Violet Roses | Saiki K

Chapter 14

Teruhashi nodded, "And Kuboyasu."

Akemi sighed. She didn't really want to hang out with Kuboyasu, but she was ok with everyone else. And they would be getting dessert. "Alright, I'll go."

* * *

"You're kidding."

Akemi stared at the bakery's entrance and then at the flower shop. She had passed by this bakery every day and never realized it.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"I-... No, it's nothing."

Teruhashi gave Akemi a confused glance before her smile returned and they walked into the dessert shop. The place was small and there was no one else inside. Akemi had high hopes that everything would be good so she could come whenever she went to see Ren at the flower shop.

They were seated and given a minute to look at the menu. Akemi looked over the menu and immediately knew that this place would be promising.

"What are you going to get?" Teruhashi asked Akemi.

"There's not a ton on the menu... What if we got one of everything and share it all?" Akemi suggested, setting the menu down on the table. They all looked at her like she had lost her mind. All of them but Saiki.

"I think that's a good idea," He said, a small smile on his lips. That was enough to get Teruhashi to agree to the idea and once she did, so did the other three. They called over the waitress and ordered. The waitress gave them a weird look before nodding and disappearing into the kitchen.

For the next 20 or so minutes, the group chatted about whatever random things they could think of. The entire time, Akemi was staring at the kitchen door, waiting for the waitress to come out with their sweets.

"Jeez, Kumiko, you haven't taken your eyes off that door," Kaido said, sounding slightly concerned.

Akemi glanced at them, then back at the door, then back at them before letting out a sigh, "I haven't been to one of these places since Okinawa. And I pass by here every day. Oh, and my dad never took to a dessert shop like he said he was going to when he forced me to get ramen with you guys."

"You're so deprived," Saiki muttered sarcastically.

Akemi shot him a glare, "Says you. The second time I ever saw you, you bought an entire shelf of coffee jellies."

Saiki rolled his eyes and Teruhashi asked, "When was that?"

"My first day, after school," Akemi answered, recalling the event. "I thought he was weird then and I still do."

Nendo and Kaido both laughed and Kuboyasu joined in after a second. Akemi leaned back in the booth seat as Saiki glared at them.

That's when a bell chimed and someone walked in the door. Akemi stared in slight shock when she saw Ren with two bouquets of flowers in his hands. And he had seen her too because their eyes meet and he smiled brightly at her.

"Hey, Akemi," Ren greeted, walking over to stand by her. "I didn't expect to run into you here."

Everyone stared at Ren before Nendo  asked the question they were all wondering, "Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Ren Fujiwara. I work at the flower shop next door." Ren answered with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Fujiwara," Teruhashi replied with a smile that was obviously meant to make Ren fall for her if he hadn't already. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Kumiko?"

"She came into my shop one day and I helped her take some flowers home," Ren explained. Teruhashi's smile faltered when he didn't give her the reaction she wanted, much to Akemi's pleasure, and Ren continued. "Oh, and you can just call me Ren, I don't care."

"Ren, you can just put the flowers on one of the empty tables," someone said, gaining the entire group's attention. Their waitress and another, older woman were coming out of the kitchen holding trays with tons of desserts on them.

"Oh wow," Ren mumbled, watching as the two women placed the trays down on the closest table and started placing the plates on the group's table. Akemi smiled as over 20 treats somehow fit on the table.

"Thank you," Teruhashi said to the waitresses before one of them went back into the kitchen and the other turned to address Ren.

"Actually, I'll just take them. Thank you, dear." she said, taking the flowers from Ren.

"Oh yeah, no problem," Akemi heard Ren mumble as she grabbed a plate that had chocolate cake on it and placed it in front of her. She took a bite and immediately melted.

It's so good. Why didn't I see this place before? Why didn't Ren tell me about it? Akemi wondered as she took a few more bites.

"Hey, Kumiko, you've gotta share," Yumehara said, with a huff. Akemi rolled her eyes but stopped eating.

"Well, uh," Ren spoke up, regaining Akemi's attention, "I'm gonna get going. It was nice to meet you all."

"Why don't you say and help us eat all this," Kuboyasu offered suddenly.

"I don't want to intrude..." Ren mumbled, shifting a bit. Akemi had a feeling he was worried he'd say something wrong if he sat with them. She had told him how closed off she was from the people at her school, and Akemi guessed he didn't want to accidentally expose her or something.

"You're not intruding. Any friend of Kumiko's is a friend of ours. Sit down." Teruhashi said, smiling brightly.

Ren looked at Akemi and she nodded before he sat down next to her. Akemi flashed him a smile before she took a bite of another dessert.

The next hour had been bliss for Akemi. She had felt comfortable around everyone and ended up trying, and liking, every dessert on the table. It also made Akemi happy that her school friends all seemed to be getting along with Ren, even Saiki. Out of everyone there, Akemi had expected Saiki to be the least willing to have Ren around since he seemed to hate new people so much. But he didn't seem to be bothered by his presence. Though, Akemi guessed that had been because of the sweets.

When they had cleared all the plates and left the shop, Akemi bid her goodbyes to everyone and walked home.