a/n: on account of personal life keeping me busy and a mean case of writer's block, this little thing was all i could muster up for kumiko's birthday, but i couldn't miss out on it. who would i be if i did?

Kumiko was not sure what to expect on this particular afternoon, which also happened to be her birthday, but she most certainly wasn't expecting one Reina Kousaka on her doorstep with two tickets held between her fingers.

"R-Reina?!" she squeaked out. "I, erm, I wasn't expecting you to show up."

"I couldn't miss out on your birthday."

"You didn't have to."

"I did." Reina said it in a way that ended the conversation. Kumiko had no choice but to nod along.

"What're those?" she asked. Reina's fingers covered the lettering on the tickets.

"Oh. You mentioned wanting to see that band in town - the jazz one, right?"

"No way."

"They're not particularly good seats, but-"

"Reina, this is amazing!" Emboldened by the day, or maybe by the fact that Reina was here on her doorstep, Kumiko reached out and clasped Reina's hands in her own as if she were the heroine in some cheesy shoujo anime. They were warm to the touch, electric. She never wanted to let go. "H-how did you do it?"

"Taki-sensei went to college with one of the trombones. I asked him for a favor."

"Thank you," Kumiko murmured, still holding Reina's hand. Neither of them moved to stop it. "Wait, what're we doing? We have to get going!"

For what was probably the hundredth time that afternoon, Kumiko smoothed out her jacket, humming a little to herself as Reina beckoned her over. It was an outdoor venue, a sprawling stage that only boasted a few chairs. Everyone else was spread out on the lawn.

"So we just sit anywhere?"

"Usually," Reina replied, voice curt and quick.

Cryptic as always, Kumiko thought, and followed her anyway.

"Here we are."

"Surprise!" There, sitting like they'd always been waiting for this moment, was more or less everyone Kumiko considered a friend. Hazuki and Midori hopped up and down in place while Natsuki lifted one hand in a lazy, warm hello. Azusa, clearly out of her element here, shrugged with a half-smile. Asuka blew a party honker. Nozomi and Mizore broke apart to acknowledge her existence.

"Reina," Kumiko blubbered, very much on the brink of tears as she clung to her arm. "H-how'd you do this?"

"I called them." Reina let a bit of smugness run across her face for a moment before turning back to Kumiko. "You really weren't expecting anything at all?"

"Not like this." Kumiko saw her, everyone, all the world spread out below them as the musicians started, and she never wanted it to end. "Thank you."

"Of course, Kumiko."

a/n: see the miseducation of cameron post in theatres. this has nothing to do with the fic it's just an excellent movie and i want everyone to see it.