Key to My Heart
Today was supposed to be a happy day, but it wasn't. Today, Kuki Sanban turned 13. It was happy because she was growing up, but sad because she would have to be decommissioned from the Kid Next Door.
The only friend that was at her birthday was Wallabee Beatles. He was part of the Kid Next Door and she has had a crush on him since she was 10. Wally was the youngest. Nigel, Hoagie, and Abby had already been decommissioned and didn't remember a thing about their time in the Kids Next Door, or that they were friends with Kuki and Wally.
Wally was the most upset about Kuki's birthday. Even though he'd never admit it, he liked Kuki too. He wasn't into all the cruddy, mushy stuff, so he didn't know how to tell her, even if he had the courage. He knew that he had a week before she forgot all about him, so he had a plan. He was going to give her a present that would explain his feelings and he didn't have to use words, though he knew he should, since Kuki could be clueless at times.
Before Kuki blew out the candles on her cake, she stood behind where Wally was sitting and wrapped her arms around his neck so she was hugging him. They smiled a pain filled but happy smile as Mrs. Sanban took a picture of them.
When Kuki leaned in to blow out her birthday candles, Wally and Mushi pushed her head in her cake. Of course, her mother took a picture, trying to actually take it while laughing.
Kuki lifted her head to glare at her little sister, who ran when Kuki looked up, so she turned to glare at Wally who was too busy laughing to notice. She turned to her smooshed up cake and picked up a piece with her hand, smashing it in Wally's face. He immediately stopped laughing and looked at her. There were several more flashes, but the two were too busy looking at each other to notice. Wally glared and Kuki smirked. She swiped her finger against his cheek and put it in her mouth.
"Mmm, vanilla!" she smiled and he just stared at her. Then they both started laughing and leaning on each other for support.
"Wally, Kuki, look over here." Mrs. Sanban called to them. They looked at her still laughing a little. She held the camera up and they put an arm around each other's shoulders, smiling a real smile at the woman taking the picture. Their worries about her being decommissioned were momentarily forgotten.
Later…
Kuki and Wally were in the bathroom trying to clean the cake off their faces and out of their hair, laughing lightly at their act.
Suddenly, reality coming back to them, they realized they shouldn't be smiling.
Wally looked at Kuki, who was getting cake out her hair and hiding her tears from her best friend.
"I'm gonna miss ya, Kooks." he said softly.
She nodded and tears came faster. "Somewhere I know I'll miss you, too." he turned her to face him and hugged her tightly. This shocked her because he wasn't the type to hug people first, you usually have to hug him first and still he usually doesn't hug you back.
Slowly, she wrapped her arms around Wally, too.
"I hate this cruddy decommissioning thing!" he said.
Wally sighed and ran his fingers through his cake-filled hair. He thought quietly while Kuki continued to clean the cake off her.
"Hey, Kooks?" she looked at his nervous face with curiosity. He pulled out a pink box from his pocket. "I, uh, I got this for ya." he held it out and she looked at it confused. "Happy birthday." Wally knew no one was going to give her a birthday present because she ordered them not to.
"Wally," she scolded him. "I told everyone not to get me anything!" he sighed.
"Kooks, I got ya this for a reason." she crossed her arms and waited expectantly. "Just… open it first." he handed it to her and she opened the pink velvet box to reveal a necklace with a key attached to it.
"It's beautiful, but what exactly was the reason for this?" Wally grabbed a chain around his neck to show her a heart. She was still confused.
"Kooks, you have the key to my heart." she stared at him shocked. "I've had a crush on you since we were 10, but I'd never admit that to anyone. But I realized I had to suck it up and get enough courage to tell ya before ya forgot." he looked down embarrassed. He felt two warm hands pulling his face up. He looked up at Kuki, who was smiling at him. She leaned in and softly pressed her lips to his. This was their first kiss. Not their first kiss together, but at all. She quickly pulled away and hugged him tightly.
"I love it, Wally." she said and Wally hugged her just as tight. They saw a flash and looked towards the door, where Mushi was standing, smiling evilly and holding the camera. "Mushi!" Kuki yelled at her sister, who ran away yelling for their mom. Wally and Kuki ran out into the living room where Mushi was showing their mother.
"Awe! How cute!" Mrs. Sanban gushed looking at the picture with a hand over her heart and a smile on her face.
Wally and Kuki looked away and stepped a little bit away from each other, a blush present on both of their faces.
"You two are so adorable!" Mrs. Sanban continued to gush, causing their blushes to deepen to a deep red color. "Ok, Ok, you two go finish getting the cake out of your hair." she smiled at them and they ran out of the room, happy to get away from her.
After they finally got the cake out of their hair, Kuki taking longer since her hair was longer, Wally took the necklace and told her to turn around. He gently placed it around her neck and latched it in the back. Kuki turned around and hugged him.