Author's note: Here's a short one-shot I wrote for Taichi's birthday! Cheers to Suetsugu's best written character in Chihayafuru. Dedicated to all my friends in the Taichi Appreciation Thread on Myanimelist.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chihayafuru.

...

"Eyelashes, have another piece of cake!" boomed a half-drunk, happy voice into Taichi's ears.

"Harada sensei! I can't possibly have another slice. My stomach is close to bursting," Taichi laughed. "Also, I think you've had enough to drink!"

Taking the sake bottle from Harada sensei's hand, Taichi extricated himself from the living room, eyes scanning his birthday party crowd.

"I wonder where she went," Taichi mused out loud. Kanade, being near enough to overhear, smiled and asked, "Is she still feeling upset about the whole thing then?"

"I think so," he replied honestly. "You saw how silent she was today, while we were setting up for the party, right? Usually she'll light up the whole house with her enthusiasm for balloons and cake."

Kana laughed, "Remember two years ago, how she volunteered to be on cleaning duty for the whole week in Shiranami society, so that Harada sensei got her favourite flavour for your birthday cake instead of chocolate?"

Taichi grinned. "Yeah, her excuse was, you don't even like cake!"

Sighing, he added, "It's hard seeing her this way."

Kana patted his back and said, "Buck up, she'll get over it. You did, didn't you?" She smiles reassuringly and adds, "Look there she is - walking out to the balcony. Go out there, cheer her up!"

...

"Mind if I share?" Taichi asks as he walks out into the balcony.

Hastily wiping her eyes, she exclaims, "Dad! It's your birthday party – what are you doing out here? Go back inside and celebrate!"

Taichi smiles fondly, and asks, "How can I celebrate with my precious Hina-chan is crying her heart out over a boy, hmm?"

"Dad!"

"You know he doesn't deserve your tears, right?"

"Hm. I know." Pausing a bit, Hinamori says, "It still hurts."

Pulling his daughter into an affectionate hug, Taichi says, "I know it hurts, squirt. Trust me, I know."

Hinamori scoffs and says, "Dad, you're the happiest person, I know. You and mom are still waaayyy too affectionate around me and Mei! You don't understand."

Taichi laughs, his brown eyes dancing in the sunlight. "I was a teenager once too, you know. I know what its like to have my heart broken."

Hinamori whirls around to face her father, fire in her eyes, and gasps, "You never told me and Mei! I thought we knew all your stories."

Taichi laughs, "I turned 45 today. How many stories of my life do you think I have?"

"But, dad, we love your stories! How you met mom, how you lost the Meijin match thrice, that time when you finally, finally beat Arata-oji chan, how you became a doctor, how you… how you…" Hinamori faltered.

Taichi chuckled. "You were saying?"

"Fine, fine," Hinamori shrugged. "Maybe we don't know all your stories."

Laughing at his daughter's scowl, Taichi offered, "How about I'll tell you tonight, once all the guests leave. And in return, you can come inside now, and celebrate my birthday with me? What do you say?"

Seeing Hinamori's strained smile made Taichi's heart ache. What he wouldn't give to be able to let his daughter know that it would be alright. That the pain would fade and one day she'd wake up and realize that the world wasn't quite so heavy anymore. Just as he himself had.

"Sweetheart, it's gonna be tough for a while, but you know you can lean on me and mom, right?" Taichi knew that the journey from heartbreak to healing was one that everyone had to walk alone, but that meant he had to give even more love and understanding to his daughters.

Prodding his daughter, he added, "I also saved you a slice of my birthday cake. We got your favourite, you know?" Taichi winked.

"DAD! No one will ever let me live that one down, huh? You know you don't like cake! So it's totally fair me and Mei get the flavours we want!" Hinamori grinned. She knew their dad was putty in their hands.

"There's my happy girl," Taichi smiled. "Let's go inside, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's do that." Hinamori seemed to be considering something. "Shall we challenge Harada sensei to a genpei match?"

Taichi balked. "No thank you, Hina – I think I'd like to spend my birthday this year without any broken furniture," he exclaimed, remembering Harada's dive during his last birthday party that broke one of the legs of their sofa, "Honestly, sometimes I think you're just as bad as Chihaya."

Hina laughed, and as she pulled her dad along with her towards Harada sensei, Taichi couldn't help but feel a glow inside. Smiling he murmured, "You know – its been a good 45 years."

...

Here's wishing for a happy ending for our boy. I purposefully kept who he ends up with vague because I feel like what I really wish for in Chihayfuru is not any particular ship to happen, but just to see Taichi moving on from his heartbreak, gaining confidence, loving himself and finding happiness in life. Here's to your happiness, Taichi! Happy Birthday!