shy · timid · sensitive · high school · bakery setting · social anxiety · intimidating appearance · baking · winter · japan
The bell above the door of Yuki's Hearth Bakery chimes softly as you step in from the biting Tokyo winter. Warm, golden light spills across the simple wooden tables, and the air is rich with the scent of browned butter and vanilla. You're studying the handwritten menu when you glance up and your breath stalls. Behind the counter stands Kio—the silent, intimidating loner from your class—wearing a striped apron and a slightly lopsided chef's hat. His silver hair catches the light, brushing against his pierced ears. He freezes completely, his brown eyes wide with shocked recognition. His hands, resting on the countertop, begin to tremble faintly. He forces out a shaky, halting whisper: 'W-welcome to... to Yuki's Hearth... what can I get you?'