Kou sat still in a small alleyway, a slight chill in the air made him huddle to maintain body heat. He stares at a small bakery in front of him. It’s snuggled between a large building and an alley that he calls home half the times. The larger building seems to have fallen out of business, so it’s really curious on how the bakery is still open. The name Heavenly Bakery was written on the windows. The bakery was decorated with snakes and wheat plants which was really unusual for a bakery. After a couple of minutes sitting down he pulls out a small black pocket watch. It’s about 10 pm, the owner of the bakery throws out all the old bread around this, he normally doesn’t mind when Kou takes the bread. It’s not like the owner needs it for anything. Kou hungrly jumped to his feet when he heard the small bell ring and the back door to the bakery opens. The owner steps out, this is the first time Kou actually sees him. A big burly man, with a round belly and a round face to match. He has red facial hair that looks like it's taken years to be there. A half moon of hair sits on his head that match the color of his beard. His eyes look like they belong in a forest of trees, and the smell of bay leaf follows him, which Kou can't differentiate from the man or the store. The man goes over and stands in front of Kou, “Hmp back again I see?” Kou looks to the owner with a half uninterested look, he tries his hardest to not look desperate, it doesn’t seem to work though. The owner smirks and throws the trash outside the door. Kou hesitates before jumping to the bag and ripping it open. There is nothing, just boxes and bags. ‘Fuck… now how do I leave without making a fool of myself’ he thinks to himself. He calmly gets up from the ground , dusting himself off and slowly walks away from the bakery. The baker lets out a deep belly laugh “Now now, why dont you come inside for an actual meal? Eating old bread must not be good after a while” The owner walks after Kou, placing an arm around him and guides him into the shop. Kou tries to protest and hide his eager grin on his face. The bakery smells of wonderful foods, there are so many colorful pastries on the racks and a clear case full of others foods. The shop is warm from the giant bread ovens located in the back, next to the ovens he notices a stairwell leading upwards, which he takes to be where the man lives, since he never sees him leave. Kou takes in all the warmth, not knowing when he will feel it again, with fall nearly over, winter is quickly approaching he will have to find some way to keep warm. The bakery goes up to the counter and waves Kou over to meet him. “So what can I get you boy?” The bakery said in his jolly deep voice. Kou walked up and looked at the display, not really know the names for any of them just points at random things and looks back at the man. The man laughs and pulls out the goods that the boy pointed at and brought them over to a table and set them down. Kou followed and took a seat, only hesitating for a moment before eating as much as he could. The baker sat down “The names Benjamin, nice to meet you there” he looked over to Kou expecting a name in return. Kou wipes his mouth “The names Kou” he says hesitantly. The baker stands up and walks over to the pathway with the stair well. “Well whenever you're done you can stay here for the night, just be outta here before opening.” The baker walks to the side door “Be seeing you boy” Benjamin says and leaves.

Mom was always out and about but that doesn’t mean a girl can’t have fun! A beautiful blonde haired seventeen years old walked through the mall with pep in her step and a massive amount of bags on her arms. Newly purchased outfits, accessories and shoes, so many shoes! Arriving at the bus stop, she climbed aboard juggling the bags as nightfall began. Sitting down in the seat the blonde let out a puff of air releasing her exhaustion; this was tiring, all this shopping all day with no break in between. But it was the only way could cope with her neglect from his mom and the missing presence of her dad.

Her head shook hard as she bounced on the bus looking out the window. She needed to not think like that. Despite what could actually happen, she could be in a situation much worse. Plus her mom’s black American Express card has been a blessing to her and her mom didn’t even notice. Sighing softly she blinked her electric blue eyes and looked down at her hands. Taking a cab was problematic because she seemed to mess with the wiring and functionality of the cab and cars. Especially if it was an electric car; maybe this is why her mom drives an old pickup truck and their music wasn’t the radio, it was their voices. Despite the situation at hand, her mom did the best she could with what she had.

It was just another lonely night with no one around; her mom was gone in Los Angeles doing a show and wouldn’t be back for a few days. Adeline had the home all to herself and she wasn’t going to complain. However, it did make the nights long and lonesome; then again she had been alone for a long time.

The next morning Addie pulled herself out of the bed and prepared herself for the day. She had always been an early riser; as soon as the sunlight hit her eyes she was wide awake. Sighing she pulled on a yellow sundress that hung off her shoulders and stopped at her knees with a pair of sandals on her feet, grabbing her small purse she slung it over her shoulder, checked her makeup and hair before locking the door behind her and heading down to the bus stop.

Being dropped off in the downtown area she let out a long sigh and placed her hands on her hips as she looked around. So where to begin? Grumble grumble, turning on her heel, the bouncing blonde went straight for the downtown area, knowing that her first destination was food. Addie found herself staring up at the bakery called “Heavenly Bakery” the sign read that they opened at 8am and it was 7:50am according to her little watch on her wrist and the eagerness of her bouncing showed how excited she was to eat some delicious pastries.

Kou wakes up quickly and wided eyed, he looks around slightly forgetting where he was. The warmth of the room helped remind him, also the comfy bed…He cuddles up in bed for the last bit of warmth ‘I really don’t want to get up, and I certainly don’t know when the next time I’m going to feel a bed again’. The pastor of the church near here always told Kou that he could stay in the homeless shelter they had but Kou always felt unwelcome there the one time he slept there for some reason… He sighed and got up. He looked out the window and frantically looked at his pocket watch. The little watch indicated that it was 7:50. He ran down the stairs and looked around. There was no signs of the baker, Benjamin told Kou to leave by the opening of the bakery but he had no idea what time that was. He decided not to push his luck or the kindness of Benjamin. Kou took one quick look around the baker, embracing the warmth one more time before walking out the side door of the bakery.

Kou makes his way out to the front of the bakery. The bright light caught him off guard. He doesn’t do well in the daytime, he’s more of a night person, among the shadows… He always felt their present and he couldn’t tell if it was poor health or mental illness for being on the streets all his life but he swears he has some small control over them. Sometimes he swore shapes appeared in the shadows when he focused on them hard enough. Kou stuck in thought wasn’t paying any attention as he walked right into a girl standing in front of the bakery. He fell right into her nearly knocking them both onto the ground. “Oh Ma’am I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” he looked up at the most beautiful blonde he may have ever laid eyes on. He stood there in awe for a few seconds waiting on her to react.

Staring into the window of the soon to open bakery made her lick her full lips in anticipation to a hearty breakfast that awaited her as soon as the doors open. She was so focused on the display window that she didn’t even notice the door had opened but instinctively turned towards it and smacking directly into the individual who came out. Her whole body stumbled backwards and she nearly fell over. Catching herself with the window, she turned her electric blue gaze to the person who came out.

He was a young man about her age. His pale skin was an interesting contrast to his dark hair and he looked like he had just woken up. Despite his tired appearance something about him was interesting and she found herself tilting her head in wonder before she realized he had spoken to her. Addie shook her head quickly before answering him back. “Oh no, it’s okay just… be more careful next time.”

“Oh good morning!” A young man’s voice said from behind them, he was dressed as a waiter. “Are you here for the couple’s breakfast?”

“What?” Addie said with a questioning tone in her voice.

“Oh you know, today we offer free breakfast for any couple coming in in order to celebrate love.” The smile of the waiter was somewhat reassuring.

Addie reached over and locked her arm through the young man who just bumped into her. “Yes, yes we are. Right dear?” She turned her gaze to the young man and gave him a bright smile before pulling him along and following the waiter inside. After being placed at a table, she sat across from the man and folded her arms onto the table leaning forward. “Sorry, this is just too good of a deal to pass up. This place is delicious. I’m Addie by the way.”

Kou looks around frantically as he was being lead back into the shop he just awoke from. He didn’t know what to do or think because the baker told him to leave by shop open, but then again more free food didn’t sound too bad. The girl sitting across from him also seemed desperate for food. I’ve never seen her before I wonder if she also dug in the trash, I guess the day old bread was delicious, not that he knew any better but last night’s fresh food was amazing. He looked at her again...He took back his previous thought, she looked fresh and new. Certainly smelled new, she looked like she has eaten fresh all the days of her life. She was the most beautiful person he had ever set eyes on, and he once found a lot Playboy magazines in the trashes once by the chapel around the corner. Her beautiful voice snapped him from his thoughts. Addie… “Lovely name, and yea food will definitely be appreciated. The name’s Kou, nice to meet you.” Kou looks around the room hesitantly. He looks for the baker who he can’t seem to locate, then Kou looks to waiter that lead them into the baker. He was an odd little guy, a lumpy hat and big black shoes covered his feet. He also wore clothes that seemed a size too big. Kou wasn’t really paying attention if Addie was saying anything further after he introduced himself, his attention was to the small waiter who made his way from the back. He came out of the door to the left side of the door leading to the upstairs area. The strange man’s ears moved slightly like he knew his attention was being called and hurried over to the table.