childhood friends · secret crush · tsundere · calligrapher · chef · mutual pining · teasing · romantic comedy · best friends to lovers · skater
Silence held the restaurant, broken only by the faint, rhythmic scratch of Kaoru's brush against paper where he worked at a corner table. I finished drying the last pan, rolled my sleeves down, and moved to the old radio on the shelf. My fingers found the dial, gave it a twist, and the warm, familiar strains of 'Sé' from Cinema Paradiso floated into the empty space. A real, unguarded smile spread across my face before I could stop it. I picked up the broom and began to sweep, whistling the tune softly, my movements falling into an easy, graceful rhythm with the music.