ain't sweet enough
part two: oshiruku and mochi
prologue previous chapter next chapter
(a/n: sup yâall. Iâm tryna stick to a regular schedule with this series. I know it's been a while but life happens so. I'll try to get back into it! Anyway, this chapter will include a little bit of romance, just a tidbit. Hope youâre in for an emotional ride. Appreciate you for your support!)
As the keys jiggled, echoing in the cool breeze of midnight. The twenty year old walked into the small but modest two-bedroom apartment, with a small prescription bag in his hand. He didnât hear a sound, which gave him a sense of unease. âYuzu. Karin.â He said loudly across the dimly-lit apartment not to startle them, or specifically Yuzu. He didnât hear anything for a while until the small footsteps descended down the stairs.
He made out the shadow of the girl, her scowl (similar to his) and her short black hair could be seen amongst the moonlit space. âWhat took you so long, dimwit?â She casually snipped at him. Karin folded her arms as she scanned her very tired older brother, and the prescription bag he was holding. She grabbed the bag out of his hands, âDidnât expect the pharmacy to be open this late. Well, at least she has some in case of emergency.â Ichigo raised an eyebrow as he sat down on the couch. âSo you were able to calm her down, huh?â
Karin nodded and she sunk into the plaid sofa, âBarely. But sheâll be fine. I think sheâs calmed down a little before she passed out.â Ichigo dug his cigarette pack from his back pocket and retrieved his lighter from his jacket. âOr youâre just better at handling her.â Karin snorted as she stared at Ichigo and the small puff of smoke surrounding him. âHowâs work?â She asked, looking at the way heâs slowly drifting off with a cig in his hand really sums up his whole day. âStressful again, huh? You know, Iâm 15, basically. I can help-â
âNo, thank you. You need to focus on your schoolwork. Thatâs how you help me. Knowing that you guys are getting good grades boost my moral.â He repeated the speech to Karin. She knew thatâs what he was going to say, she donât even know why she asked. Maybe for once, heâll accept the help. But no, heâll rather singlehandedly work until his legs give away than having his baby sister help out with the bills. Karin lightly sucked her teeth, âWhatever. You men and your pride kills me.â She walked to the kitchen to cut of the light. âDonât party all night. Iâm going to bed.â She waved as she headed to her shared room with her sister. ââNight.â Ichigo puffed out another wave of smoke then extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray as he slowly drifted off on the sofa.
Orihime woke up in a cold sweat. Her heart rate was kinda high and she felt herself breathing fast. Her gray eyes scanned the environment. Nothing seemed out of place. The moon dimly lit her room through the white curtains, and she checked the alarm clock on her nightstand. 3:00am.
Itâs okay. Just another nightmare. Then she felt the covers shifting beside her, feeling a warm presence.
âGo back to sleep, Ori.â She heard his deep sleepy voice and turned to find her topless boyfriend next to her. She slowed her breathing until she had fully calmed down.
She let out a deep sigh and lay back down on the queen-sized bed. Five years have passed, and she still has the same nightmare. Twisting her body, she looked at Ul and his resting face. Why does that nightmare still scare me as much as the first time? She lightly rubbed her hand against Ul's face as she scooted closer to feel his warmth. Her mind suffocated her with dark thoughts but she tried to shake them off. Should she get a drink? Hmm, too lazy. She closed her eyes as she took in her lover's scent to calm her down.
But the warmth subsided as her lover turned his body away from her to the opposite side of the bed. Then a distant memory came back as she recalled that he doesn't like... cuddling. It made him feel 'uneasy' and her doing it all the time was 'annoying.' She mirrored his actions and turned as well, wrapping herself in the covers.
She smiles to herself even though it doesn't reach her eyes. She should be used to it by now. Ul's...different, that's just his character. But she loves him nonetheless. After all, they've been through thick and thin. He's her first love and he's always been there for her. Even though things have changed over the years. She owes him her loyalty and love...right?
The alarm reads 3:15. She needs to go to sleep and stop thinking about these tricky things. Though it would be nice to be cuddled, it made her feel desired and protected.
Suddenly, gentle chocolate eyes appeared in her mind. What? Why did he come to mind?
I mean, yeah, he does seem like a caring and passionate guy, but I only met him a couple of days ago. I don't know him that well to deem he's a good guy, let alone romantic. Well, he does know Tatsuki, so he's probably not that bad, right? She shuffled lightly in the bed. Maybe Tatsuki is right, maybe I am a naive klutz.
It was Monday. And Ichigo was off work.
He was on his way to pick up Karin and Yuzu from school as a surprise. Since it was the twins' birthday. He stopped at a stop light and his phone lit up as it rang. It was Chad. He picked up the call and put him on speaker. "What's up, man?" He heard the normal clanging and drilling in the background.
"The beetle's finished." Chad's low voice was over the phone and sounded a bit ragged today. "She was a piece of work too."
Ichigo chuckled and let off the brake as the light turned green. "Yeah, 'm not even a mechanic and I could tell that thing was a piece of junk. But you gotta make do with what you got right?" Ichigo made a right at the intersection. He heard Chad chuckle and mumble something under his breath. "Oh, it's the twin's birthday party today, hm? Lemme Cashapp you sumthin'"
"Oh, there's no need, Chad. You've done enough really-" Ichigo tried to brush his overly abundant kindness off. But Chad beat him to the punch. "Nope, already sent $60 to your tag. Get them something nice. I'll try to get off my shift early to surprise them." Ichigo scoffed as he shook his head. "You're such a softie under all of that muscle.." A tiny bakery shop caught his eye and a recent memory of Yuzu saying she craved some mochi. Even though, Yuzu always has a craving for sweet things. He looked at the time. 12:05. He had plenty of time to stop in and get something.
"Hm, don't tell anyone my secret." Chad joked as Ichigo rolled his eyes. He parallel-parked the Jeep in front of the store. "Whatever, softie. Look, I'm gonna go and grab some sweets for the party tonight. You want anything?" He heard Chad thinking in a low hum.
"What about that red bean soup? I remember the last time I was hanging out over there Karin and I were watching this anime and this red bean soup popped up and it looked delicious-" Ichigo chuckled and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Got it, got it. Red bean soup. Although, I don't think that a bakery shop would have that, no?"
Ichigo exited his car and locked the doors. "Hm, it's a sweet dish, maybe they'll have it. If not, don't fret." The doorbell rang as the orange-haired male walked into the pink and pastel-decorated bakery. The scent of brown butter and sugar overwhelmed his nostrils. Ichigo wasn't really a 'sweets' kinda guy but as he observed the pastries through the display, he must admit that even his mouth began to water.
"Oh, Ichigo, don't forget to let that girl know that her car will be ready to pick up tomorrow." He heard his friend on the phone as he managed through the store to try to find the mochi section. "Alright man, I'll call her tonight." He responded. Hmm, maybe text would be better since he didn't know her schedule. Good lord, how is this store so confusing for such a small store?
"Hello! How can I help you- Kurosaki-kun?" Well, speaking of the devil. Well, actually angel? Ew, that was cringe. He could hear his sarcastic sister say if she would hear his thoughts.
"Orihime? I'll call you back Chad..." As he hung up the phone, he turned his attention to the cute redhead who had an overly decorated pink apron. He approached the counter, "You did mention you worked at a bakery, huh?" He remembered their first conversation when they discussed their professions. She smiled and nodded, "Yes, indeed. How did you know that I worked here though? I don't think I told you where I worked?" She pursed her lips and squinted her eyes. "Are you stalking me, Kurosaki-kun? Oh! Perhaps you're a spy!" She clapped her hands as she teased the tall man.
Ichigo snorted and waved at the cheeky woman, "Where do you come up with this stuff? No, it just happened to be a coincidence I suppose." He leaned against the counter, "So, what can I help you with Kurosaki-kun? I didn't take you for a sweet tooth kinda guy." She smirked as he rolled his eyes.
"That's because I'm not. It's for my sisters. Their birthday is today." He said as he picked up a strange-looking lion/teddy bear on the counter. Orihime eyes sparkled with excitement as she made a squeal. "Aww, that's so sweet, no pun intended. How old are they?" She leans into the counter, closing the gap between them. Ichigo tried not to act surprised at the distance, "U-um, they'll be fifteen. Officially at midnight."
"Oh! In high school? How exciting!" She clapped her hands, still smiling. "What are their names?" She absentmindedly twirled her hair, and Ichigo chuckled at her excitement. "Yuzu and Karin. And they are both headaches." He sighed and she snickered and rolled her eyes. "Well duh, that's how you know that they love you. They're supposed to give you headaches." Orihime said with her hips on her hips. He chuckled, "Uh huh, is that right?"
She nodded, "It is. Now, come on." She jumped over the counter, successfully. Ichigo raised his eyebrows, "Wow, impressive."
She cutely squealed again and jumped up and down, "Right?! I've been practicing for weeks to do the over-the-counter jump in movies. I should go to a dojo now, huh?" Ichigo laughed at her cute antics and shook his head. "Hmm, not yet. Maybe until you master jumping over a fence."
Orihime pouted and folded her arms, "Aww, but that's gonna take forever to master that level!" Ichigo smiled but stopped in his tracks as he remembered. "Oh! Orihime, my friend at the shop said he just finished the beetle and should be ready to pick up tomorrow."
"Really?! What perfect timing!" She clasped his hands between her two small ones. "I truly thank you, Kurosaki-kun! I wish I knew how to repay you!" He smiled sheepishly and reclaimed his hand to scratch the back of his head. "Don't sweat it, Ori. However, one way you could repay is by directing me to the mochi section?" Orihime slightly blushed at the nickname but furrowed her eyebrows at Ichigo's question.
"Ah! Does one of your sisters like mochi? How adorable! Yes, right this way!" She grabbed his arm and led him toward the back of the store where a small refrigerated display of glutinous rice buns was. "Hmm, yes. And we have them in many flavors like matcha ice cream, strawberry, or mango. Or just red beans. I like to have mine with wasabi, the sweetness and the spiciness are so good together." She practically drools at the thought of her unusual concoction. Ichigo scrunched his nose at the idea, "Really, wasabi? Oh! That reminds me. Do you happen to have red bean soup?"
Orihime hums as she thinks, "No, unfortunately, we don't have Oshiruku at this shop. Usually, you'll either have to get that at a restaurant or make it at home." She smiles as she pulls her phone out of her back pocket. "I do know how to make it though. I can send you a recipe through text. And you can buy the ingredients here." Ichigo thought for a moment and shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm not much of a cook though. And I do want it to be a surprise. Eh, I don't know. I might just stick with the mochi buns." But Orihime pouted her bottom lip and folded her arms in an 'X'. "No good! You should try anyway. It's about the experience and the memories." She passionately shook Ichigo's shoulders. He laughed and grabbed her arm to stop, "Alright, alright. Though, I think you're just trying to get me to buy more stuff. You're a great salesperson." She snorted at his response.
"One of my many careers in my past lives." She smugly winked at him and he winked back. Out of nowhere, a strong sense of confidence came over Ichigo as he approached the redhead. He instantly closed the distance between them, grabbed her hand, and gently placed his lips on her knuckles. "Although, I would prefer if you came over to teach me how to make it."
At this, Orihime almost matched her face with the color of her hair. Okay, maybe he was a passionate, romantic guy. She started to fidget, and her eyes darted across the room, "W-Well, I would love to, but I have plans tonight...with my boyfriend..." She slowly muttered the latter part. Ichigo's mind froze but he instantly retracted his hand from hers.
He stepped back, "Oh, I'm sorry. I-I didn't-"
"No, no, it's fine. I never told you before." She assured him and laughed awkwardly. He nodded, "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have assumed."
After a short pause, he cleared his throat. "A-anyway, I'll just take a box of the red bean mochi. Then I should be going." He forced a fake smile and Orihime winced.
"Really? Are you not going to make the Oshiruku?" He shook his head at her question as he grabbed the rice buns. "No, maybe another time." She slightly frowned but nodded, "Oh, okay then. Right this way." She rang up the mochi behind the counter. "That'll be 910 yen. Also, Kurosaki-kun, I hope this doesn't affect our...relationship. I like to continue to be your friend." She nervously hands him the bag. Ichigo looks at her momentarily, chuckles to himself, and hands her the money.
"No, I wouldn't want that either. You have my number, right?" His smile reaches his warm brown eyes as he gently takes the bag from her grasp. "Call me anytime you need me, Orihime. See ya!" He waves as the doorbell rings, and Orihime shouts 'Sayonara' before he's out of sight. She gazes at the orange-headed male as he climbs into the two-door Jeep. Orihime doesn't know why but she frowns when he leaves. She turns her hand to her hand, or rather, the knuckles that he so gently kissed. She could still feel his lingering soft and warm touch. Or how her heart almost jumped out of her chest when he called her 'Ori.' She almost wished that it didn't end.
She slapped her cheeks before her mind ran too wild. What is wrong with her? She has a boyfriend who's literally waiting for her at home. A boyfriend who calls her 'Ori' all the time. Why is she thinking of these forbidden thoughts? She tried to busy herself with sweeping the front of the store.
Maybe it had just been a while since she'd felt that way before. But she's used to plenty of guys flirting with her off the streets before, how was this one different than the others?
Her phone rang in her pocket, and without looking she answered. "Hello?"
"Orihime, I won't be able to pick you up today." A deep voice came over the other line. "Got a call from work, you'll have to take the train today."
She hummed, an uneasy feeling overcame her as she thought about taking the train at night. "Oh, that'll be fine. Maybe Tatsuki-chan will help!" She chirped, knowing that Tatsuki is currently out of town.
"Hmm, ok then." And that was the end of that conversation. 12 seconds. Maybe she held the record for the shortest convo on a phone ever. Should she contact the Guinness World Record?
She chuckled to herself. Maybe he was just having a bad day, though not like it was different from any other day. She paused her sweeping and looked at her hand with a solemn expression. When was the last time he made her feel that way? She glanced out of the window looking at the pearly white clouds as she tried to recall a romantic interaction between them.
(a/n: alrighty then! i felt as if this chapter was too short. but I'll try to make it up in the next. i know this is a slow burn but I promise the next chapter will have more drama in it. maybe romance? who knows. but thx for the support! smooches! ps. yall think Ichigo came off too strong?)






