It was a quiet Monday morning at Gaesha's Sweets, and Gaesha stood behind the counter, her apron tied snug around her waist, her mind buzzing with all sorts of ideas.
Claire was gone for good—Kent had chosen Gaesha, and the memory of their time in the rooftop garden still made her heart feel all warm and fluttery.
She wanted to do something special, something just for him, something that would make him smile.
"A pastry," Gaesha said to herself, grabbing a big, shiny mixing bowl from under the counter. "Something for my Kent."
The bell above the door jingled, and Mia walked in, balancing two steaming cups of coffee in her hands.
"Hey, Gaesha," she said, her voice bright as she set one cup down on the counter. "You're here super early today, huh?"
"Yeah, I am," Gaesha replied, flashing a big smile. "I woke up with this idea, and I just couldn't wait to get started. I'm working on something new today, something special."
Mia's eyes lit up with curiosity. "New? Oh, tell me! What's that all about?"
"It's a pastry for Kent," Gaesha said, her voice soft but excited. "I want it to be sweet and messy, you know? Kind of like how things are with us."
Mia clapped her hands together, her grin wide. "Oh my gosh, that's so cute! A pastry just for Kent? You're such a romantic, Gaesha. So, what's going in this super special treat?"
Gaesha tilted her head, tapping her chin with her finger. "I'm not totally sure yet," she admitted. "I'm still figuring it out, playing with some ideas in my head."
Mia leaned against the counter, sipping her coffee. "Well, it's gotta be something sweet, right? I mean, Kent likes you, and you're the sweetest person I know."
Gaesha shook her head, her cheeks turning a little pink. "No way, Mia. He's always going on about how he doesn't like sweet stuff. He's all, 'Too much sugar's not my thing.'"
Mia burst out laughing, nearly spilling her coffee. "Oh, come on, Gaesha! Are you serious? He ate that whole chocolate cake you made last week! I saw him sneak a second slice when he thought no one was looking."
Gaesha giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Okay, okay, you're right. I guess he does like sweet things sometimes. Maybe I'll make it a little sweet, then, just for him."
She turned to the shelves behind her, grabbing a bag of sugar, a sack of flour, and a stick of butter.
"This is the base," she said, tossing them onto the counter with a little thud. "Gotta keep it simple, you know? Nothing too fancy."
Mia nodded, peering over Gaesha's shoulder. "That's a good start. Looks like you're building something solid. What else are you thinking of adding to make it special?"
"Chocolate," Gaesha said without hesitation. "Kent's deep, you know? Like, he's got all these layers, kind of like dark chocolate. It's rich and a little mysterious."
Mia grinned, her eyes sparkling. "Deep Kent, huh? I like that. It totally fits him. He's all serious on the outside, but you know there's more going on underneath."
"Exactly," Gaesha said, nodding. "And… I'm thinking maybe some jam, too. Raspberry jam, probably. It's messy and bright, just like our love can be sometimes."
Mia clapped again, her excitement bubbling over. "That's perfect, Gaesha! Messy and sweet, just like you and Kent. You're nailing this whole vibe."
Gaesha started mixing the dough, her hands moving quickly as she stirred the ingredients together. The bowl wobbled a bit, and she steadied it with one hand.
"Does this look okay to you?" she asked, holding up the bowl so Mia could take a peek.
Mia leaned in, inspecting the dough with a serious look. "Looks pretty good to me. It's all nice and sticky, just like it should be."
"Yeah," Gaesha said, laughing softly. "Sticky, like how Kent is with me."
Mia raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile on her face. "Sticky? Okay, girl, you gotta explain that one. What do you mean by 'sticky'?"
Gaesha's cheeks flushed pink again, and she looked down at the dough, smiling shyly. "You know, he sticks to me. Like, he's always there, holding on tight, making me feel safe. Even when things get messy, he's right by my side."
Mia's smile softened, and she put a hand on Gaesha's arm. "That's so sweet, Gaesha. You two are adorable, you know that? Keep going, you're on a roll with this."
Gaesha grabbed a rolling pin and started flattening the dough, her movements careful but sure.
"I'm making puffs," she said, her voice full of determination. "I want them to be light and soft, like how Kent is with me when it's just us."
Mia laughed, shaking her head. "Light? Kent? Come on, Gaesha, he's grumpy half the time! You've seen that scowl he does when someone cuts him off in line."
"No, no, no," Gaesha said, waving her hand like she was brushing the idea away. "He's soft inside, Mia. Under all that grump, there's this big, warm heart. You just gotta know where to look."
Mia nodded slowly, her smile turning thoughtful. "Okay, I see it now. Grumpy on the outside, soft on the inside. That's totally Kent. You've got him figured out."
Gaesha grabbed a small pot and started melting some dark chocolate, stirring it slowly as it turned smooth and glossy. She leaned over the pot, taking a big sniff.
"Oh, this smells so good," she said, closing her eyes for a second. "It's like… happiness in a pot."
Mia leaned closer, sniffing the air too. "Yeah, it really does. Is that what Kent smells like? All rich and chocolatey?"
Gaesha burst out laughing, almost dropping her spoon. "No way, Mia! This smells way better than him. Kent's more like… I don't know, coffee and that woodsy cologne he wears."
Mia smirked, nudging Gaesha's arm. "Oh, come on, you love how he smells. Don't even try to deny it."
"Okay, maybe a little," Gaesha admitted, her grin wide. "But this chocolate? It's the best. It's like, perfect for him."
She started spooning raspberry jam into the little dough puffs, her hands careful as she filled each one.
Then she drizzled the melted chocolate over them, watching it pool and drip in all the right places.
"Look at this," Gaesha said, stepping back to admire her work. "It's all messy, just like me when I'm with him."
Mia clapped her hands again, her eyes wide. "It's perfect, Gaesha! Seriously, these look amazing. You gotta try one right now."
Gaesha picked up a puff, holding it carefully so it wouldn't fall apart. She took a big bite, and the jam oozed out, sweet and gooey, dripping a little onto her chin.
"Oh, wow!" she said, her eyes going wide. "This is really, really good, Mia!"
"Let me try one!" Mia said, grabbing a puff before Gaesha could stop her. She took a bite and nodded, her mouth full. "Oh, yeah. This is amazing, Gaesha. You're a genius."
"You really think so?" Gaesha asked, wiping the jam off her chin with the back of her hand. "Do you think Kent will like it? I mean, will it make him smile?"
"Absolutely," Mia said, her voice firm. "This is so you and him. Sweet, a little messy, and totally perfect. He's gonna love it."
Gaesha smiled, her heart feeling all warm and full. "Messy and sweet," she said softly. "That's us, right? That's what we are."
"Exactly," Mia said, giving her a big nod. "You nailed it. So, what's this masterpiece called?"
Gaesha stood up a little straighter, proud of her creation. "The Kent Puff," she said. "It's simple, just like him. Nothing too complicated, just… right."
Mia's grin got even bigger. "The Kent Puff? I love it! You need to make a whole bunch of these, Gaesha. They're gonna be a hit."
Gaesha got to work, rolling out more dough and filling more puffs. She baked a dozen more, and soon the bakery was filled with warm, sweet smells that made the whole place feel cozy.
The oven dinged, and she pulled out the tray, the puffs golden and perfect, just as Kent walked through the door.
His coat was off, his hair a little messy from the wind outside, and he sniffed the air like he was trying to figure out what was going on.
"Hey," Kent said, his voice low and curious. "What's that smell? It's… good."
"Kent!" Gaesha said, her face lighting up as she ran over to him. "I made a surprise for you! Come look!"
"A surprise?" Kent asked, his eyebrows going up as he glanced at the tray on the counter. "What's all this about?"
"It's a new pastry," Gaesha said, bouncing on her toes, barely able to contain her excitement. "I made it just for you, Kent. Because, you know, you're special to me."
Kent's eyes softened, and he tilted his head. "For me? Really? Why'd you go and do something like that?"
Gaesha stepped closer, her voice dropping to a soft whisper. "Because you're mine, Kent. And I wanted to make something that's just for us, you know?"
Kent looked at her for a long moment, then picked up a puff, holding it carefully like he was afraid it might break.
He took a slow bite, and a bit of raspberry jam dripped onto his chin, making Gaesha giggle.
"This is good," he said, wiping the jam off with his thumb. "Really good. But, uh, it's pretty messy."
"Just like us," Gaesha said, her grin so wide it almost hurt. "Is it sweet enough for you? I know you say you don't like sweet stuff, but…"
Kent nodded, taking another bite. "Yeah, it's sweet. Really sweet. But it's… nice. I like it."
Gaesha poked his arm playfully. "See? I knew you liked sweet things deep down. You can't fool me, Kent."
He gave her a small smile, his eyes warm. "Only with you, Gaesha. I only like sweet things when they're with you."
"Oh, Kent," Gaesha said, her heart feeling like it might burst. "You're being all sweet now, too. I named it the Kent Puff, by the way."
Kent tilted his head, a little surprised. "A puff? You named it after me?"
"Yup," Gaesha said, nodding proudly. "It's soft, sweet, and a little messy, just like you are with me."
He chuckled, a low, warm sound that made her stomach flutter. "Okay, I like it. It's good, Gaesha. Really good."
"Good," she said, stepping closer until she was right in front of him. "Want another one? I made a whole bunch."
"Yeah," Kent said, his voice soft. "I always want more when it's with you."
Mia, who had been watching the whole thing, clapped her hands and laughed. "You two are so cute! I can't handle it!"
Gaesha's face turned bright red, and she swatted at Mia playfully. "Shut up, Mia! You're embarrassing me in front of him!"
Mia just laughed harder. "No, I'm serious! You guys are adorable."
Kent looked at Gaesha, his smile small but real. "She's right, you know. You're cute."
"Kent!" Gaesha said, her face getting even redder. "You're being all soft and sweet now! What's gotten into you?"
"Only for you," Kent said, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper. "I'm only like this for you, Gaesha."
They sat down together at one of the little tables in the bakery, eating the Kent Puffs, the air around them warm and cozy.
The chocolate and raspberry jam mixed just right, sweet and a little sloppy, just like their love.
Gaesha looked at Kent, his face softer than usual, a bit of jam still stuck on his chin.
"You're messy," she said, reaching over to wipe it off with her thumb.
Kent caught her hand before she could pull it back, his fingers warm against hers.
"You made me messy," he said, his voice teasing but gentle.
"Good," Gaesha said, laughing softly. "I like you like this, Kent. All messy and mine."
"Me too," he said, squeezing her hand just a little. "I like us like this."
"Best us," Gaesha said, leaning her head on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of him next to her.
"Yeah," Kent said, his voice soft and sure. "Best."
The bakery hummed with warmth, the tray of Kent Puffs sitting pretty on the counter, each one a little piece of their love baked right into it.
Gaesha smiled, her heart full and happy, knowing this was just right—sweet, messy, and all theirs.