1981:ch-5

TAKE ME BACK

TO THE YEAR

1981

Chapter Five:

"A Late Start and a Sweet Morning"

The night passed quickly, and before Haruto knew it, the sharp ring of his alarm clock jolted him awake.

8:47 AM.

His eyes widened in panic as he shot up from his bed.

"Crap!"

He had completely forgotten—he was supposed to help out at Souta's bakery this morning!

Without wasting another second, he jumped out of bed, rushing to the bathroom. He hurriedly brushed his teeth, splashed cold water on his face, and ran a hand through his messy hair in a weak attempt to tame it.

As soon as he was done, he dashed back to his room and threw on a casual outfit—just a simple white t-shirt and a jacket over it, paired with jeans. He didn't even bother fixing his bed before rushing down the stairs, grabbing his phone and wallet on the way.

"Mom, I'm going now!" he called over his shoulder while slipping his arms through his jacket.

His mother, who had been in the kitchen preparing breakfast, barely had time to react before the front door slammed shut. She sighed, shaking her head in amusement.

"Always in a rush," she muttered to herself before returning to her chores.

---

A Rush to the Bakery

Haruto sprinted down the road, his feet pounding against the pavement. The bakery wasn't far—just a few blocks away—but that didn't stop him from feeling guilty for being late. He was usually good at remembering things, but mornings had never been his strong suit.

As he approached the familiar shop, the scent of freshly baked bread and pastries filled the air, making his stomach grumble. He pushed the door open, panting as he stepped inside.

"Souta, I—"

He was still trying to catch his breath when his eyes landed on her.

She stood behind the counter, wearing a simple apron over her dress, her hands delicately placing freshly baked bread on display. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a soft glow on her face.

Souta turned at the sound of his voice, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Good morning, Haruto."

Her voice was calm and sweet, as if she hadn't been waiting for him for the past hour. There was no annoyance, no scolding—just her usual warm greeting.

Haruto glanced around, noticing the shop was already bustling with customers. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla filled the air, and trays of golden pastries lined the counter.

"You're late," she teased gently, tilting her head.

Haruto scratched the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, I kind of overslept…"

Souta giggled. "I figured."

He sighed, stepping closer to the counter. "Why didn't you call me?"

She shrugged. "I knew you'd come running eventually."

Haruto rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

"Well, I'm here now. What do you need me to do?"

Souta tapped her chin thoughtfully before handing him an apron. "You can start by helping me with the next batch of bread. The dough's already prepared, so you just need to knead it and shape it."

He took the apron from her, slipping it over his head as he followed her to the kitchen.

-In the Kitchen

The kitchen was warm, filled with the comforting scent of butter and flour. Baking trays lined the counters, and the rhythmic sound of the oven timer ticking away filled the room.

Souta rolled up her sleeves, tying her hair into a loose ponytail before dusting her hands with flour.

Haruto watched her for a moment, admiring how natural she looked in this setting. She had always been good at this—moving with ease, her hands expertly shaping the dough.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare, or are you going to help?" Souta teased, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Haruto cleared his throat, quickly grabbing a handful of dough. "I was about to help."

She smirked. "Sure you were."

Rolling his eyes, Haruto focused on kneading the dough, pressing it firmly against the wooden counter.

Souta watched him for a moment before leaning in slightly. "You're doing it wrong."

Haruto stopped, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I'm just kneading it like I always do."

She shook her head, stepping closer. "You're being too rough. You need to be gentler—like this."

Before he could react, she reached out, placing her hands over his to guide his movements.

Haruto felt his heart skip a beat.

Her hands were small and warm against his, and the proximity between them was… distracting.

She didn't seem to notice his flustered state as she gently showed him the right way to knead the dough. "See? If you press too hard, it won't rise properly."

He nodded absentmindedly, barely registering what she was saying.

All he could focus on was how close she was.

The way her hair fell over her shoulders. The soft scent of vanilla that lingered around her. The way her lips curled slightly when she concentrated.

"Haruto?"

He blinked. "Huh?"

Souta pulled back, tilting her head. "Were you even listening?"

"Uh—yeah! Yeah, I was." He quickly looked down at the dough, trying to focus. "Something about… not pressing too hard?"

Souta stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Haruto, you're terrible at lying."

He groaned, covering his face with one hand. "Whatever, let's just finish this."

She continued laughing but nodded, returning to her own work.

Despite his embarrassment, Haruto couldn't help but smile to himself.

Maybe waking up late wasn't so bad after all.

---

After the Morning Rush

After what felt like hours of kneading, baking, and serving customers, the morning rush finally started to slow down.

Haruto leaned against the counter, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Man, I forgot how tiring this is."

Souta chuckled. "You say that every time, but you still come and help me."

He shrugged. "Well, someone has to make sure you don't overwork yourself."

Souta rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. "Thanks, Haruto."

He glanced at her, surprised by the sincerity in her voice.

Before he could say anything, she suddenly perked up. "Oh! Since you worked so hard, I made something for you."

She reached behind the counter and pulled out a small plate. On it sat a neatly arranged slice of cake, topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel.

Haruto raised an eyebrow. "You made this?"

She nodded. "It's a new recipe I've been working on. You're the first one to try it."

He stared at the cake for a moment before picking up the fork.

The moment he took a bite, his eyes widened.

"Souta… this is really good."

Her face lit up. "Really? You're not just saying that?"

He shook his head. "No, I mean it. This might be one of the best things you've made."

Souta beamed. "That means a lot, coming from you."

Haruto looked at her, his chest tightening slightly.

She had no idea, did she? No idea how much he cared. How much he admired her.

How much he was falling for her.

And at this point…

He wasn't sure if he wanted to stop.