Rule Number Five-A Best Friend knows you better than you know yourself

He'd noticed it for awhile now. Lately, Kiki had seemed more and more fidgety, although Howl couldn't figure out why. She was clumsier than usual, knocking off pots from the windowsill when she was supposed to be watering them. She was distracted too, constantly dazing off in class and being scolded by the teacher.

Normally, this sort of thing wouldn't bother Howl much but as it had been about a week now he was beginning to worry that something was seriously wrong with his friend. Just as he was getting ready to ask her what was wrong, he overheard a conversation between two of the girls in town.

"The party tomorrow will be SO much fun!" Mel exclaimed to the blond on her right, who laughed before linking arms with her. As the two girls walked past Howl with waves, he waved back before casually walking behind them, looking his best to not be eavesdropping.

"Oh won't it be though? To think, in two days your sister will be married! Mel, your sister's bachelorette party will be the first one in such a long time, and we're all so excited!" the other girl answered in reply of Mel's earlier statement. "I wonder if Kiki will come…"

Mel shook her head, looking slyly over her shoulder at Howl before whispering, "I doubt that. After all, tomorrow is Howl's birthday and the two always celebrate together. It's ridiculous to even dream that she'd come-she wouldn't leave him to celebrate on his own. And goodness knows that boys aren't invited to the party…"

Howl stopped walking and slipped behind the nearest tree, a frown on his face as he thought carefully about what he'd just heard. Parties were often a big deal in the town, as there weren't too many of them because there weren't very many festive occasions. Bachelorette parties were even rarer, as were bachelor parties. People didn't get married every day.

While Howl mulled over everything to himself, Kiki walked past and looked at him before prodding him roughly with her finger.

"There you are!" she cried, "I've been looking for you everywhere! You left the schoolyard without me, Howl." Kiki crossed her arms and tapped her foot at her friend, which got him to smile as he tugged at the ribbon in her hair affectionately.

"If you'd been paying attention you would've followed," he teased, laughing when Kiki swiped his hand away and rolled her eyes. After her dramatic antics were over, she smiled before linking arms with him and saying, "Come on then, we should go into town today and get the stuff for your party tomorrow."

Howl grinned, allowing her to tug him along while she talked about the things they'd need to buy for his party. The two usually celebrated alone, as Howl didn't have very many other friends that were guys who would want to come, and as most of the girls in town would only come to giggle at his good looks. The two friends had always had a good time together, but as they approached the town Howl grew worried again when Kiki stared off towards Mel's house.

The feeling of despair sank further into Howl's stomach as she dazed off when they were buying ingredients for the cake, and it sank still further when they walked out of the store and forgot the balloons. At the edge of town, Howl knew what he had to do, despite the fact that he loathed the very idea of it.

"Kiki," he began, clearing his throat to catch her attention from where she was staring as a group of girls went by, all talking about their new ribbons, "Kiki, I heard that Mel's sister is having a party tomorrow…"

"Yeah?" Kiki said, feigning ignorance of the party. Howl frowned before continuing, "Well I was just thinking…this year for my birthday I was going to do something on my own. I mean, there's this really cool spell book that Wizard Crowe said he'd lend me since it's my birthday and all and I'll want to spend a lot of time working on it…"

At Howl's words, Kiki brought her full attention to him, her jaw open as she gaped. She shook her head quickly then, and complained, "But Howl, we always spend your birthday together…"

"I know. But we always do the same thing every year, it gets kind of boring after awhile. Why don't you go to that party tomorrow instead of hanging out with me?"

"Howl, I couldn't just leave you on your birthday-"

"Kiki, I TOLD you. I'd like to be alone tomorrow to work on stuff. Just go have fun and tell me about everything tomorrow at the wedding reception." Howl looked down at his friend's stunned face before quickly saying, "Well, I'll see you around then, bye!" Running off, Howl turned his back to his friend to hide his hurt expression.

The next day dawned miserably for Howl.

There was no good morning greeting from Kiki (who would usually attack him in the morning with a 'happy birthday') and there was no birthday breakfast waiting for him at the table. Howl sat down, not feeling hungry at all before he slumped his head on the table and sat quite still.

After a few hours, Howl supposed the party was in full swing. He was dying to go and check on it and make sure that Kiki was at least having fun, but the thought was so lonely that he couldn't bring himself to do so. It wasn't like he couldn't have invited some of the boys to his party, as the groom to be wasn't holding any celebration, but Howl had always felt that if he was going to have a birthday it would either be with Kiki or be with no one else.

By the time the afternoon rolled around, Howl had done absolutely nothing all day, not even having moved from his spot at the table to make himself breakfast or lunch. Just as he was reaching the pinnacle of despair, the door crashed open and his head jerked up.

In the doorway stood Kiki, grinning as she held a basket in one arm and a cake in her other. Behind her, outside, Howl could see a few packages that looked suspiciously like presents. Jumping up happily, Howl danced over to her saying, "Kiki! Kiki!" before suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be at the party.

Crossing his arms and sulking, he retreated back to the chair and glared at her, scolding, "What are you doing here!? I told you to go to that party!"

At his cross words, Kiki frowned before coming over and setting down everything. Once her hands were free, she lightly smacked her friend on the arm before saying, "Idiot! And leave you alone? It's your birthday, I KNOW you want to spend it with me! I'm sorry I took so long today, it's just that yesterday I was so shocked by your words that ended up messing up the cake when I was baking it. The store was closed that afternoon so I had to go back this morning to get everything, but I tried my best to come as quickly as I could."

Howl didn't reply, just curling his knees to his chest as he said quietly, "Well…I thought you really wanted to go to that party. I mean, anyone could tell because you kept spacing out and staring at Mel's house, and-"

"Stupid! It's not every day you turn sixteen, do you really think that I'd abandon my best friend on his birthday just because he told me to? Howl, I know you-and I know for a fact that you probably spent most of today moping because you didn't think that I'd be coming to celebrate with."

While Howl grumbled something half-heartedly about 'friends' Kiki leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek, saying, "Happy Birthday, Howl Jenkins. You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not!"