“Fuka, say ‘A~n!’”

 

Her cheeks are dusted with the cutest shade of red, darkening with every second that ticks away. He can feel it, too, the tower logging every last second. He doesn’t want to close his eyes. He doesn’t want to let go of this. Bright-pink hues examine her closely, and he wonders when she changed to her.

 

“Ah~n..!” She opens her mouth, mimicking the sound he made, and he pops a small, macaroon in her mouth.

 

Like the stars he wishes on, her eyes light up. No, it’s better to say that they took in every last, untainted feather of the prettiest swan and echoed them back out.

 

“Soh, it’s really good!”

 

“Mmhmm, I’m glad you like it!”

 

Both of them, wearing aprons, baking away at sweets for the cafe today... well, Fuka’s more there to help him out while he does it, since he doesn’t quite think she’s ready to get hands on quite yet, but he really, really appreciates her positive attitude, and cuteness! She’s really refreshing.

 

They’re the cutest working couple in town for sure!

 

Of course, the Grimms’ work with sweets is probably better, but this is a bloom by his own hand!

 

“Oh..! The filling looks like a flower!” Fuka looks closely, observing how the middle petals out. It amazes her, genuinely. That’s the thing with her; she’s an open book, true to her feelings. It’s mysterious, how bits of his perspective have changed, how everything has shifted, so that he truly wants those shackles to be removed?

 

“Yeah! That was the plan,” Soh leans just as close as he says this; his cheek touching against hers. Naturally, he doesn’t bat an eyelash to this, instead turning ever so slightly to brush his nose against her.

 

“S-Soh...” How flustered she is only grows, but in mere moments, it’s partnered with the ring of a bell. She doesn’t move back from him, no. How ever could she manage that, when he’s so close, when his gaze is so gentle, when she can see his breathing, hear it too?

 

“Y~es?” Soh answers her. Another friendly, adoring look. So close by, as if he’s peering into her soul, separating themselves from those around them by giving them a bubble for two. It certainly makes the atmosphere that much sweeter! Perhaps too sweet, but that doesn’t matter at all! It really is just them right now, at least it may as well be! The others can play later.

 

“Umm...” Fuka begins again, and he wonders what she’ll manage to say. Nothing bars her, even nervousness never can truly stop her. “I think it’s really cute..!”

 

“Thank you, Fuka!” He says to her, before he reaches and grabs what he uses for the frosting. “No~ow, can you take this? Let’s draw flowers on the top of these! We’ll make make them even cuter.”

 

“Oh! Okay!” Fuka agrees happily. Determined and ready to roll! It’s that easy!

 

She’s good at art, so he’s glad he’s helped her really embrace that. Expressing herself, being herself, learning all there is to know, it’s been really fun, really exciting, and... really painful. But that’s just how these feelings are, huh?

 

Once it’s in her hands, Soh places his on top of hers.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Together, Fuka. One, two~”

 

Cute flowers, little daisies, just like the ones he showed her the other day, that he brought with him to his shop to add a little more liveliness in it. It’s a little glimpse of something new to her, a brief moment of the unknown.

 

“Amazing!”

 

“Right? Hey, hey, I think these would— ah..!”

 

Fuka picks one up and plops one into his mouth without really thinking it through, even though he’s talking.

 

“That could have been dangerous!” A momentary pout, but the expression is quick to change, “buuuut, it’s a pass, because it’s you. These really are good! Better because you treated me!”

 

“It’s thanks to your— huh?”

 

Ah, did it miss her? Did she only catch the most obvious hint? So lively, so dear.

 

She deserves so much more.

 

I wonder, does she dream about the outside? About all the tower over looks? About how many more flowers there are out there that would really suit her?

 

There’s such a wide world Fuka can’t see, that he wishes she could. This town, thanks to... doings such as his own, is not the safest, and the motions threaten to clip her wings. Naturally, she wanders right into the way, and it leaves a sour feeling in his stomach. He’s... scared? Worried? He can protect her, definitely, for a future, he can.

 

But his instincts are calling him to an adventure.

 

Leaning close to her, squeezing her hand, they might not get time like this anymore, soon. He’s fallen for her, as her. He could cup his hands and shout this, even, but all of that energy is instead directed to another thought -- a lovely stroll in a place, outside of town, hidden away, that could... happen to turn into a run.

 

Maybe, the more logical course would be to really become that cafe couple, to abandon whatever lays here, swirls to remind him here... No...

 

Starting over from scratch, this pure love can carry them away from the tower that binds them to fate, free from the chains, free from what anyone has to say. They can...

 

...They can simply be.

 

---

 

“Oi, Soh,” that’s all the wolf has to say, really. Perfect timing! But doesn’t he always?

 

“Yes, yes, Caesar-san~!” Soh laughs, plating Caesar’s meal in a swift swoop.

 

About time, Caesar grumbles. He’ll never admit it properly, but he really does appreciate his cooking, huh? What would Caesar do without him?

 

...Soh already knows that answer but, in the back of his mind, he wishes he didn’t.

 

Tsk-tsk, but far more serious -- if only things were different, but it simply wasn’t meant to be.

 

Fuka... Stirring, he takes in the familiar scents around him, but nothing is masked with her, aside from the apron he once let her borrow, when she helped at the cafe with him. Her laughter rings in his head, the sweetness of her kiss -- far more lasting than any of his signature pastries -- lingering. The look on her face when he told her of a girl a young man fell in love with, that couldn’t return his feelings, the worry that swirled and clouded the pink-stained glass, how she put on her best smile, grabbed his hands and said, “I-Is this about you? It’s alright, Soh! You’re really nice! And make people super glad with your really, really good food! Even if it makes you sad, there are people that’ll help make you happy again!”

 

He shook it off then. It’s not him, don’t worry. Soh? He’s the happy cafe shop owner who isn’t a threat at all, despite his affiliation! Is he taken? Married? Of course! To his shop! ...Though, when he repeated that bit to her again, she got so caught up in his passion that she almost congratulated him.  

 

She’s adorable, bright, and always does her best. The world is hers to take, however will it shine in her innocent eyes? What choices will she make? He cannot tie her down, not at all, but he, he will absolutely support her! This is her new beginning, so he wants to make she can live it, with all the sugar, and with all the salt too.

 

Cara-Cara and Aku-Aku... Mmhmm! They’ll watch out for her, and keep her as safe as they can.

 

He’ll enjoy what he does have with her.

 

I wanted... Say, Fuka. Do you feel free? Are you happy? Are you thinking about the friendships you’re forming, the good food to still be had, about how it’s almost...

 

Ah! That’s right!

 

Soh smiles, widely, so much that Caesar nearly barks in questioning, “What’s got you like that?”

 

“Ehehe, Caesar-san, I get to be at the shop tomorrow!” Soh answers, the lively crowd of good customers powerful in his mind, and making them... she...  will likely be there, with Axel, too, probably. Another night will pass, and then he’ll get to see that pure look he adores so much, and know that she’s doing alright where she is.

 

He’ll be able to listen to her laugh, and ask about her day, and eagerly await her enthusiastic answer. Mmn! You’ll never find a rainbow, if you’re looking down, so chin up!

 

“Because, Caesar-san, tomorrow’s Sunday!”