Reviews:
Windwood: Very nice and sweet, I love it. Thank you for the chap!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the special!
Shizu Equeeness: Sweetness Overload! Good Chapter!
Much more sweetness and fluff coming in the future. Thank you!
Thedia: Hohoho~ I quite enjoyed this little one shot for Valentines. I cannot wait to see the reactions of the other cast to EMIYA and Okita Alter in the later chapters. Good work, author.
That makes me smile! And don't worry, the reactions will be soon haha! Thank you for reading the special!
kgtab: Shiroumasa X Musashi is peak ngl. Nearly choked on all the sweetness. Also bring in all the servants. Normal Okita included. Shirou of this world will prolly be quite surprised by everything happening around him
I have a few servants in mind that'll cause chaotic fun and goodness in Okita and EMIYA's domestic life! Thank you, I'm glad you find the pairing and the special sweet! XD
Nova Sudana: Thank you for the chapter author-san!
And thank you for reading!
redskin122004: I say you are pretty spot on to be honest. I could see this happening between the two of them. also because Muramasa had Shirou's body, he probably has the harem protagonist EX in his skills.
Thank you for the kind words. Hope I could make more MuramasaXMusashi scenes in the future. EX Harem Protagonist skill to strong :D
Reaper200851: So I'm going to assume that this chapter happens sometime in the future. Quite possibly a significant amount of time in the future.
Yup. Some time in the future of canon when their romance finally blooms XD
Archer laid a pile of paper on the coffee table and sat down. Narrowing his eyes, the silver-haired bowman inspected each document, shuffling through each of them after inspecting. These were all the necessary documents he needed to open a café and the research he had done for reference.
After some time pondering since the day he and Okita thought of opening a café, the faker committed himself to doing a lot of research to guarantee they could have a successful business. EMIYA literally locked himself in his room for a few days, only going out to study other cafés, check for potential suppliers, and cook for his partner.
With so many cafés in Fuyuki, EMIYA understood that the competition would be tough. Each café in the city had its own uniqueness that set it apart from the rest. It didn't matter whether it was the interior or a specialized menu. The establishments had a uniqueness that gave lasting impressions to consumers.
That's why in order to compete against the others on an even playing field, EMIYA needed to think of how they could make their future establishment pleasantly unique and eccentric. A certain something that makes people think of their café whenever they come across it.
"Senpai."
He was pulled out of his thoughts by the voice of the Alter, lifting his head away from the documents. The silver-haired woman entered the room with a document in hand.
"Ah, Okita. Is that the list of locations that are available to us?"
"Yes, Senpai. These are all the available locations that fit your criteria." Okita said as she handed him the list.
EMIYA gave her a silent but thankful nod, taking the paper before checking its contents. Brief surprise showed on his face. He already crossed out the spots in the Verde shopping center since there were too many cafés and other establishments situated in the area. They were going to have a rough start no matter how well EMIYA brews his coffee or tea.
He expected only two or three spaces they could use to set up their business. But to EMIYA's surprise, there was a fair number of suitable locations that the pair could use. Okita even put little notes below each place explaining how frequently people pass by it, its visibility, and other factors that contribute to being a great business spot.
Archer allowed a smile to grace his face seeing how much Okita wanted to help. She might've been acting as if she was currently on duty as a Counter Guardian despite them being on vacation. But the faker appreciated the woman putting in her all whenever he gave her a task.
"Have you come to a decision, EMIYA-senpai?"
"Yeah. I think the best location that suits our vision would be in the area between the two districts in Miyama Town. A lot of students who will be coming home from Homurahara High School will likely notice our cafe as they pass by." Archer stated as he set the paper down. "Your thoughts?"
Okita cupped her chin and closed her eyes. "I believe it's a good spot as well. The flow of people is just right for the two of us. We still have to check the building itself and see exactly how many people can fit it, not to mention the space will be used up when designing our interior. However, all things considered, it is the best location for us."
EMIYA dipped his head in agreement with lips curved upwards. "I agree. Thanks for sharing your opinion, Okita. Now, I think we should move on to the design of our café and its menu."
The woman perked up at the mention of those two subjects as EMIYA gave her the concept art of the design they envisioned. The silver-haired bowman had surprised himself after doing a few sketches. They were rough and it was clear they were made by an amateur, but it was good enough for his first time.
Huh. It's probably because he has strong hands.
Each sketch was drawn by combining the essence of traditional Japanese tea shops and western cafés. The Counter Guardian pair both agreed it fitted their style. Well, EMIYA's, really, since he was going to be in charge of handling the food and drinks.
Okita examined each design with curious and bright eyes. Her steel-grey hues landed on the fourth design of the pile as she showed it to EMIYA.
"I like this design the best, Senpai."
"Care to explain why?" He asked curiously, crossing his arms.
The swordswoman cocked her head to the side with a thoughtful look. "All of them are great designs, Senpai. But I think... the fourth one has a design that brings me the most comfort."
He quirked a brow. Okita's stoic face flushed as she quickly waved her hands.
"F-From viewing them all through a customer's perspective, the fourth design felt like the best when it came to giving someone a homey feel." Okita began to elaborate, looking at the sketch with a slight smile. "Trying to imagine it gave me a feeling that I could only describe as... warm and familial comfort."
"I see..." The bowman managed a smile as he took a good look at her favored sketch. "Yeah. I think a homey and domestic ambiance will pair well with our menu."
"Will the test menu you made yesterday be the finalized one, Senpai?"
"I'm considering it, but I feel like we need a dish that's unique to our café." He sighed.
The man glanced at their test menu with furrowed brows. Sandwiches, pastries, pasta, and bread were all fairly common menu items for a café. He also threw in dishes that were uncommon but still relatively normal to be found in cafés, like rice meals and onigiris. His home cook style brought out the best in each dish, as Okita put it.,
But what kind of menu item could he add that would pair well with both the ambiance of their café and their coffee...? Maybe by putting his own little twist on a classic café item?
GROWL...
"Hmm?"
His brainstorming was cut short upon hearing a low growl. His eyes shortly met Okita's as the swordswoman immediately dipped her head down away from his gaze, rose-colored hues dusting her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Senpai..."
"Oi, oi. There's no need to apologize for that." Archer chuckled with a soft smile. "We did skip breakfast earlier in favor of going over the café plans— that's my bad. What do you think about having oden for brunch? We still have some left from last night."
Okita quickly perked up as she straightened herself. "Yes, please."
His smile broke into a smirk. Her instantaneous shift in mood whenever oden was involved never failed to make him smile.
Archer went to the kitchen with Okita accompanying him. The swordswoman took her seat as her Senpai began to prepare brunch. Her stomach growled at the thought of eating oden again. They might be leftovers, but EMIYA made them. The flavors will still be just as delicious as though they were freshly made!
If EMIYA were to hear such flattery from Okita, he would have brushed off her praises out of embarrassment. He would ignore the slight flutter of his heart whenever she did compliment his cooking.
The faker heated up the pot of their leftover oden before turning to his partner.
"Juice or coffee, Okita?"
"I'll have coffee today, Senpai." She replied with a little nod. "I think we ran out of orange juice anyway."
"Maybe that is for the best. You're growing your own mandarin tree in the garden, right?"
"Yes. With how big the garden is, there will be no problem growing something as large as a mandarin tree." The Alter closed her eyes as a bead of sweat trickled down her face.
She couldn't confess that she only started growing the tree because she encountered an aggressive salesman while shopping for groceries. Her indifferent and blank expression, mixed with actual annoyance, usually does well against persistent merchants trying to get her to purchase their products.
Unfortunately...
Okita showed signs of interest and enthusiasm when the salesman added a konjac plant to the offer.
He effectively won by telling Okita that she could make konnyaku with the plant. Haaaa, she could remember what happened like I was yesterday.
"Oh! I will throw in a konjac plant along with the mandarin seeds! You can make your oden even more delicious with it!" The salesman passionately declared as Okita's face lit up.
"Really?!"
"Of course! Konnyaku are made using konjac plants. I am certain that konnyaku made from the plant itself will level up the flavors of your oden, miss!"
"?!"
She had never eaten konnyaku made from scratch before. This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! The konjac plant isn't something you see every day, so this might be the only chance she gets to buy one. With her Senpai's skills, he won't have any trouble preparing konnyaku from the plant!
"If you take my offer now, the konjac plant is all yours for free!"
"I'll take it!"
Okita groaned inwardly, feeling slightly bitter for taking the bait of an offer. "We should still buy orange juice and oranges until the tree has fully grown, though, Senpai. It'll take... quite a while before mandarins start popping out of our tree."
EMIYA cracked a wry grin as he began to brew their coffee. "That's true. It's unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about it. Freshly squeezed orange juice tastes better than store-bought, and we can make use of the mandarins for snacks and meals. I got a little ahead of myself there."
The man silently wondered if magecraft could boost the growing speed... He immediately threw out the thought when he began pondering how magecraft-accelerated mandarins could affect the taste and condition of the fruits. As well as how it could affect an individual once consumed.
Okita waited patiently, watching her senior as he stirred the oden with a ladle. The bowman scooped a bit of the dashi as he brought the ladle close to him to check the taste. Her steel-grey hues drifted from the utensil to his lips...
"What are you staring at, my Lord?" A smooth and charming voice caused her to straighten up with a jolt.
"N-Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"
"Ho? Your stuttering makes you unconvincing, and your eyes say otherwise, my Lord." The sentient blade appeared beside the woman as he let out an amused chuckle.
"R-Ridiculous. You must be imagining things because we haven't been training as much!"
"Perhaps. You have been busy helping EMIYA as of late. I am glad you have not forgotten to train, but I don't need to be swung for intense training daily. I am satisfied as long as we train diligently. Let's say, like once-a-week training?" He suggested.
"I... suppose that is acceptable, Rengoku. Thank you."
"I'm glad you think so. Besides, I wouldn't dare try to separate you from your dear 'Senpai' just to train like a madwoman every day."
Red erupted from her cheeks. "Rengoku!"
Rengoku disappeared once more, departing with laughter through their mental bond. Okita's lips trembled into a pout as she slumped against her seat. Seriously, that Rengoku. Did he really have to tease her about EMIYA after being mostly silent since their arrival here?
Her sulking didn't last long as the scent of freshly brewed coffee tickled her nostrils.
She turned her gaze to the cup of coffee and bowl of oden placed in front of her.
"And brunch is served." He chuckled as he set his food as well.
"A-Ah. Thank you, Senpai." EMIYA simply nodded as Okita picked up her spoon, taking a sip of the warm soy-based broth, warmth passing through her stomach. "Ah..."
"Is it good?" He asked with a faint smirk, earning an immediate nod from the woman.
"Delicious as ever, Senpai. Your oden still tastes great even when they're leftovers. I can eat it all day." Okita confessed as she closed her eyes, letting a smile grace her pretty face.
'Yeah, I don't doubt.' Archer fondly thought before blinking to himself. He shook his head as he ate a piece of fried tofu from his bowl, shooting the Alter a smirk. "Don't flatter a guy's cooking too much, or you'll inflate his ego, Okita."
Embarrassed red dusted her cheeks as she shyly apologized, looking down, "I'm sorry, EMIYA-senpai. That wasn't my intention. I'll be more mindful—"
Her apology came to an abrupt end as a hand ruffled her silver mane. She raised her head, meeting her Senpai's eyes accompanied by an apologetic smile on his countenance.
"I was just teasing; no need to take my words too seriously. I appreciate all your praises about my cooking." His smile softened, and she felt her cheeks grow hot.
Okita turned away from his charming smile as she puffed out a cheek. "You're a bully, Senpai."
'Precious.' That expected thought came to his mind like Lancer peeking out from underneath a bed. It was a thought that Okita wouldn't discover for a... while.
EMIYA fought back the urge to shake his head to calm himself and decided to raise his hands in mock surrender. "Yes, I am. Sorry for teasing my dear Kouhai."
A smirk soon crossed his tanned face as her pout deepened, flushed. He seriously wasn't sorry for teasing her like that! Huffing, she looked away and stuffed her face with oden as EMIYA let out a chuckle.
Ugh... She really wanted to pull his cheek right about now. Whether it was intentional or not, the fact Archer could easily make her flustered bothered her, especially whenever he would flash a smile. Curse her racing heart...
As she grumbled at her troubles, she took a sip of her coffee. Her eyes grew wide when the lack of cream or sugar hit her tongue. Did Senpai forget to add them to her cup? No, he wouldn't forget something like that—
"Hmm? This..." Realization dawned on her as a flavor she never expected the coffee to have assaulted her mouth. "Tastes a little fruity? Citrusy?"
She tilted her head in confusion before she stared at her cup. It looked like black coffee, but the taste wasn't anything she expected. Okita furrowed her brows at EMIYA, who was busy eating his own meal before she lifted the cup to her face. The woman took a whiff. To her surprise, it was more aromatic than the previous coffees her Senpai had brewed
She sighed and took another bite of her oden to compose herself. Mm... The familiar taste of the bowman's oden did the trick. With her resolve found, she brought the rim of the cup to her lips.
The flavors of the coffee danced around with the salty, mellow goodness of the oden. The coffee had citrus-like acidity, and as Okita savored the flavors, she could taste traces of chocolate. Her face visibly brightened, then she ate more oden followed by a drink of her coffee.
"Are the coffee beans you used today different, Senpai?" Okita asked with a content sigh, setting her coffee down.
EMIYA grinned. "Yeah. It's Guatemalan Antigua coffee. I managed to buy some beans for test brewing since I found out they have a unique flavor profile." He then frowned as he rubbed his neck. "Sorry for not putting sugar and cream into your coffee. I wanted to surprise you, but more importantly, I wanted to know if you like the coffee. Guess I should assume you don't like it?"
The woman flashed him a faint but sweet smile. "Far from it, Senpai. I actually quite enjoy the flavors of this one. This coffee is kind of refreshing to drink after eating something salty like oden. And I think I know what we should do about the unique menu item for our café."
"Oh? Lay it on me then." Archer leaned on his seat, crossing his arms as he quirked a curious brow.
The stoic mask she wore crumbled for a second as she fed a piece of fishcake into his mouth. Startled, EMIYA almost choked on it but managed to consume it, grabbing his cup as he cleansed his throat with coffee. His eyes snapped wide open as though he had an epiphany.
Okita smirked with utmost smugness as she crossed her arms under her bust.
"Our café's unique specialty will be oden and coffee!"
"Honestly, kid, I feel like we keep seeing each other in all of my part-time jobs. Are you a stalker?"
"I'm not! I'm just as surprised as you, you know. How do you think I felt the first time I saw you selling fish? Or when the others and I came to the café you're working?"
"Haha! Your reactions were priceless."
The Irish spearman cackled at an auburn-haired teen, much to his annoyance. Cu scanned the last item before putting everything into a plastic bag as the boy took out his wallet.
"Everything rounds up to fifteen hundred yen, kid," Lancer said as the boy nodded. "I'm not much of a curious cat, but why the hell did you buy this much ice cream? It's not even hot this time of year."
The auburn-haired boy sighed as he paid the exact amount, grabbing the plastic bag from the counter. "It's not for me, okay? It's for Saber."
The lancer cracked a shit-eating grin. "You just love spoiling her, don't ya?"
He groaned in response as a blush crept across his face. "I-It's just her reward, okay?! It's nothing like that!"
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. Whatever helps ya sleep at night, kid."
Cu Chulainn let out a hearty laugh, waving as he watched the groaning boy leave the convenience store. That kid never failed to amuse him, kinda like that crimson bowman. It was fun irritating and annoying the poor bastards. He sighed, wondering what the guy and his girlfriend were doing right now.
"Wait, now that I'm thinking about it, that woman he was with looked kinda familiar. Where have I seen her before..." Lancer muttered as he stroked his chin.
This was going to bother him until the end of his shift, huh?
Sometimes I get weird thoughts while writing for Domestic Life that I keep thinking of plots for specials. Sorry Arthoria Alter... Jalter and EMIYA Alter came to mind. Anyways, see you all at the next one where the cafe will be officially open! Who will be their first customers, I wonder~?