After dropping off the bowls at the Kuboue's house with a thank you to the old couple and ignoring their looks of worry, Noel and Buster set off toward the direction of her school.

Somewhere along the way, there was a turn that led to shops, restaurants, and other businesses. Noel had been in that area a few times, both by herself and with her friends.

Minato, the section of Tokyo she lived in, was quite nice, though that meant a lot of the prices for food and everything were too high for Noel to want to spend any money. What kind of normal person would ever pay ¥2,000 for a sandwich?

Buuut, if Buster was the one paying, maybe she could try a higher-end dessert. Noel shook herself at the thought. That would not be fair to Buster. He was treating her, after all, with his hard-earned money.

Noel resigned her heart to accept anything Buster gave her.

He was silent as they walked together. Noel's hands were clasped behind her back as Buster's rested in his pockets. Good. There should be no way anyone could mistake them for anything more than two people walking to town together.

She hated to admit that Azrath's words had gotten to her. They were not on a date. Just two friends getting food after a day's work.

If she was honest with herself, Noel had no idea how to be friends with a boy. She barely knew how to be friends with other girls. She didn't have much practice with friends in general.

And the idea of hanging out with a boy her age was almost intimidating. It was not just Buster; it was any boy. What if she did something weird? Her curse was always looming somewhere, ready to pounce. Something bad was bound to happen.

That's what happened with Grant Fucil. Noel wouldn't really classify him as a friend. But he was kind to her, complimenting her running skills when they practiced track together. Maybe that was why Noel had developed feelings for him.

Besides his mom, who was their coach, he was the only one who paid any attention to how hard she worked. He was different.

But after the curse revealed her crush on him. Grant stopped talking to her. And barely looked at her. He had come to fear and hate her. Just like the rest of town.

His mom had been furious with him, but even her assurances that Grant would come around, he never did. He didn't even come to say goodbye when she moved away.

Her first loved had ended in a crash and burn.

"You look upset," said Buster. His expression was concerned, "Somethin' I did?"

Noel jumped, "Huh? No, I was just deep in thought."

"Yeah? What were you thinkin' about?"

"Oh, nothing," said Noel. Her eyes fell to the sidewalk and took in each divide in the concrete as they passed over them.

"It didn't look like nothin'," he said. "You can tell me, if you want."

A spark of irritation ignited Noel's temper, "Or you can butt out!" She fixed him with a fiery glare.

Buster's eyebrows shot up, "Woah there! Sorry I asked."

Her temper fizzled immediately. Guilt replaced the anger. Noel could blame the curse all she wanted, but in the end, she herself was the reason she could not keep a friend.

Noel would understand if Buster walked off in a huff and never wanted to speak to her again. But he did not. Instead, he smiled and said, "I'm glad you're comfortable enough to get angry with me like that."

"Seriously?" Noel stared at him with a mixture of shock and wonder. "How can you like it when I yell at you?"

"I didn't say that," said Buster, "I don't enjoy it when you do it. Feels like I can't do anything right when you get upset at me."

"Sorry…"

His words made Noel's eyes sting with unshed tears. She had been unreasonably harsh with him. But before the tears could well up, Buster's smile became assuring.

"What I'm glad about is that I get to see every side of you. All the good, but all the bad too. All of it is you, Noel. You're very Ahngreel that way." He paused. "At least sometimes you are. Other times, I can't even fathom what you're thinkin'. And I find myself wantin' to know all the little thing you fight so hard to keep secret."

Noel looked at her feet in quiet contemplation. Buster was as embarrassing as ever, but she found herself unable to respond to it with anything other than silence. She let Buster ramble on.

"Maybe Oriander was right when he said that weakness comes from ignoring your own problems. He told me that the strong learn how to deal with their problems, even if it takes sharing the burden with another. Didn't get what he meant by that, but after gettin' to know you better, I think I'm startin' to understand."

Noel raised her eyes to see that his face was contemplative as he said, "It's like tryin' to carry somethin' heavy. Sure, you might be able to lift it by yourself if you work hard enough, but it's much easier if someone is there to lift the other side. Or somethin' like that, I dunno. Just a thought. Hey! What's that?!"

Buster's face went from pondering to excitement faster than a flip of a dime. His eyes sparkled as he charged forward, weaving his way past a crowd. Noel hadn't even realized that they had made it to the shopping district. Passersby barely glanced at them, but the few who did shot Buster reproachful looks as he charged forward with glee. 

Noel barely registered any of this as she stood glued to the sidewalk, her mouth agape.

How did Buster keep pulling out advice like that when she needed to hear it the most? It was exactly the kind of sage wisdom her Papa would have told her, but it came from Buster Brinn, of all people! Or, rather, from Oriander.

She had no idea that the quiet mustache man who looked as though he could bench press a building was capable of such ideas. It was odd, but Noel found herself wanting to meet him again, a feeling which she immediately squashed flat. The last time Noel had met Oriander, it was under far more terrifying circumstances. Even if he was Buster's mentor, he was still Darris's right-hand man.

Despite conflicting feelings, thinking about the Ahngreel's words made her chest swell with a burning warmth. There was truth in Oriander's words, just like her dad's.

Noel watched Buster stop at a small pink storefront that was more like a hole in the side of the building it was a part of. He practically bounced with anticipation. The balding man who ran the shop stared up at the excitable Ahngreel, his dark eyes regarding him with wariness.

She almost smacked her forehead as she realized that Buster had forgotten to change his appearance. His size would have drawn attention regardless, but at least he would have some semblance of normality.

Noel closed the distance between herself and Buster with the intention of dragging her friend away and making him fix his appearance, but her nose caught a whiff of something wonderfully sweet.

"What that you've got?" asked Buster, pointing to a small shelf where variants of food that resembled ice cream were displayed neatly. Only they were not ice cream. Not by Noel's nose, at least. Or upon closer inspection, either.

The cone that was not a cone was wrapped in colorful paper and filled with a mix of cream and fruit. Each one had the same triangular shape, but the fruit in each was different—blackberries, blueberries, pears, bananas, and, best of all, strawberries. Noel's mouth began to water at the sight. She managed to tear her eyes away from the enticing display and waited for the man's answer.

"They're crepes," he said, who worked a smile onto his face with effort. His eyes were still watching them with caution. "Made fresh every morning and assembled on the spot."

Noel had heard of crepes but had never eaten one before. "They're like a thin pancake, right?" She wanted one now!

"That's right," answered the man with a momentary puzzled expression before his smile returned. "We have several varieties—and not just dessert crepes. We have crab and squid if you want—"

"Are they sweet?" Buster interrupted. Noel was right there with him. Who cared about disgusting squid crepes when the fruit ones sat right there tempting her?

"O-of course," said the crepe man, "If you've never had a crepe before, I would be honored if your first one would be with my shop." He flashed them a genuine smile, "Though if you try them from any place else, you'll find they won't be quite as good as mine."

"Now that's takin' pride in your work," said Buster with a laugh, "We'll take two."

I want one with strawberries," demanded Noel. The crepe man looked startled at her impatience but nodded all the same.

They watched as he assembled the crepes in front of them with efficient expertise and handed one each to Noel and Buster.

They were large enough that Noel had to hold hers in two hands. She stared down at it in excitement. Where should she start? She wanted her first bite to have the perfect ratio of strawberry, cream, and crepe. Maybe the left corner? There was a particularly large strawberry slice there. But what if there was too much strawberry and not enough cream?

Noel was so absorbed in her quandary that she barely registered what Buster was saying.

"So, I give you this, and you break it down into smaller money?" asked Buster as he handed the crepe man the ¥5,000.

"Yes, sir," the other man said with profound puzzlement.

Buster's brow furrowed as he watched the man pop the drawer of his cash register. It opened with a ding, which made the Ahngreel grin like a child, and the man pulled out a few bills and coins. He handed Buster his change, who stared at it.

"You're giving me more paper? I thought you were going to rip up the one I gave you and give me the rest."

Noel's concentration was broken. Something that did not make her happy. She rolled her eyes before she leaned in and muttered, "That's not what I meant by breaking money. Those are worth less because they have smaller numbers. Look."

Buster did, then looked back at her, "And what about the metal discs? Isn't metal more valuable than paper?"

"Not here, they're not. Just take the money. I'll explain it to you later." Noel did her best to avoid eye contact with the crepe man, but she could still see that his smile was replaced pained expression like he'd been forced to suck a rotten lemon.

Buster's ignorance would certainly not raise his opinions on foreigners. But Noel didn't care enough to say anything to correct the man's notions. He could think whatever he wanted. She just wanted to leave and enjoy her crepe in peace.

Buster took the money and shoved it in his pocket as they walked away from the crepe shop. "Money's such a weird concept. Paper's more valuable than metal? Can't craft a weapon out of paper."

"Is that how you determine value?" Noel asked.

"Yep! It goes metal, rock, wood, cloth, and rope. Paper's somewhere on the bottom. Right next to dirt," said Buster before absentmindedly burying his face into the crepe and taking a massive bite, paper and all. Noel could hear the ripping of the wrap as Buster tore a huge chunk away.

As soon as the dessert entered his mouth, Buster's eyes popped. "This is amazing!" And before Noel could so much as blink, Buster's crepe was gone, including the paper, and he was running back to the crepe man's stand. "I want another one! Here."

He practically threw his money at the crepe man, who accepted it with a bewildered smile. Noel watched in awe as the man rushed through crafting another strawberry crepe and shoved the food into Buster's awaiting hand.

"Here, haveagoodday!" He said this so quickly that it was barely cohesive.

Buster whirled around, and Noel saw that his face was covered in crepe and cream. The sight sent a bout of giggles bubbling up from her core, but she held them at bay as Buster caught up to her and took another massive bite of his crepe.

"You've got to try this, Noel. It's so much better than shaved ice!"

Noel managed to compose herself enough to point to Buster's face. "You've… got stuff on your nose." It was not just there; bits of strawberry and cream were all over his face.

"I do?" Buster became cross-eyed as they focused on the glob of cream resting on the tip of his nose.

Instead of rubbing it away with a hand like Noel thought he would, Buster instead chose to stick out his brownish tongue and try to lick it off. It was far too short to reach it.

The giggles were back in full force and fighting hard to escape. But she would not let them win. They were already causing a scene. The people's stares had turned from reproachful to full-on disapproving.

She couldn't help it; the laughs were coming, and not just giggles, but huge guffaws that she would die before letting anyone hear. Her body reacted before her mind thought of the consequences as she pressed her mouth into her crepe. It didn't stop the laugh, and as she snorted into her food, an explosion of cream blew in all directions, including back into her own face.

The laughs were gone immediately. Noel stood there, blinking the flecks of cream from her eyes. When she could see again, she looked down at her crepe, which looked like it had been bombed.

The neatly arranged strawberries were in disarray, and one even tipped over and escaped the crepe to fall with a smack to the floor. Her perfect ratio! Her crepe!

Buster began to laugh but was silenced by the sheer fury within Noel's eyes as they stabbed into him.

"I can fix this!" he said before whirling back to the shop only to find that the crepe man had vanished. "Or maybe I can't. I'm sorry!"

Noel's glare became more intense as she took a deep breath. She felt like her body was expanding to twice its size. Buster's eyes were wary. Noel half expected him to cover his face.

She wanted to stamp and scream about how unfair this was! Noel had earned one happy moment! Just one!

But she managed to push these dark thoughts away, and instead of yelling, Noel released all her anger by simply exhaling before licking her lips. She smiled up at him, "You're right, it is super sweet!" She followed this up by taking a large bite from her crepe and getting a strawberry with it. So good!

Any disappointment was washed away by how delicious the crepe was! Even if it wasn't a perfect ratio, the strawberry's slight tartness complimented the cream's pure sweetness and the almost egg-like texture of the crepe itself. It really tasted better than any shaved ice she'd ever had.

Buster looked relieved at her smile. "You're not mad?"

Noel savored the flavor of the crepe for a few more seconds. She swallowed, then grinned again, "Of course I'm mad. I'm absolutely furious. But not with you. It's my fault, after all."

"Here you are, miss," came the crepe man's voice. He was out of his shop and holding a damp rag in both hands.

She took it graciously and used it to wipe her face clean. "You're right about your crepes being delicious."

"Thank you," said the man as he received the rag that Noel returned to him with a small bow. "I put a lot of effort into my work. Oh, and here's your change, Mr. Foreigner. You forgot to take it before you started to walk away." He handed the money to Buster.

At a guilty thought, Noel bowed to the man, "Sorry about causing so much trouble. My friend here gets a little too excited when he encounters something new."

"Yeah, I do," said Buster, imitating Noel's bow, though in a much more awkward way. The man gave him a genuine smile.

"I have to admit I was rather surprised to see such behavior here in Tokyo, but I'm quite familiar with how foreigners like to stand out sometimes."

Noel smirked, "We would stand out even less if you took that ridiculous makeup off. You stick out like a sore thumb."

Buster's glance was confused.

"Go make yourself look presentable," she said pointedly.

Comprehension passed through Buster's expression. "Gotcha. I'll be back in a bit, then."

He stomped away as Noel and the crepe man watched. After he vanished into the crowd, the man smiled at her. "Well, Miss Foreigner? How is it?"

In response, Noel took a huge bite of her crepe, allowing the sweetness to overwhelm her tastebuds once more. "It's fantastic!" she said after swallowing.

The man's eyes crinkled as his smile widened. "I'm glad to hear it! If only my son were as enthusiastic about my food as you are." He laughed. Noel didn't get the joke. But he didn't seem to notice her confusion as he said, "I'll leave you to enjoy the rest, then."

And he, too, walked away, leaving Noel to stand alone and munch on her crepe. She tried to savor each bite, but her food was finished before she could. She sadly stared down at the wrapper and fought the temptation to lick any crepe remains off the paper.

She instead looked around and spied a trash can in which she tossed the wrapper. That done, Noel debated what to do next. The best thing to do was wait for Buster to return, but who knows how long that would take.

Noel could walk around for a bit; her eyes were already darting around the shops. She could see a sushi restaurant. No way. There was an arcade. Who would waste their money on that kind of stuff? Noel's eyes eventually settled on a bookstore. She didn't read much outside of school, but something there might be something like a book on local plants she could read for her upcoming school trip. She's been neglecting her collection for too long.

But before she could move any closer, she felt a prickling at the back of her neck. Somebody was staring at her beyond the looks of passersby. Not again. It was those invisible creeps she encountered at the park. It had to be.

Her other senses were alert as her eyes shot in every direction. Noel's hand crept into her pocket and closed around the golden pen. She would never be caught without it ever again.

And then her eyes met a pair of black ones which belonged to a young Japanese man in a suit and tie. He was staring at her with a shock and intensity that made her neck hair tingle. His mouth was slack for a moment before it moved to form words.

His voice was quiet, but Noel heard it nonetheless, even over the crowd.

"I found you, princess."