Chương 2: CUPCAKE TWO

It was a beautiful sunny day in Tokyo. Beautiful Saturday morning. Kitaro Eiji, a young handsome man brought his daughter to the park around the neighborhood. Last night he promised his daughter to bring her to the park. There were a lot of kids playing in that park and several adults. Among them, there was a girl who really caught the attention of him. That girl looked so shining. He sat on the swing with his daughter on his lap. And from there he watched the girl.

That beautiful creature was only about thirty meters away from him. He still could see her clearly. She was wearing a pair of beige trousers, and her long sleeve blouse had the same color with the trousers. She had a long wavy golden brown hair . And she let her hair down. Her body was small and slender. She was talking with some women in the park. Kitaro Eiji wondered who she is. She was so beautiful and she acted so natural. There was a book in her hand while she was chatting with those ladies. At the whole time Kitaro Eiji was watching her.

Either by coincidence or the girl felt someone was watching her, she suddenly looked at Kitaro Eiji. For a few seconds their eyes met. Then the girl went back to chatting with her group. But a moment later she turned her head back to Kitaro Eiji. And stared at him for a long time. From a distance he could see the girl smiling at him and waving her hand. He was confused. He looked left and right but it was only him and his daughter there. Then Kitaro Eiji waved his hand towards the girl. He pointed to himself and the girl nodded. Then walked towards him.

"Kitaro?" said the girl as she approached them. Her smile was so beautiful.

Kitaro Eiji lifted his daughter and stood up. That beautiful creature stood up in front of him. The top two buttons of her blouse were unbuttoned. She looked so sexy even though she has a flat chest. Her waist was small but her body had beautiful curves. The eyelashes were long and curly. It was a real eyelashes. Kitaro Eiji really sure about that one hundred percent. And her skin was glowing white. Those lips were naturally pink. That beautiful person didn't wear make-up. The beauty was so natural. Kitaro Eiji gulped. He stunned for a moment.

"Do you know me?" he said.

"Kitaro. It's me Akira. Kaneshiro Akira. Yokohama High School? You used to call me Cupcake. "

And Kitaro Eiji felt his knees go limp. Suddenly he remembered him. Luckily he had a strong body and he couldn't help but smile.

"Kaneshiro! Hisashiburi desu!" he said.

"Akira! Just call me Akira. How are you? Is this your daughter? She's so beautiful."

"I'm fine, Kane... Akira. Yes, this is my daughter. Michiko. How are you?"

"Hi, Michiko. I'm fine too, Kitaro." Akira gently pinched the little girl's cheek.

"Call me Eiji. Because you asked me to call you Akira."

"Alright, Eiji. Why are you two alone? Where's your wife?"

"She's not here. We divorced a year ago."

Actually, Kitaro Eiji felt uncomfortable meeting Kaneshiro Akira. Not for anything. He felt bad that Akira treated him well. Kitaro Eiji felt ashamed of himself. In the past... he had treated Akira cruelly. He bullied him. Slapped him, hit him and even kicked him until Akira passed out. But Akira seemed to forget the incident. Akira treated him as an old friend he hasn't seen in a long time.

"Oh. I'm sorry Eiji. Are you two okay?"

"It's fine. There's no need to apologize. We're fine, Akira."

"Oh yeah. How did you guys get here? Do you guys live around here?"

"Yeah, we live just down the street. A gray house with black fences. A few houses after the "Me and My Cupcakes" cake shop. Do you live around here too, Akira?"

"Yeah, I've lived here for a long time. It's been about thirteen years since I moved from Yokohama. I live in that cake shop. I own the cake shop. I renovated my mother's house and built the cake shop five years ago. Let's have a chat at the shop. Don't hesitate. It's better for us to chat there. " Akira asked.

Kitaro Eiji felt even more uneasy. But he followed Akira's lead who led them to his cake shop.

They entered the cake shop and went straight to Akira's house, they sat near the window which had a view of the beautiful small garden behind his house. The garden was so beautiful filled with greenery and Hydrangeas and purple Cosmos flowers. The house and the cake shop are not so big but very comfortable to relax while drinking coffee there.

Akira came with some cupcakes in various flavors and two cups of coffee. He put it on the table.

"Eiji.. Come on tell me how you got here and become my neighbor. We live very close now huh. I'm glad you became my neighbor." Akira gave his best smile.

"Akira... Are you really happy to be my neighbor?" he asked.

"Yes, Eiji. I'm happy. Why do you ask like that?"

"I.. I.. I really feel bad for receiving your kindness considering I was so cruel to you when we were in high school. Don't you hate me? I'm sorry, Akira."

"Eiji.. I never really hated you. I used to be mad at you but that was all in the past. At that time we were both still teenagers and immature. Let's forget the past, okay?" Akira looked at him while still smiling.

"Okay. Are we friends now?" asked Kitaro Eiji.

"Yes, we are now friends." Akira smiled.

They laughed together and sipped the coffee. Suddenly...

"Mama... I want that." Michiko opened her mouth and pointed at the pink cupcake in front of her to Akira.

Akira was shocked and Kitaro Eiji's face turned deathly pale.

" Michiko, he's not your mama, honey. You can call him Akira." Eiji said to his daughter.

Akira's tender heart felt touched when he saw the father and daughter.

"How old is Michiko, Eiji? Take it, dear." Akira handed a piece of pink cupcake to the little girl.

"Thank you Mama." The little girl smiled happily. Akira nodded awkwardly.

" Michiko... call him Akira. He's not your mama." Eiji put his daughter on his lap.

"Eiji.. You don't answer me. How old is Michiko?"

"Oh. I'm sorry. She's three years old, Akira. His mother left her when she was not yet two years old."

"Oh my God! She's still too young to be abandoned. How could she be so heartless?" Akira was saddened to hear that. He looked at the handsome man in front of him.

"You can tell me if you want." he continued.

"She left us after she find another man. She said that she didn't love me anymore and would go with that man. And she swore she wouldn't take our daughter." Eiji sighed.

Actually he was hesitant to tell Akira but for some reason his mouth wouldn't close and instead said those words. Maybe because he felt comfortable with Akira. He didn't know why. Maybe because Akira treated him well.

"Eiji. Next time if you need someone to listen to you, I'm right here. Do not hesitate. Because I know how it feels to be lonely. "

Kitaro Eiji stared at the beautiful creature in front of him. He felt so ashamed. If only he hadn't been cruel to Akira in the past, of course he wouldn't be like this.

Akira saw Michiko's mouth covered with cream. The little girl had already finished ate two cupcakes. He laughed and handed the little girl a tissue.

"Can you clean your own mouth, honey?" Akira asked the little girl.

" Yes. I can do it, Mama."

" Michiko! " Kitaro Eiji said curtly at his daughter. He was very shy.

And the little girl immediately burst into tears.

"Don't cry dear. I'm sorry, okay?" He hugged his daughter. But she was still crying.

"Can I carry her?" Akira asked.

Kitaro Eiji nodded. Then picked up Akira and put her on Akira's lap. Michiko immediately hugged Akira tightly. She was still sobbing. Akira hugged her and patted her back.

"Don't cry baby. Don't cry anymore okay. Do you want another cupcake?" Akira asked.

The little girl shook her head.

"You want chocolate? I have chocolate. If you want it we can pick it up at the shop." Akira asked.

The little girl nodded and smiled at him. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Akira gently wiped her tears-filled cheeks and led Michiko to the shop. Five minutes later they were back in the house. Michiko held a small box of chocolate in her hand. They stood before him.

" Papa. See Mama gave me a box of chocolate. " she said to his papa.

Kitaro Eiji looked at his daughter helplessly.

"Why does she keep calling you mama, Akira? I'm sorry." he asked softly.

"Hey! Don't be sad. She doesn't really understand the situation yet. She just misses her mama. Let her call me whatever she wants, okay?" Akira stroked Eiji's head.

"Don't worry, Eiji. It's okay to me." Akira said.

Kitaro Eiji nodded helplessly. Then Akira sat back in his chair while holding Michiko on his lap. They continued their chat. And Michiko fell asleep on Akira's lap.

"By the way... Do you live alone here?" asked Eiji.

"Yeah I've lived alone here since my mother died. Sometimes one of the shop assistants stays here when we have a lot of orders."

"Eehhm.. Aren't you married? Sorry. I didn't mean anything if you don't want to tell me it's fine."

"I'm not married, Eiji. Who wants to be with me? I'm just a sissy. You know that people have always looked down on and despised me." Akira smiled bitterly.

"Who knows? Now a lot of men like men, right? You're so beautiful they'll like and want you."

"Hahaha... You're kidding! They just want me to warm their bed. Never more than that." Akira said.

"Have you ever developed a relationship with any of them?" asked Eiji.

"Yeah.... Several times. But like I said earlier. They only need me in bed not in their life."

"Why?" Eiji propped his chin while watching the beautiful creature in front of him.

"Eiji... I'm not even a woman nor a man."

" Somewhere in between is suck! " Kitaro Eiji thought.

"Oh. Okay. Sorry.." he said.

" Stop apologizing to me . I 'm used to things like that . I know myself well enough. And I never blame them . " Akira chuckled .

"By the way, Eiji. Like you said earlier... Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

Eiji's face turned slightly red. But the man could control himself.

"Yes you are really beautiful," he said.

"Thank you, Eiji. This is the first time a man sincerely compliments me without any other intention. And this is also the first time you compliment me." Akira smiled widely and his eyes were shining beautifully.

Kitaro Eiji was silent as if enchanted. This was the first time in his life he had noticed Akira.

" Why this " Cupcake " so beautiful? Even my ex wife can't compare to him. " he thought.