Yeah, so this isn't finished, but I needed to at least upload the first part on Haku's birthday. I can't just... do nothing on my muse's birthday asdfgh.

And it's rushed I know. I had this idea November 20th. I won't have Internet for a week after November 21st (on vacation) so expect the update to be around November 29-ish.


So about this fic...

It's about Haku's birthdays; the day she was born, her 2nd birthday, her 5th birthday, 10th birthday, 13th birthday, 15th birthday, 18th birthday, and 21st birthday.

Neru is Haku's friend since birth, and they've spent every birthday of Haku's together. Starting in the later teenage years, things start to get romantic between them and the series eventually ends on a yuri note. Yes, Haku x Neru. Nothing lewd, just love.


The day Haku was born

She was delivered a healthy baby, with milky skin, snowy white hair, and eyes that were as red as the leaves falling outside.

On an overcast, chilly autumn day, Haku Yowane was born. Wrapped into a small warm bundle with a soft lavender blanket, her rosy sleeping face gave off pure tranquility.

"A beautiful baby." The single mother said, alone in the still hospital room with the sleeping bundle. Unfortunately, the baby's parents had divorced and the father had ran away.

"She takes after her grandmother... same white hair... same complexion..." The mother gently brushed at the delicate skin of her albino newborn baby. She gave her a kiss on the forehead and heard the baby make a small squeak.

"Haku." She spoke to the young, angelic face. "I promise I'll raise you well. My sweetheart..."


"You had your baby, didn't you?" A friend called on the phone, which Haku's mother picked up almost immediately.

"Yes, I did. She was born at 6:41 P.M. yesterday. I'm so overjoyed..."

"Congratulations!" The enthusiastic voice cheered over the phone. "So it's a girl? What did you name her?"

"Haku." The mother spoke. "Haku Yowane, after white feathers. Just like her grandmother's name."

"I wish for her to get along with my daughter, Neru." The other mother said. "She's three weeks old now. I want her and Haku to be great friends."

"They will, I know they will become great friends." Haku's mother said. "As soon as we get out of the hospital, I want Haku to meet your daughter."

"Do you think they'll be able to communicate?" Neru's mom said.

"Of course." said Haku's mom. "Neither of them can't talk yet, but I think they'll find a way. I think babies... I think they can communicate in a special way grown humans are unable to."

"Oh, Shiroko." Neru's mom said to Haku's mom, "You're always thinking in such ways. Haku's probably going to become kind of like you, don't you think?"

"Now, what's that supposed to mean?" Shiroko joked back. She was laughing.

"Teruko, I can't even begin to tell you how precious Haku is to me." Haku's mom gushed. "She's more precious than a jewel her size. In fact, she's such a darling, I think she should be considered a jewel. An actual gem, I mean."

"Aw, you're too amusing, Shiroko! I really hope Haku takes after your personality. She'd be a perfect friend for little Neru here. 'Neru and Haku', sounds cute, doesn't it?"


Haku's second birthday

Haku's house.

"Happy birfday Haku-chan!" Two-year-old Neru clapped her small hands together, smiled a huge grin, and hugged her best friend tightly.

"Neru-chan!" Haku squealed, hugging her back. Her smile glowed.

"Aww, look at them." Teruko said, shaking her head in endearment. Her entire day had been lit up.

Little Neru began talking early on, being able to properly wish Haku a happy birthday, and more. Haku was the more quiet of the two, her three favorite words being "cat", "no", and "Neru-chan".

"They're such close friends." Shiroko said. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before."

Haku and Neru were on the play-mat together, smiling wide smiles and dancing to the lively music playing on Haku's mini-radio. Haku's whorl of white hair and Neru's puff of blonde bobbed in the air as they jumped around.

"Meow meow!" Haku meowed like a cat.

"Woof woof!" Neru barked playfully.

They were both two years old today. Little Haku and Neru seemed especially happy. Both of them seemed to realize it was a special day. To a young child, special days were filled with wonder and joy.

"I can't wait until they grow up together, Shiroko." Teruko said. "They'll be like sisters."


Haku's fifth birthday

Neru's house.

"Let's go on an adventure, Haku!" Neru would exclaim.

"Where?" Haku had always responded.

Neru had been occupied lately with the idea of adventuring to a land nobody ever discovered. A secret place, such as the rabbit corner in Haku's backyard, or deep in the basement storage room. During their adventures, they would transform into princesses, cats, astronauts, or sometimes even magical talking princess space cats.

Haku's household cat became a magical creature, any sort of creature Haku or Neru could dream up. A little dinosaur, a fairy fluff from the candy mountain, or a gigantic bug. (Haku didn't like to think of her cat Snowbell as a huge bug, but Neru kept insisting. "What if Snowbell is just a giant hairy bug?")

The two had also drawn pictures of the funniest-looking monsters they could think of, and pasted them on the walls of their houses. When having one of their "darkness adventures", the two would scream in unison whenever they shone their flashlight on one of the monsters.

Today, the house was filled with a certain comfort feeling. The scent of pumpkin pie and cinnamon lingered all over. It was the scent of fall, the feeling of November 21st.

Neru got a pretend toy oven for her birthday twenty days ago. Haku's presents were an electronic learning game, two dress-up dolls she named Mimi and Nana, a scarf, and a talking Pikachu plush.

"Time to cook the magic macaroni." Neru put the small pink bowl into the toy oven. "It's magical because it makes you fly."

"Fly into space?" Haku asked. Haku was very interested in outer space.

"Yep!" Neru said. "And then we can cook stars in the sky."

"I think that stars would taste like sprinkles." Haku said.

Neru laughed, imagining Haku eating stars.

"Let's pretend there are stars all around us." Haku said.

"Let's eat all the stars together!"

Haku and Neru ran downstairs, got the birthday cookies they helped mom make earlier and cut them up into little pieces. They ate them, pretending they were little stars.

"All done!" They said when they were finished.

"Hey, Haku, guess what?" Neru suddenly asked.

"Yeah?" Haku answered.

"I have a special present for you today, but you need to look for it. I hid it in a secret place!"

"Hint!" Haku said. "Give me a hint, Neru-chan."

"The hint is... it's a secret!" Neru giggled.

Haku's eyes grew wide. She immediately ran off to look for her present, feeling like a true discoverer.

"You aren't going to find it easily!" Neru shouted.

Haku mused and explored all around the corners of the cozy specious house, excitedly looking among the autumn leaves in the big backyard, and in the pile of stuffed animals in Neru's room. Behind every door, beyond every staircase. It felt like a true adventure at first, but by the time Haku started looking in the toilets, she started getting disappointed and frustrated.

"I give up, Neru!" Haku pouted after a half hour, on the verge of tears. She tumbled to the floor and began kicking her legs.

"No, don't cry Haku!" Neru said. The blonde girl patted Haku's head and gave the pink-cheeked albino a warm hug once she got up. "I'll give you as many hints as you want now."

"Okay." Haku said, wiping little tears from her face.

"It's hidden in a happy place!" Neru bounced.

"Where?" Haku asked.

"It's right under your nose." Neru said. Haku glanced down below her.

"You're getting warmer." Neru said. "I'll give you another hint."

Neru wrapped her little arms around Haku and hugged her. During the hug, Neru spoke.

"Now you're really close to it." She said.

Once they parted, Haku's eyes grew big.

"I know where it is!" She rang. "It's in... Neru-chan's heart?"

"Ding-ding-ding!" The blonde jumped up and down. "You're correct!"

Neru pointed to the pocket on the upper area of her shirt near her heart. Haku reached in the pocket and pulled out a piece of construction paper, folded until it was small.

"Unfold it!" Neru said, doing a little dance.

Haku unfolded the paper, there was a drawing of two girls, one with yellow hair and one with white hair, holding hands outside with big smiles on their faces. Both girls had crowns on their heads.

"Dear Haku-chan." It said, "You are my very best friend in the whole world! Happy birthday. Love, Neru."

Haku looked at Neru with wide eyes.

"I made it all by myself!" Neru said.

Haku leaned forward and hugged Neru.

"It's the best present I ever got! Ever!" She said.

"I'm so glad you like it!" Neru was being smooshed. Haku's hugs tended to be a little powerful.

"It came from Neru-chan's heart! Neru-chan's heart!" Haku sang.

Neru looked at Haku fondly. Her best friend since birth, nobody could ever replace her. Haku was Neru's special friend.

Using clear tape, Haku taped the drawing on the wall right above her bed. Whenever she would feel sad, thinking about the adventures her and Neru had would always cheer her up.