"Haruya-kun~ That Catzilla movie was pretty good, wasn't it?"
"Not bad. Let's go see part two when it releases."
Today, Nagisa had invited Haruya out to the mall and watch in the cinema and roam around.
Being usually surrounded by their friends, she and Haruya did not have as much alone time as they used to.
Taking advantage of their group's busy weekend, she invited him to go out together.
Strolling around the mall, Haruya accompanied the purple-haired girl for another shopping spree.
They visited each and every store in the premises, Nagisa seemingly having unlimited energy.
Is this really the passion of every girl? No matter the age?
Dragging their male companions endlessly to visit every store and try everything out?
Haruya remembered that his mother also usually dragged him away for shopping, doing the same thing Nagisa was doing right now.
His young mind could not comprehend a girl's thoughts.
"Haruya, what do you think of this?"
Getting out of the dressing room, Nagisa spun around as she showed off to him.
Observing the girl, Haruya instinctively nodded his head. "That looks good on you. Perfect for the upcoming summer."
Nagisa wore a white summer dress that went up to below her knees. With sunflower designs on it, all she needed was a wide sun hat, and she would look like a perfect candidate for a childhood friend death flag, usually seen in anime.
Content with his answer, Nagisa went back inside to change into another outfit.
Haruya leaned back deeper into his seat and sighed.
'When will this end?'
...
Walking around a bit more, Nagisa and Haruya enjoyed the scenery.
Well, not really much scenery in a concrete jungle like Tokyo.
But the liveliness of the city had never not been interesting.
Just as they were about to enter a cafe, Nagisa's phone suddenly rang.
Checking who was calling, she read 'Akina-nee' on the caller ID and immediately answered.
"Nee-chan?" She asked.
Akina, on the other line, seemed to be in a crowded place, with voices sounding around her. "Hello, Nagisa? Sorry for interrupting you, but are you able to head home soon?" She cut off for a moment and continued. "We just need some extra helping hands at home, sorry."
Hearing this, Nagisa turned to look at Haruya apologetically.
Shrugging, he mouthed to her: "Go home."
Understanding what he meant, she nodded. "Okay, I'll be home quickly."
With a quick thanks from Akina, she soon dropped the call.
She turned back her attention towards the boy. "Sorry about that, Haruya. It sounds like we have a lot of visitors today."
Haruya smiled understandingly. "No problem. We can always find time next time."
Haruya accompanied Nagisa to the train station and watched her get on with a gentle wave to each other.
"See you at school!" She waved her hands energetically.
Now alone, Haruya walked out of the station and looked at the sun.
'Still pretty early,' he thought.
And since he was around Shinagawa, he decided to drop by their bakery as well.
The bell above the bakery door chimed softly as Haruya stepped inside, the familiar warmth of fresh bread and roasted coffee beans immediately greeting him.
"Ah, Haruya-kun!" Hiroki called from behind the counter, pausing as he placed a tray of pastries in the display. "Out and about today, huh? I thought you and Nagisa were on… a date?"
Rina peeked from the back, flour dusting her apron, and grinned. "How come you're here, then?"
Haruya let out a small sigh and shrugged, leaning slightly against the counter. "Not a date. We just went out together to the mall. Her sister called her back for an emergency, so I decided to drop by."
Hiroki and Rina exchanged a look, both trying hard to stifle teasing laughs.
"Uh-huh, sure," Hiroki said, raising an eyebrow. "So just 'friends' shopping together, huh? No holding hands, no movie cuddling?"
"Exactly," Haruya replied evenly, placing his hands in his pockets. "We just watched a movie and walked around. That's all."
Rina tilted her head, clearly amused. "You really know how to make that sound ordinary. Are you always this good at dodging questions?"
Haruya rolled his eyes. "That's because that's all that happened. What could 6th graders like us possibly do?"
Having met Haruya's other friends this past month, Rina and Hiroki were already well acquainted with the others.
Nagisa and Haruya were especially close, causing the two to be constantly teased by the employees.
This was something Haruya had already become accustomed to, choosing to just ignore them.
"I'm gonna head out real quick, just gonna pick some stuff up," Hiroki told the two and left the currently empty shop.
Heading in towards the kitchen, Haruya wanted to bake something to distract himself for today.
It seemed like he had picked up on his mother's hobby. Or well, job.
Looking at the wide array of ingredients, today he decided to make a raspberry cake.
Haruya rolled up his sleeves, tying on one of the spare aprons that hung neatly by the kitchen door.
The stainless-steel counters gleamed under the warm lights, and the faint scent of flour and butter hung in the air from whatever had been baked earlier that day.
He set out the ingredients in careful order.
Flour, sugar, eggs, butter, cream, and a basket of fresh raspberries.
For a moment, he stood still, inhaling softly before getting to work.
He sifted the flour into a mixing bowl, the fine powder falling like light snow.
Next came the sugar, eggs, and softened butter, each addition followed by the rhythmic sound of his whisk scraping against the bowl.
He worked steadily, his brow lightly furrowed in concentration, yet his motions had a certain quiet flow, as if he'd done this more than once despite never having made a raspberry cake before.
The batter grew smooth and pale, catching the light as he tilted the bowl.
Haruya folded in the raspberries last, their tart fragrance blooming immediately as a few of them burst against the spoon, streaking the mixture with faint pink swirls.
"Hmm?" A soft voice broke his focus.
He glanced up to see Rina leaning slightly against the doorframe, wiping her hands on a cloth.
Her eyes were curious, her smile faintly interested. "What are you up to, Haruya?"
Haruya blinked once, then half-smiled. "Trying something simple. Raspberry cake."
Rina stepped closer, peeking into the bowl. She tilted her head, clearly amused. "Simple, she says. You even folded the berries in at the end… not bad. You're not just winging it, are you?"
"I might be, but don't underestimate how I learn," he admitted, scratching his cheek. "Figured I'd try making one now."
She chuckled softly, holding her hands up as if surrendering. "Alright, alright, don't let me stop you. I'll just watch for a bit."
Haruya returned to his task, pouring the smooth batter into a greased cake tin.
He tapped the sides to even it out, then slid the tin into the oven.
The door shut with a soft metallic click, and soon, the warm air carried the scent of baked fruit and sugar.
Rina folded her arms, lingering a little longer. "I wonder how many girls you're gonna get just from being good at making pastry," she teased.
"The best way to win a girl's heart is through her stomach," Haruya shot back.
The oven timer chimed softly, and Haruya carefully pulled the cake out with a pair of mitts.
The golden surface was lightly risen, the edges crisp but not burnt, while faint streaks of pink hinted where the raspberries had baked through.
A sweet, fruity aroma drifted through the kitchen, quickly escaping outside the kitchen.
Rina leaned closer, her eyes sparkling. "It actually looks… really good."
Haruya set it on the counter to cool, tapping the tin lightly before sliding the cake out onto a tray.
He dusted the surface with a thin veil of powdered sugar, the white flakes settling delicately over the golden crust like fresh snow.
"Moment of truth," he murmured, slicing off two small pieces. He handed one to Rina on a plate, keeping the other for himself.
Rina took a small bite, her expression shifting almost immediately.
First surprise, then delight. "Oh wow. The raspberries still have that little tart kick, but it's balanced with the sweetness. The texture's soft too… Haruya, this is better than I expected."
He let out a quiet chuckle after tasting his own piece, the corners of his lips turning up. "Not bad for a first attempt."
Rina rolled her eyes. "Not bad? You're already way better than me. I really wanna slice you up to see if you're still human."
With a light laugh, Haruya carefully arranged the remaining cake on a white porcelain stand, setting it near the glass display by the front counter.
He adjusted the angle so the powdered sugar caught the light, making it look just a bit more tempting.
"Let's see what the customers think," he said with a satisfied nod.
"Do you want me to tell any cute girls it was you who made this?" Rina playfully teased.
"Please do," Haruya rolled his eyes in amusement.
After shrugging off her playful teasing, Haruya moved to an empty corner table by the window, sinking into one of the cushioned seats.
The late afternoon sun streamed through the glass, painting the bakery in a soft orange glow.
It seemed like the Waguri couple wasn't going to visit today.
Hiroki eventually returned to the bakery and went straight to the counter, and Rina disappeared into the kitchen again, leaving Haruya to his own peace.
Customers came and went, the sound of chatter blending with the occasional clink of ceramic cups and the hum of the coffee machine.
He placed his chin on his palm, absently watching the people outside walk past the shopfront.
Salarymen in suits, kids running around with their friends, mothers with strollers.
The usual rhythm of city life unfolded like a scene he had watched a thousand times.
And then suddenly, he noticed a girl who looked similar to his age walk towards and into the shop.
She was a petite young girl with an average build.
With the girl's wavy hair flowing in the air slightly due to the breeze coming from the air conditioning beside her.
Her large blue eyes seemed to shine as her pretty face formed a polite smile towards him.
Her cheeks featured a slight red blush, not from embarrassment, but seemingly a highlight of hers.
Looking at the glass display for pastry, her eyes shone bright as she locked on to the raspberry cake that Haruya had just made earlier.
She came up to Hiroki at the counter and requested an order. "One raspberry cake, please!"
Hearing the girl's voice, Hiroki looked back with a surprised expression. "Waguri-chan! Welcome! Is it just you today?" He asked, seemingly familiar to the girl.
Haruya was surprised at what he heard.
Another Waguri?
He observed the girl, and remembered that Fuko and Yosuke had to told him about having a daughter similar to their age.
Could this be her?
The more he stared, the more he realized how the girl looked exactly like Fuko.
Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly realized that Hiroki was whispering something to the girl, with a playful expression on his face, as he pointed towards him.
'What's this guy planning now...' Haruya's eyes twitched, sensing that this employee of theirs was plotting something again.
Hearing what Hiroki whispered to her, the girl's eyes widened as she stepped forward in front of Haruya's table.
She gave a bright, beautiful smile and introduced herself.
"Hello, Sumeragi-kun! I've heard my mom talk about you before... I'm their eldest child, Kaoruko Waguri!"