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Awesome. Yeah, totally awesome. Everything was coming together perfectly. This was just like one of those heist movies where all the actors were plotting out their intricate movements to break into the highly-guarded facility and swindle the treasure, she thought. Except the actors were figments of her imagination, the facility was school, the guards were her classmates, and the treasure was…
Well, what could be a greater treasure to Hitori Gotou than a simple greeting?
An affirmation that she existed as a human being and was not truly some disgustingly arrogant insect masquerading as a schoolgirl in some Kafkaesque charade.
If band shirts didn’t work, then no article of clothing would. She didn’t need anything more than her familiar pink tracksuit.
If band paraphernalia didn’t work, then she didn’t need to bring in any silly props.
If her guitar didn’t work, then it was clear people in her class didn’t really care much about her playing music.
No, this time, she knew what it would take.
February 21.
The day Hitori Gotou turned 17.
Last year, she didn’t know anyone in her class, so of course nobody knew to wish her a happy birthday. This was different now. Hitori had a secret weapon in her classroom this year. Well, not so secret, if she really thought about it.
Ikuyo Kita.
The outgoing, extroverted star of Shuka High, and Hitori’s best friend for close to a year now. She would act as the catalyst: she would be the one to joyfully wish Hitori a happy birthday.
Hitori could imagine it perfectly:
“Oh, good morning, Hitori-chan! Today’s your birthday, right? Happy birthday!”
Kita would proceed to hug Hitori in public, an act Hitori had grown a powerful resistance toward after repeated exposure.
“Oh, is it Gotou-san’s birthday? That’s great! Happy birthday!”
“You look so much more mature than you did yesterday!”
“Congratulations, Gotou-san!”
“You’re the coolest girl in the whole school, please be my friend!”
“Marry me!”
“Sleep with me!”
“Eh?!” Kita would, of course, respond, “No way, Hitori-chan’s mine!”
And then Kita’s aura would blind everyone with its full-force blast, and when everyone’s eyesight returned, Kita would have unveiled a colossal eight-layered birthday cake, ornamented in candles, hearts, little guitars, and adorable dolls of Hitori and Kita in angelic white dresses sitting atop under a cute banner which read ‘CONGRATULATIONS.’
Wait, that’s not a birthday cake. Scratch that part.
Hitori furiously shook her head to erase that embarrassing detail from her mind.
The truth was, Hitori had developed a crush on her bandmate and lead singer, much against her better judgment. Kita was way too popular, way too pretty, way too… everything to ever realistically be Hitori’s girlfriend. Hitori had to remind herself of this repeatedly ever since falling for her after the school festival last year. She first noticed the loving heat in her chest triumph over the usual cold, eldritch gunk when she went with her band to buy a new guitar after hers broke. Hitori had locked up when confronted by store staff, as usual, and in her time of need, Kita had laid her well-groomed, extremely attractive hands on her back to give her confidence to…
Well, Hitori froze up worse than usual. To everyone else, it appeared as though she was going through another of her manic episodes, but in truth, Kita’s closeness had thrown her brain into a frenzy, leaving her unable to mutter more than “kak” or “aguh” to Kita’s helpful questioning. When she came back to her senses, she owned a brand-new guitar.
She was really grateful to Kita for that.
Anyway!! This day was not about Kita! Well, it was, but only as a factor in Hitori’s master plan! Kita would let everyone know it was her birthday, and that would work as a conversation starter for the rest of her class! Finally, Hitori would be able to simply chat and maybe make new friends without having to give a speech or butt into a conversation. Kita was truly like an angel from the heavens above; Hitori would be so lost without her!
Hitori finished preparing for school, walked downstairs for breakfast, was wished a happy birthday by her loving family and little sister, and embarked for school.
The crisp winter air caused Hitori to develop goosebumps as she practically skipped her way to school. Normally, the morning commute was a time to brace herself for the trials and tribulations which would await her that day, such as countdowns to various school activities, but today… this was to be the day of her victory. She giggled to herself as she imagined her dream scenario over and over again.
Wait.
Uh oh.
Hitori stopped in her tracks just a few blocks from school, realizing that she forgot something absolutely essential to her plan. In her rehearsals, she had made several assumptions she simply imagined were true, one of which was so major that its invalidation would cause the entire scheme to backfire.
Did Kita even know it was her birthday?
Hitori began pacing in circles, drawing the attention of various pedestrians passing her by. Her mind was spinning in circles at twice her legs’ speed.
‘Oh my god, how did I overlook such a simple fact! Did I ever tell her my birthday? I didn’t, did I? It’s not something that would ever come up! We met after my 16th, right? Then she wouldn’t know, would she? Oh no, oh no no no no no no no no! I’m totally done for! All of this preparation was for nothing!’
Panic, despair, desperation, all crashed over Hitori like a tidal wave. She hadn’t even brought a backup prop like her flashy glasses or a party hat! What was she to do now?
“I will just have to accept my fate, one way or another.”
Hitori put on a brave face, cast in menacing shadow from the rising sun shining through her overgrown bangs. She was marching into battle with an empty rifle and a rusty sword. There wasn’t exactly a zero chance of Kita not pulling through for her today, but the surefire plan had suddenly become much more fiery than sure.
…
There was another hiccup Hitori had failed to consider.
What would happen if Kita simply wasn’t at school today?
Hitori sat silently in her seat, Kita’s own seat noticeably empty, surrounded by gossiping teenagers, all ignorant of Hitori’s special day. As usual.
Hitori laid her head onto her desk in defeat. Of course today would be the day Kita would be absent. Hitori hoped she was alright; she hadn’t heard anything from her or the rest of the band about her falling ill, and she seemed fine yesterday, if a little fidgety. What if her birthday was cursed? What if Nijika and Ryo were also afflicted with something horrible today? Maybe the idea of people outside of her parents acknowledging the birth of a water flea is just absurd, and her getting her hopes up caused the forces of the universe to converge upon her and crush her hopes. Again.
*sniff*
Oh no, she was crying. What happened to facing fate, one way or another? Hitori chastised herself in her head for her pathetic behavior. Hey, wait, she’s pathetic, right? Maybe someone would see her sorry self sobbing and approach her that way. She could complain about how nobody loves her or something with genuine tears flowing, and then everyone in the classroom would pull her into a pity-hug, for the day.
But Hitori didn’t want to be pitied. She wanted to be loved.
She managed to dry her tears and decided to text Kita to ask if she was okay. No response. She must be near death; Kita always had her phone by her side. Yeah, her birthday is totally cursed. Thinking about it, there was too much evidence supporting that idea. She was born in a freak typhoon in the middle of February, her father twisted his ankle one year trying to perform a dance for her when she was a toddler, and her mother got the flu a couple years ago. Hitori was sure other disasters were occurring all around Japan on February 21, too, and now, it would seem her cursed day had come for her friends. The curse must’ve been overjoyed to see new targets; Hitori had never had friends before, much less an actual crush.
Hitori, lost in her own world, decided to text Nijika and Ryo as well, making sure they weren’t dead. Again, no response. Okay, now Hitori was actually getting worried. There was a difference between her delusions and actual reality converging to meet them. All of a sudden, Hitori had shifted focus from feeling sorry for herself to genuinely worrying about her friends. Again, everything was fine at practice yesterday. They played well, everyone was talkative, even if most of the conversations were directed between them and not with Hitori herself, and everyone was in good spirits. Yeah, she had cursed them, there was no other possible explanation.
So Hitori texted each of her bandmates an apology.
‘I am sorry for cursing you all today!’
‘Please stay alive!’
‘I will go hide in my closet to try to contain the effects!’
Then, she received a reply, from Nijika.
‘What are you talking about? Are you feeling ill?’
Well… it would seem Nijika at least was okay. Another text.
‘Sorry, I didn’t know how to respond to your weird text. Uh, yeah I’m alive?’
‘Did something happen? If you’re feeling unwell, we can cancel practice tonight.’
Hitori quickly replied that she was fine and was just worried everyone had gotten sick since Kita was absent from school. There was a pause before Nijika replied.
‘Kita-chan isn’t there? Dang, I guess we’ll just have to have practice without her!’
That was odd, Hitori thought. Couldn’t Nijika just text Kita for confirmation? What was with the nonchalance regarding their lead vocalist? Ryo was with her and also alive, then?
Hitori sighed and put her phone away. She was relieved her birthday curse had at least spared Nijika, even if Kita apparently was suffering horribly. Maybe the calamity was befalling specifically Kita because of Hitori’s feelings for her. She would need to buy her flowers and confess to her very soon, then. Kita did give her chocolate for Valentine’s Day, much nicer looking ones than the store-bought treats Hitori had given the band. Maybe it was cosmic retribution for being so spineless as to not at least go all out for her. Yeah, that must be it.
The school day passed, and not a soul spoke to Hitori. Maybe next year she will be popular enough for someone to celebrate next year. Maybe Hitori would be dating Kita by then. Maybe she would win the lottery and never have to go to school again. She figured that last one was more likely than any of her other aspirations.
Hitori arrived at Starry for after school work and practice. The walk there was peaceful, at least compared to the emotional roller coaster that was having to dredge through the school day alone without her best friend and crush on her birthday. She didn’t like work, but she needed to see a friend’s face today.
She descended the stairs and entered the venue. The lights inside were turned off, implying she was somehow the first person there.
“Uh, hello? Manager-san? Nijika-chan?”
She didn’t really know what to do. She had never been at Starry all by herself. Was Seika off today? Nijika definitely said they were going to practice, so what happened? Did Seika miss an electricity bill? What if there were an accident? It would be par for the course for this wretched day.
Hitori stood at the entrance and texted Nijika what was up. No reply. Really, this was all too strange. Was her reception messed up? Well, she didn’t have anything else to do on her birthday, so she decided she could at least wait inside for a bit before bailing. Maybe they were all out buying a cake for her? Ha, as if.
Hitori entered the darkness, but as she carefully descended the stairs to the venue’s floor, the darkness suddenly exploded into a blinding mix of colored lights. PA-san had been camouflaged in the shadows, her long, black hair and clothing blending in with the dark equipment, and she had turned on the stage lights.
Then, music. Familiar music.
Then, a voice. A very familiar voice.
When Hitori recovered from her blindness, she could hardly believe what her eyes were taking in.
A large banner reading “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” was draped below the elevated platform. The ceiling was decorated with party strings. Most importantly, on stage, Kita, Ryo, and Nijika were performing a rock version of ‘Happy Birthday to You,’ with Kita singing out her wishes for Hitori to have a happy birthday.
Wait, why was Kita here? Wasn’t she just absent from school? Was this an impostor? Did she recover from her illness just hours ago?
Hitori was completely stunned, so much so that she didn’t even react to Seika appearing behind her to put a party hat on her head, laughing like a child the whole time.
“Happy Birthday dear Hitori-chaaaaaaan…!”
Nijika capped off Kita’s lyrics with a forceful slam to her cymbal.
“Happy birthday to yoooooou!”
The three finished with style. They were really good, especially Kita. That particular song is much simpler to play than any of their own library, but Kita killed it. She was amazing. And beautiful. Hitori could cry.
Hitori did, in fact, begin to cry.
“Surprise! Welcome to your birthday party, Bocchi-chan!”
“Happy birthday, Bocchi.”
“Hitori-chan, Hitori-chan!”
Kita sat her guitar down on the stage, leapt off of it with athletic finesse, and flew into Hitori’s arms.
“Happy birthday! I’m so sorry I couldn’t meet you at school, I was up all last night practicing and didn’t wake up in time for school, so I decided to come over here and help finish setting up!”
That explained it, then. The curse hadn’t taken anyone this year.
“I’m sorry to have worried you, Hitori-chan, but Ijichi-senpai ordered me not to say anything all day.”
“Yeah, sorry about lying, Bocchi-chan,” Nijika added, wiping the sweat from her brow, “but we wanted to surprise you! You once told me, well, mentioned within my vicinity in one of your episodes, you’ve never had a birthday party with friends before, so I wanted to make tonight special! Onee-chan was glad to help!”
Seika waved at Hitori, who finally noticed her. Hitori nodded in gratitude, causing Seika to blush and turn away.
“Everyone…” Hitori managed to utter amidst tears of joy and gratitude, “aahhhh… thank you… thank you so much! I love you guys… aaaaaaaahh!”
Now she was crying like a baby. Kita hugged her tightly, and Nijika and Ryo joined her as they came down off stage.
Nijika had discerned Hitori’s birthday from Seika’s employment registry. All of this was her idea. Hitori offered her life in eternal service to the Ijichi family in response to this information, but they both declined her. Seika had to think about it for a second, though.
They had cake, soda, and even took turns freestyling on stage as a game. Hitori won, as to be expected even without the birthday-girl bonus.
Hitori was so happy. She belonged here with these people. They didn’t want her gone, they didn’t think of her as less than them, they had all of this prepared just for her. She had never felt so loved in her life; she got what she wanted.
All in all, it was a fun evening, easily the most fun birthday Hitori had ever had.
“Hey, Hitori-chan, could you come with me for a bit?”
Kita asked Hitori to go backstage with her. Hitori had been on an emotional high all evening, but this request and its potential implications blasted her back into reality.
“Um… uh, yes,” she replied meekly, allowing Kita to take her by the sleeve of her jacket backstage. As the two walked, Hitori noticed Nijika and Ryo fist bump while eyeing them out of the corner of her eye. Nijika appeared to be wearing a sly expression.
“Could you, um, close the door?”
Hitori obliged, noting the uncharacteristic timidity in Kita’s voice. After she sealed the two of them inside, she turned around to see Kita holding a small box.
“Happy birthday, Hitori-chan.”
“Y-you didn’t need to get me anything…”
“Nonsense, uh… I really had to get you something! You’re my…”
Kita trailed off, blushing as red as her hair.
“A-anyway, please accept my gift!”
Hitori blushed in turn and took the box from Kita. It weighed nearly nothing.
“Can I open it?” Hitori asked.
“Please.”
It was simple to open, just a tiny white box with a little ribbon tying it together. Inside as a mess of crumpled gift paper, and inside…”
“Kita-san…”
A guitar pick. Not just any, either; it was colored entirely in black, with small, thin white lines stylized around the edges.
“It looks just like my Pacifica…”
“I had it made to look just like it… since I helped you pick it out, I just felt, uh…”
Kita stammered her words worse than Hitori usually did.
“D-Do you like it?”
“I love it…”
Because it was from her. Not that it wasn’t cool looking, it certainly was, but the fact that it was her first-ever birthday present from the girl she had fallen for put it over the top.
“Thank you, Kita-san. Th-this is the best b-birthday I’ve ever had.”
“I’m so glad, Hitori-chan.”
Another hug, this time Hitori managed the strength to return it.
It felt warm in Kita’s arms. It was a fantastically gentle warmth, something Hitori wished she could feel all day long.
Kita’s lips against her cheek were warm, too.
Wait.
What.
Hitori turned to face Kita, who was smiling in her arms. Did she not realize what she just did?
“Ki…ta…?”
Kita closed her eyes and smiled wider. The aura beamed intensely, like the sun.
Too warm.
Way, way too warm.
Hot, in fact.
Too hot. Like magma.
Like the actual, physical sun.
...
Hitori melted.
“Hitori-chan?!”
It would seem her birthday was cursed after all. This year’s victim: Hitori Gotou. She would never reach adulthood; her existence would be forever lost to the mop bucket and eventually Shimokitazawa’s sewer system. Alas poor Kita, she did not understand her own power. She would be arrested and jailed for murder.
‘I’m sorry, Mother, Father. I’m sorry, Kessoku Band. I simply was born too cute.’ – Ikuyo Kita, sentenced to life in prison, March 21
This would signal the end of Kessoku Band, at least until Nijika and Ryo could manage to scout two new guitarists. Maybe the publicity of a horrific murder would draw edgy rockers to them. This event would make an absolutely killer song.
When Hitori came to about five minutes later, she and Kita had a nice little discussion about their feelings, Kita’s desire to be with her, and Hitori’s admiration for the singer. Kita ignored all of Hitori’s warnings, and with no ammunition against herself left, Hitori decided to put her reservations aside and go for the gold.
Hitori passed her 17th birthday with another present. Maybe that giant cake would come one day after all.