The Force Of Fire Wants to Open a Computer Cafe

A month has passed.

Since then, Sakura's pancakes became a Loguetown morning staple—loved by Marines and citizens alike.

It was safe to say that his store revenue had doubled ever since that day.

Of course, during this one month, Sakura finally finished the bad odor repellent and installed it all over his cafe.

Due to this, customers are now greeted by a variety of great smells—sometimes the wild floral scent of Ralts, sometimes the nostalgic smells of the sea breeze—it depends on the shop owner's mood.

: Worororo! Are you really not interested in being my crew? If it's now, I can appoint you as the cook of my crew.

In the camera, Kaido's comment flew. Weirdly or not, ever since Aqua gained her emotions, she has been streaming almost daily.

The worst of all is that she didn't bother making her account and instead used Sakura's. Thanks to this, his account became hers.

*swish* *swish*

Flame danced in the sky as Sakura accurately yet swiftly flipped pancakes on the ten or so frying pans.

Each time he flipped the pancakes, butter trailed a pattern mid-air, carrying out a tempting fragrance, inviting one's hunger, including those who had already eaten.

"Ooooh, it's amazing no matter how many times I see it…" a random Loguetown citizen said, reacting to Sakura's live show.

"Mister, I'd like four pancakes, please. One for me and three for Papa," Carol came to the reception desk and handed out 2,800 Berries.

"Right, wait just a minute…"

Sakura was busy as ever, sweat dripping down his face. Compared to last month, he even lost most of the fat in his chin, getting closer to a healthy build.

Unless they removed his clothes to view his inflated belly, one would think he looks normal.

- - - 

It was after serving hundreds of pancakes and cooking five hundred that he rested. 

*Ring* in that exact moment when he sat on his chair, the bell above the door rang announcing the arrival of two customers.

"Oh, Roja… and Tashigi? You guys have a thing? Anyway, the pancakes are on the food warmer, so pay up whenever you want to," Sakura drank the Cola—he stored it in his inventory, unavailable for sale—and greeted the two.

At his words, Tashigi reddened her face. "Ha~?! It's not like that, we just coincidentally walked the same way…"

Meanwhile, Roja was unbothered. "I'll take up four pancakes. Tashigi-chan, how much do you want to eat?"

Tashigi stared at him and puffed out her cheeks, then muttered. "I'll take the same…"

Roja nodded in response.

Looking at the seemingly happy couple(?), Sakura smirked and asked.

"Hypothetically… if someone had an item that could bring people of their choice back from the past, just once—who do you think they'd pick?"

"That's an interesting question, Boss. Is it one of your magic tricks again? But hmm… There is no need to hesitate. I want to bring my family back alive. We'd enjoy a lot playing your computer games together," Roja reminisced about an "if-story" that would never come true.

Tashigi couldn't say a word, burying her face in a pancake, unable to look at his face.

"Well, I just recently gained an item that allows me to do that. I'm thinking of bringing Gol D. Roger because that seemed interesting."

*Koff* *Koff*

Surprised, Tashigi spewed out her pancakes and shouted in a hurry. "Are you crazy, Sakura-san!? It's Roger we're talking about!"

Meanwhile, Roja was laughing with his mouth open wide. "Hahaha! That's so like you, Boss!"

"Was it a bad idea after all?" Sakura smirked, teasing the girl.

"Of course! Bringing the heinous criminals who started the chaotic age is not a good idea! Sakura-san, let's not do that, okay? How about we just bring back Roja-san's family?"

Tashigi panicked. It was the most terrifying to her because she couldn't grasp whether Sakura joked or told the truth.

"Hm, it's okay, Boss. Your magical item is only for one-time use, right? So, please use it for your own benefit. I don't need you to undo my mistakes." Roja looked somewhat sad, but his pupils had resolution in them as he stared at Sakura straight.

Tashigi couldn't help but quieten up at his decision. With a sigh, she said. "I'm sorry for letting my mouth run. If you're really going to the past, it's your choice, but please don't revive Pirate King… It's going to cause a lot of headaches for my high-ups…"

Sakura nodded. "It's just a small joke. I won't do it; besides, I need his agreement to actually bring him to the present."

Sakura stole a glance at Roja. Then, he nodded and said.

"Alright, I made up my mind... well, in truth, I've already made up a month ago."

"Who is it going to be, Boss?" Roja asked curiously.

"Do you want to know, do you want to know~?" Sakura said playfully.

"Come on, don't be a tease," Tashigi complained as this could potentially be a huge thing for Marines, depending on his choice.

"Alright. It's a certain slave and a person who would live a tragic life." Saying this, Sakura projected a video taken from his memory.

"Woah, she is beautiful, it's a pity she's a slave," Roja spoke from his side.

"Right? It'd be sad if those two achieved a bad ending."

At the same time, Roja received an elbow attack from behind him.

"Ouch. That's unfair, even Boss praised her looks!" said Roja as he rubbed his flank.

"This…, the way you said it was annoying… I don't know!"

Sakura smiled with half-opened eyes, seeing off the two's small quarrel.

"Well then, I'm off to the past."

"It isn't someone dangerous, right!?" Tashigi shouted as Sakura's body slowly split into multiple light fragments.

"I don't know," leaving only these words, he disappeared and was sent to a different space with Timewatch in his hand.

…

[Please set the time you want to return.]

"15 years ago, Sabaody Archipelago."

[Location confirmed]

[Attempting to send the user to the designated time… Success!]

[We hope for your great success.]

…

A melody echoed through the air, carried by the bubbles traveling to Sakura's side.

"Hm Hm~♪ " A humming.

Eventually, the humming transformed into words that resonated with the sound of a guitar, mixing a certain harmony in it—millions of thoughts and feelings supported these words.

It was lovely—somewhere romantic yet somewhere tragic—the lyrics reminded Sakura of a tragic love between Romeo and Juliet.

They were but one step away—yet, that one step was further than the distance between Earth and the moon. Such was the kinda vibe Sakura interpreted the song.

After the song was finished—a single guitar tone almost lingering—did Sakura step in.

"Thank you for your attention. It gives me motivation, people around here usually don't give it."

The man placed his guitar on the ground and sincerely thanked Sakura, who was listening from the start to the end.

"No, no. It was such a great song that I couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. Did you compose it by yourself?"

Sakura wasn't lying. He would never. The music sung by this singer didn't lose even against some of the popular composers back in his life on earth.

Saying this, he placed ten bills of 1,000 berry paper into the tipping bucket, earning the singer's surprise.

"This song… was composed by me, but someone else came up with the lyrics. I wouldn't be able to come up with such sweet words."

The singer said, looking at the sky. Those eyes of his were somewhat mellow.

"Then, Mister, I will get going. I have a shift after this," the singer's eyes returned its focus and said.

But at that time, Sakura spouted.

"Is something wrong? I've noticed it since the way you sang earlier, but did you lose your important person or something?"

He had activated the effect of Trend Maker. In Sakura's eyes, the singer was shining gold, yet at the same time, the luster of his gold was slowly dying out.

Every single word he whispered, the tone he concealed, everything was crystal clear to Sakura with a perfect pitch—usage he never knew existed.

At the same time, his 'aura' silently released a presence, unseen through one's eyes, but emitting a convincing atmosphere.

"Yo- how did you kno-, well… it's nothing something I've been hiding about. Since you look new around here, and tipped me off 10,000 berries, I'll tell you."

The singer took a deep breath.

"I want to buy a slave—I only spotted her by chance. She was kidnapped unfairly, but if you see her, you'll know what I want to say…"

The singer sighed, reminiscing about the time he spent with the girl.

"She, even though she was kidnapped and mistreated, her smile never left. She always looked excited for tomorrow… despite knowing that her future is bleak."

The singer's breathing became slightly raspy, but he stopped himself afterward.

"Haha, what am I telling a random stranger. If you're curious past this point, you have to pay up 100,000 berries!"

The singer laughed, thinking Sakura would step back.

However, he underestimated Sakura's curiosity. A reader's curiosity to satisfy the knowledge not mentioned in the story.

Without an ounce of hesitation, a hundred bills popped out mid-air, and he placed them in the tipping bucket.

"The. Rest," Sakura stared at the singer's eyes filled with determination.

"It's just a joke. Haha, you're one of a kind, weirdo," the singer laughed with his mouth open wide.

Then, taking the hundred thousand berry bills, and gave them back to Sakura.

He continued when Sakura put away his money.

"Tch, it's an embarrassing thing, so I didn't want to tell," the singer sighed. "I… somehow fell in love with her." 

He clenched the edge of his suit. "Even though I didn't deserve it. Not someone like me. A pesky criminalーA dirty gambler like me. I want to free her, heck, I don't even want a return. I, I just want to see her smiling, not inside the cage, but outside, soaring freely."

The singer, Gild Tesoro's face dyed red like an apple. Yet, his tensed body relaxed as if it had said everything it was piling up deep inside his heart.

Sakura grinned excitedly like reading a sweet moment in a manga chapter. "Then let's buy her! Where's she, where is she?"

"It's somewhere around Grove 3—near the human auctioning hou-, wait, what am I telling you? Hey, Mister, I have to tell you, but I have nothing to return to you."

Sakura smiled. "It's okay. You just have to pay with your body."

"What!? No way, I'm not going to be a gigolo! I promised Stella that I will earn money legally!! Aaaaaah," Gild Tesoro screamed, taken away by Sakura.