Birthdays were the only day of the year where you got to be the star of the day. Most people enjoyed it, and waited impatiently every year for that single day to come, while others didn't really mind.

Yuzuru didn't really care; birthdays only meant getting one year older, and getting one year closer to your death.

He treated his birthday like another usual day, hanging around at Border, training, and just doing nothing peculiar. He would get dinner at Kageura's shop with his dad, eat more than usual, and that was that.

And here he was, heading to his squad's preparation room to practice. After all, practice made perfect. He turned around a corner, and slid open the door after entering the password.

'Happy birthday, Yuzuru!' Party poppers flew in his direction, confetti covering his head like chocolate sprinkles on a cupcake.

Hikari pulled him into a headlock. 'Congrats, Yuzuru~'

Kageura grumbled something similar to 'happy birthday' and Kitazoe cried his 'mom' tears.

'We all pitched in to get you something,' Hikari announced as she stood up, 'it's right here!'

She produced a green box from under the kotatsu, which was wrapped in purple ribbon. 'Open it!'

Yuzuru sat down at the kotatsu, the rest of his squadmates stood behind him. He unwrapped the ribbon, carefully rolling it into a stack, and lifted the lid.

'What is this?' He held up a transparent sphere on top of a small stand. The lights on the ceiling shine through it, filling the sphere with light.

'It's a wishing sphere!'

'A wishing sphere?' Yuzuru stretched every syllable, confusion tainting his words.

'Yep! You write down your wish on a piece of paper, fold it, and put it inside the stand. It's said that if the sphere lights up at night, your wish comes true.'

Yuzuru snorted. 'I can't believe Kage-san agreed to getting this.'

'Not my fault! We couldn't think of anything to get you, so here you go!'

He set down the sphere gently on the kotatsu table, careful not to break the delicate glass. 'But still, thank you...'

'Ehh? What was that? We couldn't hear you~!' Hikari poked at his cheeks with her fingers.

'Thank you...'

Kageura grinned and ruffled his hair, which Yuzuru was thankful for since it got all the confetti out, Kitazoe just hugged him, and Hikari just pulled his cheeks.

They soon settled back to training. The wishing sphere sat on top of the kotatsu table, a roll of purple ribbon next to it, and a green box behind.

Hours passed, and Yuzuru packed the sphere back into the box, ready to head home. He deactivated his Trigger, box under arm, and received another ruffle in his hair from Kageura.

On his way to the front doors of HQ, lots of 'happy birthday's were thrown at him. He thanked them all, hoping to get home as soon as possible.

His father, who was rarely home, made cream stew and curry. He had also brought home cake- dark chocolate cheesecake with raspberries on top.

Yuzuru took out his wishing sphere and set it on his desk. He pulled out the nearest notebook from his bookshelf, tore a page out of it, and wrote down his wish. He wasn't sure why he did that, since he didn't really believe in its wish-granting powers. No such thing as a wish-granter existed. Wishes only come true if you work until they become reality.

He slipped the folded piece of paper into the stand and switched off the lights, deciding to go to sleep early. But as his mind was slipping into unconsciousness, he swore that he could see the sphere light up dimly.

Must be a trick on my eyes...

...

He woke up rather early the next day. His father had probably already headed to work, so he rolled out of bed, ruffling his bed head, and tumbled down the stairs. He found a box and a note on the table- probably some relative who left it there, and his dad probably left it there for him to see the next morning.

He opened the box, which was black and wrapped in white ribbon, and lifted the lid. It was a dove keychain. He picked up the note and read out loud to himself.

'Yuzuru, after you went to bed last night some man came over and gave me this box. Said his name was Ninomiya or something. Also breakfast is in the fridge. Have a good day. From, dad.'

Yuzuru was genuinely surprised. For Ninomiya to come over to deliver a present to someone, with that someone being the student of the person he hates; that was near unbelievable to him.

Under the keychain was another small note.

'Found this when cleaning our squad room for new year's. It was in the middle of Hatohara's old stuff. Probably wanted to give it to you or something since it was next to her teaching books.'

He blinked.

Once.

Twice.

He rubbed at his eyes. Had Hatohara prepared this, knowing that she couldn't hand it to himself?

He pushed back his bangs after he had put down the keychain back into the box. He retied the ribbon, and carried it up the stairs, into his room, in a special corner where the box was free of no harm.

He was ready for another day.

But suddenly, a thought recurred to him.

How did Ninomiya know where he lived?