Kawaragi Momoka woke up from a pile of unopened cardboard boxes.
She stared blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling, and it took her several minutes to fully wake up and realize that she had moved out of the small sparrow cage she had originally rented.
"Sigh…"
She scratched her somewhat messy hair and let out a yawn like an old man.
Yesterday, she waited for that young boss for half a day, but he never came back even by evening. It was all in vain that she felt ashamed for shedding tears in front of him because she couldn't hold it in, and she had done a lot of mental preparation, thinking of countless ways to cover up what happened when she faced him again, and only then did she call a moving company to move all her luggage.
Although this also meant that he trusted her considerably—Kawaragi Momoka herself didn't understand why he trusted her so much—living alone in an unfamiliar attic still felt a bit lonely.
"I should have gotten used to it by now…"
Kawaragi Momoka mumbled, then slapped her face hard, wanting to wake herself up faster and try to lift her spirits.
She slapped too hard, and even her cheeks turned red.
Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and she sniffled, covering her face like a little girl: "Boohoo… It doesn't hurt at all!"
Coming down the attic stairs to the second floor of the shop, according to the young boss's design, this area was supposed to serve as a warehouse, but currently, the few rooms were empty, with nothing in them.
Kawaragi Momoka didn't think, 'Since there's nothing, why can't I live in a more comfortable room?'
Having wandered for so long, she had seen many people and many things, and naturally knew that the young boss lending her the attic was already an act of kindness. She absolutely couldn't take his kindness for granted, much less shamelessly ask for more.
However, there was also a restroom on the second floor, which could solve simple washing problems, so she wouldn't have to go downstairs with her overnight bare face and scare customers.
"So fragrant…"
After a quick wash, Kawaragi Momoka had just walked out of the restroom when she smelled a fragrance wafting through the air.
It was the scent of baked flour, premium butter rich with milk, and sweet cream mixed with fresh fruit, like the concretization of some kind of happiness.
She walked down the stairs to the shop floor, which was meant for business, and saw the young boss, who had been missing all day yesterday, wearing oven mitts and bringing out a plate of what looked like freshly baked desserts.
"Oh, you're awake already? You could have slept longer."
Asakura greeted her.
"No need, I am quite self-controlled, after all!"
Kawaragi Momoka said sternly, puffing out her chest, which often drew sympathetic glances from her peers due to long-term malnutrition.
Of course, it was a lie. If there was anything she was satisfied with about being a freelance rock singer, a terrible profession with extremely unstable income, besides satisfying her love for music, it was probably just the extreme freedom in her life and work hours.
In fact, even when she was still in a band, a period when she could barely shed the label of being unemployed, Kawaragi Momoka often went to celebration parties with her bandmates after Live performances, getting so drunk that she would wake up at noon the next day, which was quite common.
"No, what I mean is, today is probably your last day to sleep in."
Asakura showed a harmless smile: "As a pastry chef, or even just a server, please be ready before the shop opens."
"…May I ask what time the shop opens?"
"Six in the morning."
"If I quit now…"
"Just kidding, even I can't wake up that early."
Asakura said with a cheerful laugh.
"You scared me."
Kawaragi Momoka breathed a sigh of relief.
"Actually, it's six ten."
"There's no difference at all! Ten minutes can already be considered an error, I tell you!"
"When you can't wake up at six o'clock, you can say, 'Let me sleep five more minutes~.' I think that's romantic."
"Do I have to do all my washing and makeup in the remaining five minutes? That's not romantic, that's pathetic!"
Of course, Asakura wasn't a devil. Although she did have to wake up early in the morning, the work at the dessert shop was actually quite leisurely. So, during off-peak hours, such as before lunch, or right after lunch, and after afternoon tea when there weren't many customers, Kawaragi Momoka, as the only server, cashier, salesperson, and musician in the shop, could take naps at will.
Moreover, the dessert shop closed very early, and how she arranged her time after closing was her freedom.
So, after weighing the pros and cons, Kawaragi Momoka reluctantly bid farewell to her future days of sleeping in and chose to contribute to Asakura's dessert shop once again (?).
"By the way, what's the name of this shop?"
Kawaragi Momoka asked curiously, "I'm going to work here, but I don't even know the name of the shop. It feels a bit strange…"
"Hmm…"
Asakura thought for a moment. For some reason, a certain pink-haired, sugary smile popped into his head. That sugary feeling seemed subtly fitting for a dessert shop.
"How about Anon Tokyo?"
"It sounds like some third-rate rock band."
Kawaragi Momoka said almost without thinking, instinctively.
"…"
Sorry, Anon, even I don't know how to refute her perfectly accurate retort. Asakura mourned Anon's terrible taste in his heart.
"Oh, right, young boss…"
"Huh, aren't you calling me boyfriend anymore?"
Asakura asked, coming back to his senses.
"Since I'm really going to work here, it feels a bit inappropriate to call you that now—" Kawaragi Momoka scratched her head: "That thing in your hand…"
The baking tray Asakura had been holding since earlier was filled with white, round little rabbits that looked somewhat like mochi. From the steam and sweet aroma emanating from them, they seemed to be a type of dessert as well.
"This? It's a new dessert baked by referencing wagashi. You said you wanted anmitsu when you were drunk before, but we don't have anything that fancy here. However, if you don't mind red bean paste filling, this should be quite tasty."
Asakura said.
"You really didn't have to go to so much trouble…"
Kawaragi Momoka couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at his words, and at the same time, she kept cursing herself internally, completely unaware of how many random things she had said that drunken night.
"It's also preparation for developing limited-edition new products for the shop. After all, Japanese people have no resistance to the word 'limited'."
Asakura didn't mind: "You should try it quickly too."
"Then I won't be polite…"
Kawaragi Momoka was about to reach for one when she paused, "Um, I think I just saw one of the rabbit desserts jump as if it came alive?"
"It's probably just that the bran at the bottom wasn't fully baked, causing a small crack. Don't worry about it."
Asakura responded seriously.
"Is, is that so…"
Kawaragi Momoka picked up a small rabbit the size of an onsen manju, hesitated for a long time, then bravely put it in her mouth and took a bite. She found that it was indeed just a dessert, and the sweetness was moderate, with excellent texture and taste.
"Delicious! This will definitely be a big seller!"
Her eyes lit up instantly.
"That's good, that's good."
Asakura gave an awkward smile and wiped away cold sweat.
It seemed the house-elves in the Elven Kitchen couldn't get wagashi. In that case, what they referenced was probably chocolate frogs…
Hopefully, these rabbits won't be as mischievous as chocolate frogs and will behave a little.
However, it seemed Kawaragi Momoka really liked the red bean paste mochi rabbits specially flavored by the house-elves. Her eyes were squinted as she ate, completely losing the pretense of maintaining an adult persona from before, and becoming much cuter.
"Want some more rabbits?"
Asakura handed the baking tray towards her.
Kawaragi Momoka hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist the deliciousness of the little rabbits. She picked up another one and ate it, her smile becoming even happier.
Asakura looked at her happy face and suddenly said, "Is the Order a Rabbit?"
"What?"
Kawaragi Momoka, her mouth full of mochi and sweet bean paste, asked indistinctly.
"This shop will be called 'Is the Order a Rabbit? Dessert Shop'!"
Asakura thus concluded: "Coincidentally, this shopping district is also called Toyama Shopping District. Let everyone order rabbits today!"