[Birthday]

JULY 12
2nd Year High School

Seven months after the breakup…

After going to the gate when Hayami had heard the buzz, she was taken by surprise to see outside some of the girls in Class 3-E beaming at her. The others sadly could not come so they, along with the boys, atoned for it by blasting her with birthday messages in the chat.

"Happy Birthday!" the girls all exclaimed in unison.

"We brought you a cake," Yada said as she presented the white carton in her hands.

"And party hats!" Kurahashi chirped. She, then, put one atop Hayami's head.

Her cheeks pink, Hayami blurted out her 'Thank you' before ushering them into her house. Inside the kitchen, she told her mother, who was in the middle of preparing dinner, that her friends came here.

After setting the table, with the cake in the center, they did the usual singing and blowing of the candle. When they had finished eating, they proceeded to Hayami's room after they had helped her mother clean up.

Her room has a basic interior design with neutral colors. But when her guests saw the numerous amount of stuffed toys lined up across the shelves, her guests were amazed.

While Hayami was explaining the origins of her collection, Fuwa caught sight of a cat plush toy with a horn on the forehead that was nestled on the side of the bed. It was the one that Chiba had given to Hayami on their first date.

Fuwa picked it up with a scrutinizing gaze. Why is this one here, not with the rest? If it's because she likes cats that I get, but… She shifted her eyes to the shelves where the other toys were before returning to the plush toy in her clasp. There are also cats displayed there. Is Hayami the type to cuddle a stuffed toy while sleeping? I wonder what's so special about this one.

"Hayami," she called out, looking over her shoulder.

The orange-haired celebrant, who was having a chat with the others, gave her a glance from the floor.

"Did you also win this one as a prize?" asked Fuwa as she showed her the cat plush toy.

"No."

"So where did you get this?"

"In the arcade."

While the girls were puzzled at their barren exchange, Fuwa placed back the toy and sneered. "So Chiba-kun gave you the stuffed toy," she proclaimed without a single doubt.

That did not faze Hayami although the same could not be said to her friends who were sharing agape faces and gasps.

"How sweet of him," Kataoka remarked.

The other girls bobbed their heads in agreement when Okuda spoke up.

"By the way, how are you and Chiba-kun doing?"

Every single one of them stared at Hayami. They were also curious about how things went for the couple after getting back together.

"We are fine," she answered.

But in reality, things have not been easier. They still have to prioritize their studies, club activities, and in Hayami's case her part-time job. Still, that was expected.

In order to recompense for their cluttered timetable, they arranged their free Fridays or Saturdays for a group study to answer their assignments together. On Fridays, they would study in a café or restaurant, and on Saturdays, Hayami would go to Chiba's apartment. Every other Sunday, they would go out on their usual dates.

When Hayami has a shift on weekends, thereby canceling their plans, Chiba would sometimes visit her workplace as a customer and spend his time there studying or just lounging around.

It was a tedious routine to follow especially at first. But all the exhaustion would sweep away as soon as they saw each other.

They have also made it a habit for them to call each other at night once in a while. With that, they would just leave their phones on their table by the side, listening to each other's scribble of their pen and to the other's few comments and questions here and there while finishing their homework.

The girls then gave their presents to Hayami. Afterward, they hanged some more joshing around and talking to each other – mostly about their classmates in Class 3-E and their new schools.

Before the night turned deeper, Hayami's friends had left to go back to their homes. She went inside her bedroom when her phone on the study table started ringing.

Upon answering the call, she heard Chiba say, "Happy Birthday," which brought a faint smile across her lips.

"Thanks."

"Since I couldn't celebrate with you, I have prepared something for you." There were sounds of shuffling and movements from his end. "I had our drummer and pianist in the club pre-record their play," he added.

Initially, she was lost in what he had told her until a jazzy tune started playing on her ear. She could make out the strumming of the bass guitar, which she immediately knew that it was him. As she continued to listen in silence, a picture of him with the bass guitar on his lap materialized in her mind, his spindly fingers plucking the strings as he pressed his lips together in concentration.

When he was done, she said in a warm voice, "That was… beautiful. Thank you."

"Lunch will be on me this Sunday. To make up for today."

"Where did you learn that from?" she asked amusedly. He wasn't the type to come up with that smooth line unless he received such advice from someone like –

"Maehara," he replied.

'I knew it,' she thought.

Then she asked, "Did you compose the music?"

He hummed.

"Your jazz piece was pretty good for someone who likes hard punk."

"Well –" she could tell that at the moment, he was scratching his cheek sheepishly "– it just somehow came to me when I thought of you and the time we spent together."