Disclaimer: CCS belongs to CLAMP. The Tanaka family, Leon and Kara Reed (New Trials) belong to Wish-chan.
Enjoy
March 6
This year for sure, despite everything that was going on, Meilin was not going to forget about Kai's birthday. She had already forgotten last year despite knowing him for some years and to make things worse he had actually remembered hers. Then again, he was known as being on the stalkerish side but still.
If someone asked her what she was going to do for him she'd probably turn red and claim that she didn't have to do anything for a guy like him. But truth be told she wanted to do something for him – they were dating… if what they had could even be called dating. But she also knew that even with all his talk Kai didn't like getting that much attention. Oh, what was she saying? He was Mizuki Kai, former Kaitou Magician and former school prince – he lived for attention. His presence demanded attention – everything about him screamed it, his hair, his sunglasses (who wears those inside anyway?), his looks, his clothes, his brains.
She had to think of something to do for him. She wanted to surprise him, but she had the feeling that he knew that she was going to do something for him. How was she going to surprise him?
Although they never officially asked each other, Kai considered her his girlfriend and Meilin considered him her boyfriend. Boyfriend. Could someone even call Kai a boyfriend? He was far from anything one would think of as a boyfriend; he wasn't the image she had in mind when she thought of her future-boyfriend. But she did smile, and sometimes frowned in annoyance, when she thought of him and all the stupid things he did and how blue and clear his eyes had been when he told her he loved her back at the beach just moments after she had told him to break up and set him free.
Even now she wasn't sure if she loved him or if he truly loved her and things between them and around them were complicated enough without there needing to be a relationship, but she did admit to herself that to some degree she did love him, and she wasn't sure if they would be together later on in life but that at this moment all that she felt was what matter. Maybe for Kai that was the same for he was a person who had spent a lot of his younger self looking towards the future where he would restore everything to his sister. Maybe that's why when the topic of a possible future for them arose in conversation he diverted or scoffed it off. She'd be hurt of course but she understood that he was scared, and he was even more scared of people seeing him being vulnerable. Meilin didn't mind living in the present but every once in a while, she thought of the future and how it never quite seemed like she had hoped it to be.
Looking again at the calendar Meilin sighed. This was going to be hard.
She furrowed her eyebrows and thought hard on the dilemma at hand. As a given she could make him food – she was a pretty good cook, if she said so herself, and Kai ate pretty much anything. Honestly, how could someone like him, who had survived solely on junk and burnt food for years, have survived everything he had and still look amazing? At that thought Meilin blushed.
Unbeknownst to her, someone had entered her apartment. The intruder observed Meilin quietly from the shadows. He would have gone up to her and played with her hair or hugged her from behind but decided against it for three reasons. One, Li Meilin could kick his butt like no one else; two, he wasn't former Kaitou Magician and Prince Mikai for nothing, he had to live up to his gentleman ways; and three, Kai found that he was content just by looking at Meilin being so concentrated on whatever she was thinking and how hard she was blushing.
What is she thinking? Kai smirked. She was probably thinking about him.
Just when Meilin had finally decided on what she was going to do for Kai's birthday, Perro-chan came out of nowhere and landed on her head.
"Surprise!" Perro-chan said, pecking Meilin's forehead. "Surprise!"
"Perro-chan!" Meilin exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" she extended her finger and the bird landed on it. She smiled at Perro-chan. "Did that awful owner of yours forget about you again? I know how lonely you get."
"No. Right here," the bird said. Meilin raised an eyebrow and saw that Perro-chan's head was tilted towards Kai who was lurking in the shadows.
Flustered, Meilin glared at him. "What were you doing there you creep?"
Kai chuckled. "Looking at you plan my birthday gift."
Beet red Meilin crossed her arms and looked away. "And what makes you think I would be wasting my time with such a thing?"
He guffawed, "Come on Mei-chan, you're horrible at lying. Plus, you felt horrible about missing it last year."
She scowled, "You're the one who doesn't like conventionalities. I wasn't thinking about your birthday. I have more important matters such as what will happen to all of us in our last year of high school and what I should get Sakura for her birthday."
Now he was pouting, "That's all important and it is true that I don't like conventionalities, but special occasions are an exception. Aren't girlfriends and boyfriends supposed do things like that for each other?"
Meilin raised an eyebrow and blushed. "We're boyfriend and girlfriend? I don't remember us making it official."
Kai's sunglasses tilted and he almost fell to the ground. "I thought we had already gone over this. We had our moments at my apartment, in the hospital, at the airport, then there was you getting jealous over Kara, our almost breakup, our reconciliation, the Valentine's chocolate, then the Leopard guy came along, we almost broke up again, we got back together, then there was the play, we kissed, then we were separated during the summer and everything in between. Honestly, Meilin I can keep up but I'm pretty sure we're a couple and I've said, 'I love you' more than I thought I was capable and I know you must love me even if it's just a tiny bit."
There really was no way around this guy.
She looked at him and saw his shoulders slumping. She sighed, and he grinned at having her fallen for the guilt.
"So," he asked, "what are you getting me?"
All she replied with was, "It's a surprise."
It was hard to plan something for Kai without him knowing. Which is why at one of Tomoyo's weekly mandatory meetings, Meilin was set to set her plan in action.
Just to make sure there were still other options she consulted with her friends. She had been planning with Miho how to work a schedule without taking too much time away from the Tanaka family. Miho, however, had suggested to plan something that involved just the two of them. Meilin, however, felt that she needed to include his parents and Miho or else it wouldn't be correct.
"I'm not sure he will like the gift," she complained while she combed the younger one's hair. "I sort of have an idea but still not sure if it will work the way I want to."
Miho turned around and looked at her. "Meilin-senpai, you don't need to get onii-chan anything, not just because you're already wonderful but because he's simple when it comes to these things. He probably just wants to spend time with you. In that sense he's very needy." Then she mumbled to herself, "The more time he spends with you, the less I have to spend with him and not feel like I'm guilty over not wanting to spend more time with him." Tomoyo and Sakura exchanged looks and giggled.
Then, as if in second thought, Miho added, "Just make sure you don't get him any more hair gel or cologne. And make sure the food you give him cannot be preserved because he will not eat it and preserve it. I think he overdid it last year." They all made a face.
"Why don't you make something for him?" suggested Sakura. "A collage with pictures of you two."
"We don't have any pictures together save for the one we took with all you for your birthday," Meilin replied. "He already has everything he wants and needs."
"Why not a compilation of videos of him?" Tomoyo suggested, that would be what she would give him.
"What about a letter? Or what about a mirror" Sakura added hopefully. Then she shook her head. She wasn't the best one when it came to gifts.
Miho added, "Just get him something that reminds him of you. Or something that commemorates something special."
"We haven't done anything." The other three just looked at her. "Okay, we have, but he hates things like that."
Miho laughed, "That's him being shy and confusing but he's a big softie for things like that."
Tomoyo eyed Meilin, "What idea do you have? You did seem like you wanted us to help."
Meilin gestured all of them to get closer and she cleared her throat, "Well, this is what I have in mind…"
March 6
Tanaka household
"Mikai-kun, happy birthday!", Miara said with blurry eyes. Her son, once a baby in her arms, had become a year older. Wrapping her arms around him. "You've become such a strong young man."
Slightly embarrassed, but pleased that he was with his mother, Kai said, "Thank you okaa-san."
Keisuke followed by placing a hand on his shoulder and said, "Mikai, you are now a man. You know that any questions you have about women you can come to me, your old man."
Miara rolled her eyes, "Keisuke-san you are the worst person to get advice on. May I remind you how your confession to Nadeshiko went?"
Keisuke, slightly peeved, sighed, "You're never going to let that go are you Miara?"
Miara held Kai's hands in hers, "If you need advice come to me."
Keisuke raised an eyebrow, "Mia-chan, you are terrible when it comes to relationships. If it were still up to you, and the fact that Father threatened to arrange a marriage, we wouldn't have married and Mikai and Miho wouldn't be here. Mikai don't listen to her."
Before they could start debating on who was right, Miho appeared and shoved a gift to her brother. "Here. Happy birthday onii-chan."
Kai, overjoyed, wrapped his arms around Miho and squished her into a bear hug. "Thank you Miho-hime! This is the best gift in the world. I will preserve it forever."
Miho was about to protest when the doorbell rang and said, "I think I know who that is. Let me open the door." She pushed Kai away and went running to open the door. She opened the door and let Meilin come in.
Kai's eyes widened. "Mei-chan! What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to celebrate your birthday, idiot," she said before biting her tongue and forgetting that she was in front of her "in-laws".
He grinned. "Now Mei-chan, where's my gift?"
"Here." She had two gifts inside a bag. She pressed the bag towards him while looking to her side.
"Aw thank you. But Meilin, I thought that you'd give me another gift," he said slightly pouting his lips and lowering himself to her height.
She blushed furiously. "Kai, not in front of your parents!" she eyed Miara and Keisuke who were both amused and slightly reminiscent of their youth.
Miho coughed and said, "Onii-chan, Meilin-senpai has a whole day planned out for you. We decided to let you spend time with her."
At this Meilin looked shocked. What had happened to the plan that they had concocted? She was supposed to spend a little time with him and let him be with his family. What had the Tanakas planned while she wasn't there? Was this where Kai got his mischievous and sly ways? It wasn't from Leon Reed? Was he always like this? What was going to happen?!
Miara grabbed Meilin's hands and her eyes beamed. "Meilin-chan, please spend time with my Mikai. Last year, even with our little celebration he was moping that he hadn't spent time with you. I ask only one thing."
Meilin's heart thumped and sank to her stomach. What did Miara want? What would she say? Would she say the right thing? Would her bluntness get in the way?
"Please take lots of pictures and send them to me. Ever since our family has been together I have tried to get as many pictures and memories to never forgot. Originally Keisuke said he would take them and paint our times together but he's the worst procrastinator and never gets anything done."
"Now Miara, that's not true. You haven't finished the novel you've been working on since your high school days."
And so their bickering started followed by the usual flirting.
Miho wrapped her arms around Kai and Meilin. "Come on, let's go!"
And so Meilin, Kai, and Miho went out to celebrate Kai's birthday. Throughout the day he had received phone calls from Sakura and Tomoyo and even one from Syaoran. Sakura congratulated him, and Tomoyo, without Meilin knowing, had sent a DVD with Meilin's best moments caught on camera.
Kai, Meilin, and Miho went to the movies, ate ice-cream, took pictures, and somewhere along the way Kai started a magic show in the streets and got a large crowd. Then they went to the arcade and ate street food. Although on occasion Miho would disappear, she made sure to take pictures of the couple when they weren't looking. Somehow her brother knew how to always look good in the pictures as if he knew that she was taking them at that moment. When her mother found out that her son Mikai had no pictures with his girlfriend she was aghast. She had hoped for the day her son would have a girlfriend that was fit for him and that they would form a bond. She was bit saddened that it took a while for her to meet her, officially as his girlfriend, but she was glad that they both loved each other very much. Truth be told, she was afraid Mikai had gotten his father's absent and foolish mind, but she was glad he took after her. And she liked to believe that he got his killer looks from the Mizuki family and not the Tanakas. But Keisuke didn't need to know that.
It was already late when the three of them decided to go back. First to drop Meilin off and then for the Tanaka siblings to go back home.
On their way to the apartment, Kai took Meilin's hand and whispered to her. "Meilin, if I had to make a list of my best birthdays, last year's and this one would be in the top. Thank you."
She blushed. "Well, you did spend a lot of time away from your family and you spent so long trying to get everything together. This birthday was supposed to be you with your family too."
"All this set aside, besides your presence and spending time together, where's my gift?"
"Eh?" she blushed, her ears reddening. "I already gave you two, the food and a box with the main gift," she said knowing fully well what he meant.
He pouted. "What about my other gift?"
"Fine, but only because it's your birthday. Don't expect this to be an everyday thing." She grabbed his head and slowly planted a soft kiss on his forehead. After that she kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around him.
He returned the embrace and buried his nose in her jet-black hair. Muffled by her hair he whispered softly, mostly to himself but knowing and hoping that she would hear, "I really do care for you Meilin. I don't know what my days would be like without you. Thank you for being here. I love you Meilin."
And while the couple was lost in their little moment, Miho made sure to take a picture to show it to her parents. On second thought she sent it through the special Tanaka family group chat. The comments were: "Look at onii-chan and Meilin-senpai. One-time winners of Japan's Best Couple", "Aw! Look Keisuke! Aren't they adorable?!" and "Ah, makes me feel old. Miara, let's go out for dinner."
Later that night
When Kai opened his gift, he smiled lopsided. Meilin had given him a new pair of piercings. What he didn't know was that Meilin had installed a microchip on them so that next time he went loose and ran away she had an idea of where he was. But he didn't need to know that.
He put them on and said to himself, "Thank you Mei-chan."
Bubulona: Happy belated birthday Kai. I had most of it written and set for his birthday but stuff happened and 4 months later I finally finished it. :) It was fun to write this. I should have Meilin's birthday story released soon.