Volume 1 - CH 28

The application for the stall was successfully accepted, and the ice cream shop’s participation in the festival was made official.

Following Ena’s advice, when she explained that it was a small shop that didn’t take up much space, the receptionist was considerate and suggested a spare space in a good location.

Surprisingly, it is a corner lot on the street that leads to the square. It seems to be a small and half-finished extra space, about the size of one desk.

She decided that she could manage to fit things in there if she could find a better place to put them, and that’s where she decided to go.

Alme also paid the stall fee, well in advance of that day. After receiving the wooden tag that serves as a certificate of participation and a document containing precautions, all that was left was to prepare for the day of the festival.

Three days later, after having successfully secured a place to open a stall. After getting ready in the morning and opening the ice cream shop, Alme was stewing fruit in the kitchen.

Just after opening – early in the morning, no customers have arrived yet. She decided to make a prototype of the syrup during that time.

She already made and tasted the strawberries and peaches, so today it’s mangoes.

She put roughly chopped mangoes in a small pan and added a dash of sugar. Letting it stand for a while to let the water drain out, while she went on with the store paperwork.

When the sugar has soaked into the mango juice, place a small saucepan over the heat. Stir with a wooden spoon to remove excess and cook. When it thickens a little, it is ready to be served.

If it is overcooked, it becomes sludgy like jam and difficult to mix with ice. she kept the simmering light, thinking it would be better to keep it this thin.

Preparing the ice while removing the syrup pan from the heat. As she took the chunks of ice she had made out of the freezer, she heard a chiming bell from the store. It was the small bell she had left on the counter to call her. A customer had arrived.

–The customer who comes at this early hour is almost a given, though. He’s a regular customer.

“Mr. Falk! Hello.”

“Hello. Today is another fine day. It’s a perfect day for ice cream.”

When she emerged from the kitchen, she found that Falk had arrived at the shop, just as she had expected.

While greeting her with a carefree voice, Falk fluttered the collar of his shirt and fanned it. The temperature in Luorio seems to be unforgiving to him today as well.

Sitting at the counter, which had now become his fixed position, Falk looked proud.

“Look, Miss Alme. Today’s loyalty point card will be full.”

“That’s it, thank you for everything. Now, let me serve you today.”

When the stamps on the point card accumulate, a free ice cream is offered as a bonus.

“I can do the free bonus now or on your next visit. What would you like to do?”

“I think I’ll have it today. I’m not sure which one to choose.”

Falk stared at the ice cream on the counter and began to worry with a serious expression on his face. This scene was already familiar to her.

Come to think of it, Alme brought up a topic while relaxing in the usual scenery.

“Mr. Falk, are you working on the day of the festival in January?”

“Yeah, I’m planning to work.”

“Oh my…are you busy for the whole three days during the festival?”

“Maybe so. On days when the city is very busy, the workplace will be busy.”

“Hmm, is that so… I’m sorry to hear that, but it can’t be helped if it’s work.”

“Is there anything going on on the day of the festival?”

Alme chuckled, “Too bad, but I guess it can’t be helped,” and then Falk turned to her with a scowl.

“Actually, I decided to sell it at a stall on the day of the festival. I am planning to put out a new menu there, so if you have time, come by!”

“Wow…! New menu…I’m definitely going to eat it! I wanted to try it…”

Falk hung his head in a sad position. He looked so disappointed that Alme couldn’t help but smile.

“–The prototype of the new menu is in the kitchen right now…if you like it, would you like to eat it? As a bonus for the point card.”

“I’d love to!!”

When she suggested it, Falk immediately raised his sparkling face. Alme is completely attached to Falk’s sparkling expression. In her mind she said, ‘Yes, I wanted to see that face! and she made a small victory pose in her mind.

She was actually thinking of putting it on the festival’s limited menu to make it more special, but if she could see this smile, she might as well put it on the regular menu.

“It’s a dessert that’s different from the ice cream you’ve been used to, where you pour mango syrup over shaved ice, does that sound good to your palate?”

“Ice and syrup? I can’t picture it well, but the combination of something cold and something sweet must be delicious.”

“Haha, I’ll bring it to you then!”

Alme couldn’t help but smile at Falk’s unabashed love of frozen desserts.

Quickly, she went into the kitchen and return with a large tray with a cloth, a block of ice, a small pot of syrup, a knife and a cutting board.

A complete shaved ice set was laid out on the counter and prepared in a brisk manner. Since she was just about to simulate a street vendor sale, it was probably a good time to offer it to Falk.

Falk’s eyes widened when he saw the big ice block that was placed with a thud.

“Are you going to put syrup on this block of ice? It’s a more exciting dessert than I thought.”

“As expected, I won’t put it out in a lump…! Well, please wait and see.”

She restrained Falk who was about to decide whether to eat it as it is and hit the ice block with the blade of the kitchen knife.

Moving the blade from top to bottom, she shuffled and shaved the ice. Watching the delicate, snow-like ice shavings pile up in a heap, Falk spilled out a cry of admiration.

“This is just like snow! I didn’t think you could make ice like this…! That’s a good idea. How did you come up with it?”

“Um, yes, I see… I think the person who thought of it first is amazing, really.”

At the end, it turned into a hoarse mutter. This shaved ice was not invented by Alme at all, but let’s keep quiet…

She couldn’t help but turn her head away from him as he complimented her with his sparkling eyes. In the meantime, the ice was ready in no time.

Placing ice in a bowl and pouring ice magic over the mango syrup in a small pot. When the syrup had cooled, it is thickened and poured over the pile of ice.

“And what about ice cream? I’ll put in on the same bowl.”

“Then I’ll have milk ice cream, as it seems to go well with the mango.”

Spooning the milk ice cream as ordered and adding a little to the side of the shaved ice mountain.

In addition, she added eyes and a beak with lemon peel to the round ice cream. When decorated with the Shirotaka specifications, the result is a pretty dish that looks quite impressive.

“Thank you for waiting. Mango syrup shaved ice with Shirotaka-chan ice cream.”

When she put it out in front of Falk, he smiled with all his might.

“The yellow color of the syrup on the white snow is very beautiful. The white falcon is so cute, it looks like it’s in the snowy mountains.”

“At the festival, I plan to prepare strawberry red, peach pink, melon green, and, if all goes well, blue.”

“It’s fun to choose the color combination! Children will be happy too! Is it possible to pour syrup on all colors?”

Far from being just children, Falk in front of her had a very happy face. It seems that people from all over the world share the same point of excitement when they talk about putting shaved ice with all the syrup.

In the meantime, she passed on her findings from her experience in a previous life.

“When done well, the whole thing is a beautiful rainbow of colors, but if you mix it up, you get a kind of doughy color, like at the bottom of a…bowl.”

“I see that…is difficult. I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll try it then.”

After replying with a solemn expression, Falk stuffed his mouth with shaved ice.

“Delicious…! This is perfect for hot days!”

“I thought so, and decided to put it out at the festival.”

“Have you already decided on the location? I’m also curious about other syrups. I want to get them somehow…”

“It’s a corner lot in front of the Great Plaza in the East District. Near the front entrance—”

“I see. I will conquer the shaved ice, even if I have to be a little cunning.”

“Huh, what about being cunning…? Um, please don’t overdo it, absolutely.”

“Hahahah…the time has come for me to finally use all the power I’ve been holding in my hands.”

“……kind of freaking me out…….”

“Just kidding, just kidding”

Falk laughed, but Alme shuddered, not quite sure if he was joking or telling the truth.

This man, Falk, has become a regular and friend in Alme’s life, but there are still many things about him that remain elusive.

If they continue to get to know each other even better, she wondered if they will eventually be able to casually ask each other about private matters.

She wished she could, but she wasn’t sure if it is possible…and also a bit afraid of finding out something bad.

If she is someone who doesn’t match her friend’s status, she may be forced to cut off the relationship.

If that were the case, she would rather stay as friends with some distance between them.

While watching Falk stuffing his mouth with shaved ice, he casually continued the conversation.

In the morning when there are no other customers in the shop, they quietly exchange idle stories. This has become Alme’s favorite time these days.

This new time with a new friend is becoming irreplaceable for Alme and she hoped that this time will be good not only for herself, but also for Falk.

After eating up the shaved ice, Falk finished the bill and left the store. Of course he got a new loyalty card.

Just as he was leaving the shop, two female customers stared at Falk as they passed each other, and muttered in a bewildered voice.

“Wow, this person is really cool.”

“I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere”

“No, you’re not around people like that.”

Hearing the conversation of the female customers laughing with each other, a strange feeling welled up in Alme’s heart.

(I’ve seen him somewhere, huh… Come to think of it, I sometimes feel like that too…)

Although she was somewhat confused, she decided to switch her mind to customer service for the time being.