Chapter Six: Bakeries, Threats, and Too Much to Think

"You seem distant today," Ikuya said when their car stopped under the red light. "Job pressure?"

The words snapped his girlfriend from her musings. "Oh. Nothing."

Ikuya merely lifted his eyebrow. "Come on, give me your smile," he spoke softly, poking the corner of Miiko's mouth with his index finger. "Cheer up a bit. Smile for me, please?"

Miiko eventually smiled, reminding Ikuya how much he loved her. He gave her a peck on the cheek before returning to his steering wheel. "You know you can tell me everything," he coaxed, refocusing his eyes to the street. Seeing no chance of getting anything out of her, he decided to talk about something else. "Have you seen your mother lately?"

Miiko seemed relieved at the change. "What? Oh, not yet. I will, promise. Maybe tomorrow." She still sounded a bit detached, but for Ikuya it was much better. He knew how silent Miiko could be in her bad mood.

"She called my mom," Ikuya elaborated amusedly. "Don't know what they are debating over."

"They're such great friends," Miiko finally laughed. "Mamo's fed up with that. Remember when he visited with us?"

Her boyfriend chuckled as their memories filled their minds. It was really amusing to see Mamoru rushed out the house in annoyance when he came to visit and found his mother on the phone, arguing about something for about two hours. They had become friends since Ikuya and Miiko started dating, and surprisingly they had got along quite well.

Speaking about that amusing day, Miiko and Ikuya were there, too, and also Yuuma and...

Realising that his girlfriend had fallen into silence again, Ikuya decided to speak. "Miiko, darling? What is it?"

This time Miiko didn't answer, and the actually short trip to her office seemed to be much longer.

"Welcome to Satou Bakery!" a young man, probably in his middle twenties, greeted. "What can I... oh, hi, Tappei."

"Hello, Kenta," Tappei nodded at him. He looked around. The smell of bread he had known in his childhood filled his senses again, forcing him to remember the old bakery Kenta's father had. It was a beautiful memory, but still, his sudden departure tore it to pieces. He still couldn't help but to wonder why Kenta and Yamada and all his old friends had accepted him with such happiness.

"Er, Tappei? You're disrupting the line."

"Oh, sorry."

Tappei stepped out the line, ignoring those people's glares at him. He found a small table in the corner and sat on it. He ordered a cup of coffee and continued his musings.

When they met in Australia, Kenta had told him he had owned a huge bakery. He sold his old one, the one his parents had inherited to him, and made a new one, complete with a small cafe. It was a quite successful business. He named the new bakery with the same name as the old one, which make regulars from the old store easier to come.

As for Yukko, she did help her husband in bread-making. It was Kenta who had told her to 'see another life outside of a loaf of bread'. He knew she loved children, and decided to push her to be a social worker for children. She loved it, although sometimes she helped in the bakery as well.

"Hey," came a quiet voice.

Tappei looked up and saw Kenta, his white apron in his grip. "I thought you came to talk to me, so..."

"I do," Tappei said quietly. "Sit down and let me buy you something."

Kenta obliged, and Tappei wondered how they could become this awkward. They had been best friends!

"So," Tappei slowly said, breaking the awkward silence. "How's Yukko?"

Kenta smiled his usual big smile, which came up every time someone mentioned Yukko. "She's fine, and..." he trailed off. "This is just between you and me, but I think she's pregnant. She just hasn't told me yet."

"What?" Tappei couldn't help but to blink in surprise. "Congratulations! Call me when she's told you. It's great."

"Thanks," Kenta grinned. "And I will. So... have you met the others?"

Tappei was perplexed with the abrupt change, but nodded nonetheless. "I've met Yamada," he said, because he knew it was something Kenta really wanted to hear.

"You've met her?" Kenta smirked and narrowed his eyes at him. "How come you're still alive?"

Tappei grinned. "She interviewed me, of course she couldn't kill me or she'd lose the news. And then she called me and we met again. She forgave me."

"Of course she did," Kenta replied. "She forgives everyone. I always think it's a bad idea, having your heart on your sleeve."

"But that's Yamada."

"Yep. Have you met Yoshida?"

At the mention of the name, Tappei's expression darkened. "Not yet. Don't think I want to."

Kenta didn't say anything to answer that, but somehow Tappei knew his silence had something to do with him and Yamada. "Why?" he asked eventually. "He was your friend too, you know."

Tappei didn't have any answer for that, and he knew Kenta didn't need any.

It was dark when Tappei finally left the bakery. He ended up helping Kenta, just like what he did when he was still a kid. Yukko came by when they were busy working, and it was really wonderful to see them together. They were just meant to be, as if the stars had destined them together, written their names in a parchment of lovers.

But it didn't seem the same between him and Yamada.

Wait a sec.

What's between me and her?

Tappei stopped himself before his mind continued to produce weird things and sappy stuff. In conclusion, aside from a sudden fan girls, Tappei's day in the bakery went out really well. He had tried to work part-time in a pastry shop near his house, but it was absolutely paled in comparison with this.

He was walking towards the nearest bus stop when a car honked behind him. He looked back and saw a black, plain car, and there was a man driving it. The man gave him a sign to come over.

Lifting his eyebrows, Tappei approached the car. The window slid down and an unrecognisable voice was heard.

"Come on in, Tappei."

"Who are you?" Tappei asked challengingly.

"Someone you know," the voice demanded. "Just hop in."

Tappei obliged, merely because of his curiosity. "Who are you?" he repeated. "If you were one of my friends, I surely don't remember you. Sorry."

"You really don't remember?" the man asked bitterly, sounded really hurt. He lit the lamp on the car's ceiling, flooding the car with light. "Recognise me?"

Tappei blinked in realisation. "You... Yoshida?"

Yoshida merely nodded, staring at Tappei as he, too, stared at him. "You haven't changed."

You too, Tappei thought sarcastically. Yeah, just like most of the others, Yoshida didn't change. Not really. He still had that air of calmness around him, his blond hair combed neatly, and his clean-cut attire truly showed him as a model teacher. Tappei wanted to sneer.

"I'll take you home today." Yoshida suddenly said, his voice leaving no argument. He switched off the light and started to drive the car down the street. "I remember we haven't met yet."

Tappei shifted on his seat, feeling truly uncomfortable. Yoshida was stiffer than he remembered, and he wondered why. He got the answer soon enough, though.

"You met Miiko." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah. So?"

Yoshida's car stopped under the red light and Tappei could see his dark silhouette leaning against the wheel, obviously trying to calm himself down. Tappei frowned. He and Yoshida were never close, but he never acted so... strange like this.

"What are you trying to say?" Tappei asked finally, couldn't stand the eerie silence.

Yoshida straightened and took a deep breath. He seemed... angry, if the Calm and Collected Yoshida Ikuya was possible to be angry. "What I'm trying to say is you better stay away from her."

Tappei straightened as well, annoyance slipped into him. "You can't tell me what to do," he replied, glaring at his old schoolmate. "She's my friend!"

Friend?

"Was your friend," Yoshida rebutted, cutting Tappei's sarcastic thought. "You don't know what she's been through!"

"What?" Tappei's eyes widened.

Yoshida continued speaking as if Tappei didn't say anything. "You just left like that! She was lucky to have me around, or she..." Yoshida stopped and returned his attention to the street once again, driving the car to Lazy Moon's neighbourhood. He spoke nothing, and Tappei's efforts of pestering him were futile. Finally Tappei gave up and stared out the window instead, not wanting to talk either. He spotted the mysterious Hono Heriko, sitting in a cafe, probably drawing her new comic.

After a long while—which was only fifteen minutes—the car stopped in front of a familiar, bright store.

"We're here."

"I know." Tappei didn't even bother to soften his tone.

Yoshida glared at him, and it was strange to see him glaring. Yoshida he knew back in elementary school was a smart, delicate—if not rather weak—boy with problems towards PE, especially track running. He looked so much unlike that boy.

"Listen," he said when Tappei opened his door. "You're leaving again, so stop making things difficult for her. Especially after everything she's been through."

"What happened, really?" Tappei demanded. He wondered if there was something he missed. Something big, something great. And he sensed it wasn't a good thing. But he knew better than picking up a fight with Yoshida, especially in their first meeting after years.

"Nothing," Yoshida merely answered. He tilted his head towards Lazy Moon's entrance door. "Now you better go home and stay away from us."

Tappei slowly, reluctantly got down the car. Before he had a chance to say thank you, the car had driven away. As the car slowly disappeared, Tappei stared at it, his mind full of questions and unsolved problems.

A/N: YAY! Another chapter!

So... my exams are done, so I have more time to write! I got two more classic books (one with a WONDERFUL discount!), so yeah, I read more. My modem died again, and I wonder to tell my ma to change it. I got writer's block, so I didn't write for several days.

Alright, the list went on from there. I went back from Sunday Service and this idea kind of nagged inside my head. Unfortunately, I only managed to write it now, a one-day express. XD

I'll go back to school in April 29, for the preparation for a... we call it here a 'retret'/retreat (I go to a Catholic school) so I won't be online since then to May 3 or something. Hope I can update before it!

About possessive!Yoshida, I hope he doesn't go OOC. He has Miiko, but then there is Tappei coming along, the guy who always bested him in winning Miiko's attention. No wonder he gets possessive.

I HAVE DECIDED HOW THIS STORY WOULD END! YAAAY! Just hope I don't have writer's block until that point :D

Thanks for the reviews! Now, lemme answer 'em:

lidiishere:

Thanks a lot! Hm... I dunno how long, but it probably will go around 15k words or something. Now is around 8/9k (if these A/Ns' don't count). Probably will go longer, I can't really promise you because my muse grows with the story. And you're welcome, I'm rather proud with the last chapter as well. :D

Ryuzaki Miki:

I'm a 12th grader. How about you? Good luck for the UN (if you're still a 9th grader), hope it won't go as bizarre as mine. Yes, Miiko still has feelings for Tappei, but it'll take time for them to figure it out. I'm trying hard to write more, so thanks!

Guest #1:

Thanks a lot! I still need improvement, but I'm glad I met your standards. I decide to make a big surprise for this fic, so all you have to do is wait. Yeah *evil laugh* I know I'm bad, but I'll try to write more. I don't really like heartbroken people, although it's quite fun to write *evil laugh once again*. Thanks for reviewing! :)

au:

Thanks! You're a senior too? Good luck for your UN!

YuuNightray99:

Manaaa? Manaaa? Ini diaaa! XD

Guest #2:

Thanks for liking and reviewing! Hahahaha you're right, I've got plenty of time! Yay!

Pertanyaan kecil: Yoshida punya berapa saudara ya? Gue inget ada satu, tapi cuma mau yakinnya aja. Soalnya gue nggak koleksi komiknya, jadi agak lupa. Thanks! :)

Pertanyaan OOT: Gue pengen beli modem portabel, kayak SmartFren gitu, itu bagus ga sih? Junior gue di sekolah punya wi-fi portabel, itu beli dimana? Tolongin dong *melas*