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Sometimes Minori didn’t understand why she was thought of as a bit dumb. Sure her grades were far from the best in her class, but they were still GOOD grades, she was just in an environment with a lot of studious girls.
Maybe it was being a bit slow on the uptake? People had made comments to her in the past that she wouldn’t even register as an insult until hours later.
There were lots of little reasons, and maybe her reputation for being “dumb as bricks” (in Shiho’s words) was more due to an accumulation of many smaller things than any larger reason. Still, it was a bit hard to grasp.
Then, she forgot her own birthday… that helped it click for her a bit. She could say she was busy with More More Jump getting more popular, but she had a special birthday stream planned for the day… so a work focused Minori should remember it.
Maybe she was just a little stupid, would that be so bad?
It took until lunch period when she realized it was her birthday. Sure, her friends had gone out of their way to greet her that morning, but that could happen any day! It didn’t… but it could!
It wasn’t until she got a text from Kanade wishing her a happy birthday that it clicked in her head.
“Wah!?!? OH YEAH!!!”
Shiho grimaced, “Loud…” then took a breath to steady herself, “Is… something going on Minori?”
“Ehehe well… it just slipped my mind that today was my birthday.”
Shiho didn’t need to say a word to convey her disappointment. It was… deserved maybe. Once again closing her eyes and taking a breath, the disappointment faded from her face, “It… yes, it is your birthday. In case I haven’t said it clearly, happy birthday.”
“Haha, Shiho-chan’s being nice to me today!”
“I’m nice to you every day…”
Kohane giggled nearby, “Maybe, but you’re giving Minori-chan special treatment for her birthday, aren’t you.”
“No… shut up.”
That’s the most they’re likely to get out of her. Shiho’s affection for her friends was rather limited. Getting to talk to her at all felt like a treat, and she’d softened up on them since they first met… but a tsundere was a tsundere, and damn if Shiho wasn’t the best.
Though a small sound of papers brough Minori’s attention back to Shiho, as the girl pulled a small envelope from her bag and passed it to her.
She mouthed “Happy birthday” with a smile as the teacher began to speak. Guess she’d be reading it after classes were done…
As her final class ends, she dashes out the door. No time to waste, she needs to prepare for her birthday stream. Plus… she’d like to read Shiho’s note before it begins.
Tearing onto an empty roof, she ripped the envelope open. The writing was fancy, far fancier than was needed for a simple birthday note.
Dear Minori,
I hope you’ve had a wonderful birthday so far, and I wish you well on your birthday livestream. Onee-chan seems excited, and I hope you are too. You so often are.
I wanted to write you this note to show some gratitude, I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m not the best at expressing as much verbally.
I entered high school very much alone, I never had the sense I could fit in with my classmates. I’m quite brash and closed off, and those who got close tended to drift away. To be approached with the energy you brought was new to me, not something I’d experienced since I was in grade school and first made friends with Saki.
You’ve helped me more than you know, not only to celebrate a love for performance and music, but in celebrating myself. I truly don’t understand what you found impressive about me back then, you have always been the one to consistently impress me. Always making an effort to improve, always moving forward, and always remaining kind.
Assuming I’ve given this note to you during school, could you please find the time to meet up after your stream? I’ll be waiting in our classroom when the time comes, I’d like to put some of my gratitude into words. You deserve as much.
Happy birthday Minori
From, Shiho Hinomori
She almost passed out from the sugar rush. Such an unbelievably sweet letter from such a stoic girl, and there was more to come?
“Minori, are you ready?”
“Eh?” while she was reading, it seemed the rest of her group had come up to the roof. Airi was already setting up the camera, and Haruka was looking at her a bit concerned. “Ahaha, y-yup! I’m super ready!!!”
The school halls were quiet this late into the evening. More More Jump’s stream had gone well, and the gifts she’d received had sent her over the moon! Yet… throughout it all, her mind was elsewhere. How could it not be! The cool handsome girl in her class giving her such a heartfelt note… it felt like a confession!
It wasn’t, it absolutely wasn’t. Shiho was way too cool for her, but it was fun to dream! Maybe one day in the future, her idol power would be enough to match a super handsome girlfriend. She’d just have to train more and more and-
Minori walked into the doorframe of class 1A, “Ow…”
“Are you alright?” Shiho rushed to her side, checking out her forehead to ensure it was fine.
“Ehehe, I just got lost in thought, I’m ok Shiho-chan! You don’t need to act all worried.”
“I’m… I wasn’t doing that…”
Minori chuckled, “Yes you were! Normally you’d be all like… ‘Minori, why are you so dumb’ or something, but I guess the birthday girl gets special treatment.”
“I’m just… doing what you’d do. Nothing special about that…” she strolled back to her desk, slumping down in her chair, “I didn’t think you’d come… it’s pretty late.”
“Of course! It said so right here!” she pointed at the letter as though Shiho hadn’t written it herself, “I wasn’t going to leave you waiting! Plus um… w-well I wanted to hear what else you had to say, so…”
In the faint evening glow of the setting sun, shining down through the window, a sound reverberated through the classroom. The sound of skin meeting skin, as Shiho slapped herself in the face.
“SH-SHIHO-CHAN, WHY DID-”
“Focus…” she stated, “I needed focus.”
She stood from her desk, continuing to pat her cheeks a bit harder than she maybe should. More focus maybe…
“I figured I’d stumble over something, so the preamble is in the note. Minori, I like you, be my girlfriend.”
Shiho’s legs were shaking, she looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice.
“Um… I think I need my birthday present first…”
The girl’s anxiety melted into confusion, “Um… s-sorry I… it was just the card and-”
Minori cut her off with a quick peck, stealing her birthday present away.
“I j-just… wanted Shiho-chan’s first kiss… a-and my answer is yes…”
Apparently that was too much for Shiho to take, as she dashed out of the classroom, disappearing down the hall.
A minute later she received a message from the girl.
“I’ll take you on a date this weekend.”
“Thank you.”
“Happy birthday Minori”
And just a few moments later, one final text.
“You’re my idol.”