Me: GUYS. YOU KNOW WHAT I REALIZED?

Ichigo: What?

Me: I FORGOT MICHAEL'S BIRTHDAY.

Kashino: ... What?

Me: Michael's birthday, on the 15th of July. I FORGOT ABOUT IT AND DIDN'T WRITE A CHAPTER FOR IT.

Ichigo: Calm down, Carole! So what if you did?

Me: I feel so bad about it! I wrote birthday stories for Lynne and Dylan, but not for my sweet Mikee! I forgot!

Ichigo: No need to fuss, I'm going to guess this is his birthday chapter, right?

Me: It is, though it's long overdue... I should have made and published it 2 weeks ago. But anyway, here is Mikee's birthday story and as always I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!

You, Me, and Track 15

Michael: 14

Lynne: 9

Dylan: 6

XxXxX

Kashino Michael felt like he was cursed.

And sometimes, it really looked like he was.

What curse was the teenager plagued with? Despite having a birthday in the summer, the middle of July, on the 15th, he was always sick. It was no exaggeration either. It was partly to blame on the boy's weak immune system, though other times it was just sheer unlucky situations.

On the morning of his 14th birthday, he lay in bed, a thermometer sticking out of his mouth. He rolled around lazily, playing Pokémon. He had quite the fever, though it had gone down after his mom had given him medicine. Though, medicine didn't have quite the full effect on him. His cheeks were flushed from the heat, his forehead slick with sweat. A half-full glass of water sat on his bedside table, beside the bowl of soup his mother had left for him.

After finishing his battle, the boy sighed, saving the game and shutting off the device. Tossing it aside, he reached for the glass, gulping down the rest of its contents and repositioning the thermometer in his mouth. Leaning back on the backboard of his bed, he stared at the door unhappily. It was times like this that he really hated how easily he was sick. Today was supposed to be one of the best days of his life. Of course, a run with influenza had to ruin it.

Miyako had invited him to go out for his birthday. Of course, they weren't going to be alone. All of their close friends would be going too; but the idea of time with Miyako always had Michael going crazy. In fact, his heart began to race just thinking about her. Maybe his cheeks weren't just red from fever.

Perfect timing, his mother came in, and sighed seeing his flushed face. "My poor baby, sick on your birthday once again. Happy birthday?"

"I'm not a baby, Mom," Michael argued, taking the thermometer out of his mouth and handing it to her. "I am fourteen now, you know."

Ichigo smiled, sitting at the side of the boy's bed, "You'll always be my baby." She giggled, gently pinching his cheek jokingly, "Whether you're 14 or 64!"

"Mom, I think you'd be dead when I'm 64..."

She huffed, letting go of his cheek, checking the thermometer, "You've still got a fever. It's a shame, really. Weren't you supposed to go out with Miyako and your friends?"

"No duh," Michael grumbled, "I was looking forward to it too."

"Because you like Miyako, right?" Ichigo replied breezily, not noting the horrified look overtaking her son's face.

"Mom! Don't say it so easily! You can't just go saying stuff like that all the time!"

"It's only you and me in the room," She responded, ruffling his hair, "You're too paranoid, Mikee."

He slapped her hand away moodily, "Mom, I'm not 5 anymore. Stop babying me."

"But you'll always-"

"Be your baby, I know," He sighed, peering at her with those caramel eyes just like his father's; he asked her sincerely, "But could you please lay off the nickname?"

She smiled warmly, though she showed some nostalgia in her expression, "What happened to my innocent baby boy?"

Michael sighed once more, before leaning forward and giving his mother a kiss on the cheek, "He's not a baby anymore, that's what."

XxXxX

"Mikee! Hey Mikee!"

The boy groaned, slinking down farther in his bed, pulling the covers over his head. He feigned sleep, hearing his sister's quick, light footsteps sprinting up the stairs. The door swung open, and she tip-toed toward where he lay, climbing up his bed and beginning to bounce. "Mikee! Mikee! Mikee!"

He turned around, away from her, continuing his facade and pretending not to hear her. "Mikee, I know you're not sleeping. You can't fool me, I'm too smart."

He still didn't answer, though suddenly, the covers hiding his face were pulled away and he was face to face with his little brother, who sat on the floor beside his bed, holding the blankets in his hand, "Look, Lynnie. His eyes are open. He's just pretending!"

Michael groaned, before sitting up. He tried to smooth out his mused up brown hair, giving both of them glares as they climbed atop his bed, sitting on his legs, "What do you two want?"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Lynne cheered loudly. So loud in fact; her words ringed in his ears. "Dyl and I have a surprise for you! Right Dyl?" The youngest Kashino nodded furiously in response.

"Guys... I'm sick, leave me alone!" Michael whined, trying to pull the blankets back over his head. Though, he couldn't with his brother and sister sitting on them.

"Aw, come on Mikee! Don't be so mean," Lynne pouted, "It'll be quick, I promise!"

"Fine, fine, I'll hear you out," He agreed finally, "Just stop shouting."

"Okay!" The girl whispered sharply, trying to keep her voice down, "Dyl! Show him the card!"

From behind his back, Dylan produced a card made out of a folded piece of construction paper. It was bright green, with the words, "Happy Birthday Mikee!" written in huge bubble letters. There was a shimmer of sparkles coating the whole thing, the letters sticking out like an eyesore, having been coloured in with yellow highlighter. "That's... Nice?" Michael said reluctantly, eyeing his siblings' handy work.

"Dyl did all the decorating by himself! I just wrote down the words," Lynne pronounced proudly. She had already forgotten to be quiet, her voice booming loudly. "Right Dyl?"

"Yeah," Dylan replied. For once, Michael was thankful his brother was quiet to begin with.

"It's quite a decorating job," Michael agreed finally.

"I like highlighters," Dylan said shyly, holding the card to cover his mouth, "Do you like it...?"

Seeing his brother make that face, there was no way Michael could ever say no. He had learned way too often that Dylan was a super sensitive kid. "It's amazing!" Michael replied, reaching out to take it, "Can I see?"

"Look at the inside!" Lynne continued to ramble proudly, "I did it all!"

The fourteen-year-old proceeded in unfolding the glitter coated construction paper, and read the message written inside, in his sister's messy scrawl. "Happy birthday, to our older brother," Michael read aloud, "Look at all these games for you! Love Lynne and Dylan." The boy's gaze wandered toward the gameboy games taped to the construction paper. Once he did, he didn't move.

"So, do you like it?" Lynne gushed.

"Where did you get these?!" Michael barked finally, pointing to the Pokémon games fastened to the card, "These were already mine!"

Lynne laughed, dragging her younger brother off Michael's bed. Slowly, she crept toward the door, Dylan in tow, "I took them while you were sleeping... I hoped you wouldn't notice!"

"OF COURSE I WOULD NOTICE!"

"Mikee's mad," Dylan piped up, looking to his sister, "I thought you said he would like it."

"Well, I thought he would," Lynne argued.

"Lynne, you snuck into my room without asking, and stole my video games. Was I supposed to be happy about it?!"

"Ah, he's going all mean again!" Lynne exclaimed dramatically, "Let's go, Dyl; before he explodes!"

As the two ran off, Lynne giggling the whole way, Michael sighed, "Like hell I would..." He grumbled to himself.

XxXxX

"Michael?"

The boy had given up on sleeping for the current time. Instead, he was back to playing with his gameboy, after having peeled off the tape from his games. He looked up, seeing his father standing in the doorway. Closing the device, setting it on the table, he asked, "Yeah?"

His father smiled, coming in and sitting at his side, "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," Michael replied honestly, happy to finally receive a somewhat normal birthday greeting.

"Are you feeling okay?" Kashino asked, laying a hand on his forehead. The teenager was still quite warm, though he seemed to be holding up better than in the morning when he had stumbled sickly down the stairs.

Both Kashino and Ichigo were worried when any of the kids were sick, though especially with Michael. He had been quite the sickly child, due to his underdeveloped immune system. As he had grown up, his immune system had grown as strong as those his age as well, but they couldn't help but fret; thinking about the countless feverish, tearful, nights he had as a kid.

"I'm fine, Dad," Michael said, "You and Mom don't have to worry so much. Like I told her, I'm not a baby."

"Force of habit," The blond replied, taking his hand away from the boy's face. "How's your birthday going for you?"

"Well, it's better than last year," He said drily. The previous year, the family had gone on vacation to the beach. Michael had been bedridden the whole trip after flash rain had soaked him through and claimed his health.

Kashino chuckled, standing up and collecting the dishes scattered around the room. "Or the year before that." 2 years ago, Michael had caught the bronchitis virus that had been travelling through the Kashino family. Of course, he was cursed to get it last, on his birthday.

"I guess, at least it's just a cold," He sighed, "But I wish I could have gone out with my friends. They were planning some fun stuff for my birthday."

"And you wanted to be with Miyako?"

"... You and mom think the same way, she said basically the same thing."

"Because we know how you feel," Kashino shrugged, "Believe it or not, but we went through the same thing you did."

"I know; you were all lovey-dovey, head-over-heels for each other. You still are." Michael scoffed, "It's so cheesy sometimes, I think I'd rather not fall in love."

"You'll understand when you fall in love for real," Kashino assured him, "Your mother means everything to me. You, Lynne, and Dylan too."

"Really?" Michael questioned, "The troublesome duo taped my Pokémon games to a birthday card."

"So that's what Lynne was doing... She was acting all suspicious."

"And you didn't do anything?"

"Well, isn't she always doing something suspicious?"

"Fair point," The teenager agreed. "But still... I don't know what it's like falling in love, but for now I'm fine with liking Miyako." His face quickly turned pink, like it always did. "T-that's okay, right?"

Kashino sighed, coming over and laying a hand on the boy's head, "You're always saying you're not a baby, but you really don't know much about anything."

"I do too! Just not about... love."

"There's nothing wrong with just liking her," Kashino finally said, "I had a crush on your mom for 2 years before I told her."

"Really?" Michael wondered, his eyes wide, "I thought you always knew you loved each other."

"Your mom is as dense as a brick," Kashino confessed easily, "She wouldn't have known unless I told her." He paused, "Hopefully, Miyako isn't as bad."

"She's not!" Michael was quick to defend her, "She... She's smart, Dad. She's on the school's honour roll."

"Even when you're the smartest, love is hard to understand," Kashino said, "It was that way with me, it's the same with you. I know you're smart, but love has a way of confusing everyone."

"I just wish I could have spent the day with her..." Michael said without thinking. His father gave him a look, raising his eyebrows and he quickly added, "And the rest of our friends, geez."

"I think I could grant that," Kashino said suspiciously, "Well, the first part." And the blond proceeded in opening the door, taking the dishes along with him.

"Wait, what does that mean?!" Michael called after him.

Though, his father didn't answer, instead closing the door behind him.

XxXxX

As the day wore on, so did the medicine helping Michael. By the end of the day, he was quite sickly once again. Though, it was too early to take more medicine. He still had a few hours to wait before he could take more.

The evening sun filtered in through his curtains, spilling across the hardwood floors and setting his dark blue walls alight. His fever had spike again, and he was indeed miserable. He hid under his blankets, shivering and huddled together. His parents had instructed for his siblings not to bother him, so he didn't have to worry about that.

He felt like he was locked in a sauna, boiling hot and sweating. Yet, he felt as though he had gotten stuck in a freezer at the same time, chilled to the bone and quaking. His head was pounding badly, a pulsing pain thundering through his head. His mind was a bit delirious, quite frankly. The patterns of his blanket seemed to swirl in front of his very eyes.

He moaned to himself, emerging from the blankets for only a second to take a tissue from the box on his bedside table. He had on a black hoodie, despite the blankets and hot summer weather, pulling the hood over his head. "This sucks," He muttered to himself, laying back down. The pillow beneath his head was already hot from all his body heat.

From outside, he heard the sweet melodies of birds. He saw one bird perched on the tree in his backyard, where the window looked out. He pictured Miyako that one day after school, where she had gotten a bird to land on her finger, and had smiled and gushed about it the whole way home.

The way she smiled, where her eyes seemed to sparkle beautifully, like festival fireworks. The healthy glow she had, always casually flipping her hair behind her shoulders.

The thought of Miyako instantly lightened his heart, and made his day seem a little less disastrous. Closing his eyes, he thought to himself, he might have been delirious; but it was like he could hear her calling his name. Her soothing voice, like drinking hot tea with a sore throat; yes, he could hear her calling him. "Michael... Michael..."

"Miyako..." He mumbled to himself, a small smile taking over his face.

And then he heard her laugh. Her laugh, that had the same pleasant sound as wind chimes, like sound dancing across the wind, travelling further and further into his soul. How he wished she was there. Or rather, he wished he could be with her. But of course, the darned influenza was keeping him stuck at home, dreaming deliriously of her, instead of actually being with her.

"You're so silly."

His eyes shot open wide, and he bolted upward; just to come face to face with Miyako herself. Hearing her call his name, hearing her laugh, it hadn't been an illusion at all. Her warm chocolate eyes glittered warmly at him, as she sat on the side of his bed. "Oh. You're awake?"

The sudden movement had caused the teenager to feel dizzy. Swaying slightly, he mumbled, "Y-yeah..."

"Don't strain yourself now," Miyako said gently, laying her hands gently on the boy's shoulders and laying him back down, "You need to rest!"

"What're you doing here?" He asked confusedly, "I'm sick! You'll catch-"

"It's okay," Miyako hushed him, placing her index finger on his lips, "Just calm down. I have a birthday present for you, and just had to give it to you on your birthday."

He felt his face flush, though he wondered if she could tell, since his face was already red with fever. "D-do you?" He felt strangely special. Miyako taking the whole hassle of coming over to his house, just to present the sick boy with his gift; it made his heart beat faster.

She held up a shopping bag, "I didn't get it wrapped... But I hope you'll like it."

"If it's you giving it to me, of course I will," Michael murmured, avoiding her gaze. Slowly, he propped himself up, and she put the bag in his lap.

First, Michael pulled out a package of mochi. It was from a store that made them fresh, packaged in a clear box, tied with pink ribbon. It was his favourite kind; chestnut mochi. He vaguely remembered telling Miyako this, but only once. He was surprised she remembered. "I just thought of it on my way here," Miyako confided sheepishly, "So... I couldn't wrap it all special."

"That's fine," Michael replied honestly, "J-just the thought is enough."

She smiled, "This is my real present though." She held up another gift, smaller than the first. It was very slim, and wrapped in blue paper. "I made this a couple of days ago."

He carefully unwrapped the gift, confused to see a CD. Written in permanent marker on it was, "What I Know About You."

"What is this?" He asked curiously.

"It's a CD," Miyako said sweetly, pointing to it she said, "It has 15 songs on it, all of them reminding me of you."

Michael's eyes widened, and slowly, he opened the case. On the inside, was a track list. It was true, on different occasions Miyako had shown him all of the songs; claiming they had reminded her of him at some point or another. To receive a gift so special, from her no less...

"I love it," He replied sincerely. "I really love it."

"I'm glad you do," Miyako replied finally, "Track 15 is my favourite, just so you know."

Michael put the CD down on the bedside table, "I'll listen to it later," He told her honestly, "I just want to talk to you first."

Miyako giggled, holding up the mochi, "What about we talk and eat?"

So the two opened the package of chestnut mochi, talking about their days. Miyako, stories about what her and the rest of their friends did in Michael's absence. Michael, telling tales of his crazy, embarrassing family.

She laughed at every joke he made, while telling her the accounts of the day; which made him feel just that little bit better. He actually forgot how sick he felt, just being in her presence.

"Michael, you have mochi on your face," She said, once he finished the story about Lynne and Dylan.

"Huh? Where?" He muttered embarrassedly, rubbing at his lips.

"Here," Miyako reached forward, brushing off the little bit of dessert at the corner of his mouth. "I got it for you, silly."

That nickname of hers the she had given him. It was the one that he would never really mind. "Thanks," He said finally, looking down at his lap.

"Anyway, I have to get going. Feel better, okay?" Miyako said, standing up. "Happy birthday!"

"I'll listen to the CD, promise," Michael called after her.

She giggled, before leaning forward and barely, just barely, giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek, just as she had that one time before. "Of course, I'm happy you like it."

Once she had closed the door behind her, Michael scrambled to retrieve his CD player. After finding it, he placed the CD inside, quickly pressing play. He listened to every single song, reminiscing each time Miyako had shown each to him. And finally, he reached track 15. Miyako had told him, that was her favourite.

"Michael?"

He was surprised to hear her voice. He heard her laugh before saying, "So, track 15 isn't really a song, but I just really want you to know. You're an amazing best friend, and I am so lucky to have you. I know this is a pretty lame birthday gift, but I just hope you like it. I'm not the best singer, you've teased me about it so many times, but just this once, I'll sing for you. Okay?"

And he heard her start to sing. The very first song he had ever shown her. That one he had played for her, that one night when they were on the phone, very late at night. He still remembered the way she had giggled when he had begun to play it. The way she had tried to hum along, even when she didn't know the tune at all.

The memory alone brought a smile to his face, and he allowed himself to listen to her voice. Despite how much he had teased her for her voice, he loved it so very much.

And he felt as though he could play that track over and over again, without getting tired of it. After all, he would never get tired of her. He glanced at the mochi left on his bedside table, and the sun disappearing behind the houses. He supposed his birthday wasn't that bad after all.

And certainly, he didn't feel cursed in the slightest.

Me: ANNND, there you have it! I'm so sorry Mikee, I forgot your birthday. I feel like a horrible author...

Ichigo: Calm down! You have about a million characters to keep track of! It's okay to forget details every once and a while!

Me: I suppose so... Anyway, thank you to all you readers/followers/reviewers/favourite(ers) (Is this starting to sound redundant?)

I know I always say it, but I mean it every single time!

I love you all, and I really just want you to know I really love and appreciate you.

~*Reviewers' Corner*~

1) RedNeko22

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As always, please leave me a review and tell me what you think! Ja ne! :)

xoxo

~Mikashi-chan :)