Chapter Twenty Five – Hikari’s Reality

Hikari sat in the back row of her classroom, her fingers idly twirling her mechanical pencil. The teacher's voice droned on, something about classical literature, but the words barely reached her.

She was too busy counting.

5,460 yen.That's how much she had left for the rest of the month.

Her stomach twisted.

Rent. Food. School fees.

Her mother's debt collectors.

Hikari stared at the corner of her notebook, where she had scribbled down a rough budget the night before. The numbers didn't add up.

She needed more shifts at the bakery.

The thought made her chest tighten—not because she didn't love working at Moonlight Crumbs, but because she knew Elias wouldn't like it. He already insisted she wasn't overworking herself. He'd start suspecting if she kept pushing for extra hours.

But she didn't have a choice.

Her pen pressed into the paper a little harder.

"Oi, Hikari."

She blinked, pulled from her thoughts. A boy in front of her turned around, grinning. "Spacing out again? Thinking about your mysterious bakery job?"

Hikari forced a small laugh. "Something like that."

"Man, I still can't believe you actually work there. Everyone's talking about that place now. Some girl from Class 2 said she took a train just to try the 'heartbreak cookies.'"

Hikari snorted. Mira's marketing really did wonders.

She wanted to keep the conversation going, to stay lighthearted, but her phone buzzed inside her pocket. A name flashed on the screen.

Mom.

Hikari stiffened.

She hesitated before slipping out of her seat. "Bathroom," she muttered to no one in particular, walking out of the classroom.

Once she reached the empty hallway, she exhaled sharply and picked up the call.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" Her mother's voice was sharp, strained.

"At school. Why?"

There was a pause. Then, "I need money."

Hikari closed her eyes, gripping the phone tighter.

"Mom, I—"

"Just a little bit, Hikari. I swear I'll pay you back this time."

Hikari almost laughed. This time. As if she hadn't heard that a hundred times before.

"I don't have any right now," she said, her voice quiet.

Another pause.

"Then take on more shifts."

Hikari clenched her jaw.

"Mom—"

"You think I like asking you?!" Her mother's voice cracked. "But what else can I do? You know how things are! Your father left us with nothing, and I— I just need you to help. For now."

For now.

It was always for now.

Hikari swallowed the bitter lump in her throat.

"Fine," she said flatly. "I'll figure something out."

Her mother let out a relieved sigh. "I knew I could count on you."

Then, just like that, the call ended.

Hikari stared at the screen for a moment before slipping the phone back into her pocket.

She felt hollow.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of class.

She exhaled, pressing her fingers against her temple before pushing herself off the wall.

The bakery.

She just had to make it through the rest of the day. Then she'd head to Moonlight Crumbs, ask Elias for extra hours, and pretend—just for a little while—that the warmth of the bakery was enough to quiet everything else.

That for now… she could just breathe.

-

Hikari trudged back to class, her thoughts a whirlwind of numbers and excuses.

She couldn't just ask Elias outright—he'd see right through her. If she begged for more shifts, he'd assume she was overworking herself.

And maybe she was.

But what other choice did she have?

She slid back into her chair, gripping her pen a little too tightly. The lesson continued, but all she could focus on was how much money she could realistically earn before her mother called again.

She needed a plan.

By the time school ended, the sun was already dipping low, casting golden light over the pavement. Hikari barely heard her classmates chatting around her as they packed up, making plans for karaoke or grabbing crepes on their way home.

She had somewhere else to be.

Adjusting the strap of her bag, she weaved through the crowd and headed straight for Moonlight Crumbs.

The bakery was already alive when she arrived. The scent of warm sugar and butter wrapped around her like a blanket, and for a moment—just a moment—her worries quieted.

Elias was behind the counter, rolling up his sleeves as he checked the proofing dough. Mira sat at one of the small tables, scrolling through her phone, a half-eaten yuzu cookie beside her.

"You're early," Elias noted without looking up.

Hikari forced a smile. "Figured I'd get a head start."

Mira waggled her eyebrows. "Ooooh, look at you. Overachiever mode activated."

Hikari laughed lightly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Elias finally turned to her, studying her for a second.

He frowned.

Hikari stiffened.

Elias wasn't the type to pry, but he had a habit of noticing things. And right now, he was noticing her too much.

"You good?" he asked.

Hikari hesitated. Then, before she could lose her nerve—

"Can I take on more shifts?"

Elias blinked. "What?"

"I mean—just a few extra hours," she added quickly. "Not too much! Just enough to help out more. You're always so busy, and with the new menu and the renovations, I figured…"

Elias narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Are you sure you're not overworking yourself?"

Hikari forced a laugh. "Please, you overwork yourself way more than I do."

Elias sighed, rubbing his temples. "That's not—"

"Look, I want to," Hikari pressed, clasping her hands together. "Besides, I could use the experience. And the extra money would be nice."

She regretted the last part the second it left her mouth.

Elias' gaze sharpened.

Damn it.

He didn't say anything right away. He just looked at her.

And for a moment, Hikari thought he was going to ask—why do you need extra money? What's going on?

But instead, he exhaled.

"Fine," he muttered. "But if I see you pushing yourself too hard, I'm cutting back your hours, got it?"

Relief flooded through her.

"Got it!" she said quickly.

Mira, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up.

"Wow," she mused, tapping her chin. "Now I'm really curious why you're suddenly so eager to work overtime."

Hikari forced a grin. "I just really love baking."

Mira squinted. "Uh-huh. Sure."

Elias shook his head, already moving back to the kitchen. "Don't let her interrogate you. And wash your hands before you start."

Hikari practically flew to the sink, eager to bury herself in work before anyone could pry further.

She would be fine.

She had to be fine.