A Taste of Nostalgia

Chapter 2: Sweet Lessons

Ayan sits in silence in the comfort of his living room with only the whirring sound of the air conditioning filling the quiet space. The lights are turned off so as to not distract his overactive thoughts.

Despite the inviting softness of the couch where he's currently failing to relax, the deep lines scored on his face emphasized the panic that consumed him.

A few nights have passed since he saw it—the picture in the Starry Bites Bakery.

A searing pain pierces Ayan's head, splitting his thoughts like a dead tree branch. He struggles to wrap his mind around this new discovery, there's a mysterious relationship his uncle has with the bakery and he had no idea about it.

Uncle Dika had never told Ayan where he bought the baked goods from, didn't even mention anything about the employees or owners. Although Ayan didn't care, he was just happy to spend time with his uncle.

His throat contracts in discomfort as he replays the memory of seeing Uncle Dika's arm draped casually around the unnamed man in the photo, sending a fresh wave of unease over him.

Placing his hand inside his t-shirt, Ayan grabs hold of the silver chain dangling from his neck. He stares deeply at the engraving of the sun and moon on the front of the silver coin—that man was definitely Dika.

Ayan wears the same necklace the man in the photo sported. It was a cherished gift Ayan received just a month before his passing.

Just what is going on here?

One of Ayan's biggest quirks is his inability to let things go. This problem would be no different from his past circumstances. Dwelling on the subject only stokes the flames of his curiosity. And it became harder to stay focused on his responsibilities as his mind was constantly preoccupied with this unsolved puzzle.

He desperately needs to learn more, to unravel the mysteries between his uncle and that bakery.

What binds them together?

He can't simply ask Akk about the picture in casual conversation. He doesn't know how well they know each other. What if Akk doesn't even know that Uncle Dika is no longer...

alive?

A shiver runs down Ayan's spine at the thought of sharing this information with Akk, afraid to reveal his own hurt.

Dika's death was so sudden. One night he was there, the next, tragically gone. The details are foggy but all Ayan knew was that he had died in his sleep—an aneurysm possibly being the cause.

It hasn't been long since he passed away yet every time Ayan is about to talk about it with others, it leaves him in a panic. Merely thinking about Uncle Dika causes Ayan's breath to constrict, his emotions always betraying his desire to find normalcy in the pain.

Shaking off these momentarily drifting thoughts, he refocuses back to his plan of action. In order to learn more, he needs to get a closer look into that kitchen and its employees, to have a reason to be curious without others suspecting his actions.

The only question now is: how?

Ayan's mind spun with ideas, each one leading to a dead end. The canvas of possibilities remains blank. Frustrated, he sank back into the couch, feeling lost. His gaze drifts to the blank ceiling above him, mirroring his unsure mind.

He feels his phone buzz in his pocket. Swiftly, he pulls the device out and unlocks the screen. There's a notification at the top, sitting neatly beside the 51% battery icon, showing the social media logo for Instagram. When he clicks the alert, it directs him to the Starry Bites Bakery social media page. Akk had told him to follow it so he could be updated when they release new cakes in the shop.