Makoto's Birthday
We begin this tale in the master bedroom of Ryuji and Makoto Sakamoto in the middle of the night. It's dead quiet, with the only sound present being the ticking of a clock that stood on a nearby nightstand. Currently, Ryuji is on his side of the bed admiring his beautiful wife as she sleeps peacefully in his arms. They have the covers over them, so it's easy to assume that they're in the buff.
Suddenly, Ryuji looks in the distance as if he's being filmed and we're watching him, so he addresses us as if he's ready to break the fourth wall.
"Oh, hey, I didn't see you come in," Ryuji whispered, "Don't mind me, I was just admiring the absolute smokeshow that I married. Look at her, isn't she cute?"
We see Makoto snoring heavily and talking in her sleep.
"Mmm, I'll have two Number Sixes with no pickles and cajun curly fries on the side, please," Makoto murmured, in the middle of a dream, "One for me and one for Buchimaru-kun."
"My Makoto must be very tired," Ryuji said, still pretending an audience is watching him, "Understandably so, it was her birthday today, you know. And while the party was fun and full of good times, it was the preparations leading up to the party where the real entertainment was. You ask what I'm talking about? Let me fill you in."
We then go into a series of flashbacks that showcases the party preparations.
Flashback #1: Cakes
Narrator!Ryuji: Every good birthday party needs a good birthday cake. Baking the cakes was exactly what Hayato, Hifumi, Ren, and his son Minato were assigned to do.
At the Yajima Residence, Morgana is seen sleeping on the couch in the living room while Ren, Minato, Hayato, and Hifumi work tirelessly in the kitchen, making a series of cupcakes and one two layer cake. Both the cupcakes and the two layer cake have blue frosting. The cupcakes have light blue, star shaped sprinkles on them, and the two layer cake has light blue flowers along the edges with the words, 'Happy Birthday to our Queen' written in white frosting.
Hayato was seen taking the last of the cupcakes out of the oven as Ren put the finishing touches on the two layer cake.
"And that's all she wrote," Ren said proudly as he finished making the last flower on the edge of the cake.
"It looks great, dad," Minato said as he admired the cake with his father.
"64 cupcakes ready for munching," Hayato said with a smile.
"They look absolutely perfect," Hifumi said as she gave her husband a kiss on the cheek, "Makoto's really going to like this."
"I bet she will," Ren said, "This cake has her favorite color, her favorite flavor, and her favorite kind of filling. It's perfect down to the last detail."
"Nothing can possibly ruin such perfection," Minato said.
Unbeknownst to the four of them, however, in the corner of the kitchen, a rat poked his head out from a rat hole. It was drawn out by the sweet smelling aroma of the cakes that were just baked. Following the scent, the rat managed to climb up on the counter without either of the four noticing. It then crept up to the cakes, excitedly squeaking all the while, alerting the group.
"Rat!" Screamed Hifumi, "It's a rat!"
"Get out of here, you!" Ren shouted as he made a reach for it, but the rat leaped off of the counter just in time.
"I got this!" Hayato yelled as he grabbed a nearby broom and started slamming it down on the floor in an attempt to kill it.
Minato was trying to stomp on it with his feet as the rat ran back to its hole, but he kept missing; the rat was too fast.
The group of four gathered around the rathole, hoping that it'll rear its ugly mug so they can snuff out its existence before it can lay its little paws on Makoto's cakes.
"How the heck did a rat get in your guys' house?" Minato asked.
"We'll be damned if we know," Hayato responded, "We try and keep this place neat and tidy the best we can."
"Well regardless of how the rat got here, all four of us can agree that we need to kill it," Ren responded, "And I think I know how."
Attempt #1: Squashing it.
Ren is seen placing a wedge of cheese in front of the rat hole, and hanging above the cheese wedge is a large boulder held up by a rope. Minato, Hayato, and Hifumi watch as Ren explains his trap.
"Now," Ren began, "Rats love cheese, yes?"
His son and their two friends nod in agreement.
"Good," Ren continued, "So, when the rat comes out to get the cheese, I'll be hiding in the pantry, ready to cut this rope that's holding that boulder up, and it'll come down and squash it like a pancake!"
"I'm just saying, Ren, this plan better not scuff up our kitchen floor," Hayato said.
"Yeah, we just had it waxed," Hifumi chimed in.
"There are more important things in life than a waxed floor," Ren said, "Now you three go and hide, I've got a rat that needs squishing."
Minato, Hayato, and Hifumi leave the kitchen as Ren prepares to put his plan in motion. Ren knocks on the wall above the rat hole before running into the pantry with a pair of scissors. With Ren gone, the rat pokes its head out and finds the wedge of cheese. It walks up to it just as Ren prepares to cut the rope.
"Bye-bye!" Ren said as he cut the rope and stepped out of the pantry to watch his progress.
Unfortunately, before the boulder has the chance to squish the rat, it suddenly moves at the sonic speed, grabs the cheese, brings it back into his rat hole, and puts a small trampoline in its place before running back into the hole…all before the boulder could even make it to him. Ren was so gobsmacked by the display before him that he didn't even notice the boulder bouncing off of the trampoline and flying right towards him. When he saw the boulder flying in his direction all he could do was this:
Ren: (Looks afraid and holds up a sign that reads 'Help!')
CRASH!
Hearing the crash, Minato, Hayato, and Hifumi run back into the kitchen to find Ren sitting dizzy on the floor, as a bunch of little Jack Frosts circle around his head.
"Hee-ho, hee-ho, hee-ho, hee-ho," went the Jack Frosts as Ren regained consciousness.
"Hey, get out of here!" Ren said as he shooed the personas away. He got back on his feet and addressed the three in front of him, "Alright, anybody else have any bright ideas?"
Attempt #2: Tricking it
Minato is seen on the other side of the kitchen painting another rathole with a piece of cheese inside of it. He then turns to the three adults, ready to explain his plan.
"Okay," Minato explained, "So we're going to lure the rat into this fake rathole. When he comes out, he's going to see this fake piece of cheese that I painted inside the fake rathole. He's going to run up to the wall, slam into it, hopefully into unconsciousness, and that's when we strike."
"Am I the only one thinking things are getting a little too cartoony here?" Hifumi asked.
"Do you have any better ideas?" Minato asked.
"Alright, we'll try it your way," Hifumi said after a moment of silence.
The three adults left the room as Minato went up to the rathole that the rat was hiding in before knocking on the wall above it. Minato runs and hides in the pantry just as the rat pokes his head out and surveys the area. The rat looks around and sees another 'rathole' with 'cheese' in it. The rat excitedly run up to it as Minato watches with much anticipation.
Unfortunately, this plan goes south too as instead of crashing into the wall that the fake rathole was painted over…the rat just runs right through it and grabs the cheese as if both of them were real, baffling the teenage boy.
"WHAT?!" Minato exclaimed, jumping out of the pantry, as his father, Hayato, and Hifumi re-entered the room, "Did you guys see that?! There is no way that rat just ran through this fake rat hole, no way, I tell you!"
To prove his point, Minato goes to punch the fake rathole, and instead of his fist going into the hole, it hits the wall it was painted over, hurting him.
"OUCH!" Minato cried.
Attempt #3: Serenading It
Hayato is seen walking up to the rathole with his guitar, ready to explain his plan.
"They say music tames the savage beast," Hayato explained, "So what I'm going to do is play a little song on my guitar, and it'll come out dancing. And when it does, Ren, you come out of that pantry and start bashing!"
Ren is seen holding a ball peen hammer.
"You really think this is going to work," Hifumi asked her husband, unsure.
"Have I ever steered you wrong before?" Hayato asked.
"Alright, I trust you," Hifumi said, "Just don't mess up our kitchen floor."
"We'll see," Hayato said, "Okay, places, everyone!
Hifumi and Minato leave the kitchen, Ren hides out in the pantry, and Hayato clears his throat, ready to sing. He starts strumming his guitar before belting out some smooth lyrics.
"I got a gal who's always late, anytime we have a date. But I love her. I'm gonna ask her. Is you is or is you ain't my baby? The way you acting lately makes me down. You is still my baby, baby. Seems my flame in your heart's done gone out."
As Hayato played, inside the rathole, the rat was becoming increasingly annoyed with the noise. That's when the rat looked up and saw another rat hole that led to a shelf that was positioned above where Hayato was standing.
The rat climbed up to the second rat hole and walked out on the shelf in the kitchen. The rat walked up to a mason jar filled with sugar, and then looked down at Hayato as he continued playing.
"Is you is or is you ain't my baby? Maybe baby's found somebody new, ba ba do da do ba do-"
CRASH!
Hayato's song gets cut short as he falls to the floor, holding his head as more Jack Frosts circle around him, and it's all thanks to the mason jar full of sugar that the rat had pushed off of the shelf. Ren came out of the pantry and looked up at the shelf to find the rat standing there.
"Come down here and fight like the dirty rat that you are!" Ren shouted.
The rat only blew a raspberry in response before going back into the hole it came from. Ren growled in anger as he looked down at Hayato, with Jack Frosts still circling his head.
"Hee-ho, hee-ho, hee-ho, hee-ho," The little personas went.
"Get away from him!" Ren shouted as he shooed the Jack Frosts away from his scarlet haired friend.
Attempt #4: Shooting it
Having grown tired of the men's failed attempts at killing the rat, Hifumi decided to take matters into her own hands.
"Okay, no more Mrs. Nice Girl," Hifumi said with determination as she left the kitchen to go get something. She returned moments later carrying a shotgun! "Say hello to my little friend!"
"Where the hell did you get a shotgun from?!" Ren asked.
"We bought it in case someone tried to break into our house," Hifumi explained, "Looks like it's being put to a different use today. Now step aside and let me handle things."
Ren, Minato, and Hayato watched as Hifumi marched up to the rat hole in the corner of the room and put the barrel of the gun into it.
"I don't know what I find more horrifying," Hayato said, "My darling Hifumi wielding a shotgun…or the fact that my darling Hifumi wielding a shotgun is an absolute turn on for me."
Meanwhile, inside the rathole, the rat is staring down the barrel of the gun as Hifumi is outside of it, finger on the trigger.
"Nighty night," Himari said with venom in her voice. And then…
BOOM!
Hifumi fired her gun, and the rat ducked out of the way of the shot before climbing back up to the rat hole that led to the shelf. The rat runs out and leaps from the shelf and onto the floor where it continues running.
"Don't let it get away!" Hifumi shouted as she and the three men with her gave chase.
Hayato, Hifumi, Ren, and Minato chase the rat all throughout the house, breaking valuables and ruining furniture in the process. Eventually, the chase leads the group into the living room where Morgana was still taking his nap. The rat wasn't looking where he was going, and he ends up bumping into the cat, finally waking him up. Morgana looks at the rat as he cowers in fear before picking him up by the tail and eating him in one bite, much to the amazement and ire of the four looking at him.
"I would appreciate it if you could be a little more quiet," Morgana said, with Ren being the only one to understand him, "I'm trying to nap."
Morgana then went back to sleep as the three adults and one teenager just looked at the sleeping feline.
"It was literally that easy," Hayato said, "We could've had your cat eat that rat the whole time. We didn't need to do any of this."
"We literally wasted so much time setting up traps just for Morgana to eat the damn rat in one bite," Ren said, exhausted, "We didn't need to do any of that."
"Look on the brightside, guys," Minato said, "The rat's gone and Auntie Makoto's cakes are unsullied. We gotta look at this as a 'glass half full' kind of thing.
"I suppose you're right, son," Ren said, giving his son a pat on the back, "Well, what are we standing around here for? We've gotta get those cakes to the Sakamoto's ASAP. The party could start at any minute."
"Let's bust a move, people!" Hayato said as he, Hifumi, Ren, and Minato hurry back into the kitchen to pack up the cakes before loading them into Ren's car and heading off for the Sakamoto residence.
Flashback #2: The Perfect Present
Narrator!Ryuji: Around the same time that was going on, my daughter Himari and her boyfriend Hotaru were looking to get the last bit of money they needed to get Makoto a really nice birthday present.
Hotaru and Himari are seen riding a bus to an unknown location as they look at a picture of a ruby necklace in a magazine. The rubbies were the most important part of the necklace to Himari, however, as those jewels are also her birthstones.
"Your mom's really gonna love that necklace when we get it for her," Hotaru said.
"I know she will," Himari concurred, "The only problem is we're a couple yen short of getting it for her. Which is why we're going to Ricardo Mertz's Tempura Factory."
"Do we really have to work there?" Hotaru asked, "Why can't we just work at the grocery store like most other teenagers?"
"Because this is the only place that's not only looking for help for one day, but it'll also give us the last bit of money we need," Himari explained as she looked out the window to see that they were arriving, "This is it!"
Himari pushed the button above them, alerting the bus driver to stop so she and Hotaru could get off. The bus stops and the couple disembark as the bus speeds off. There they stood at the front door of the Ricardo Mertz's Tempura Factory, two teens on a mission to rake in some dough. With excitement and nervousness coursing through them, Himari and Hotaru step forward and enter the building.
Once inside, the two of them were escorted to where they were assigned by Mr. Mertz himself. Both Hotaru and Himari seemed to be wearing plain white smocks over their clothes, food preparation gloves on their hands, and white food server hats over hair nets on their heads.
"I'm glad you two answered the ad," Mr. Mertz said, "I was beginning to think no one would show up. I mean, it's only one day from their entire lives they'd be giving, and we would pay them well for only one day of work."
"Hey, their loss is our gain," Himari said.
"Indeed," Mr. Mertz said as the trio stopped in front of a door that read 'Packing Room', "Here we are you two."
Mr. Mertz opened the door and the two teens followed him inside. The packing room was a small room with one conveyor belt that went from one room to the next. In front of the conveyor belt were two stools for Himari and Hotaru to sit on. There were also containers within arms length not far from the actual belt.
"Please have a seat while I explain what you'll be doing for the next few hours," Mr. Mertz said as the two teens plopped themselves down on the stools, "This job is so simple a monkey could do it. Basically what's going to happen are pieces of tempura shrimp are going to be traveling down this conveyor belt. Your job is to take the tempura as they come down the belt and place them in these containers. It's four pieces per container, by the way. Once your container is filled, put it back on the belt and move on to the next one. Simple, right?"
"Sounds easy enough," Hotaru said.
"Let's get started," Himari said, cracking her knuckles, "I want to get paid."
"That's the spirit," Mr. Mertz said before shouting out, "LET IT RIDE!"
After a buzzing sound goes off, the conveyor belt starts up.
"I'll be back in a few minutes to see how you kids do," Mr. Mertz said as he left the two teens alone in the room. As soon as he left, the tempura starting appearing on the belt.
"Okay, Himari, let's do this," Hotaru said.
"Ruby necklace, here we come," Himari said.
As the conveyor belt slowly brought the tempura shrimp out, Hotaru and Himari took the pieces and placed them in their containers. Once the container they were working on was full, they put the container back on the belt where it went into the next room. This pace continued for the next few minutes or so.
"I never thought my first job would be this easy," Himari said.
"While I would rather be filming, this job is very relaxing," Hotaru said, "Very zen like."
The couple continued packaging the tempura shrimp until Himari noticed one was getting away from them.
"Uh oh, Hotaru, that one's getting away," Himari said.
"Got it, babe," Hotaru said as he grabbed the lone tempura before it could go into the next room.
It was at this point when the two teens noticed the belt had somehow started to move a bit faster, and catching the tempura to package them started to get a little bit difficult. But the speed was still manageable enough where they could easily keep up. But a few more minutes passed, and the belt moved even faster.
The more time passed the faster the belt went and the more tempura appeared. At this point, Hotaru and Himari couldn't even keep up, and they stopped packaging the tempura all together and started to pull as many as they could off of the belt. The ones they grabbed they either put in their pockets, hid in their aprons and hats, hid beneath the belt, or just straight up ate them.
"This is getting crazy!" Himari shouted with her mouth full.
"Who the hell is in charge of this damn conveyor belt from hell?!" Hotaru asked as he forced more tempura shrimp into his pockets.
The couple was certainly fighting a losing battle. With every one piece of tempura they put away, ten more come to take its place. Suffice it to say, both Hotaru and Himari were becoming very stressed out. Eventually, the belt stopped moving, but the two teens couldn't relax yet.
"He's coming back," Himari shouted, "Quickly, hide the rest of the tempura!"
In a matter of seconds, Hotaru and Himari hid the rest of the tempura way, either in their clothes or in their mouths. As soon as all of the tempura was gone, Mr. Mertz came back to inspect their work.
"I must say, you two kids are doing an excellent job," Mr. Mertz said to a proud looking Hotaru and Himari. But the teens' smiles will soon fade as Mr. Mertz says, "SPEED IT UP A LITTLE!"
All of the color practically left Hotaru and Himari's faces as the buzzing sound went off again, the conveyor belt started back up, and Mr. Mertz left the two alone again. Soon, loads of tempura shrimp started to fly down the conveyor belt, and Hotaru and Himari were fighting tooth and nail to get as many off of the belt as possible. Suddenly, putting them in the containers didn't matter too much anymore as long as they made the fried seafood disappear.
At this point, both teens' pockets and hats had become full so they ended up shoving some tempura down their pants or they took off their shoes and put them in there. Eating the tempura was still an option, but as time went on their stomachs were starting to become full.
At another point, Himari tried blocking the belt with her arms, but in the process she ended up getting carried away and Hotaru had to save her before she got carried off into the connecting room.
Hotaru and Himari found themselves more stressed out than they've been in all of their years of living. Poor Himari was reduced to tears by the end of it all as Hotaru, in vain, tried to stuff more tempura in his clothes.
"Hotaru?" Himari whimpered.
"Yeah," an exhausted Hotaru replied.
"We should've worked at the grocery store," Himari sobbed.
A few hours later, and Hotaru and Himari, covered in sweat and tempura, are seen outside the factory as they are given their payment from Mr. Mertz.
"I guess I should've warned you how our conveyor belts operate around here," Mr. Mertz said.
"It's insane how much you expect from your workers if that's how fast your conveyor belts move," Hotaru said.
"Well, thanks for doing what you can," Mr. Mertz said as he handed over the yen that was promised, "And I trust you won't tell anyone about our business practices here?"
"Don't worry Mr. Mertz, your secret is safe with us," Himari said as she and her boyfriend put the money away in their pockets, "Thank you for the opportunity."
"Later, man," Hotaru said as he and Himari made their leave. As the couple walked, they conversed.
"Well, we got what we need to buy my mom that ruby necklace," Himari smiled.
"But at what cost, babe?" Hotaru asked, "I can never look at tempura the same way ever again."
"I know, me neither," Himari concurred, "And I am totally telling someone about the insane work ethic you have to have in order to work there."
"I should hope so," Hotaru said, "No one should have to deal with a conveyor belt that fast, it's downright inhumane. I wouldn't wish a job like that on my worst enemy."
The couple continued trash talking about their first job as they continued on their way to the jewelry store to buy Makoto her birthday present.
Flashback #3: Dresses
Narrator!Ryuji: Yep, I remember my first job. But that's a story for a different day by a different author. Anyway, as that was going on, Ren's wife Ann was taking her daughter Kimiko and Yusuke and Haru's daughters Mitsu and Mana to the local clothing store. The three girls wanted to buy a nice party dress for my Makoto's surprise party later, and they really wanted to impress their boyfriends, Kaito and Minato…man, how does Minato end up with two girlfriends. Dude lucked out.
The four girls are seen walking down the street approaching the local boutique.
"I'm glad you girls decided to bring me along," Ann said, "You know no one knows fashion better than me."
"We need all the help we can get so we can sweep our guys off of our feet tonight at Auntie Makoto's party tonight, Auntie Ann," Mitsu said, "So, what does Minato look for in a girl's dress?"
"Well, his favorite color is purple," Ann said, "So I'd look for something purple and lacy. He also fancies a woman's legs, so I also recommend looking for something that goes to your knees so you can give him a good view of our calves."
"Calves, what would we be doing with a baby cow?" Mana joked.
Mana's little joke resulted in no laughter from the other three with her. The only thing her sister Mitsu had to say was this.
"Oh you're a real riot, Mana, a regular riot," Mitsu said, annoyed.
"Sheesh, lighten up will you?" Mana said before looking at Kimiko, "So Kim, what do you think Kaito looks for in a party dress?"
"Well I know his favorite color is orange," Kimiko began, "So I'm looking for something orange and sequined, you know something eye-catching. Anything else you recommend I should do when looking for a dress, mom?"
"You didn't hear it from me, but I will say this," Ann began, "Men love when women wear a backless dress. It shows beauty, elegance, and class. Wear a dress like that, and Kaito is putty in your hands."
"Sounds good," Kimiko said with a nod.
"Well, now that we know what we should be looking for, our job on finding the perfect dresses have been made much easier," Mana said, "Things are going to be smooth sailing from here on out."
The four girls enter the boutique, but upon entry, they find that it's a total madhouse. With long lines at the cash register and crowds of people fighting over what's on sale, their hopes of this being an easy shopping experience were dashed in an instant.
"You just had to say something, didn't you?" Mitsu said, glaring at her sister.
"Yes I did, and you know why?" Mana began, "Because I have a BIG MOUTH!"
"Well, we definitely won't be getting any dresses just standing here," Ann said, "Let's get started. Just stay close to me."
For the next hour or so, the four girls are seen fighting through crowds just to get to the dress section of the boutique. When they made it there, they fought through even more crowds just to search each shelf, mannequin, and hanging rack for the dresses that they wanted. After a while, they regrouped to take a short break.
"This is insane," Kimiko said, "For all we know the dresses we were looking for were here but they were bought and sold before we even arrived."
"And I was so looking forward to showing Minato my legs," Mana lamented, "I've been working on them for the last month or so in preparation for something like this."
"You, not missing leg day," Mitsu said snarkily, "Well hardy, har, har!"
"I work out my legs sometimes," Mana snapped.
"Let's not give up hope just yet girls, I'm sure the perfect dresses are around here somewhere," Ann said in a reassuring tone, "We just haven't looked hard enough."
"Mom we've searched every inch of the dress section," Kimiko said sadly, "I don't know where else they could-"
Kimiko's sentence was cut short as one of the boutique employees had just finished dressing three mannequins. Two of them were sporting the lacy, purple, knee-length dresses that Mana and Mitsu wanted, while the third one had the orange, sequined, backless dress that Kimiko wanted. Kimiko, Mana, and Mitsu were in awe, and they felt as though God had pulled a miracle just for them.
"Hamina, hamina, hamina, hamina, hamina," The three girls babbled amazed.
Soon, Ann intervened, "We'd better hurry and claim them before-"
"NEW DRESSES!" Someone shouted as soon a stampede of shoppers came bolting towards the three mannequins. The clamoring and shouting snapped Mana, Mitsu, and Kimiko out of their daze and their attention then shifted towards the crowds approaching the dresses.
"We need those dresses," Kimiko said with venom in her voice.
"We're not letting them take them without a fight!" Mana chimed in.
"Girls, let's show these shopaholics what we're made of," Mitsu said.
As the three girls charged into the crowd, Ann just watched them in confusion.
"Wait, what's happening right now?" Ann asked herself, "Kimiko, girls, come back here right now!"
But it was too late, Kimiko and the Kitagawa Twins leapt into the crowd and started to actively fight every last one of the shoppers for the dresses. The three of them managed to get themselves positioned in between the shoppers and the crowd. All they had to do now was to simply keep them away from the dresses. The three girls pushed, punched, kicked, bit, and even swung hangers at the crowd, to keep them away.
At one point, Kimiko shouted this to a shopper that she delivered an uppercut to: "Bang! Zoom! To the moon!"
After knocking out a couple of the shoppers, the rest of the crowd took the hint and took off running.
"Yeah, that's right, get out of here!" Mana shouted at the fleeing crowd.
"Well, girls, shall we claim our prize?" Kimiko asked.
"Yes, let's," Mitsu concurred.
The three girls turned around to grab the dresses from the mannequins…but they gasp in horror when they find the mannequins completely bare. They looked to find an old lady had taken them while they were fighting with the other shoppers. The crone laughed giddily to herself as she took the three dresses to the checkout area, much to the three girls' dismay.
"We took on a whole crowd of angry shoppers," Kimiko began in disbelief, "And we lost the dresses…to a grandma….no way that just happened."
"Well, I hate to sound like the bad guy, but that's what you get for resorting to violence as a means to get what you want," Ann chimed in, "I know those dresses were nice, but they weren't worth beating people within an inch of their lives."
Angrily, Mana turned around to face Ann, ready to snap at her for lecturing them instead of sympathizing with them.
"YOU ARE A BLABBERMOUTH!" Mana shouted, "A BLABBERMOUTH! YOU! BLABBERMOUTH!"
"Mana, calm down," Mitsu shouted as she held her sister back, "Yelling at her is not going to get those dresses back here."
"I suppose you're right, sis," Mana sighed, "I'm sorry, Auntie Ann."
"Oh, it's alright," Ann said, "But there's no sense in crying over spilt milk. Now that I know what kind of dresses you girls want, I can make them for you."
"Don't give us hope," Mana said.
"No, really I can, trust me" Ann said, "We just have to get back to my house. Come, we'll brake the tus…I mean we'll tus the brake."
"We'll take the bus, do you mean?" Kimiko asked.
"Yes," Ann answered, "Sorry, you know how excited I get when I get the opportunity to make a dress from scratch."
"Of course, mom," Kimiko smiled, "Fashion is your passion after all."
"Alright, come along girls," Ann said as she and the three girls left the boutique.
Back at the Amamiya Residence, Ann led Kimiko, Mana, and Mitsu into her office and got straight to work. She took the girls' measurements before getting some purple and orange fabric, lace, and sequins. The next few hours Ann spent working tirelessly on perfecting Kimiko and her friends' party dresses.
Eventually, Ann finished her work and was ready to show it off to the three girls.
"Ahem," went Ann, "Kimiko, Mana, Mitsu, may I present to you your wardrobe for the evening!"
Ann stepped aside to reveal three mannequins that were wearing the exact same dresses they saw at the store. Mana and Mitsu's purple, knee length, lace dresses and Kimiko's orange, sequined, backless dress. She had made exact replicas of them and they were perfect to the last detail.
"Wow, they look amazing!" Mana said in awe.
"You did it, Auntie Ann! You really did it!" Mitsu said with a big smile.
"Mommy, you're the greatest," Kimiko smiled.
"I'm glad you girls liked my work," Ann happily said as she opened her arms, "Bring it in!"
Ann brought her daughter and her two friends in for a group hug, happy she was able to provide them with the dresses they wanted.
Flashback #4: Heartwarming Stuff
Narrator!Ryuji: As everyone was getting prepared for the party tonight, I was back at my house doing my own preparations by cleaning up the house, blowing up balloons, setting up streamers, and getting snacks ready.
Ryuji is seen doing just that. After cleaning his house like a man possessed, setting up party decorations, and getting the snacks ready, he sits himself down in the living room to take a break.
"Okay, decorations and snacks are set up. My present to Makoto is safe and sound in the garage, Ren, Minato, Hayato, and Hifumi should be coming with the cakes. Himari should be back with her present. Sojiro should be coming with some more food. All of our closest friends and family have been invited. I'd say we're good to go," Ryuji said as he finished going over a checklist in his head.
As Ryuji continued to think about what else needed to be done in preparation for the party, heard the sound of someone knocking on the door. Looking through the peephole when he went to answer it, he found Makoto's sister Sae at the door.
"Sae, you're early," Ryuji said with a smile.
"Yeah, I just came here to look for something in your attic," Sae answered, "That's where you keep your photo album, right?
"Yeah," Ryuji answered, "Go ahead."
As Sae went up to the attic to look for the photo album, Ryuji went back to thinking about what else needed to be done for the party. Not long after Sae disappeared into the attic, another knock at the door was heard. When Ryuji answered it this time, he became giddy when he saw that it was his mother, Nanami Sakamoto.
"Mom!" Ryuji excitedly said as he opened the door.
"Ryuji, sweetie, how are you?" Nanami said as she gave her son a hug, "Oh look at you, you're wasting away. I hope Makoto is feeding you well."
"Don't worry, she is," Ryuji answered, "I've just been hitting the gym a lot more lately. But anyway, come inside and take a seat so we can catch up. I haven't seen you since Himari's Sweet 16 party."
"Oh I have a very good reason for that, dear," Nanami said as she entered the house with her son, "You'll be interested to know that I've started dating again."
"That's great, mom," Ryuji said with much enthusiasm, "I know when I was younger, you'd always try and date other people."
"Yeah, and you always ran them off," Nanami responded.
Flashback within a Flashback: Three times where Ryuji ran off Nanami's boyfriends.
This first flashback takes place when Ryuji was just a little boy (About 5 or so). The man Nanami was dating at the time tried to shake Ryuji's hand, but he ended up biting the man's finger causing him to scream in pain.
At the second flashback, all we see is the exterior of Ryuji's childhood home, and the man Nanami was dating at this point in time is heard talking to a child Ryuji inside (Presumably when he's around 8 or 9).
"I don't know, Ryuji, what do you have behind your back?" The man asked.
The next thing we see is the man running out of the house and down the street screaming in absolute terror.
This third flashback takes place when Ryuji entered his teen years. He's seen standing in front of a closet eating some beef jerky with a stoic expression. Inside the closet is the man Namani was dating at this point in time. He's trying to break out of the closet, but Ryuji had placed a chair in front of it, jamming the doorknob and locking him inside.
"Goddamn it, you stupid brat, I've had enough of this!" The man shouted, his voice slowly losing its bravado, "Open this door right now! Look, I'm just a little claustrophobic alright, so just let me out right now! Come on, please!"
Teenage Ryuji did nothing but continue to eat his beef jerky, the stoic expression never leaving his face, even as the man was reduced to tears inside the closet.
End flashbacks
"Okay in my defense that last guy was a complete jerk," Ryuji said, "But as for the other ones, I didn't really have any right to treat them as horribly as I did. I guess I just didn't like seeing you with other guys."
"Aw, were you jealous because they were taking all of my attention away from you?" Nanami asked, almost in a teasing manner.
"As immature as it sounds…kind of," Ryuji admitted with an embarrassed blush, "Not only that, but with the way dad treated us, I guess I didn't want any repeats. But I like to think I've done a lot of growing up since then and I can't wait to meet this new guy. What's he like?"
"Oh, he's wonderful," Nanami said, "His name is Koji Sasaki. We met on a cruise I took sometime after Himari's Sweet 16. He's charming, smart, handsome, very well off, and he knows his way around a joke. And get this, Koji's a widower. He went on the cruise to try and forget about the pain the passing of his wife left behind. And when he met me, all of that pain practically melted away. I guess it is true what they say, the best way to get over one is to get under one."
Hearing his mother say that made Ryuji howl with laughter. It's clear to see where Ryuji gets some of his perverted tendencies from.
"So what does this Koji guy look like?" Ryuji asked.
Nanami took out her phone and showed her son a picture. The picture showed her and Koji standing outside on the cruise, the ocean in the background. Koji, despite looking like he's in his early 70s, looked very handsome, his silver hair being the first thing that would catch anyone's eye.
"Wow! I'm a straight, married man and even I have to admit he's a knockout," Ryuji said, "Good for you, mom."
"I'll have to bring him over one of these days so you, Makoto, and Himari can meet him," Nanami said, "I know you three will love him as much as I do."
"I'm sure we will," Ryuji said, "Even though I did chase off most of the other guys you dated, there is one other guy I liked. You remember Mr. Miura?"
"Oh, Shota," Nanami said, remembering the old flame fondly, "He was another good one that treated me like gold."
"And me too," Ryuji said, "He'd always take me to the batting cages and the movie theater on the weekends. He showed me my first R-rated film, you know."
"No," Nanami said in shock.
"Swear to God," Ryuji said, "I was nine at the time, and Mr. Miura said that he saw his first R-rated film when he was seven. I still remember seeing the movie with him at the cinema, Exterminator 2: Punishment Hour (Terminator 2: Judgment Day). To this day it's still one of my favorite movies. After the movie wrapped up he told me not to tell you, but I figured years have passed so it should be alright to tell you now."
"I'm glad you waited until now to tell me," Nanami said, "I would've slapped Shota silly if you told me back then."
"I wonder whatever happened to him?" Ryuji said, "One day you just told me you weren't seeing him anymore."
"He had a job that required him to move overseas," Nanami explained, "I didn't really feel comfortable leaving Tokyo so I had to break it off with him."
"Oh, I see," Ryuji said, "Well, wherever he is now, I hope Mr. Miura is doing okay. Anyway, may you and your new suitor make you as happy as Makoto makes me."
"Here, here," Nanami said.
"I just hope he likes my dyed hair," Ryuji said as he ran his fingers through his fake golden locks.
"Why don't you go back to your normal hair color, sweetie," Nanami asked, "I miss your black hair."
"I'm doing it for my friend Ann and her daughter Kimiko," Ryuji answered.
"Isn't that the girl you had a crush on for the longest time?" Nanami asked.
"Yeah, but she found someone else, my friend Ren," Ryuji answered, "I only kept my hair blonde to support her and her daughter in case someone says or does something stupid so I can back them up and show the two of them that they're not alone. And if Kimiko ever has a kid someday and that kid inherits their blonde hair color, you bet I'll be right there in his/her corner with my own blonde locks."
"I understand," Nanami said,
As the mother and son conversed, another knock on the door was heard. Ryuji goes to answer it and he finds Himari and Hotaru at the door, the former holding a small jewelry box in her hand and both of them reeking of tempura.
"Himari, Hotaru, you're back," Ryuji said, "And you both smell…really fishy."
"Long story, won't bore you with the details," Himari said, "But skipping to the denouement, Hotaru and I got my mom her birthday gift."
Himari showed her father the ruby necklace that she had got for Makoto, and he stared at it in awe.
"Wow, Himari, it's beautiful," Ryuji exclaimed, "You're mother's really going to like this."
"Is that Himari?" Nanami said as she stood up.
"Grandma Nanami!" Himari exclaimed.
"Oh it's nice to see you, sweetheart, how are you?" Nanami asked.
"I'm good," Himari answered as she and Hotaru entered the house to greet the older woman, "I haven't seen you since my birthday. I'd hug you, but I don't want my stench to rub off on you. Hotaru and I had to pick up a quick job at the local tempura factory to get the last bit of money needed to buy my mom this necklace."
"That's very nice, dear," Nanami said as her attention turned to Hotaru, "And I believe we met at Himari's birthday party, haven't we?"
"Yes, ma'am," Hotaru said as he shook Nanami's hand, "Sorry we didn't get to talk much then. My name is Hotaru Yajima."
"Oh, I remember you, dear," Nanami said, "You were the one dancing like crazy to 'Lone Women' (Single Ladies by Beyonce)"
"I don't know what to say except I love that song," Hotaru said with a hearty laugh, "So I guess you're here for Auntie Makoto's birthday?"
"I sure am," Nanami said, "We were just talking about this nice man I met while I was on my cruise."
"Oh, you met someone, Grandma Nanami?" Himari asked, "Congratulations!"
"Thank you dear," Nanami smiled.
"You know, I don't think either you or Himari told me about your father," Hotaru said to Ryuji, "What was he like?"
"Pardon my French here, Hotaru, but he was a dick," Ryuji said.
"All you need to know about him is he was one of those guys who get their jollies by abusing his wife and child," Nanami said.
"Yikes," Hotaru said.
"That's awful!" Himari exclaimed.
"And then, without warning, dude just abandoned us without any rhyme or reason, and we haven't seen or heard from him since," Ryuji said.
"It's like he just disappeared," Nanami chimed in.
Hotaru and Himari became saddened to hear Nanami and Ryuji's sad tale.
"Dad, grandma, I'm so sorry," Himari said.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Ryuji said, "That's all in the past now."
"Come on, bring it in everyone," Hotaru said, wanting a group hug after sensing how depressed everyone was becoming. But he forgot about his and Himari's 'scent problem'.
"Uh, babe, maybe we should wait on that group hug?" Himari said, reminding her boyfriend of the current status of their body odor.
"Right, forgot about that," Hotaru said.
"I'll phone your parents and tell them to bring a clean change of clothes for you, Hotaru," Ryuji said, "In the meantime, you and Himari go shower off."
Hotaru and Himari look excited until Ryuji says, "Separately! Hotaru, you shower downstairs. Himari you shower upstairs."
"Awww," whined the two teens as they went to their designated shower spots.
"Nice save, son," Nanami said.
"Thanks, mom," Ryuji replied before they talked about other things, "I just can't believe my Makoto turns another year old today and she still looks as good as she did when we were dating."
"I still remember letting her wear my wedding dress when you and her got married," Nanami said, "She pulled it off better than I ever could."
"You want to see it?" Ryuji asked, "It should still be up in the attic somewhere. Makoto's sister Sae is up there too, you can say hi to her."
"I'd like that," Nanami said as she followed her son upstairs and to the attic.
Meanwhile, in the attic itself, Sae had found Makoto's photo album and started looking through it. Her goal was to find a picture that showed the happiest the two of them ever were together. Eventually, she found the perfect picture. It was a picture of Sae, Makoto, and their father at the carnival. The three of them were seen smiling and holding ice cream cones as they stood in front of the ferris wheel. It was nighttime so the ride was all lit up.
Looking at this picture made Sae become teary-eyed and weepy as she remembered how much fun that day was. She wished more than anything that her and Makoto's father was still alive so he could see just how much they both grew. As she continued looking at the picture, Ryuji and Nanami came in.
"It should be around here somewhere, mom," Ryuji said as the mother and son entered the attic. As they looked for the wedding dress, they noticed Sae holding the picture she was looking for.
"Is that the picture you were looking for, Sae?" Ryuji asked.
"Yes," Sae answered before noticing Nanami was present, "Oh, hi Nanami."
"Hello, Sae," Nanami said, "I see you've been keeping well."
"Thanks," Sae responded, "Anyway, I brought Makoto a fancy looking picture frame from the mall earlier today with the intention of putting a sentimental picture inside of it. You guys want to see?"
Ryuji and Nanami agreed, and Sae showed the two of them the picture she chose.
"It's you guys and your father," Ryuji said.
"You three look so happy," Nanami chimed in.
"We were," Sae said, "So what brings you two here?"
"Mom just wanted to see Makoto's old wedding dress," Ryuji answered.
"It used to belong to me," Nanami chimed in, "But ever since Ryuji and Makoto started dating, I thought of her as if she were my own daughter. When they officially tied the knot, I thought of no better way of showing my joy than by passing my wedding dress down to Makoto."
"I think I saw it while I was looking for the photo album," Sae said as she reached for a box and handed it to the two, "Is this it?"
Ryuji took the box, opened it, and there was the wedding dress.
"There it is," Nanami said in awe.
"And it's still in excellent condition after all these years," Ryuji chimed in, "I mean no disrespect mom, but I think Makoto really did pull this dress off better than you."
"He's not just saying that," Sae chimed in as she joined the two of them in looking at their wedding dress, "Remember, Nanami, how he couldn't take his eyes off of her for a second that day?"
"I remember," Nanami said
"Makoto's just such a beautiful person inside and out," Ryuji said, "And as the years went by, that beauty didn't wane at all. No matter how old she gets, I'll always see the absolute bombshell that I fell in love with."
"Makoto really is a great person," Nanami concurred, "I can tell that being with her made you a changed man; more mature, more passionate. She might just be the best thing that ever happened to you. I love seeing you two together."
"Thanks, mom," Ryuji said as she gave his mom a hug, "Anyway, the rest of the guests should be arriving any minute now, and Makoto will get home from work soon. We'd better finish setting up."
And with that, Ryuji, Nanami, and Sae left the attic to finish setting up for Makoto's party.
Flashback #5: Party Time
Narrator!Ryuji: With everything set up and the guests slowly but surely pouring in, all that was missing was the 'Woman of the Hour'.
Makoto is seen driving home from work, a big smile on her face. With no idea that Ryuji has gone out of his way to provide her with a surprise party, Makoto is currently thinking that she'll have a pleasant evening with a few of her closest friends and family. She was thinking that she'd share some laughs with them, partake in some delicious food, and then when night falls and everyone goes home, she and Ryuji can go at it like rabbits in heat to celebrate another year of living.
"The things we're going to do to each other tonight," Makoto said, daydreaming about birthday sex from Ryuji.
Eventually, Makoto pulls up at home. She parks her car and then walked up to the front door, taking out her keys and unlocking it to get inside. When she stepped inside, she noticed that all of the lights were off and the curtains were closed. Makoto curiously looked around for the light switch and flipped it. As soon as the room became illuminated…
SURPRISE!
Makoto was met with cheers from all of her friends and family. Basically everyone that she had ever met and had good relationships with was in attendance for her birthday party. Seeing the amount of people that had come to celebrate her made Makoto smile like she had never smiled before.
"Oh, wow, everyone," Makoto said gratefully, "Thank you all so much! You didn't have to do this!"
"We know, sweetheart, but we wanted to," Nanami said as she approached her with Ryuji, "And you can thank your husband for organizing this whole thing."
"Oh, Ryuji, babe, thank you so much," Makoto said as she hugged her husband.
"Hey, you're worth it," Ryuji said before whispering in her ear, "And you bet there's going to be an afterparty tonight for just the two of us."
"I was counting on it, sexy," Makoto whispered back before she and Ryuji freed themselves from their hug.
"Anyway, Himari, Sae, and I have some gifts we want to give you to start off this party," Ryuji informed.
"Oh, really?" Makoto said intrigued.
"Open mine first, mom," Himari said as she presented her mother with the small jewelry box, "Hotaru and I pooled our money together to get this for you."
Makoto opened up the small box to find a ruby necklace. She was taken aback by how beautiful it was, and she smiled when she realized that the ruby was meant to represent Himari's birthstone.
"Oh, Himari, it's so beautiful," Makoto exclaimed as she put the necklace on, "How do I look?"
"It looks great on you, mom," Himari said as Hotaru nodded in agreement.
"Just when I thought you couldn't look more beautiful, that necklace comes along to prove me wrong," Ryuji swooned, "I love it!"
"Thank you, kids," Makoto said as she hugged her daughter and her boyfriend.
"Here's my present, Makoto," Sae said as she handed her sister her gift.
Makoto unwrapped Sae's gift and let out a surprised gasp as she saw what it was. Inside a beautiful silver and blue picture frame was the picture of her, Sae, and their father at the carnival.
"I remember that night at the carnival," Makoto exclaimed, "Dad took us there to celebrate his promotion at the police station. And that Ferris Wheel was where I learned to conquer my fear of heights. I remember dad winning both of us prizes at the milk bottle game, and I especially remember you getting sick off of funnel cake, Sae."
That last part made everyone, Sae included, chuckle.
"We had so much fun that night, and I still remember it all clear as day," Makoto said as a tear fell from her eye. She hugged her sister saying, "Thank you so much, Sae."
"You're welcome, Makoto," Sae responded.
Makoto then looked over at Ryuji.
"Well, sweetie, what did you get me," Makoto asked before leaning in to whisper this in his ear, "Aside from that big birthday candle in your pants that I'm very much looking forward to 'blowing' out."
"Well, ahem, I, uh," Ryuji said, trying to regain his composure, "Your present is in the garage. Follow me."
Makoto followed Ryuji as the rest of the party guests followed them to see what it was Ryuji had gotten her. When they finally made it to the garage, Ryuji opened the door and Makoto was presented with his gift; a black motorcycle with cobalt blue flame pattern and that had a license plate that read 'J0H4NN4'.
"No! Freaking! Way!" Makoto exclaimed with a massive grin, "Ryuji, you got me a motorcycle!?"
"Happy birthday, babe," Ryuji smiled as he took the keys out of his pocket and gave them to her, "It's all for you."
"Oh my God, I love it! And I love you!" Makoto said as she assaulted Ryuji's face with a series of grateful kisses.
"Take it easy, hon," Ryuji said before whispering in her ear, "Save some of that passion for later tonight."
"Okay, we get it, you two are going to ravage each other later tonight," Futaba said, having overheard their whispers the whole time, "What I want to see is Makoto giving that thing a test drive."
"You don't have to ask me twice," Makoto chuckled as she walked up to the motorcycle, took a seat on it, placed a blue helmet on her head and blue gloves on her hands, and put the keys in the ignition to turn it on.
Once the engine turned on, Makoto sped out of the garage and went around the block a few times before finally returning to the group. When she did, she took off her gloves and helmet like a badass as everyone gave her a round of applause and she took a bow. Makoto walked up to Ryuji and gave him another kiss.
"So, babe, how does it feel knowing you're married to a biker chick?" Makoto asked.
"It feels like I'm living the dream," Ryuji swooned.
"From the bottom of my heart, thank you Ryuji, Himari, Hotaru, Sae," Makoto thanked the people she was closest to, "I love you guys."
The four of them spoke up in unison.
"We love you to, Makoto," - Ryuji
"We love you too, mom," - Himari
"We love you too, Auntie Makoto," - Hotaru
"We love you too, sis,' - Sae.
With her husband, daughter, and sister having given her their wonderful gifts, Makoto leads the rest of the group back into the house so the party can begin.
The next couple of hours everyone spent partying. The cakes Ren, Minato, Hifumi, and Hayato had made were a huge hit. Anyone who wasn't eating cake was eating some of Sojiro's famous curry. He also made some sushi rolls with the help of Futaba, Yuuki, Riku, and Mai. As for beverages, there was Asahi beer for the adults, and Monta for the younger crowd.
Aside from food, everyone kept themselves entertained with games and music. In terms of games, there was 'Two Lies and a Truth', 'Papers Against Humankind' (Cards Against Humanity, 'Sweatbanz' (Headbanz), and some party guests were even playing video games on the Sakamoto's Funtento Switch (Nintendo Switch).
Other party guests were seen dancing, either by themselves or with a partner. Five notable dancers were Kaito and Kimiko, and Minato, Mitsu, and Mana. Kaito was really loving Kimiko's orange, sequined, backless dress, while Minato was absolutely enamored with Mana and Mitsu's purple, knee-length, lace dresses. The two boys constantly complimented their girls on their beauty as they danced, and the three girls had Ann to thank for their boyfriends' praise as she was not only the one who suggested what kind of dress they should go with, but also made them from scratch.
A fun time was certainly had by all.
Flashback #6: Tender Moment
Once night fell, that was when all of the party guests started to clear out and retire to their own respective homes for the evening. Eventually, only Ryuji, Makoto, Himari, Hotaru, Hayato, Hifumi, Sae, and Nanami remained. The eight of them had just finished cleaning up the last of the mess and throwing it all away in the garbage bins outside for pickup in the morning. The group are now seen standing in the Sakamoto's driveway.
"Well that's the last of it," Makoto said, "Thank you all again for such a great birthday. I'm so lucky to have friends and family like you all."
"You're so welcome, dear," Nanami said.
"So, what do you guys want to do now?" Hifumi asked.
"Well," Makoto began, a blush coming to her face, "I think Ryuji has one more gift he'd like to give me. But he can't exactly give it to me with all of you here?"
"Why not?" Hotaru asked.
"Well, son," Hayato began, "I think Uncle Ryuji and Auntie Makoto want to be alone if you catch my drift."
"Oh," Hotaru said, finally understanding what's happening, "Okay then, I'll just ctrl, alt, del the idea of you two…doing things."
"Well, we'd better head home," Hayato said, "Sae, Himari, Nanami, you three are welcome to come along. We're probably just going to watch a movie."
"That sounds great," Sae said, "We'd love to join you two."
"Bye you two, thanks for having me," Nanami said.
"Have a good night, mom and dad," Himari said.
"Have a good night too, mom, Himari," Ryuji said.
The six head off for the Yajima Residence, finally leaving Makoto and Ryuji alone to their own devices. Ryuji leads Makoto back into their house and he shuts the front door behind them. Once it's closed, he picks her up and carries her bridal style to their room, just like he did on their wedding night.
"No one's home," Ryuji said, "Do you want to leave our door open or closed?"
"Leave it closed," Makoto said seductively, "It's more romantic that way."
"As you wish, my birthday queen," Ryuji smiled.
The couple made it to their bedroom, and Ryuji kicks the door closed so they can begin their little lovefest.
Meanwhile, at the Yajima Residence, Hayato, Hifumi, Himari, Hotaru, Nanami, and Sae are watching an advertisement that's playing in the middle of the movie they were watching.
In this advertisement, we see a train going into a tunnel, a rocket taking off, and some sausages going down a conveyor belt. After the last clip is shown, the announcer is heard talking.
Announcer: This film is brought to you by 'Salvatore's Stock Footage.' Salvatore's Stock Footage: Giving you out of context in context clips since 1996.
"What a weird ad," Nanami said.
"What do you think your parents are doing right now?" Hotaru asked his girlfriend.
"I dunno," Himari asked as she shoveled some popcorn in her mouth.
"Hey, I didn't want to say anything, because I didn't want to be rude, but why is most of the house a mess?" Sae asked Hayato and Hifumi, who shuddered from remembering their war with the rat earlier in the day.
"We don't want to talk about it," Hayato groaned.
A few hours later, back at the Sakamoto Residence, Ryuji and Makoto are seen in bed without any clothes on, covered only by the blankets on the bed, and having finished their intimate moment. The two of them were panting as sweat dripped down their faces. Once they caught their breath, they laid back down so they could cuddle each other.
"That was so incredible, Ryuji," Makoto said with a blush, "You always feel incredible. I know I've said it before, but I really can't thank you enough for a great birthday. You really didn't have to do all of this."
"I know," Ryuji said, "But you're worth it. Anything nice or fun in life, you deserve. Especially on your birthday."
"You're so sweet," Makoto said as she kissed her husband, "I will say this, it was great to see your mom again. And I can't believe she started dating again."
"Yeah, from what I heard from her, this Koji guy sounds like a real winner," Ryuji said, "I can't wait to meet him in person."
"So, what else did you and her talk about while I was waiting?" Makoto asked.
"Nothing too important, but we did go up to the attic to look at your wedding dress," Ryuji said, "And we talked about how beautiful you looked that day."
"I know how beautiful I looked. You couldn't keep your eyes off of me that day," Makoto chuckled.
"You're just such a smokeshow in everything that you wear that I can't help myself," Ryuji said as he nuzzled his wife, causing her to giggle, "My mom also said that you were the best thing that ever happened to me, and that I became a better person by marrying you. And you know what, I have to agree with her. I've come a long way from that loud and brash teenager you once knew."
"You really have," Makoto concurred, "Even if a small part of me kind of liked the older you a little bit."
Makoto then let out a yawn, a long day at work combined with an evening of partying and a night of intense love making, causing her eyelids to become heavy. She cuddled up close to her husband, ready to fall asleep, as Ryuji held her in a protective manner.
"Get some sleep, sweetie," Ryuji said as he started to stroke her hair, "I'll be right here holding you."
"Thank you," Makoto said, "Hey, Ryuji, can you sing our wedding song as I fall asleep?"
"Of course," Ryuji said.
Strill stroking his wife's hair as he held her in his arms, Ryuji began to soothingly sing. As Ryuji sang, moments from her and Ryuji's relationship began playing back in her head.
Ryuji: Why do birds suddenly appear everytime you are near? Just like me they long to be close to you.
(Makoto is thinking about her and Ryuji in the Metaverse, as Queen and Skull, taking out Shadows)
Ryuji: Why do stars fall down from the sky everytime you walk by? Just like me they long to be close to you.
(Makoto is thinking about when she and Ryuji shared their first dance at Shujin Academy's Valentine's Day Celebration)
Ryuji: On the day that you were born the angels came together and decided to create a dream come true.
(Makoto is thinking about when she went to karaoke with Ryuji, Hayato, and Hifumi after the events of 'Getting Steamy')
Ryuji: So they sprinkled moondust in your hair of brown and starlight in your eyes of red.
(Makoto is thinking about her and Ryuji's wedding day, and how they shared their first kiss together as husband and wife as everyone applauded)
Ryuji: That is why all the boys in town follow you all around. Just like me they long to be close to you.
(Makoto and Ryuji are seen cuddled on a beach during their honeymoon to Hawaii, watching the sunset in the horizon)
As Ryuji wrapped up his song, he noticed that Makoto had finally fallen asleep. Not feeling too tired himself, Ryuji was perfectly content just watching his beloved sleep like the angel she was to him.
And that brings us to where we originally came in on this story
"Well, there you have it," Ryuji said, still holding Makoto and still breaking the fourth wall, "A perfect end to a perfect birthday for my perfect wife. I hope you all enjoyed hearing this story as much as I enjoyed telling it."
As Ryuji was wrapping things up, Makoto began to stir.
"Huh, Ryuji?" Makoto said, half asleep, "Who are you talking to?"
"No one, sweetie," Ryuji said reassuringly, "Go back to sleep."
Makoto fell back asleep almost instantly as Ryuji himself started to settle in for the night.
"Well, that's it everyone, the story's over," Ryuji whispered, "Now if you'll excuse me (yawn) I gotta get some shut-eye. Goodnight, everybody."
And with that Ryuji finally fell asleep, content that he told his story about Makoto's wonderful birthday, and content with the whole day in general.
THE END
References:
Looney Tunes: Ren and Minato's traps to catch the rat are references to famous Wile E. Coyote skits.
Tom and Jerry: Hayato's trap to catch the rat is a reference to when Tom sang 'Is You is or is You Ain't my Baby' in the short 'Solid Serenade.'
Mouse Hunt: Hifumi's plan to kill the rat is a reference to when Nathan Lane's character tried to use a shotgun to kill his rat.
I Love Lucy: Himari and Hotaru's time at the tempura factory references the famous bit with the chocolates as referenced by other works like Drake & Josh, Family Guy, and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The factory owner is also a combination of Lucy and Ethel's last names in the show.
The Honeymooners: Ann, Kimiko, Mana, and Mitsu constantly recite quotes from Jackie Gleeson's character Ralph Kramden
Malcolm in the Middle: The flashbacks where Ryuji scares off his mom's ex-boyfriends references a similar scene in the episode 'Water Park' where a flashback shows how Malcolm and his brothers ran off their babysitters.
The Simpsons: The random stock footage the Yajimas, Sae, Himari, and Nanami are watching references similar stock footage seen in the episode 'Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy.'
Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Exterminator 2: Punishment Hour is a parody of this
Funtendo Switch: A parody of the Nintendo Switch
Papers Against Humankind: A parody of Cards Against Humanity
Sweatbanz: A parody of Headbanz
Single Ladies: Lone Women is a parody of this Beyonce song.
(They Long to be) Close to You: Ryuji sings this Carpenter's song to Makoto as she sleeps.