Chocolate Fic for myxstorie; part 1
To: myxstorie
From: tinyangl
Title: Bon Appetit
Pairing: Yamashita Tomohisa/Horikita Maki, hinting of Akanishi Jin/Kuroki Meisa, past Kamenashi Kazuya/Kuroki Meisa, LOADS of Akanishi Jin/Yamashita Tomohisa bromance
Rating: PG-13 solely for some cursing
Summary: Jin pushes Yamapi into a cupcake competition, and it may just be their undoing.
A/N: Inspired by 2 Broke Girls, which means Cupcakes AU! :D I didn't give them a shop, but they're still selling cupcakes! This also takes place in New York which I hope is okay. ♥ I'm sorry I couldn't give you too twisty, myxstorie, but I hope you enjoy this regardless. ♥
Thank you to my fabulous betas for your constant and always thorough work on this. If it wasn't for you two, I doubt this would be what it is now. ♥
"YOU SOLD YOURSELF TO THE DEVIL."
Yamapi falls out of bed with a hard thump and a loud groan. "The fuck, Jin?!" He struggles to disentangle himself from his sheets, finally managing a minute longer than he should've. He blames the late hour; it feels like he's been asleep for an hour. From under the sheets, he sees Jin on his bed, hovering over him.
"The devil," Jin hisses. "I cannot believe you."
"What are you even going on about?!" Yamapi stumbles to his feet, catching a glimpse of his clock as he does so. 3:23am, he slept more than an hour at least. "It is three in the morning. I have to be up in three hours to get ready, damnit." He picks up his sheets and pillow from the floor, putting them back on the bed.
"What does it even matter anymore?" Jin grumbles. "With you going over to the enemy, what business do we have?" He falls onto Yamapi's bed.
Yamapi blinks. "Wait, what?" He pushes Jin over to get more space. In his own fucking bed.
"I heard, you know. Whatever you have going with that girl from Sweet Power."
With a groan, Yamapi puts his hand against his eyes, shutting them. He wishes he could block out the sound of Jin's voice, too. "I told you before," Yamapi says with a sigh, "that Ms. Horikita and I vaguely know each other from a college club we were in together. That is it. I barely even talk to her."
"See! That right there! You guys call each other Mister and Miss. Who does that?"
"We do. It's not a big deal, Jin."
"That is not what I heard from Kuroki."
This comment makes Yamapi open his eyes again and look over at Jin. "I'm sorry, what was that about the enemy?"
Jin waves his hand. "Doesn't count. She gave the information only as a taunt. So?"
"Nothing," Yamapi says with a sigh. "Now can I sleep, or do you want to drill the information out of my brain?"
"...I can do that?" The tone of curiosity makes Yamapi roll his eyes.
"Of course not," Yamapi snaps. "Now get out of my bed."
"Yours is so much cozier."
"Just don't kick me off the bed again and we won't have any problems."
"Can't promise that," Jin says, following with a yawn.
Yamapi thinks he should care more about this but the exhaustion wears him down. He's asleep in seconds.
Their truck is a mess again. As it always is after Jin's evening shift. Yamapi really, really, really wishes his constant reminders to Jin would work, but the post-it notes that he places after his own shift always end up in the garbage can. He sighs, scrubbing leftover frosting from the counter, getting the new inventory of cupcakes made the day before into the cases and making sure they have enough containers, napkins, forks and knives out for the customers.
He exhales after a half-hour of prep work and pulls out his phone. He notes that it's nearly 7 and smiles. Right on time.
Pulling out his phone from his pocket, Yamapi starts typing.
@KingPinCupcakes: Right on time again! Anyone interested in cupcakes this early in the morning? Your favorites will be at 51st&3rd! #yumcupcakes
6:48 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
Quickly, his phone beeps and Yamapi blinks at the reply to his account, a slow smile grows on his face as he reads it.
@SweetPowerTreats: .@KingPinCupcakes That block's only big enough for one dessert truck. #ourtreatsarebest
6:49 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Nobody does cupcakes like we do. No matter what other trucks say @SweetPowerTreats #yumcupcakes
6:51 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: .@KingPinCupcakes Only if it's your red velvet. #yumcupcakes #ourtreatsarestillbest
6:52 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
Yamapi chuckles, putting his phone away and settling into the driver's seat. But not before he tucks a red velvet cupcake into a box and leaves it off to the side.
When he gets to the spot, Sweet Power's truck is already there. Yamapi tries to suppress the smile on his lips, but he finds he can't. He wasn't lying to Jin when he said nothing was going on between him and Horikita Maki of Sweet Power. But the statement didn't include the fact that he wanted something.
Maki's already waiting for him out on the sidewalk when he pulls up, and she waves to him with a grin. He parks and then rolls down the window. "Our cupcakes are still the best."
She laughs, walking closer to the truck. "Only the red velvet." Yamapi shakes his head as he jumps out the driver's side, a box in his hands.
"Well, I live to serve." He hands the cupcake to her and her grin brightens.
"So apparently Meisa and Akanishi got into it again?" Maki comments, opening the box and peeking inside. She swipes a finger along the edge of the cream cheese frosting and licks it off. Yamapi resists from staring by leaning against his truck. She moves to stand beside him, leaning as well; he can feel her warmth radiating towards him.
"Apparently we're feuding."
"Ah, that explains her huffing and puffing about our friendship. Something about you being enemy camp." She looks over, an eyebrow raised. "Are you planning on stealing our recipes and bankrupting us?"
Yamapi laughs lightly. "Not if you aren't planning the same."
"I'm good with the occasional free cupcake."
"Easy sell."
Maki shrugs. "Easy to please." She angles a smile at him that makes his heart race. Yamapi looks away sharply.
"I guess we should get to work," he mutters, pretending to buff their logo with his sleeves. When he turns to her, Yamapi wonders if he imagines her smile being a touch sadder.
"You're right. Lunch?" she asks, tucking a hair behind her ear as she starts to walk backwards towards her own truck.
"I'm heading down to Union Square. You?"
This time, he's positive that's a look of disappointment that crosses her face. Yamapi wills himself not to turn red at the thought. He mostly succeeds-it's only his ears that burn. "SoHo for me. Maybe next time," Maki says before turning around. "Oh!" she exclaims and says over her shoulder. "And thanks again for the cupcake." She lifts the box slightly.
"Always," he replies and this time when she grins, Yamapi feels the flush spread to his cheeks. He sighs.
Yamapi finally knows Jin is awake when he gets a text around 11am. It reads, FLIRTING ON OUR ACCOUNT? WHAT THE FUCK MAN.
A second buzz. If we werent mortal enemies id congratulate you. Youre totally in.
BUT NO. SWEET POWER IS BAD. ENEMY. STOP ALL FLIRTING. OR TALKING.
Yamapi rolls his eyes and is about to put the phone away when it beeps and vibrates again. But really. High five smooth operator. He sighs and serves the next customer.
When Yamapi stumbles into Takki's Diner, he's not surprised to find Takki sitting at the counter, eyes trained to the door like a hawk. "Sorry, sorry," Yamapi says as he jogs the few steps it takes to get from the door to Takki. Takki's diner is on the small side, with four booths along the side and four tables that make up the floor. There's a small counter with two stools, the cash register sits to the side. "Jin came late, yet again."
The stern look on Takki's face melts into a frantic expression before he throws his arms around Yamapi. "I can't stay mad at you! I was worried, of course. Just, you having to drive that big truck in Manhattan traffic. They're crazy out there!"
Yamapi withholds from laughing. "Takki, I'm okay. As usual."
"It's just, your parents entrusted you with me-"
"No, they didn't."
"And they cried, Mr. Takizawa, take care of our boy."
"Never happened."
"And they would be devastated if something bad were to happen to you."
"True, but-"
"It's okay, Yamapi. It's okay. I'm here to take care of you."
Yamapi grunts as Takki's embrace tightens. He catches Kamenashi's eye as Kame places some of the finished dishes on the counter. "Takki," he sighs, leaning against their counter. "Yamashita has plates that need to be picked up."
Takki sighs, pulling back with a huge pout. "I guess you're right."
Yamapi nods. "Kame's always right," he says, stepping out of Takki's still half-embrace. "I should start my shift." Takki sighs, making no move to embrace him again. Yamapi swiftly rushes into the kitchen. "Thanks for the save," he tells Kame.
Kame shrugs. "He could do that for hours and, as you're our only wait staff, it might hinder business."
"Always about the job," Yamapi teases, pulling on his apron.
"Someone has to keep this place running," Kame replies, before returning to the stove. "Otherwise, all we'd have is one customer and that would be Jin." Kame shudders. "And, well, he'd never pay. Remember how much food he used to sneak when he worked here?"
Yamapi laughs with a shake of his head before heading out onto the floor. He makes sure to sidestep Takki at the counter, lest Takki feels the need to assure him that he'll save Yamapi from the big bad city.
Jin comes racing into the diner halfway through Yamapi's shift. Which is technically also halfway through Jin's shift. "Pi!" he yells, waving a yellow sheet in the air. "I KNOW HOW WE CAN SUCCEED."
Yamapi stares, hands and arms balancing three sets of plates. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he asks, eyes wide. "Where's the truck?! Why are you not in the truck?"
"It's parked out front," Jin says with a wave of his hand. "Not important."
"What do you mean not important?" Yamapi feels a headache coming on. "And there's no parking allowed up front. You know that!"
"There wasn't any time," Jin drags out the last word. "I had to tell you this now."
"Okay, as much of a fascinating conversation this is," one of three in the booth interjects-Yamapi had dubbed him 'Hipster Goth Wannabe' in his head, "that's our food right there and I'm kind of hungry."
Jin glares at the man, snags the plates from Yamapi's hands and tosses them down on the table with very little finesse. Most of one plate's fries spills onto the table, but Jin pays it no heed. "Here you go," he snaps. "Enjoy." Without waiting for him to reply, Jin tugs Yamapi's arm and pulls him into Kame's kitchen. Kame eyes them when they enter, standing over the stove, but he doesn't say a word.
Yamapi sighs, wringing his hands around his apron. "And this is why Takki suggested you not work here anymore."
"Takki wanted you all to himself," Jin retorts. "But, NONE OF THIS MATTERS." He pushes the sheet clutched in his fist against Yamapi's chest. "READ THIS."
Yamapi takes the sheet but holds it down. "Not until you move the truck."
Jin blinks. "What?"
"If you leave that truck parked out front, it will get towed. Which means we will have to pay money to get it out. And we don't have any money to get it out. So. PARK IT SOMEWHERE ELSE."
"But-" Jin starts, but Yamapi's stern glare shuts him up. "Fine," he says, dragging his feet out the door. "You know there's, like, nowhere to park around here."
"Well, you'd better hurry it up then." Yamapi crosses his arms and just waits. Jin sighs once more before walking out of the kitchen.
"He's like a puppy sometimes," Kame comments.
Yamapi shakes his head. "All the time, more like." He looks at the sheet Jin was waving at him. "The Cupcake Bake Competition is a local competition being held in Brooklyn and is currently accepting applications for participants."
"A competition," Kame says, eyebrow raised. "That would be interesting."
"And impossible." Yamapi stares at the sheet. "We are not capable of entering a cupcake competition where we'll be up against bakers who have years of experience, who know way more about flavor and appearance and-"
"You're cutting yourself short, Yamashita," Kame comments, going back to his station. "You guys make good cupcakes. Besides, what does it hurt to try?"
Yamapi snorts, putting the sheet down. "It'll hurt us and our business if it turns out our cupcakes aren't good. What's the point in destroying our dream when we've only just started?"
"What's the harm in trying something out and maybe finding out that you're good at what you do?"
"What are the chances that that'll happen?" Before Kame gets to say anything else, Yamapi is out the door. He makes sure to toss the sheet in the garbage and braces himself for a night of convincing Jin that this is a bad idea.
@KingPinCupcakes: Everyone, can you please tell Pi that he is being a fool and that our cupcakes are good? #yumcupcakes
1:48 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: And can you tell him that he's being stubborn and that we deserve the chance to prove ourselves? #piisanidiot #yumcupcakes
1:50 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: And that I am awesome and he should always listen to my plans since I rule and we wouldn't have a business without me? #yumcupcakes
1:53 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes If that last part is true, I'll eat my hat.
1:54 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats Okay, so all I did was _convince_ Pi to take the chance, but still close enough! (Shut up, Kuroki. What do you know?)
1:56 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Whatever you say, Akanishi. Besides, maybe this is for the best. We're joining the competition too and you sure as hell can't beat us.
1:58 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats WE SO CAN.
1:59 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
When Yamapi wakes up the next morning, he discovers at least 35 people have retweeted Jin's initial comment; only 4 of them retweeted Jin's "I am awesome" comment to Jin's disappointment. A handful added which of their cupcakes they like the most. Apparently a few also follow Maki and Meisa's twitter because he gets a few mentions that go "@KingPinCupcakes/@SweetPowerTreats, I ship it!"
Yamapi shakes his head. Jin spoke for hours on end, even forgoing the rest of his evening shift to try and convince Yamapi that participating in a competition was a good step for them to take. "We don't even have to win!" Jin insisted. "I mean, that would be great and all, but we're new at this." Yamapi can tell he's lying through his teeth. Jin never plays just to play, always to win.
But no matter what Jin said, Yamapi was unyielding. It was hard to bear Jin's voice after a while though, so after he got his half of the next day's supply done for the evening, Yamapi locked himself in his room. A lock which Jin still did not have the key to, nor could find the spare Yamapi had hidden in their apartment.
"I know what'll convince you," Jin said ominously last night, but it ended up being a twitter appeal. The encouraging tweets were flattering for sure, but not enough to convince Yamapi that he should risk so much on a competition.
When he arrives at Wednesday's location, 66th and Broadway, he's surprised to see Sweet Power's truck already parked there.
"Ms. Horkita, don't you usually go to Midtown on Wednesdays?" he asks Maki, who is standing on the sidewalk waiting for him.
"Keep track of the enemy, do you, Mr. Yamashita?"
Yamapi flushes. "What can I say? Jin can be convincing when he wants to be," he lies.
Maki laughs. "Except about cupcake competitions."
"Saw that too, did you?" Yamapi says dryly. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not against them as a whole, but for newbies like us, our reputation is all we have. We don't get that much business, it's a lot of time and money, and if the wrong person says no, then that's it for us. There goes all the work we did to even get to this point."
"Said that a lot, did you?" Maki says, an eyebrow raised.
"Well, that's what happens when you live with the guy. It was what he talked about all night."
She laughs. "If it helps, Meisa was up ranting until 3am because of a certain bone-headed, could not be more insufferable, arrogant son of a-" she cuts herself off before smiling at Yamapi. "You get the idea."
Yamapi snorts. "I swear that vendetta they've been building up against each other is the strangest thing."
"Flirting one week, feuding the next. Runs hot and cold with that pair."
"So. You guys are going to join the competition?"
"Yeah." She pauses. "Look, I get why it's worrying, I do." Maki turns to face him, and Yamapi feels himself grow red with both embarrassment and her presence. "And you're right, one bad comment from the wrong person can ruin things. But you could also gain so much more. You could gain more customers and more offers to sell your cupcakes in other locations and well, the benefits outweigh the slight chance of one negative comment."
Yamapi swallows before stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Wouldn't it be better if we didn't join? After all, we are your biggest competitors." He grins at her.
Maki laughs. "And that's why you should. It'd be a fair competition," she says with a wink. "Think about it, okay? It's a good move."
Except he doesn't have to think about it. Not anymore. She makes a fair point and while Jin had come close, it sounds different coming from Maki. It sounds more confident and more sure and Yamapi, despite himself, trusts her word on this. "I will," he says instead.
"But don't serve your red velvet. Wouldn't want an unfair advantage."
"Can't make any promises," Yamapi tells her, and her laughter rings in his ears for the rest of the morning.
@KingPinCupcakes: HE SAID YES HE SAID YES. We'll be participating in Cupcake Bake Competition 2013! #piisgreat
2:01 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: I knew he'd see reason! Am at Columbia University right now, so get our cupcakes before we win this and get super famous! #yumcupcakes
2:04 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
Yamapi drags his feet on his way home. Kame had kicked him out of the diner a few hours before his shift even ended, telling him, "With the way you're working today, you might as well not be here." So he worked slower and less often than usual! Like they could blame him when he was carrying around a pit of anxiety in his stomach.
He sighs as he opens the door, then stares because Jin is surprisingly already there. There are sheets of paper spread out on top of their kitchen counter. "Welcome back!"
Yamapi raises an eyebrow, dropping his bag by the couch on his way to the counter. "Thanks? You're home already?"
"You would know this if you checked our Twitter more often."
At this, Yamapi pulls out his phone and looks at the most recent tweets.
@KingPinCupcakes: We done for the night, peeps!! More #yumcupcakes will be available tmr! #deuces
7:45 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes You college kids are my absolute fav. Way to show your support! #yumcupcakes
7:46 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
Yamapi groans. "Did you have to type it like this? Do I have to take the Twitter account away from you again? I banned you from it for over two weeks last time."
Jin waves his hand. "Whatever," he continues. "I managed to sell off our supply for the night, so I headed home." Yamapi's eyes bulge a little at the words-they haven't done that very often, so every time it does happen, it makes his heart skip a beat. Their business is fairly constant, getting enough sales that by the end of the night their supply of 120 cupcakes dwindles to less than ten.
"Really?" Yamapi asks, settling into one of the chairs at the counter.
"Yeah. It can happen, you know. More often with me because I am, as we both know, the natural salesman here."
"You also have the evening shift when most people are more than happy to buy cupcakes. Not the dead early shift when people want coffee, not cupcakes."
Jin shrugs. "We could trade, but then you'd have no supply for the evening shift."
Yamapi resists from rolling his eyes. "So what's up with the papers?" he asks, looking down at the papers and marveling for a second that they appear to be recipes. He picks one up. "Did you prepare for this?"
"Hey, I was prepared for this the moment I saw that flyer."
"Really?"
"Okay, so I was preparing as soon as I got home, but same difference! What matters is that I'm ready now and we should totally start trying stuff out."
Yamapi smiles, pleased that the anxiety that had been clawing at his stomach all afternoon has subsided to a manageable amount because of Jin's confidence. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I do still need to bake my half of tomorrow's supplies."
Jin beams. "I knew you would say that so..." He moves over to the oven right as it chimes and pulls out two of the four cupcake trays ready to be cooled. "See! Prepared!"
"You started my share?" Yamapi says, not able to hold back the surprise in his voice.
"Finished it, actually." Jin places the trays down on a separate table where there are already boxed cupcakes. "Who knows his business partner better than anyone in the world?"
"Okay! I guess we'll start deciding on a recipe," Yamapi says, starting to stand. Except he pauses, catching sight of a stack of DVDs in the corner. "What's that?"
Jin looks over and his eyes brighten. "Oh! I almost forgot. I thought it'd be a great idea to watch that for research. Recipes are a great start, but we want to of course add something that's a touch of us, right?"
"Right..." Yamapi says with hesitation. There are at least 6 DVDs in that pile.
"So! Marathon time! It shouldn't take us too long." Jin wipes off his hands with a towel nearby. "I think it'd be a great idea."
"And what exactly are we marathoning?"
Jin's grin scares Yamapi just a little bit.
@KingPinCupcakes: I have been forced to endure two hours (and some) of Cupcake Wars. Do people do this willingly?
12:48 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Blah blah blah, I am super confident. *five minutes later* OH NO, I WAS CUT. I AM SURPRISED. #cupcakewars
1:12 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: No, is this really a thing? Do people watch this marathoned? Maybe that's my problem. #cupcakewars
1:35 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: JIN WILL NOT LET ME SLEEP. SAVE ME. HE KEEPS SAYING ONE MORE EPISODE. THIS IS FOR RESEARCH. OH LOOK, THIS ONE SEEMS INTERESTING
2:07 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Just punch him in the face and then he'll shut up?
2:10 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats I SAW THAT KUROKI.
2:12 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes I'm not exactly hiding it, Akanishi. ~MK
2:13 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Why are you guys even still up? Don't one of you have the morning shift? ~MH
2:15 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes YEAH JIN. DOESN'T ONE OF US HAVE THE MORNING SHIFT? ~TY
2:17 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakesBUT THIS IS IMPORTANT RESEARCH. ~JA
2:18 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Are you guys seriously tweeting at each other? IT'S CALLED TALKING. ~MK
2:21 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes SAYS YOU. ~JA
2:24 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Honestly. You have the worst comebacks, Akanishi. ~MK
2:26 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: RT @KingPinCupcakes @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes SAYS YOU. ~JA
2:27 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes You can't RT yourself! That's not even possible!
2:29 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: RT @KingPinCupcakes @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes SAYS YOU. ~JA
2:30 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: I apologize to those who follows us. I have taken Jin's phone away, so no more ridiculous fighting via Twitter. ~TY @SweetPowerTreats
2:31 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: I'm very sorry for Meisa's behavior on Twitter tonight. She is banned from it for the day so no more bickering with @KingPinCupcakes ~MH
2:33 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
When Yamapi arrives at Takki's Diner that afternoon, still exhausted from the late night's marathoning, he's surprised to see Meisa sitting at the counter, chatting with Kame. He thinks it's a mirage and rubs his eyes, but she still sits there. "What are you doing here?" he asks as he approaches them.
Meisa raises an eyebrow. "Can't I come and see my former workplace?"
"And ex-boyfriend?" Kame adds.
"Wait," Yamapi asks as he's putting on his apron. "You guys broke up?"
"It's been a while," Kame says. "What, we broke up back when Jin first started?" He looks over at her, smirking.
Meisa glares at Kame harder than Yamapi has ever seen before, and as a waitress, Yamapi had watched her glare at many a customer. "Possibly," she grits through her teeth. "I don't remember."
"No, I'm pretty sure. It was right after Jin started and right before you quit. Ow!" Meisa hits Kame with a nearby menu.
Yamapi blinks, eyebrows furrowed, but before he can open up his mouth to ask. "Meisa~" Takki greets, cutting into the tension. "I love when you come to visit me!"
She sighs in relief, sitting down. "I didn't come here for you."
"Meisa, always so mean," Takki laments as he sits beside her. "Where's Maki?"
"We swapped today. She was busy experimenting on recipes last night for the competition."
Yamapi feels himself go red. "Already?"
"Of course you guys haven't done anything. Shocking."
"Well, we only just decided! Plus, you know my partner."
"Plus you waste time marathoning dumb cupcake shows."
"Again, I blame that one on Jin."
"Was it Cupcake Wars?" Takki asks. "I love that show!"
Meisa rolls her eyes. "Take responsibility, Yamashita. You have as much in this as Akanishi does. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go continue our trials." Kame gives her a wave.
"So you guys broke up because?" Yamapi asks.
Kame shrugs. "Your partner may know better than me," he says before heading into to the kitchen.
Yamapi stares at him before Takki pats him hard on the back, startling him out of his thoughts. "Time for your shift!" Takki says cheerfully before disappearing into his office. Yamapi shakes his head and files the thoughts away for another time.
@KingPinCupcakes: Pi made treats for the cupcake competition! _And_ there's leftover bourbon. Best work day *ever* #yumcupcakes
11:10 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: For all those asking, Pi says there's a very high possibility of us selling our pick. (IF YOU ASK ME, THEY ALL SHOULD BE.) #yumcupcakes
11:21 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Um. In the hour and a half before I got home, Pi somehow made 12 different types. #overkill #yumcupcakes
11:25 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: HE HAS BEEN CRAMMING THE CUPCAKES DOWN MY THROAT AND ASKING ME FOR DETAILED THOUGHTS. #SAVEME #STILLYUMCUPCAKES #BUTSAVEME
11:48 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
"Will you get off your phone already?" Yamapi snaps, pushing another cupcake forward.
Jin moans. "That's my tenth one. Seriously. I cannot eat anymore."
"Come on! We need to decide on a recipe!"
"Pi, it's nearly midnight. Did you even make your batch of tomorrow's supply?"
Yamapi blinks. "Well, no. But I'll get to that after this."
Jin's eyes narrow. "Why are you so gung-ho about this?"
"I-" Yamapi hesitates. "I saw Meisa today and she let it drop that they've been searching for recipes already. It kind of made me think we were behind."
Jin's eyebrows furrow. "When would you see Kuroki?"
"She showed up at the diner randomly."
Jin's face darkens. "And Kamenashi still works there, right?"
"Well, yeah."
"Right." Jin gets up, snagging his phone from the counter. "I'm going to bed."
"But you still have to-"
"Tomorrow," Jin says firmly. Yamapi watches as Jin enters his room and slams the door behind him. Yamapi winces a bit from the noise.
"Well, okay then," Yamapi mutters to himself, taking the last two cupcakes for himself. "Guess I'm working by myself tonight."
@KingPinCupcakes: EXHAUSTED. Pi kicked me out of bed to take his morning shift. What a meanie. ~JA
6:44 a.m. - Mar 15, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: He said something about picking up all the slack. How rude! I helped out, I swear. (Nothing from you @SweetPowerTreats )
6:46 a.m. - Mar 15, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Come meet me at SoHo (Varick & Vandam) this morning for your hit of Kingpin Cupcakes. Don't miss it! #yumcupcakes
6:49 a.m. - Mar 15, 2013
"Good way to keep your partner in line," Meisa greets as Yamapi prepares for the start of his evening shift.
Yamapi stares. "What do you mean?"
"He doesn't hold up his end of the work, you give him the morning shift. Only seems fair."
His eyebrows furrow. "Do you stalk our twitter or something? Because it's scary how much of our daily life you seem to know."
Meisa turns visibly red, but she purses her lips. "Then you should tell Akanishi to stop putting up so many tweets about it." She pauses before adding, "And it's not like you don't keep tabs on us too. Or should I say, keep tabs on Maki?"
"I don't do that."
"So you just know her schedule by heart then?"
Yamapi feels himself turn just as red as Meisa looks. "That's different," he protests.
"Because you like her, right?"
Yamapi's heart skips a beat, but the words also give him pause. "Because you like him, right?" he asks slowly.
Meisa freezes. "I-So you were up all night preparing?"
He wants to keep on this topic, but Yamapi wouldn't want her to do the same to him. "Yeah," he answers instead. "Went through so many different recipes."
"Aren't you just sick of sweet potatoes?" Meisa sighs, seeming happy to change the topic. "I mean, they're good once in a while but after making so many versions of sweet potato cupcakes and trying to figure out the best frosting, I could do without."
"Uh, yeah," he mutters.
Meisa stares. "How much of the rules do you know, Yamashita?"
"I know all of them, of course!"
"So you know that you have to make cupcakes with a secret ingredient."
"Yes." Yamapi resists from scratching an itch on his arm.
"And that you have to make a thousand cupcakes."
"Of course! Which is why early preparation is key."
"And you need a theme for the display."
"Yes, Kuroki. I know all of this."
"And you have to be naked during presentation."
Yamapi blinks then his eyes narrow. "You know, if you were trying to trick me, you should've chosen something more believable."
Meisa laughs. "If you'd been Akanishi, it would've worked though." She shrugs as she starts to return to her truck.
"Wait, does that mean you want to see Jin naked?" Yamapi calls to her.
"Shut up!"
When Yamapi gets home, he gets straight to work.
"What are sweet potatoes anyway?" Jin asks, picking up the vegetable. "Are they really sweet?"
Yamapi stares at him. "Jin. Go away."
Jin pouts. "See if I help you." He starts to get up.
"Make sure we know all the rules, Jin. We could've messed this up."
Jin sighs. "Okay okay. But I'm pretty sure that was Meisa's way of helping us out."
Yamapi pauses in his mixing. "Meisa?"
Jin turns red. "Kuroki. It slipped."
"Right."
"She's the devil after all," Jin mutters, getting up and heading to his laptop on the coffee table.
"Right," Yamapi repeats, wondering if Jin actually believes that.
Part 2.
From: tinyangl
Title: Bon Appetit
Pairing: Yamashita Tomohisa/Horikita Maki, hinting of Akanishi Jin/Kuroki Meisa, past Kamenashi Kazuya/Kuroki Meisa, LOADS of Akanishi Jin/Yamashita Tomohisa bromance
Rating: PG-13 solely for some cursing
Summary: Jin pushes Yamapi into a cupcake competition, and it may just be their undoing.
A/N: Inspired by 2 Broke Girls, which means Cupcakes AU! :D I didn't give them a shop, but they're still selling cupcakes! This also takes place in New York which I hope is okay. ♥ I'm sorry I couldn't give you too twisty, myxstorie, but I hope you enjoy this regardless. ♥
Thank you to my fabulous betas for your constant and always thorough work on this. If it wasn't for you two, I doubt this would be what it is now. ♥
"YOU SOLD YOURSELF TO THE DEVIL."
Yamapi falls out of bed with a hard thump and a loud groan. "The fuck, Jin?!" He struggles to disentangle himself from his sheets, finally managing a minute longer than he should've. He blames the late hour; it feels like he's been asleep for an hour. From under the sheets, he sees Jin on his bed, hovering over him.
"The devil," Jin hisses. "I cannot believe you."
"What are you even going on about?!" Yamapi stumbles to his feet, catching a glimpse of his clock as he does so. 3:23am, he slept more than an hour at least. "It is three in the morning. I have to be up in three hours to get ready, damnit." He picks up his sheets and pillow from the floor, putting them back on the bed.
"What does it even matter anymore?" Jin grumbles. "With you going over to the enemy, what business do we have?" He falls onto Yamapi's bed.
Yamapi blinks. "Wait, what?" He pushes Jin over to get more space. In his own fucking bed.
"I heard, you know. Whatever you have going with that girl from Sweet Power."
With a groan, Yamapi puts his hand against his eyes, shutting them. He wishes he could block out the sound of Jin's voice, too. "I told you before," Yamapi says with a sigh, "that Ms. Horikita and I vaguely know each other from a college club we were in together. That is it. I barely even talk to her."
"See! That right there! You guys call each other Mister and Miss. Who does that?"
"We do. It's not a big deal, Jin."
"That is not what I heard from Kuroki."
This comment makes Yamapi open his eyes again and look over at Jin. "I'm sorry, what was that about the enemy?"
Jin waves his hand. "Doesn't count. She gave the information only as a taunt. So?"
"Nothing," Yamapi says with a sigh. "Now can I sleep, or do you want to drill the information out of my brain?"
"...I can do that?" The tone of curiosity makes Yamapi roll his eyes.
"Of course not," Yamapi snaps. "Now get out of my bed."
"Yours is so much cozier."
"Just don't kick me off the bed again and we won't have any problems."
"Can't promise that," Jin says, following with a yawn.
Yamapi thinks he should care more about this but the exhaustion wears him down. He's asleep in seconds.
Their truck is a mess again. As it always is after Jin's evening shift. Yamapi really, really, really wishes his constant reminders to Jin would work, but the post-it notes that he places after his own shift always end up in the garbage can. He sighs, scrubbing leftover frosting from the counter, getting the new inventory of cupcakes made the day before into the cases and making sure they have enough containers, napkins, forks and knives out for the customers.
He exhales after a half-hour of prep work and pulls out his phone. He notes that it's nearly 7 and smiles. Right on time.
Pulling out his phone from his pocket, Yamapi starts typing.
@KingPinCupcakes: Right on time again! Anyone interested in cupcakes this early in the morning? Your favorites will be at 51st&3rd! #yumcupcakes
6:48 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
Quickly, his phone beeps and Yamapi blinks at the reply to his account, a slow smile grows on his face as he reads it.
@SweetPowerTreats: .@KingPinCupcakes That block's only big enough for one dessert truck. #ourtreatsarebest
6:49 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Nobody does cupcakes like we do. No matter what other trucks say @SweetPowerTreats #yumcupcakes
6:51 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: .@KingPinCupcakes Only if it's your red velvet. #yumcupcakes #ourtreatsarestillbest
6:52 a.m. - Mar 12, 2013
Yamapi chuckles, putting his phone away and settling into the driver's seat. But not before he tucks a red velvet cupcake into a box and leaves it off to the side.
When he gets to the spot, Sweet Power's truck is already there. Yamapi tries to suppress the smile on his lips, but he finds he can't. He wasn't lying to Jin when he said nothing was going on between him and Horikita Maki of Sweet Power. But the statement didn't include the fact that he wanted something.
Maki's already waiting for him out on the sidewalk when he pulls up, and she waves to him with a grin. He parks and then rolls down the window. "Our cupcakes are still the best."
She laughs, walking closer to the truck. "Only the red velvet." Yamapi shakes his head as he jumps out the driver's side, a box in his hands.
"Well, I live to serve." He hands the cupcake to her and her grin brightens.
"So apparently Meisa and Akanishi got into it again?" Maki comments, opening the box and peeking inside. She swipes a finger along the edge of the cream cheese frosting and licks it off. Yamapi resists from staring by leaning against his truck. She moves to stand beside him, leaning as well; he can feel her warmth radiating towards him.
"Apparently we're feuding."
"Ah, that explains her huffing and puffing about our friendship. Something about you being enemy camp." She looks over, an eyebrow raised. "Are you planning on stealing our recipes and bankrupting us?"
Yamapi laughs lightly. "Not if you aren't planning the same."
"I'm good with the occasional free cupcake."
"Easy sell."
Maki shrugs. "Easy to please." She angles a smile at him that makes his heart race. Yamapi looks away sharply.
"I guess we should get to work," he mutters, pretending to buff their logo with his sleeves. When he turns to her, Yamapi wonders if he imagines her smile being a touch sadder.
"You're right. Lunch?" she asks, tucking a hair behind her ear as she starts to walk backwards towards her own truck.
"I'm heading down to Union Square. You?"
This time, he's positive that's a look of disappointment that crosses her face. Yamapi wills himself not to turn red at the thought. He mostly succeeds-it's only his ears that burn. "SoHo for me. Maybe next time," Maki says before turning around. "Oh!" she exclaims and says over her shoulder. "And thanks again for the cupcake." She lifts the box slightly.
"Always," he replies and this time when she grins, Yamapi feels the flush spread to his cheeks. He sighs.
Yamapi finally knows Jin is awake when he gets a text around 11am. It reads, FLIRTING ON OUR ACCOUNT? WHAT THE FUCK MAN.
A second buzz. If we werent mortal enemies id congratulate you. Youre totally in.
BUT NO. SWEET POWER IS BAD. ENEMY. STOP ALL FLIRTING. OR TALKING.
Yamapi rolls his eyes and is about to put the phone away when it beeps and vibrates again. But really. High five smooth operator. He sighs and serves the next customer.
When Yamapi stumbles into Takki's Diner, he's not surprised to find Takki sitting at the counter, eyes trained to the door like a hawk. "Sorry, sorry," Yamapi says as he jogs the few steps it takes to get from the door to Takki. Takki's diner is on the small side, with four booths along the side and four tables that make up the floor. There's a small counter with two stools, the cash register sits to the side. "Jin came late, yet again."
The stern look on Takki's face melts into a frantic expression before he throws his arms around Yamapi. "I can't stay mad at you! I was worried, of course. Just, you having to drive that big truck in Manhattan traffic. They're crazy out there!"
Yamapi withholds from laughing. "Takki, I'm okay. As usual."
"It's just, your parents entrusted you with me-"
"No, they didn't."
"And they cried, Mr. Takizawa, take care of our boy."
"Never happened."
"And they would be devastated if something bad were to happen to you."
"True, but-"
"It's okay, Yamapi. It's okay. I'm here to take care of you."
Yamapi grunts as Takki's embrace tightens. He catches Kamenashi's eye as Kame places some of the finished dishes on the counter. "Takki," he sighs, leaning against their counter. "Yamashita has plates that need to be picked up."
Takki sighs, pulling back with a huge pout. "I guess you're right."
Yamapi nods. "Kame's always right," he says, stepping out of Takki's still half-embrace. "I should start my shift." Takki sighs, making no move to embrace him again. Yamapi swiftly rushes into the kitchen. "Thanks for the save," he tells Kame.
Kame shrugs. "He could do that for hours and, as you're our only wait staff, it might hinder business."
"Always about the job," Yamapi teases, pulling on his apron.
"Someone has to keep this place running," Kame replies, before returning to the stove. "Otherwise, all we'd have is one customer and that would be Jin." Kame shudders. "And, well, he'd never pay. Remember how much food he used to sneak when he worked here?"
Yamapi laughs with a shake of his head before heading out onto the floor. He makes sure to sidestep Takki at the counter, lest Takki feels the need to assure him that he'll save Yamapi from the big bad city.
Jin comes racing into the diner halfway through Yamapi's shift. Which is technically also halfway through Jin's shift. "Pi!" he yells, waving a yellow sheet in the air. "I KNOW HOW WE CAN SUCCEED."
Yamapi stares, hands and arms balancing three sets of plates. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he asks, eyes wide. "Where's the truck?! Why are you not in the truck?"
"It's parked out front," Jin says with a wave of his hand. "Not important."
"What do you mean not important?" Yamapi feels a headache coming on. "And there's no parking allowed up front. You know that!"
"There wasn't any time," Jin drags out the last word. "I had to tell you this now."
"Okay, as much of a fascinating conversation this is," one of three in the booth interjects-Yamapi had dubbed him 'Hipster Goth Wannabe' in his head, "that's our food right there and I'm kind of hungry."
Jin glares at the man, snags the plates from Yamapi's hands and tosses them down on the table with very little finesse. Most of one plate's fries spills onto the table, but Jin pays it no heed. "Here you go," he snaps. "Enjoy." Without waiting for him to reply, Jin tugs Yamapi's arm and pulls him into Kame's kitchen. Kame eyes them when they enter, standing over the stove, but he doesn't say a word.
Yamapi sighs, wringing his hands around his apron. "And this is why Takki suggested you not work here anymore."
"Takki wanted you all to himself," Jin retorts. "But, NONE OF THIS MATTERS." He pushes the sheet clutched in his fist against Yamapi's chest. "READ THIS."
Yamapi takes the sheet but holds it down. "Not until you move the truck."
Jin blinks. "What?"
"If you leave that truck parked out front, it will get towed. Which means we will have to pay money to get it out. And we don't have any money to get it out. So. PARK IT SOMEWHERE ELSE."
"But-" Jin starts, but Yamapi's stern glare shuts him up. "Fine," he says, dragging his feet out the door. "You know there's, like, nowhere to park around here."
"Well, you'd better hurry it up then." Yamapi crosses his arms and just waits. Jin sighs once more before walking out of the kitchen.
"He's like a puppy sometimes," Kame comments.
Yamapi shakes his head. "All the time, more like." He looks at the sheet Jin was waving at him. "The Cupcake Bake Competition is a local competition being held in Brooklyn and is currently accepting applications for participants."
"A competition," Kame says, eyebrow raised. "That would be interesting."
"And impossible." Yamapi stares at the sheet. "We are not capable of entering a cupcake competition where we'll be up against bakers who have years of experience, who know way more about flavor and appearance and-"
"You're cutting yourself short, Yamashita," Kame comments, going back to his station. "You guys make good cupcakes. Besides, what does it hurt to try?"
Yamapi snorts, putting the sheet down. "It'll hurt us and our business if it turns out our cupcakes aren't good. What's the point in destroying our dream when we've only just started?"
"What's the harm in trying something out and maybe finding out that you're good at what you do?"
"What are the chances that that'll happen?" Before Kame gets to say anything else, Yamapi is out the door. He makes sure to toss the sheet in the garbage and braces himself for a night of convincing Jin that this is a bad idea.
@KingPinCupcakes: Everyone, can you please tell Pi that he is being a fool and that our cupcakes are good? #yumcupcakes
1:48 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: And can you tell him that he's being stubborn and that we deserve the chance to prove ourselves? #piisanidiot #yumcupcakes
1:50 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: And that I am awesome and he should always listen to my plans since I rule and we wouldn't have a business without me? #yumcupcakes
1:53 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes If that last part is true, I'll eat my hat.
1:54 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats Okay, so all I did was _convince_ Pi to take the chance, but still close enough! (Shut up, Kuroki. What do you know?)
1:56 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Whatever you say, Akanishi. Besides, maybe this is for the best. We're joining the competition too and you sure as hell can't beat us.
1:58 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats WE SO CAN.
1:59 a.m. - Mar 13, 2013
When Yamapi wakes up the next morning, he discovers at least 35 people have retweeted Jin's initial comment; only 4 of them retweeted Jin's "I am awesome" comment to Jin's disappointment. A handful added which of their cupcakes they like the most. Apparently a few also follow Maki and Meisa's twitter because he gets a few mentions that go "@KingPinCupcakes/@SweetPowerTreats, I ship it!"
Yamapi shakes his head. Jin spoke for hours on end, even forgoing the rest of his evening shift to try and convince Yamapi that participating in a competition was a good step for them to take. "We don't even have to win!" Jin insisted. "I mean, that would be great and all, but we're new at this." Yamapi can tell he's lying through his teeth. Jin never plays just to play, always to win.
But no matter what Jin said, Yamapi was unyielding. It was hard to bear Jin's voice after a while though, so after he got his half of the next day's supply done for the evening, Yamapi locked himself in his room. A lock which Jin still did not have the key to, nor could find the spare Yamapi had hidden in their apartment.
"I know what'll convince you," Jin said ominously last night, but it ended up being a twitter appeal. The encouraging tweets were flattering for sure, but not enough to convince Yamapi that he should risk so much on a competition.
When he arrives at Wednesday's location, 66th and Broadway, he's surprised to see Sweet Power's truck already parked there.
"Ms. Horkita, don't you usually go to Midtown on Wednesdays?" he asks Maki, who is standing on the sidewalk waiting for him.
"Keep track of the enemy, do you, Mr. Yamashita?"
Yamapi flushes. "What can I say? Jin can be convincing when he wants to be," he lies.
Maki laughs. "Except about cupcake competitions."
"Saw that too, did you?" Yamapi says dryly. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not against them as a whole, but for newbies like us, our reputation is all we have. We don't get that much business, it's a lot of time and money, and if the wrong person says no, then that's it for us. There goes all the work we did to even get to this point."
"Said that a lot, did you?" Maki says, an eyebrow raised.
"Well, that's what happens when you live with the guy. It was what he talked about all night."
She laughs. "If it helps, Meisa was up ranting until 3am because of a certain bone-headed, could not be more insufferable, arrogant son of a-" she cuts herself off before smiling at Yamapi. "You get the idea."
Yamapi snorts. "I swear that vendetta they've been building up against each other is the strangest thing."
"Flirting one week, feuding the next. Runs hot and cold with that pair."
"So. You guys are going to join the competition?"
"Yeah." She pauses. "Look, I get why it's worrying, I do." Maki turns to face him, and Yamapi feels himself grow red with both embarrassment and her presence. "And you're right, one bad comment from the wrong person can ruin things. But you could also gain so much more. You could gain more customers and more offers to sell your cupcakes in other locations and well, the benefits outweigh the slight chance of one negative comment."
Yamapi swallows before stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Wouldn't it be better if we didn't join? After all, we are your biggest competitors." He grins at her.
Maki laughs. "And that's why you should. It'd be a fair competition," she says with a wink. "Think about it, okay? It's a good move."
Except he doesn't have to think about it. Not anymore. She makes a fair point and while Jin had come close, it sounds different coming from Maki. It sounds more confident and more sure and Yamapi, despite himself, trusts her word on this. "I will," he says instead.
"But don't serve your red velvet. Wouldn't want an unfair advantage."
"Can't make any promises," Yamapi tells her, and her laughter rings in his ears for the rest of the morning.
@KingPinCupcakes: HE SAID YES HE SAID YES. We'll be participating in Cupcake Bake Competition 2013! #piisgreat
2:01 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: I knew he'd see reason! Am at Columbia University right now, so get our cupcakes before we win this and get super famous! #yumcupcakes
2:04 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
Yamapi drags his feet on his way home. Kame had kicked him out of the diner a few hours before his shift even ended, telling him, "With the way you're working today, you might as well not be here." So he worked slower and less often than usual! Like they could blame him when he was carrying around a pit of anxiety in his stomach.
He sighs as he opens the door, then stares because Jin is surprisingly already there. There are sheets of paper spread out on top of their kitchen counter. "Welcome back!"
Yamapi raises an eyebrow, dropping his bag by the couch on his way to the counter. "Thanks? You're home already?"
"You would know this if you checked our Twitter more often."
At this, Yamapi pulls out his phone and looks at the most recent tweets.
@KingPinCupcakes: We done for the night, peeps!! More #yumcupcakes will be available tmr! #deuces
7:45 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes You college kids are my absolute fav. Way to show your support! #yumcupcakes
7:46 p.m. - Mar 13, 2013
Yamapi groans. "Did you have to type it like this? Do I have to take the Twitter account away from you again? I banned you from it for over two weeks last time."
Jin waves his hand. "Whatever," he continues. "I managed to sell off our supply for the night, so I headed home." Yamapi's eyes bulge a little at the words-they haven't done that very often, so every time it does happen, it makes his heart skip a beat. Their business is fairly constant, getting enough sales that by the end of the night their supply of 120 cupcakes dwindles to less than ten.
"Really?" Yamapi asks, settling into one of the chairs at the counter.
"Yeah. It can happen, you know. More often with me because I am, as we both know, the natural salesman here."
"You also have the evening shift when most people are more than happy to buy cupcakes. Not the dead early shift when people want coffee, not cupcakes."
Jin shrugs. "We could trade, but then you'd have no supply for the evening shift."
Yamapi resists from rolling his eyes. "So what's up with the papers?" he asks, looking down at the papers and marveling for a second that they appear to be recipes. He picks one up. "Did you prepare for this?"
"Hey, I was prepared for this the moment I saw that flyer."
"Really?"
"Okay, so I was preparing as soon as I got home, but same difference! What matters is that I'm ready now and we should totally start trying stuff out."
Yamapi smiles, pleased that the anxiety that had been clawing at his stomach all afternoon has subsided to a manageable amount because of Jin's confidence. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I do still need to bake my half of tomorrow's supplies."
Jin beams. "I knew you would say that so..." He moves over to the oven right as it chimes and pulls out two of the four cupcake trays ready to be cooled. "See! Prepared!"
"You started my share?" Yamapi says, not able to hold back the surprise in his voice.
"Finished it, actually." Jin places the trays down on a separate table where there are already boxed cupcakes. "Who knows his business partner better than anyone in the world?"
"Okay! I guess we'll start deciding on a recipe," Yamapi says, starting to stand. Except he pauses, catching sight of a stack of DVDs in the corner. "What's that?"
Jin looks over and his eyes brighten. "Oh! I almost forgot. I thought it'd be a great idea to watch that for research. Recipes are a great start, but we want to of course add something that's a touch of us, right?"
"Right..." Yamapi says with hesitation. There are at least 6 DVDs in that pile.
"So! Marathon time! It shouldn't take us too long." Jin wipes off his hands with a towel nearby. "I think it'd be a great idea."
"And what exactly are we marathoning?"
Jin's grin scares Yamapi just a little bit.
@KingPinCupcakes: I have been forced to endure two hours (and some) of Cupcake Wars. Do people do this willingly?
12:48 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Blah blah blah, I am super confident. *five minutes later* OH NO, I WAS CUT. I AM SURPRISED. #cupcakewars
1:12 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: No, is this really a thing? Do people watch this marathoned? Maybe that's my problem. #cupcakewars
1:35 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: JIN WILL NOT LET ME SLEEP. SAVE ME. HE KEEPS SAYING ONE MORE EPISODE. THIS IS FOR RESEARCH. OH LOOK, THIS ONE SEEMS INTERESTING
2:07 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Just punch him in the face and then he'll shut up?
2:10 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats I SAW THAT KUROKI.
2:12 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes I'm not exactly hiding it, Akanishi. ~MK
2:13 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Why are you guys even still up? Don't one of you have the morning shift? ~MH
2:15 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes YEAH JIN. DOESN'T ONE OF US HAVE THE MORNING SHIFT? ~TY
2:17 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakesBUT THIS IS IMPORTANT RESEARCH. ~JA
2:18 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Are you guys seriously tweeting at each other? IT'S CALLED TALKING. ~MK
2:21 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes SAYS YOU. ~JA
2:24 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes Honestly. You have the worst comebacks, Akanishi. ~MK
2:26 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: RT @KingPinCupcakes @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes SAYS YOU. ~JA
2:27 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: @KingPinCupcakes You can't RT yourself! That's not even possible!
2:29 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: RT @KingPinCupcakes @SweetPowerTreats @KingPinCupcakes SAYS YOU. ~JA
2:30 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: I apologize to those who follows us. I have taken Jin's phone away, so no more ridiculous fighting via Twitter. ~TY @SweetPowerTreats
2:31 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@SweetPowerTreats: I'm very sorry for Meisa's behavior on Twitter tonight. She is banned from it for the day so no more bickering with @KingPinCupcakes ~MH
2:33 a.m. - Mar 14, 2013
When Yamapi arrives at Takki's Diner that afternoon, still exhausted from the late night's marathoning, he's surprised to see Meisa sitting at the counter, chatting with Kame. He thinks it's a mirage and rubs his eyes, but she still sits there. "What are you doing here?" he asks as he approaches them.
Meisa raises an eyebrow. "Can't I come and see my former workplace?"
"And ex-boyfriend?" Kame adds.
"Wait," Yamapi asks as he's putting on his apron. "You guys broke up?"
"It's been a while," Kame says. "What, we broke up back when Jin first started?" He looks over at her, smirking.
Meisa glares at Kame harder than Yamapi has ever seen before, and as a waitress, Yamapi had watched her glare at many a customer. "Possibly," she grits through her teeth. "I don't remember."
"No, I'm pretty sure. It was right after Jin started and right before you quit. Ow!" Meisa hits Kame with a nearby menu.
Yamapi blinks, eyebrows furrowed, but before he can open up his mouth to ask. "Meisa~" Takki greets, cutting into the tension. "I love when you come to visit me!"
She sighs in relief, sitting down. "I didn't come here for you."
"Meisa, always so mean," Takki laments as he sits beside her. "Where's Maki?"
"We swapped today. She was busy experimenting on recipes last night for the competition."
Yamapi feels himself go red. "Already?"
"Of course you guys haven't done anything. Shocking."
"Well, we only just decided! Plus, you know my partner."
"Plus you waste time marathoning dumb cupcake shows."
"Again, I blame that one on Jin."
"Was it Cupcake Wars?" Takki asks. "I love that show!"
Meisa rolls her eyes. "Take responsibility, Yamashita. You have as much in this as Akanishi does. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go continue our trials." Kame gives her a wave.
"So you guys broke up because?" Yamapi asks.
Kame shrugs. "Your partner may know better than me," he says before heading into to the kitchen.
Yamapi stares at him before Takki pats him hard on the back, startling him out of his thoughts. "Time for your shift!" Takki says cheerfully before disappearing into his office. Yamapi shakes his head and files the thoughts away for another time.
@KingPinCupcakes: Pi made treats for the cupcake competition! _And_ there's leftover bourbon. Best work day *ever* #yumcupcakes
11:10 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: For all those asking, Pi says there's a very high possibility of us selling our pick. (IF YOU ASK ME, THEY ALL SHOULD BE.) #yumcupcakes
11:21 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Um. In the hour and a half before I got home, Pi somehow made 12 different types. #overkill #yumcupcakes
11:25 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: HE HAS BEEN CRAMMING THE CUPCAKES DOWN MY THROAT AND ASKING ME FOR DETAILED THOUGHTS. #SAVEME #STILLYUMCUPCAKES #BUTSAVEME
11:48 p.m. - Mar 14, 2013
"Will you get off your phone already?" Yamapi snaps, pushing another cupcake forward.
Jin moans. "That's my tenth one. Seriously. I cannot eat anymore."
"Come on! We need to decide on a recipe!"
"Pi, it's nearly midnight. Did you even make your batch of tomorrow's supply?"
Yamapi blinks. "Well, no. But I'll get to that after this."
Jin's eyes narrow. "Why are you so gung-ho about this?"
"I-" Yamapi hesitates. "I saw Meisa today and she let it drop that they've been searching for recipes already. It kind of made me think we were behind."
Jin's eyebrows furrow. "When would you see Kuroki?"
"She showed up at the diner randomly."
Jin's face darkens. "And Kamenashi still works there, right?"
"Well, yeah."
"Right." Jin gets up, snagging his phone from the counter. "I'm going to bed."
"But you still have to-"
"Tomorrow," Jin says firmly. Yamapi watches as Jin enters his room and slams the door behind him. Yamapi winces a bit from the noise.
"Well, okay then," Yamapi mutters to himself, taking the last two cupcakes for himself. "Guess I'm working by myself tonight."
@KingPinCupcakes: EXHAUSTED. Pi kicked me out of bed to take his morning shift. What a meanie. ~JA
6:44 a.m. - Mar 15, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: He said something about picking up all the slack. How rude! I helped out, I swear. (Nothing from you @SweetPowerTreats )
6:46 a.m. - Mar 15, 2013
@KingPinCupcakes: Come meet me at SoHo (Varick & Vandam) this morning for your hit of Kingpin Cupcakes. Don't miss it! #yumcupcakes
6:49 a.m. - Mar 15, 2013
"Good way to keep your partner in line," Meisa greets as Yamapi prepares for the start of his evening shift.
Yamapi stares. "What do you mean?"
"He doesn't hold up his end of the work, you give him the morning shift. Only seems fair."
His eyebrows furrow. "Do you stalk our twitter or something? Because it's scary how much of our daily life you seem to know."
Meisa turns visibly red, but she purses her lips. "Then you should tell Akanishi to stop putting up so many tweets about it." She pauses before adding, "And it's not like you don't keep tabs on us too. Or should I say, keep tabs on Maki?"
"I don't do that."
"So you just know her schedule by heart then?"
Yamapi feels himself turn just as red as Meisa looks. "That's different," he protests.
"Because you like her, right?"
Yamapi's heart skips a beat, but the words also give him pause. "Because you like him, right?" he asks slowly.
Meisa freezes. "I-So you were up all night preparing?"
He wants to keep on this topic, but Yamapi wouldn't want her to do the same to him. "Yeah," he answers instead. "Went through so many different recipes."
"Aren't you just sick of sweet potatoes?" Meisa sighs, seeming happy to change the topic. "I mean, they're good once in a while but after making so many versions of sweet potato cupcakes and trying to figure out the best frosting, I could do without."
"Uh, yeah," he mutters.
Meisa stares. "How much of the rules do you know, Yamashita?"
"I know all of them, of course!"
"So you know that you have to make cupcakes with a secret ingredient."
"Yes." Yamapi resists from scratching an itch on his arm.
"And that you have to make a thousand cupcakes."
"Of course! Which is why early preparation is key."
"And you need a theme for the display."
"Yes, Kuroki. I know all of this."
"And you have to be naked during presentation."
Yamapi blinks then his eyes narrow. "You know, if you were trying to trick me, you should've chosen something more believable."
Meisa laughs. "If you'd been Akanishi, it would've worked though." She shrugs as she starts to return to her truck.
"Wait, does that mean you want to see Jin naked?" Yamapi calls to her.
"Shut up!"
When Yamapi gets home, he gets straight to work.
"What are sweet potatoes anyway?" Jin asks, picking up the vegetable. "Are they really sweet?"
Yamapi stares at him. "Jin. Go away."
Jin pouts. "See if I help you." He starts to get up.
"Make sure we know all the rules, Jin. We could've messed this up."
Jin sighs. "Okay okay. But I'm pretty sure that was Meisa's way of helping us out."
Yamapi pauses in his mixing. "Meisa?"
Jin turns red. "Kuroki. It slipped."
"Right."
"She's the devil after all," Jin mutters, getting up and heading to his laptop on the coffee table.
"Right," Yamapi repeats, wondering if Jin actually believes that.
Part 2.