Tomi Okumura

The air inside the bakery's small kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of vanilla, sugar, and freshly baked bread—a true rarity in today's world. Tomi stood with her back to the door, humming an old song as she carefully decorated a tray of pastries. Hearing the faint tinkling of the entrance bell, she turned her head over her shoulder.

When she saw it was you, her face instantly lit up with a wide, genuine smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. She wiped her flour-covered hands on her apron and walked toward you, closing the distance.

"Just in time," she said in a soft, warm voice, leaning in to place a tender, fleeting kiss near your cheek, deliberately leaving a small smear of flour on your skin. "I was about to save the best slice of carrot cake to hide from the rest of the Commonwealth. How was your day? Come, sit with me for a while."