Of Names and Old Stories

It had already gotten dark, and the bright, glittery stars blanketed the city skies. The flicker of street lamps lit up the quiet streets outside the window. Inside the bakery, the last warmth of the ovens still lingered in the air as Yuika-san, Emi, Axel, and Kirika-san wrapped up the final chores before closing for the night.

The bakery had quieted into a soft hum just the low clink of dishes being stacked, and the occasional squeak of a mop on tile. The windows fogged lightly from the warmth inside meeting the chill outside, and the golden glow of the hanging bulbs gave the space a sleepy, comforting feel. Emi glanced toward the door, watching the occasional passerby under the streetlamp.

Kiyomi, Ito, Megumi, and the last few customers had already said their goodbyes, leaving the space peaceful, just family and close friends tidying up together.

Yuika-san straightened up from the counter and turned to Axel.

"Axel… I forgot to mention earlier, but you have another friend called Regi, right? He didn't come today ,he's okay, I hope?"

Axel glanced up from tying a trash bag.

"Oh, yes, Regi… He didn't come because of soccer practice. It's usually in the morning, but with the spring tournament coming up, they've been practicing a lot lately."

Yuika-san gave a knowing nod, rinsing her hands.

"Ah, spring tournaments… I remember Hiro staying out late for practice too, back in the day. Those were the days when I used to walk to the field just to check if he'd caught a cold."

Axel smiled politely, but Emi snorted softly. "You're just trying to sound romantic now, Mom."

Yuika-san laughed under her breath. "Is it working?"

Emi, drying her hands on a towel, moved closer.

"Speaking of which, Regi told me to remind you that you guys were supposed to meet up to play on his new console…" She frowned, trying to recall. "What was the name…?"

Axel didn't miss a beat.

"It must be for F1. He's obsessed with those games."

"Oh yes! That's exactly what he said." Emi snapped her fingers, grinning.

Kirika-san, perched on a stool with her chin in her hands, tilted her head.

"What a weird name for a video game." She paused, then asked with wide-eyed curiosity, "Hey bro, what's F1 though?"

Axel chuckled softly at her clueless but earnest expression.

"Actually, it comes from Formula 1 cars. You've heard about racing circuits, right?"

"Oh, so it's that!" Kirika-san's eyes lit up. "Well, I heard motorsports are super expensive!"

"Yeah, they'll empty your entire wallet in one go!" Axel replied with exaggerated horror, seeing Kirika-san's fascination and childish enthusiasm.

Yuika-san, wiping down the fridge with calm, fond amusement, added,

"It seems you know a lot about cars too, dear."

Axel shrugged modestly as he stored the half-filled flour bag in a drawer.

"Well, most of it's what Regi told me."

Kirika-san, still curious, turned back to him.

"Axel, I always wondered how did you get your name? Florian Axel? It sounds so… fancy."

Emi, caught off guard by the question, froze in place. She hadn't ever asked, but now her ears strained for his answer.

Axel paused, a softer expression overtaking his usual casual demeanor.

"The name Florian… it's Latin, and it means 'flowering' or 'blooming.' It's about growth and beauty my mom chose that. She loved the meaning."

He glanced at the floor for a moment, the memory warming his voice.

"My dad chose Axel. It can mean 'peace' or 'father of peace.'" He cracked a small, affectionate smile. "They thought why not combine both?"

His voice fell quiet, filled with gentle fondness.

"That's how Florian Axel was born that day."

There was a pause as if the air had gone softer. Even the quiet creak of a chair shifting felt sacred in that moment. Emi glanced sideways at Axel, her fingers loosely wrapped around a dish towel. She didn't say anything, but her heart tugged a little at the way he spoke about his names that his parents gave him like they were a melody he still carried around.

For a heartbeat, the bakery was silent except for the hum of the cooler and the distant sound of wind against the window. Everyone felt it the glow of family love and the gratitude of cherished memories.

Yuika-san watched Axel with a tender look, her fingers idly flipping the edge of a curtain.

"You remind me of those times when I was young… times with my husband and my old friends," she said softly.

She smiled as she recalled old memories, the days spent with her dear friend Kai, Soo-chan and her husband Hiro.

She took a breath, lost in thought, then turned back to Emi with a smile that was both proud and a little shy.

"Emi! You don't know how we chose your name, do you?"

Emi blinked, startled from her thoughts.

"No, Mom! How did you choose the name for me?"

Yuika-san's expression shifted to something fond but a bit embarrassed.

"Well… I suppose I'll tell you guys the story as a reward for helping me every day." She gave them all a slightly flustered but warm smile.

At that, everyone paused in their work, eyes lighting up, excitement in the air as they gathered closer. Kirika-san scooted forward on her stool, Axel leaned back against the counter, and Emi clasped her hands in anticipation.

She leaned slightly against the counter, staring out at the fading glow behind the curtains, the kind of stare someone has when they're watching a memory only they can see.

"Kai used to race me to the hill behind school… always claimed he let me win," she chuckled to herself.

Kirika, curious, tilted her head. "So he was your first crush?"

"One of the first," Yuika-san replied, waving her hand. "That part of the story is yet to unfold. Be a little bit patient, dear."

The environment suddenly felt warm and cozy despite the chill outside a little pocket of golden light and laughter in the quiet city night.

It was a moment woven from love, shared labor, and the promise of stories waiting to unfold.

A kind of nostalgic texture filled the space, rich with Yuika-san's old memories, as her story began to unfold.