Today was another shift at the old man’s ramen bar from evening.

I sighed heavily, collapsing onto the bed while watching Keiko get ready for her shift. She was pulling her hair into a neat ponytail when she noticed my dramatic sigh.

“What is it?” she asked, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

I flinched a little, realizing my sigh wasn’t as quiet as I thought. “U-uhm… just thinking about stuff,” I mumbled, avoiding her gaze like a guilty teenager.

“Thinking about what?” she pressed, smiling gently as she walked over and plopped down beside me.

I didn’t want to sound like I was whining, so I carefully picked my words. “Nothing serious… just kinda tired, I guess.”

Without warning, Keiko leaned over and hugged me. A tight, sudden squeeze that made my face heat up instantly.

“Thanks for fighting for this,” she whispered. “I’m proud of you, Ryusei. I’m glad you found something you actually want to do.”

She pulled back and grinned at me. “And if you’re too tired, just take a break. I’ll cover for you if you need it.”

I managed a smile, my heart a little lighter. “Thanks for the support.”

A few minutes later, Keiko headed out to work, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a long to-do list.

As I shuffled toward the shower, a voice called out from the living room.

“Dad!”

It was Rin, sitting nervously on the couch, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

“Yeah? What’s up?” I asked.

She mumbled something. Completely inaudible.

“Come again?” I leaned in closer.

She mumbled again, her face reddening.

“Oh no, are you broken? Did your volume switch get stuck on mute?” I teased, pretending to knock on her head lightly. “Is something rattling in there?”

“DAD!” she shrieked and grabbed my wrist, twisting it like a judo move. “Owww, owww! My precious hands!”

“That’s what you get,” she huffed, finally letting me go. “I was trying to ask you something seriously, jeez.”

I rubbed my wrist, half-amused, half-traumatized. “Alright, alright. Sorry. So what’s up?”

She bit her lip, face still flushed, and murmured, “C-Chiyori’s birthday… c-cake…”

Ah. Teenage love drama. I knew it.

“Oh? Is it Chiyori’s birthday?” I asked, pretending not to know.

She nodded quickly, still not meeting my gaze.

“So you wanna get her a cake?”

She shook her head. “I-I wanna make it… myself.”

A grin tugged at my lips. “Ooooh, look at you, all sweet and thoughtful.”

Rin puffed her cheeks in embarrassment. “Stop it!”

“Alright, alright. So what’s the problem?”

“I… don’t know how,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

I glanced at the clock. “Well, I have to work at the bar this afternoon… but if we start now, maybe we can finish before then. Wait — don’t you have school in, like, ten minutes?”

She perked up. “Yes. Deal, Dad!”

“Wait — what deal?!” I asked, alarm bells ringing.

“You’ll make it for me, right? You just said you could finish it before your shift!” she said innocently, slipping on her shoes.

“WITH you, Rin! I meant with you!” I shouted.

She waved a hand dismissively. “Can’t. I have school. You got this, Dad. Thanks!”

Before I could protest, she darted out the door. I was left dumbfounded, staring at the closed door like an abandoned dog.

A second later, the door creaked open again.

Hope bloomed in my chest. Maybe she felt bad and came back to help…

“Dad, she loves chocolate and hates strawberries. And make it cute, okay?” she said, then slammed the door again.

I sighed, scrubbing a hand down my face. “Guess it’s up to me.”

I rolled up my sleeves. For my daughter.

---

Fast-forward three hours: I was standing in a flour-dusted kitchen disaster zone. Chocolate smeared on the counter, utensils everywhere, and a lopsided cake base on the table. I’d managed to whip up a decent chocolate sponge, but decorating it “cute” was proving a nightmare.

“Why did I agree to this…” I muttered.

I stared at a bunny-shaped chocolate mold Rin left out. “Yeah… this’ll work.”

Somehow, with a mix of panic, desperation, and too much whipped cream, I finished a presentable cake. Not perfect. Not professional. But made with pure dad determination.

Then, I couldn’t resist adding a silly little chocolate plaque on top that read "To my beloved Chiyori — from your number one admirer Rin♡" in the most cringe, over-the-top handwriting.

Grinning to myself, I snapped a quick photo of the cake — carefully angling it so Rin wouldn’t see the embarrassing message I’d piped on top — and sent it to her with a smug caption, “Your masterpiece’s ready, traitor."

Then I sealed it up tight in a box so she wouldn’t notice the cringe message until the big moment.

After finishing the cake — which, surprisingly, didn’t turn into a disaster — I took a quick shower, changed, and got myself ready for another long shift at the bar.

Keiko would never believe this.