July 2nd

Natsume doesn't expect to receive a gift in the mail.

"Oh, Natsume-kun," Touko coos, appearing in the foyer. "I hope your day at school went well today." She eyes the extra festive bag the blond teen carries, a shy blush reaching his cheeks. "You received a gift today in the mail. One was addressed to the kitty, so I already helped him with that."

Natsume nods politely to Touko, sliding his shoes to the side of the foyer's step. He wasn't expecting mail. "Thank you, Touko-san. I will come back down to help with dinner in a bit." Her smile is wide, happy and pride that Natsume continuously makes friends through these years.

Making way to his room, Natsume sees the aforementioned gift on his desk. A small embarrassed smile reaches his lips, much too humbled by his friends' generosity. Placing the school bag and festive gift bag aside, the blond tugs at the lips of the box (already cut open by Touko). Shifting through colored tissue paper of light blue and light purple, something soft finds Natsume's digits. Using both hands, Natsume pulls put the object—and furrows his brows, confused.

A hooded sweater? Temperatures have been incredibly hot recently. Natsume looks over the light gray clothing, accents in light blue, then noticing a small design upon its left chest. Curious of how the rest looks, the teen loosens his hold to release the sleeves and folded body.

Then an envelope slips out, bouncing off his foot.

Natsume place the sweater in his lap, grabbing the envelope and opening it. A simple card with its cover being a photo of a field of sunflowers.

Maybe it should have been better if he didn't. Maybe let this gift's sender remain a mystery.

All it says inside the card is:

'Happy birthday, Natsume-kun. I bought all of us one to match.'

Beneath is signed 'Matoba Seiji'.

Typically, Natsume's initial thought would begin with Matoba—thoughts of over imaginative horror and panic—but there has been a change in tides, relations have become less stressed. So instead, Natsume exclaims in a harsh whisper,

"Who is 'all of us'?"

"Natsume!" comes a pitched and stuffy voice. Natsume fumbles with the card in his hands. "Do you have any leftover birthday sweets?"

Irritated at the cat-youkai's nonchalant greediness, Natsume turns to scold him, "Nyanko-sensei, you need to—" but blanches and stops mid-sentence when seeing what he's wearing.

Nyanko-sensei waddles closer to Natsume, donning a fitted gray pet sweater with golden orange accents. Surprisingly, it fits his plump body, not too snug nor too loose. And strangely, the cat-youkai doesn't seem (too) bothered wearing it. (As Touko-san said earlier—she helped him, likely coaxing him with food.) But, can he not smell the exorcist scent?

"I need to what?" the youkai growled softly, squinting his eyes.

Natsume acts quickly, slamming the card face down on the desk and rummaging through the gift bag from his friends. "I think I have something. Taki made some cat-shaped cookies."

Hearts in eyes, immediately distracted, Nyanko-sensei scurries closer to Natsume, rubbing his face on the bag in anticipation.

He can't tell Sensei.

It isn't until a week later that Natsume notices the parallel side of the card's message. There, a crude drawing of a trio with a fat cat. The trio each have their own distinguishing features; a low ponytail character wearing dark robes, a shorter character with short hair and a boring t-shirt, and a sparkling character wearing a hat and glasses. The card is tucked away in the desk drawer. Natsume drops his face into his hands, a mix of laughter, embarrassment, and annoyance.

Natori and Matoba have similar sweaters as well.

July 1 - Natsume's birthday