Yumeko’s after school routine just went on, Koharu picked her up and went home on a bike together. When they arrived, Yumeko showed something to Koharu. It was circular wooden dish wrapped in a clean white cloth. Inside were two pieces of round anpan she baked today.

“Tada! Koharu! Do you know what’s inside?” 

“Hmmmm I have no idea my lady. How about a hint?”

Yumeko turned her back then slightly unwrapped the cloth, letting the two round shapes a little bit obvious. She faced Koharu once more and once they got in the house, she let Koharu peeked inside.

“Eh, my lady, aren’t these potatoes? Where have you unearthed them? Just where have you been again today, my lady!?” Koharu asked like a detective.

“Hmmm? What do you mean? Koharu, you’re no fun! These are bread. I baked for you and father!” said Yumeko as she sulked.

Koharu’s soul left her body; she did not mean to humiliate her lady but she really thought those were potatoes.

“My lady, you don’t deserve me. I am so useless. I am so bad at guessing. It was bread you dearly baked for us, and yet...” she continued.

“I won’t trade you for anyone else Koharu, I am going to stick with your promise!”

Koharu has no words to say for her lady’s delightful remarks; she was just happy and embarrassed at the same time.

“My lady....” she uttered.

Yumeko then asked Koharu to get two porcelain plates, and two hand-painted octagonal tea cups with saucers in floral designs. They placed it on the wide black lacquered table in the living area. Yumeko was exhilarated to see Koharu and her father taste the anpan.

“I’ll prepare the tashiro tea once your father arrive my lady. Let’s wait for a while.”

“I can’t wait for you and father to try it!” she sweetly said.

“My pleasure, Lady Yumeko, if you put a lot of effort into it, who am I to disagree.” Koharu added.

“Oh and I want to tell you something unbelievable! I passed the test today. I have zero idea in baking. Mrs. Mori, asked for young men from Shidankouko to judge it, they should eat at least five pieces of anpan out of seven pieces we made,” she was telling the story in excitement as she looked at Koharu.

“..and you know what? One young man ate five pieces of my bread! I realized it was indeed the taste that matters,” she continued in satisfaction.

“Wow, my lady! As expected from you! You can do almost everything!” Koharu proudly replied.

“Yes, right? And do you want to hear even more interesting, Koharu?” Yumeko exclaimed trying to dodge the question as she thought of her crinkly anpan.

“The young man who saved me in today’s task, was our neighbor! That “sunrise window” guy I told you about!”

“Ehhh!? Then he must be a really good guy! And he must love the anpan you baked very much!” Koharu added in happiness and disbelief.

“Right?!” she replied as she rubbed her nose proudly. 

“But, I couldn’t properly say my thanks to him. So, I wonder if you could help me out later! I wanted to personally relay my gratefulness to him.”

“Of course, my lady!” Koharu replied.

Then a neigh of a horse was heard outside, signaling that her father arrived. She waited her father by the door.

“Otsukaresamadesu, father!” she smiled as she joyfully followed the footsteps of her dad towards the black lacquered chair.

Yumeko’s father seemed to be in a very good mood, too.

“Yumeko, my daughter, I received a report from your school, they stated that you out stood everyone in the class during your flower arrangement task. It was the flower you gave me, right? Your mother and I are very proud of you,” he said as sat down, and gently patted Yumeko’s head.

“Thank you father for your never failing support,” she smiled.

 Koharu heard that and she was very glad about the news as well. She kept the happiness in herself, as she did not want to disrupt the heart melting moment.

“My lady, I will prepare the tashiro tea now,” whispered by Koharu.

Yumeko told her father that she baked anpan and she brought two, for him and Koharu to taste.

She also added that she was able to pass the task today despite her lack of abilities in baking.

“Everything you do, my daughter, is already perfection in your father’s eyes,” he added.

Koharu gently poured the tashiro tea from the porcelain teapot into the two teacups. As Yumeko did not want to sip tea or eat, she just wanted to see them enjoy it.

“Here it is!”

The two chased their eyes as she revealed it. They were crinkly, looked hard, and over cooked anpan. Indeed, they were in appetizing.

“Don’t say anything yet! Unless you’ve tried it. I passed today’s task because this is tasty!” Yumeko said proudly.

Koharu, and her father were shocked as they saw how disoriented it looked; it was hard to put on fake smiles. Yet, they had to avoid the hardworking princess to cry.

 “Wo..wow..You baked this, my daughter? Let me try!”

“I know. Both of you can’t wait now! Please have a bite,” said Yumeko happily, knowing this is the first food she made for them in her present memory.

Koharu took one bite, and the saltiness covered her taste buds. She tried to bite on a supposed to be “sweet” bean paste and yet it was awfully salty.

And they were all silent, except Yumeko, who was waiting for certain comments.

Yumeko’s father maintained his smile despite the awful taste as his daughter was looking at him diligently.

“My daughter, how many anpan did you bake today?” asked by her father as he perfectly put on a smile.

“Seven! And one person ate five of this that was why I passed! He must have liked it! So how was it, father?”

Upon hearing that someone ate five pieces of her anpan, Koharu almost vomited. She quickly gobbled the bread and straightly emptied her tea.

“He ate five? Unbelievable! He must be a glutton with a numb tastebuds,” Koharu whispered to herself.

“De..delicious! Wow! Could you tell me how you did it, later?” Koharu smiled, as the saltiness lingered in her mouth.

Her father slowly savored the bread, showing Yumeko that he loved it. He was still happy that her daughter put her heart into it.

 “Yumeko, this is the most special anpan I’ve ever eaten because it was made by my precious daughter. Next time, I would love to bake breads with you.” Her father smiled genuinely.

The saltiness of the bread was replaced by the sweetness of a father’s love.

Yumeko sobbed as she was happy they ate off all of it. She added another beautiful moments in her present memory.

“Thank you father, thank you Koharu. I’ll never forget this day. I am happy you liked it,” she tearfully said.

Yumeko’s father went to his room right after, whilst Koharu cleaned up. Meanwhile, Yumeko was thinking of what to make for them next. Koharu was torn between telling her lady the truth or not.

“I should tell my lady, I am sure she would understand. It’s for her own good. And instead of thanking that young man, we should be apologizing,” Koharu told herself as she washed the dishes.

Koharu then followed her lady to her room and asked for a moment,.

“My lady, in all honesty, the anpan was..uhm...was..was..very salty! Please forgive me!”

She closed her eyes and bowed.

“Lady Yumeko, your father loves you, so everything you do is already perfect for him! And I agree, however, I can’t lie to you as your servant! Please forgive me. It was very...salty...”

Yumeko was shocked and was touched at the same time. She was more than glad knowing that no matter how awful it tasted, her father and Koharu ate it with a smile.

“Koharu, indeed I can’t find another buddy like you or a father like my father. I am grateful that you showed appreciation in everything that I do. I can’t trade you both in any silver or gold.”

“We dearly treasure you my lady, and we can help you anytime. Like your father said, it was the most special anpan, because it was made by someone precious.” She smiled at Yumeko.

“And I think we should be apologizing to that sunrise boy next door and then thank him afterwards,” Koharu added.

Slowly by slowly, it sinked to Yumeko that he ate five salty pieces of anpan,

“Oh no! Koharu, we should go now and apologize quickly!” Yumeko panicked.

To be continued.

End Note

Tashiro tea - a famous tea in Taisho