Dream Bakery - Completed April 7, 2018

Chapter 6: Budding Romance

https://i.imgur.com/geLg372.png?1
Kimi was up early and feeling energized. She decided to play with her dolls for a while before breakfast. She was so engrossed into her game that she didn't notice she was hungry until Ruby and Ricky came down, their voices and actions disturbing her play.

https://i.imgur.com/UzESsNi.png?1
https://i.imgur.com/UzESsNi.png?1
Ricky was pleased that he had the couch to himself while he watched cartoons and enjoyed his pancakes while making goofy faces.
Kimi and Ruby chose to eat together at the dining room table, neither interested in that particular cartoon. "Guess what? I was in the school library yesterday, and my teacher showed me a book about a girl with my name, only she was called Kim too, and I'm always Kimi," she told Ruby excitedly.
"That's cool. There aren't a lot of Rubys in books, not that I've seen anyway. Did you like it?"
Kimi nodded. "I haven't gotten very far, but it's good."
The topic moved on, and the girls finished their breakfast, cleaning up before leaving for school.

https://i.imgur.com/nVlwTqO.png?1
For a change, Molly actually woke before Kengo and was on her way down for breakfast at about the same time her three youngest rushed out to catch the bus to school. She had started rethinking her stance on having another baby and woke herself up early, unable to sleep. She wasn't ready to share her thoughts with Masami, wanting to be sure first.

https://i.imgur.com/yEIzu5o.png?1
It wasn't long before first Kengo then Masami joined Molly for breakfast, distracting her from her thoughts.
Catching the flirtatious turn to the conversation, Kengo grinned and excused himself. "I'm going to get dressed and head down to the Cakery. I want to make sure it doesn't smell of smoke."
Neither woman seemed to notice his departure, too busy flirting to pay much attention to their surroundings.
Kengo wanted that for himself someday, he thought wistfully. And if Janet came in today, he'd make steps in that direction, or at least try.

https://i.imgur.com/fj928Ze.png?2
https://i.imgur.com/vjTYNTK.png?1
Kengo noticed almost at once that the big round sign nearthe cupcake factory was out, and decided to put off opening The Cakery until he had fixed it. The work went quickly and he gave himself a few minutes to stand and admire his work.

https://i.imgur.com/CPyz9LZ.png?1
Upstairs, Masami and Molly shared a slow, passionate kiss before they went their separate ways, Molly downstairs to join Kengo in the family's bakery and Masami to her computer to finish working on the column she had been too exhausted to finish the night before. She had sat down and turned on some music before Molly left the apartment.

https://i.imgur.com/CPyz9LZ.png?1
The bakery got busy quickly, everyone wanting to come in and buy something sweet for the weekend.
Feeling confident, Kengo focused on one customer at a time, sure he would make a sale.
Molly watched for a little longer before deciding to focus on another customer who looked like he could be easily persuaded to buy something.

https://i.imgur.com/UcUp73h.png?1
After a few minutes, Kengo decided to leave Joel Yomin to think over the options and information Kengo provided before coming to a decision. Kengo also needed time to think -having just learned Joel was an alien. He found the information more exciting than alarming, he decided, over his bowl of potato chips. He hoped for another chance to talk to the man, thinking it would be nice to haven an alien for a friend. All right so his Aunt Gemma's husband was married to a half-alien, but Kengo barely knew his cousin Wade and with them living in different towns, they didn't have much opportunity to get together, so the Landgraabs didn't count.
https://i.imgur.com/F7zcPHT.png?1
Seeing that Joel was ready to check out, Kengo hurried to ring him up personally. Partly because he didn't want Joel to think Kengo had been put off and was ignoring him, but also because Kengo happened to the closest and only one not currently busy with customers. It was all he could do to resist peppering the older man with questions. Maybe if they just happened to run into each other outside The Cakery.

https://i.imgur.com/Soy0P2u.png?1
https://i.imgur.com/aZUKP6v.png?1
https://i.imgur.com/NAUxHmU.png?1
Once Joel had gone, Kengo saw that Janet had arrived, and greeted her with a smile and a hug, glad to see her. He asked here about her day next. Then, still confident after his successful sale, he tried out a bold pick-up line.
To his relief and intense pleasure, Janet was not only receptive, but admitted to being single and just as interested in him as he was in her.
Well aware this wasn't the time or place to pursue things, Kengo got down to business. "What are you looking for today?"
"I've just been at the gym, and I think I've earned myself a reward for my hard work," Janet answered. "What's your favorite?"'
"The powdered doughnuts. Let me show you," Kengo answered.
"Sounds good. I'll take the whole plate."

https://i.imgur.com/QI0fsfW.png?1
After saying goodbye to Janet, Kengo decided to take a quick bathroom break, having seen that no one needed his immediate attention.
Ruby had arrived and dove right in to help. She had thought Branson Baez was genuinely interested in buying something, but when she approached, he claimed to just be window shopping. Hiding her disappointment, Ruby put on her best smile and started doing her best to change his mind.
Molly was angry after an aggravating conversation with another potential customer and stepped back to observe Diya and her two eldest at work.

https://i.imgur.com/JhVMFPj.png?1
Deciding she needed distance as well as time to relax and distress, Molly left the Cakery in Kengo and Diya's capable hands and went upstairs to watch TV for a half hour or so.

https://i.imgur.com/1Me50Jt.png?2
Calmer and no longer tense, Molly came back down in time to help check out their last two customers of the day with a smile on her face. It had been a good day, sales-wise.

https://i.imgur.com/EyOowMY.png?1
https://i.imgur.com/BWIiBE1.png?1
Excused from helping with closing tasks, Ruby escaped up to the apartment and settled down on the loveseat to play video games. She never did get Mr. Baez to buy something from her, but she felt she'd been close. Maybe next time, she promised herself. She was getting better at it all the time.
Molly came up soon after and saw what she was doing, sitting on the couch parallel to Ruby. "THat looks like fun. Mind if I join you?"
Ruby considered, then grinned. "Sure, Mom. I'm going to beat you though!" she challenged.
"You just keep thinking that," Molly answered.

https://i.imgur.com/5hoQsvU.png?1
Ricky had come home quiet and troubled. Not wanting to upset his parents, he sought out his big brother's advice, trusting Kengo. "I did really bad on my lesson today, and some of the mean kids said I'm stupid. Is it true that I'm not smart enough?" he asked worriedly.
Kengo wasn't ashamed to admit that his first impulse was to hunt those bullies down and smack them, or at least yell at them, feeling instinctively protective of his brother. He squelched the impulse and passed on advice he had been given at the same age. "You're smart, Ricky. Just focus on what you're good at and don't worry about those bullies. Are they good at all their lessons?"
Ricky thought about that, biting his lip. "No," he said at last, smiling. "Thanks, Kengo. You're the best." His spirits much improved, Ricky raced back up the stairs. He would study really hard and show those mean old bullies just how smart he was!


(Note; Kim/Kimi is a real YA book, written by Hadley Irwin in 1988. I found it in the library in the 90s and still remember it. )