As Izuku entered the bakery, he noticed a few customers browsing the neatly arranged shelves and glass displays filled with freshly baked goods. The warm aroma of bread and pastries filled the air, comforting and inviting.
His eyes wandered across the assortment until something caught his attention—shokupan.
He blinked in surprise; he hadn't expected that there would actually be familiar Japanese bread here in Paris.
Curious and delighted, he made his way to the counter to place his order.
"Will that be all, Allegra? Or do you need anything else?" asked the woman behind the counter.
Allegra, the girl being addressed, had long blonde hair tied into a single braid, with a few loose bangs framing her face.
Her eyes were a vivid blue, and though she wore a simple white blouse beneath a purple vest and dark purple jeans, she carried herself with an air of quiet elegance.
There was something about her presence—refined yet reserved—that made the other customers instinctively keep their distance, as though they sensed her importance.
Allegra shook her head lightly. "That's all, Ms. Sabine. The unicorn cupcakes are enough. I've missed them so much since I moved to London. They were always my favorite whenever I came here."
"Very well then," Sabine replied with a kind smile. "Tom has been improving that recipe ever since you left. After all, you were Marinette's first friend."
Allegra's expression softened at the mention of the name. "As much as I'd love to, I won't be staying long in Paris," she said with a faint trace of sadness in her voice. "I'm heading back to London in three days. I prefer my school there—no bullies, no one treating me differently because I'm rich. I just hope Marinette didn't have to go through the same thing."
"Oh, she's doing fine," Sabine assured warmly. "We would've heard from the school if she had any trouble. She's been acting just like her usual self."
Allegra gave a nervous chuckle, though her eyes betrayed a hint of doubt. "Yeah, she's definitely fine. Well, see you later, Ms. Sabine. You too, Mr. Tom."
"See you, Allegra," Tom said with a friendly wave.
Feeling a twinge of guilt for having overheard their conversation, Izuku decided to act as though he hadn't heard a word. Straightening himself, he stepped forward to the counter.
"Hello," Izuku greeted shyly.
"Oh, well, hello there. You must be new around here," Sabine replied warmly, immediately noticing from his accent and unfamiliar face that he was probably a foreigner.
Izuku nodded politely. "You could say that. I'd like to have the shokupan, please."
"Oh, shokupan!" Tom exclaimed joyfully from behind the counter. "I didn't expect anyone to buy it! It's not exactly a French delicacy, you see. I was experimenting to see if Japanese bread might appeal to Parisians, but I'd nearly given up hope since no one ever bought it—until you, that is!"
Izuku laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, I'm Japanese. I didn't expect anyone here would be selling something from my country."
"Well, our bakery is one of the best in France," Sabine said with pride. "We always try to satisfy our customers' tastes—especially those from abroad."
She turned to her husband.
"Tom, could you get the Shokupan ready, please?"
"Of course!" Tom replied cheerfully, quickly wrapping the loaf with practiced care.
While waiting, Izuku noticed a fleeting shadow pass across Sabine's expression.
Her smile faltered ever so slightly, replaced by something that looked like quiet worry.
It wasn't really his business, yet his empathetic nature made it difficult to ignore when someone seemed troubled.
"Is everything alright, ma'am?" Izuku asked gently, his tone filled with genuine concern. "You look like something's bothering you."
Sabine blinked, caught off guard. "Oh, I'm fine," she said, though her voice lacked conviction.
After a pause, she sighed.
"It's just… Allegra and my daughter used to be very close. Allegra, despite coming from the wealthy and prestigious Sphinx family, spent so much time with Marinette. Her family's background never stopped her from visiting. Normally, she would've asked me if it was alright to see Marinette tonight, but she didn't."
"Maybe she's just busy? You did say she comes from a prestigious family," Izuku suggested, though a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story.
Sabine slowly shook her head. "I might believe that if she hadn't always been busy before, too. No matter how strict her parents were or how much they tried to teach her about 'family principles,' it never stopped her. She's always been a bit rebellious, never the type to suddenly obey so easily."
"Perhaps she's being coerced, Master," Nooroo whispered softly from Izuku's pocket.
"Maybe," Izuku murmured under his breath, unsure whether he should follow Allegra or if that would just make him look like a stalker.
Sabine sighed again, her worry evident. "But perhaps you're right. It has been years, after all. People do change. Still, I treated her like my own daughter, so I can't help but worry. I just don't know…"
"It'll be alright, hon," Tom said reassuringly as he finished packing the loaf. "Allegra's strong—she and Socqueline both were. That's why we trusted them to help keep Marinette safe."
He handed the neatly boxed Shokupan to Izuku with a friendly smile.
"Here you go, young man. Say, what school will you be attending next week? Or are you just visiting Paris for a while, like Allegra?"
"Hm? Oh, well," Izuku replied, taking the box carefully, "my grandfather enrolled me in a school called… Collège Françoise Dupont. Pardon my pronunciation."
"Oh, are you by any chance around fourteen or fifteen years old?" Sabine asked curiously. "If you are, then you'll probably be in the same class as our daughter. You'll both be in troisième."
"Is that so?" Izuku replied, trying his best to sound as though he understood.
In truth, the French school system completely eluded him. All he could gather was that he'd be repeating middle school—something that made sense, considering he hadn't officially graduated before leaving his world.
Technically, he was being held back, but he didn't really mind.
"If that's the case," Tom said kindly, "I hope you and our daughter become good friends. She can be a little clumsy and quirky, but she's kindhearted and compassionate. She doesn't have many friends."
"I'll do my best, sir," Izuku replied earnestly, giving a small bow of respect.
After paying for his purchase, Izuku stepped outside, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and slipped into hiding.
A moment later, a soft glow surrounded him as he transformed into Mightyfly. He leaped onto the rooftops of Paris, the box of Shokupan tucked safely under his arm.
Once he found a quiet spot overlooking the Seine, he sat down and opened it.
Taking his first bite, Izuku's eyes widened in surprise. The bread was incredibly soft, subtly sweet, and perfectly textured—better than any Shokupan he had tasted even in Japan.
He chewed thoughtfully, savoring the delicate balance of flavor and texture, and couldn't help but smile.
Now he truly understood why the bakery was considered one of the finest in Paris—perhaps even the best.
Transforming back into his normal form, Izuku took another small piece and offered it to Nooroo. "Here, Nooroo. Have a bite."
"No thank you, Master," the little kwami said shyly, his tiny voice filled with gentle restraint. "It's best to save it for later. Besides, aren't you planning to investigate Allegra?"
Izuku swallowed the piece of bread before answering, "I guess you sensed my intention. But yeah, I'm going to look into it. Ms. Sabine seemed really worried about her. If I can ease their minds, I might as well try."
Nooroo let out a soft chuckle. "You really are a hero, Master."
Izuku blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "By the way, Nooroo, I never got the chance to ask—how am I able to speak French so easily? I couldn't understand a single word before meeting you."
"Well," Nooroo explained patiently, "kwamis like me grant our holders the ability to understand and speak different languages. It's meant to make communication easier for our masters, especially when they're in foreign lands. But of course," he added gently, "that doesn't mean you should rely on us forever. Try to learn and understand the languages yourself—French included, Master."
Izuku nodded with a small smile. "Looks like I'll have to ask Master Fu to teach me French in my spare time." He tucked the remaining bread safely into his pocket and stood up, the Parisian breeze ruffling his hair. "Time to get to work. Nooroo, light wings rise."