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When Koutarou’s mother asked him what he wanted for his birthday, the 9 years old made a list. A small list, with only five points, but he was really proud that it was a list. It was a bit hard to read, as his handwriting wasn’t yet the best. His mother really wished it would eventually improve. Wish that would never come true and would be shared by all the teachers Koutarou had from elementary school up to his last year at college.
But the fact that his son’s handwriting would be a constant concern wasn’t what was worrying her at the moment. The list he had given her was mostly clear and understandable, handwriting issue aside.
1. Cake!!
That was easy. Koutarou always loved chocolate cake and considered it the best part of having a birthday. His mother even managed to find a shop that sold cakes with personalised drawings. She wondered for some time which bright haired cartoon hero was his son’s favourite at the moment, but a quick glance at her shelf reminded her that there was nothing Koutarou loved more than owl documentaries.
Koutarou was not the best in class and science was definitely not his best subject, but he loved owl documentaries. He always ask them for his birthday or when they went to DVD shops. It was an easy answer then, an owl picture for his chocolate cak. Also, that led her to the next item on the list.
2. Owl film!
She sighted, she doubted there was any owl film he had not seen yet. She would take him to the DVD store and see if he managed to find something. He always did, be it a brand new DVD with more owl footage or a very old film that was two to three times older than him.
3. Colour pencils
Koutarou always loved drawing and then giving the drawings to his friends. He had a new obsession of drawing a boy (his mother wasn’t sure if it was one of his friends or Koutarou himself) with a big owl who happened to talk. She was not sure what the owl was supposed to be saying, a mixture of owl sounds and Koutarou’s calligraphy made the message impossible to read.
4. Valey Volley ball
Koutarou’s newest obsession. His mother wasn’t sure how long it would last, as his obsession with both basketball and football were relatively short lived. Years later, watching his son’s last high school match at the Nationals, she would be glad that it ended up being a long obsession. She would eventually see his son being crushed under the hugs of his teammates and she would recognise some of them. Friends his son managed to bully into joining the school’s volleyball team at a young age were now standing next to him sharing the glory.
She would be so proud. But at that moment she had no idea of that. For her it was just another of Koutarou’s fads, but if he wanted one so badly she would get him one. Also, seeing her son spike a basketball ball would end up giving her a heart attack. The boy’s ball control wasn’t yet the best and she was still waiting for the day her son broke something.
But what had her worried was point five. It was short and unusually well written.
5. Keiji
The problem was that she had no idea what a Keiji was supposed to be. Was it the name of the red haired protagonist? Was it the name of the new talking animal who saved the world on TV? Was it the name of an owl? Or was it simply one of his countless friends?
She had never heard of a Keiji before. She knew most of the sons of her neighbours. Also, she was pretty sure she knew about everyone in her son’s class, thanks to his incessant rambling and school festivals. But not any Keiji.
After a bit of thought she looked for her son’s class directory, and as she thought she didn’t manage to find anyone under the name of Keiji. A bit out of boredom and a bit out of curiosity, she looked at the children in other years. There were some boys in the year above she would eventually recognise thanks to her son’s team, but it was when she was looking at the children in the year below that she noticed something.
Akaashi Keiji
He was a real person, after all. She saw the picture next to the list of names, but she didn’t recognise the boy. Years later it would be a second nature, but mostly thanks to her son suddenly starting to chirp when he saw his friend. But that would be years later, at the moment she had no idea who he was.
Until she saw a boy that looked exactly the same as the one her son kept on drawing. The eyes were the same, and Koutarou had even managed to get the same eye colour in his drawings. She looked for one of the drawings and when she found one, went to the garden, where she assumed her son would be.
She was right. Koutarou was trying to spike his football ball this time. He looked a bit ridiculous because he had no one to practice with, so he made the ball bounce on the wall to set it.
“Kou-chan, come here a minute.” She asked her son. The boy turned towards her forgetting the ball, which would hit him straight in the head. His mother laughed, and thankfully instead of getting offended Koutarou joined her with his light childish laugh.
Once he had gone where she was standing, he saw that she had one of his masterpieces with her. He had no idea what was going on, it was true that it was a good drawing, but she had never stopped him from practicing because of that.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine sweetheart, just a little question.” She then showed him the drawing and pointing at the boy she asked “who is this?”
“It’s Keiji!”
“Okay… and who is this?” She was right on the Keiji thing at the end, but now she was curious about the owl.
“That’s me!” His mother nodded. “I am a big owl! When I grow up I will grow feathers and become one!” His mother chuckled a bit, she had no idea that one day she would walk into the bathroom and see her son dyeing his her. When she would ask he would give her a similar answer, about him trying to become an owl.
“Okay sweety, you will be the best owl I’m sure. Now, why did you asked for Keiji for your birthday?”
“He is not in my class so I can’t see him much in school, but I want to be with him!” Koutarou explained. “I want him to be with me on my birthday, it would be so fun. We could play volleyball!”
His mother smiled. She loved how Koutarou managed to make so many friends. The only shame was that Keiji was younger and wouldn’t be able to help Koutarou with his homework. But once again time would prove her wrong, as even a moth would be able to help Koutarou at school. He may be really good with many things, even brilliant, but school work would never be his forte.
Days later, Koutarou would return from a trip to the sports shop with his aunt and cousins where he found a volleyball ball. His parents would be waiting for him with a cake, two presents with colour pencils and an owl documentary they managed to find. Also, next to his parents would be waiting a young child, standing a bit awkwardly as it was his first time meeting Koutarou’s family and his friend wasn’t there.
When he saw Keiji, Koutarou smiled and jumped to where he was. Koutarou’s cousins joined them and soon they would be in the small garden playing with the new ball. The adults smiled and started a boring conversation about politics.
Koutarou’s mother looked through the window, wondering how long his son would be doing the same thing. She didn’t wanted her small child to grow.
But he did. However, he didn’t change much. Koutarou still played volleyball and it was what he did most of his birthdays. He stopped being close friends with Keiji when they went to different middle schools, but when they reunited in high school they became closer than ever.
New people joined, making her small garden look smaller each year. Friends, teammates, rivals… Until one year he stopped celebrating his birthday at home, ‘I have practice’ he would say. His mother would smile, because she knew that his teammates would make sure to celebrate with him.
And late in the afternoon, when only Koutarou and Akaashi returned after playing volleyball for hours to study, she would go to his room to leave her present. When she got to the door it was not completely closed. She saw her son and his friend. Nothing out of the ordinary. They had been spending lots of time together since Akaashi entered high school; making up for those four years when they didn’t saw each other.
What was unusual was that they were making out. She smiled, her husband owed her a nice dinner now. She made a bet with him two months ago that the two boys were dating, a mother always knows, but her husband had insisted that his son was not sharp enough to realise about his feelings and make a move.
The woman left her present in front of the door, like an offering. It was a new pair of kneepads, as the last time she had gone to one of her son’s matches he desperately needed ones. She then closed the door. If he wasn’t able to close his door properly at his parents’ home, she felt sorry for his future roommates.
They would see a lot of make outs. Or worse.