When Kagami woke up the next morning, the sky was gray and foggy with pre-dawn, as the sun was preparing to rise. She sat up in her bed and stretched out her arms with a yawn.
"Happy birthday to me…" she said quietly and despondently.
She slowly got out of bed and paused to look out the window at the early morning sky.
"It's still so early…but I'm not tired anymore, I can't go back to sleep. I bet Konata's still up playing computer games; she probably hasn't even gone to bed yet."
On that note, Kagami left the guest bedroom and quietly made her way down the hallway to Konata's room. However, when she got there, she found the door wide open, the bed neatly made up, and the room completely empty.
"She's not here? There's no way she woke up this early, not Konata," Kagami was confused.
She searched the entire house for Konata, sneaking around on her tip-toes so as not to wake Konata's dad. But after checking every room twice, the willful otaku was nowhere to be found. Perplexed, Kagami made her way to the kitchen and sat down at the table there.
She left the house this early? Without anyone knowing? How could she sneak out like that? Where could she possibly go at this hour?
Just as Kagami was starting to get angry with how impetuous Konata was being, keys suddenly jangled in the doorway and the door could be heard slowly opening and closing. Kagami left the kitchen and marched to the entryway to meet Konata.
"There you are!" she hissed as Konata kicked off her shoes. She had taken her by surprise.
"Kagami? You're up already?" she asked with wide-eyes.
Kagami saw that the blue-haired earlybird was carrying a small plastic bag with the logo of a video game store on it. She crossed her arms and glowered at Konata.
"Seriously? It's not even six a.m. yet and you sneak out of the house to get a freaking game?" she growled.
"Kagami—"
"I know you're crazy and fanatical when it comes to your hobbies," she continued, "but this is just ridiculous! Isn't there anything more important you could focus on, instead of anime, manga, and games? If you just thought about something else for one, tiny nanosecond of your life—"
"Kagami!" Konata said again, taking her friend's hand to stop her tirade.
"What?" the Hiiragi girl answered with a glare.
Konata didn't say anything. She just smiled, and still holding Kagami's hand, led her back into the kitchen. She set the bag down on the kitchen table before walking Kagami over to the refrigerator.
"Look…" Konata said gently, then opened the fridge door with a flourish. Kagami gasped at what she saw inside.
Taking up an entire shelf was a large chocolate cake, ornately decorated with strawberries and cream, with a little chocolate sign plate on the front that read "~Kagamin~". She couldn't believe it; she just stood and stared in awe.
"Happy birthday, Kagamin," Konata said with a warm smile. Kagami turned to look at her, wide-eyed.
"You…you…made this…for me?" she stammered. Konata nodded and closed the fridge door.
"I woke up especially early so it would be nice and fresh for today."
Kagami was still reeling with surprise, and she gasped again as realization hit her.
"That's where you went out to yesterday! To buy the cake ingredients!" she said.
"Uh-huh!" Konata answered proudly. "Pretty important errand, in my opinion."
"Then…where were you just now?" Kagami questioned.
Konata picked up her plastic bag again and made Kagami follow her into the living room, where they sat next to each other on the couch.
"Can't have a birthday without a present," she said as she handed the bag to her friend.
Kagami gingerly took the bag and reached inside. When she pulled out the contents, she let out her loudest gasp yet.
"Konata! This game! I've been waiting months for this! How did you know I— wait a minute, this isn't even supposed to be released for another two weeks! How could you—"
"You don't think I have friends in high places with all the video game shopping I do?" Konata explained. "I pulled some strings at one of my favorite places to get it early. It just cost a little bit extra."
Another lightbulb went off above Kagami's head.
"Is that why you've always been busy after school? You were working longer at your part-time job to earn the money for this game?"
Konata gave another simple nod. Kagami's mind finally processed everything, and her eyes welled up with tears as she threw her arms around Konata and hugged her tight.
"I thought you had forgotten my birthday…"
Kagami's reaction had taken Konata by surprise, but soon she was hugging her back.
"Like I could forget my best friend's birthday," she said softly
Kagami let go of Konata and wiped her eyes.
"What about Tsukasa?" she wondered.
"She got her present at school, the day before she left. I asked her to keep your gift a secret. Between you and me, you're kinda my favorite twin," Konata admitted playfully. Kagami laughed.
"I can't believe you did this for me, Konata."
"Your birthday is a day of celebration for both of us, because I'm really grateful that you were born," she grinned.
Kagami stared adoringly at her friend, unable to believe the birthday surprise she had pulled off. As she watched, Konata slowly closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the couch.
"Konata?"
"Mmmm, sleepy," she answered with her eyes still closed. "Got up early to make your cake, then when I finished that I went out to get your game…"
Kagami scooted over on the couch and laid her head on Konata's shoulder.
"You did a good job, you deserve a nap," she said as she too closed her eyes.
There they sat, getting closer and closer to sleep as the sun was starting to rise and turn the sky crimson.
"Kagami, there's gonna be a fireworks show today," Konata said drowsily. "It would be like they're setting off the fireworks especially for you. Wanna go?"
"Sounds like fun…but I'd rather just spend the rest of the day here with you."
Konata gave a little smile with her eyes closed. The sunlight started to stream through the living room windows, bathing the two girls in comforting morning warmth. Konata leaned her head sideways to rest it on Kagami's.
"That's fine by me…happy birthday, Kagamin."
"And many more to come."