Work Text:
Today is Mizuki's birthday. They sit up on their bed, seeing the text messages on their phone. Mizuki stretches their arms and yawns like a cat before rubbing their eyes. "Who could be texting me so early in the morning? Probably it's Ena blowing my phone up and asking me to hang out again~" They grab their phone from their charger.
A surprising amount of people messaged them. One of them is from Ena, but there are also messages from Shizuku, Airi, An, Touya, Rui, and their high school sweetheart—Akito. Mizuki blushes faintly as they break into a hearty laugh. "I've gotten so many birthday messages! Since when did I know this many people?" One by one, Mizuki reads them, starting with Shizuku's, who wishes them a happy birthday with birthday cake and smiling emojis.
There is also a minute long video file. Mizuki plays the video.
"Shii-chan~ It's my friend Mizuki-chan's birthday like I told you! Can you sing happy birthday with me? It'll take only a minute!"
Shiho, Shizuku's little sister affectionately referred to as Shii-chan, reluctantly agrees as she puts her bass back in its case. "Fine, but I got to practice after, so let's make this quick." She walks next to Shizuku, who wraps her arm around her into a hug. They sang the happy birthday song. In comparison to Shizuku's tuneful chirping, Shiho sounds embarrassed.
"Happy Birthday to yooou~ ♪ Happy Birthday to yooou~ ♪ If it's your Happy Birthday and if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands, because it's your Happy Birthday! ♪"
Mizuki claps, laughing. "What the heck was that~? That was so adorable! So that's Shizuku-chan's little sister..." In a way, that girl reminds them of Akito. Maybe it's the younger sibling thing where they act more like they’re older. Mizuki pulls up Airi's message next. She also says happy birthday and that she heard it from Ena.
An’s message reads,
An: BEST FRIENDDDDDDD ITS YOUR BIRTHDAYYYYY!! just for you if you ever stop by weekend garage today all the desserts you order will be on the house!! hope to see you~~
“Free dessert for me? Daw, she shouldn’t have~ ♪” Mizuki smirks devilishly. “That’s gotta be An’s way of saying whatever I get is going to be on her tab.”
Touya: Happy Birthday, Akiyama. Akito and Shiraishi told me what today is, so I’m sending you this message. I hope I can hang out with you more as your friend.
A fuzzy feeling warms Mizuki. The delivery of this is pretty straightforward. “Touya-kun really means that, huh?” They giggle. “No wonder he easily gets along with An~ ♪” The next message they open up is Rui’s. Of course they’d expect a message from him, but their eyes still widen a bit.
Rui: Happy Birthday, Mizuki. Tsukasa-kun says that he would like to do a very special show for you—you should come. I won’t be taking “no” for an answer, so you must let us celebrate with you. As your good friend, I value you deeply and I hope you have the most wonderful birthday yet.
Mizuki’s smile grows as warm as their rosy cheeks. “Ahhh, that Rui… Always knows what to say to me, even on my birthday~ If it’s a show Tsukasa-senpai is putting up for me, then I don’t see a reason to not go.” Their brows furrow while looking away to their window. “Besides, if I don’t go, Rui might use one of his handy devices and plot some kidnapping if I avoid them.”
They look back on their phone to check the text messages from the Shinonome siblings—starting with Ena.
Ena: akito told me that he’s taking you out today for your birthday so you better come back and log on tonight bc we wanna celebrate your birthday the minute you come back and im not taking no for an answer
“Ena, too? Sheesh, how did I get to know this many people~? ♪” The text even spoils that Akito’s taking them out… What a spoiler alert. “A birthday date? Man. Maybe I should have read Ena’s text last,” they joke. As Mizuki reads Akito’s text, they can't take their eyes off it. They’ve been dating for a good while, so whatever Akito says holds a lot of credence. They lean their head near the screen, smiling blissfully.
Akito: Good morning, babe. It’s your birthday today, so I’m going to spoil you a lot. Be ready and meet me at Miyamasuzaka. And whatever you want to do, it’s on me. I love you. ♥
Mizuki had received a lot of heartwarming messages, but this one takes the cake. All the good friends they made in their life took the time to send them birthday wishes. One tear streamed on their face and they sniffled. “Where would I be without these guys?” Before Mizuki got out of bed, they received another notification. As soon as they recognize the number, they jump. “My big sister texted me!”
Big Sis: Hey, Mizu-chan! College is pretty stressful right now and I’m sorry that I can’t make it back home to celebrate your birthday, but I mailed you something that you would like. Make sure you get it before you leave to go par-tay with your amigos! I love you, little sib-sib! I promise you that I’ll come for Christmas this year. So! That’s your surprise from me, your cool big sister, to my awesome little sibling. Have fun! ^^
On second thought, maybe that one takes the bigger slice. Mizuki’s sister lives abroad and they haven’t spoken in a while, but they are on good terms. Mizuki lays their phone down to change for the date Akito had planned for the two of them by searching their closet. “Tee-hee~ What should I wear today~? ♪”
The streets are filled with many people walking, and Akito is sitting on the bench in Miyamasuzaka waiting for the birthday monarch to arrive.
Just in time, Mizuki arrived in a white shirt that had a cute cat wearing glasses, a grayish-green sweater, a light blue frilly skirt, white leggings, and red heels. Their nicely brushed hair is down, decorated with red heart charm clips An had purchased for them when they went shopping for hair accessories, and they have on a black headband with a red rose. “Ooooiiii~! Akito-kuuuun~! ♪”
That cheerful call he loves so much always puts him at ease. Akito stands and waves. “Yo!” They share a hug and a quick kiss. “You look good.”
“Thank you~ I could never let this outfit go to waste, and I’m feeling extra cheerful and cute today, so I chose what I’m wearing now for this occasion!”
Akito holds his arm out for Mizuki to grab. “All of this is going to be my treat today, okay? I’ll spoil you for a little bit. The rest, we can do whatever you want.”
Mizuki laughs. “Surprises can be fun if they’re well thought out. I am a little hungry, because I spent a good half hour picking out what I was going to wear.”
“Fine with me. We can go to WEEKEND GARAGE,” Akito suggests in which Mizuki smugly grins like the Cheshire Cat.
“Good idea! An promised me that every dessert on the menu is free, which means she’s going to have to cover for anything I want~”
“She said that?” Akito returns the smirk. “Oh, I’m so going to enjoy that look on her face. Try not to eat yourself till you get sick though, okay? We have the whole day to ourselves, and I can’t have you complaining about stomach aches.”
“Riiight, riiight~”
The bell on the door to WEEKEND GARAGE rings. An is cleaning the tables and she greets her customers. “Welcome! Oh, Mizuki! And Akito, too! Come on in and grab a seat!” She watches the couple sit on the chairs by the counter. “Akitooooo~ You’ve been getting awfully cuddly with Mizuki ever since you two started dating~ Did you get a change of heart?”
“Say what you want, ‘cuz I heard from a little bird that whatever you got for dessert is free.” Akito simpers. “Whatever we want, we get.”
She cracks a snicker and holds back a snort. “Yeah. For Mizuki on their birthday . You don’t get the friendly discount, so you still gotta pay . Whatever you want is still coming out of your tab, buddy!”
Akito freezes, dumbfounded. “Hah?”
Mizuki fails to repress their laughter. “She got you good, didn’t she~?”
Out of frustration, he grits his teeth and glares at An. “You little…”
“I simply said Mizuki was getting free dessert just for today. Besides, your birthday isn’t until November, so you’re stuck with forking over the cash till then,” says An slyly.
“You’re very lucky that I got paid extra at my job. I’ll have my usual order.” Akito irritably takes out his wallet.
“Coming up! And what does the birthday pal want?”
“Ooo, you serve sundaes now! I’ll have a chocolate sundae with a cup of French vanilla cappuccino!”
An winks as she shoots a thumb up. “Got it! One order of Akito’s usual and Mizuki’s special birthday order! I’ll have them done in a jiffy!” She heads to the kitchen to prepare their drinks and the ice cream.
Just when he’d thought he could safely get free sweets, Akito really has to pay for his own meals. On one hand, it sucks because he had thought he could’ve used An’s birthday offer to Mizuki as a leverage to get what he wants for free so he can spend on whatever Mizuki wants, but on the other hand, the prices are at least reasonable. Akito slaps the cash on the counter and pockets his wallet. Mizuki lays their head on his shoulder to comfort him.
“Don’t be a stick in the mud, Akito-kun~ I’ll share my sundae with you, if you wanna!”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but if An were to find out, she’ll make me tip extra just to spite me… And I won’t have enough to pay for your spoils.”
“Spoil, smoil—money can’t buy whatever we have that’s so special~ I’m just happy that you’re spending time with me, and that’s all that matters! ♪”
He lightens up as he wraps an arm around their shoulder. “Thanks, Aki— Eh… M-... Mizuki…”
“Ahaha! I love you so much~”
He looks away just to hide his glowing red face.
An returns with a tray of Akito’s coffee and Mizuki’s sundae and cappuccino and places their orders in front of them. “Here you are! Enjoy!”
Mizuki tilt their head up as their eyes sparkle. They lean close to the sundae in question. “Woooaaaah~! It even has the chocolate fudge coffee wafers! I’m sooooo going to eat all of this~! Thank you for the meal~! ♪”
Akito grabs his coffee cup by the handle as he watches them eat. He does feel a little jealous that Mizuki gets free ice cream, but if they’re happy, then so is he.
Mizuki and Akito finish eating and drinking while An takes the money Akito left on the counter to the cash register. She smiles warmly. “Come again soon! And Happy Birthday, Mizuki!”
“Thanks, An! I’ll see you later!”
As they leave, Akito holds Mizuki’s hand. “We have some time before I take you to a nice place you’ll really like. Anywhere else you want to drop by?”
“I think I wanna stop to Phoenix Wonderland next~ ♪”
“That theme park Kohane likes so much? Is it even open right now?”
“I dunno, but it doesn’t hurt to check. Rui told me that Tsukasa-senpai wanted to put on a special show for me and he insisted that I should go.” They squeeze his arm tightly. “While we’re there, we can get matching Phoeny-kun keychains~!”
A chill creeps up Akito’s shoulders. Tsukasa had offered something like that for him before, but he’d walked off before it could even go underway. Akito cringes at the memory, but he hesitantly agrees. “Uh… sure. Yeah, we can go. But we’re turning back if those two weirdos get out of hand.”
“Understandable. Tsukasa-senpai may be a bit too much for the dramatic flairs and Rui can get crazy like the Joker with his machines—but how bad can it be~?”
Seriously not liking this idea, Akito thought.
Tsukasa and his fellow coworkers are setting up some props for Mizuki’s birthday show he’d planned out. Emu’s eyes twinkle in excitement that she gets to partake in something fun. She had met Mizuki once at the mall when they were taking a gander at some cute dresses, so putting on a show for them has her heart pumping.
“I’m super duper excited!” she exclaims, squeezing her hands into fists. “Mizuki-chan is going to like this, I’m so sure of it! ☆”
“Indeed,” Rui comments. “This is one show I hope that they can treasure.”
Nene smiles softly with her hands folded as she nods. “Mm. I’m glad that we can do this kind of show for Akiyama-san. Are you sure they’re coming, though?”
“They might be spending their time with their circle. We might have to go over our lines one more time, just in case,” said Rui.
Tsukasa nods in turn. “That’s a good idea. We’ve been busy getting things set up ever since Rui mentioned that Akiyama’s birthday was around this week. However! Our efforts will not be in vain, as I am 100% confident that today’s birthday star will shine brighter after this show!”
Emu turns around when she hears footsteps. In the corner of her eye, she notices that Akito and Mizuki had already arrived. “Ooh! They’re here! They’re coming this way!”
“Alright! Places, everybody!” Tsukasa commands.
Mizuki lightly pokes at the new Phoeny-kun keychain hooked onto their phone. “Isn’t Phoeny-kun the cutest mascot~?”
“Least it’s not a dog or I would have had a heart attack,” Akito mumbles. “Hey, that’s the Wonder Stage Kohane was talking about, isn’t it?” He points to the stage flaunting a cupcake with a lit candle on top of a table covered by a white cloth and five chairs and teacups.
“Ahhh… Doesn’t look as formal as I thought it’d be.” Mizuki chuckles awkwardly. “But they left me a cupcake right there. Maybe they want me to blow it out?”
Akito shrugs. Carefully, they approach the cupcake. Knowing that this is probably one of Rui’s sick features, Akito doesn’t trust this one bit, but when it comes to having a birthday cake with a candle, it feels natural to have some kind of wish before blowing the little ember. Mizuki’s thinking that Rui and the others thought this out well to get them to smile like their audience.
Slowly, Mizuki takes a deep breath and closes their eyes. I wish… to be best friends with everyone forever, so I won’t feel so lonely anymore. I want to make these memories and share them with the ones I care about… because I love them… They blow away the fire.
On cue, the sounds of cannons go off, but only colorful pieces of confetti rain. Wonderlands x Showtime reveal themselves by performing the choreography and singing their version of the birthday bash. Mizuki and Akito’s eyes widen, but Mizuki begins to laugh. “Oh, my gosh~!”
Emu and Nene take Mizuki’s hands as Emu sings her verse. “Hey! It’s your birthday, yeah? C’mon and do the bash! Don’t let this party crash! ♪”
Nene follows while Rui and Tsukasa pull a chair out for Mizuki. “This is the Birthday Bash! Have a seat before it ends in a flash! ♪”
Rui gently pats Mizuki on the head as if they’re a little kid at a birthday party. “Cake and ice cream will be on the way~ ♪”
Tsukasa strikes a pose after doing a twirl. “ This is an exceptional day! ♪”
Together, they stand by Mizuki’s side and harmonize. “A day for the star of the Birthday Bash! Let’s all dance and say Happy Birthday to you and enjoy the Birthday Baaaash~! ♪”
As they give their round of applause, Emu cheers, “Happy Birthday, Mizuki-chan! Now, let’s all do a big, big, big cheer! Altogether now! ☆“
They all jumped and waved their arms around, shouting, “Wonderhoooooiiii~!”
Mizuki beams as their cheeks tinge with a light pink. “Oh, you guys~ For a second, I thought everything was going to catch fire when I showed up!”
“I second that emotion,” Akito grumbles.
“Oh! Akito! You came with Akiyama to celebrate their birthday, yes? We should have set extra chairs in case any more guests come.” Tsukasa stands tall and proudly pounds his chest. “No matter! In my Phoenix Wonderland, many companions of Akiyama are more than welcome!”
“Again, Phoenix Wonderland does not belong to you,” says Nene.
Tsukasa clears his throat. “Anyway! Please, Akito! Stick around! We can prepare a special song for you, as well!”
“The hell you will.” Akito’s face twists in repulsion. He’d rather die on the spot than have his senpai embarrass him with whatever ridiculous show he might bamboozle him with.
Rui chuckles. “So, Mizuki, are you enjoying your birthday so far?”
“Yup~ ♪ Akito-kun and I first took a stop at An’s café bar to have some morning coffee. I even got a free sundae because apparently if it’s your birthday, you get free dessert!”
“That’s wonderful. Do you have any other plans?”
“I’m the one getting spoiled here, but hanging out with my boyfriend and being with all of my good friends is the perfect birthday present I ever wanted~”
“I see.” Mizuki is really enjoying themselves… Nothing makes me happier than their smile.
Mizuki exposes a pearly grin. “Thank you, Rui. I’m glad you guys took the time to plan this party out for me. We might have to go soon and I feel bad for cutting this short. Believe it or not, many people would like to celebrate my birthday with me—even my circle~”
Rui nods. “Not a problem. Seeing you happy is good enough for me. I’m just glad this little show hasn’t gone to waste. Maybe next year, you could stick around here in Phoenix Wonderland a little longer and we can all watch the fireworks on the ferris wheel.”
“Ah…” Mizuki starts to picture that in their mind. Sharing one seat with Ena, Kanade, and Mafuyu while they all watch the fireworks together with all of them sharing smiles and laughs after playing around on the rides… It feels like a dream come true. “If my wish comes true, then… I would love that.”
“Hey, hey! Mizuki-chan! I really like your headband! Where’d you get it?” Emu asks as she ogles the rose on their headband.
“Oh, this? My big sister from overseas sent it to me as a present~ ♪”
“Wooooaahhhh! That’s so nice of her! It’s so pretty, too~ ♪” They exchange giggles.
Seeing how they’re having fun, Nene stands next to Rui with a small smile drawn across her face. “I’m glad this actually worked out. I don’t know Akiyama-san that well like you do, but… maybe when the time comes, I want to do a show that would make them happy… And maybe talk to them…”
Astounded by Nene’s proposal, Rui’s brows raise. “Oh? Could it be that you would like to be Mizuki’s friend as you are Hoshino-kun’s?”
Nene fidgets, lacing her fingers together. “Mm… I guess you can put it like that…”
“Fufu~ Surely, they would appreciate that.”
It’s time to say their goodbyes. Mizuki waves at Rui and the others while they cling to Akito’s arm. “Thank you guys so much for the little birthday show. I really enjoyed it~!”
“Of course!” Tsukasa places his hand on his chest proudly and extends his arm out as his face looks like it’s surrounded by glittering sparkles. “Next year, we’ll have an even bigger show for the birthday star!”
“Bye-bye, Mizuki-chan!” Emu says while waving.
“Bye-byeeee~”
“See ‘ya later.”
Akito and Mizuki turn their backs and leave Phoenix Wonderland. As Rui watches the pair leave, he’s never felt so relieved about how there is someone standing by Mizuki’s side. Shinonome-kun… Thank you for looking after Mizuki when they need someone.
As they wander around the streets of Miyamasuzaka, Mizuki intertwines their fingers with Akito’s. Akito has a free hand rubbing the back of his head with his cheeks warm.
“That panned out more nicely than I thought! I don’t know why you were so worried~” Mizuki lightly pokes Akito’s cheek to tease him. “But you were pretty evasive when Tsukasa-senpai suggested a party for you, too. ♪”
Irked by the reminder, Akito looks them in the eye, and he feels very agitated. “Would it be easier for me to tell you that I just hate clowns?”
They offer a cat-like smile as they blink a couple of times. “Nope.”
He squints. “Amazing.” As he clicks his tongue, Akito decides to dismiss that nonsense. If he woke one morning to Tsukasa all up in his face singing the birthday song to his face, he would scream like a horror movie victim. That’d be a nightmare come true. “Anyway, is there something else you wanna do?”
“Let’s go catch a movie! I heard that there is a Suzuki Seijun triple feature playing in theaters now!”
Akito is taken back by this as his brows went up. He tilts his head quizzically. “Huh? Aren’t those yakuza films? Do you actually like action packed stuff, Mizuki?”
Mizuki chuckles. “ I don’t watch a lot of them, but Suzuki-san was famous for his unique blending of color—and the main character, Hanada Goro, is the hitman who is being targeted by the Number One Killer after failing the impossible mission with some woman he fell for when she recruited him~ ♪”
There is something wrong with that string of words. Akito judgingly asks, “Why is that so specific…?”
“Beats me, but it’s a murder masterpiece!”
“Ah…”
At the theater, Mizuki asks for two tickets to the triple feature of the films, which were sold out, much to their dismay.
“Ehhh?! Sold out?! Aww, man…”
Akito sympathetically pats Mizuki on their back. “Sorry, hon. But look, they have Studio Ghibli Films playing.”
They scan the list of what’s currently playing. They gasped and held their cheeks excitedly, beaming. “They’re playing Howl’s Moving Castle! That’s my big sister’s favorite movie~!” Their eyes shine like diamonds as they think back to how when they were little, they would always sit on their sister’s lap to watch it. “I always teased her that she had a teeny crush on Howl because he was pretty handsome with blond hair.”
“Ena was more of a fan of Spirited Away ‘cuz she liked Haku. But yeah, Howl’s Moving Castle is pretty good, too.”
“Then it’s decided! Two tickets to one of the popular choices, please~! ♪”
After the movie, Mizuki feels a lot more cheerful after getting the chance to relive their childhood. “I feel like my skin got healthier and younger just by watching it again~ That’s a story to tell my big sister later.” They see Akito avoiding eye contact on purpose and decide to poke fun at him. “Not to mention, somebody was getting a little greedy by kissing my hand every five minutes~”
“Ngh…” There’s no way he could defend himself from that one. It just felt like an opportunity to sneak in some kisses during the movie. “I… I just wanted to remind you that I’m here, y’know?”
Hearing that makes Mizuki want to tease him even more, but that refreshing sentiment is enough to make them smile sweetly. “All is forgiven~”
Grabbing a bite at WEEKEND GARAGE, having a little party with Wonderlands x Showtime, and seeing Howl’s Moving Castle… Time is flying by pretty quickly. It’s hitting the evening by now. Thinking back on it, Akito seeing Mizuki smiling the whole time made him happy, but not as happy as they are. It was like back when they had their first date. They even had a duet together the first time they had dinner. Just then, he got an idea.
“Hey, Mizuki. I have one more spot to take you before we go home, okay? I think you might like it.” He takes their hand again and walks ahead.
Following along, Mizuki blushes from the sudden move he’s making. “Eh? Easy there, tiger! Where to?”
Minutes pass. Akito took Mizuki to a karaoke box they hadn’t seen in this part of town. There are those livehouses on Vivid Street and Kamiyama Street, but that’d been about it, as far as they could tell.
“Ahh… A karaoke box is the last spot I’d imagine to be taken out for a date, but there’s gotta be some kind of reason, right?” Mizuki gazes up at Akito who returns a gentle smile. They blink twice. “...Right?”
It feels embarrassing to ask this, but Akito scratches his cheek while still keeping eye contact with them. His brows scrunch down. “Will it hurt if I can do a couple of songs with you?”
Singing? Together? It’s not a bad idea, but they’d usually come seeing Akito and Touya practicing on their way home from extra classes. Although, singing with Akito might make today more magical. They giggle with their fingers pressed against their lips. “Oh, what the heck~ I have never been to a karaoke box before, though.”
“Not with Ena?”
“Naaaaah, she’d complain if I told her her singing stinks if she missed a note or ten~” Mizuki said, smirking.
“Ah. Understandable.”
“Buuuuut, since you’re the first to ask me out for karaoke, what are we waiting for? Let’s go~! ♪” They enter first, Akito following suit.
The room they got looks pretty typical with the colorful neon lights and diamond patterns on the walls with ASRUN posters hanging. It has enough space for them to move around in and kick back. Mizuki is the first to take a load off by plopping down on the couch. “Ahhhh~ I could take a nap in this place, wake up the next day, and act like nothing happened after a day of cramming a year’s worth of lessons in eight whole hours on a school day~ ♪”
Akito sits next to them. “You better not slack off or get horrible attendance if you don’t wanna sit through extra classes on a Saturday.”
“First of all, that was on a Sunday. Second of all, isn't the pot calling the kettle black?”
“ Hah?!”
“I heard from Touya-kun that you and An have a terrible, terrible time with studying that he and Kohane-chan got both on your backs to get you to put in the effort to get your grades up~ Compared to me, the year’s worth of material may be a pain, but it feels like common knowledge~ ♪”
“Common knowledge?!” Akito exclaims. “Algebra is chronic, physical torture!”
“Fu-fu-fuuuu~” Akito can see devil horns popping out of their head that personifies Mizuki’s sneaky demeanor.
Akito can feel his patience being tested by God Himself. Sometimes, he wants to mess with them back and play the reverse card, but it’s really hard to do it, considering Mizuki’s playful personality just makes them cuter. Though, he can’t go saying that or else they’d tease him more. “You…”
“Me, affectionate? Or me, derogatory?”
He clicks his tongue. “I’ll just go first…” Akito stands and takes a microphone and browses around the playlist. Some of it are Virtual Singer songs, some are anime and game soundtracks—everything. “Oh, sweet. They have all the Naruto openings from part one up to Shippuden.”
Mizuki breaks out in song. “You are my friend! ♪”
“Stop it.”
“Whaaaat~? C’mon, you have to admit that was funny!” They snicker as they kick their feet back and forth.
Spiritually and emotionally, Akito has died. Cause of death? Akiyama Mizuki. It was over for him—but he can forgive this since Mizuki plays around to liven up their relationship. It’s all harmless jokes that can be resolved with pecks on the cheeks.
Akito’s brows lift in astonishment when a couple of Kagerou Project songs are on the list. Yobanashi Deceive is one of the songs he and Touya practiced with Len in the Sekai. “Let’s try this song.”
Akito taps his foot to the rhythm of the guitar in the song. Mizuki listens while bopping their head from side to side. It has a catchy beat, but Mizuki was in for a surprise when Akito started hitting the notes. His cadence has reached even the levels of the seventh octave much to Mizuki’s surprise. And the emotions he poured out—they were hard to put a finger on.
“Ahh, maybe I went on a little too long,” Akito quotes from the song. “But, hey, like I said, it’s just a tall tale.” As if he were getting in character, he draws a smirk on his face. “Well, that’s where I’ll stop for today. Next time you hear the signal, I’ll tell you an even stranger tale~”
The song ends. Woah… Akito-kun can really go that high? Mizuki thinks back to when they and Ena watched him and Touya perform on the amateur stage back at the festival. Haha~ He sure surprises me every time... They clap and cheer, “Al-riiiight~! Way to blow me away~! All that practice you did with Touya-kun and the others paid off, didn’t it?”
“For sure. We still have ways to go if we wanna surpass RAD WEEKEND, though. If anything, this was pretty much of a warmup.”
Mizuki attempts to hold back their laugh. “O-okay, but… When you tried that Kano impression… I-I was almost convinced if you were an actor!”
“Leave the theatrics to the clown quartet,” retorted Akito. “Just because I found that closing line cool doesn’t make me a theater kid or whatever.”
“My turn!” They take the mic from Akito and scrolls around the playlist. “Hmmmm~ There’s so many good things… Ah! This one!” They select Otome Dissection—a great song, but also touchy and saddening.
Mizuki expresses not only their powerful vocals, but the soulful emotions from the bottom of their heart. They bend closer to Akito’s face and gently stroke his cheek while singing out into the microphone, “Love me, please~? ♪” then darts away from him.
Akito doesn’t know what to think of the song, but he has the general idea of it being so heartbreaking. Instinctively, he wants to reach out and give them a tight embrace.
“Let’s play the game of dissection after all. Calling each other by our real names, come on. ‘I don’t wanna live’—I should have just said that. Will I be able to find peace? ♪” Mizuki takes another breath. “Let’s play the game of dissection, come on. I mean, everyone wants a little excitement in their life, right? I wanna feel ashamed, when I realized it’s good where it hurts—just like that night… ♪”
Akito takes the chance to stand from the couch to reel Mizuki into a hug and lay a kiss on their forehead. “Oi, oi… It’s your birthday. I nearly cried right there.”
“Ahh, sorry…” They return the hug and let out a small laugh. “I know I should be enjoying my birthday, but sometimes I can’t help but think if my friends and the love of my life won’t be around forever…”
He tenderly holds their face up to meet his and presses one quick kiss to their lips. “Mizuki… Unconditionally, I love you so much. Of course I will be there for you, no matter what. Not just me—but you have Ena, your circle, Momoi-san, An, and Kamishiro-senpai to be there for you. You aren’t alone.”
A fluttery feeling tingles them. It’s something Mizuki had wanted to hear at least from their boyfriend. If they heard the same from their good friends, then that will suffice. “Akito-kun… Thank you for being with me on my birthday~”
“It’s no problem. It’s what I do—not just as your boyfriend, but as one of the many people in your life who find you valuable.” Gently, Akito combs his fingers through Mizuki’s smooth, pastel pink hair. “Oh, right. I got you something. I was gonna wait until we're ready to head home, but I think now is a good time.”
“Hm?”
Akito digs into his pocket to pull out a small box. “Here.”
Mizuki gasps. “Oh, my gosh…! Akito-kun, are you proposing to me?!”
Akito’s face flushes a dark red. “Wh—? N-no! Just… open it!”
“Hahaaa~ I was just messing with you~” They take the box and slowly open it. A pair of pink heart shaped diamond earrings color Mizuki surprised. “Ohhh… These are pretty! What store did you get these from?!”
“There was a nice jewelry store on Kamiyama Street, and these were pretty pricey. I bought these right before you got dressed and met up with me. I’m more glad that they weren’t damaged when we took a stop by Phoenix Wonderland.” Akito shivers at the thought of what would've happened if the earrings got damaged by Rui’s inventions or something. “...So, do you like them? They’ll go well with your fancy dresses.”
“Like? I love them~! This is a super cute surprise, Akito-kun! I can wear these if we go out for dinner on your birthday~” Mizuki closes the box and embraces boyfriend. “I love you, Akito-kun~ ♪”
He wraps his arms around their waist, tracing his hands around their back. “I love you, too. Happy Birthday, Mizuki.”
The day had been well spent. Akito drops Mizuki off back home and parted ways with their exchanges of ‘I love you’ and quick kisses. Mizuki sets foot in the house and stretches their arms. “I’m so beat~ Oh, right… Ena says that she wants me to log on to Night Code by the time I get back. I think I’ll grab light snack first~”
As usual on Night Code, Kanade, Mafuyu, and Ena are being productive, but they aren’t producing a new song to post online. Ena wears a cat-like smile as she finishes coloring her new art piece. “Almost done…”
“Enanan, Yuki and I are finished with the song. Should I send it now?” Kanade hovers her mouse and left clicks to open her direct messages with Ena.
“Sure! Let me finish this first. We gotta get this done before Amia comes home from their date with my brother.”
“I wasn’t sure what to think about when it came to Amia’s birthday,” Mafuyu says as she sends Ena the document file to the lyrics. “I think it would be better if they listened to it themselves, but you said we all have to check each other's work before we submit, yes?”
“Well, yeah! We need to make sure that it’s perfect for them!”
Kanade smiles behind her computer screen. “Enanan really wants to make Amia happy with this project. I admire that.”
Mafuyu gives a hum. “This is the first time Enanan has decided to take charge over this activity.”
“Hah?! It’s not just an activity, it’s a special occasion!” In the corner of their eye, Ena notices Mizuki online. “Oh— Amia’s home! Just in time! I finished the illustration, too!”
The Night Code voice chat join sound effect rings. Mizuki tunefully sings, “I’m hooooome~ ♪”
“Welcome back, Amia,” Kanade greets.
“Welcome back,” Mafuyu follows.
“Welcome back! Did you have fun today?” Ena exits out of her art program, saving her file as a PNG titled 'amiabirthday2021.'
“Yeaaaah~ I have gotten so many birthday wishes this morning, then baby brother-kun decided to take me out to make my day worth it~ We met some friends, had coffee, ice cream, saw a movie, and hung out at the karaoke.” Mizuki leans back on their chair whilst rolling their neck around. “I feel tired.”
“Well, it’s your lucky day—because we just got started~” says Ena proudly to Mizuki’s bewilderment. “We only have one thing left to do, and that’s—!”
“Amia. Happy Birthday.” It’s Mafuyu who speaks first. Ena and Kanade awkwardly take their turns to also wish Mizuki simultaneously.
Mizuki laughs. “What the heck~? It’s all over the place~”
“Because Yuki rudely interrupted me—I nearly forgot what I was going to say!” Ena squawks scoldingly.
“Oh. My apologies. I thought we were supposed to start when you said there was one thing left to do for Amia.”
Ena takes the deepest breath before exhaling sharply. “Anyway! We wanted to give you a nice birthday present. I took responsibility to plan this out just for you while you and Akito spent the whole day for yourself.”
Mafuyu shows confusion just by blinking. “But before they logged on, you said—”
“I know what I said, but just forget that! It’s… too late to look things over, anyway…”
Mizuki isn’t sure what to make of this, but the curiosity is getting to them. “Aww, now I wanna know. C’mon, you guuuuys~ Don’t leave me in the dark like this~ ♪”
Ena, Kanade, and Mafuyu open up their file folders. Ena then says, “On my count, we all send Amia the greatest present. Ready? Three, two, one—!”
Simultaneously, they all send Mizuki the most surprising gift of all—a song written by Mafuyu and composed by Kanade, and a group illustration by Ena. Ena drew a picture of Mizuki with their circle mates with a large birthday cake stacked up to four layers. On top, there are cake stands of Miku, Rin, Meiko, and Luka as chibis. 25-ji in the picture are grinning, and Kanade's song composition exudes a gentle melody that resembles the music box song her dad created for her mom. Mafuyu’s lyrics are pretty short, but it delivers a Happy Birthday message to Mizuki.
“Happy Birthday, Amia!” the girls say all at one time.
Behind their screen, Mizuki has never felt so astonished. They really took all that time to do this just for them. It’s like being wrapped in a warm blanket—everybody Mizuki knows showing how much they love and care for them. Their face is covered up in a long stream of tears. “Ahhh… You guys… Hehe~ This has been the best birthday ever! Thank you so much…”
“Amia… Even outside of our work, I really am glad to have met you. You’ve helped a lot. I’m glad Enanan suggested this idea to make your birthday an even greater one,” says Kanade, smiling warmly.
“I don’t know if this will make you happy, but I don’t feel any pain when I’m around Amia. I think I discovered something that makes me consider you as a friend.” Even if her words are dry, Mafuyu does give a small smile—even if nobody can see it.
“You’re always there for us even when the times get rough. That’s why… That’s why we treasure you so much, Amia.” Ena shows an even bigger smile. Times like these, it makes her wish they all had video cameras to video chat and see each other's faces.
Mizuki sniffles and wipes their eyes with their sleeve. “You guys really are the best~ Hey… Can you guys promise me something?”
“What is it?” Ena asks.
Closely, they lean towards the computer screen. It’s about time that they stopped bottling up this feeling. Now that their circle had done something this nice for Mizuki, they found the resolve to talk about their feelings. “Let’s be together forever… As best friends!”