"Oh, Shion," Karan smiled, gripping the glass mug in her hands as she spoke. She sat across from her only son, their weekly visit has come. "Nezumi is an absolute delight!" She giggled girlishly, tugging on the string to the teabag in the mug.

Shion repeated the same motion, looking down at the swirling maroon water. A smile occupied his face, a smile of adoration. Yes, Nezumi is a delight, And he was honored that his mother thought so. Nezumi recently took up another job alongside his mother at the bakery, and he brought it quite the crowd of both males and females. The special of the day was always sold out, and there were hardly any left overs.

"I'm so grateful to have him here, and he's such a hard worker," Karan just beamed over Nezumi, while Shion silently, and smugly, sipped his pomegranate tea, "But, you have to watch out!" Karan warned with a joking giggle, Shion's surprised eyes popping up to meet his mother's; "Young women are always in and out, just to see that cute smile of his.~" This was no joke, though that's how she meant it, women were always occupying the store, just to catch the eye of the Lovely Rat. This worried Shion, and he decided to pay a visit.

The welcome bell rang repeatedly as the alabaster-haired male followed a group of teenage girls into the bakery; Shion was on lunch break, loosening the gray tie that occupied his neck. Man, was the bakery crowded; crowds of people lined the walls of the small room, carrying little wicker baskets full of breads and pastries; Lili helped smiling customers at the cooling section, wrapping fresh cupcakes, and tarts up in wax-paper carrying containers, while a navy-haired man worked the cash register with a fervent smile.

"Thank you, come again," Nezumi smiled to a young business woman, who had ceased to leave the counter, but continue conversation as she put her change away.

"If I may ask, with your good looks, what're you doing here?" She laughed, throwing her purse over her shoulder, and flipping her curly blond hair out of the way.

"Prostitution was out of the question," Nezumi joked, followed by a friendly laugh and a rebutted sigh as he welcomed the next customer forward. Shion continued to look around, making him inconspicuous as he browsed.

A sale on cherry cakes today, He put a finger to his lips, and smiled, thinking about dinner for the night. It was his turn to cook, and he was going to make a nice stew, a small salad, and cherry cake for desert. A meal Nezumi would no doubt remember…

"Shion, Good afternoon!" his mother's voice called putting a hand on his shoulder. Shion turned around to see her carrying a metal tray full of fresh rolls of bread; she restocked a shelf as she conversed: "Are you on your lunch break? Would you like something to eat?"

"One of these will be fine," Shion snatched a small roll, and nodded gratefully as he took a nibble, "It's busy," He responded around a mouth full of bread.

"It's only busy because of Nezumi; He's rather popular, they come here for him!" She laughed, putting the metal tray under her arm, along with the silver oven mitt her hand earlier occupied. "Come in the back, I'll work you up something to eat."

He followed his mother behind the counter, passed Nezumi who was busy with a group of School girls buying large quantities of grape bread. He had his hair pulled back into a small ponytail, covered by a white handkerchief, with the sleeves of a longs-sleeved yellow shirt rolled up mid-arm. Lili waved to me quickly before folding up a lemon tart, she was always glad to see me.

"Here," His mother rested a hand on her son's head as she set a plate with two lightly buttered English muffins, topped with thin slices of ham. "Lovely," Shion thanked her, and took a bite, turning around from the table he occupied to get an eyeful of Nezumi's back to him as he checked out several more customers who would just not thin out.

"Mother," The albino got Karan's attention, which was directed fully to the neatness of a fresh batch of berry tarts.

"Yes?"

"I don't believe I should be worried about Nezumi, should I?"

"And why do you say that?"

"—I mean He's just doing his job, very well, at that." Shion ended his sentence with a bite of his pastry. Both Karan and Shion's gaze rested on the hard-working, fast-paced Nezumi as he collected, and returned money, grabbed paper bags, wrote receipts…

"Oh, are you jealous, Shion?" Karan giggled, covering her mouth with the back of her flour-covered hands.

"Jealous!" Shion turned around to face his mother, who was giggling uncontrollably.

"You're acting like a teenager again, Shion. Ever since Nezumi returned, you've softened. You're taking things lightly, and living life as you should," She reached over to grab a bit of flour to wrap around the berry mixture, "Before, you were so cold, and detached. Your only mission was to earn a pay check to feed your child; Now you're smiling again, you're running and shouting and playing. You remind me of when you were 12—"

Shion's smile was infinite as his response. He held the English muffin in his hand, unbeknownst on what to say. His demeanor has changed since Nezumi has returned; He's happier, looking forward to things, enjoying life a little more. Reading more, cooking, laughing, smiling…

Things are a lot different with Nezumi around, and Shion was happy. So was Nezumi; He's never seen his partner any happier than he is now, than those 5 years ago with the anticipation for the fall of a parasitic city.

Shion shot up, and was suddenly in Nezumi's arms. A ding of the cash register brought him back to reality as he finished kissing the love of his life; "Sh-Shion! What're you…" Nezumi's eyebrows furrowed as he unwrapped his arms from Shion's waist, still holding a handful of bills to return to a customer, who, for the record, was a female who was gawking at the sudden display of affection before her.

"Nezumi, I just want you to know that I love you! I'm glad you're here, and I'm glad that you're happy!" Shion beamed, his maroon eyes wide and dead-set on Nezumi's shocked silver ones.

One of Nezumi's eyebrows lowered, and his lips curved into a cute simper of a smile. "Shion, you're acting like a naïve teenager," He chuckled, turning to return the money to the shocked customer while mumbling 'Thank you, have a nice day' just as he did to every customer.

"I know! And it's all you, you're doing this to me. You make me happy.~" Shion tugged on Nezumi's arm, begging for affection, despite the fact that his partner was busy.

"I know, Shion!" Nezumi laughed, continuing to service the customers who just don't stop coming.

"Nezumi," Shion pouted, gripping the rat's arm close to his chest.

"What, Shion?" Nezumi answered with a simpering chuckle, "You're acting like a child."

Shion didn't answer, but furrow his eyebrows, and point a pallid finger to his pink lips.

Nezumi hesitated, before leaning down to smooch Shion's puckered lips. Quickly afterward, he continued service, muttering under his breath, "God, he is so cute."