Chapter 29: "Strawberries and Cream"

The rest of that Tuesday night floats by as if in a daze. After Hihara brought back to Kanayan the collected soup ingredients, the operation swung right into action. Kaji and Shimizu, upon seeing Hihara tromping back and forth down the hall, had volunteered to beg for some pans and bowls and utensils from the kitchen that Hihara had overlooked to purvey from the store.

Hearing the ruckus in the hall as well, Tsuchiura and even Etou offered to help cook. Both were actually not totally inept in the kitchen, but they ended up being only allowed to chop vegetables and meat under strict instruction.

Kanayan had a top secret recipe and was not letting anyone butt into his kitchen affairs. Sure, it was Kira's suite—complete with dining area and useful kitchenette, but who's counting? And since Tsukimori and Ousaki arrived a little late after Nami gave them a heads-up ring at the Doebling, they got assigned dish washing duty.

Oh, joy.

Despite the circumstances, it was a rather cozy gathering of the Seiso male alumni. Kanayan was enjoying every second of his boys' squabbles and show-offs, of the way their little group became a cohesive unit when in the benefit of their own. For in spite of his split personality swings and uppity nature, Yunoki Azuma still somehow had managed to keep on good terms with all of the young men present, gaining their friendship, respect, or at least, indifference, for Etou had really only met Seiso's famed legendary Senpai once or twice before Yunoki left for the States.

Yunoki may have had tumultuous failings, but the only one who ever had a real quarrel with the elegant young heir was his very own relation, Kaji Aoi, Yunoki's distant cousin.

He was just as gifted in looks, talent and popularity, but Kaji had something Yunoki lacked. Since they were children, Kaji had the respect of his family to let him make his own choices, forge his own life—right or wrong, good or bad. Kaji Aoi would be his own man soon and he placed the argument before Yunoki—that his more serene, dutiful cousin was just the puppet of his grandmother's strings and would never be a 'real man' until he cut loose from her overpowering influence. This had upset Yunoki then, and Kaji, older and wiser now, could understand why. It had torn his cousin apart to be who his family wished him to be, more than who he really was.

And this nervous breakdown, two years after that heated disagreement took place in the Seiso library, was the result.

Kaji's regretful mind turns over these depressing thoughts as he's dismissed by Kanayan along with the rest of the group, their mission of mercy accomplished. But was it really? Kaji wished he could march right into Yunoki's room and beg his cousin for forgiveness for the harsh words passed between the two pretty much all their adolescent lives.

I never knew he was so mixed up inside! I should've helped more. After all, we're family.

Just then his cell phone buried in his pocket sends off a beep. Kaji ducks into a hallway crevice to read the text.

'YOU MUST BE PARTYING HARD NOT TO BE READING MY TEXTS. I CAN'T BLAME YOU THERE! HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY, MY BOY!'

It was from his dad and he hadn't looked at it all day. November 12th had come and gone, but Kaji was too sad and too busy to even notice.

That's right! It's my birthday! And I've been so worried about Yunoki-san, I totally forgot! Wow...I turned eighteen today and it's already almost over. Too bad...

Kaji looks sadly at his watch. It was well past eleven at night. His birthday was almost over before he even realized it, before a single person had the chance to wish him a 'happy birthday with many returns', even once.

"Oh, that's all right." Smiling to himself, Kaji was growing up. He understood that Yunoki's health and the upcoming concert were way more important than a silly thing like a birthday, even his eighteenth. He was just spoiled when it came to celebrating his birthday with his loving family, seventeen times before.

Kaji gives one last sigh, for he so enjoyed a party—especially one in his honor!

Oh well, never mind.

He inserts his passkey into his hotel door, going in and changing into his pjs for bed, when the doorbell rings. His slips on his maroon dressing gown to answer the call, never imagining it would be—

"SURPRISE! Happy Birthday and many returns, Aoi-san!" Maybe there wasn't all the fanfare, nor all the decorations or excitement the rich heir associated with a birthday party. There was no crowd of adoring friends and relations, but Kaji Aoi couldn't have been more pleased to have at least one person remember the passing of his important day.

"Mori-san! You remembered!" Kaji was almost in tears, but he sucks them back in. He was eighteen years old now—a man. So he'd better start acting like one! But the thought didn't stop him from feeling as giddy as a kid again—for a few moments, at least.

"How could I forget my favorite boy's special day? Eighteenth birthdays don't come around every year, you know?" Mori smirks. She had planned something bigger, with all the others to be attending, too, but with Yunoki's sad condition and everyone scheduled to watch him, it just was left to her.

"Many, many returns!" If Mori Manami was bold enough to come to the boy's hotel room at this time of night, she was bold enough to stand on tiptoe and plant a kiss on Kaji's shocked lips in the doorway.

Hey! This is sweet Kaji Aoi!

Kaji just stands there and blinks in total shocked, but pleased, surprise.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" She cocks her head with a teasing smile and he lets her by in a dazed stupor, not yet remembering that he was in just his pajamas.

"Where have you been all night? I've been waiting!" Mori starts preparing her birthday gift, her turned back to him.

Kaji shrugs, though a grin was beginning to itch his lips as he vainly attempts to peer over her shoulder, wondering what the golden girl's musical fingers were up to.

"All us guys have been helping Kanayan make his 'miraculous healing chicken soup'. I hope it works for Yunoki-san. I feel so bad for him. " He answers a bit distractedly, a pitiable expression mingling with the eager curiosity in his eyes.

"Yes, I know how you feel. I'm scheduled to go on watch in Yunoki's room in a half-hour myself." She explains as she works.

"So..." She turns around with a big bowl of bright red strawberries in one hand, and an even bigger bowl of melted chocolate in the other. "We have until then to enjoy your birthday surprise. It looks like we'll only need two of these—just you and I." Mori reveals a handful of skewers from where she was obscuring them beneath her blouse.

"A fondue party! Oh, I LOVE chocolate-covered strawberries! How did you know, Mori-san?!" Kaji exclaims giddily—so eighteen-year-old adult-like dropping to his knees in excitement as she places the two bowls on the fancy gold-gilt coffee table. The two kneel on the embroidered rug before it.

"I know everything when it comes to you, Kaji Aoi." Mori coos smugly with a self-satisfied air.

Like am overexcited kid, Kaji seizes a skewer and digs right in.

Strawberry juice and chocolate cream threaten to spill everywhere in his haste. Mori leans over and rescues the skewer, trying to catch the big brown drip from hitting the fancy carpeted floor.

"Gotcha!" Mori smiles, despite the sticky choco all over the palm of her hand, just missing her sweater sleeve luckily. She had saved Kaji Aoi's hide yet again.

"Thanks, Mori...san." Kaji's eyes were smiling at her in gratitude as he unconsciously lifts her hand and licks it, like he did when he was child. Even she almost blushes, despite the gooey mess.

"I'm so glad you were here, to celebrate my birthday with me." He looks at her with puppy dog eyes.

"And thanks for being there to bail me out when I mess things up, like a true friend I can always count on." Kaji whispers, getting all sentimental and dripping his own flavor of sweetness into Mori's pleased eyes.

"That's because we just go so well together—like strawberries and cream." Stuffing a whole chocolate covered strawberry she had dipped into Kaji's cute mouth, Mori yet again brings a giggle to the room, soon filled with the scent of warmed chocolate and berries.