Memory [Tanjiro X Reader]

The Beginning

Side by side I walked with Ryland from the high school, looking both ways before crossing the busy intersection along with two dozen other people.

The cherry blossom trees were beautiful, and it only gave me joy to be reminded that spring was just around the corner. It was always my favorite time of year, especially since the café sells this cherry pastry that's only available when the trees are blossoming. It's always our busiest time of year.

"Do you think there'll be a lot more people today because of the weather?" I asked Ryland, who finally looked up from his phone. He widened his eyes.

"Oh wow, I didn't even notice there were blossoms," he said in awe. "When did they bloom?"

I suppressed the urge to smack my palm onto my forehead. "The first ones bloomed like two days ago. Don't you pay attention?"

"Sorry, (Y/N), I gotta do my daily commissions in Genshin before work." He said, turning back to his phone. I sighed.

The café was located on the corner of a busy intersection, with a sign of a cup of hot coffee and a branch of a cherry blossom tree above the front doors. The entire shop had the cherry blossom aesthetic to it, and during the cherry blossom festival we attract thousands and thousands of customers. It's a well-known tourist spot in the spring.

A few minutes later we reached the café, stepping inside to see it bustling with customers already, even though the cherry blossom festival doesn't officially start for another three days. As soon as the two of us stepped in, my brother Max pulled us inside and to the back staff room. "You two better get going," He said quickly, handing us each our own decorated cherry blossom apron. "Mom and I have been working our asses off, especially since Everly called in sick." Then he was shooing us back out into the main seating area.

"Love you too," I muttered, shaking my head as I watched Max rush over to a table where a drink had spilled.

"You know what might make this busy day a little bit more fun?" Ryland prodded me with his elbow.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Let's make it a competition. Whoever serves the most amount of people wins."

"What does the winner get?"

He shrugged. "I dunno, five bucks?"

I smirked. "You're on."

Immediately I went to work, speedily serving customers with a generous smile. I felt my victory was assured when not even ten minutes into our shifts Ryland spilled three drinks trying to rush it out to his customers.

An hour or two later, I delivered two cups of coffee to an older couple. The woman smiled graciously at me, reaching her arm towards me with something in her hand.

For shorter than a split second, the environment around me jolting with soft, white colors. All noise was muffled, if there was any at all. Hazy flowers dotted my view for an instant, the bright red color the only thing not soft in appearance. It was soothing and gentle. 

Then I saw the older woman once more, a few dollar bills sitting in her palm as she gestured them to me.

I cleared my throat and humbly accepted the payment, shaking the weird image out of my head.

By the time the shop closed and everything had been cleaned, the chairs sitting on top of the tables, Ryland snuck up behind me. "I served 61 people today. What'd you get?"

I couldn't help but smile. "67."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "No you didn't. I had way more customers than you!"