Step by Step

Nozomi would’ve asked to touch it, but she was still a little shy of the other. 

She grabbed an end of the scarf towards the other, nodding slightly. "I guess it is rather soft, though that doesn't mean it's any newer--" She then held out the end to the other, offering a chance for her to touch it.

❝Thank you,❞ she said, her voice muffling a bit. ❞I like your scarf too…❞ 

She'd had it for a good 7-8 years at this point.

❝D-Do you really think so?❞

She nodded her head cheerfully, giggling slightly. "It suits you well!" She likes when people wear scarves, because something about that makes them easier to approach.

"Well technically, it's still winter! So it shouldn't be that bad-" Then again, she just felt comfortable with the weight of a scarf around her neck all around the year.

"Let’s do it! Let’s make all the pies!”

She giggled, bouncing along with the other girl. "Don't you think that'll be too many pies? Maybe we'll have to sell them-- Or give them away to hungry people-"

"Or if you wanna be a villain, I can make you turn good and we can be best friends!!" Ayano is very optimistic with stories, they all have to end up good.

"And why, would you care?" He asked bluntly, just staring at the stranger with a bemused expression, as though the very idea of someone caring that much about his health or well being baffled him.

"Because there's nothing wrong with caring. Everyone deserves some kind of appreciation and concern." Was it all that bad? Having someone care for you was nice wasn't it? You'd be able to go to someone if you need it, instead of having to rely on nobody but yourself!

"As for pies, well, what did you have in mind?"

She shook her head, smiling brightly. "Anything is fine, I just wanna try making one!"

"I am sure that they do, but that doesn’t mean I do"

"I guess I'll be number one then, huh~?" She'd worry, she'd care- It didn't matter he was a stranger, she couldn't stand the thought of such a lonely life.

Indecisiveness was always something Sophie could’ve spotted. She casually took a large white box with her own order yet. her eyes glanced over the girl with the red scarf. Though, as she was about to leave, the woman paused briefly, several steps away from the young lady. “Is something troubling you dear?”

She looked up, offering a small friendly smile. She shook her head, lifting a hand slightly. "I'm fine-- I guess I'm just unsure if I should buy a cake or not." It felt sorta.. Dumb and selfish to spend money on herself, it wasn't even like she was going to be sharing with anyone, and she didn't need it so..

"Why does it matter so much to you? I am just a stranger, for all you know I could be a bad person, a murderer and you’re trying to help me" He asked, not missing the irony in his own words.

She bit her bottom lip, looking at the ground before looking back up at him and shrugging slightly. "Why not? Even if you were.. Even those people deserve to have someone care about them, don't they? Even they have people who worry about them, right?"

     ”I haven’t been in this city long enough to have seen what it’s like during the holidays. Do they celebrate it here and decorate the streets to get into the spirit, or is it something smaller? It varies from country to country.” 

"I think it really depends on the family--- Some people go all out, but others like to keep it more quiet!!" When she had lived with her family, she'd had fun with lots of decorations and holiday cheer, now, living on her own- She might not do anything at all.. Which would be really sad.. Maybe she'd try going into town and having fun-

     ”Christmas already? Time’s been going by so quickly that I’d feel old if I wasn’t forever twenty-one.”

"Isn't it exciting?? Christmas is so much fun-!!" And Ayano loved winter- And winter break.

      "What a coincidence — pie making just happens to be my specialty. Now, arent’cha lucky.”

"Really, truly, you mean it??" She's so excited to make a pie don't underestimate her for being small and skinny she will tackle hug the heck out of you if you can actually teach her.

"For someone to worry, it takes having someone who is able to worry. I promise you, there is no one sitting somewhere worrying about wellbeing, especially not about if I am too chilly” The boy chuckled, sliding his hands into the pockets of his pants.

Geez. Where was this boy's parents? And friends? And family?? Wasn't it lonely to be without people loving and caring about each other--??