Elias hadn't had a quiet moment in weeks.
Since the café menu launched, Moonlight Crumbs had transformed.
The bakery had always been tucked away, unnoticed by most. But now? Now it was a name that spread through whispers, social media posts, and word of mouth. There was no more empty silence during the afternoon lull. No more moments where he could step away from the counter and breathe.
Now, people didn't just come for the pastries—they stayed. They lingered, sipping matcha lattes and chatting over plates of cookies, turning the once-quiet shop into something it had never been before.
Something alive.
And Elias—
He should have been happy.
Should have felt proud.
But all he felt was exhausted.
The bell above the door jingled.
Hikari rushed past him, balancing a tray of drinks, her voice clear as she called out, "Sensei! Matcha latte, two Yuzu Honey cookies!"
Elias barely processed her words before his hands were already moving, grabbing a plate, arranging the cookies just so, reaching for the espresso machine— Muscle memory.
That was all this was now.
His hands worked on their own, following the rhythm he had trained them into. Clean, serve, bake, repeat. The motions were familiar, predictable. The kind of thing he didn't have to think about.
Because if he started thinking—
He wasn't sure he'd like what came next.
The café had been Mira's idea. The drinks, the marketing, the push toward something bigger. The liveliness, the warmth, the way people actually looked at the bakery now instead of passing it by—
That wasn't him.
That wasn't his work.
He clenched his jaw, shaking off the thought. He had work to do. That was all that mattered.
A laugh rang from the front of the store, soft but full of warmth. A group of friends sat by the window, sipping their drinks, tearing apart a loaf of shokupan between them.
The sight should have made him feel something.
Instead, it just reminded him of how different this place was now.
His father had designed every inch of this shop. His mother had built it with her patience and warmth. Moonlight Crumbs had been their dream.
And when they were gone—
It became his.
But had it ever really been his dream?
Elias sucked in a slow breath, steadying his hands on the counter.
Don't think about it.
"Sensei."
Hikari's voice cut through his thoughts.
Elias blinked, looking up.
She stood by the kitchen door, balancing two plates, her brow furrowed slightly.
He realized his hands had gone still.
Too long.
Too noticeable.
"I'm fine," he said automatically.
Hikari studied him for a second longer, like she didn't quite believe him.
But then, someone called her name, and just like that—
She was gone, lost in the rhythm of the rush.
Elias exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck.
The bakery was changing.
And with every passing day, he felt like he was just following along.
Like he was just filling a role.
Like he was just keeping something alive that should have died with his parents.
Would they be proud of him?
Was he doing this out of love?
Or was he just desperate not to lose the last thing he had of them?
The thought made his stomach twist.
No time for this.
Elias straightened, turning back to the espresso machine, moving faster, focusing on the work.
Because if he stopped—
Then what?
Baking Was Simple. People Were Not.
Elias worked without thinking, hands moving automatically.
Baking had rules. If you followed them, the result was always predictable.
People weren't like that.
Dough would rise if given time. Sugar would caramelize if treated correctly. Ingredients would react the way they were meant to.
People?
People changed.
Hikari had shown up at his doorstep out of nowhere, breaking apart every plan he had for a quiet life.
Mira had dragged him into the spotlight, forced him to adapt, to grow.
His parents had left him this bakery—without ever asking if he wanted it.
He pulled a fresh batch of cookies from the oven, the scent of brown butter and citrus filling the air.
It smelled like home.
But whose home was it now?
Hikari Was Moving Too Fast.
Elias noticed it.
She moved like she was racing against something only she could see. She barely stopped. Barely breathed.
It was in the way her hands moved a little too quickly, in the way she never took a moment for herself.
It was like watching a reflection of himself.
She was exhausted.
But she still smiled. Still laughed with customers, still acted like everything was fine.
Elias recognized the pattern.
Because he had done the same thing.
And he knew how it ended.
Too Much. Too Fast.
The bakery was louder than it had ever been.
Between the café addition, the expanded menu, and Mira's relentless social media campaigns, Moonlight Crumbs wasn't just surviving anymore.
It was thriving.
There were new customers every day. Regulars who brought their friends. People waiting outside before the doors even opened.
Elias should have been relieved.
Should have felt secure, knowing that for the first time in years, Moonlight Crumbs wasn't at risk of disappearing.
Instead—
There was a weight in his chest, low and steady.
He could barely step out from behind the counter. Orders never stopped. Pastries needed to be refilled. Drinks needed to be made.
His hands ached. His shoulders burned.
But he didn't stop.
Because if he stopped—
Then what?
Would he finally admit to himself that he didn't know what he wanted anymore?
Would he finally have to face the truth?
That maybe… just maybe…
He wasn't meant to do this forever?
That maybe—
This bakery had never been his in the first place?
His fingers curled tightly around the edge of the counter.
No time for this.
More customers were waiting.
"Sensei."
Elias looked up.
Hikari stood in front of him, arms crossed.
"Your break," she said simply.
Elias frowned. "What?"
"You haven't taken one today," Hikari pointed out. "Go sit down. Just for ten minutes. I can handle things."
Elias stared at her.
He should say no.
Should keep moving.
But then, for the first time, he really looked at her.
At the exhaustion in her posture.
At the way she carried herself the same way he did.
She was just as bad as him.
Elias exhaled sharply.
"Fine," he muttered.
Hikari blinked, like she hadn't actually expected him to agree.
Elias ignored her and stepped away from the counter.
The moment he sat down, his body screamed.
His shoulders ached. His fingers felt stiff. His head throbbed from the constant noise.
And for a brief, terrifying moment—
He felt relief.
Like he had been holding his breath for weeks.
Elias let out a slow exhale, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
What the hell was he doing?