"Welcome~ Ah, it's you kid."

As soon as I got out of school, I picked up my school bag and walked quickly to Furukawa's bakery in the shopping street, but I was still greeted by Uncle Furukawa Akisheng, who was obviously a big man with a cigarette in his mouth but didn't look like an adult at all.

"Hey, can you welcome customers with such an attitude?"

"Haha~ Of course it's okay if the object is you!"

Alas, I'm a fool to have expectations for you, uncle.

"Uncle, can you order a cake here?"

"It's not nonsense, don't underestimate my strength." Taking out a notepad from the counter, the uncle turned to a blank page and looked up and asked, "Tell me, what kind of cake are you going to make, and when will you want it?" ”

"It's a birthday cake, preferably made on Saturday morning."

"Oh~ Is your kid going to have a birthday? Well, for the sake of the old buyer, I'll give you a few more Sanae's bread as a gift in advance. ”

The uncle buried his head in the notes, and pointed to the left side of the shop where there was as much bread as a hill.

You're just looking for someone to consume inventory, right?

"It's not my birthday, it's for my friends." Shaking my head in the negative, I reminded my uncle, "That congratulatory message is written "Happy birthday to Kotomi!"

That's right, the solution I came up with at that time was Okazaki asking me last weekend, "What do you want Kotomi to give her for her birthday?"

After discussing with Furukawa, Apricot, and Starling, we decided to hold a birthday party for Kotomi on Saturday, the day of her birth, for whom Okazaki still feels guilty, but the division of labor is different, and I am in charge of the food part of the birthday party.

But when it comes to the most important food at a birthday party, it's ———— cake!

"Kotomi? Ah~ It's the cute girl who plays the violin," the uncle wrote, suddenly raised his head and looked at me with a smile, "Celebrate the girl's birthday, do you kid plan... Woohoo~"

"No, everybody will participate."

This expression is absolutely ~ definitely crooked!

“… What, please don't say anything misleading in the future. ”

When did I say something that you misunderstood?! It's obvious that you, a bad uncle, want to be crooked!

"It's still the old rule, give me two freshly baked bread from Aunt Sanae."

Sure enough, I still have to buy it, and although Okazaki shook his head at Aunt Sanae's bread, I personally felt that the unique impact of Aunt Sanae's bread was my favorite texture.

"Ah~ Did you kid come to buy bread again? It's better to eat more once in a while. ”

Although you are a little uncomfortable with your rare concern uncle, as a bread seller, is it a bit bad for you to persuade customers to eat less bread?

"It's tomorrow's breakfast, and I usually eat."

"Really?" Stretching out his hand to draw a horizontal line in the air, the uncle frowned and smacked his lips, "Tsk." ”

Hey, what does that mean?! I apologize if I'm too careful, but why do you have to look at me with a look of "I won't be fooled", and why do you raise your hand to almost the same height as my height!

"Uncle, are you trying to find someone to quarrel?"

Without showing weakness, I raised my head and stared at my uncle who was half a head taller than me, and the corners of my mouth twitched and moved.

"Anyway, I also open a store to do business, and my image is very important." Uncle shook his fingers at me, then proudly raised his arm and boasted to me, "Men should use their fists to solve problems!" ”

Well, the muscles in the arms are really hard enough.

"I'm back, ah! Izumi-kun. ”

"Hello, Furukawa." I turned my head and saw Furukawa, who was opening the door and walking into the store, "Have you already been to Kotomi?" ”

"Well, Okazaki-kun is still there, but he seems to have a way."

"Oh~ That's right."

"He told me to tell everybody, 'Come on.'"

"Really?"

It's really rare that that tsundere Okazaki would say that.

"Are you here to buy bread today?"

"Well, but it's mainly to make a cake for Kotomi's birthday party."

"Hehe, Okazaki-kun and Izumi-kun are working hard," Furukawa cheered himself on with both fists, "I have to cheer up too!" ”

"Let's do it, everybody."

Smiling at Furukawa and nodding, I took the paper bag from my uncle and left the bakery.

———————————— dividing line————————————

It's time for the sky to start reddening, and the temperature is getting cooler than noon, but even then Okazaki's face is still dripping with sweat.

"Hey, great work."

Walking into the yard, I greeted Okazaki, who was bent over and busy pulling weeds.

"Izumi?"

Okazaki looked up at me with a surprised expression.

"Kotomi, is she better?"

"I don't know... I haven't met her yet. ”

At this point, both of us fell silent.

"Ha, haha, yes." Secretly blaming myself in my heart, I hurriedly put aside the topic with a haha, "I heard Furukawa say that you have a way, what is it?" ”

"It's not a solution, I'm going to at least tidy up the yard first." Touching the rust-red chair beside him with a nostalgic look, Okazaki said with a wry smile, "Do what you can for Kotomi." ”

"Not bad, such a positive idea."

"It's what you want, I heard Furukawa say you're doing secret things."

"That's right."

"Give me a hint."

"Hint... That's "birthday". ”

Scratching my head, I struggled to come up with such a concise hint.

After all, Okazaki isn't stupid, and if he says it too clearly, he might be able to guess it, but Apricot specifically told me to keep my mouth shut, otherwise... You're going to fall over the shoulder.

"I see."

After listening to this, Okazaki smiled as if he understood.

Hey? Why do you have a "I understand" expression, is it because the hint I gave is too clear? Hopefully not, but even if Okazaki does guess it, I'm praying that I don't let Apricot know that I gave the hint.

"By the way, Kotomi's birthday is the 13th, right?"

"That's right, this Saturday."

Just in case, it's better to check it out now. After all, the birthday cake is ordered, and if you make a mistake, you can go back and correct it now.

"Need my help?"

Looking at the overgrown weeds in the yard, I proposed to Okazaki.

After all, it's too reluctant to do such a big project alone.

"Thanks, but I'm going to do it alone."

"And help me say hello to Nagisa and Fujilin and Xing, I may have to skip class in the next few days, so don't worry."

Thinking about his trip in the next few days, Okazaki added to me.

"I know, but if there's a real shortage of manpower, don't be kind."

"Do you still have time to care about me here, don't you go to the drama department?"

"It's okay, Furukawa also said to suspend club activities now."

"That's right."

That's right, we all know that Furukawa is such a person.

Reviving the drama department has always been her dream, maybe she won't even be able to squeeze in time for the next semester, but for the sake of her friends, Furukawa will definitely sacrifice it, and she is such a person.

"By the way, this is a condolence gift." I took out a wrapped loaf of bread from the paper bag and threw it to Okazaki, and I turned around and walked out of the courtyard, "Let's all do our best." ”

Walking to the door, I looked at the colors of the sunset reflected on the ground.

In short, do what you can now, be sure to make all the preparations on your birthday, come on!

As he first thought this, a hysterical scream came from the courtyard behind him.

… So, wasn't the bread I just bought the sae?