Azuma Yukishiro/Assorted Roll Cakes

The Gift you Want

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Azuma	Ah, you’re here. Director, could I talk to you for a moment?
Izumi	Azuma-san? Is something wrong?
Azuma	There’s something I wanted to ask you.
	It’s almost White Day, you know? I wanted to ask what you’d like as a return gift.
Izumi	Oh, just the thought of it is enough. I didn’t give you anything big in the first place...
Azuma	It’s not like that at all. It made me really happy, so I wanted to give you something in return.
	But you wouldn’t want to accept something too expensive, right? That’s why I thought I should ask you directly.
Izumi	But...
Azuma	Don’t be shy. Anything goes, so just tell me what you want.
Izumi	Hm... In that case, something I can eat with everyone would be nice.
Azuma	... Everyone?
Izumi	Yup. I’d like something that not just the two of us, but everyone in the company can eat together.
Azuma	Fufu, understood. You can look forward to the day, then.
Izumi	(The day came around in no time at all, but... thinking about it now, I wonder if I asked Azuma-san for something unreasonable.)
	(... If he gets something expensive, I’ll give him some of the money for it.)
	*knock sfx*
	Come in.
Azuma	Director, can I have a moment?
Izumi	Ah, yeah. That’s fine. Is this perhaps about White Day?
Azuma	Yup. Could you come with me for a bit?
Izumi	Whoa, that’s a big box! And all that fruit...
	Could this be...
Azuma	Yup. Your return gift for White Day. Honestly, I wanted to make it all myself, but...
	I thought it might be more fun to make it with two people than just one, so I called you here.
Izumi	Make...?
Azuma	Open the box and you’ll see. Come on.
Izumi	Whoa, there’s so many little roll cakes in here! How cute!
Azuma	Fufu, that’s right. It’s a roll cake tower-making kit.
	We’re going to stack up these little roll cakes and arrange the fruits around them.
Izumi	Huh, so this kind of thing exists. It looks like fun...
Azuma	Right? So, won’t you make a roll cake tower with me?
Izumi	Gladly! Please let me do it with you!
Azuma	Fufu, I thought you’d say that. In that case, shall we get started?
Izumi	Yes!

Izumi	Even though they’re just bite-sized cakes, having so many of them here is a grand sight.
Azuma	Since there’s this many, everyone will be able to eat some, right?
Izumi	Right! It’s just like you to make such a great choice!
Azuma	I’m glad you liked it.
	Since it’s a return gift for you, there’d be no point if you of all people weren’t happy with it.
Izumi	Azuma-san... Thank you so much!
Azuma	Once we’re finished, should we eat it with everyone? Fufu, they’ll be surprised when they see it.
Izumi	Ahaha, that’s true. But I’m sure they’ll all smile right after!
Azuma	Putting this strawberry on top is the last thing we have to do. Okay, Director, do you want to finish up the plating?
Izumi	Sure! ... Okay! With this, the tower is complete!
Sakuya	Oh, Director and Azuma-san, what are you two... whoa!
	That’s amazing! There’s a whole pile of roll cakes!
Azuma	It’s a roll cake tower. It’s my return gift for the director for White Day.
Izumi	We just finished making it. Sakuya, do you want some?
Sakuya	It’s Azuma-san’s return gift for you, so would that be okay?
Izumi	Of course!
Azuma	Director’s request was “Something I can eat with everyone.” That’s why it’s okay if you have some, Saku.
Sakuya	So that’s how it was...! Director, thank you so much!
Izumi	Ahaha, the one who got things ready was Azuma-san. Okay, I’ll go call everyone who’s in the dorm right now.
Sakuya	Ah, I’ll call them, then! Since I’ll be eating some, let me help out with this much.
	Okay, I’m heading out!
Azuma	Fufu, it looks like things are going to get lively.
Izumi	... That said, even though we made this tower to eat it with everyone, it almost feels like a waste to break it up.
Azuma	It does feel like a bit of a waste, but...
Izumi	Azuma-san? Are you starting to eat already?
Azuma	- Okay, say a~h.
Izumi	Huh!?
Azuma	I got this to eat it with everyone, but it was originally for you.
	If possible, I’d want you to eat it first. ... Right?
Izumi	... Th- then, if you insist... Thank you for the food.
Azuma	Mhm, eat up.
Izumi	Mm... It’s delicious!
Azuma	Fufu, I’m glad. I’ll get something like this next year, too, so let’s make it together again.
Izumi	Yes! Of course!
Azuma	I wonder if we could invite the others and make it with everyone next time.

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