PART ONE.

~

As people age, their sweet tooth tends to wane. It's not uncommon to come across someone in their thirties who has no interest in anything sugary.

Some individuals develop a fondness for sweets at a young age, outgrow it as if it were a passing phase, only to rediscover their love for them in their later years.

But Daichi Nakano was an exception. He never fell out of love with these delectable treats as he grew up.

His sweet tooth was truly extraordinary, surpassing even that of a child. He would frequently indulge in desserts and candies whenever he had the chance. Even those who knew him well found it fascinating how his tastes contradicted his cold demeanor.

For over three decades, Daichi's heart belonged to pastries and cakes.

It didn't matter what type, flavor, or brand; as long as it fell under the category of baked goods, he adored it. He was perhaps one of the rare men who favored sweetness over spiciness or sourness.

Little did he know that his affinity for childish delights would lead him to meet Kaito Hattori over a year ago.

Coincidentally, Kaito had just opened a bakery a mere ten-minute drive from Daichi's workplace.

Most of Daichi's colleagues were aware of his peculiar preferences, and some of his female coworkers mentioned the new bakery and suggested they pay it a visit.

With such an enticing invitation, Daichi couldn't say no. Thus, he set a specific date with his colleagues to have lunch at the bakery.

The cozy bakery lacked the grandeur of hotel establishments or famous eateries, but its interior exuded a modest and inviting atmosphere. Soft, soothing music played in the background, capturing Daichi's attention. Unlike most bakeries that focused on take-out or delivery services, this little place had its own dining area, akin to a café.

In addition to baked goods, a variety of hot and cold beverages were available to complement the cakes and pastries.

Despite its recent opening, the bakery had already attracted a significant number of customers. During lunch hours, it would often be bustling with people. The day Daichi and his colleagues decided to visit was no exception.

"This place is packed," exclaimed Yayoi, the colleague who had recommended it. "Last time I came, it was much quieter."

"Should we go somewhere else?" Himiko, the other woman, asked Daichi, seeking his opinion.

Caught off guard by both women turning to him, Daichi felt uncertain. Personally, he didn't mind waiting, but his companions were clearly seeking a place to sit and dine. After all, they had limited time for lunch.

In the end, they opted for take-out so they could eat elsewhere.

As Daichi savored a bite of the strawberry pie he had ordered, he made a silent vow to return to the bakery before the week was over.

...

"Good afternoon, sir. May I take your order?" a friendly female employee in a navy blue uniform greeted him with a warm smile.

Daichi returned to the bakery a day later, having learned from his previous experience. This time, he had brilliantly waited till around 3 pm, well after the lunch rush, to make his appearance. Sure enough, his arrangements had been perfect. The customers relaxing in the small cozy lounge were on a handful during this time.

Since he was alone, he didn't need to hold back. However, perusing the menu filled with tantalizing desserts, Daichi found himself indecisive.

"What would Miss Fujiwara recommend?" he asked the waitress, stealing a glance at her name tag.

Misa Fujiwara chuckled nervously, "I'm still fairly new, so I haven't tried many of the desserts yet. But I'm sure our pastry chefs can provide you with an excellent recommendation, if you don't mind."

Taking her suggestion to heart, Daichi entrusted the chef to choose something delightful for him.

The waitress returned, presenting Daichi with a generous slice of vanilla cake adorned with luscious chocolate ganache and crowned with fresh raspberries—a true masterpiece in his eyes. Accompanying the dessert was a cup of espresso, a perfect complement to the sweet indulgence.

Regrettably, this establishment didn't sell any alcohol. Otherwise, Daichi would have unquestionably opted for a glass of crisp white wine...

"The raspberry garnish is a recent addition to our menu," the waitress noted, interrupting his thoughts. "Our head chef hopes you enjoy it. Can I assist you with anything else?"

"No, thank you. That will be all for now," he politely dismissed her before plunging his fork into the velvety and moist cake. Upon taking the first bite, Daichi was moved to the point of almost shedding tears. Despite his typically impassive expression, he savored each morsel, relishing the delectable dessert.

In less than ten minutes, he sat back in his seat, cup in hand, wearing a contented expression. I could stay in this place forever. Should I order another slice?

Daichi, a man of decisive action, promptly ordered another serving as soon as the thought crossed his mind. It was only after polishing off the second slice, this time a delicious strawberry cake, that he finally felt refreshed.

As if on cue, the familiar waitress reappeared, inquiring if he desired anything else while tidying his silverware.

"I'll take three more slices to-go, along with two milk tarts," he requested.

"Certainly, sir," Misa acknowledged before swiftly reporting to her colleague behind the counter.

Daichi would collect his order once he was ready to leave. Behind the counter, he encountered a young lady who had served him on a previous visit.

"I'm relieved to see that sir came back again," the woman with a short brunette bob beamed, handing over the neatly packed treats.

"You recognize me?" Daichi was taken aback.

The lady appeared uncertain. "Oh, I'm sorry. I assumed you were here the day before yesterday, accompanied by two other ladies...?"

"With so many new faces you encounter every day, I didn't expect you to remember your customers," he remarked, impressed by her ability to recognize him.

"Well, it isn't every day that handsome, important-looking individuals grace this humble establishment," she quipped, implying that his face was unforgettable. Gesturing toward the packaged desserts, she asked, "Are these for your family?"

"No, I'm unmarried," he replied with a straight face.

The woman responded with a puzzled expression, "...Oh?"

"Please pass my compliments to the chef," he added finally, turning to leave the shop.

The woman stared after his departing figure, lost in thought. Her trance was broken when someone snapped their fingers in front of her face, jolting her back to reality.

"What's wrong?" Misa, who had just returned from serving another customer, inquired curiously.

Kasumi pointed toward the now-closed entrance. "Did you see that handsome man in the suit just now? He mentioned he's unmarried."

The other woman gasped, "No way. I've had the honors of talking to him like three times, and he even addressed me by name! Do you think he has a girlfriend?"

"There's no way he doesn't have at least a lover," Kasumi confidently assumed, just as their head pastry chef emerged from the baking studio and joined them at the counter.

Kaito Hattori slumped onto one of the high stools, leaning tiredly against the counter with a groan. "I'm exhausted."

"Sempai worked hard," Misa began thoughtfully massaging his aching shoulders.

Kasumi clicked her tongue and scolded, "I told you I could help. I know I'm a little rough around the edges and not a professional baker like you, but I would have been a great asset in there."

With a weak laugh, Kaito shook his head. "Misa is still learning the ropes. We couldn't leave her out here on the field with so many customers to serve."

"I-I'll work harder," Misa mumbled.

Observing the younger woman's crestfallen expression, Kasumi began to feel a tinge of guilt for her words. Pretending to admire the scenery outside, she spoke up, "No one here is at fault. It's Jiro, that dumbass, who decides to catch a cold on a busy weekday. The next time I see him, he's dead meat!"

Misa remained clueless, asking, "Jiro?"

"He's the other chef who assists us in the studio," Kaito explained. "Once we hire more staff, Tachibana will also move from the counter to join Jiro and me in the back."

"Oh," Misa nodded in understanding.

"That 'future' better arrive before the month ends," Kasumi reminded Kaito. "With just the four of us, we won't survive the Valentine's event next month."

Kaito was well aware of this, perhaps more so than anyone. He never anticipated that the bakery would gain such recognition in just over a month of being open. He could only imagine the chaos and crowds that would descend upon them during Valentine's week.

However, he couldn't simply hire anyone. Such decisions required careful consideration.

"How many applicants have we received so far?" he inquired.

Kasumi replied with a sigh, "Last time I checked, seventeen."

"Wow, that's a lot..." Misa exclaimed, bewildered.

"Yes, but unfortunately," Kasumi lamented with a helpless tone, "our boss insists on long-term employees. Most of the applicants are only seeking part-time work, which makes things more challenging."

Misa offered a suggestion, "What if we wait until after the Valentine's event to hire permanent staff?"

Kasumi immediately snapped her fingers, her eyes lighting up. "See, Kaito? I'm not the only one thinking that. Let's hold off on hiring permanent staff until later."

However, Kaito remained stubbornly silent, neither agreeing nor complaining. He seemed to have turned a deaf ear to the discussion.

"This guy, really," Kasumi shook her head, clasping her hands together. "Anyway, we compromised on hiring two part-timers and two permanent staff since Kaito kept insisting. It's up to him to find people he can trust to join the permanent team."

Everything suddenly became clear to Misa.

"Oh, wait, remember the handsome guy in the fancy suit I told you about a couple of days ago?" Kasumi leaned in closer to the slumbering man at the counter, a mischievous grin stretching across her face. "He showed up again today."

"Which one? You've mentioned half a dozen suit-clad heartthrobs lately," Kaito replied, his enthusiasm waning.

"Oh, come on, I only talked about one guy in a suit. Don't play dumb."

Kaito sometimes regretted revealing his gender preferences and type to this fujoshi woman, as he found himself trapped in her wild fantasies from time to time. She always pulled these shenanigans whenever attractive men visited the store.

Grumbling under his breath, he forced himself to feign excitement. "Oh, wow, so this guy in a suit came by today. Hooray."

"You just haven't seen him, that's why you're not thrilled. He even sent his compliments through me. He might even become a regular..."

As the conversation took a bizarre turn, Misa felt perplexed once again. Why was Kasumi so insistent on sharing details about some other guy with Kaito, who was also a man? Wouldn't that make him uncomfortable?

"Oh, by the way," Kaito interjected, noticing the confusion on Misa's face and gesturing towards himself, "I'm gay."

Misa: ".... Eh??"

~~~

PART TWO.

~

As Kasumi suspected, the 'handsome man in the suit' did indeed become a regular at their bakery in the following weeks. He would show up at least three times a week, always ordering the chef's recommendation.

It became such a routine that even Kaito's curiosity was piqued.

"Another recommendation?" Kaito barely paused in his work when Misa leaned through the door and uttered 'the usual.'

"Why are you so surprised?" Jiro chuckled. He was busy frosting some vanilla cupcakes that had just finished cooling, preparing them for display.

Meanwhile, Kasumi abruptly halted her tasks and prepared to sneak a quick peek outside, only for Kaito to burst her bubble.

"Remember, you're not behind the counter anymore," he raised an eyebrow.

They had hired two temporary staff members a few days ago, which meant Kasumi had finally joined them in the studio.

"Come on, I need some eye candy. Do you think I enjoy being stuck in here all day with you guys?" she grumbled, prompting a playful complaint from Jiro. "No offense, but I've gotten too used to your faces."

"So, uh... no recommendation?" Misa inquired, noticing that Kaito hadn't taken action yet.

...

Daichi absentmindedly scrolled through his phone when a plate containing a miniature red velvet cake with vanilla frosting and a strawberry garnish was placed in front of him. Engrossed in his reading, he muttered a distracted "thanks," picked up his fork, and began to dig in.

His movements momentarily halted after the first bite, though he quickly resumed eating, barely revealing and reaction.

"Is there anything else you'd like?" the interruption came from the person who served him, still standing by his side. It turned out to be a different man from the one who had initially attended to him.

Another new employee? Daichi had never seen this face before.

Daichi sized up the tall man before him, noting his striking features and broad shoulders. A black half apron was tied around his slender waist, and his slightly tousled jet-black hair hinted that he had recently removed some headgear, perhaps a hat. And he wasn't wearing a name tag either...

With a reciprocal smile, Daichi mirrored the other person's friendly expression and responded, "I'm good for now, thanks."

Kaito nodded and made a move to leave, but before he could take a step, the man in the dark suit unexpectedly chimed in once again.

"By the way, is your head chef not here today?" he asked, his words laced with curiosity.

Perplexed, Kaito turned back to face him. "What makes you say that?"

"I've grown accustomed to the taste of his creations, which is why I can easily tell that the dessert you served me isn't one of them," Daichi spoke while continuing to eat, pausing politely before each sentence. "That's why I'm wondering if he's around or not."

Kaito hadn't served him one of his own creations, that much was true. However, he hadn't expected this man's taste buds to possess such extraordinary intuition...

"Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all the desserts made here, and I believe every chef has their unique talent," Daichi explained, noticing the pensive expression on Kaito's face. Locking his gaze onto Kaito's, he added, "Just like how every person has their own preferences."

Wait, were they still talking about desserts?

"Are you, by any chance, the renowned head chef?" the man in the suit suddenly inquired, catching Kaito off guard. "Judging by your expression, I must be right."

"... Yes, you are," Kaito admitted.

"So, I've finally managed to catch your attention," Daichi observed, scanning Kaito from head to toe. "You're much younger than I anticipated. How many years of professional experience do you have?"

"Just one," Kaito blurted out before he could think, then quickly regained his composure and demanded, "Hey, were all those 'chef recommendations' a way of sniffing me out?"

"I'm a little disappointed that you only acknowledged my existence today."

Hearing this, Kaito couldn't help but feel incredulous. Disappointed? How was he supposed to know this man was seeking him out? Couldn't a normal person have just asked for him at the counter? Did he assume Kaito was so petty that he wouldn't want to meet his valued customers?

Bringing his hands together, Kaito forced another smile. "I apologize for not acknowledging you until now. Does senior have any complaints about my cooking?"

Throughout their brief exchange, Daichi had polished off the entire slice of cake and was now finishing his warm beverage. "Seems like everything I said about different tastes went in one ear and out the other."

Kaito's forced smile became even more strained. Sir, why don't you just tell me directly what you mean? Did you even like my desserts or not?

"In any case, let me get straight to the point," Daichi said, placing the now-empty cup down and smiling. "I'd like to borrow your team this weekend."

**

"Just like that?" Kasumi couldn't contain her excitement as Kaito finally explained the situation. "What does he mean by 'borrow you'? Sounds kinda sus..."

"Please stop imagining things, ma'am. And when he said 'borrow,' he meant the entire team," Jiro looked at her strangely before asking Kaito seriously, "How did you respond?"

"I asked for some time to think about it," Kaito replied, toying with the business card Daichi had given him, which contained his name and contact information. "It's a birthday event happening this Saturday, and he wants us to cater the desserts."

"Remember, the two part-timers won't be available over the weekend," Kasumi reminded them. "Are you sure we can handle it?"

Kaito pondered for a moment and then nodded. "We probably won't be the only dessert caterers there. It should be manageable."

"How's the pay?" Misa asked, earning quizzical looks from the rest of the group. "Come on, I know everyone's thinking about it."

"Well, he does look pretty wealthy. I don't think the pay would be anything to scoff at," Kasumi speculated.

Kaito agreed. Yes, the man did seem affluent. And Kasumi was right about his appearance—handsome and mature...

"Then let's take the job. The bakery doesn't open on weekends anyway," Jiro suggested.

"Yeah, and we'll have to close early on Friday to start preparing for the event," Kasumi added.

Misa didn't have much to say, but she was fully on board. And so, the decision was made. They would be catering the desserts for this important event.

***

The group already had their suspicions about Daichi Nakano's wealth, but their jaws hit the floor when they witnessed the opulence of the Nakano family.

Rumor had it that the family owned several prominent car manufacturing industries, leaving no room for doubt. The event they were asked to cater for turned out to be Daichi's younger sister's extravagant twenty-first birthday celebration, held at the magnificent Nakano mansion.

The four of them felt like fish out of water, utterly out of place amidst the grandeur.

Surprisingly, the other guests were more welcoming than expected, especially after Daichi introduced them as "honored guests." Their delectable desserts further endeared them to the affluent crowd.

However, as it was just another workday for them, the four decided not to linger. Once their responsibilities were fulfilled, and they received their payment, they left the mansion in Jiro's modest convertible.

"Cheers to our amazing boss for hooking us up with this gig," Kasumi exclaimed, scrolling through her account with a satisfied smile. "I've never seen this much cash in my life, and be able to confidently say it's mine."

"So many zeros," Misa murmured, engrossed in her own phone screen.

"I could pimp my ride with this much," Jiro chimed in, equally pleased. The three of them excitedly discussed their plans for the newfound wealth.

Meanwhile, Kaito sat quietly in the passenger seat, his mind preoccupied with other matters.

A few minutes after leaving the mansion, he received an unexpected text from Daichi. They didn't know each other well, and Kaito had never initiated contact despite having Daichi's number for the past two days. And why would he? They had only interacted briefly because Daichi had hired Kaito and his crew for the event. Kaito assumed that would be the end of their interaction.

But now, there it was, a text from Daichi:

[I need to borrow you again.]

Kaito stared at the message, contemplating his response. Finally, he decided to ask:

[Another event?]

Shortly after, a reply appeared:

[No. This is a personal request. I need you specifically.]

Kaito's thoughts buzzed with curiosity. Before he could respond, another text arrived:

[Are you available tomorrow? There's something I need you to do for me.]

[What is it?] Kaito typed back.

It took a solid five minutes for Daichi to reply:

[I'd rather not say for now.]

What the hell did that mean?

"...And what about you, Hattori? What are you going to do with your payment?" Kasumi's voice brought him back to reality. Everyone was waiting to hear his answer.

"I'm saving up to buy a decent car," he replied, after some contemplation.

"Did you really have to add the word 'decent'? I feel so attacked," Jiro grumbled in dissatisfaction.

"I didn't mean it like that," Kaito chuckled, shifting his attention back to his phone screen.

[Alright.]

With that simple response, he pocketed his cellphone and joined in the conversation with his friends.

~~~~~~~