.
Tanjiro bows one last time before turning to run towards Kanao.