Based on cute one shot manga I read while back called Seto's Customers, not beta'ed
Sweet aroma of freshly baked bread, buns with any possible filling you could imagine, from sliced pieces of deliciously ripe fruits to masterly made jams, filled narrow streets of small town. Just one inhale of it and anyone finds them self bewitched by it unconsciously trekking down their way to small local bakery.
It was old but well taken care of with mystic feeling of to it. Everyone would feel like they are at home, relaxed and happy lulled by wonderful scent of baked goods. No matter what gender or age everyone adored that place and its owner.
Tall blond could say just same about the owner of the bakery. Enchanted by fragrance that was so familiar to him he kept going for his destination.
This man was called Kise Ryouta, a well known model and owner of famous pastry shop. Kise had everything one would want to achieve concerning his looks. He was tall and muscular just enough to look deviously handsome. His golden eyes shone brightly in his catalog cover worth face. One would say that his golden ratio was almost impossibly perfect.
As a chief though, he wasn't any good at all.
He was eating a crepe while walking down narrow old street looking for rumored bakery. The reason why someone like Kise Ryouta came to this desolated place was because of owner of said place. After all that man was sole reason why Kise opened a pastry shop.
They met in Tokyo during their middle school, Kise at that time was absolutely lost with what he wished to do, by then he was already scouted by model agency and he thought that it secured his future. After that everything became unbearably dull.
That is until he met a boy. Kuroko Tetsuya. They became friends unbelievably fast considering difference in their personalities. But only by end of middle school did Kuroko told Kise about his dream to become a chief.
Now that he thought about it more, his decision to create famous pastry shop was inspired by his infatuation with the boy.
And truth to that, they kept contact in high school and college, and when Kise finally opened small pastry Kuroko gladly accepted to work there. It was bit difficult at first, but Kuroko enjoyed himself working there and nothing made Kise happier than seeing his beloved smile.
He regretted never expressing his fondness to other correctly, never actually confessing his love.
One day Kuroko just gave him slip of paper of his reassignment. It was quite a shock at first even when boy explained that he needed to take over small bakery in his home town that he loved dearly. Kise didn't want other to leave however he had no means of way to make other stay.
"Kurokocchi should have just stayed with me. Everything here is so rundown." Kise whined to himself silently as he took bit of his crepe. Or at least he tried to do so only to find it gone from his hand.
Now, he might have been lost in thoughts for a bit but he was sure he did not finish eating his treat.
He absolutely did not eat paper packing that held his crepe.
There was no way.
As he heard rustling right behind him, Kise released a breath he was holding in relief. Right behind him black creature at size of cat was eating his sweet. Said creature raised its head to look at Kise.
It was certainly not a cat.
Or any normal animal at that.
Blond did not let out high pitched shriek. He didn't scream at all. No he truly did not.
Well maybe little bit.
"Kurokocchi you have to believe me! I was attacked by some kind of monster on street!" Kise wailed to his friend, the main reason why he was here in first place.
"Don't be ridiculous Kise-kun, there is no such thing as monsters." Boy deadpanned, he was used to his friend's weird antics.
"Kurokocchi but there is! And one of them ate my crepe!" Kuroko choose to ignore Kise continuing to work at counter. Few people who were in shop laughed little, they didn't mean any harm but it was fairly amusing. "It was really scary you know, it had tail and wings and was really scary!"
"Oh, it must have been a fairy then." Kuroko said monotonously, it was frequent matter after all.
"Well they do say that fairies lived in this town from ancient days." One of customers said.
Kise couldn't help but feel ridiculed. "But that was some grotesque being!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing, clearly this was absurd. Old man just laughed again saying that they could take various shapes. How utterly bizarre was this situation Kise couldn't even start to warp his mind around it.
"Kise-kun I'm really glad you visited, but please go home, I have work to do." Kuroko dismissed his friend easily. It wasn't lie of course. His bakery was well known and loved in this town, and it truly made him happy. He had feeling way Kise truly came to him, but there was nothing to change his mind.
When Kuroko exited his little shop to make a delivery for one of his neighbors Kise dutifully followed him.
"Wait! Kurokocchi, I came here to get you come back, to work for me!" Kise fastened his pace to catch up with his friend, while munching on slice of cheesecake he was given earlier. Kuroko's baking skills were wonderful after all.
"Kise-kun no matter how many times you ask the answer shall always remain same."
"Please, you have to think again…" Whatever blond wanted to say more was cut off by very manly scream that escaped his throat when one of fairies took slice of cheesecake from Kise. "Kurokocchi, did you see that monster!"
"That what fairies do, please don't make ruckus Kise-kun." Neither his voice nor his expression changed. For Kuroko after all it was everyday thing, something that one grows accustomed to.
It was really late in evening when Kuroko was still working on pastries. It looked like magic to Kise, the way other so skillfully applied icing to small cupcakes he backed just earlier carefully placing small piece of fruit on top.
It looked positively delicious.
"May I have one?" Blond asked reaching for one of the treats. His eyes sparkled with excitement he loved Kuroko's cupcakes the most.
Kuroko however just swatted others hand away. "These aren't for you Kise-kun."
"Eh? Are they for somebody else?
"They are for very important customers." Kuroko's voice was soft and full of fondness, Kise rarely got to hear it like that, and never directed at him.
"At this hour?"
"Please watch carefully." Boy took tray with freshly baked goods and placed it on table near one of the windows.
Soon clatter could be heard right from outside, it kept getting louder and louder till something opened window. Kise would have screamed if Kuroko did not shush him with small smile. He looked at opened window with fondness.
It was mystical. Fairies, he couldn't count just how many of them there was, came in and took sweets one by one, leaving different types of berries on the tray. It was captivating. Kise might have just understood little bit why his beloved Kuroko decided to leave everything for this small shop. Maybe just a little bit.
"Are you feeling like going home yet?" Kuroko stared intently at his friend, as if looking for something.
"Absolutely not! I won't give you that easy Kurokocchi!"
For couple days forward everything continuing just same. Kise kept going after Kuroko with same request over and over again. Fairies still kept bothering them, but he learned to accept that they there only for Kuroko's baked goods.
Blond knew just how stubborn his friend was and yet he could not accept defeat, he simply could not leave without his Kuroko.
He wondered at times if he should just confess his affection to other, maybe then something would change, maybe then Kuroko would follow him back.
It was wishful thinking, he knew. He still had something to try before it. Probability of success was small however he had to try anything he could.
Kise was utterly exhausted, this town was taking too much from him. Those fairies were simply too much for him.
But this was the day he had to make a move, it was risky he was aware but there was tiny light of hope. Kuroko looked in high spirits that day working diligently on pastries.
"You look in good mood today Kuroko-kun!" One of local customers laughed. He lived here for long time already and knew almost everything about town and fairies.
"A very special customer is going to visit tonight." Was simple answer but it was said with such sweet smile as if talking about ones lover. Something squeezed Kise's heart hard when he heard one of customers ask whether it is his girlfriend.
"Good morning…"
"Good morning Kise-kun, here please eat and hurry home." Kuroko said to his friend, sweet smile that played on his lips before changed into small line. His average expression.
Something twisted inside Kise, and it hurt it hurt so badly. "I won't." His voice was drained of all cheerfulness he usually possessed while speaking with Kuroko.
Clearly it was long shot but Kise was at his limits, with deep breath he reached in his bag and pulled out check book. He placed it on counter with bit too much power.
"Tell me how much?" He said releasing breath he was holding.
Kuroko just glanced from side to insulting object. After all he was working not for profits. He chose to ignore it and kept working on apple pie.
"I'm not the best out there Kise-kun, surely enough you could get anyone work for you, or even get them specially trained for you." Ice cold voice. Just like that he was dismissed with voice colder than blizzard in South Pole.
Strangely enough rather than discouraging him it made something flare up in Kise. Wounded heart made his mind go blank with rage. Kuroko should just come back to him and everything would be alright. Just like it always was!
"It has to be you! No one is better than you!" He didn't mean to scream. Kise regretted it all almost immediately. If not money, than what could bring Kuroko back to him. Love? Any faith he held in that option shattered like a glass.
"I'm sorry Kise-kun, but there is nothing that could change my mind."
Rejection, it was clear rejection of anything Kise could offer to Kuroko.
Nothing but bitter after taste, was left in his mouth. He couldn't say or do anything.
His defeat was clear, but defeat by whom?
Kise stayed in shop watching Kuroko work, they did not spoke much after.
He did not follow when Kuroko went out to make small delivery.
He did not try to persuade other again.
Small noises woke him up. Kise hadn't even noticed when he fell asleep but it was already late in evening. He was still dazed when he saw one fairy. It was slightly different from usual ones he saw coming to Kuroko at evenings.
It was smaller, and less threatening in looks, except for glowing heterochromatic eyes, ruby red and amber.
Kise would have fallen asleep easily then if not Kuroko's voice.
"Good evening Akashi-kun, I have been waiting." His voice sounded so sweet and loving never had Kise heard him use such voice to someone.
Petite creature placed small branch on counter and nibbled on pie little till Kuroko approached it.
It squeaked in delight when Kuroko scratched its head a little.
And then unimaginable happened. Small fairy turned to human. He was slightly taller than Kuroko and looked otherworldly.
It took branch with berries and presented it to Kuroko, taking his other hand and kissing it.
Kuroko's laugh was like ancient melody, so calming and captivating and yet implausibly rare occurrence to be heard.
Kise felt numb. He felt like crying and yet no tears fell down his face. This was a heartbreak, how truly unfortunate. He hated it and yet his beloved Kuroko seemed so happy.
Kises greatest regret was after all that he could never make Kuroko happy. He could never make other smile this easily and laugh melodiously like wind chimes do.
He was never the one who could give anything to other after all, as Kuroko already had everything he wanted.
Next morning then Kise came to visit he found Kuroko dreamily rolling one of tiny berries that fairy brought him last night. He didn't want to disturb serene atmosphere other was in, he knew now that everything was pointless after all.
"I'm heading back to Tokyo now." It was simple statement. There was no reason for him to stay there anymore.
"Do come visit at times, Kise-kun."
"Of course I will Kurokocchi!"
Simple, simple everything was oh so simple.
There was no chance for him from the start.
He had no happy ending.
He dashed of when he knew that Kuroko won't see him. It hurt, it hurt so badly. His chest seemed like it will explode. His vision became blurry.
Ah, he was crying.
Was it because of heartbreak?
He came here to make Kuroko happy.
And he was, so why?
Was it because his happiness wasn't brought by Kise himself?
He didn't know how to face Kuroko anymore.
It simply hurt too much to even think about it…