Chapter Text
The days were always ordinary in the Japanese countryside. The same pure, white clouds drifted almost lazily against an innocent blue sky no matter the season, and the night sky was a warm welcome to stars that were able to shine brightly due to the lack of light pollution. While some would find living in such small towns quite boring, Ukyo loved living here. As one would have breakfast every morning, Ukyo would travel around the neighbourhood on his bike, a newspaper bag slung over his shoulder, relishing in the gentle morning breeze.
Such was the gist of his daily routine; Ukyo had accepted it the day he moved here and took up the job of a paperboy.
It had been an unusual choice for a young outsider to have suddenly moved into a semi-secluded town. Nearly all the residents here had already lived out their lives in this very place, or had come back to return to their childhood homes. Though, rather than feeling discomforted or outcast by the community, Ukyo had found himself warmly welcomed by people who had longed to see new faces around. It was an obstacle he had been very glad to bypass.
As someone who had spent all chapters of his life moving from country to country due to the nature of his parents’ jobs, with each capital city in vastly differing countries, Ukyo felt he wanted a change of pace, and decided on giving a quieter life a chance. Ultimately, the few months following this decision of his became some of the most memorable times of his life. Everything was peaceful. Compared to the never-ending cycles of work-hard-play-hard that he lived through in big cities, everyone seemed to take their time here, and savour their lives, the little moments just as much as the big ones.
Not to mention, Ukyo had always enjoyed the company of the elderly; he enjoyed hearing their stories of people they've met and of the lives they lived before choosing to settle down.
Though there were many things Ukyo had found to appreciate, the one that spurred the most gratitude was how clean the air was. Compared to the city… he didn't even dare to correlate the two. There was just something about the air in the countryside that he knew he could never give up again.
With all these pleasant monologues in mind, Ukyo held his head up with a content smile on his face, letting the morning air rush into his lungs. It always gave him an overwhelming sense of peace. The fresh smell of grass, the faint smell of dirt and gravel that would get swept up from his tires, and not to mention the smell of freshly-washed sheets that seemed to float in the air. Every smell was as commonly routine as it was appreciated by Ukyo as he continued to bike his way through the second neighbourhood of his usual route. His favourite time would have to be in the spring, though, as all of these scents would be gently accompanied by the sweet songs of the birds. It had been in the early spring when he had initially moved here, when the first flowers had begun to break through the weakening frost. He was sure that in future years, the coming of spring would bring him nostalgic feelings.
As Ukyo continued his routine passage, he began humming a soft melody, disrupted only by the greetings he would make in passing to the local residents who would wave at him from the window. It was a comforting familiarity, to spend his mornings the same way every day. Relishing in the sweet, early summer scents of fresh–cut grass, remnants of rain, and… bread?
Ukyo stopped in his tracks for a moment as he processed the warm scent that began to overpower the others. It wasn't exactly unusual; many of Ukyo's neighbours enjoyed baking as a recreational hobby. But no matter how much they baked, it had never been this strong before. Not to mention, this time, the scent, notably the best he had ever smelled, had invaded the streets. And it only seemed to grow stronger.
Curiosity fell over his features as he continued his deliveries. Perhaps, someone had gotten a wood stove connected to their chimney? But even then, no one had ever baked anything that smelled so provoking before. Though the ideas that danced in his head amused him, Ukyo made a grand effort to dismiss them as he made his way to the end of the street. He still had a job to get done.
Shaking his head, Ukyo continued on before stopping near the corner of the road. As he did, he spotted a familiar elderly resident known as Tsunagi, who sat on her porch, simply enjoying the mild weather and the early summer breeze. He shot her a friendly wave.
She returned his greeting cheerily. " You're up bright and early aren't you, Ukyo dear! "
" It's my job, after all, " Ukyo said with a small grin, stopping the bike as he put a foot on the ground. " Though, the smell of bread has gotten me distracted. Who's been baking? I might stop by. "
" Oh, the smell is wonderful, isn't it? " Ms. Tsunagi said with a fond smile, leaning her head back into her chair. " But it isn't from any of us. It comes from that new bakery that opened up just the other day. I have yet to go myself, but everyone who has told me the cakes are just as nice as their staff. "
A bakery? In such a rural town? Though Ukyo questioned the owner's business judgement--after all, hardly anyone lived here, and even then, most of the residents were past the age of indulging in frequent sweet treat--he couldn't help but feel a little excited. Nothing much happened in this part of the countryside, and for something new to appear, surely, it was a blessing. Ukyo smiled at her description and adjusted his cap, turning his head forward. " I might just have to stop by later, then. "
" The staff would be overjoyed to have support from such a dashing young man as yourself, " she teased, smiling lightly as Ukyo covered his face ever so slightly with his hat. " But that is quite enough talk from me, isn't it? I won't stall you from your job any longer, off you go. "
" Yes, you're right, " Ukyo said with a light tone, adjusting his basket of newspapers. " Enjoy the weather, Ms. Tsunagi. "
She laughed. " Have a good day, Ukyo! "
Ukyo biked away, his curiosity towards this new establishment only growing, and finished the rest of his deliveries in a daze, accompanied with the smell of fresh bread. A particular frown came onto his face as his stomach began to grumble at him. God, it was making him so hungry.
Once he had finally delivered the last bundle, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he hightailed for the bakery. Following the smell, he waved to some of the familiar faces he saw walking along the sidewalks, all with paper bags in arm. From the labels he saw, Ukyo was able to read the name "Chez François".
Fascinating. He could still hardly believe that a bakery had opened in their little corner. Ukyo couldn't help the excitement or the memory of French patisseries that came to mind. It must have been months since he was able to eat any type of desserts other than shabby convenience store cakes. Needless to say, it was one of his only regrets from moving away from the big city.
His thoughts racing as he turned the block, Ukyo nearly stopped in his tracks out of sheer astonishment as he stopped in front of the bakery.
Rather than the familiar view of the town’s old police station--a building reputed to have had its “For Sale” sign on the lawn for nearly ten years--a newly renovated building stood in its place. The idea of it all brought an amused smile to his face as Ukyo parked his bike. How had he never noticed the building going under renovation? Granted, he never ever saw a reason to go to this specific corner of the town due to the lack of, well, anything, here.
The place had completely changed, but at a closer glance, Ukyo could still see little traces of its former use in the framework. As he walked through the doors a cute bell signaled his entrance and his eyes lit up at the layout.
A glass display stood where the old reception desk used to be, showcasing a colourful (and if he could comment; quite impressive) array of various cakes and desserts and behind it, a young man with his blond hair tied into a modest ponytail. Though he had been serving another couple, he looked at Ukyo briefly with a smile. " I'll be with you in just a second. "
Ukyo returned a considerate smile his way and as he waited for the man to finish with the customers in front of him, Ukyo allowed himself to look around.
There were no tables inside, as the bakery's take-out only stature had been indicated on a piece of paper that was stuck on the door, but a few chairs dotted the windowed wall for waiting customers, along with a space for any customers with restricted movement. Ukyo smiled a little at this; they must've known beforehand of the town's elderly population.
A few shelves on the side were decorated with elaborate ship models and Ukyo stared at them with awed interest. As a sea enthusiast and son of a mariner, he was able to tell the ships were made with great care and accuracy. Engraved on the sides of each of them were the ships' supposed names, along with the initials "N.R." underneath them. Ukyo assumed it must be the name of the carver, and continued to marvel over them.
The sound of the cashier's voice calling for him broke Ukyo out of his focused admiration, and, slightly embarrassed, he went over to the till. " Sorry. The models you have lined over there are just so nice, I got caught up looking at them. "
" Do the models interest you that much? " the man asked with an amused tone. Rather than ask him for his order, he sent him a smile, as he looked to the shelves with the ships.
Ukyo let out a light laugh, adjusting his cap as he cast a side glance towards them. " I suppose you could say that. I was surprised to see such well-made models. My father used to own a ship and along with that many ship models. It's always nice to see ones that are well made. Actually, these are very well made. "
" Oh. Is that so, " the man said with a small laugh, turning away in an attempt to hide his large grin. Ukyo watched his reaction with slight confusion, but decided not to think about it too much, as he spared a proper glance at the display case.
Many exquisite desserts with fancy French names were labeled with equally elegant lettering in front of them, and Ukyo spent quite some time staring at them. There were so many good options, he was honestly shocked that they had chosen to open such a fancy place in such a little town. Not to mention the options. The selection in front of him honestly seemed to rival those he would see in the big city. He could go for a millefeuille, or even a box of profiteroles... Or perhaps, a cheesecake?
Ukyo continued to stare at the cakes, each possibility easily bringing him as much joy and satisfaction as the last, until his eyes fell onto one cake in particular; a strawberry shortcake.
It was his mother's favourite cake, and though it had once been a cake he had regularly, Ukyo came to realize it must have been years since he last ate one.
It must have shown in his eyes how he made his decision, from the that the bakery employee looked at him with a smile. " I take it you'll be having the shortcake? "
" Oh, yeah, " Ukyo said with slight surprise, straightening his posture. He watched as the cashier let out a chuckle before he cleared his throat. " How could you tell? "
" Your eyes looked at it the same way you looked at the models, " the bakery employee said simply as he put a slice into a box and handed it to Ukyo. He pointed his gaze into Ukyo's eyes. " With pure desire. "
Desire..? Ukyo felt using such a strong word to describe how he stared at a cake was a little silly, but he decided not to linger on it too long and took the box with a tight-lipped smile. " Thank you. It's 800 that I owe you? "
"Just 500 yen is alright, " the man said with a smile, leaning onto his arm as he watched Ukyo shuffled through his wallet.
Ukyo took out his bag of coins, though not without looking at the menu with a skeptical look. " The menu says 800 though. "
The bakery employee looked away, feigning indifference as he took Ukyo's payment. " No one will know if you don't tell. "
Ukyo raised a brow at his reply, looking down at the cake with a slightly guilty look. " Your boss will be mad at you though. "
For a reason that was unknown to Ukyo, the clerk let out a light chuckle as he waved a dismissive hand. " Don't worry about that. I'm sure I can pull a few strings. "
Ukyo frowned at his confidence but before he was given the chance to interject, a new group of people walked in, and as he adjusted his cap, he simply let out a sigh. " Well then, thank you. "
" My pleasure. "
Cake box in hand, Ukyo turned to leave the bakery, though not without greeting Ms. Tsunagi, who had been among those who had just entered the store, with a smile as he left.
Outside, Ukyo placed the cake into his basket, realizing with a grin how it fit perfectly, before hopping onto his bike and heading out into the streets.
The wind blew much stronger compared to recent days, even reaching a point where he was pushed to bike with a hand on his hat to make sure it wouldn't fly away. As his duplex came to view, he couldn't help the elated sigh he let out as he pedalled faster.
When he crossed the road, Ukyo circled round to the back, and stopped at a pole before he attached his bike to a chain he had left on it ages ago.
Ukyo's mood was a little merrier as he practically waltzed inside, shortcake in hand. It must have been years since he had last eaten one. His heart beating with light anticipation, he could barely wait to savour what he was sure to be a delight for his palette. It was just something about the bakery.
Ukyo shuffled through his drawers, and a satisfied feeling filled his chest as he found the dessert spoon his mother had gifted him many years ago. His mother was a food critic, and as they often travelled the world, his favourite souvenir of her many stops was a dessert spoon from Italy. There was just something about the shape and design, reflecting the arts of Venice.
A city floating on water, boats drifting through the canals… He had gone once with his mother, once upon a time. Even today, the image of the few months he stayed engraved in his memories, to the point where Venice became a place he regularly visited in his dreams. Despite travelling the world on multiple occasions, and even going back to Italy a handful of times, they had never seemed to go back to Venice for some reason. One day, Ukyo vowed to go there again, when he had settled himself in his new life a little more and saved enough to afford such a trip. But until then, he'd just have to continue delivering newspapers.
Though enough said, a cake was waiting for him. Shaking away the last of his daydreaming thoughts, he pulled out a chair and sat at the table, and slowly opened the cake box. As one could expect, the cake had slid a bit to the side, smudging the delicate icing work on the inside, but even in slight disarray, Ukyo smiled at the sight. Just seeing the delicate white cream against the red of the strawberries brought back inexplicable memories.
Almost hesitantly, he dug into the tip of the cake with his spoon, already delighted at the soft sponginess of it, and tasted it.
At first, Ukyo widened his eyes. Then, they began to water a little as he covered his mouth with his other hand while he set the spoon down slowly.
This was it.
That one, specific flavour he cherished during his childhood, but that he had never been able to find again. Memories of his parents and his travels with them flooded back to him in an instant, and Ukyo couldn't help the smile that came onto his face. Perhaps this summer, he'd invite his parents to visit his place instead of going to see them. His mother would be ecstatic to taste something as refined as this.
As he picked up the spoon, he didn't waste any time before going for another spoonful and a delighted hum escaped him as he savoured the delicate flavours. The soft sponginess of the cake, and then the gentle, almost cloud-like quality of the cream created a wonderful harmony of flavours and textures. The pure, innocent flavours of bliss came together and reminded him of the feelings of first love.
Then, the strawberries.
The small slices that were hidden between the layers of cream and cake were like sudden, fresh bursts in his mouth, counterbalancing the sweetness of the cake. It brought back a memory of some of his mother's words describing the cake: "the strawberries are like gentle touches, introducing spring".
Ukyo continued to savour the cake slowly, his mind flowing freely. It had been such a long time since he had such a delicious cake. …How had he ever settled with convenience store cakes? Ukyo was almost disappointed in himself. He was surprised that he had allowed himself to settle for so little, when his mother had made her best efforts to expose him the best varieties of food that there were in the world. How could he have forgotten?
But nevermind that, there was no doubt he'd be returning tomorrow. The thought of all the varieties of desserts he'd be able to pick from came in mind as he let out a longing sigh. …Oh. He'd also be able to see the eccentric bakery guy again. For as strange of a person he was, Ukyo couldn't help but feel as if he wanted to interact with him again, in an attempt to understand him better. Maybe that was the effect the man was looking for.
The ship models came into mind again, and a spark of interest reintroduced itself in his chest. Maybe, he'd ask the bakery employee about the artist behind such well-crafted models tomorrow. Or perhaps, even ask if he could buy one of the ship models. There had been an empty space in his living room that he had been looking for something to fill it with.
A bemused expression fell onto Ukyo's face as he resumed eating the cake, though this time distracted by other thoughts as he stared up to the ceiling. It was a strange thing that had come into his usual routine, but somehow, he felt as if he would come to welcome this change with open arms.