For the Love of Cherry Pie

Story Title: For the Love of Cherry Pie
Author: tashiichaan
Type: One-shot, Ohno-centric
Rating: G
Genre: Romance, humour, MINDLESS FLUFF XD
Comments: I write plotless fluff when I face writer’s block XD And please entertain yourself with this really fluffy-kawaii love story about Riida while I regain my creative writing juice.

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- For the Love of Cherry Pie -

Based on the song 愛と勇気とチェリ―パイ(Love, Courage and Cherry Pie) by Arashi.
Translation of the lyrics can be found here

Cherry pie. When I think of that sweet cake, I can’t help but think of you. Your pink chequered apron bearing the logo of the cakehouse you work at; your wide, surprised eyes every time the bell jiggles softly as I step inside; your sugar-coated lips revealing the cherry pie hidden behind your back that you were secretly munching on when no one was around.

“Ohno-san…” you wonder aloud with reddened cheeks.

My heart skips a beat every time my name plays along your soft, gentle voice. At least, you remember my name – it makes me so happy. Of course, who wouldn’t when you’ve been visiting the same cakehouse almost every day for the past month?

“Here for the usual cherry pies?” you ask as I advance towards the counter with a very shy smile. Every day you’d ask the same question, to which delights me at the opportunity to speak with you. Although embarrassment always gets to me, and I can hardly manage a nod, and before my voice returns, you’d run off to fetch the cherry pies from the display shelf.

But today, I decided love needed courage. Just a little bit would do, to make this love possible.

“Hai, five pies please,” I reply as nonchalantly as I can.

You don’t hide your surprise at this unusual response from me. It’s not like you’ve never heard my voice before, right? No, wait, you haven’t. No, I can’t remember, because suddenly your lips break into a very slight smile, which you try to suppress as you cut five pieces of the cherry pie and place them very neatly into a box.

I can’t help but feel my hopes soar higher than ever today.

“Ano, may I know…” I start very feebly, “…who bakes these cherry pies?”

I hold my breath nervously as you look up curiously, biting your lower lip in uncertainty that seems so cute. You mumble your reply which I don’t catch, and you hand me the wrapped package nervously without repeating your answer. Is that a blush I see on your face?

“Please tell the person who bakes this,” I continue with more confidence in my soft voice, as I pay the money, “that the cherry pie is the reason why I come here everyday.”

Without collecting the change, I am practically running out of the cakehouse. I don’t look back as I walk off with purpose, clutching the box in my hands with extreme care and preciousness. Of course, it’s obvious who bakes these pies, but I need another reason to return tomorrow, yes?

Tomorrow. I’m looking forward tomorrow. And the next day indeed goes by in a blur and at a fast pace. I’m rather inattentive to everything today; my mind can only conjure up images of you and your small smile that gives me goosebumps, and in succession makes me smile to myself. My groupmates find amusement in guessing why I’m exceedingly gleeful today, but that unfazes me. Once the photoshoots end, I’m already rushing off and heading straight for the cakehouse, unconsciously resting my hand on my bag which carries something I hope would make you happy.

The familiar sound of the jiggling bell rings out as I open the glass door. My smile, however, vanishes as quick as the door swings back close when I’m met with a deserted area.

Where are you?

I search around for you in panic, even scanning under the counter in case you’re hiding with another half-eaten cherry pie, just when a strong fragrance of sweetened cherries and vanilla wafts into the shop. It smells so wonderful and scrumptious, and then it dawns on me. The world doesn’t feel like it’s ending anymore.

“Yuuki-san?” I call out as I follow the trail of the smell towards the kitchens in the back. Past the clean silver doors, I find you squatting in front of the ovens with your chin resting in your flour-covered hands, watching the cherry pies bake with such a serene smile across your face, it almost makes my heart melt. I honestly do feel that.

“Yuuki-san?” I call to you again.

You jump onto your feet in shock at my sudden presence, and you quickly wipe the flour off of your hands on your apron while bowing to me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you enter.”

I totally ignore your apology. “Are those cherry pies you’re baking?” I ask with an evident tone of hope in my voice.

Your eyes shine at me in curiosity at my inquiry, and look between the oven and my fascinated face. You nod very shyly, and then you speak out apologetically, “I’ve only started baking the second batch for the day and they won’t be ready till another hour. I’m really sor—”

“How about having a drink with me while waiting then?” I blurt out.

My heart’s beating so rapidly I wonder how it hasn’t ripped out of my chest yet. I apprehensively wait for you to answer while wringing my hands. Thoughts run through my mind, like ‘is it too early to ask you out?’ or ‘I hope you don’t turn me down’ or ‘why do I have to be such a tactless idiot?’. I’m about to take back my words with a lame excuse, when your lips curve into a pretty smile.

“I’ll go get some orange juice then,” you say, and that’s how we get to spend time together, drinking orange juice that you specially squeezed while we sit on the floor in front of the ovens. It’s good that you talk a lot, since I’m hardly the talkative one anyways. I like how you always bite your lips when you’re deep in thought, or how your eyes light up with pride when you talk about this cakehouse you inherited from your aunt, and your love for baking.

Have I mentioned how beautiful you are?

“Ohno-san… do you really like… my cherry pies?” you ask me slowly with an averted gaze, fiddling your hands around your empty glass.

The answer is obvious, isn’t it? This is when a boost of courage is called for. Of course, love needs courage. I edge closer to you, and my voice rings out in a whisper that mirrors the very feelings I have for you. “I like coming here, because I like Yuuki-san’s pies, and I like Yuuki-san. Very much.”

You suck in your breath audibly at my confession as your eyes widen and gaze at me with that very-familiar surprise. I become insecure and uncertain of your reaction; of course I don’t have Matsujun’s suave sweet-talks, or Nino’s confidence, or Aiba’s adorable demeanour that gets him away with anything. But I only have love, and I’m sure that’s enough. Hurriedly I scramble onto my feet and bow deeply to you in formality.

“I hope you’ll consider going out with me!” I exclaim, pronouncing each word in one very fast breath. Quickly, I extract the huge package from my bag and stretch it out to you. “Please accept this as my gift!”

After a few heart-stopping seconds of silence, you suddenly laugh out loud as you accept the package, and it delights me so much to hear your laughter which sounds like a lovely melody to my ears. You grin in amusement as you observe the package in your hands. “Flour?”

“Er, yes. For you to make lots and lots of cherry pies for me in future,” I answer casually as if it’s the most common present to convince my crush to be my girlfriend.

You giggle at my bluntness, and in gratefulness you hug the packet of flour to your chest and turn your joyous face up to me. “Thank you for this, Ohno-san,” you murmur. You reach up to hold my hand, and shivers run all over my body at the warm touch. Such a nice touch, and I want to experience this touch, this warmth in my heart, this love, every day.

“And yes, I will make lots and lots of cherry pies for you, every day.”

Our love is so simple, don’t you think? I see you every day, and you bring freshly-baked pies to me with a greeting kiss that heats me up on the coldest winter days. I’d hug you as you wrap your scarf around me to warm me up while you ask me, “How’s your day?”. You always have this indistinct vanilla scent on you which I pick up when I bury my face in your curls, and when I comment very shyly how much I like it, you’d complain about how you can never remove this smell because you’re practically living on it in the kitchen.

It’s unbelievable, how our relationship can go through months and I never get tired of your pies. Never. Not when our love revolves around it. But recently you haven’t been baking them as often as you use to, and when I ask about it, your excuse is that you’re growing fat.

“You’re not fat,” I remark, and it’s an honest one. So you’re plumper than the common stick-thin, size-zero girls I see so often in the entertainment industry, but you’re not fat. Definitely not in my eyes. “I like you this way.”

“So you’re saying you like me fat?” you’d retort with narrowed eyes.

“No, I’m saying I like you for who you are, not how you look.” Matsujun would be so proud of me for thinking up such a compliment. And it is effective, judging from how your misery is so quickly replaced with comfort and you happily trot back to the kitchen and dig out the ingredients to bake the delayed cherry pies.

I just want you. Why do you have to doubt my feelings? It’s so simple – to see you with that smile, that happiness, that adoration clear in your eyes whenever I’m with you. This love grows as time goes by, and I don’t want it to stop growing. No matter what, I’ll be here for you, with you.

“These pies aren’t ready until I bake them, you know,” you say matter-of-factly as I wrap my arms around your waist from behind. I breathe in that familiar scent and sigh softly with endearment.

“You know, this sweet feeling of our love,” I tell you in a soft murmur, “it’ll disappear.”

“WHAT?” you gasp out loud, and turn around to face me with flushed cheeks and shock and anger. “What do you mean?!”

“Because we’re already bound together,” I answer with all the love and adoration that I don’t normally express, as I tighten my hold around your waist, “it feels like you’re already a part of me. Your love makes me whole.”

Without waiting for your reply, I lower my lips and kiss you gently. This is how much I love you, my Yuuki; how much I want you in my life forever; how much this love is nothing without courage, and some cherry pies.

~

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