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Kanade Yoisaki lingered near the doorway. "Um, excuse me." she said softly.
The nurse looked up from the chart. "Yes?"
"I already talked to him." Kanade added quickly, like she was clarifying something important. "I just wanted to ask... visiting hours are still until seven, right?"
"They are." the nurse nodded. "You're fine. You didn't stay too long."
Kanade hesitated. "He said something about his medication changing. I wasn't sure if he misunderstood, or if I did."
The nurse glanced down at the file again. "We adjusted the dosage this morning. Nothing drastic and it's not a bad thing either. We let your grandmother know beforehand. He might feel more tired than usual."
"Oh." Kanade said. "That's... good. I mean—if it helps."
"It should." the nurse said gently. "You did well in there. He seemed calmer after you left."
Kanade looked down. "I didn't really do anything."
"Sometimes being there is something." the nurse replied.
He doesn't even know who I am.
Kanade nodded once, quietly accepting that. "Then... I'll come back tomorrow. At the same time."
"We'll be here." the nurse said.
Kanade bowed her head slightly in thanks before turning down the hallway, with careful footsteps not to disturb any other patient or visitor.
She was on her way back from the hospital after visiting her father. It was her birthday, and she'd wanted to spend what little of it she could with her family. At least, that was the idea. In practice, it meant stopping by her mother's grave first, then heading straight to the hospital afterward.
Her father seemed a little better. There were signs of improvement, small ones, though his memory was still unreliable. It was fine. Kanade was fine. She wasn't going to break down today.
That wasn't entirely true. It hurt less than it used to, but she'd still swallowed back tears more times than she cared to count. She wasn't sure if it was because it was her birthday, or because birthdays came with memories she didn't know what to do with anymore. Ordinary, childhood memories that felt strangely heavy now.
What bothered her most was how empty the day felt. No one had been free to see her. Not even Mafuyu, who usually didn't mind coming along when Kanade visited her mother.
She told herself it didn't matter. She told herself a lot of things.
Everyone in Nightcord seemed to be busy today. They still held their usual night call the evening before. Everyone logged in together, greeting her like normal, except each of them paused long enough to say happy birthday first.
Kanade hadn't been expecting it. She'd been so buried in composing again lately that the date had slipped past her entirely, and for a moment she'd just stared at the screen, a little lost before quietly thanking them.
They still worked, of course. They always did. Music didn't stop just because it was her birthday, and neither did Niigo. Kanade didn't really believe in resting, and if anything, the fact that nothing stopped felt reassuring.
Still, the call afterward lingered in her thoughts. It had been quieter than usual, filled with long pauses and the soft sounds of everyone being there without really speaking. At some point, Mizuki had asked Kanade if she had any plans for the day. The question hadn't been intrusive, but it had stayed with her longer than she expected.
She'd realized then, that she didn't really have an answer. Now, walking home from the hospital, that same quiet followed her. The day felt oddly unfinished as if something had been set aside and forgotten. She told herself it was just another date on the calendar and that she didn't need to do anything special for it.
Truthfully, she missed her mother's cooking. The warmth of it and the way it made the entire house feel full. She missed the melodies her father used to write just for her, little gifts shaped into sound. She missed... being celebrated. Now, though, the idea of a celebration felt wrong. Like it would only dig up things better left untouched, pull old pain to the surface when she'd worked so hard to keep it quiet.
By the time her building came into view, Kanade had already folded those thoughts away, the same way she always did.
Those days were long gone, and she knew she had to accept that. Now, her only plans for the night were simpler: deciding what else she could add to her songs, or which cup noodle flavor she felt like settling for this time.
Kanade slipped her key into the lock and stepped inside. The door closed behind her with a soft click, but something felt off to her.
It was darker than usual. Not just evening-dark, or the usual darkness around her house, but deliberately so, like the lights had been left untouched for hours. The familiar glow from her living room was gone.
She paused, hand still resting on her bag strap. Did I forget something? For a fleeting second, she wondered if she'd forgotten that Mochizuki was supposed to stop by, though she couldn't remember making any such plans. Her mind rifled through the day automatically. Hospital. Grave. Walking home. No messages she hadn't read. No reminders.
But the, she heard faint footsteps coming fom the kitchen. Kanade flinched, her heart jumped, and for half a second her thoughts spiraled somewhere sharp and irrational. I didn't lock the door properly? Did someone—
Before the fear could settle, the lights snapped on all at once. Brightness flooded her vision, blinding after the dark, and voices burst out in unison.
"Surprise—happy birthday!"
Kanade blinked as her eyes adjusted, the sudden brightness settling into something softer. Shapes came into focus. Streamers taped a little crookedly along the kitchen doorway, small decorations scattered wherever there'd been space, the table pushed slightly aside like it had been hurriedly cleared.
And then she saw Mizuki, Ena and Mafuyu standing there like they'd been caught mid-breath, all three watching her carefully, waiting for whatever reaction she might give them.
"Oh—" was all she managed. Because for a second, she just stared. "...How did you get inside?" she asked quietly.
Mizuki let out a small giggle, relief obvious, and crossed the distance in two quick steps. Before Kanade could react, she was pulled into a sudden, warm, tight but brief hug. "Sorry, sorry." Mizuki said immediately, pulling back just enough to look at her. "We know it's a lot. We didn't mean to scare you."
Ena nodded. "Yeah. We should've thought that through better. Intruding like this—really, we're sorry."
Mafuyu bowed her head slightly as well. "We did make sure it was allowed." she added calmly. "Your grandmother helped us."
Kanade's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Grandma?"
"She was totally in on it." Mizuki said, smiling. "She told us that you'd be out all day and gave us permission and everything."
Mafuyu continued evenly. "I also spoke with Ms. Mochizuki. She had a spare key and agreed to lend it to us for today."
"Oh—and she stopped by earlier to drop something off, but she couldn't stay long." Ena added quickly.
Kanade's chest tightened a little at that.
"She left you a gift and she told us to wish you a happy birthday in her place." Mizuki added.
Kanade couldn't find her voice. She looked at the three people standing in her house again, at the decorations and the way they'd clearly tried to make the kitchen feel warm and alive.
"...You didn't have to do all this." she murmured.
Mizuki smiled gently. "Nonsense! We wanted to."
Kanade realized, a little too late, that she was overwhelmed. The feeling crept up on her quietly. It didn't feel heavy, but it blurred the edges of everything around her. She hadn't noticed Mafuyu stepping away from the counter, or the faint strike of a lighter. The warm glow reached her eyes before her thoughts caught up.
When she looked down, Ena was already standing in front of her, holding a small cake with steady hands. Candles burned softly.
Mizuki leaned closer, grin gentle but expectant. "Hey, don't wait for the candles to go out. Make a wish."
All at once, Kanade became painfully aware of how everyone was watching her. Her face heated, embarrassment blooming in her chest. She wasn't used to this anymore. Being looked at like this and celebrated so openly. She didn't know where to put her hands, or what expression she was supposed to wear.
Still, she closed her eyes. The candlelight flickered behind her lids as she made a quiet wish—one she didn't let herself think about too deeply. Then she leaned forward and blew the candles out in one breath. The room went dim again, and Kanade opened her eyes, cheeks flushed. "Thank you."
Mizuki tilted her head, clearly unimpressed by how easily Kanade tried to move past it. "Aww, that's not fair. You're not gonna tell us what you wished for?"
Before Kanade could even think of an answer, Ena cut in, rolling her eyes. "She's not supposed to. It won't come true otherwise."
Mizuki gasped dramatically. "Huh? Since when are you superstitious, Ena~?"
"It's basic birthday etiquette." Ena shot back.
Kanade watched the exchange quietly with a small smile tugging at her lips before she could stop it. The tightness in her chest eased just a little. The warmth of the moment with the soft teasing and the familiar voices settled around her like something she'd been missing for years without realizing it.
"Kanade." Mafuyu spoke drawing Kanade's attention back. She was holding out a small birthday bag. "We brought you presents."
Kanade blinked, surprised all over again. "You really didn't have to." she voiced again, but her hands still reached out, accepting the bag with care.
One by one, she opened the bags carefully, afraid of tearing something she couldn't put back together.
The first one was from Mafuyu. Inside was a neatly arranged tea sampler, each packet labeled with precise text. Kanade read it slowly: blends meant for concentration, for staying awake through long nights, for easing tension back out of the body.
"You're awake late often. This one helps with focus. And that one's better when you're done working. I thought it might help you separate the two." Mafuyu said evenly before Kanade could ask.
Kanade nodded, already holding the box a little closer. Then there was something else beneath it. A vinyl sleeve, older and worn at the edges. Mafuyu glanced away for just a second. "You mentioned that album once. You said you'd only heard a fragment of it years ago. The recordings aren't online anymore, but I found a physical copy."
Kanade's heart leaped. "You remembered that?"
Mafuyu met her eyes again. "Yes."
Next was Ena's. The moment Kanade lifted the lid, a comforting scent drifted out without being overwhelming. Inside were aromatic candles, simple but carefully chosen, along with a small essential oil diffuser. Ena crossed her arms, a little embarrassed. "I mean—your place gets pretty quiet. And dark. I figured it might help make it feel less empty? Good atmosphere helps creativity. Or at least that's what people say."
Kanade smiled faintly. "It smells really nice."
"That was the goal." Ena returned the smile.
Lastly, Mizuki's. Kanade barely had time to react before color and softness spilled out. A throw blanket, light but seemingly warm, folded neatly. Beneath it were a pair of fuzzy socks, unmistakably cute–Mizuki's signature–and a small device still in its box.
Mizuki beamed. "Okay, so! Blanket for those I forgot what time it is composing sessions. Socks because your feet are always cold. And—" she tapped the box "—a sound machine. It can do ambient noise, rain, white noise, all that. For when silence gets too loud."
Kanade looked down at everything in her arms, overwhelmed all over again. "You all thought about this." she said quietly.
Mizuki grinned. "Of course we did. It's your birthday."
Kanade couldn't speak. She just stood there, surrounded by gifts meant to make her nights softer.
Mizuki leaned slightly toward Ena, nudging her with an elbow, not even subtle about it. Their lips moved just enough for Kanade to catch it.
"Come on... she'll love it."
Ena stiffened instantly. "Mizuki—" she muttered, flustered. "It's really not that big of a deal."
Mizuki straightened, then turned to Kanade with a grin that was far too innocent to be genuine. "Kanade." she said, sing-song, "there's one more gift we wanna show you."
Ena shot her a look. "We don't have to—"
"You worked hard on it." Mafuyu added calmly, already backing Mizuki up.
Ena hesitated, then let out a small sigh. "It's really not much, okay?"
She turned, grabbed her backpack, and carefully pulled out a small painting, wrapped with more care than the other gifts. When she finally held it up, Kanade felt her breath leave her chest.
It was an illustration of the four of them. A moment Kanade recognized immediately. The day they'd spent together in the Empty SEKAI, surrounded by the Vocaloids, the painting embracing the same quiet, endless and safe space. The colors were warm. The expressions were gentle. The writing below read Happy Birthday to our dear friend and composer, K
Mizuki pointed at one corner proudly. "I added the stickers. Couldn't help myself."
"When Ena told us about her idea, I bought a frame. In case you'd want to display it." Mafuyu said.
Kanade stared. Something inside her finally gave way. She didn't collapse or cry out, she just brought a hand to her mouth as tears slipped free. Her shoulders trembled, a small and broken sound escaping her before she could stop it.
"Oh—Kanade?" Mizuki's voice wavered. "Wait—are you okay? Did we—"
Ena panicked immediately. "I told you it was stupid—"
"No." Kanade said quickly, though her voice cracked. She shook her head, tears falling freely now. "No, it's not, I just—"
Mafuyu stepped closer and rested a gentle hand on Kanade's sleeve. Kanade laughed weakly through her tears, yet her chest felt warm instead of hollow. "I'm okay." she said, wiping at her eyes. "I just don't feel so alone right now."
The room went quiet again, but this time, it was full.
"Thank you. All of you. I'll cherish these gifts forever." Kanade whispered and she meant it with everything she had.
Everyone seemed to relax at once, like they'd all been holding their breath. Mizuki stepped closer. "Now now, enough tears on such a special day. Well—" she said, clapping her hands lightly, "we hope you're hungry, because Ms. Mochizuki made something sweet and delicious just for you. She was very insistent, actually."
Kanade blinked, the thought alone making her chest feel warm again.
"And when you're ready, we can head to the SEKAI." Ena added.
Mafuyu nodded. "Miku and the others waited patiently for today. They were excited at the idea of eating cake."
Mizuki laughed. "You have no idea how hard it was to convince Luka not to let you in on the surprise the first time we told her."
Ena huffed. "But, if you'd rather do something else, that's fine too. Seriously. We can stay here, or go out, or just not do anything. Whatever you want."
Kanade looked at them, at the concern, the patience, the way none of them were trying to pull her in any direction.
"I'm really happy." she admitted quietly.
The thought of her birthday didn't feel lonely at all now.