February first wasn't a fun day. It was the start of a new month. A short month. But it wasn't a leap year day, nor was it Valentine's day… It was simply February first. But, it was special to Taichi. He smiled and walked into the school. His fellow first years and his senpai-tachi all looked super exhausted… But he didn't mind much. It was still winter, after all. They had a right to be tired. He walked into the school building with the same happy look on his face. "Hey, guess what? It's my B--" The sound of the announcements cut him off. In second period, he tried telling a kid he had met at the beginning of the year. The sounds of rain, hail, and thunder cut him off. Girls screamed, and Taichi turned his head to look out the window. It was pouring… He didn't mind Thunder and lightening much, but he really would have preferred it waited for a day when it wasn't his birthday…
To top it all off, practice was cancelled due to the rain and his favourite Senpai was no where to be seen. That senpai being Akutsu. He sighed as the day ended and placed his head-band over his head. It started to slip almost immediately. No one remembered his birthday… And nobody seemed interested in listening to him tell them so. "This has been a bad day, desu…" He sighed, going through his bag. No umbrella… And he hadn't brought his coat. He went for his phone to ask his parents to pick him up, only to see a text message. 'Went away for weekend. Love, Mom'. Great… Even his own mother didn't remember his birthday. He stuck his phone into his pocket and stared at his feet during the walk home.
"Terrible, awful day…" He muttered, sighing heavily. "Desu." He adjusted his school bag over his shoulder and entered a bakery. He could at least buy himself something, right? His black tinted blue hair dripped miserably and he walked up to the counter, stared down through the glass. All the pastries… were gone. Someone exited the kitchen area. "Didn't cha read the sign, kid? We're closed!" Taichi's view of his feet suddenly got blurry. "R-right… Sorry, desu…" He exited the store, walking down the sidewalk. The tears his eyes made mixed with the rain. He made his way into the park and plopped down on a wet swing. He didn't bother swinging… He just sat there and cried.
"Hey… It's not right for someone with eyes as big and bright as yours to be crying. Just not right!" He looked up and saw a bright grin accompanied by spiky hair, and an umbrella. A hand was behind his back. Taichi knew this person… He wiped his eyes, but didn't smile. "Sorry, Momoshiro-senpai." The Seigaku 2nd year's grin never faltered. "Momo-chan is fine." Taichi giggled. "That's a girl's name, desu… But, I guess… You can call me Tai-chan then." He giggled again. "Okay, Tai-chaaaaan," The older male began, stepping closer so that the other male was under the umbrella as well. "Have a cupcake. It's your birthday, right? Right??" He asked, trying to make sure he didn't get the date wrong.
The Yamabuki manager blushed before nodding. "Yes, it is, desu! How'd you know?" He asked. "Lacky Sengoku dropped all the information about the whole team during our last game together. But, it's cool,
because I wanted to know your name before all that anyway." His hand finally came out from behind his back. He presented a pink cupcake with green frosting. "I ran out of food coloring." He admitted, rubbing the back of his head with a laugh. Taichi blushed. "You made this… for me?" He asked, looking down at the cupcake and then back up at Momo. "Yeah." He admitted, scratching his cheek out of nervousness. "Why, don't you like it?? You don't like it, do you?! I knew I should have left the cupcake white…" His ramblings were cut off by a happy giggle. "This is the best slightly soggy gift I've ever gotten, desu!" He smiled down at the cupcake as if it were his child. "I like it even more now that I know you made it, Momo-chan. No one else remembered my birthday… But you did." He ate the cupcake happily, smiling through every bite. After he was finished, he folded the cupcake paper and put it into his pocket.
"Eh? You're keeping it??" The taller male asked as Taichi got off the swing. The younger simply nodded with a smile that could melt even Tezuka's heart. "Yep! As a memento!" He gestured for Momo to stoop down to him, as it he was going to tell him a secret. He kissed his cheek instead. "Thank you, desu." He grinned before walking off towards home, a new view on the rain. It wasn't so bad after all! He was actually starting to like it. Thunder, lightening, and all. He looked back over his shoulder to see Momo rubbing his cheek and smiling goofily. Taichi giggled. This would not be the last time he met up with his senpai; he would make sure of it.