143 Kaoru’s Cake House – Chapter Six

143 Kaoru’s Cake House

Author: Fakhrul Anour

Illustrator: Kaoru

Translator: Yukii 【ゆきい】, Sarane

Chapter Six : The Incident in the Lift

 Two days have passed and in those two days, Jasmine had not gone to Maria’s Bouquet. She spent most of her time at home, reading the mangas that she bought at Kinokuniya, a bookstore located in KLCC. Her mother wasn’t counting on her helping out at the shop anyway as Suki, the original helper, had returned from her emergency leave. When Jasmine got bored of reading, she would go on the internet, finishing the rest of her time on updating her bog or chatting with her online friends.

However, today, she felt like visiting Kaoru’s Cake House instead. She was bored of reading and going on the internet already. Today, she will have a new hobby—the hobby of seeing (or—ahem—stalking) the man that had stolen her heart two days ago who is also known as…Wing! His handsome face was still stuck in her mind, especially when he raised his eyebrows twice at her. Oh, he is definitely and undeniably so attractive!

Should she go there now?

“Definitely!” she told herself sternly while getting up from the sofa. She then, hurried into her bedroom to get ready to go to Kaoru’s Cake House. The clock in her room showed that it was already 4 o’clock in the evening. Her movements sped up more as she went through the wardrobe to find the perfect yet also comfortable outfit to wear.

Jasmine picked a white blouse from Seed and put on a pair of Motivi jeans to match. She brushed her hair and then tied it into a loose, side braid. The girl then, applied some makeup onto her face. There wasn’t any need for full or thick makeup.

Perfume? Well, Jasmine no longer used Allure Sport for men. There were three other bottles of perfume on her vanity table.  After a few moments of pondering, she picked up the bottle labeled ‘Estee Lauder Pleasures Artist Edition’ and sprayed it on her clothes.  The perfume was a present from her mother, given to her a day before they moved here. It had a creative scent of lilies, roses, karo karounde, white peonies and the exotic spice; Baie Rose. There were also hints of patchouli and sandalwood.

Once Jasmine was done, she grabbed her cell phone and mini Levi’s wallet which she stuffed into the back pocket of her jeans. She then, dashed out of her pink bedroom.

As fresh as a flower can smell, the meeting inspired by it will be just the same as well…

At the very second she was about to open the grille door, the sound of her neighbor’s front door opening could be heard. Jasmine turned to see who it was. Coming out of his home was Ginn, wearing a PUMA tracksuit. Their eyes can in contact with each other’s, but Ginn didn’t greet her or even gave her a polite smile. All he did was just lock his front door as if Jasmine didn’t exist, as if the incident before didn’t happen and that they have never introduced themselves to each other. Jasmine could feel her blood boiling.

Ginn had already moved onto to locking his sliding grille door, all the while not caring about Jasmine’s presence or the fact she had her hands on her hips as if to expect him to apologize. He made his way towards the lifts once he was done, still ignoring Jasmine like she was air. The girl snorted in an obvious unladylike manner and headed to the lifts as well.

Ginn pressed the lift button while Jasmine stayed silent, suppressing her anger. Her eyes scanned his form from top to bottom. He was acting like a gangster.

The young man was deliberately not bothering with Jasmine’s behavior. ‘She just wants to show her emotions,’ he told himself while mentally rolling his eyes.

Jasmine, however, continued her behavior, growing more furious by the passing second. She was calling him names in her mind, mainly repeating one word, ‘Jeeeeerrrrrk!’

Ting!

The doors of the lift opened and nobody was inside. Both Jasmine and Ginn entered, still not exchanging words. Then, the doors closed.

Ginn didn’t press any button at the button panel of the lift. He stayed glued at his spot and only stared at the lift’s door. Seconds passed and he was still standing there, none of the lift buttons pressed.

If possible, Jasmine’s anger had just escalated. She jabbed at the button labeled ‘G’ and then turned to look at her neighbor who merely pretended that she was not there…again. The girl’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Ginn and then, decided to stop bothering about the jerk until the lift’s doors reopened on the ground floor.

~*~

The doors of the lift soon opened, but Jasmine didn’t make a move to exit. She remained still, successfully making Ginn wonder why she was acting so although the girl didn’t know that.

A couple, a husband and his wife, entered the lift. The husband pressed the lift button labeled with the number ten. Still, Jasmine did not exit and Ginn was getting more and more puzzled. Even the couple was beginning to grow puzzled. They looked at Ginn but the young man only raised his shoulders to show that he didn’t know anything.

Jasmine remained at her spot with an emotionless face. The doors of the lift began to close and quickly, Ginn moved past Jasmine to get out. At that very second, he felt his steps cut off and fell forward, planting a kiss on the doors of the lift that had already fully closed, before lying prone on the floor. By then, the lift had begun to move upwards to the tenth floor.

The couple was taken aback by Jasmine’s actions. Ginn swiftly pushed himself up and stared at Jasmine with a fierce expression. His face threateningly moved closer to Jasmine’s but she maintained her emotionless expression, not even looking at him in the face. The couple was filled with bewilderment then. ‘What had happened?’ their hearts whispered.

As soon as the lift’s doors opened at the tenth floor, the husband pulled his wife out. What had happened before their eyes was upsetting. They wanted to help but felt like it was unneeded. Following their guesses, the couple thought of Jasmine and Ginn as a young couple that were falling apart.

The doors of the lift closed once again and the two neighbors continued to stare at each other, one with a fierce expression and one with a blank one that’s not even looking at the other’s face, both having their own egos to hold.

However, Jasmine was beginning to grow desperate. Her eyes glanced at the closed lift doors and the button panel of the lift with no buttons pressed, but for the sake of her ego, she toughened her will. Ginn on the other hand, kept on glaring at Jasmine without a word. He knew very well that the girl was beginning to grow desperate.

‘How dare you try to conjure trouble with me!’ he snapped in his mind.

Ginn extended his arms and placed his palms firmly on the walls of the lift, trapping Jasmine between them. Jasmine was surprised by his actions. He had gone too far!

…yet, for the sake of her pride and her ego, she continued to stay strong and unmoved.

‘Your expression is like the one of an old lions!’ Jasmine mentally scoffed.

But then, when their eyes locked with each other’s, they felt their hearts flutter all of a sudden. Something had happened. It was as if there was a deep, hidden reason to why their eyes connected and it wasn’t just one of the two that felt that way, the both of them did.

Ginn’s anger had diminished and the ego that Jasmine held onto had gone missing somewhere. There was an unknown feeling that had appeared in their hearts. Just what was that feeling?

Ting!

The doors of the lift suddenly opened. When it had started to move, the two did not know. Ginn turned to look at the L.E.D. sign above the doors. They had reached the ground floor. Standing in front of the door were three people that wanted to enter the lift but were staring in surprise at the position both Jasmine and Ginn were in instead. Who wouldn’t when a young man has a girl cornered and trapped between his two arms at the back corner of the lift?

Noticing the bystanders, Jasmine ducked under Ginn’s arms and ran out of the lift, leaving the young man and the three bystanders watching her disappearing form in a dumbfounded manner.

The three bystanders turned their attention back to Ginn who was still standing there, but with his arms dropped to his sides, in the lift. The moment the lift was about to close, Ginn sprang into life. He blocked the doors and ran out after Jasmine, leaving the bystanders by themselves and silently asking about what they had just witnessed.

By the time Ginn was out of the building, Jasmine was already about to exit the condominium’s grounds. She was definitely a fast runner! Ginn didn’t bother to chase after her anymore. Her form had already disappeared behind the guard house.

‘But…just what was that feeling just now? It can’t be real, can it…?’ he questioned himself.

Don’t even hate someone because when that hatred grows, it may turn to love and it wouldn’t be just any normal love…it can be far stronger and deeper than that!

143 Kaoru’s Cake House – Chapter Five

143 Kaoru’s Cake House

Author: Fakhrul Anour

Illustrator: Kaoru

Translator: Yukii 【ゆきい】, Sarane

Chapter Five : Handsome Chef Buying Carnations

 When the heart is empty, life is seen as too normal. The time that moves doesn’t feel like its flying past. Every step arranged has no meaning. However, one day, the heart will be filled with love. Only then, life will feel as if it has just started.

It has been more than an hour since Elle left Maria’s Bouquet. Seven customers had entered and left the shop in that period of time. Who knows how many people have lingered outside the shop to look at the fresh flowers arranged there. Some had even smelled the flowers while wearing a smile. It didn’t matter though, as long as they were people whom enjoyed the freshness of the flowers.

Ting Tong!

The sound of the bell above the door announced the presence of another customer. It was a young man in all white—the uniform of a chef’s. His long blonde hair was tied into a high ponytail and he wore simple, bottom half-framed rectangular glasses. With the high of about 6 feet tall, his long legs decreased the about of strides he took to reach the cashier counter where Maria stood.

Jasmine was almost done with the eighth bouquet, but left it to head towards the counter. As soon as her eyes had landed on that young man, they could not leave him.

‘How handsome!’ she thought.

“Excuse me, miss. Do you have carnations here?” the young man asked.

Maria smiled while replying, “Yes, we do. They’re outside. I’ll show them to you.”

The young man smiled too and then, followed Maria out to where the carnations were. On their way out, he glanced at Jasmine and nodded his head politely at her. Jasmine was surprised by his actions but managed to nod back politely although it was a little awkward.

Behind the young man’s glasses were sharp eyes that captured hearts. Jasmine could not help but asked herself mentally who this handsome chef was. She looked out of out of the shop’s window, watching her mother as she attended to the customer. Maria picked up several stalks of carnation flowers and then, handed them to the young man.

‘There are ten stalks,’ Jasmine counted. The young man was still smiling and so was her mother. Jasmine did not know what they were conversing about but she knew that even though she couldn’t hear his voice, that young man had caught her heart already.

Ting Tong!

Maria reentered the shop with young man behind her. “I didn’t know that there was a cake shop in this area. If I did, I would’ve visited a long time ago,” she said while heading towards the cashier.

“Then, please do come when you’re free,” the young man replied. His voice was raspy light a muscular man’s but he was tall and slim, not a single muscle in sight. This still, made Jasmine a little confused. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she barely heard her mother saying, “This is my daughter, Jasmine. She really loves eating cheesecakes with layers of blueberry in them. More so when it’s covered with bits of nuts.”

The young man turned to Jasmine who was already smiling a small, shy smile while nodding her head—maybe to agree with her mother’s statement?

“We have that type of cake there. If Jasmine comes to visit, just order ‘Cheese Peanut Blueberry’. That cake is a homemade special,” he said. Jasmine nodded her head again. This time, it was to agree with the invitation. She was still transfixed by the young man’s handsomeness.

Maria smiled at Jasmine’s actions. She then, asked the young man his name.

“My name is Wing,” he turned his attention back to Maria.

“Alright then, Wing, allow me to wrap up those flowers,” Maria reached out her hands to take the flowers from Wing’s arms. When she disappeared into the back to do so, Wing turned to Jasmine who was still staring, in a dazed manner, at him with a smile. Wing raised his eyebrows twice and the smile on Jasmine’s lips widened until her pearly whites could be seen. She thought that Wing was flirting with her or doing something funny to make her laugh but in truth, Wing felt less then comfortable.

“Alright, here are your flowers,” Maria announced as she returned to the cashier counter with the wrapped carnations in her hands. “The total is RM25,” she continued while handing them to Wing.

“Wow, that’s really cheap, miss! There’re ten stalks, and carnations too!” he exclaimed, making Maria smile.

“It’s nothing, we’re neighbors. You have your own shop and so do I. Let’s always visit each other’s shops, alright?” she explained. Wing smiled and bowed. He then, took out a fifty ringgit note from his pocket and handed it to Maria.

“The next time you want to order flowers and you’re not able to come to the shop, just call me. I can ask my helper to send them over to you. Here’s my card,” Maria gave her business card and Wing’s change to him.

“Sure, why not? Who is your helper? Is she Jasmine?” Wing replied while pointing his thumb at said girl. The smile he had on this time was a slightly teasing one, sending Jasmine into another daze.

“Jasmine’s only a temporary worker. She’s helping me while she’s on holiday this semester. My helper will be working again tomorrow,” Maria replied while motioning to her daughter.

Wing nodded his head, showing that he understood. “I have to leave now, miss. If I stay any longer the shop will be in a mess,” he then, excused himself, giving another nod to Maria and Jasmine. The both of them returned the nod. They enjoyed his presence and the conversation they shared although they had only met him today.

Once Wing was out from sight, Jasmine turned to her mother. Maria raised her eyebrows suggestively, giving a cheeky smile to her daughter before saying, “Handsome!” The two immediately burst into a fit of giggles, but calmed down soon after to resume working on the twelve bouquets of roses that Datin Sharifah needed done.

143 Kaoru’s Cake House – Chapter Four

143 Kaoru’s Cake House

Author: Fakhrul Anour

Illustrator: Kaoru

Translator: Yukii 【ゆきい】, Sarane

Chapter Four : Kaoru’s Cake House

The Fiat Bravo 2007 entered the grounds of a very unique shop. The shop was not built far away from Wisma Kesuma’s Block F but, it wasn’t a part of the building. Instead, it stood on its own grounds. The shop’s design was like a small, double-storey house with a touch of antique European at every corner. Standing about two acres away on the right side of the shop was an old tree that no longer sprouted leaves or flowers, having only its tall, long branches and large trunk filled with holes everywhere. It was the only thing that crippled the beautiful image of the shop. Now, you’re most likely wondering what the name of this shop is, right? Well, placed directly on top of that shop’s entrance was the signboard that read…

‘ Kaoru’s Cake House ’

Ginn exited from his car, the Fiat Bravo 2007, and made his way into the shop. He walked across the tiny site covered with a carpet of lush green grass and small yellow and white flowers.

“Good morning, everyone!” he greeted as soon as he was inside the shop. This loud greeting of his had broken the tranquility there, gaining the attention of every person present…attention that was only temporarily though. Ginn smiled and bowed before walking straight to the counter.

“Morning? Is it even morning, Ginn?! It’s almost 12 noon already! Don’t you have work today?” one of the workers that sat behind the counter, working as the cashier, asked. He was a 28 year old man that still looked way younger than his age with his bishounen-like image. His name was Denny and he had light dirty blonde hair.

One’s face does not show how one truly is…

Denny wore the uniform that all workers in Kaoru’s Cake House were acquired to wear which consisted of a white long-sleeved shirt, a dark brown vest and a bowtie of the same color. The dark brown color matched with trousers and shoes, but one would not really be able to see their legs with the long, white apron tied around their waist.

“I have a meeting with a client today so I might not be able to head out to the boutique. Anyway, my partner will be there,” Ginn answered briefly while examining the cakes inside the display cabinet that kept them cooled. There were a lot of different cakes showed, about twenty all in all.

Leaving Ginn to think of what cake to choose, Denny checked the written list on the counter. He then, turned to one of his colleagues standing near the end of the cake display cabinets.

“Bob, when did Wing say that he will add the sugar stocks?”

Bob, the colleague that was busy preparing a plate of cheesecake while standing near the end of the cake display cabinets, was an 18 year old boy with brown hair. He was small for his age but appeared robust. Although his face looked exactly like a little boy’s, there were traces of assertiveness hidden.

With an impassive face, Bob answered without turning to face Denny, “Tomorrow. He said to get 10 packets of sugar and to get them from the stockist, not the supermarket anymore. It’s too expensive!”

Soon after that, Bob left, bringing the plate with the slice of cheesecake to the customer, a senior citizen who kept staring out of the window he was sitting near to, that ordered it.

There are memories in every different age of a person, some forgotten, some hidden, but all waiting to come back at the end…

Ginn lifted his head and asked Denny, “I thought that all the while you guys should’ve gotten your stocks for the kitchen from the stockist?”

“Wing wasn’t that great with the stockist before. Only now he starts to buy stocks from them,” Denny replied.

“Well, aren’t you the same?” Ginn said in a derogatory manner. He returned to examining the cakes to find one to enjoy eating this afternoon.

“Oh, come on! You come here in the afternoon to purposefully poke fun of me didn’t you?!” Denny shot back.

Ginn only smiled in reply, his eyes still scanning through the cake display cabinets. His eyes landed on the cake labeled ‘Blueberry Cheese’. This was the one he had been searching for since the beginning. Today, it was placed at the far bottom of the four-shelved cake display cabinet, almost fully hidden from view.

“Denny, give me this ‘Blueberry Cheese’,” he said while pointing at the cake.

Without delay, Denny immediately attended to Ginn’s request, grabbing the cake knife in the basket on top of the cake display cabinet.

“What would you like to drink?” Denny asked while cutting a slice from the cake. He placed the neatly slice on the small plate meant for it.

“An expresso like usual.”

“You with your expresso and ‘Blueberry Cheese’ every time during lunch time here. What kind of human are you?” Denny grumbled. He turned around to the kitchen bar counter and then, shouted before Ginn could have a chance to retort, “Izz! One expresso! As usual for Ginn Celes!!”

Denny then, returned to the cashier counter and said to Ginn, “If you come here every time, order the same thing and continue to ask me the total price, I don’t know what to say to you anymore.”

Ginn was speechless for a moment. “If this is the attitude that you show to all the customers, Wing will be in for a lot of losses you know!” Ginn rolled his eyes while taking out his wallet and passed a ffity ringgit note to Denny.

“Pffft, I show this attitude to you only. As if you’re not used to me,” Denny rolled his eyes this time. He took the fifty ringgit note and returned the change which was RM37.50, to Ginn.

“Yeah, right. I know you’re acting like this because Wing isn’t here, right? You just wait, when Wing comes back, I’ll report to him about everything!” Ginn left the cashier counter to find a table to sit at. ‘As if this shop of yours has anything else on the menu but cake!’ he added mentally.

As Bob went back to the counter, Ginn had already found an empty table near the window to sit at. The shop was once again, calm and peaceful with all the customers minding their own business while enjoying the cakes they’re ordered.

‘I wonder, where does Wing think that he’ll find flowers for the shop?’ Bob asked himself.

Flowers, no matter how fresh they are for a moment, will wilt. However, their beauty and memories will continue to wander forever.

Twenty-One Nights Rose : Geminate Flower–Prologue

Yukii 【ゆきい】: Whooot! Today, Twenty-One Nights : Geminate Rose will officially ‘debut’ on Polyphonic Story!  If you’re into victorian eras/lolita fashion, mystery, romance, bets/gambles of life or to cut it short: Pandora Hearts, Gosick, Rozen Maiden, Kuroshitsuji and any other anime/manga among those lines then this story is the one for you!

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Twenty-one Nights : Geminate Rose

Author: Xiao Ni Zi

Translator: Raine

Two years ago, a young girl by the name of Tang Guo formed an agreement with a spirit summoner to serve her own ends. Her non-biological younger sister, Tang Shuang was used to exchange identities with the spirit summoner, resulting in Tang Shuang developing a terminal illness.

Two years later, in order to redeem her past wrongdoings and to save Tang Shuang’s life, Tang Guo finds a mysterious teenager by the name of Zi Xing Cang Yue, and with his help, they both enter a strange world personally created by a spirit summoner, a puppet master and its puppet.

But it was only then that she had realized that the puppet had instead, already entered the world of her and her sister’s.

As the mysterious secrets buried in her memory begin to unravel one by one, what will become of this lost young girl as she faces a choice between love and family?

I really want to be like that porcelain doll, I really do!

Then, would you be interested in making a gamble with me?

A gamble?

Yes, a gamble. Let’s gamble.

What kind of gamble?

A gamble that you indeed, can become like that porcelain doll.

Alright, I’ll lay a wager.

Beginning : The Field of Flowers

“It’s not like that…”

Flower petals.

“The ending…isn’t like that…”

An endless mass of petals.

“The ending of this game…”

Blood red petals.

In the wake of that person’s voice, the young girl gradually opened her eyes, their rose colored hues reflecting the vast mass of scattered petals. Those blood-red petals gently fluttered in the scorching hot air, as if they were countless burning red butterflies.

Tenderly, she reached out her hand. A single blood-red petal slowly spiraled down, gently landing in the centre of her ice-cold and pale palm. A golden speck danced around the edges of that tenderly red petal. Then in a flash, blackness overcame it.

The young girl gazed dazedly at the petal which was now burning rapidly, blackening, disintegrating into fine ashes before finally, being swept away by the silent wind.

A pair of ice cold hands suddenly reached towards her, warmly holding onto her wan fingers. A sweet-smiling man embraced her from behind, and just as usual, his lips curled as he spoke, “The ending of the game shouldn’t be like this, right?”

That gentle smile on the edge of his lips was like a piece of poisoned candy; a sweet appearance on its surface, but concealing perils that would quicken a heart with fear.

“The end?” She couldn’t help but quietly repeat his words. Shyly raising her head, she looked into the abyss-like madness beneath the man’s smile. Not knowing why, she felt heartbroken — the pain causing her tears to meaninglessly fall; those crystal clear tear drops rolling down her cheeks, ever so burning hot.

“I…”

She wanted to say more, yet the bizarre flames which had appeared in the sky caused her body to suddenly shudder. She anxiously raised her head and gazed into the distance; on the other end of the horizon, a bright red ray of light pierced through the layers of clouds. The sky looked as if it was set alight, radiating luminous flames. The air was permeated with the fragrance of burning roses and a thick charring scent. At the ends of her eye’s vision, a vast field of flowers was burning, the red flames distorting the limpid sky. Fog and heat were floating like clouds, saturating the air. When the wind swept past that flower field, it carried with it the countless scattered and burning red petals.

A faint sound echoed from the distance, like the sound of holy bells on Sunday churches, but also reminiscent of the desolate squawks of crows during sunset, as if grieving over the petals that had been transformed into ashes by the flames.

The air seemingly grew hotter during the span of time. The whistling hot breeze circled the air for a moment, the countless mess of petals danced frantically amidst the disharmonious wind, then burned rapidly in front of her eyes, until they became ashes.

The young girl’s face abruptly grew pale. She gazed incredulously into the direction of the smiling man, her quivering lips forming words.

“No…”

The man’s ceramic-like pupils were gradually glazed with the bright reddish hue of the scorching flames, his fingers gently pressed against her rose-colored lips. His fingers were ever so soft…… and ever so ice cold.

“Shhh…” He gazed at the young girl, gently smiling, “That’s what you thought as well, right? That this story shouldn’t end like this…”

Suddenly, in the midst of the pink blaze, the distant but hoarse sound of a clock tower broke through the hot air, ringing loudly beside the young girl’s ears.

Dong—

The first chime struck.

The dancing red petals suddenly ceased midair. It was as if countless dark red butterflies were frozen in time, their wings still ignited with sparks.

Emptiness.

Dong—

The second chime struck.

The sparks began to spread, becoming golden blazes growing delicately from those flamboyantly colored petals. The alight petals gently waltzed in the pitch black air; floating and falling, as if they were the most perfect song of countless burning butterflies, dancing the most beautiful elegance of Nirvana.

Dong—

The third chime struck.

Her dress floated softly in the wind, gradually transforming into a mass of red petals. The man embraced her tightly. His inclined but handsome face was as if carved with the world’s best marble, yet under the reflection of the red flame, revealed eyes which possessed the darkest sorrows beneath a smile as charming and delicate as red poppies.

Dong—

The fourth chime struck.

The warm breeze which was red from the blaze and petals began to surround the two, circling faster and faster, until becoming a bright dazzling halo.

Gradually, everything in the world—colour, shape, temperature, scent, seemed to be dissolved by the blazing flames, transforming into a viscous liquid, windingly flowing towards a golden vortex.

“No…”

The young girl finally realized what that man was doing. Translucent drops of tears rolled from her suddenly widened eyes.

Dong—

The fifth chime struck.

The man’s ice-cold hands held her pale face, as if they were the world’s most precious treasure. The tear drop landed between his slender white fingers, seemingly a speck of blood-red jewel under the flickering blaze.

“You can’t…” Her anxious voice gradually grew faint. She wanted to grab onto that man, but just as she was about to raise her hands, her own body began to transform into a mass of soft, dark red petals amidst the intensifying wind.

Dong—

The sixth chime struck.

The whistling of the wind grew louder; the red light and scorching hot waves of air seemed to inundate everything of the entire world.

He looked at her, still smiling, even as his lips seemed to remain still, “So…let us start over again, together.”

The man’s pleasant voice was ringing outside the young girls’ ears.

As if it was a heart-breaking promise which would last forever.

The seventh chime struck.

Dong—

The clock tower of a church suddenly sounded, echoing from its highest eaves, and startling a dark, cawing mass of crows as they flocked the skies.

That man’s eyes were the deepest abyss in the whole world.

Blankly staring at the youth standing beneath the church altar, this strange phrase suddenly floated through my head.

The golden rays of the sunset passed through the church’s stained glass windows, illuminating the small area just in front of the altar. He silently stood under that “spotlight”, the golden light staining his ivory, smooth, statue-like complexion of a face with patches of color.

Then, he slowly raised his head; those pitch black pupils carelessly reflecting over the light, like the absence of sunlight as a rainforest butterfly gently unfolds its poisonous wings in a remote and secluded area. But not even a second later, his eyes had already reverted back to pure black.

It was the first time that I had ever saw eyes which could be so purely black, holding a machine-like sense of indifference, almost as if the whole world in front of his eyes were void of any color.

I could feel my body shaking slightly. Yes, I realized I was afraid; I was afraid of those eyes—those were not the eyes of a human being, those were eyes that could only belong to death.

Those eyes could only belong to him.

He stood above on the altar, expressionlessly looking down at me.

Ice cold, apathetic, deathly silent, like a blade formed from the purest blackness, he was that intense and dangerous of a person.

The last trace of light had already disappeared. The silent air began to fill with the evening’s breath.

I tightly gripped my fists together, and shouted out that person’s name,

“Zi Xing Cang Yue…!”

143 Kaoru’s Cake House – Chapter Three

Yukii 【ゆきい】: Sorry for taking forever to finish translating this chapter! OTL Things have been really busy with real life stuff for both me and Sarane. Anyway, I hope you’ll enjoy this chapter!

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143 Kaoru’s Cake House

Author: Fakhrul Anour

Illustrator: Kaoru

Translator: Yukii 【ゆきい】, Sarane

Chapter Three : The Meeting of Not the Same Feather

The morning sunlight shone intensely into Jasmine’s ever-bright room. The owner of said room had already long prepared for the day. She was wearing a pink Nicoletta Pintuck t-shirt from GUESS matched with a pair of black ice waist-drop skinny Levi’s. As for her long tresses, they had been braided into two low braids. Before exiting her room, Jasmine took one last glance of herself at the mirror, making sure that everything was neat and perfect. Once she was satisfied, she exited her room…

…but reentered seconds later when she realized that she forgot to grab her cell phone on the desk.

Jasmine passed the living room and headed straight for the front door where the shoe racks were near. She then, began searching for a pair of shoes to wear. Jasmine knew not to wear sandals or heels though. Her objective today was to help her mother at the shop. So, she needed a pair of shoes that were suitable for an active lifestyle hence, why she chose a pair of Nike ‘Sport Culture Sprint Sister Leather Mtr’ shoes in the end.

Jasmine exited her home feeling fresh and vibrant. Her mother had left for the shop an hour ago. As Jasmine was about to reach the lifts, she remembered something important; locking the place! Alarmed, she rushed back to do so.

Meanwhile, a young man exited from the condominium unit in front of Jasmine’s. There was a three meter distance between the two units. He was a neighbor that Jasmine had never met before since moving to the condo three months ago.

The young man was well dressed in a Sidewinder GUESS t-shirt that was paired with a pair of Dark Tint Washed Calvin Klein’s. He sported a pair of Slip On Harness Engineer Hybrid Boots from Xelement while the black leather bag slung over his shoulder was a Louis Vuitton Taiga Saratov GM. It was clear that he was man who knew how to be stylish and exclusive.

Jasmine hurried out from her condo unit after retrieving her keys. The young man from before was in the middle of locking his front door when he noticed Jasmine. The girl was busy locking her own front door until she didn’t even notice him. There were three keys dangling on her key ring; one for the front door, one for the grille door that followed afterwards and the final one for the sliding grille door about two feet away from the front door and the grille door.

The young man was already done locking his grille door and was standing directly behind Jasmine who was still in the middle locking hers. He didn’t know why but he felt the need to wait there until he could greet her. However, his presence remained unnoticed until Jasmine turned around and screamed.

“AHHHHHHH!”

“Woah, woah! I’m your neighbor, the one that lives in front of you!” the young man waved his hands in front of him, startled.

Jasmine was dumbfounded. Neighbor? The neighbor that lived in front of her is a man? Well, he was definitely a stylish one; like a metrosexual but still with a few shortcomings. His sense of style was quite youthful—more suitable for teenagers—as well.

“My name is Ginn Celes. I’m your neighbor. Did you just move here?” the young man, Ginn, extended his hand for a shake.

“Yes, I—we just moved here three months ago. I have not seen you before, though. Have you just recently moved here as well?” Jasmine replied with a smile but did not accept his handshake.

Ginn retracted his hand, feeling a little embarrassed. He couldn’t help but felt a bit hurt by Jasmine’s actions. Still, he tried to remain friendly.

“Oh, no, I have already lived here for a year. It’s just that I’ve been really busy these past three months. Well, I have to leave for work now,” Without waiting for a reply, Ginn headed towards the direction of the lifts, leaving Jasmine dumbfounded for another time. For a moment, she stood there unable to say or think anything about Ginn’s actions. She decided to leave the matter alone and made her way towards the lifts as well.

As they waited for the lift, both remained silent. They have lost the friendly atmosphere.

Jasmine inspected her shoes and then, glanced at Ginn’s before her eyes trailed up to his jeans and the shirt he wore. Just by the sight of his shirt, she knew what brand it belonged to.

“GUESS…” Jasmine whispered.

Ginn turned to look at her when he heard her whisper. The girl smiled and was about to say something when the sound of the lift arriving interrupted her.

Ting!

The doors of the lift opened, revealing two other people inside. Before Jasmine could step into the lift, Ginn preceded her. This surprised Jasmine. ‘What a rude guy!’ she thought unhappily but remained patient and followed him into the lift. The both of them did not bother with each other anymore. Then, the lift doors closed.

~*~

When the lift doors opened upon reaching the Ground Floor, a heated argument could be heard. Those not involved with the quarrel left in a hurry, unable to stand the loud angry voices anymore. They believed that the two who were locked in said argument were having housing problems.

Jasmine stomped out of the lift, leaving Ginn behind. She turned around a few stomps later, though. “This is my perfume! You have no rights to say that it doesn’t suit me!” she shouted.

The lift doors were about to close but Ginn held them. “Well lady, that perfume is too strong for a girl. Take my advice, no guy would ever want you with that attitude of yours!” he scoffed.

Jasmine’s face flushed in embarrassment when she heard those words. She recomposed herself and was about to retort back when the doors of the lift began to shut. She managed to catch a glimpse of Ginn’s smirk while he bade her au revoir. Jasmine felt even more hurt by that. She let out an angry huff and patted her chest repeatedly, trying to calm herself down. There was nothing else she could do since that rude man had already gone town to the basement parking.

“You better watch out! Your misfortune is living just right in front of you. How dare you even try to make trouble!” Jasmine muttered to herself while exiting the condominium grounds, towards her mother’s florist shop that was not far away.

As she trudged on with anger still burning in her heart, the sound of a car’s horn startled her.

PINNN!

A Fiat Bravo 2007 came into view. Jasmine could make out the identity of the driver as he drove past, waving at her, before disappearing from her view.

Ginn!

“No manners!” Jasmine shouted, releasing her pent-up anger in process. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. But, she didn’t want to cry because of that idiot so she put up a strong front and ran the rest of the way to Maria’s Bouquet.

~*~

Jasmine entered the shop with an obviously, pissed-off face and rough movements. She walked towards the cashier counter and sat down on the chair behind without saying a word. She didn’t even greet her mother too. Jasmine’s expression was as sour as vinegar. Maria didn’t know what happened but she knew very well that something had made her only daughter angry. The worried mother left her halfway-done work of arranging flower bouquets for Datin Sharifah to talk to Jasmine.

“What’s wrong, Min?” she asked.

Jasmine was still breathing deeply. She bowed her head and took a long, deep breathe before saying in a very emotional voice, “The neighbor living in front of our house is very impolite!”

Maria was confused for a moment before she started laughing at her daughter’s attitude. It’s been a long time since she seen Jasmine show such emotions. She had turned into a very patient daughter since her father left this word two years ago. Jasmine was always polite with her mother but today, she had turned into someone very ‘energetic’.

“Our neighbor? Do you mean, Ginn Seles?” her mother asked once she calmed down from her laughing.

Jasmine blinked her eyes in surprise when the jerk’s name was spoken. Immediately, she stood up and asked, “When did you meet him?!”

“Err…a month after I bought the condo unit. I was able to meet our neighbors, including him, before we moved in…he is such a sweet man, right?” Maria explained with a sweet smile.

“Sweet man you say?” Jasmine snorted before adding, “He hurt my feelings! He said my perfume is for men and that I’m not supposed to wear it! We’ve only just met and he already doesn’t know how to take care of other people’s feelings!”

Maria’s eyebrows rose. She got closer to her daughter and tried to sniff the smell of the perfume that was supposed to be there.

“Mom? What are you doing?” Jasmine asked, confused by her mother’s actions.

“Well dear, you deserve it,” Maria replied and then, returned to her work that she left to talk to Jasmine just now. as she arranged the roses, she continued to say, “Didn’t I tell you to not wear that perfume anymore? I know it’s the perfume both you and your father always wore before but…” Maria suddenly choked up.

Jasmine was taken by surprise. She knew why her mother’s voice suddenly choked up although her back was facing her. Jasmine hurried to her mother and hugged her while giving her a kiss on the cheek. In her mother’s eyes were tears filled with yearning—the yearning for her beloved husband.

“I’m sorry mom…I shouldn’t have touched that subject here. I’m really sorry. It never crossed my mind that wearing Allure Sport would make you miss dad,” Jasmine apologized with tears pooling in her eyes as well.

Hearing her daughter’s words, Maria cheered up. “I apologize too, but I guess that man is right you know. You’re a beautiful girl and a pretty girl like you should wear perfume that is feminine,” she coaxed.

Jasmine fell silent. She pulled away from her mother and sat on the counter beside the bouquet her mother was arranging. Maria merely watched her daughter for a moment before continuing her work.

“When will Datin Sharifah come to pick all the bouquets?” Jasmine asked a minute later.

Maria smiled while answering, “7 o’clock this evening. I’ve already finished three bouquets. If you help me, things will progress faster. Will you?”

Jasmine smiled in reply. Without any further delay, she got off of the counter and proceeded to help her mother. However, just as she was about to start…

Ting Tong!

The sound of the bell ringing from the door signaled the presence of customers. Seeing that her view was blocked by flowers decorating the front space of the shop, Maria had to tiptoe to see who her customer was: a young man.

Maria recognized who he was. She rushed to the front and greeted the man. “Elle Cavier!” she called.

“Miss Maria!” Elle, the young man, replied with a wide smile.

Elle Cavier, a new fashion designer that’s very well-known. His style was a bit feminine but held the taste of high fashion. Today, he wore a white shirt with thin black stripes beneath a dark brown velvet jacket, both from Berry’C which meant that they were his own designs. As for his pants, he wore Levi’s 501 Shrink to Fit while his matching Dark Brown Nubuck Outlier Boat Venetian shoes were, like usual, from his favorite brand, Timberland.

Jasmine remained at her spot, focusing on arranging the bouquet in front of her by copying the style of the three others that her mother had finished. Still, she did try to steal a glance at the face of the young man that her mother called Elle Cavier. His name was the one she heard yesterday. He was a fashion designer that was favored among the upper social class.

“Here’s the flower basket you’ve requested,” Maria said to Elle while handing him his request. It was a mix of aster, carnations and daisies in a stemmed wooden basket made of willow together with three mini fake butterflies that looked realistic.

“It’s beautiful!” Elle exclaimed, making Maria beam in pride. Jasmine, who overheard the compliment, smiled along. She was proud of her mother’s hard work. The business in Maria’s Bouquet will be better. Still, it was sure that she could not see the face of the fashion designer. The flowers around her were blocking her view just like how they did to her mother. She was lazy to move in front to see him eye-to-eye though. So, she merely just continued on to make bouquets of three types of fresh roses; red, white and yellow.

Looking at the bouquets her mother completed, she made sure hers were of the same style. Placed in the thin cylinder glass vase with the width of ten centimeters and that stood eight inches tall, were three roses—that still had their leaves—from those three colors arranged with eucalyptus stalks. A unique arrangement it was!

“Thank you so much, Miss Maria,” Elle’s voice could be heard before he left the shop.

“You’re welcome. Do come again!”

Before the sound of the bell above the door sounded, Elle replied, “Of course! Your flowers are the best in this area.” The bell then, sounded and the door closed. Elle was gone.

Maria returned to where her daughter was hard at work at finished her first bouquet. Seeing her arrangement, Maria complimented, “Wow! You’re really good at this, Min.” Jasmine glowed at that. Then, Maria added, “Don’t forget, we have eight more to finish.”

The girl groaned in response.