76

Summer Haze

Furuichi always had the same summer job since high school. It wasn't difficult; parking the ice cream cart on a not quite busy corner and being paid money in exchange for a smile wasn't a bad gig. Furuichi surprisingly took his job seriously. Furuichi felt that he wasn't actually dealing in sweet treats, but in fond memories that would last longer than even the most frozen ice pop.

"Alright, two vanilla cones."

"Thank you mister!"

"Have a great day!"

Furuichi got a lot of tips too. The coins jingled noisily in a strategically placed glass jar beside the mobile register. It gave Furuichi another reason to come back to pushing the wobbly cart every summer. His boss claimed that his tips were because of his "Disney prince" charm, but after being single yet another year, Furuichi sincerely doubted that.

"Three banana- flavored GariGariKun's please!"

Furuichi resisted the urge to roll his eyes before facing the one thorn in his side about this job.

"You do this every year. For the last time, soft serve only!"

"Aw man! If you know I ask for the same thing every summer, why don't you keep it in stock?"

"Because," Furuichi hoped it was the summer heat and not a blush spreading across his cheeks, "I don't sell them."

"Fine. I'll just go to the store. You want one?"

"No. Thank you."

"Suit yourself."

The dark headed male began visiting Furuichi since the silvernette started the ice cream cart job. Although, the brunet was annoying, Furuichi couldn't help but think that the other man was attractive. Not that it meant Furuichi always looked forward to their daily bickering. Not in the slightest. Not at all. Nope.

Furuichi sighed as he rested his palm on his hand while leaning over on the cart. Most men would find Furuichi's attraction disgusting, so the silvernette decided to keep it to himself. Besides, Furuichi didn't know his name.

"Hey!"

A couple of young delinquents bumped into Furuichi and his cart. "Shut up loser, we want ice cream!"

"Then-you-ask-nicely!"

Two of the elementary students held Furuichi down while the leader poked dirty fingers into the ice cream tubs, shoving handfuls of now tainted ice cream into his mouth. "You guys should try this! Here, switch!"

Cold, sticky hands snaked around Furuichi's shoulder. Is no one seeing this? Where are their parents? Furuichi would never raise a hand to a woman or a child, delinquent or otherwise, but these monkey children were freakishly strong.

"Oi! He said 'ask nicely'!"

The brunet scooped all three brats and gave them one good spank each. "Now apologize then clean this up!"

The elementary boys looked a lot less tough with hot tears of shame in their eyes. "We- we're s-s-sorry!"

Furuichi's sweat dropped, and while he was grateful for the apology, the ice cream man couldn't ignore the tenderness in his heart.

"I forgive you. Tell you what. Help me clean this up and you'll get free ice cream cones tomorrow." The boys's eyes instantly lit up and they quickly went to work.

"We'll see you tomorrow! Don't forget!"

"Bye bye!"

"You went too easy on those punks if you ask me."

Furuichi glanced at the handsome savior that now had a name, Oga Tatsumi.

"Maybe. But in the spirit of charity. I'll start bringing banana- flavored GariGariKun's tomorrow too."

"Nah. You don't have to. They're not my favorite anyway."

"...So, why do you come to ask for them?"

Oga gave Furuichi a puzzled look. "It ain't obvious?"

"...I don't get it."

Oga grinned and left a note on the cart before walking away. Furuichi opened the note when Oga had gone a safe enough distance. It read: "I don't come for the ice cream." With the brunet's phone number scrawled underneath.