It's a hot, dry morning in a somewhat busted up, but habitable dorm room, with dust flying in the sunlight through a window and cicadas filling the air.

"Ah... it's pretty quiet today," Shiro sighs. The only one else with him is Kuroh, and the jingle of Neko's presence is nowhere in sight.

The former nods, sitting cross legged against the wall. "Yes. And I suppose your lack of excitement is due to the heat."

Shiro tilts his head. Excitement? "Over what?"

For a moment, silence.

"Do you really not know." Kuroh's voice is as dry as the air.

"Know what?"

"Your-" Kuroh shakes his head. "Shiro, do you know what month it is?"

"Uh?"

Shiro doesn't really pay attention to months and the like.

"June. It is in June, Shiro."

Okay.

The white-haired King blinks and gives a clueless smile. "Is it? Then... with how warm it's gotten... it shouldn't be too long before it, huh?"

"..."

The vassal has a very dry, blank expression on his face. Shiro wonders if it's because the man chooses to wear black in the middle of late spring.

"Shiro, look at your watch."

Of course, Shiro does as such, before realising something.

"I don't own a watch."

"Look at your phone." Kuroh's tone remains considerably neutral.

"Uh...?"

Kuroh raises an eyebrow. "After all of this time, you still haven't gotten a phone?"

"Aha..."

Okay so in retrospect it's kind of sad how a mountain child like Kuroh possesses basic technology whereas Shiro does not.

Kuroh sighs heavily at the clueless look on Shiro's face and looks out the window. "So be it. Neko'll be back soon."

"Speaking of which, where'd she go?" Shiro's gotten used to Neko staying right by his side since the cat and dog found him, so her not being here is kind of foreign territory to him.

"I entrusted her with some money to get something done," Kuroh states.

Get what done?

"Were you responsible enough not only as a King, but a person in general, you would know."

Yeesh, harsh much.

Casually, Kuroh opens the window and promptly moves from anywhere near Shiro.

Well.

A flash of pink goes by and Shiro's now on his back with a long-haired Strain on top of him and smiling the day away.

She is only in one of his shirts and some shorts. The former is extremely loose on her.

"Shiro! Morning!"

Breathe, Isana.

He pats her head while trying – trying – to sit up. "Morning Neko. Where'd you go?"

Neko holds up several bags by her wrist. "Open 'em!" Apparently she is not interested in answering his question.

"Neko picked them all out. She wouldn't allow me to do so so I just lent her the money to pick things out." The one thing Kuroh will trust Neko with is bound to be related to Shiro so it shouldn't surprise anyone he physically gave her money.

"Because it is, without a doubt, the first of June, and it has been that way since you woke up," Kuroh points out.

And?

Shiro can't really ask that because Neko's basically nuzzling against him. She appears to be very excited over something and actually Shiro still doesn't know what's in those bags, but there goes Kuroh silently taking them from Neko.

"Neko? Did something good happen?"

The girl nods enthusiastically. "Mmhmm! Because today is the day that Neko was gonna be able to see Shiro later!"

Do what. That was in December, Neko.

"No, not actually meeting you," Neko points out. She has a serious expression now, actually. "It's just that today is what made it possible to meet you!" By now she has her arms around his neck and brings him into a tight hug.

Shiro still has a confused, but appreciative, look on his face, and in response, Kuroh presses the bags onto his head. "Birthday. It is your birthday. Happy birthday."

Neko nods vigorously. "Happy birthday Shiro!"

A solitary figure stands next to a window.

Staring out it, Shiro taps the glass and smiles to himself with a slight laugh, mixed with loneliness and fondness.

"Yeah... that's how it would go, isn't it...?"