I'm your gift

The birds have barely started to trill when Kaoruko slowly wakes up from her slumber, watching the sun sneaking timidly through the curtains of her bedroom to tint the pale pink walls with its golden hues, creating a beautiful color palette than reminds her of the dawn in the sky outside.

Kaoruko yawns, eyeing the hour that the clock on her nightstand indicates, before she lets out a heavy sigh and closes her eyes again to try to go back to sleep for a little bit longer.

She can't though.

As soon as she closes her eyes, the only thing she can see and think about is on a certain goofy short pink haired girl.

Ah, how much she misses her and how empty her life feels without her childhood friend and also girlfriend by her side since they decided to part ways, Futaba being busy with her classes and practices at the New National First Theater Troupe while she keeps learning to take over the Senka-ryu school as the next head.

She tosses in her bed, letting out a heavy sigh before she stretches her hand out to reach and take her phone from the nightstand to check if she already has any text from her, but much to her dismay, there's nothing, so she locks it and almost throws it back to the nightstand as an exasperated yet sad sigh escapes her lips before she turns around in her comfy and warm bed to face the wall absently, noticing the sun getting completely out of its hiding place.

Then, she closes her eyes to go back to sleep for real and forget about the heavy feeling settling in her chest upon missing her girlfriend.

The next time she wakes up is due to the incessant buzzing of her phone indicating her that somebody is calling her.

She grabs her phone excitedly, hoping to see Futaba's name flashing on the screen, only to find Claudine's one.

She sighs disappointed before she picks up the phone.

- Bon anniversaire, little devil – Claudine greets her as soon as she picks up the phone, wishing her a happy birthday at the same time she playfully insults her.

- Wow, you can't even be nice to me on my birthday – Kaoruko playfully complains, earning a laugh from the half-French at the other side of the phone.

- Hey! I'm nice. I've called you first thing in the morning there.

Kaoruko can't help but smile softly, hearing the tiredness in Claudine's voice reminding her about their different time zones.

- I know, now go to sleep, isn't like past midnight there in France?

- Oh la la, I wasn't expecting you to remember about the time difference between us – Claudine teases her, earning herself a snort before she unintentionally yawns.

- Who wouldn't when your girlfriend can't stop whining about it. Now seriously, go to sleep and stop yawning in my ear, it's annoying – Kaoruko fake grumbles with no malice in her voice, hearing Claudine click her tongue.

- I'm going, devil. Have a nice day, okay? We'll talk more later – Claudine says softly, making Kaoruko smile, glad that the ash-blonde can't see her.

- Thank you, Kuro-han. Now seriously, go and get some sleep, you sound like you need it.

Kaoruko says softly, hearing Claudine hum before she bids her farewell and hangs up, and even though she wanted Futaba to be the first one wishing her a happy birthday, she's more than happy that the ash-blonde stayed up until late just to do it.

She lets out a happy sigh, smiling before getting out of bed to start a day full of new things to learn as the next Hanayagi head.

It's already lunch time when she finally gets a break from her duties, bowing respectfully to her grandmother before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her. She lets out a brief alleviated sigh before as she starts to walk through the hallways towards the dining room.

- Excuse me, Hanayagi-san.

One of their maids calls out for her, making her stop in her walking.

- Yes, Honjo-han?

- I apologize for interrupting you, but two packages arrived this morning. I already left them in your bedroom, ma'am.

- Oh, thank you, Honjo-han.

Kaoruko says politely, seeing the maid bowing before she retreats to go back to her chores.

The heir then change of plans and goes to her bedroom curious about the packages the maid has mentioned her.

As soon as she enters, she can see them resting meticulously placed on her desk. She tilts her head with a hand on her chin curious about what they could contain before she decides to approach the desk to unwrap carefully the smaller one first, seeing the beautiful and delicate cover of a book and a set to prepare tea.

She chuckles and reads the note attached to it:

"From Junna:

I've found this exclusive book and a set about the art of preparing tea, and I've thought about you. I hope you enjoy it, Kaoruko-san.

Happy birthday."

Kaoruko smiles fondly at the little gift and then proceeds to unwrap the other package, smiling at the sweet aroma coming out of it as soon as she opens it, seeing a pair of cranberry muffins carefully set inside the box.

"From Nana:

I know you don't like sweets that much except cranberries, so I made these cranberry muffins for you. I hope you like them! :3

PS: I hope they arrived alive .

Happy birthday, Kaoruko-chan!"

Kaoruko can't help but laugh, taking a bite of one of the cranberry muffins, enjoying Nana's exquisite bakery and admitting that she misses it.

She takes her phone to thank the both of them for their gifts and reassure Nana that the cranberry muffins did arrived "alive" indeed. Then, she takes a look of all the messages flooding their group chat wishing her to have a happy birthday: from Claudine calling her a devil once again, to Maya hoping they could chat and meet up soon over tea, going over Mahiru saying she has found a new recipe with potatoes that she wants her to try and an over-excited Karen, saying she misses her and a not so excited but still nice Hikari wishing her a happy birthday, etc.

Each wish from each one of the girls being completely different yet still lovely, moving her and making her tear up begrudgingly.

She giggles, wiping her own tears before replying to all of them.

"Thank you girls ?¬タン

But even though she feels incredibly overjoyed and loved by the people who she never thought that could end being like a family to her, her heart still sinks upon the lack of any wish coming from a certain pink haired girl. She wipes her tears again, drying them with the hem of the sleeve of her kimono before she goes to have lunch and get ready for more lessons.

But to her surprise, the afternoon lessons are canceled.

- It's your birthday, go and enjoy it – her grandmother says fondly, stunning her.

- Thank you – she can only say bashfully before she heads to her bedroom, opening the door to find the shape of a person inside of it with their back turned.

She's about to yell when she notices the pink of their hair.

- F-Futaba? – she asks aloud surprised, seeing her turning around with a wide grin on her face.

- Happy birthday, Kaoruko – she says fondly, opening her arms for Kaoruko to quickly step into them, wrapping her tightly in her embrace as Kaoruko lets her tears flow and wet Futaba's chest, hitting it lightly.

- Idiot. You had me worried thinking you forgot it! – Kaoruko complains, emphasizing her annoyance with another light hit.

- Sorry, I just wanted to surprise you and wish you a happy birthday in person – Futaba says hugging her tighter and nuzzling her head.

- You're still an idiot, and where is my gift!? – Kaoruko sniffles as they pull away, seeing Futaba blink.

- I'm your gift?

- What!? – Kaoruko exclaims, crossing her arms over her chest as she puffs out her cheeks, much to Futaba's amusement – That's not a gift.

Kaoruko mumbles and looks away, pouting while Futaba laughs quietly.

- And here I was thinking you'll like to have me around until the weekend – Futaba says with a soft and sheepish smile on her face, hearing Kaoruko gasp and snap her head to look back at her stunned.

- You mean...

- Yep, I'm staying until Sunday.

Futaba says scratching the back of her head while Kaoruko looks warily at her.

- But what about classes?

- Don't worry about them, Mahiru-chan and Maya-chan have them covered for me.

- You abandoned me to go to the New National First Theater Troupe and now you're ditching it?

Futaba can't help but chuckle, hugging a pouting Kaoruko again who reluctantly hugs her back tightly, pretending to still be mad at her.

- You know you're special and so is your birthday, so of course I'll ditch it just for you – Futaba whispers against her head, feeling Kaoruko sigh.

- I know, but I still don't want you to do that – the heir says softly as she keeps hugging the short girl – still thank you.

She admits embarrassedly, feeling Futaba's chest rumble with a laugh before she pulls her away to cup her cheek and kiss her tenderly.

- Happy birthday.

She wishes her again with a big smile and Kaoruko can only kiss her again, deeper, happy to have Futaba with her, to be back in the safety and comfort of her arms.

She lets out a happy sigh and snuggles up more into the short girl's embrace.

- Oh, I almost forget it. I've brought you your favorite hoodie so you can keep it with you and have a part of me when I'm not here – Futaba says nonchalantly, making Kaoruko shove her.

- I-idiot! – she squeals high-pitched, completely red in embarrassment while Futaba laughs and scratches the back of her head amused at her girlfriend's reaction.

Even though she misses her and doesn't know to properly work without her by her side, Kaoruko is more than happy to see Futaba following her dreams, and still ditch them just to be with her in such a special day.

This was definitely the best gift she could have. She's the best gift she could ever have.