Soulmates | Itafushi ✓

9 - anpan

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Megumi and Yuuji entered the bakery. The little bell in the doorway rung as they opened the door.

It was a quaint little place, near a park. Megumi had decided to bring them there, since Yuuji said that he liked sweets. Megumi himself didn't have much of a sweet tooth, so this was one of the only dessert and bakery places he knew. 

They looked around for a bit observing the layout. It had a pastel color scheme, and the vibe was as if you were walking into clouds. But the prices were a bit expensive and the shop was somewhat hard to find, so it was one of those hidden gems that Megumi knew about.

They looked at all the different sweets and breads. Megumi picked the choco bun, since that was what he usually got when he came here. 

Yuuji picked up an anpan, a bun that was golden brown on the outside, and filled with red bean paste. 

"Ooo this one looks good too!" Yuuji pointed to the matcha melon pan. It was a green, round, bread with some square markings on the top.

But Megumi looked at it in disgust. "Ugh, I hate matcha melon pan. That guy always buys it and he makes me share it with him." He recalled all the times they went here after school together to eat bread. Yuuta had a big sweet tooth. Just thinking about all the sugar they ate made Megumi want to hurl.

"That guy, you mean Okkotsu-senpai?" Yuuji asked. And then Yuuji realized that he might have been sensitive topic. "Oh wait is it okay for me to say his name?"

"Yeah it's fine," Megumi brushed it off. "It's not like he's Voldemort. Actually I'm the one who shouldn't have brought him up, especially since this is supposed to be a date between you and me. Even though it's just a fake date."

"Ah, okay." Yuuji said. "Oh wait do you not like sharing food? Because I was going to ask if you want to try my anpan." He held it up and offered it to him. 

Megumi considered it. "Actually I want to try it, since I've never tasted red bean flavor before." He accepted Yuuji's offer.

They put all their breads and desserts into a bag and paid at the front counter. Megumi paid for it since it was his treat for Yuuji. They were on a 'date' after all. But it was more like an excuse for Megumi to avoid going home or having to meet with Yuuta.  

They sat down at a round table, sitting across from each other. Yuuji took his anpan out of the bag and took a bite. Then he tore it in half and offered it to Megumi.

Megumi took a bite. "It's good," He commented. "It's not really my thing, but it's pretty good. Here, have some of mine." Megumi tore his choco bun in half and gave part of it to Yuuji. 

"Mmm, I like it!" Yuuji approved. "Maybe next time I'll get the choco bun instead. Wait, actually I won't since anpan is my favorite." 

They sat there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the bread that they were eating. Yuuji found it a bit awkward since he thought he should say something and start a conversation with Megumi, but Megumi found comfort in the silence. For Megumi, it was nice to just enjoy a meal without having to force conversation, unlike how it usually was.

While they were eating, the owner of the shop approached them. "Would you like to try and extra sample? On the house, courtesy of me." He was holding a platter full of macarons and he held it out so they could take some. 

"Oh sure!" Yuuji responded. They took him up on his offer and tasted the macarons. Yuuji loved them, especially the lemon flavored ones. "That's so nice of you!" He complimented. They really gave great service here. 

The owner smiled. "It's my pleasure, especially for Megumi who is a long time customer here. But I'm surprised Megumi-kun, that you aren't here with Yuuta. What happened, did you find someone new?" He asked.

Megumi automatically got irritated when he mentioned Yuuta's name. "My life doesn't revolve around him." He snapped. "I don't give a shit about what that guy does. I can come here whenever I want and with whoever I want. If you ask me about Yuuta again you'll end up losing a customer."

The owner put a hand in the air as a gesture of surrender. "Sorry, didn't mean to offend you." He apologized. "I won't mention it again." And then he walked away, leaving them alone. 

Yuuji noticed that talking about Okkotsu-senpai was an even bigger sore spot for Megumi than he thought. At first Yuuji thought that Okkotsu-senpai was just Megumi's annoying childhood friend, but he guessed there was a lot more to it. Yuuji made sure to be careful not to mention Yuuta's name, just in case Megumi ended up getting angry again, even though he did say that it was okay to mention him. Man, Megumi was confusing.

"My mood is ruined now." Megumi grumbled.

"Then let's talk about something else!" Yuuji tried to change the topic. But he didn't know what to talk about. He racked his mind for ideas, but nothing came up.

"Okay, then," Megumi said. "Let's talk about you. If you want to that is. I won't force you."

"Oof alright, but I don't know where to begin." Yuuji had to take a second to think about the information he wanted to share. 

"Well, I moved here from the country side because my parents died so I came to live with my grandpa. And I'm an only child. So now it's just the two of us." Yuuji told him. 

"Ohh so that's why you live in that building." Megumi responded. "I noticed it was one of those senior-housing buildings." 

Megumi also wanted to ask about how his parents died, but he figured since Yuuji just moved here recently it might be too early to ask. 

"If you want, you can come over and meet my grandpa." Yuuji offered.

"Hmm, I'll think about it." Megumi said. "But thanks." 

"No problem!" Yuuji smiled. "You're my boyfriend after all."

"Fake boyfriend," Megumi corrected him.

"Haha, yeah, fake boyfriend." Yuuji laughed it off. 

"Uh, and another thing," Yuuji was hesitant to bring it up. "Why did you end up getting mad at the guy who gave us the macarons even though you said it was okay to talk about Okkotsu-senpai?" He asked. It probably wasn't wise to bring it up, but he asked anyway. 

"I just, I..." Megumi let out a deep breath. "I don't even know. I'm trying not to let it bother me, but even though I'm trying not to, hearing his name is still annoying. No matter how much I try to get away from him, everyone around me brings him up. Even I talk about him, though I try not to. It's like he has me cursed or something." 

Megumi continued. "Nevermind, I guess I'll have to take that back. I'd prefer it if you don't say his name unless you really have to. Sorry for all the trouble Yuuji, my whole situation with him is kind of crappy. I'm also sorry for having to get you involved." He apologized.

"It's fine," Yuuji said. "That's what friends are for. I don't know if I can really help you with anything, but if I can at least be there for you then I'm glad." He smiled. 

A friend, Megumi thought. He always had bad experiences with friends, and that's why he dropped all of them. But he didn't mind having Yuuji around. 

He might just be the exception.  

"I'm glad we can be friends too," Megumi returned the sentiment.