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Yoichi’s childhood was spent in the small bakery his family owned. He loved making (and eating) the delicious, handmade treats with his parents.
Once he got old enough to help out, he would stand behind the counter on a little stool and take orders, packing the bread he helped bake into little paper bags and handing them over with a bright smile on his little face.
Yoichi loves his family bakery and absolutely does not appreciate anyone looking down on it.
Not even when a seemingly important figure walks into his bakery, with a horrible attitude and a servant on his heel. He huffs obnoxiously, his sharp eyes looking over the bakery menu.
“Holy shit.” Isagi’s old friend, Tada, whispers to him over the counter.
“What?” Isagi looks at him confused. Tada stares at him wide eyed in disbelief.
“Are you serious? You don’t know who that is?”
“Who is it?” Isagi glances over at the man, he’s wearing luxurious clothing, a servant behind him, so he’s probably important, he just can’t put his finger on who it is.
“That’s the prince, Kaiser!” Tada exclaims.
“Ohh.”
His parents will probably be excited to hear the prince was here, Isagi smiles at the thought.
He watches the man from the corner of his eye, but the man doesn’t seem too pleased.
“Nothing but sugar, of course.” The man huffs. “Cant expect much from a village bakery”
Isagi grits his teeth.
“Is there a problem?” The man turns at the sound of Isagi’s voice, raising an eyebrow at him.
“What?”
“I said, is there a problem?” Isagi glares at him. Kaiser just looks at him, amused.
“No? Just observing.” He walks forward to stand in front of him. He looms over the counter, almost intimidating but Isagi is unwavering.
“If you don’t like what this “village bakery” has to offer, why don’t you get out?” That apparently angers his servant.
“You little, do you know who you’re—“
“Quiet, Ness.” He shuts up as the prince Commands.
“What’s your name?” The prince asks. Isagi’s face twitches, confused.
“What’s it to you?” The prince huffs a laugh.
“You’re funny, is this your bakery?”
“Yes.” Isagi states proudly.
“Isagi, then?” Kaiser smirks, Isagi just continues his glare.
“It's a family bakery.”
“Aw, how sweet.” Kaiser tilts his head, glancing down at Isagi’s name badge.
“Well, I’m sorry for upsetting you, Isagi Yoichi, but we better get going.” He winks at him.
Isagi grits his teeth, slapping a hand over the name badge he’d completely forgotten was on his apron. Damn it.
“I’ll come visit your little village bakery again.” Kaiser says as he leaves, Ness following right behind.
“Bye, Yoichi.” The door bell jingles and Isagi watches him leave through the glass with a face flushed with anger.
“Isagi!” Tada hisses. “That was the prince!”
“So what? He thinks he can do whatever he wants because he’s the prince?” Isagi huffs. He never wants to see that bastard again.
—
Kaiser comes back of course, much to Isagi’s dismay.
“If you’re not going to buy anything, get out.”
“Way to talk to the prince Yoichi, I could have you executed for that.” Isagi just continues to glare at him.
“What do you recommend then?” Kaiser rakes his eyes over the treats behind the glass, baskets full of freshly baked bread and pastries. Kaiser hums, he doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth.
However, Isagi lights up at the question and begins to babble about the different treats, explaining names and flavours and sweet or savoury.
“But the sweet tarts are the best!” Isagi beams at him.
Kaiser stares at him wide eyed, barely processing much of what Isagi had rambled about, Isagi seems to notice, since he flushed a dark red and averts his eyes before mumbling. “Well, in my opinion at least.”
His voice snaps Kaiser out of whatever trance he was in, he blinks once before finally speaking. “I’ll have all of your sweet tarts then.” Kaiser smirks at him.
“Since you’re so passionate about them.”
Isagi scowls, face red with embarrassment, “all of them? That’s like, at least 15.”
“I have a big appetite.” Isagi stares at him before Finally sighing and grabbing a box to slip the treats into. Kaiser watches him intently as he works, his smaller hands gripping the tongs and carefully placing each pastry into the box, grabbing another when the first one is full.
Isagi finally finishes, sliding the pile of boxes onto the counter towards Kaiser.
“That will be 4 gold coins.” Isagi tells him.
Kaiser smiles at him, opening the lid to one of the boxes and looking inside, they’re all piled neatly inside. Kaiser finds it strangely cute.
Kaiser grabs a tart from the box, “Oh, seems like I’m a coin short.”
“Wha—mff—“ Isagi gets cut off by Kaiser shoving the treat into his mouth, it filling his cheeks and shutting him up.
Kaiser tosses a pouch of coins onto the counter, before quickly turning on his heel to leave.
“See you later, Yoichi.”
Isagi watches him leave with the boxes of tart, and his own mouth stuffed with one. He holds a hand over his mouth as he finishes it, huffing with annoyance before grabbing the pouch and taking a look inside.
He counts 7 gold coins, that damn liar.
—
“Morning, Yoichi.” Kaiser strolls into the bakery.
Isagi ignores his greeting, “you overpaid yesterday.” Kaiser raises an eyebrow.
“I don’t think I did?” Playing dumb, Isagi scowls at him.
“There were 7 golds. Your total was 4.”
“The other 3 were a tip.” Isagi stares at him dumbfounded.
“A tip?”
“Yeah.” Kaiser pretends to be interested in the leaflets on the counter, flicking through them nonchalantly.
“A tip for what?” Kaiser glances up at him, an amused smirk on his face.
“For being so cute, of course.” Isagi’s eyes widen, his face heats with embarrassment, before he stumbles over his words.
“Don’t— don't joke like that!”
Kaiser bursts into laughter, the sound fills the small bakery and it only embarrasses him further.
Isagi huffs, irritated.
“Do you have nothing better to do than harass me?”
“How rude, Yoichi.” Kaiser fake pouts. “I guess you don’t want the gift I brought you.”
“I don’t need anything from you.” But his eyes are filled with glimmering curiosity, Isagi is too easy to read and Kaiser has to will himself not to laugh.
“Really?” He pulls out a small paper bag and holds it out in-front of Isagi’s face. “Not even curious to see what it is?”
Isagi eyes it suspiciously, biting down on his lip contemplating whether it was worth it. He finally gives in.
“Fine..” Kaiser smirks and drops the bag to the counter in front of him. Isagi glares at him before taking the bag and peeking inside. He can’t hide how his face lights up despite how much he tried to.
“This… this is kintsuba!” Isagi’s eyes glimmer, he smiles wide.
Kaiser smiles. “You like?”
“How did you even get all this?” Isagi asks, excitement clear in his voice as he counts the number of treats.
How did he even know kintsuba was his favourite?
“A prince has his ways.” Kaiser tells him, leaning an elbow on the counter to watch his face.
Oh. Right.
“No. I can’t accept this.” Isagi shakes his head, pushing the bag back across the counter over to Kaiser. “I don’t need your handouts.”
Kaiser raises a brow. “No?”
“No.” Isagi grits.
“It’s not a handout, Yoichi, it’s a gift.” Kaiser tuts, pushing the bag back across to him.
“You already overpaid yesterday, I’m not being indebted to you.”
“I’m sure we can figure out a repayment.” Kaiser leans further over the counter, his eyes trailing over his body, gleaming. Isagi’s face flushes pink.
“You—“ Isagi starts, but Kaiser cuts him off.
“Well, I better get going. My servant might have a fit if I’m gone too long.” Kaiser speaks as pushes off and away from the counter.
“I’ll be back tomorrow though, don’t worry” He tells him, walking back towards the door and grabbing the handle, he turns his head over his shoulder to throw Isagi a smirk.
“I’ll be picking you up to get started on your repayment, so be ready, Yoichi.” His voice teasing. the bell jingles of the door jingles as he leaves.
“Don’t come back!” Isagi shouts, embarrassment obvious.
He watches Kaiser laugh through the glass as he leaves. Isagi huffs. That bastard.
Isagi drops his head, sighing. Dealing with Kaiser is exhausting, it’s impossible to win against such a sneak.
He opens his eyes and notices the bag of kintsuba once again. Oh.
Isagi’s chews at his lip, contemplating, before reaching inside the bag.
Maybe he’s not that bad. He thinks, with a mouthful of the sweetest kintsuba he’s ever tasted.