buy me coffee? || [saimota]

four || day four - pancakes.

author's note: so, uh. this was supposed to be out way earlier, but i got 2k words into the first draft when i realized i didn't like the direction i was going, so that set me back a few weeks so yeah.

but enough about me, i hope you enjoy the chapter! 

-

"I finally got the pamphlets!"

Kaede dumped an armful of pamphlets onto the counter in front of Shuichi, who gave her a lopsided smile in turn. "Did you really carry all of those from your dorm?" he asked. "You know I could've gone over there after our shift, right?"

"I know that," Kaede replied with a pout. "I just thought it would be better to do it now since we won't have a busy shift anyway."

Shuichi laughed lightly. "Yeah, you have a point. But how did you even manage to get all of those pamphlets?"

"It wasn't that hard. There's actually an entire stand for clubs." Kaede thumbed in the direction of the coffee shop window behind her. "Over by the dorms."

Shuichi scratched his chin, trying to remember if he'd seen a stand by the dorms at some point. "Oh, is that what that is?"

Kaede nodded. "Mm-humm! The students running the stand are super nice, too! I asked them for the pamphlets and they gave them to me and that was that."

"Ah." Shuichi glanced down at the pamphlets again. "That's good."

Kaede giggled back at him before pulling out the stool directly across from Shuichi, taking a seat on it at the same time the door swung open and in marched Kaito, energetic as ever.

"Hey, Shuichi! Hey, Kaede!" he greeted.

"Hey, Kaito," Kaede waved as he took a seat on the stool next to hers.

"You're by yourself today?" Shuichi asked, noticing the distinct lack of Maki and Kokichi.

"Yep," he confirmed. "Maki-Roll has classes today, and Kokichi said he had to go to a "secret organization meeting"—whatever that is. Anyways!" He leaned forward, eyeing the pamphlets. "But what're you guys up to?"

"About to figure out what club we want to join," Kaede answered.

"Ah, that's right," Shuichi said, suddenly remembering something. "You said you wanted to check out the clubs with us, right?"

Kaito grinned. "You remembered!"

A strange warmth flooded Shuichi's chest at that, but he quickly warded it off with a cough and a gesture behind him. "U-Uhm, I'm assuming you're buying something?"

"'Course! And I know exactly what I want, too." Kaito dug into his pocket and fished out the appropriate amount of bills and forked them over. "Two orders of pancakes, please!"

"Regular?" Shuichi asked.

"Yep!"

Shuichi nodded back. "Alright. I'll be back with your order."

He scurried back to the work station to make the pancakes, and Kaede followed him soon after. As they grabbed the plastic containers and bottles of pancake batter and prepared the griddle, Kaede spoke again in a hushed voice. "So... yesterday, huh?"

Shuichi jerked back his arm at that, nearly dropping his bottle of batter onto the hot griddle. "Wh-What?" he sputtered, keeping his voice to a whisper of his own.

"You know what I'm talking about," she said, a growing smirk on her face. "The arcade. Kaito feeding you. What was up with that?"

Shuichi sucked in a breath, trying to prevent the warmth he felt from manifesting into a blush on his face. "I-It was nothing, really. He was just helping me eat, that's all."