Kenji watches Sakura quite literally drag Soushi out of Rakuen and chuckles. He redirects his attention towards Kazuki whom was cleaning a cup and asks, "What was that about?"
Kazuki looks up at the window where the two seem to be discussing something and shrugs. "Probably something that involves what to get you?" He says then puts the cup aside and rests his hands on the counter.
Kenji raises an eyebrow. Why would she need Soushi for that though? Albeit a perfectionist, he isn't what Kenji would consider the best gift giver. "I think I'm afraid of her gift now."
Kazuki laughs. "That's mean. I'm sure she won't completely take Soushi's suggestions to heart."
"Aren't you supposed to defend him?" Kenji retorts with a chuckle. He's sure his wife will think of something. Then again he knows he'll appreciate anything she gets for him.
Kazuki folds his arms on the counter and says, "Well it is your birthday and since I didn't think of anything for you, how about a free meal?" Kazuki offers with a smile.
"Don't know if I should be grateful or insulted."
Kazuki pouts. "Hey its the thought that counts right?"
"Or lack thereof in this case, but sure."
Kazuki sticks his tongue out then sets to prepare Kenji's favorite.
Kenji watches him move around the kitchen, and can't help but think about how much his friend has changed. It feels like it wasn't too long ago when he was challenging him to duels earn Sakura's recognition.
Kazuki pauses and looks at kenji curiously. "Stop staring, its weird." Kazuki says briefly before returning to his work.
"Its not that... just, we've changed a lot."
Kazuki glances at him. "Hm, yeah, I guess so. Actually yeah, you especially."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well ya know, you were kind of cowardly, and a brat, sort of a loser." Kazuki looks at Kenji again and laughs at his expression. "But now you're a doctor, a dependable leader and even married."
Kenji hums. "Yeah I guess you do have a point." He then glares at Kazuki. "Did you have to say all that though."
"I meant it in the nicest way possible."
Kenji drinks the last sip of his juice then says, "Right."
Soushi re-enters the cafe looking more than a little troubled. He takes a stool beside Kenji and Kazuki pauses his work on Kenji's meal to pour Soushi a drink.
"So what is Sakura making you do," Kenji asks curiously. The look on his friends face making him rather curious.
"I'm not supposed to say," Soushi answers. Kenji laughs. She must have threatened him. He does not think Soushi would fare very well in a fight against her.
"So should I expect her to avoid me for 'no reason' today?"
Soushi nods his head then Kazuki laughs himself. Soushi ignores the straw in his cup and just takes a gulp of the tea. Kenji pats him on the shoulder sympathetically.
"Thank you and I'm sorry."
They silently drink their juice as the sound of Kazuki cooking echo's throughout the cafe. Kenji looks around and hums curiously.
"I'm surprised Canon isn't here," Kenji says, noticing the girls absence.
Kazuki looks over at the empty seat she usually occupies and smiles."Ah she had something she was going to do with Maya I believe."
"All the women seem to be rather busy today," Soushi comments. "Seri and Rina told me they were doing something today as well," he adds.
"And Sakura just ditched," Kenji says.
Kazuki hums. "And Shouko said she was busy as well... I wonder if thats a coincidence or..."
"The girls are planning something." Soushi says.
Kenji agrees on that perspective; its a little suspicious actually. However he notices another thing missing from the cafe. "Aren't you a little short on employees?"
Kazuki looks out towards the window and frowns. "Yes actually I am."
Kenji wonders what about the current date causes all their friends to just suddenly go missing. He didn't think all of them could be planning something for him, as that would be ridiculous.
Not to long after that the door chimes and Akira enters the cafe. Kazuki does not even bother to look at him and simply says, "You're late." Akira flenches in response.
"But Mikado-kun isn't here either."
"Reo has a 'special' assignment," Kazuki responds. "Refill Kenji's cup and make Soushi something," Kazuki orders.
"Yes sir..." Akira doesn't bother to point out that Kazuki simply told him to make something and did not specify what.
Akira approaches Soushi and asks, "The usual, Senpai?"
"Mm..." Soushi nods his head.
Akira goes behind the counter and grabs an apron and puts it around himself. He starts preparing things and looks at Kenji. "Happy birthday, Senpai."
"Thank you."
"Is Sakura-senpai with the rest of the girls?"
Kenji chuckles. "I don't know." Since his beloved decided to run off and ditch him with the rest of the guys with out a word. Not that he minds, (he kind of does) he enjoys spending time with his friends. Although he is curious about where Mamoru is.
"Toomi-senpai is never here when I work."
"That's because she's busy, and you're on different shifts," Kazuki answers. He then places a plate down in front of Kenji, then leans against the counter and smiles at Soushi. "So... Any plans? Kenji."
Why exactly he's looking at Soushi as says this is beyond Kenji. "No, not necessarily. I was just gonna spend time with Sakura but she ditched." Kazuki laughs at Kenji's tone.
"And after you had such elaborate plans for me," Kazuki says, thinking back to his own birthday.
"You enjoyed it," Kenji replies with a smirk.
"I probably could have done without Soushi and Toomi wrapped in ribbons," Kazuki says with a faint hint of blush coming to his face from the memory.
Akira whips around. "What!?"
"You know you enjoyed it!" Kenji retorts.
Soushi covers his face in embarrassment and Kazuki goes around the counter then smacks Kenji.
"Hey! Who hits someone on their birthday just because they don't want to admit their fetishist- ouch!" Kenji rubs the back of his head and pouts, then starts eating.
Kazuki leans on Soushi's back. "Soushi what did you get for Kenji?" Soushi glances back then takes a bite of his sandwich.
"Huh uh, I gave it to Sak-" Soushi quickly cuts himself. Kenji looks at him curiously and Kazuki laughs.
"You are so weak to Kazuki-senpai," Akira says.
"Shut up."
"Sure its okay to close shop?" Kenji asks, as he, Kazuki and Soushi, walk down the path.
Kazuki shrugs. "Everyones busy so yeah."
Kenji looks out at the ocean then at Kazuki and Soushi. "So are walks on the beach actually romantic or is that a myth?" Kenji asks, curiously. He's always wanted to try it but never has the time.
Soushi laughs. "Why are you asking us?"
"Well you guys are always doing that with Toomi and stuff..."
Soushi laughs again. "I wouldn't call it romantic for us... However you and Sakura may consider it such," Soushi answers seriously. Kazuki gapes at him.
"You don't consider it romantic?" Kazuki says, sounding surprised.
"Why would I consider you and Toomi pushing me in the water and using me for your games, romantic," Soushi responds with a slight frown.
"We catch you when you fall... most of the time."
Kenji looks at them and observes their conversation with a raised eyebrow. Sometimes he finds himself becoming rather curious about his friends private life.
"So where are we going?" Kenji asks, changing the subject.
"To Soushi's old home," Kazuki answers.
"Ah..." Soushi's home was basically turned into a party house at some point. Kenji can't remember when it happened but they started using it for events.
They reach his house and Soushi walks in first. Kenji can here talking inside. Him and Kazuki follow behind Soushi.
Most of their 'missing' friends are inside the house playing around. Maya tickling Canon as Hiroto films it, meanwhile Seri, Rina, Sui and Mimika were playing cards.
Seri looks up and smiles at the new company. "Soushi-senpai, Kazuki-senpai you're here!...Oh and Kenji," Seri intentionally says Kenji's name unenthusiastically and Kenji clutches at his heart in response.
"You guys are rude today."
"Rina made me say it!" Seri quickly says, and Rina pouts in response. Kazuki laughs at the exchange then goes to sit beside Maya and watches Canon being tortured in the form of tickling
Soushi looks around. "Where is everyone else at?"
"In the back," Hiroto says.
"Your sister is here too," Maya says. Soushi narrows his eyes in response then goes to the back room.
Kenji wants to go see what the rest of his friends are doing back there but decides to continue watching Maya and Canon.
The tickle game takes a turn when Canon kicks Maya and effectively switches their roles. Kazuki grabs popcorn that was sitting on a nearby table and starts eating it while intently watching the match.
Kenji takes a handful of Kazuki's popcorn then leans towards Hiroto. "How long has this been going," He asks.
"For about fifteen minutes."
"Send me that when this is over."
"It'll be your gift because I didn't get you anything."
Kenji sighs. His friends are all terrible. "Well thanks..." Kenji swears their making sure to treat him extra bad today.
Karin and Soushi come from the back glaring at each other. Soushi scoffs then folds his arm, then proceeds to sit beside Hiroto, Karin sits beside Kazuki on the end and the two avoid looking at eachother.
"Whats with you two?" Kenji asks. The tension is a bit much for his taste.
Soushi huffs. "There is nothing wrong."
"Yes, absolutely nothing!"
Kazuki looks pointedly at Soushi and says, "what did you say?" Soushi briefly looks offended at the accusation, before looking away guiltily.
So he did say something!?
Shouko then comes from the hallway and elaborates on the sibling feud. "Minashiro-kun said that Ryo-senpai would never love her."
The entire room pauses and looks at Soushi gapping.
"Cold blooded..." Sui says. The room immediately returns to its former chatter afterwards.
Canon and Maya stop 'wrestiling' and eventually the girls are just giggling on the floor. Shouko blinks and looks at them curiously. Hiroto puts down his camera then looks up at Shouko.
"They were tickling each other," Hiroto explains. Shouko nods her head slowly in response.
Shouko then holds her hands together. "Um everything will be ready once Yumi-senpai and Ryo-senpai get here."
Just after she says those words the door opens and the two mentioned enter the room along with Akira.
"Sorry we're late!" Ryo apologizes. Yumi shakes her head, acting almost as if she herself was not also late to the party.
"Why didn't Kazuki-senpai and the others tell me about this..." He sits beside Rina whom pats him on the shoulder sympathetically.
Kenji raises an eyebrow. "And where exactly are Sakura and Mamoru."
Kazuki looks to Shouko at the question, whom smiles back at him in response with the faintest hint of blush. Soushi looks away from the exhange and Maya laughs.
She then crawls over by Soushi and leans on him. "Jealous?" she whispers.
Soushi looks at her. "Wha- no why would I be, are you?"
Maya looks away but stays leaning on him. "Nope!"
Kenji sees and hears all of this and once again finds himself questioning the relationship between Soushi, Kazuki and Maya. Friends for all their lives and he still is unaware of what they do alone.
Shouko runs out into the same back room they keep coming in and out of, she doesn't come out but instead Mamoru and Reo do. How many people were back there?
Shouko as well as Koyo then exits the room and makes a gesture for someone else to follow behind her. While she is trying to get whoever else is inside to come out, Mamoru sits in the space between him and Kazuki.
"Where have you been all day?" Kenji asks.
"Preparing your present," Mamoru answers.
The person Shouko was trying to get to come out finally steps out of the room and Kenji stares wide eyed.
Sakura blushes furiously possibly do to her outfit which consists of a rather extravagant Kosode with a Uchikake around the waist. Kenji also notices a little gift bow in her hair and it makes him chuckle. Was that Soushi's 'gift' he wonders.
"Don't laugh!" Sakura yells. Her face remaining red.
Koyo walks pass Sakura and places a big cake on the table in the middle of everyone. Kenji assumes that is the special project Kazuki was referring to earlier.
Koyo claps once then opens his mouth and everyone in union says, "Happy birthday Kenji!"
Kenji blinks then smiles. Well all of the torment made sense now. Can't be nice to him and prepare a huge birthday party all in one day.
The rest of the day consisted of all of them fooling around. Kazuki and Maya got drunk at some point and forced a thoroughly embarrassed Soushi to sing an even more embarrassing song with them which was about the sun and the moon and their love for eachother? Kenji is not sure.
Eventually things settle down and they eat some cake and before long everyone is sleeping bundled up together in balls on the floor. Except Kenji, Mamoru and Sakura.
Mamoru sits with his legs folded facing the two and smiles at them. "I'm... Really happy for you two," Mamoru says, he sounds half-asleep. Kenji knows he's going to collapse any moment now.
"Thanks Mamoru," Kenji responds. Mamoru makes a toothy grin, then falls out. He lasted much longer than Kenji originally expected.
Sakura leans against Kenji and lets out a tired sigh. Kenji puts an arm around Sakura's shoulder and leans his head on hers. Sakura can really be cute at times.
"Tired?" Kenji asks. Sakura nods her head. Kenji rubs her head.
"There's a room in the back."
"Want me to carry you there?"
"Ooh that would be nice!"
Kenji chuckles then starts getting up and scoops her into his arms with a grunt. "This uh...dress is really heavy."
"Don't make me smack you."
Kenji laughs. "How about a kiss instead?"
Sakura hums, then moves up and gives Kenji a peck on the lips. "Happy birthday."
Kenji smiles. "Is this because you couldn't figure out anything to get me?"
Sakura laughs. Kenji decides to get his revenge by tickling her before suffering a good kick in the gut.