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The moment Tadashi opened his eyes, he knew something was wrong. His room was unusually bright, the sounds of the household too active for an early hour. Bolting upright, Tadashi cast off the blankets as he reached for his phone, already aware that he had overslept.
By nearly two hours? How? He had several failsafes set up so he would never miss an alarm. Plus, no one had come by to wake him. Oh no… that likely meant no one had awoken Ainosuke yet.
After dressing at a marathon pace, Tadashi made his hair presentable and brushed his teeth. He expertly tied his necktie as he swiftly maneuvered the hallway to Ainosuke's bedroom, only to find the door wide open and the housekeeper making the bed.
Before she could address him, Tadashi raced for the breakfast room, which was the first place Ainosuke would go upon waking. At the far end of the table, feet propped up on the impeccably whitened tablecloth, Ainosuke sat, fixated on whatever caught his attention while scrolling his phone.
Tadashi approached slowly, hesitant to be reprimanded, but thoroughly confused.
"Good morning, Mister Ainosuke." His voice came out soft, but just loud enough to break his employer's concentration.
"Ah! There you are. I trust you slept well?"
Tadashi nodded, still wary as he remained standing rigidly to one side of the table.
"I apologize, Sir. There must have been a defect with my alarm-"
"Nonsense! I made certain all of your contraptions were deactivated while you slept. As part of your birthday gift, you see."
"My gift, Sir?"
"Yes. Your day off." Ainosuke impatiently gestured to a chair, and Tadashi obediently sank into it. "You will not work today. I have everything covered. A driver to take me to meetings and remind me when said-meetings will be. Oh! and reservations at my favorite restaurants so I don't starve in your absence."
Tadashi continued to stare at him in disbelief. "I don't understand."
Ainosuke sighed as if he were already weary of the day. "It's your birthday. My gift to you is a day off, to do with as you please. And I won't take no for an answer." Rising from his seat, Ainosuke pocketed his phone and paused beside Tadashi. "I've ordered the kitchen to make your favorite dishes for breakfast. Bonne Appétit!" Ainosuke patted Tadashi's head, then made his way toward the door.
Tadashi's eyes narrowed as a sudden realization came to him.
"Sir, I'm sorry, wait- who woke you today?"
Ainosuke paused, glancing back over his shoulder with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Why do you ask?"
So, he's been able to wake on his own this whole time. Instead he chose to be a brat about it and make me his human alarm clock. Of COURSE he did.
"No reason," Tadashi replied steadily as the kitchen began to serve him.
"Happy Birthday, Tadashi," Ainosuke declared, his smirk even wider as he exited the room.
Left in silence except for the bustling of the kitchen staff, Tadashi waited patiently as they brought numerous dishes to the table. With no need to rush, he bypassed coffee in favor of sencha, and pondered what he could do with a free day. It had crossed his mind many times, but in every scenario, he was still in a hurry to try to accomplish all of his plans. That didn't sound like much fun.
The ferry to Zamami Island had always been a serious consideration. There, he could enjoy the red foliage and meditate, then track down his once-yearly favorite treat to round out the day. Pleased with these plans, Tadashi began to pile his plate with ample portions of the spread before him. Usually he ate swiftly in the mornings, for the purpose of energy, and barely enjoyed his meals; today, he leisurely feasted on simple favorites: miso, omelet with umeboshi, sweet potato, and rice.
Suited in dark jeans and a light sweater, with a small emerald stud in his left ear, Tadashi boarded the ferry. It was a blustery day out on the water, but the sun radiated warmth from a clear blue sky overhead. The ride was as lovely as he remembered. Tadashi stood at the side rail, watching the sea birds swoop and soar as he let the wind tousle his hair. He felt his body relax upon closing his eyes to enjoy the calming sound of waves lapping against the side of the boat. Even the low hum of indistinguishable conversation from the other passengers seemed to melt into the atmosphere around him until it was all one sensation.
Tadashi was almost disappointed to reach the shore, but upon disembarking, he marveled at the magnificent red crowns of the wax trees. Eyes shining with wonder, he reached out to touch leaves of a low hanging branch. The scarlet fronds were a stark contrast to the cradle of his pale skin, framed by the bright blue sky beyond.
He missed spending significant time in the garden. Though Tadashi still tended the roses, he used to revel in digging his hands into the soil, and climbing ladders to stand over the hedges in the sun. The herb garden was lovely already; perhaps he could start a small berry patch. Goals to set when he had time.
What time, though? Nearly every minute of every day was scheduled for him, and the rare moments that weren't, led to sleep. That left room for nothing strictly TADASHI. Oftentimes he wondered what it would be like to join the group at the skatepark, or visit Dope Sketch without an errand. Perhaps invite Higa to see the garden. Despite his bravado as Shadow, Tadashi knew no one would enjoy the grounds or give better gardening advice than Higa Hiromi. And, would Miya be interested in learning more skate tricks from him?
Could he finally have friends outside the estate?
Perhaps with the new revelation that Mr. Ainosuke could accomplish some things on his own - and the grace he showed in gifting a day off - there might be room for compromise in his workload. It felt like Ainosuke had become more generous and a bit softer in the year following his defeat at S.
Perhaps. Right now, however, he was grateful for a day of freedom and enjoying some solitude.
Seeking out a bench near the temple, Tadashi sat and slipped out of his shoes and socks. He happily sank his feet into the earth, wiggling his toes in the cold, damp mix of sand and soil. Gazing out at the horizon, Tadashi breathed in the salty air, then closed his eyes to meditate.
The day passed at a leisurely rate, with Tadashi exploring the temple, meditating, hiking, and swimming in the crystal clear waters. He felt refreshed as he boarded the return ferry, the late afternoon sun warm enough to dry his still-damp hair.
There was one thing left on his agenda, something Tadashi did privately every year as a birthday treat to himself. He stopped at a grocer and bought the single deli cup, taking care not to damage the bagged treasure as he returned to the estate. Traversing the quiet halls, Tadashi entered his room and latched the door. Though it was still early, he changed into lounge pants and a tee shirt to get comfortable. As he moved to sit in his reading chair, something outside the sliding glass door caught his eye. With a frown, he approached, then glanced around the room in confusion.
No, he hadn't wandered into the wrong room. But instead of the small unfinished patch of wood shavings outside the doors, there was a full wooden deck, complete with a cafe table and two chairs. The area was bordered by flowering shrubs and small trees for privacy. Still astonished, Tadashi ventured to the table where a large envelope was dedicated to him in impeccable calligraphy, and propped beside a gift box.
Setting down his small bag, Tadashi opened the card to read several birthday messages. It seemed Kaoru not only designed the card, but funded the "relaxation area". Oka, Reki and Langa built it; Kojiro provided the furniture, and Hiromi created the privacy wall of foliage. Deeply touched, Tadashi curiously opened the box, finding a small card signed by Miya and attached to an article of clothing. Lifting and shaking it out gently, he stared at the hoodie, puzzled at first. His slow smile soon turned into a chuckle as he realized it was identical to Miya's cat-eared one, only all black. The child must have recalled the "favorite animal" conversations they had during intermission in his training and races at S.
Tadashi tucked himself into the hoodie, tugging the hood up over his head and drawing the strings. Settling down into the chair, he opened the bag and withdrew the gift to himself: a cup of tapioca pudding. Though Tadashi could easily eat it every day, it was the one treat he had always asked to have on his birthday. There was a specialness in waiting to savor the simple dessert once a year.
Sinking down in the chair, which faced the setting sun, Tadashi tented his knees and slowly ate the pudding. He watched the hues of orange and pink blaze across the sky to signal the transition he loved the most.
The end to a perfect day, and the beginning to many more.