Naru's POV:
I sighed in relief as I sat back in my seat at base, and I started going through the recorded film, speeding it up from two hours into thirty minutes.
That was when Gene and Yasu bounded upstairs with Han in tow, the presents from Lin in their hands.
Both had been kept in their delivery boxes, though the boxes had been painted.
I sighed, and knelt on the floor as they rested the large packages on the ground.
"This is a bit… Big…" I mused, and Gene grinned broadly.
"We're 19! What do you think?!" he replied. "Also, it makes up for last year where we were getting scolded, then had to deal with a Level 10 case, and-"
"I know already." I growled. "So basically we all took advantage of this being a Level 3 case."
I grabbed a pocket-knife from the desk, and slit through the packaging tape, before carefully pulling the inner-box out.
A black case faced me, and I lifted its lid, revealing a blue and black keyboard with an indigo strap.
I felt my eyes widen as I heard a "Wow" from beside me, making me look up.
A gleaming green hybrid guitar with a navy finger-board and navy pegs lay in an orange case.
"So we both got instruments…" I mused, as Monk perked up in his seat.
"BRILLIANT!" Gene grinned, picking his guitar up and running his fingers over the strings. "It needs tuning, though… Naru?"
I turned on my keyboard, and played the notes Gene told me to.
"So, how good are you two?"
"We only took the Grade 5 and 8 exams, but I think we both got a Distinction…" Gene mused.
"I got full marks both times, you were three marks then one mark behind me on the Grade 8." I corrected, and he pouted at me.
"Play something, then." he said, and I smirked, before playing the full Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven without fault while keeping my eyes closed.
Gene grinned, and began playing The Show Must Go On by MandoPony, having found it after playing the game it was modelled off.
He was sing along, managing to sound slightly creepy as he did so.
Han looked slightly disturbed by the piece.
When Gene finished, we looked at each other.
You scared Han. I scolded.
I like that song, though! Gene replied, pouting.
Still-
Let's play Balloons, that'll calm him down!
That piece is too sad.
Discord?
No.
Stairwells by Nick Pitera?
…
Please?
…
…
… Fine…
I straightened, and went through the first bars, Gene singing as he rested his guitar on his lap.
…
Hans seems better…
Good.
I wanna play more!
No. Two songs is enough.
Awww…
Han left, and I sighed in relief, before Mrs Mao entered.
"Dinner's in five minutes. Don't forget to wash." she ordered.
I carefully put my keyboard back, before taking it to my room and following Mrs Mao's orders…
···
The cake wasn't expected.
Gene's jaw fell, and I looked around at the others as they sang "happy birthday", then at the knife which Mrs Mao had left on the table between Gene and I. I let Gene blow the candles out, and he was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet during the entire thing with a grin plastered all over his face.
We picked the knife up, and after Gene sent me another cheeky grin, we cut the cake, before I neatly cut slices and helped Mrs Mao pass them around.
Once done eating, I excused myself and returned to base, retrieving the present Yasu had given me this morning and putting it with my pocket watch.
···
I looked up from my book as Gene re-entered from the bathroom.
"Why did you leave early?" he asked, sitting on his bed as he finished drying his hair.
"…The picture wasn't finished." I chose.
He nodded as he figured out what I meant.
"Mai and Lin?" he asked, and I nodded as I put my book away and decided to snuggle up with Gene. "You're being surprisingly clingy."
"It's not clingy, it's protective." I grunted as he settled down by me. "…I don't want to lose you a second time, once was more than enough."
He gave me a small smile, which turned into a grin as he patted my head (something he knows riles me up), before closing his eyes to sleep.
I sighed, before sending Gene a small smile of my own, and falling asleep myself…