Autumn: Birthday, part 1

Mrs. Irie had a plan. Well, actually Mrs. Irie had lots of plans, all the time. The one she was working on now, while complicated, was one of her most cunning, even if she had to say so herself. Its successful completion would provide her great pleasure in several ways. Number 1, she would give her beloved daughter-to-be a surprise birthday party. Number 2, she would deliver her older son on a silver platter to the birthday girl. Number 3, she would swat away like insects those pesky boys that kept hovering around Kotoko. (She didn't worry too much about the one that was working for Aihara-san, but the law school student was going to be tough to dislodge. That one had slipped in under her radar.)

Wearing her usual disguise of oversized sunglasses and scarf, she ventured onto Tonan University campus. She had invitations to deliver and she couldn't trust anyone else with this task. Luckily, she had little chance of running into Kotoko…

"Mrs. Irie? What's up? What brings you here today?"

Busted! "Oh, well," she sighed, "I just can't keep anything from you, Kotoko-chan." She gave the girl a hug. "I was going to give you a surprise birthday party. Can you just pretend that you didn't see me?"

"But…why?"

"It's your twentieth birthday, Kotoko-chan! Ah, that most sparkling of moments when one crosses over from her teens to her 20s…" She clasped her hands together almost in prayer. "Oooh, I'm so jealous! I wish I could go back in time and experience it all again myself! For such a momentous birthday, we must celebrate in style!"

"R-really, Mrs. Irie, it's okay…" Kotoko stammered, "you already give me a present every year, and—"

"What are you saying?!" Mrs. Irie exclaimed in an offended tone. "I will not allow you to pass such a momentous day doing nothing! You hear me?!"

"Y-yes—" The younger woman backed away from the histrionics.

"Our family only celebrated birthday parties until Naoki and Yuuki turned five… After that, everyone lost interest. It's been so boring!" Mrs. Irie complained.

"I see," Kotoko symphasized. "So, you've been pent-up for a party all these years."

"In order for as many friends of yours as possible to attend, I came here to hand out these invitations!" Mrs. Irie held them out in excitement.

"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Irie!" Kotoko hugged her. "Who are you inviting?" Before Mrs. Irie could take a breath, Kotoko had taken possession of the envelopes and was sorting through them. "Jinko (and Narasaki), Satomi (and Rui), Kin-chan(!), and Taketo-kun! Oh, Mrs. Irie, thank you so much! I've hoped for this for weeks!" After a stronger, almost tearful hug, she handed the envelopes back and danced away.

"Remember, Kotoko-chan! Mum's the word!" Mrs. Irie called.

Kotoko waved and replied, "I'll practice my surprised look!"

After she was out of sight, Mrs. Irie chuckled. "Who's the best?!"

"Huh?" asked Naoki.

"What do you mean, 'Huh?'!" his mother fumed at him. "I told you that I'm giving a birthday party for Kotoko-chan!"

"What is she, a child?" he retorted, turning in an attempt to escape.

"You are to come back home on September 28th, do you hear me?" She grabbed his arm and slapped the invitation to his chest. "And don't be late! And you must give her a present!"

"A present?" he protested. "I'm a poor, working college student! Do I really have to?"

"Yes!" She leaned over and whispered, "Of course, not all 'presents' have to be a physical object…right, Naoki?"

He stared at her in disbelief. "I wish you'd stop trying to pimp me out…"

"What are you saying to your mother? You had better attend on your own, because you don't want me to find you and drag you there!"

Unfortunately, he knew that was no empty threat.

Kotoko was so happy that she hummed during her work shift. Mrs. Irie had finally accepted her relationship with Taketo-kun! She didn't know what had tipped the scales in her favor, but she thanked the gods for whatever it was! Now the mood in the Irie house would be more relaxed. She thought that even Irie-kun's visits could be without stress, since he would no longer be pushed on her.

Taketo smiled when she slid in the booth after her shift for a study session. Kotoko still struggled in English, but she was slowly improving under his tutelage. "You look happy today," he said to her in slow English.

"Yess, I ahm haaappy," she replied.

"Why?" he asked.

"Mizzez Irie," she paused, trying to find the right word, "axepts you."

"What makes you say that?" queried Taketo, reverting to Japanese.

Kotoko placed both hands over her mouth. "I'm not supposed to say!" she mumbled, eyes twinkling.

He leaned forward and removed her hands. "Could it be that something is no longer a surprise?" He stole a quick kiss before sitting straight again.

She nodded silently, making a motion of zipping her lips.

"Ah, you're pretending not to know? Well, maybe something will surprise you that night." He tugged a pigtail. "But right now, translate this first sentence to English."

On the afternoon of her birthday, Mrs. Irie picked Kotoko up from the college campus. "Now, we're going to go on a shopping trip for your birthday gift from me, Kotoko-chan!" she declared. "That way we can keep up the pretense of this being a surprise! Everyone will be waiting for us at the house afterwards. Everyone, that is," she added darkly, "that cares enough to come!"

"What do you mean, Mrs. Irie?" Kotoko asked.

"Nothing, nothing!" she replied airily. "I'm sure that all the important people will be there! Anyway, today you're the star, and I'm going to make sure that you look the part!"

Kotoko looked all around the exclusive shop. "Mrs. Irie," she hissed, "there are no prices on these dresses!"

"Don't worry about cost, Kotoko-chan! This is a gift from Mr. Irie and me. Nothing is too good for our dau—dear girl!" she quickly corrected herself.

The dress that was eventually chosen—by Mrs. Irie, not Kotoko, to be honest—was sleeveless with a deep scooped neckline. A full skirt in rich blue moire silk and sewn-in contrasting petticoat made it appear even more magical. "Everything must be included in the outfit!" declared Mrs. Irie, so they made their way through lingerie and shoe stores as well. The final stop was a salon where her hair was styled and makeup applied. Mrs. Irie assisted her into her new clothes in a back room. Kotoko was then pulled out in front of a full-length mirror. "See? Don't you look lovely?"asked Mrs. Irie from behind her, hands on her shoulders.

"I feel like I'm looking at a different person," Kotoko breathed. "This is me, twenty years old."