犬
夜
叉
I was born on the last day of March, as the cherry blossoms bud, when life is fresh and starting anew. I was actually supposed to be born two weeks earlier, and Papa loves to tease that I was too stubborn to leave Mama's warmth. I'm just happy to be born at all, and to wonderful parents no less. Sadly, I lost one of them when I was still just a child, but I know he'll always watch over me.
The four girls step off the bus. Now within the heart of Tokyo's downtown, they roam the streets.
"So, Kagome-chan, any special plans for your special day?" Yuka, the girl with the shortest hair, starts small talk.
Kagome shrugs. "No, not really, just a small party."
Eri, the girl wearing a yellow headband, sighs. "Seriously, Kagome-chan, life's much too short and you're much too young to be settling now."
Yuka insistently nods. "Yeah! You could ask for anything, like a shopping spree, or going to theme parks like Kourakuen Yuuenchi* and Hanayashiki*!"
"Or if you want to feel mature you could have a rite of passage ceremony at the teahouse of Hamarikyu Gardens*!"
"I don't know guys, I think a simple get together with family and friends is enough to make a happy birthday." Ayumi, the girl with wavy hair, reasons.
"Of course you would, Ayumi-chan."
Kagome shrugs. "They're nice suggestions and all, but it's too late to change plans don't you think? Plus, I feel like a homebody this year."
"Well I know what to do when my birthday rolls around." Eri winks and the girls laugh.
"Where should we go next?" Yuka asks.
"Oh! We should definitely head for the mall, I think there are sales for spring-wear!" Eri vouches giddily.
"Overall, it's up to the birthday girl." Ayumi states.
Eri grabs onto Kagome's arm. "Kagome-chan please, please let us go to the mall! I promise to buy you a second birthday gift!"
"Bribery, Eri? How desperate and unbecoming." Yuka taunts.
"Zip it!"
"No need for a second gift." Kagome steps in before they argue yet again. "We could go to the mall after lunch, but only for an hour."
She's gifted with a bear hug. "Arigato~!"
"Higurashi-san!"
Hearing the call, Kagome turns over her shoulder to find a young man riding his bike towards her. "Oh, Hojo-san!"
Hojo stops next to her. "Gomenkudasai, I won't be able to make it for your birthday party later."
Kagome waves it off. "Don't worry about it."
"To make up for it, I got you this." He presents the gift basket to her.
"Oh, herbs." Kagome graciously takes it. "Arigato, Hojo-san."
"They're Kampo herbs, specially approved by my family's pharmacy. I also have a leaflet at the bottom, it tells you how to use each herb accordingly and what they're best used for."
Touched, Kagome smiles brightly. "I really appreciate it, Hojo-san."
"It's the least I could do. Well, I better go, I promised to help at the pharmacy. Sayounara, Higurashi-san." He rides off.
"Sayounara, Hojo-san!" Kagome calls out to him.
"Oh, he has it bad for you, Kagome-chan~." Yuka sings playfully.
"When are you going to stop playing hard-to-get and go out with him?" Eri inquires.
"You guys, he never even asked me out." Kagome reasons.
"So?" Both girls asks in unison.
Kagome shrugs. "Besides, I don't really see him like that."
Eri gawks at her. "Are you serious?"
Yuka palms her forehead. "One of the cutest boys in school is practically courting you and you're not going to take advantage of it?"
Flustered, Kagome fiddles with the gift basket. "Well, I never… really thought… about it."
Sighing, Eri pats her shoulder. "Kagome, as a childhood friend, I'm compelled to be honest and tell you that you're hopeless when it comes to romance."
"Come on you two," Ayumi decides to step in. "Kagome has every right to choose the man she'll spend the rest of her life with, not just the first guy paying special attention to her."
"Riiiight." Eri sarcastically tunes.
Yuka follows suit. "Yeah suuure, Ayumi-chan, you're only saying that 'cause you want Hojo-san for yourself."
"N-Not true!" Ayumi shrieks.
Once again, Kagome's playing peacekeeper. "Only time will tell, right? Hojo-san is very sweet and responsible, so maybe he will be the one for me, or maybe a biker thug with a big heart. I don't care, as long as he truly loves me as much as I love him." She's caught in a momentary daydream, but quickly snaps out of it. "Besides, I'm not interested in fairy-tale teen romance, they just annoy me."
Eri sighs, "Yeah, we know."
Yuka shakes her head. "You just fail to see the wonders in the fantasy of a perfect relationship."
Kagome snorts. "Perfect my foot! So the violent bad boy and airheaded good girl desperate to change him is considered perfect?"
"Only because she wants what's best for him!" Yuka defends.
"Yeah!" Eri's quick to agree.
"Now, now girls." Ayumi tries to calm them down.
Kagome's first to cool off. "You know what, I said enough. As the birthday girl, I demand we drop this topic."
Yuka has a brief stare off with her friend before backing off. "As you wish, Kagome-sama." She teases.
"I only hope you're joking about the biker thug for a boyfriend." Eri shakes her head.
"She said if he has a big heart, don't be so judgmental." Ayumi advises.
***Kourakuen Yuuenchi and Hanayashiki are real-life theme parks, though in present Kourakuen is know the Tokyo Dome City Attractions. Hamarikyu Gardens is a public park with a teahouse attraction for visitors, hence the suggestion of a tea-ceremony.