i couldn't help but fall for you || Takuto Maruki x Reader

apples and cookies

Time seemed to pass slower than usual. You could get back to studying, but really, who wants to do that? Lunchtime was about to start anyway, so there wasn't much of a point to start something just to have to put it down almost immediately. You reached over to the chilled bottle of water underneath the register, taking a hearty sip. The water was refreshing and crisp, but still nothing like Boss's coffee in terms of how energized you felt. The convenience-store coffee  tastes like watered-down water. It's literally disgusting but people seem to love it for some reason.

Lunchtime rush, lunchtime rush, waiting, waiting. Sure, the rushes were stressful to handle on your own, but it ended with your shift. It goes without saying that having something to do made time go by faster. As these thoughts passed, you heard the quiet chime of the bell installed at the door. You didn't particularly care to look up just yet, since you had to make sure the register and counter were prepared for the influx of business; that included restocking the candy bars and gum stationed right next to you and straightening mats and signs around you so everything was up to standards.

That customer still hasn't come up to ring yet, strangely enough. Most people usually come in with an idea of what to have for lunch already in mind—an egg sandwich, bread, instant noodles, the works—but this guy was absolutely destroying himself over what snack to buy. He looked so deep in thought it was a little bit (just a tiny bit) adorable. Was he buying for someone special? a new friend he wanted to impress? did he want to try something new but just wanted to get his money's worth? You continued to observe him for just a bit longer. You noticed he wasn't very good with his coordination since he nearly knocked down one of the displays. Yeah, he was a cute guy; he was new though. You never saw him around before, and it's kind of impossible for anyone living in this area for any amount of time to not come here, to the biggest convenience store for some distance.

For a moment, you thought maybe you should go help him, but on the other hand, you were worried that customers would come pouring in, leaving the register open. Yet another case of oh how you wish you had someone working with you right now! You snuck a glance outside and the streets seemed empty enough—and in moments like these, you realize just how much you tend to hesitate. What an annoying habit. After another peek outside, just to make sure, you slowly walked around the counter, making your way towards the man. This demeanor..! It was so warm and inviting!

"Hello, sir!" you put on your usual customer-service voice, but with the way this man was carrying himself you truly did want to be friendly with him, "Is there anything I could help you find today?"

The man, seemingly startled by the sudden proposition, jolted slightly. He nearly dropped the small bag of cookies he was holding. "Oh, hello there! I think I'm alright." He smiled as he adjusted his glasses. "Ah..! Actually, do you happen to carry apple slices or anything of the sort here?"

Apples, huh? On top of that, he specifically wanted apple slices. Did he want to surprise his kid at school or something? There were a few things you could recommend adding onto his order, in that case: a cheap plastic toy or a fruity drink, for example. "Of course, sir. Follow me, please!" As you led him to the refrigerated area of the store, you thought a bit on the character of this man. He was polite, which was always a pleasure to deal with. He was clumsy, but that could always be considered endearing—you just hoped no one made fun of him for it. Moreover, he was criminally attractive. His hair was disheveled slightly, but not messy. It was like it fell perfectly into place, pleasantly framing his face. It was evident he was older, given the stubble on his chin. Most would shave off facial hair like that, but it looked great on this guy.

Absentmindedly, you reached for the small bag of apple slices after pulling the door of the refrigerated unit open. The cool air that promptly hit your face reminded you to suggest the items from your earlier thoughts. "Here you are, sir. May I also suggest a drink to go along with your cookies and apples?" this had to be for a kid.

"I really shouldn't..." the man's expression turned timid. "Ah, what the heck. Some apple juice would be great."

You nodded as you heard the bell chime again. You were nervous now, hoping this customer would take just as long to find whatever they wanted to have for lunch. More quickly this time, you brought him a carton of the juice, cool to the touch. "If you'd like to look around more, feel free to!" you smiled, "Whenever you're ready, I'll be at the register if you don't need any more help."

"Right now's great! Can I follow you there?" he happily replied. You were completely satisfied since he looked happy with the service you provided. As annoying as this job could be at times, you did enjoy being able to help people like this. Moving together with him to the register, you made sure to keep an eye on the other customer. It looked like she was debating what she wanted as well, which was comforting. It gave you more time with this guy.

"I wanted to thank you for your help." The man quickly said almost as soon as you began ringing him up. "I was already pretty indecisive with the cookies, so having you around to help me find the apples was great. I could've been late to my interview..."

Oh, were these snacks for him? Apple slices and apple juice? "It was my pleasure, sir." The interview part explained why he hadn't been here before as well. "An interview? I wish you good luck!" 

The brunette laughed quietly to himself. It was a nice, comforting laugh. "Thank you so much." He said as he reached for his wallet in his pocket. "If all goes well, I might be a regular here. My interview is at Shujin."

"Oh, they're hiring?" it could've been to fill the spot Kamoshida left behind, but he didn't have much of an athletic build like the former coach did. Still, it would've been better to not bring up something controversial. Not good for business or whatever.

He nodded curtly. "Yeah! Counselors. Er, rather, counselor. After everything that happened recently, the students must be struggling."

You, of course, noticed that. You suspected Kamoshida of nefariousness early on, ever since you spotted the bruises on members of the famous volleyball team. Even though he's gone, dealing with the experience and aftermath of it all is another thing entirely. "I'm sure the students will appreciate your help. You're doing good work." With that, the last item was scanned, and you read out the price to him.

The man handed me a couple bills, to which you opened the till and fetched his change. "I sure hope so." He started, "Thank you again. What was your name, by the way?" after taking the bag, he stuffed the receipt in his pocket.

There it was: the dreaded name question. Most of the time, people asked your name if they wanted to complain to management about you. It didn't happen often—at least not to your knowledge. You believed  the service was up to standards and that this man was nice, but you suppose you were being hopeful. You pointed to your name tag and said your name aloud.

"It's very nice to meet you!" he said with a little wave. "My name is Takuto Maruki. I just thought that, since I'd be a regular here, I should get to know my store clerk a bit, don't you think?" the man—Maruki—was surprisingly earnest.

"O-oh. Yes, of course. The pleasure's all mine, Maruki." You certainly weren't expecting  that. "Have a great rest of your day and good luck at your interview!"

Maruki ended up getting the job. He started almost immediately and became a regular. You don't know why, but you were  truly happy about that. He was just so pleasant. More specifically, he was the type of guy you wanted to pour my heart out to; a great listener, to be sure. That was to be expected of a counselor, of course, but Maruki genuinely wanted to listen to people. Your job quickly went from simply being a means to an end to something you looked forward to before you fell asleep after classes, as long as you could speak with the doctor in the morning. He was a good guy. You really liked him.

The two of you became fast friends, but something within your heart wanted more.