It was a small shop that'll be very easy to ignore. The street where it was located has many other stores that is more likely to attract attention, most of which are cafes full of students hanging out after school. The forgettable name doesn't help either. All in all, M's Muffin wasn't a place Enma thought he'll be going to for weeks (Or maybe it is, considering how much he love the silence)

What first caught his attention was the delicious smell coming out of the shop's open window. He rarely ate much, and thought that perhaps once in a while he should give himself a treat. It smells like butter, sugar and cinnamon all mixed into a sickly sweet smell. Why would someone put this much sugar in muffins? He never quite liked things that are too sweet, but again, the "once in a while" thought forced him to open the door.

Upon entering the shop, he was greeted by simple tables with lovely decorations on top of each and a pair of chairs to match. It'll be the perfect place for a date, the boy noted to himself. Enma could feel a tinge of pain in his chest at the thought, and he was glad the pain didn't linger. It was only a few days ago when he saw… Something. Something he wished he never sees. And that something seems to be weighing down on him each passing day, popping up in his mind at every possible chances. He shook his head as if shaking the thoughts away and quickly approached the shelf where the muffins are put.

For some reason though, the shopkeeper wasn't there. Enma frowned in disappointment and turned around towards the door. Maybe he'll just go find another shop. Just when he was about to reach the handle, he heard a soft voice shouting "I'm home" from in front of the shop. The door then opened and Enma found himself face to face with a very surprised boy.

He could see the boy's green eyes open wide as he stumbled and almost fell, although fortunately Enma caught him just in time. The boy quickly regains his balance and almost immediately bowed down, muttering something along the lines of, "ThankyouI'msosorryididn'tseeyouyouweresocloseandIwasreallysurprisedI'msosorryI'msoembarrasedIjust-". Enma waited for him to calm down before telling him that it's okay. He can't help thinking that the boy was overreacting, maybe just a little bit too much. But a part of him also thought about how cute that reaction is, and Enma felt like slapping himself for that. The boy IS cute, the red-haired boy ashamedly admitted to himself. With messy black hair and small pink lips, and that gorgeous lime green eyes, he almost look as beautiful as… Enma bit his lips. The thought appeared in his mind again. He distracted himself by softly patting the other boy's back, hoping that it'll calm not just him but also himself.

After taking a few deep breaths, the boy started to speak,"Um, were you going to buy something?". Enma was about to say that he was about to leave since the shopkeeper's not around, but seeing that the boy was about to step into the shop, he thought it'll be worthwile spending a few more minutes in the empty shop if it means he could talk with him a bit. Instead of shaking his head and walking away, Enma found himself nodding and following the boy inside.

The boy looked around and from his confused expression Enma could see that he also wondered where the shopkeeper might be. "Where's Aunt Mimi…?", Enma heard him said in a barely audible voice, as if he was talking to himself.

"You know the shopkeeper?", Enma asked him.

"Ah, um, yeah…", he answered with a startled voice, clearly not expecting Enma to hear him."She's my aunt. I, uh, live here", The boy continued, his lips curling into a shy smile.

It was then that it occurred to Enma that this shop is a family-owned one that doubles as a house. He felt relieved that he didn't say that he was about to leave the shop, it would've hurt the boy's feelings. "Your parents aren't around either?", Enma asked.

"I… I don't have parents", he said quietly, barely enough for Enma to hear. An awkward silence followed, and Enma fidgets uncomfortably. "W-well I guess since Aunt Mimi's not here, I'd be the one to serve you", The boy said, maybe to break the silence, as he walked to behind the counter and took out an apron from the shelf behind him. Enma blushed as the boy puts the black apron on. He lifted his shirt a bit a couple of times so that the apron would fit more comfortably, but all it did was cause Enma to blush even more.

"Uh, so you just went home from school?", He asked the boy while trying to hide his reddening cheeks and to make himself forgot how awkward this conversation is.

"Um, yes. Er… Shirobori Middle School", he answered. Enma found himself smiling, Shirobori is quite near to Namimori, he could visit him once in a while. "I'm from Namimori", he told the boy, hoping he'll think the same thing he was thinking. By Enma's standard, saying that was really bold. Since when was he this social?

"Oh", he said with a sweet smile,"That's pretty close, isn't it?"

Enma almost laughed with joy,"Yeah, maybe we could…", he took a deep breath,"er… Hang out sometimes?".

The boy turned his head to him in surprise, and Enma quickly corrected himself,"No, no, I mean… Sorry I guess it was pretty weird since I'm a stranger and all. Uh, nevermind about that I'll just go get a muffin and I'll lea-".

Unexpectedly, the boy interrupted him mid-sentence,"No It's, it's okay. I was just… No one ever wanted to hang out with me before", he said, the bright smile melting away from his features, replaced with a sad frown.

Enma found himself wearing the exact same frown. Maybe that's why he found the boy somewhat interesting, he reminded him so much of himself. "Not me", Enma said in an attempt to cheer him up,"I'd love to hang out with you".

The boy's face lit up, as if he was a child presented with a new toy. And once again, Enma found himself mirroring his expression.

"Um… Chuuta", He said again in a barely audible voice.

"Hm?"

"M-my name. Kokonose Chuuta. I-I thought, if you'd like to know", he said shyly, before looking up at Enma and giving him a smile even brighter than before. Enma felt his heart beats so fast he was sure it was going to leap out of his chest.

"Nice to meet you Chu-… Kokonose", Enma said, after deciding to not act over-familiar and start by calling him with his family name. He was hoping Chuuta will say that calling him with his first name would be okay, but he said nothing of the sort. Instead he smiled and said,"Nice to meet you too Kozato-kun".

Somehow, Enma doesn't feel disappointed at all.

The next day, Enma went there again. And the day after that, and the day after that and so on. He met Mimi on the 2nd day (Who seems to be suspicious of him in a way. He asssured her that he wasn't holding any ulterior motives). It turns out that the day he met Chuuta, she wasn't around because she went out to buy eggs (When Chuuta inquired how they could run out of eggs that fast, Mimi laughed sheepishly and pointed at a mess of what seems to be broken egg shells and spilled eggs all mixed into one and covered up by a piece of cloth). Sometime around the 3rd day he found out that Chuuta has a habit of talking to himself. Chuuta was worried that he'll think he's weird, but Enma assured him that he's seen weirder things on a daily basis, and he's not even joking.

Overall, he was happy. Talking with Chuuta and his aunt was great. It manages to make him forget about that certain something. Well, almost.

On what seems to be the 14th day he came to the shop, he found that Mimi wasn't around again. Chuuta was there though, and welcomed him into the shop. ("Did she break the eggs again?" "No she just spilled the milk")

After Chuuta put the apron on properly, and change the "OPEN" sign to "CLOSED" ("I don't think most customers would be as nice as you. Talking to people is not exactly my specialty", he said with a laugh), He moved behind the counter.

"Well then what would you like to order?"

Enma was about to answer when suddenly he realizes something he should have figure out weeks ago. He was actually talking to someone. That someone was actually willing to be his friend, and that he might or might not found that someone to be highly attractive. It was just like back then, he realized. Just like with him. Just like with Tsuna.

The memory came rushing back to him. Laughing with the brunette, smiling with him, talking to him. Then how he wanted to confess to him, how he wanted to say that he felt different when he was with him. How he imagined the confession would turn out, then how it really turned out.

He never confessed.

Tsuna was already going out with his cloud guardian before that. He was too late, he was far, far too late. He caught them kissing in an empty classroom after school, and since then, he can't stop thinking about it. Would it turn out different if he realised his feelings sooner? Would he be with Tsuna if he confessed before Hibari did?

Being with Chuuta though… He forgot all about it. He never felt anything other than happiness when he was with the boy. What he saw in the empty classroom, Tsuna, his sadness, everything was just so easily forgotten. He like seeing the boy smile, seeing him laugh. Everyday with him was just so… So perfect.

"um… Kozato-kun?"

Enma snapped out of his thoughts to see Chuuta looking at him with a worried expression

Chuuta gazed at him, as though he was trying to see if he was sick or just weren't focusing,"If you're sick, you shouldn't force yourself to come", he said with a frown.

Enma shook his head,"I'm fine. Plus, I'd really be sick if I couldn't eat your aunt's muffin right now".

Chuuta laughed at that, "Would you like to take something out then?"

"Sure", Enma said.

He already made up his mind.

"What would you like? Blueberry muffins again?

No more being a coward.

No more being "too late".

"You"

"what?"

Enma leaned towards the boy until their eyes made contact and their lips almost touched,

"I'd like to take you out"