The sound of bouncing footsteps filled the courtyard.
Her crystal blue eyes were searching for a sign of a familiar figure between the blooming cherry trees and stone statues.
"Minako? " A surprised voice echoed from a corner. A shrine maiden with long, jet-black hair emerged from the shadows, the broom steadily clasped in her hands.
Minakos heart began to flutter at the sight. She had a crush on her friend for quite a while and seeing her in her shrine robes on this beautiful day between cherry blossoms didn't help her at all.
"What are you doing here?" She said and came closer, curiously looking at the blonde who nervously fidgeted with something behind her back.
"Why? Am I not allowed to visit you?" the blonde smiled charmingly at her and enjoyed the sight of Rei crossing her arms.
Minako thanked the heavens that Rei couldn't notice her rapid heartbeat.
Rei shook her head, but she didn't seem angry at her at all, just slightly confused.
"Minako I know why you're here. I told you I-"
"Yeah, you mentioned that you had your obligatory birthday dinner with your father later, and that's why you told us not to come, but…"
Minako finally pulled her hands from behind her back and with them, a bouquet of white flowers, Casablanca Lilies, to be specific, became visible.
"If you want to do something fun afterwards, like going out for a movie together or having a sleepover, or just hanging out…"
She pushed the lilies towards a slightly gaping Rei.
"Then just call me."
When Rei accepted the flowers, Minako couldn't help but enjoy the brief second their hands touched.
To say that Rei was speechless was an understatement.
She expected the white flowers to bring back memories she'd rather forget, memories of Kaidou and how he hurt her, but nothing resurfaced.
Those flowers, given to her by Minako, bore nothing of the sadness she usually associated with them. Instead, they looked as beautiful as they did before they became the symbol of her detachment from love.
"Happy Birthday, Rei." The blonde said and before Rei could process what was happening, she felt soft lips touching her left cheek and a hand cradling her right one.
When Minako pulled back, she had a wide grin and a slight blush on her face, and by the way her cheeks heated up, Rei had one as well.
"Call me, okay?" was all the blonde said before she whirled around and started running off towards the shrine's entrance, but not without enthusiastically waving goodbye.
Rei looked after her, slightly perplexed about what had just happened, but at the sight of her energetic friend she couldn't help but smile and fondly looked at the white flowers in her hand.
Her birthday just got a lot better.
"Rei? Rei are you ready?" she heard her father's voice from outside her room. Sighing, she put on her necklace and made the last finishing touches on her hair.
It was unusual for her father to fetch her personally for their dinner, but at least he tried to be closer to her.
When the sound of her door sliding open reached her ears, her father, Ryoji Hino, looked into the room and his eyes immediately rested on the white flowers on her night stand.
"Casablanca Lilies? I thought you and Kaidou weren't in contact anymore?" he curiously remarked and looked at his daughter, who just brushed him off.
"No, they are from someone else."
'Someone very important to me.' she added in her mind as she left the room, eager to return from this ordeal as soon as possible.
After all, she had a very important call to make.