Yes! 20th Chapter! Sadly, this is going to be a 'filler' chapter because I just realised I don't have anything special planned for this! I'll try and make it enjoyable at the very least, so enjoy~
20th Bake: Pain au Chocolat
It's December! The month of chillness –Mai. The month of dates –Masako. The month of Christmas –John. The month to cuddle with wifey –Houshou. The month of seeking for warmth –Ayako. The month of—
"It's just December. A normal month that is the last in the year," Naru spoils the joyous mood in Uwagusuri.
Masako had decided to wait for John in the store before their date in the afternoon. (John had told Naru that he'll get things done before he goes on the date.) Houshou and his wife closed their store for the day because it is the first of December! Actually, it's because it's their anniversary. Somehow, someone unusual is sitting at the corner table on his own, drinking some tea.
"How to do you like the tea, Lin-san?" Mai suddenly pops out and asked the man.
Pretending that he had already sensed her there, he continues drinking his tea before answering, "It's soothing and really warm. Good for those trying to get warmth."
Mai smiles at the compliment, "Thank you! I told Naru that I could do it too!"
W-what? She's the one who made the tea?
Mai happily goes back to the counter. Houshou and Ayako had went off to celebrate their anniversary. All is going well for Uwagusuri.
.
.
.
.
Right after John went to his date with Masako, Mai notices something.
Are we..slow on business, after Gene returned to England?
That's right! Uwagusuri is pretty much back to how it was before the whole magazine thing. (I don't remember which chapter it was.) Once again, Mai felt that she was working for nothing in particular. When the last customer had gone, Mai quickly put the closed sign on the door. She pulled Naru out of his lair, despite his protest.
"Naru. We are losing customers," Mai said as-a-matter-of-fact.
Naru pretended not hear her.
"Naru! It's because Gene isn't here. The female customers are disappointed," Mai says, pointing an accusing finger at Naru.
Finally turning to look at Mai, Naru says, "Then what do you expect me to do about those no-brainers?"
"I know..," Mai suddenly has a devilish smirk on her face, "you, Naru, will have to smile and entertain those women so that we can gain back the customers—"
He didn't let her continue. Why should he smile to those no-brainers that only care about looks. They should seriously try using their brains more.
"Then, how about you stop dozing off while on the job? You chase the male customers away. Not that you attracted them in the first place," Naru retorts back coolly.
This went on for a while before someone suggested that one of them could go and stand outside, promoting the store.
"That's a good idea, Lin-san!" Mai exclaims.
"And who would be doing it?" Naru asks.
Both of them turn to look at the person who gave the idea in the first place. There's no way Mai wants to stand out in the cold while wear the funeral-looking uniform. Naru was definitely not going to leave his safe haven while John wasn't there to guard it. So, Lin ended up standing outside of the store, trying to promote Uwagusuri.
This is ridiculous. Lin-san is just a delivery man. We shouldn't have made him do it. Though.. I don't want to do it. Of course Naru wouldn't as well. Not only that. Putting Lin-san was a big mistake on its own!
Instead of more customers coming in, the opposite happened. Very few came in, only the dedicated and loyal true customers came in to enjoy the newly brewed tea and delicacies. Knowing that it wasn't working as how she had imagined, Mai called Lin back in and gave him another cup of tea that she had brewed.
Time passes and the number of customers they get at every hour stayed the same. Lin had gone off two hours ago and now Mai was really getting sleep at the lack of customers. She missed talking to Gene.
..oh right! I have his email!
Mai takes out her phone and begins typing out a mail to Gene. Just before she was able to send it, Naru appears right behind her and took her phone away.
"I'm banning you from using your phone while working."
"Mou, Naru! I'm dying of boredom. At least let me mail Gene," she pleaded.
Looking at what Mai had typed for Gene, his eyes narrowed and he decided that Mai won't be getting her phone back until the end of work. Osamu decides to enter at that moment.
"Osamu! Help me out. This devil just stole my phone!" Mai makes a racket.
Osamu laughs silently and approaches the counter, placing a box down.
"here's some Pain au Chocolat. My dad seems to not like them so there are many left," Osamu explains, "Eat them together after closing the store."
Mai blushes and her attention was now on Osamu instead of her 'stolen' phone.
"Why would I have to eat it with this devil?" Mai asks incredulously.
"To make up of course," Osamu simply answers before exiting the store.
Suddenly, a group of high schoolers who were talking animatedly to each other approaches Mai. Mai thought that they be inquiring about Naru, who was standing behind her, but no. The person they are interested in is.. Osamu!
"Ne, is that Megane guy a regular here?"
"Are you two close friends? How old is he?"
"What's his full name?"
The girls asks excitedly.
As revenge, Mai decided to tell them that he helps out his father at the optical shop down the street. Naru, neglected, wordlessly walks back to his lonely lair.
Soon it was time for the store to close. Naru exits his lair, thinking that Mai had already gone home.
"Mou..you are so slow, Naru! I thought I had to wait the whole night just to eat these Pain au Chocolat that Osamu made," Mai says, pouting.
Laughing to himself in his mind, Naru takes a seat across Mai and starts eating the delicacy that Osamu gave them.
There isn't even a need for us to share this as means to make up. Mai would naturally stop being angry after a while.
End of 20th Bake
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This 'filler' chapter was really boring to type..hahaha, I hope the next one satisfies you! Please look forward to it tomorrow~ I posted this, the third one, today because tomorrow I have to attend a wedding, so I might be unable to type more than one chapter.
See you all tomorrow! Thank you, once again, for the reviews! I really appreciate it~ even if you don't have an account, I welcome reviews anonymously. I'm open minded that way. Haha
Bubye!~