Noah finds himself visiting the bakery on Sunday morning, obviously for no reason; today is his day off, a sacred day when he won’t leave his house and only delivery food is allowed. The rule he ingrained in his mind and flesh in order to keep his sanity through his crazy workaholic agenda. More importantly, on such a chilly day, just thinking about stepping his feet out of his door already makes him shiver, absolutely not!

Yet here he is, scooping his favourite blueberry muffin with cheerful hums whenever the sweetness touches the plate of his mouth, claiming his favourite seat in Oliver’s bakery; the one near the window so he can watch people strolling outside. With the face that can put the sun to shame by taking its job to brighten the gloomy sky, Noah wonders if it's weird if he also eats his lunch here, or whether Oliver will open until dinner. Would it make him look like a creep?

He tries to dress as casually as he can, though. Intentionally letting his strawberry blonde hair unstyled. Only brushed it neatly to tame the bed hair. He should be looking to match the scenario of the guy who just take a morning stroll to live up to his healthy life and accidentally craved bread for breakfast.

That is the plan, but he is bummed by the fact that everyone in the bakery seems busy; Evie looks like calculating something, she barely averts her eyes from her laptop screen, and the two chefs also locking themselves inside the kitchen, indulging in their crazy experiment or whatever. Noah ends up eating alone with the accompaniment of the cat Oliver regularly feeds, prone on the window frame outside, looking at Noah pitifully.

Damn you cat! I envy you alright.

“You really like a blueberry muffin that much, huh?” a raspy voice brings him back from his reverie. Noah swivels his head and finds Oliver standing with a mug of coffee in his hand.

“Yeah well, I think this is your dessert with a more balanced taste between sweet, sour and a bit bitter from the chocolate. This has the most natural vanilla scent either,” Noah shrugs, stating his honest opinion.

Oliver chuckles as he claims his seat in front of him, “Is that so? As I thought, using real vanilla beans is better than artificial vanilla essence. Jonah said it tastes and smells just the same, but it can’t be right?”

Noah is caught off guard when those two brown eyes stare widely at him, this is his first time seeing Oliver interested in something Noah said. “They’re bound to be different. Vanilla essence doesn’t only contain pure vanilla; it is mixed with water, ethanol, propylene glycol and other chemically bullshit that I won’t say more since I don’t want to sound nerdy but yeah…basically lab-made vanilla”

“As expected, since the scent is weak,” Oliver murmurs, seriously pondering what Noah just said. “Even the most expensive essence can’t be compared with real vanilla bean. But I can’t use a vanilla bean for all of my desserts, it’s damn expensive, that’s why Jonah insisted on sticking with essence. But if I should lower the quality of my bakery just…ugh…” Noah groans on his palm in frustration. In business, balancing the quality and the cost is indeed a big challenge. Oliver in the stage where he desperately maintains his bakery reputation, people start to give their attention to his bakery while still surviving against other competitors. Noah understands the struggle more than anyone.

“Hey, have you tried vanilla extract instead?” After racking his ‘day off hibernation mode brain', the light bulb above Noah’s head flickers with an idea that could be a solution.

“Vanilla extract? Isn’t that just another name of the essence?” Oliver leans into the table, he even puts aside his precious hot drink just to concentrate to discuss with Noah. Despite the gap created by the cursed table between them, Noah still basically can count Oliver’s long lashes and notice a mole under his left eye.

Noah clears his throat, “They are actually different, The extract is much purer since the additions are only water and alcohol. The flavour naturally would be stronger”

“Alcohol? Are you sure it’s edible?” Oliver leans even closer. Again, Noah blames the table for it.

“It is actually more suitable for food than for perfume since I did a few idle experiments in the past but failed since the scent can not stay long in fabric or skin. But definitely safe for the food as long as you keep the alcohol in the final product at least 35% and 380 grams of vanilla beans per gallon. That’s you can have much affordable vanilla flavour with better quality, right?” Noah takes a bite of his muffin proudly, but then drops it to the plate when he realises something, “Ah darn it! I sound damn lame and nerdy again”.

Oliver suddenly burst into laughter, “Not lame, you finally sound smart for once”

“What do you take me for?” Noah pouts while biting back his grin after seeing Oliver's carefree laugh and he was the one who caused it. He needs to pat his own head at home.

“Thanks for the explanation. I don’t know perfume and cake can be connected somehow,” Oliver still maintains his smile even when he sips his drink.

“Yeah, I wonder”. After they exchange a merry giggle, Noah asks, “Anyway, why is everyone so busy?”

“We got a special occasion soon. They are busy preparing it,” Oliver informs briefly.

Noah beams, interested. “Really? What occasion?”

Oliver bites his lips, reluctant to answer. But Noah’s deep indigo eyes rounded in a match with the blueberry inside his muffin. Oliver has no heart to crush it. “Actor wedding…” He sighs, “It's a secret I can’t give you the details,” he smirks eventually.

Noah snorts, feigning disappointment, but still smiles widely “it’s great! Your bakery will be more well-known since I bet a lot of news columns will cover the wedding, a big opportunity for connection to public figures as well, imagine if they will be your regulars”

Oliver chuckles, he rests his back on the couch backrest, crossing his hand over his chest “I just hope they like our pastries, I’m grateful enough to do what I like now” After a comfortable silence, Oliver straightens his back,  propping his head with his palm on the table “How’s your date going?”

“My dat- what? Who?” Noah’s eyes widened as he doesn’t expect questions about his romantic life especially coming from the indifferent Oliver, he wonders how he know he had a date yesterday. Then after seeing Oliver’s giddy smiles he realises something “Of course Taylor” Noah sighs defeated.

“So?” Oliver sips his coffee

“Just like another date, so so. I used to admire him, you know…a long time ago. When you like someone everything about them is flawless. Yet, I met him again after these years…things change. Everything I knew about him had changed. I guess people are bound to change, huh?” he offers a bitter smile at Oliver who stares back with sympathy.

“You want to come with me?” Oliver asks out of the blue.

Noah’s face lit up “Where?”

Oliver shrugs nonchalantly, grabbing his coat on the coat hanger “I’m going to make an errand for the occasion. I was supposed to go with Jonah, but he is kinda drilling himself up for tomorrow's preparation and I’m more than sure I would get yelled at if I try to drag him out from his holy sanctuary now. Do you mind helping?”

“Are you sure? I mean…Yeah- yeah sure, of course,  let’s go! I have nothing better to do, anyway” Noah snatches his car key and his coat at lightning speed, skips a few steps while wagging his imaginary tail when following Oliver outside.