Chapter 6

Takao couldn't move. He didn't dare to, or he ran the risk of waking up the lithe weight laying over his chest. His daughter had had a nightmare and had charged down the hall with tears pouring from her eyes. She was crying with hiccuping sobs as she plowed into her father laying on the couch and after a few minutes of warm comfort and his gentle hushes, she had fallen asleep once again where she hadn't moved since.

However, he needed to figure out a way to get her off because he had to go to the bathroom.

Takao blew out a long breath that puffed cheeks as he stared up at the ceiling, his foot twitching and idling to help him focus on something else, other than the sensation of having to pee. It helped him to think of the best way to act, and with a firm hold on his little girl, he held her to his chest as he rolled towards the back of the couch. He moved slowly as he rolled out from underneath her, setting her down on the cushions where she nuzzled down and didn't open a single eye. She stuffed her thumb into her mouth and now that he was free from being trapped, he quickly tiptoed to the bathroom and towards relief.

He was grateful that he had shut the door, not that he wasn't in the habit anyways, but he couldn't stop the relieved groan from leaking out of his throat and his eyes from rolling into the back of his head. He stood there forever until his bladder was finally empty and with a long sigh, he flushed and washed his hands.

"That was special." He whispered to himself as he stepped out of the bathroom.

The apartment was still quiet, and as he stepped back into the living room, he saw his daughter was still fast asleep exactly where he had put her. He gently covered her with his blanket before padding into the kitchen to heat himself some tea, letting out a long sigh to rid his body of what remained of his sleep. It had been a good night at work, as after Shintarō had left to tend to a friend in need, he had gone back out to entertain. He had brought in enough to pay a full month's rent and it meant that he could get just a bit extra from the grocery store which he knew was on their list of to-do's for the day, but of course, none of it would happen until his daughter woke up.

As the kettle warmed the water, he took a quick shower and got dressed into a pair of jeans and a chunky, button down cardigan with a tank just as the kettle began to lightly whistle. He poured his cup and went to his front door to retrieve the paper, but the second he opened it, he froze and stared at the man whom stood with a fist raised in preparation to knock.

"G-Good morning." Takao exhaled, swallowing down his surprise as Shintarō lowered his arm down to his side.

"Good morning... I wasn't sure if you would be awake, but it appears I didn't need to worry." Shintarō said quietly, pushing up his glasses before bending down to pick up the plastic wrapped newspaper at his feet.

Takao's shoulders relaxed, "I just woke up a little bit ago." He said in a near whisper.

"I see... Why so quiet?" Shintarō asked with the same volume.

Snapping out of his dumb stupor, Takao stepped aside to let Shintarō in, ultra quietly shutting the door behind him as he took a small sip of his tea. Shintarō set the paper down on the small dining table before toeing off his shoes as Takao stepped passed him, placing a finger over his lips before pointing to the couch where he saw the young girl asleep and curled around her well loved teddy bear.

"Ah... I'll keep it down then." Shintarō said in a whisper.

"Thanks... You want some tea?" Takao asked just as quietly.

Shintarō nodded, "That would be great. Thank you." He said as he unbuttoned his coat and slipped it off.

"How's Kagami?... If I can ask." Takao said, taking another sip of his tea before setting it down to make another cup.

"Recovering. I had to dig some shrapnel out of his chest and remove the fabric of his fire suit from his leg, but he'll make a full recovery... So will Aomine." Shintarō said as he sat down and opened the paper to take a look.

"He was hurt too?" Takao asked, a bit louder this time so that his guest could hear him from the kitchen.

"Mildly... Both had inhaled some of the meth chemicals from the explosion, but luckily it was nothing serious. A few more from Aomine's department showed up for the same reason. I imagine there'll be some aftermath because of it." Shintarō said as he opened the paper and began to scan the headlines.

"Wow... Glad everyone'll be okay." Takao said, pouring the second cup and taking it to the dining table.

Takao set the cup down in front of him, managing to produce a soft smile, but as Shintarō

looked up from the paper, intent to express his thanks, he noticed the slight darkening beneath his eyes and the pink flush in his cheeks that ran down his neck.

"Why are you so flushed? You aren't coming down with strep are you?" Shintarō asked, setting the paper down to lift his cup.

"I'm just tired. Munchkin had a nightmare and came barreling into the living room last night crying. She didn't move all night." Takao said as he sat down and rested his chin in his palm while he played with his tea.

"I see." Shintarō said before looking back down to the paper.

Takao just sat there and watched him read, stirring his tea and taking small sips. It was a quiet morning, not really late as dawn faded away to day and the sounds of a busying city grew outside his balcony. It was actually peaceful and he couldn't ignore the calm that he was settling into, but he couldn't quite shake his curiosity as to why Shintarō had come so early for a visit.

"How come you're here, Shin?" He asked, looking up from his cup just in time to see Shintarō somewhat stiffen.

Shintarō pushed up his glasses as he looked up, locking gazes with him before picking up his cup for a sip and a second more of borrowed time. It made his brows lightly furrow, but he didn't need to wait long before he answered.

"I came by to... discuss something that I felt was best done here." Shintarō said, still quietly before taking another sip and setting down his cup.

"Discuss what?" Takao asked with a spike of worry.

"The day Miki arrived." Shintarō said.

Takao lightly gasped, "W-What about it?"

"You said a woman you didn't know showed up and dropped her off correct?" Shintarō asked, the paper going forgotten on the table in front of him.

Takao nodded, "Yeah... I didn't even get a good look at her face before she was tearing down the hallway."

"You took her to the hospital that day?" He asked.

Again, Takao nodded, "Yeah... I had to. She looked so much like me, that I had to know, so I took her to get a DNA test done." He took a settling sip of his tea and the held the cup with both hands.

"That wasn't all they did, was it." He said.

"No... They did a full physical and they determined that she was only about... eight hours old by then. They made sure she was healthy, ran the test that proved that I was her father and then I signed her birth certificate, but you already know that don't you." Takao said, not at all angry at the man.

"I do... Last night, after I finished treating Kagami, I dug through some of the hospital's old records." Shintarō admitted as he pushed up his glasses.

"They still had it?" Takao asked with a mild furrowing along his browline.

Shintarō nodded, "Yes. The hospital keeps all records that pertain to possible rape just in case another arrives with the same MO. It's to help work closely with authorities."

"What did you find out?" Takao asked, returning to his tea.

"That you are one of three men whom have come to the hospital under similar circumstances; All drugged. All woke up with no markings of any kind and nine months later, a baby arrives at their door. It's possible that Miki has siblings." Shintarō explained.

Takao's breath caught in his throat, "A-Are you serious?" He breathed out.

Shintarō nodded, "I am... I know it's not much, but it's what I found. I mainly wanted to see if Miki was born with any sort of... ailments, or addictions, but she is perfectly healthy which tells me whomever birthed her took care during their pregnancy... Can you tell me anything?"

Takao ran a hand back through his hair and swallowed, "I-I... I don't remember anything from that night. It's just this... blank spot in my memory. I remember everything around it, but not this chunk of time before I woke up the next morning. I was even still dressed." Takao said, releasing a long blow of air as his arm dropped down lazily onto the table.

Shintarō reached out and grasped the fingers of Takao's hand, "I'm listening."

Takao held his hand, "I remember being at the party, laughing and having a good time with some friends and having a drink. I don't think I walked away from it, but as I kept drinking it, the more woozy I felt. I remember how things got really blurry, but after that... it's all just blank.

"When I woke up, I was dressed exactly how I was and nothing was missing. I had my wallet, what cash I had, everything. I wasn't sore, or covered in anything and I had no idea that I had even gotten laid. I mean... everything was... tucked away just like it should be." He explained with a far off look in his slate blue eyes.

"Was there anything that made you question?" Shintarō asked, keeping ahold of Takao's hand.

"M-Maybe?... I woke up groggy as hell and I had asked my friend what happened last night, but he didn't know. I just shrugged it off that I had just gotten too drunk, but when I got home... I-I-" Takao's voice trailed off.

"You what?"

"M-My backside ached... L-Like-" he finally took a steadying breath, "Like the first time you and I had... had had sex; How sore I was, but it wasn't nearly as bad." Takao said, taking in a deep breath that settled the ache in his chest.

"Like you were probed with a finger." Shintarō said on his exhaled breath.

Takao's eyes widened, "Yeah... Yeah, like that."

"I think I know what happened." Shintarō said.

Takao's brows furrowed, but he didn't move as Shintarō continued.

"You were drugged... Probably with Rohypnol, and they dragged you off to somewhere private." Shintarō began.

"W-Wait... They?" Takao asked.

"Yes... You're 5'9 and 143 pounds. Assuming the woman was of average height, she would need to be astonishingly fit to handle the dead weight of an unconscious male. It makes more sense that she had a partner to help move you. With you saying that your backside was mildly sore as if probed by a finger and that you were fully dressed when you woke up, I can only assume as a physician, that they milked your prostate." Shintarō explained.

"B-But... But that doesn't explain why that woman dropped Miki off at my door." Takao said, his brows lightly furrowed as he blew out a calming breath.

"It does if you factor in the two others. Amongst the three men whom brought babies into the hospital under the same circumstances, all three are girls. Whomever did this, didn't want them because of their sex, so they left them with their fathers." Shintarō said.

Immediately, Takao quietly gasped, cupped his available hand over his mouth to stifle its sound. He hadn't thought about any of it for four years; Ever since Miki just arrived one morning as if delivered by a stork. He would always say that it didn't bother him, that he couldn't dwell on what he couldn't remember, but in the back of his mind, it was always there. He had always wondered what had happened that night, what had happened to him and whether it was his fault, or not, but there were never any answers no matter how many times he asked the questions.

Now however, he had something to grasp, some sort of explanation he could put to that blank spot in his memory and despite hearing it, despite having some sort of answer, he still felt like he had come out on the better end of the deal.

"You can stop digging now... I don't wanna know any more." He said lowly, lowering his hand from his mouth as he swallowed and licked his dried lips.

"I understand... I'll stop." Shintarō whispered, still holding onto Takao's hand.

Takao's eyes stayed locked with his for several quiet moments before dropping down to look at their hands that still loosely clutched each other. It had been so long since he had felt that touch, that soft skin that was slightly roughened from playing basketball and those long fingers with their perfectly manicured nails. They were familiar hands, welcoming even and he couldn't ignore the flush rising in his cheeks.

"Are you sure you're not coming down with something? Your flushing even more." Shintarō said, breaking Takao from his thoughts as he released his smaller hand and stood.

Takao could only follow him as he stepped up next to him and placed his hands along his jaw where his fingertips began to press into the flesh just below and along his neck. They worked their way back to the hinge of his jaw before trailing down and when Shintarō lifted a hand and brushed it over his forehead, sweeping aside his hair, he hummed before taking his hands away.

"Hmm... You don't feel warm. Perhaps it's just warm in here." Shintarō said as he sat back down and returned to his tea and paper.

Takao decided to play along, "Y-Yeah... That would be the first." He took a sip of his cooling tea as he rested his chin in his palm once more.

Silence fell in around them once again, but it was fairly neutral and wasn't heavy with tension. Shintarō finished with a section and handed it to Takao and both read quietly as they enjoyed their morning tea. The only times it was ever broken was when one would rustle their page, but it would soon go right back to being a companionable silence and one that Takao had begun to relax in.

Despite their sorted history, the bitterness and the harshness of their break-up, just sitting in silence while the morning aged wasn't difficult, or salty. He saw none of the malice that had been there from that day, but rather a kindness that was usually only reversed for him. He softly smiled as he just read his paper and when he heard the soft grumbles of a waking little girl, he turned in his chair and broadened his smile.

"Good morning, Pumpkin." Takao said as Miki sat up and rubbed her eye.

"Morning... Daddy." Miki mumbled low and grouchy as she scanned the living room.

"Good morning." Shintarō said.

At the new voice, Miki looked at the dining table where her tiredness immediately evaporated as she hopped off the couch and trotted over.

"Shin-Shin!" She smiled and giggled quietly with what remained of her sleep as she began to climb up into Shintarō's lap.

Completely caught off guard by the girl, Shintarō could only sit up stick straight as she hoisted herself up and wrapped her short arms around his neck, all while Takao lowly chuckled and finished off his tea. His eyebrows hopped once before he stood and taking both emptied cups into the kitchen, Shintarō exhaled his discomfort and returned into the surprise embrace by wrapping a mile long arm around her tiny form.

"I hope you slept well." Shintarō said, giving her back a gentle pat before she released his neck and plopped down to sit in his lap.

"I had a scary dream and then Daddy made the scary monsters go away." Miki said in barely above a mumble as she picked up a discarded pen to doodle on the forgotten newspaper.

"He did? How'd he do that?" Shintarō asked as he played along, his deeper voice kind as his hand rested down against her back.

"He protected me and they went away." Miki said without stopping her doodles.

"Nobody hurts my baby. Not even the biggest monsters can get to her." Takao said gleefully from the kitchen, earning a wide smile from his baby girl.

"Daddy's tougher! And even if a monster bigger came along, Shin-Shin would make them go away!" Miki beamed up at that very man.

Shintarō's cheeks started to turn pink as he pushed up his glasses, "Well, I would sure try."

"Nuh uh! You're bigger than all the monsters!" Miki lightly giggled up at him.

The blushing got worse, "I'm certainly not the largest. Your Daddy and I know someone even larger." He said, cracking a soft smile down at her.

Miki gasped, "Really? But Shin-Shin is already super tall!"

"And you're right, but there is one more even taller." Shintarō playfully gasped right along with her.

"Really?... Who!" Miki yelped, her face huge with a smile and anticipation.

Shintarō glanced up to meet Takao's gaze, seeing it was soft, even accented with a smile as he watched them from the kitchen.

"Where I am 6'5, he is 6'10 and has hands so big he could wrap his fingers around your head." Shintarō said, playing along as he curled his fingers into a claw for her to see.

"I wanna meet him! Is he one of Daddy's friends?" Miki smiled even bigger as if she was hearing the best of fairy tails.

Shintarō nodded, "He is... But this man is a gentle giant and despite those large, scary hands, he can bake the world's best cake."

Miki's eyes lit up, "Cake?... I want cake!"

"I happen to know a little girl whom has yet to have a birthday cake." Shintarō teased as he gently trailed a knuckle down the girl's puffy and smiling cheeks.

"But my birthday is already gone, Shin-Shin. It's too late." Miki said as her wide smile softened.

"That doesn't matter. Cake is for any occasion." Shintarō said.

"Shin-" Takao tried to intervene, but cut himself off when both his daughter and Shintarō looked at him.

"I want cake, Daddy! I wanna see the big man Shin-Shin's talking about!" Miki's smile returned in force.

Takao crossed his arms and leaned a hip against the counter, "Sweetie-" He was cut off again.

"It's fine... Atsushi's bakery is just downtown." Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses and still with a hand resting on Miki's small back.

Takao started to lowly laugh as his fight started to leak out, "Shin... So long as you don't mind making a couple more stops."

"Of course. Where do you need to go?" Shintarō asked, his mouth still hovering in a soft smile.

"The bank and the grocery store." Takao said.

"Then we shall... So long as we can go to the bakery." Shintarō said, his soft smile, for the briefest of moments, widening as he held onto Takao's gaze.

Takao held his breath as he tried not to smile, but the big, bright and beaming grin across his daughter's face was making it impossible. Her big, slate blue eyes were wide with hope and gleaming with anticipation and he couldn't, for the life of him, deny that look.

"Playing your damn cards, Shin-" he exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Alright... We'll go."

"Yay!... Thank you, Daddy!" Miki squealed as she hopped off Shintarō's lap and ran straight into her father's legs.

With his airy laugh, Takao smiled down at his daughter and rested his hands on her bed rustled hair as she hugged his legs. She was so happy and giggly that he couldn't stop and when he heard Shintarō's deeper note, he looked up and met that emerald gaze.

They just looked at each other, both lightly smiling as they fell deeper and deeper into the other's eyes. With each encounter, Takao felt the tension, the awkwardness that had set itself in place ever since they separated break apart and fall away as if the wall was being broken by cannon fire. He was starting to feel exposed again whenever he was around, but instead of the malice, the hatred that had been burning, he was starting to feel that warmth he had missed for so long.

"You mind waiting while I get her cleaned up and dressed?" Takao asked, bending down and scooping up his little girl into his arms.

"Take your time. The bakery doesn't open up until 8." Shintarō said as he settled back in his chair and continued to lightly smile at him.

Takao softly bit his bottom lip as he started for the hallway, looking at Shintarō the whole time until he disappeared behind the wall. He took his giggling daughter into the bathroom and drew her bath, filling it halfway with warm water before helping her out of her pajamas so she could get in. He set her down and gave her a rubber duck to play with while he washed her hair and played their clapping game he had taught her to get her to clean her body. It was a short bath; They usually always were, but once she was clean, he wrapped her up nice and tight into a big towel and picked her up to take her into her bedroom.

After getting her dressed in a bear sweater and kids jeans, it was back to the bathroom to blow dry her hair and brush it smooth before he combed it back and put it up into a ponytail. She happily played with her doll the whole time and once he was finally finished, he picked her up and headed back towards the kitchen.

"I'm ready, Shin-Shin!" Miki smiled as Takao set her down, trotting up to Shintarō and climbing back up into his lap at the table.

"Honey... We've gotta get your shoes on." Takao laughed as Miki just sat down and kicked her tiny, sock covered feet.

"She can sit here. It's fine." Shintarō said, wrapping his arms around her little waist while Takao got her shoes from next to the door.

All Takao did was slowly shake his head as he knelt down in front of him, trying not to laugh when Miki planted her foot down right on his nose, which was more than he could say for Shintarō whom just laughed without even trying to hide it. It earned him a glare, but he just let his low laughter die off as Takao slipped the girl's shoes on and tied their laces.

"Coat time, Pumpkin." Takao said, lifting her from Shintarō's lap and setting her down on the floor.

"Can Shin-Shin carry me to his fancy car?" Miki asked, just standing there and looking straight up at her father.

"Honey... I'm sure he'd-" Takao tried, but was interrupted.

"I'd be honored to carry such royalty to their chariot." Shintarō said as he stood and put on his own coat.

Miki smiled, "Yay!... Today's the best day ever!" She cheered.

Takao rolled his eyes, but smiled as he pulled out their coats, helping Miki into hers first before threading his arms through his. He zipped her up and no sooner did he give her a kiss to her forehead, she was being lifted higher and higher to rest against the side of Shintarō's hip.

"Look Daddy! I'm taller!" Miki squealed as she smiled and clapped with her joy.

Takao smiled from ear to ear at her, "What's it like up there?" He played along as he packed up their well used backpack.

"Like I'm a princess in a tower from my stories!" Miki cheered.

"Does that make me the dragon?" Shintarō asked with a much softer, but genuine smile in place.

"No silly! You're Daddy's prince charming!"

The second his daughter's words left her mouth, Takao choked on his own breath as his eyes went wide. He was frozen stiff, completely mortified as he dared to look back at the green haired tower currently holding his baby girl. She was smiling and giggling and as he became locked in that all too familiar emerald gaze, he realized they wore the same expression; A blush.

With just a clearing of his throat, Takao slung the backpack onto a shoulder and opened the door, stepping aside for Shintarō to step through first before following and closing it behind him. He locked it and stuffed the keys into a pouch in his backpack as he followed Shintarō and his daughter down the hall, making the six story journey down the stairs to the sidewalk where they headed for the parking lot.

The black sedan was parked in a guest spot and when it chirped at Shintarō's command, Miki clapped and giggled with excitement as he opened the backseat door and set her down into the car seat. Never once did her smile falter as he strapped her in and when Takao got into the passenger seat, Shintarō finished buckling her in and shut her door.

As Takao buckled himself in, Shintarō dropped into the car and did the same, pushing the start button to bring the car to life, where Miki quite enthusiastically proclaimed that the car was the mythical dragon in her comparison. Takao played along as Shintarō backed out of the spot and as he turned into traffic, the three settled in for the drive from the red light district to downtown.

No one spoke, but the silence was calming as Shintarō drove and never once, did his gentle, barely visible smile vanish from his face. Takao could tell in the way his wide shoulders rested that he was calm, at ease with the atmosphere and he couldn't lie to himself that he was as well. The whole morning had felt light and even though they had discussed something far more serious earlier, he was happy they did because he had some sort of answer.

After awhile, Shintarō finally slowed and got off the highway, following the off ramp right into the heart of downtown whose sidewalks were already packed with pedestrians and cars were lined up in traffic. It was the weekend, so neither Shintarō, nor Takao were surprised that it took a bit to find a parking garage that wasn't filled up with cars. Miki didn't seem to care, so long as she got to ride in the fancy car, but soon enough, Shintarō found a place and parked the car.

"We're in luck. Atsushi's bakery is only about a block from here." Shintarō said, shutting off the car after putting it into park.

"I don't mind walking. It's how I get around mostly." Takao said as he unbuckled himself and got out to get his daughter.

"I imagine it's also a good way to stay in shape." Shintarō said, shutting his door and stepping around the car to take the backpack from Takao to free up both his hands.

"It works." Takao said as he unbuckled Miki.

In a flash, Takao scooped Miki out from the car seat and lifted her out, nestling her down onto his hip with one arm as he shut the door and Shintarō locked it. They walked down the sloped parking lane to the exit and out onto the sidewalk, where they blending into the crowd like a river flowing into the ocean. Their companionable silence continued as they walked, but true to Shintarō's words, they soon arrived at a bakery simply called Sweet Justice.

"Just in time." Shintarō said quietly, checking his watch before grasping the door's handle and pulling it open.

The door chimed with a soft bong, announcing their arrival to the bakery shop's owner as they stepped inside and Takao set Miki down so she could look around. The bakery smelt sweet, like sugar and fruit blended together and there were a couple of tables set up along the side wall for anyone wanting to just sit and enjoy a pastry. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee was wafting up from the machines behind the counter and through the back door that lead to the kitchen, Takao caught sight of the bakery's owner.

"Eh?... Already?... Welcome to-... Oh... Hello, Mido-Chin." Atsushi Murasakibara said as he stepped out from the back, wearing a chef's garb with a long apron and with his shoulder length, purple hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Good morning, Murasakibara. A 16oz espresso if it isn't too much trouble." Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses before fishing out his wallet.

"Sure, Mido-Chin... Do you want anything, Taka-Chin?" Atsushi asked as he cleaned off his hands on a hand towel that was slung over his shoulder.

However, before Takao could answer the titanic baker, someone else spoke up first.

"Who's Taka-Chin?" Came a tiny little voice from somewhere.

"Eh?... Who said that?" Atsushi asked, his purple brows furrowing as he looked around.

"Me." Said the tiny voice again.

Atsushi just looked around, "Who's me?"

"I'm down here." The voice giggled

He was starting to think his bakery was haunted, but sure enough, when he leaned over the counter and looked down at Takao's feet, there was a tiny human standing there with her arm around her father's leg and staring straight up at him.

"There's two Taka-Chins?" Atsushi pointed down, arcing up a brow as he just stared at Shintarō whom was trying not to laugh.

"Meet Miki Takao... His daughter." Shintarō said as he looked down at the small girl.

"Taka-Chin has a small human?" Atsushi said to himself as he disappeared from the girl's sight and stepped out from behind the counter.

The moment his full height came into the girl's view, being an astounding 6'10, the girl smiled with the biggest smile she could muster as she tugged on Shintarō's pant leg.

"Wow!... You're really tall just like Shin-Shin said!" Miki exclaimed, craning her neck up as far as it would let her just to keep looking into the giant's eyes.

"Shin-Shin?... Wait... I'm missing something." Atsushi said, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared down; Way down.

"Try not to think too hard. We stopped by because someone here needs to have some cake for her birthday." Shintarō said as he glanced over at Takao whom was softly biting his bottom lip.

"What!... She hasn't had cake yet for her birthday?... That's an injustice! You can't have a birthday without cake!" Atsushi reeled, his jaw dropping from shock.

"Daddy had to get me medicine instead, but I wasn't mad because he got me a new dolly!" Miki smiled, still craning her face up just to see.

Takao exhaled a smile and released his lip from between his teeth.

Atsushi looked back down at the very small human and instead of making the poor thing strain to keep looking at him, he rested his hands on his knees and crouched all the way down until his bum hovered only a few inches off the floor.

"Well that's good, but there still needs to be cake. Wanna try something new?" he placed a hand on the side of his mouth, "I just made them last night." Atsushi whispered.

Miki smiled and nodded.

With his own dull smile, Atsushi stood and went back around the counter where he opened his display case and pulled out a treat that he had baked. It was a golf ball sized treat dressed in a smooth, pink coating of frosting and topped with purple sprinkles on a stick. It was a cake pop and as he stepped back around front, he crouched down again and held it out for her.

"It's perfect. Cake on a stick." Atsushi smiled as the girl took it from his massive hand in comparison to hers.

Smiling at it, she looked up at her father for his approval, earning it in the form a nod before she opened her mouth and popped it in.

Only a second passed before her mouth lit up with the sweet flavor of strawberries and cream, making her whole face light up with delight. She smiled even wider than ear to ear and as she popped the cleaned stick from her mouth, she chewed with puffy cheeks and giggles.

"It's really good!" Miki chuckled as she cleaned her mouth on her sleeve.

"Success!" Atsushi proclaimed, grinning as he held out his hand, palm out, for a high five.

Miki giggled more as she smacked her hand down, looking up with that sweet and beaming smile towards her father whom could only return it. He brushed his hand down his daughter's hair and as Atsushi stood up to tower over everyone, he ushered them towards the nearest table.

"Sit sit sit sit sit!... I'll bring coffee and cake." Atsushi said before disappearing behind the counter.

As Atsushi began to work, Takao hoisted his daughter up into his lap before sitting down across from Shintarō at the small cafe table. He unzipped his coat before Miki's and as Atsushi walked up with a pair of cups freshly filled with two espressos, he set them down before vanishing to get cake.

"He seems to be doing very well for himself. I kinda thought he was too stupid to do anything other than play." Takao said quietly just as Atsushi disappeared into the back.

"Believe it, or not, there's a brain in that hard ass head of his. He's had this place for a couple years now and it's pretty popular." Shintarō said, taking the first sip of his coffee and humming at its perfect flavor.

"I'm glad to hear it. Sounds like you've kept in touch with just about everyone from school." Takao said, following suit and tasting his coffee, which was perfectly delicious and earthy.

Shintarō nodded and pushed up his glasses, "I have... There's a lot to tell if you're interested in having a cup of coffee with me." He took another sip.

Takao's chest tightened ever so slightly at the invitation, "I have a cup don't I?"

"Indeed you do." Shintarō said as Atsushi expertly brought three small plates of strawberry and cream cake.