Author's Note: I do so hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you for your wonderful reviews and I hope they keep coming.

In the household of the Saiki's, two powerful teenagers were hanging out in the living room. They weren't really talking about anything because both were pre-occupied with their own things. Emiko remembered something and broke the silence.

"Hey, Kusuo. It's almost your birthday." She said not looking at him as she was playing a video game while sitting on the floor.

'Mhm.' Saiki said as he was reading a book while lying on the couch. 'What about it?'

"What do you wanna do?" She said as she reached the saved point and finally paused it to look at her friend.

Kusuo didn't lift his head and gave Emiko a sideward glance. 'Nothing.'

"What?"

'Nothing.'

"You want to celebrate your birthday and do nothing?"

'So you did hear me correctly.' He smirked and look back at his book.

Emiko just looked at him. "Why?"

'I do too many things everyday that doing nothing has become glorified.'

She nodded her head. "Ah, okay." She unpaused the game and played again.

Kusuo smiled and turned back to his book. This is why he kept her around. Never questioned his preferences, understood him and, like right now, could entertain herself without having to drag him into it. It was a very peaceful day. The first in many months.

In Emiko's head, however, though she understood what he wanted, she couldn't let his birthday become not so special. So what could she do along the lines of nothing to make it special? When people said 'nothing', it usually meant that they didn't want anything tiring or activity filled. If anyone deserved something great though, it would be Kusuo. Though he never acts like he wants to do it, he has helped so many people. He's changed lives as an anonymous force of good fortune and never asked for anything in return and as his friend who knew of his actions, she should at least do something for him that he would love.

'Sweets.' She thought to herself as she destroyed a boss.

'What?' Kusuo perked up.

"Huh? Sweet?" She said as remembered Kusuo could read her mind when she doesn't block it.

'What's sweet?'

"Ah! I defeated the boss. So I said 'Sweeet." She said hoping he wouldn't catch on.

'Oh. Nice one.'

"Thanks."

He looked up from his book. 'But you reminded me that I want sweets now, though.'

"Of course you do. You really like them."

'That's an understatement. I live for them.'

"Any kind?"

'Except when they have walnuts.'

"I see." She said taking note. "Out of curiosity, how much coffee jelly can you eat in day?"

'35.' He answered quickly. 'And that's because I didn't have enough cash on me to buy more.'

"Wow. Okay. Thanks." She said as she stood up.

'Thanks?'

"Huh?"

'You said thanks.'

"I did?" She asked. Damn, she was slipping up a lot. "I-I mean thanks for lending me the game. It was fun."

'No problem.'

"For your birthday, should we have a mini celebration with Nend-"

'No.'

"I wasn't done."

'I knew what you were gonna say and no. No one knows about my birthday and I want to keep it that way.'

"But-"

'Will you please not tell anyone?'

"Fine." She sighed and then paused. "I'll tell them next time, since we know how much you love them anyway."

'I don't.'

"Suuuurre."

Kusuo closed his book and sat upright. 'I just realised you're gonna tell me about your mysterious past. Are you ready to?'

"Well, I made a powerpoint for it."

'Seriously?' He asked to which Emiko shrugged and smiled.

"Can I be honest about something though?"

'I always appreciate your honesty.' And he meant it.

"Mmmm... It's just, you should know by now, how much I'm grateful for you. I mean, sure God is never on your side, but he is on mine to have you become my best friend, powerful buddy who I can be myself with, and, I just want your birthday to be a day where I can properly express my gratitude to you for always having my back, and, well, having the world's back. I-"

'I understand. Don't worry about it.'

"Really, you won't be upset?"

'No. I realised you are right. I am pretty awesome.' He smirked and Emiko rolled her eyes. 'I'd rather you tell me what happened on your own volition, or a circumstance that you find more appropriate. If you happen to tell me parts on my birthday, that's a bonus for me.

"Ugh. I don't deserve you, you know?"

'I know.' He replied and looked back at his book.

Emiko huffed and threw a throw pillow to his face which he was able to stop in midair with his powers. She was glad Kusuo gave her this time because there were many things she still needed to find out before she could give a coherent story.

"Emiko and Kusuo would make such a cute couple, won't they, Honey?" Kuniharu asked his wife as he watched the two walk away to buy coffee jelly from the nearest convenience store.

"They would." Kurumi said leaning on her husband's chest.

"Like us. We make such a cute couple."

"You read my mind!" She giggled.

"I never thought there would be a time that Kusuo would have a best friend because of his cold attitude. Even if she's not his girlfriend, I'm happy for him. At least there's someone he can be himself around who doesn't find him aloof."

"Give it time. Those two aren't like normal people after all. Ku-chan also tends to squash and ignore any foreign feelings so it might take him longer to realise that."

"I hope he realises it before he makes a mistake. You're so smart, honey!" He complimented with a wink.

"You too! That's why we're so compatible!" Then they both started giggling.

The day before Kusuo's birthday, which was a Thursday, Emiko excused herself from her clubs activities and went straight home to spend the rest of her day in the kitchen. No, that's not because she was a woman, but because she was going to prepare a bunch of dessert for Kusuo. Since Coffee Jelly was one of the relatively easier ones, she decided to do that last. She and Kurumi made plans that she'll take care of the dessert and Kurumi will prepare a lovely dinner of Assorted Tempura, Tonkatsu, Sushi and some noodles for long life. Besides dinner with his and Emiko's parents, there was nothing else planned for the day as Kusuo stressed that he wanted to do nothing.

To prepare, she looked at her list of desserts that taste better when left overnight since she won't be able to work on them tomorrow. She's the practical sort.

1. Cream Coffee Pie

2. Tres Leches Cake

3. Tiramisu

4. New York Cheesecake

5. Download Simply Piano

6. Forty Cups of Coffee Jelly

Rolling up her sleeves, she put herself to work and everything ended a little after midnight. More than anything, she hoped Kusuo enjoy it.

Kusuo was on edge. It was his birthday and Emiko seemed to be slipping up intentionally. Probably to annoy him.

She would walk in his direction and then in a loud voice and a grin she'd say "Haaaaaaaaa-"

You'd think that it would be followed by a '-ppy Birthday', but instead, she'd say "Haaaaaaai there, Nendou!" Something like that.

One time she sat beside him and said "Haaaaaaa-" He narrowed his eyes at her "How did you do that?" She'd point to his worksheet.

That corniness went on a few times more before it was time to go. Since it was a Friday, their group of friends asked if they wanted to make some last minute plans but Emiko made up a quick excuse that it was Saiki's relative's birthday and both (obviously) were invited so they had to be there so they left the school without any trouble.

"Let's stop by my house first. Let's get my gift for you."

He smiled. 'What's my gift?'

"A life-sized doll of yourself." She grinned.

'Uhuh. So you do have some rather peculiar tastes.'

"I thought you'd like it since you told me that the one your dad got your mom was cool."

Kusuo remembered two life-sized dolls of his father and their house and cringed. 'I said so no such thing.'

"Sure you did. Anyway, I'm gonna need your help carrying it."

When they got to Emiko's house, she told Kusuo to wait in the living room and brought out three coolers.

'What's in that?' He asked.

"It's the doll. It was kinda big so I had to fit it in three coolers."

'In a cooler? Emiko, you know I can just use my x-ray vision, right?'

"Would you really?" She said with puppy eyes.

That was one thing he didn't expect when he befriended Emiko and when he could suddenly control his x-ray. He didn't expect that he would be the type to give in to her puppy eyes.

'Whatever. I'll bring these two and you can bring the one.'

"Okay. Be careful. The doll parts are a bit fragile."

'Yare yare.'

When they got to the Saiki residence, they were greeted by a very cheerful Kurumi who was very excited for her son's birthday.

When they brought everything to the kitchen, both women shooed Kusuo away and told him to just relax and enjoy his birthday and that dinner would be at 6:30 pm.

"You said you wanted to do nothing for your birthday so let us do everything and you do whatever you want." Emiko had told him cheerfully.

With a ghost of a smile on his face, Kusuo sat in the living room and decided to read some manga. He has the time to catch up now. An hour went by and like a dream, no one disturbed him. Another hour passed and he decided to watch some TV. He heard laughter come from the kitchen and observed the two in it. They got along so well and he saw that his mother clearly adored Emiko and treated her like a daughter as she's always wanted one of her own. It's no surprise, he supposed as his mother had to raise two boys and a baby; his father. He focused his attention back to his show and got lost in it. Another few minutes passed by and his father arrived and attempted to hug him, but Kusuo swatted him to the side making Kuniharu yell.

"Who do you think brought life to you? Your birthday is also my accomplishment!"

'For five minutes.' Came Kusuo's snarky reply.

"H-hey! It lasted all night!" Kuniharu defended himself.

'If you say so.'

"Who do you think suffered for nine months before you were born!?"

'My mother.'

"E-eh w-well! Yes! Your mother did but I also suffered too!"

Hearing Kuniharu's yelling, Kurumi (along with Emiko) went out and greeted her husband. "Your father did suffer for nine months!"

'What?' The two teens thought simultaneously.

"Yes!" Kurumi said in her high-pitched voice "Kusuo was surprisingly easy to carry. I didn't get sick so much like most expecting mothers do, but I think that's because Kuniharu suffered in my place!"

'What?'

"You don't really need to tell them that, honey." He murmured to his wife.

"Why not? Kusuo should know how much you did for him!" Kurumi said with tears in her eyes. "Your father took all my pregnancy sicknesses! He was the one who puked, avoided sushi, was always nauseous and constantly had back pains!"

'Eh?'

"Hehehe." Kuniharu laughed nervously. "Well..."

There was an awkward silence after that. Emiko excused herself to go back to the kitchen and Kusuo continued to watch TV.

Dinner time came quickly after that and they were joined by Ena and Eito. Kusuo was kind of glad that his parents had parent friends they can be themselves around (and that his father had someone who'd appreciate his stupid stories).

Undoubtedly, his mother was an amazing cook and that was one of the reasons he liked staying at home because one, he didn't didn't need to pay for it, and two, it was better than a lot of restaurants so, win-win.

He observed both sets of parents. He realised how he wasn't like his parents at all, in looks nor in personality. His mother was sweet and his father was goofy. He was neither. Emiko, on the other hand, was similar to her mother in looks and graciousness, but had her father's wry sense of humour and signature eye squinting whenever she found something funny.

He was probably happiest when Emiko brought out her gift to him. She made four kinds of cakes or pies and forty cups coffee jelly just for him. This day could not get better. So he planned how he was going to eat it. A slice of cake, then two cups of jelly. A slice of pie, then another two cups of coffee jelly and so on. This is probably what many people misunderstand about people who have powers. People often think that beings like himself have strange, out of the world preferences when all they want are simple pleasures their abilities cannot provide. He sent a telepathic thank you to Emiko who was very pleased how happy he was.

After dessert, Emiko and Kusuo hung out in the living room like these usually did. Emiko was looking for something.

'What are you looking for?'

"Mmm... You'll see."

Kusuo narrowed his eyes and widened it when he saw her pull out his baby book.

"Let's see what young Kusuo was like." She grinned.

Instead of objecting like most boys afraid to show their younger selves, he walked to Emiko held out his hand and touched her shoulder.

Emiko didn't expect to find herself in the living room of her own house.

"What are we doing here?" She was puzzled.

'Get your baby books. If you're gonna see baby me, I'm gonna see baby you.'

Turning red, Emiko huffed. "Fine." She went to the shelf and picked up three albums. "Let's go."

They teleported back to Kusuo's house and the two exchanged their baby books.

"What the hell! You were walking on the air when you were less than six months old?" Her eyes widened.

'Yes. I was a strange baby.' He flipped through a page 'You look quite adorable in this fox outfit.' It was photo of her in a fox onesie he paused for a long time. 'Your hair is... Silver?'

"Yes." She said hesitantly. "That was the only thing unusual about me when I was younger."

'It suits you. You were a pretty baby. Were you a normal one?'

"Except for the fact that I learned things quickly." She said "I could draw, write and read coherently before I was three. It was just pegged that I was baby genius."

'Like in this photo.' He pointed to a picture where two year old Emiko was dressed as a college professor 'I see your parents liked dressing you up.'

She laughed. "They did. Oh, what's this photo? Why is there a newspaper clipping of a teacher leaving nursery school? Why is there a photo of you looking like a gangster?"

'Oh, that. Well, that teacher quit school because of me.'

"What did you do?" She asked with wide eyes.

'Relax. I beat her in rock-paper-scissors 249 times in a row and she didn't win once. She just couldn't take it, I guess.'

Emiko started laughing "What a merciless child."

'She wanted me to share my snacks with other kids if she won won. I bet you know why I completely crushed her.' He smirked at the memory.

"That explains this other newspaper clipping: Child Dominates With Rock-Paper-Scissors."

'That's why I lay low with my powers as a child.' He raised Emiko's book and pointed to a picture 'You were building a bike?'

"Yes. I learned how to build a bike before I could ride one. You, on the other hand, you could ride a motor bike before you were two!" She squinted "Who's this blonde boy, Kusuo?"

'That's my idiot brother Kusuke.' He said.

"You have a brother? How come I never knew?"

'I don't like mentioning him.'

"O-Oh I-I see. You look so different. Both of you look so different from your parents."

'It's strange isn't it? There was a time I contemplated if we were aliens. My brother is also extremely smart.'

"Really..." She stared at Kusuke's picture enough for Kusuo to notice.

'Anything wrong?'

She shook her head. "He looks familiar to me, somehow."

This worried Saiki a little. If his brother knew of her, that could mean trouble.

"Your brother, where is he?"

'He's been in London for several years to study in Cambridge.'

"I see. Then I've probably never met him."

'You also have a newspaper clipping, it seems.' He said to change the subject.

"Huh?"

'Biei Elementary School Produces Cello Prodigy.' He smirked. 'You could play the cello?'

"Obviously." She then scoffed. "The school took credit for my talent. None of my teachers taught me anything I didn't know. I could play it proficiently when I was four. This clipping was when I was six."

Kusuo would never admit it, but he was happy that he was getting a clearer picture of Emiko and her talents based on these photo albums. Seeing her smile, he could tell she was too.

'When did you start developing your powers?'

"Hmmm... When I was seven."

'What triggered it?' He asked. Emiko grabbed an album beside Kusuo and flipped through the pages and pointed at an image.

"This." Kusuo looked where she was pointing and saw a picture of her and some sort of device on her head. "I forget what it was, but my dad wanted to see what part of my brain was the most active and how it behaved whenever I'd learn a new skill so quickly. It was a harmless, harmless thing. One of the seniors at the lab my dad was working for, walked in during the experiment, and being a child and all, I felt very scared of him, not just because of the way he looked, but he gave off some sort of creepy vibe. He was a large green haired man with a sharp beard and he looked just too eager at what my dad was doing. I couldn't focus on the experiment because of him that I closed off everything. I didn't respond to the stimulants and just closed my eyes. The man started getting annoyed at my dad because he wasn't getting any results and that pissed me off that somehow, I yelled at him and the electricity in the room started to fluctuate. I was so confused but I hoped whatever was happening would scare the guy off but he seemed more intrigued than frightened. In the end, I passed out. Since then, my parents figured why I was different."

'You were fearless ever since to be yelling at your dad's senior It took something emotionally straining for you to develop it.'

"I guess. Well, now that I think about it, whoever that man was, I have a feeling he was the reason I was invited as a scholar."

'It seems likely.' He said. 'So when you escaped, you dyed your hair pink, why?'

"Because pink attracts so much attention and was unusual" She smiled.

'So if there came a time they looked for you, they hopefully wouldn't suspect you for dying your hair something so eye-catching.'

"That's one of the reasons. Truthfully, I miss my silver hair."

He flipped through the album 'Yeah, your silver hair suits you more.' He said not removing his eyes from the pictures.

"Yeah?"

'Yeah. You know how silver has antibacterial properties?' He asked. 'You manage to not get infected when you deal with bad bacteria like Takahashi.'

"Normally, I'd tell you not to talk about people like that, but Takahashi is crap." She laughed.

'You know I've known him since I was a child?'

"Poor you. What a tormented childhood you must have had."

'It was. Imagine that guy bullying people left and right and I couldn't blast him off the face of the earth?'

"That is torture." She giggled. "So what did you do instead?"

'There was a time I couldn't take it, so I just went along with his stupidity and made sure it affected him in a bad way.'

"That's exactly like you! You didn't change so much then."

'Thank you.'

"You made a very cute kid, you know? If I met younger you and didn't know you were powerful, I probably I would have been cursed for trying to pinch your cheeks."

'How well you know me.' He said taking another bite of coffee jelly as if to prove his point. 'This is the best birthday gift, by the way. When did little Emiko start cooking and baking so well?' He pointed to a photo of a young Emiko in the kitchen. 'Was this it?'

"Yes. It looks like an awful mess, doesn't it?"

'It does. It looks like a slaughter house.'

"WOW! THANKS!" She said sarcastically.

'What did you cook that made it look like that?' He asked, amused.

"I was rather ambitious, I wanted to cook a whole meal for my parent's anniversary so I told them to relax for the day and I'll take care of dinner. Apparently they thought I knew how to cook even if I've never tried so they let me be in the kitchen that it ended up that way. I tried to make dumplings and make my own ketchup for it (yuck, right?). I blended tomatoes and left the blender open. Gosh it's so embarrassing to remember. Dumplings were a fail so I ended up making scrambled eggs."

'Was it edible?'

"Yes, it was. Which is probably why my dad taught me how to cook because I wasn't completely hopeless." She smiled. "You're so invested in my childhood."

'I'm very curious about little Emiko. I mean, you're still little. So, young Emiko.'

"You suck." She laughed and he smirked. "Well, tell me about your battles. Why does it look like half the house exploded?" She asked pointing at a picture.

'Because it did.'

"WHAT A VIOLENT CHILD!"

'You're annoying. Of course it wasn't intentional. But that's why I always need my limiter because my powers are too powerful.'

"Perhaps you belong in another planet."

'I hope I'm the only being in that other planet."

She gave him puppy eyes. "Really?" She asked sadly. "You can live without Nendou?"

'No, but I can live without you.'

"You wound me." She said and pretended to faint.

'So dramatic.' He said. 'But no, I can't live without you.'

"Really?" She asked with wide eyes.

'Really.' He said sincerely. 'Who else can make coffee jelly better than you?'

She sighed. "I'll take it."

'I really appreciate all the dessert you've made me today, though. All were fantastic. Besides the coffee jelly, the Tres Leches was my favourite.'

"That's high praise. That's the least I can do." She smiled. "You know, when I moved here, I was really scared. I thought city people were mean."

'That's a common assumption. Not unfounded, though. A lot are.'

"I never had trouble making friends, but somehow, back in Biei, people kinda held out to becoming really close friends because I was a bit intimidating, I guess, and I didn't have many things in common with them. So even if I had plenty of friends, it was still rather lonely because I could never really be myself. I'd follow what they wanted to do, but all my hobbies I did on my own with no one to share it with. But that's okay. I enjoy my time alone anyway. What I really mean to say is, I-I'm glad I met you. Regardless of our powers and whatnot, you're such a wonderful and I'm glad to have you here. I'm happy we have the same hobbies, have plenty of things to talk about and still be okay even if we don't have to talk. I'm glad you stick by me even if I attract too much attention ahahaha. So, thanks, Kusuo. Thanks for being born." She thanked him with her eyes closed.

He was quiet for a while. What she said made a lot of sense somehow. Why, in the beginning, she was always considerate of him, never forced him to do something he never wanted to do and because of their similarities in hobbies and friendship, she was very happy and always expressed her gratitude. He sort of always assumed that friendship came easy on her end. He gave her a small, rare smile.

'I'm happy to be here for you. Thank you as well. For many things. This has got to be my best birthday because of you. I'm glad I didn't just do nothing today.'

Emiko smiled softly at him and brought her hand to his cheek. Kusuo looked at her not sure of what she was about to do when she pinched him.

'Oi.' He said in surprise.

"I wasn't able to pinch the younger you, so this will have to do. Your cheeks are squishy still, yah know? I-Ow!"

'So are yours.' He smirked.

What are your favourite desserts? ...Or snacks if you're not fond of sweet things? I'd love a good cinnamon roll and black iced coffee.