Strawberry Milk [COMPLETED]

❧Chapter Nine

The bakery was absolutely gorgeous.

It was warm, fuzzy, oozing with a comforting atmosphere, and bright and welcoming. I came in and sat down in one of the tiny clean tables, amazed by how cute it was on the inside. The tables were decorated with small stuffed animals and teapot shaped lamps. Looking around, the bakery was filled with happy customers -- singles, families...adorable guys!

Where was Hajime, for God's sake?!

I sigh and lean back in my seat, hands stuffed into the pockets of my hoodie. I was wearing my usual attire -- sweats and my hair pulled into a messy, crap ponytail. I totally didn't fit in here. It was all bright and aesthetic and pastel colored...I was dressed in grays, dark greens...poopy colors, you know. Not like I usually cared.

Oh, wait.

I slapped my hand over my forehead -- almost too loudly, I might add. A few heads turned my way but I stared them down to get them to quit. I felt like a dummy! I went all the way here to talk to Hajime and I was still dressed like a junkie?! I could have worn...no, skinny jeans still wouldn't make me look all that much presentable...what about...no...

There...is that dress Chisame bought me on my last birthday that I never wore...oh, gross! Did I really just consider that?!

"Miss? Miss? You look oddly familiar."

I suddenly found myself seated before the glowing angel I had come to see in the first place.

Gorgeous as ever, with his blond curls slicked back and framing his adorably godlike face. It seemed the heat of working might have flushed his cheeks a little. They were the sweet color of peaches. Instead of his usual tux, he wore a clean white chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of nice khaki pants. Around his body he wore a pastel pink apron with the bakery logo on it.

I smiled uncontrollably up at Hajime, while simultaneously breaking out into a nervous sweat and wondering what the hell to even say to him first.

"D-Do I?" I work on answering his first question. "I didn't think you'd recognize me all washed up with the scars all gone."

Hajime smiled and set his tray down, fixating his alluring bright eyes on me. "Even battered and bruised, a lady's skin still glows with beauty. The band-aids are adorable."

To my surprise, Hajime reaches over and boops my nose with his index finger, making me redden so deeply I knew he could see it. He smirks in the sexiest way an angel possibly could and offers me one of the cute bunny cupcakes on the tray he was carrying around. I look up at him, surprised, but he takes my hand and places the cupcake in it.

"How much---"

"Hope you like vanilla bean, Miss Ichigo. Didn't you read the sign outside? 3 free cupcakes for first time customers. I'll even bring you a bottle of our strawberry milk...that is, if you enjoyed what I had offered you the other day..." Hajime grins and takes a seat in the chair across from mine, making me giddy with excitement.

I hadn't sat at a table with someone like this before..it felt weird...and...nice.

My chest felt like something had exploded in it and sent it racing...