Seat Number Zero

Part 27

Yumi raised a brow and glanced at the arm that's snaked ever so naturally around Aiko. "Could've fooled me."

"You-"

"Are you going to let me in?" Yumi asks the 'wife'. "It's kinda... cold?"

"Yes yes, come in." Aiko giggles as she playfully smacks her 'husband' away while dragging Yumi inside the apartment by the arm. Izumi trailed behind them after shutting the door like a lost kicked puppy, rather upset to be shooed away by his lover.

It has been nearly a year since she last visited her seniors, and judging by their body language they are still as close as she remembered.

Aiko looked as though she hadn't aged a day, her long silky hair rich as ever lightly sways behind her, her dark eyes shone brightly, and her pale skin made her look like a doll. Her back is so straight and poised, doesn't matter if she was wearing plain clothes and an apron; her elegance radiates maturity.

Her partner, on the other hand, is a full crisis. How can there be such a drastic difference in hair quality between two people of the same hair color? Izumi's trimmed hair looked like it was caught on fire at one point. His face is average at worst, and that permanent scowl of his ruins the picture.

But I guess love is blind or whatever.

"Are you just going to stand there? Wash up." Izumi calls out to her, taking out various pastry tools and cookware. "I know you didn't come here to catch up."

Yumi smirks and places the cooler on the counter, "don't you have a bakery to run?"

"We're closed today," Aiko responds giggling, taking the lid off to examine the ingredients Yumi miserably dragged with her across the country. "Oh my, these are surprisingly fresh considering the terrible freeze we've been having these past few days."

"Only the best from Tootsuki." Yumi rolls her eyes. She went over to the sink and turned the dial to hot water and let her hand soak in it for a while. "Hey, that scar is new." Yumi gestures to his cheek. "You're too skilled with the knife for it to be an accident. How'd you get it?"

Izumi looked up and placed down the towel he was using to wipe the bowls. His gaze cuts towards Aiko as if asking permission to tell the story. Aiko solemnly gave him a light nod as she set aside the now empty cooler. "About a month after your last visit we went to her family home to attend the funeral of her grandfather. And her mother..." He slowly explains. "The bitch came after her with a knife."

"Oh..." Yumi said.

"You're wasting water," Izumi said shutting the faucet off for her and went back to wiping the bowls.

"So do you have an idea of what you want to make with these?" Aiko clapped her hands, cheerfully changing the subject.

"You guys are the experts in sweets." Yumi shrugs. "Got any suggestions."

"Hm..." Izumi hums thoughtfully. "Well maybe..."

Day 2...

"After today I'm never eating sugarcanes again." Izumi groans, resting his head against the wall with the trash can conveniently next to his feet.

"I'm here till tomorrow." Yumi blinked, waving her whisk.

"I hate you."

"Hang in there, Izu," Aiko laughs, tagging in for her partner so he can recuperate from the excessive intake of sugar.

"I still feel like I'm getting nowhere," Yumi frowns, flipping through her notes.

"That last one had a kick to it," Izumi said. "It's fresh and light on the tongue, airy."