Chapter 78: Happy Birthday, Tohka

"Happy Birthday, Tohka!"

In the living room, everyone gathered around and clapped simultaneously.

There was a huge table in the center, full of delicacies and desserts, not to mention a giant, beautifully decorated cake with purple cream, flaxen powder, and above all, a slender purple sword pinned in the circle! It was exactly the same shape as "Sandalphon", Tohka's reliable angel and companion in battle, which had stayed with her since she was born.

Surrounding the tables were a dozen gift boxes wrapped in red, yellow, green, and all sorts of colors, indicating that they were from the hands of different girls.

"Shido, everyone…."

The birthday girl stood in the center dumbfoundedly, her emotions rushing to her head all at once, making her unable to process everything properly.

Just a moment ago, she thought that she would just have a normal dinner, but no way could her family forget about such an important date.

"I'm so sorry…I thought you forgot about it…"

"How could we forget?" Shido smiled with a wide grin. "Today's the day where you began 'Tohka'~"

Tohka hugged Shido tightly, burying her face in his chest.

Shido touched Tohka's purple hair, which was straight, soft, thin, and very comfortable to touch. She did not know how to care for her hair attentively, but thanks to Mukuro and the others, who were experts in this aspect, she was able to comb properly and made her hair strands of beautiful straight lines with beautiful frizzy water lines that would make any frizzy person drool.

The hair was straight, with no split ends, and the cuticles were perfectly straight, complete with reiryoku flowing around, a beauty that would be the envy of anyone.

Mukuro smiled as she watched her lover rubbing her friend's hair, the same gesture that he had done for every Spirit in this room. She didn't know why, but she felt happy when he was showing this much care when rubbing a girl's hair, whether it was hers or not.

Perhaps at this time, she had fully accepted the idea of her beloved Nushi-sama having a relationship with a dozen Spirits, who would be her sisters after marriage.

—An hour ago—

"Everyone, please help me with the preparation!"

Shido clapped his hands together, asking Rinne and Mayuri sincerely.

He was so fixated on fixing Nia's issues that he forgot about the importance of today, the destiny date where he met Tohka! What kind of man would he be if he couldn't even forget the birthday of his beloved girl?

"Hihi…."

Rinne covered her lips, barely holding back a giggle. Mayuri was the same, but turning her head away.

"We got you covered, dummy~"

Rinne clapped her hands, and in a short moment, a flash of lights enveloped the entire room. Before he reacted, several girls appeared out of thin air, each holding a gift box in their hands.

"Not too shabby for baka oni-chan, you do remember after all."

"As much as I like to ridicule her, this is her special day."

"Yoshino has spent quite some time making—hrrrr"

"Yosh-Yoshinon, it's…a secret…."

"Kaka, special events require special rituals, only we the Yamai can fulfill such a destiny. Now, we—"

"Translation. Kaguya is excited to wish Tohka a happy birthday."

"Forgetful Darling is so cute, but still so caring~"

"Well…hope my gift is acceptable, just don't get your hopes up…"

"Muku has finished, Nushi-sama…please pat Muku…"

With all the Spirits babbling and shouting, Shido felt ultimate happiness as he examined how hardworking they had been. Even if he didn't say a thing, those girls remembered Tohka's special day and proceeded to prepare the gifts and snacks.

More specifically, Rinne was the one who gathered everyone to do the deeds in Shido's absence.

"Well, where is your gift, Nia?"

"About that…" Nia looked a bit embarrassed, smiling sheepishly. "It's not like you prepared something either, robo-girl."

"I beg your pardon?"

Marina grabbed Nia by the collar and started shaking her, making a comical scene for everyone to behold. Nevertheless, Nia was pretty much unconscious for the entire day, so there was no way she could prepare something at a moment's notice.

But, really?

Nia showed a smirk, making everyone wonder what had gotten into her. In the next moment, they saw her summoning her Angel, [Rasiel] in the palm of her heart, which surprised all of them simultaneously; after all, this Angel was pretty much sealed in this world as long as they could remember. Little did they know that the curse had been lifted just recently.

With an urge to show off her not-so-easily-regained abilities, she flipped the book and started sketching on the empty page.

An idea began to form in her mind, one that would make a nice surprise for the birthday girl.

First, she drew a picture of Yoshino, the gentle Spirit who had a fondness for cute things and a talent for ice magic. Without hesitation, she made her do the action of creating intricate ice sculptures to decorate the party venue.

Next, she sought the assistance of Kurumi Tokisaki, whose enigmatic personality hid a mischievous charm. She took advantage of her touch of elegance and the knowledge of vintage decor in order to elaborate the flower arrangements of the party.

Then, she turned to Kotori, the adoptive younger sister of her lover who possessed the power of flames as the Spirit Efreet. She made her whip up delectable dishes and desserts, using her fiery abilities to add a unique twist to the culinary delights.

But most of all, she made full use of Natsumi, the omnipotent yet so low self-esteem girl who possessed the power of transformation as the Spirit Witch. She asked her to lead all the other girls in arts, design, and snacks preparation.

With the team assembled, Nia set out to make preparations for Tohka's birthday surprise. On the eve of her special day, while Tohka was peacefully asleep, the Spirits gathered at the house to transform it into a magical party venue.

Yoshino delicately sculpted intricate ice swans and flowers, placing them strategically around the room. Kurumi wove garlands of exotic flowers, arranging them in elegant patterns to adorn the walls and tables. Kotori, with her culinary skills enhanced by her Spirit powers, whipped up a feast fit for royalty, complete with Tohka's favorite dishes and mouth-watering desserts.

As the hours passed and the preparations neared completion, Shido couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. He peeked into the living room, where the combined efforts of the Spirits had transformed the space into a scene straight out of a fairy tale.

The clock struck 8:00, marking the time for Tohka to wake up. Shido glanced at her sleeping form, a gentle smile gracing his lips. He tiptoed into the kitchen, where the other Spirits were putting the finishing touches on the decorations and food.

"Everything looks amazing," Shido whispered, his eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at the girls who had worked diligently for the special event. "Thank you all for your help!"

"I hope Tohka will like the ice sculptures."

Yoshino smiled shyly, her cheeks tinted pink with happiness.

"She won't be able to resist the charm of these flowers."

Kurumi smirked playfully.

"Wait until she tastes the dishes. She'll be in for a treat!"

Kotori grinned confidently.

With everything in place, the Spirits retreated to a hidden corner, eager to witness Tohka's reaction when she woke up to the surprise. Mayuri almost couldn't resist the cake, but she held herself back with a lollipop.

Rinne walked to the room where Tohka sleeps, and snapped her fingers.

In a short while, Tohka stirred from her slumber, blinking sleepily as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. As she sat up, her eyes widened in surprise at the sight before her.

The room was transformed into a magical wonderland, bathed in soft light from countless candles and adorned with exquisite decorations. Ice sculptures sparkled in the evening light, floral garlands added a touch of elegance, and the aroma of delicious food filled the air.

"Tohka, happy birthday!" Shido exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

Tohka's gaze darted around the room, taking in every detail with wonder. She looked at Shido, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears of joy. "Shido, did you...?"

Shido nodded, his smile warm and genuine. "I had some help from everyone. They wanted to make your birthday unforgettable."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Tohka approached the table, where a feast fit for a queen awaited her. She marveled at the ice sculptures, admiring Yoshino's craftsmanship. Kurumi's floral arrangements added a touch of elegance, making the room feel like a fairy tale.

Kotori stepped forward, presenting a specially crafted cake adorned with candles. "Blow out the candles and make a wish, Tohka."

Tohka closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips as she made a silent wish. She then blew out the candles, her heart overflowing with happiness and gratitude.

"What did you wish for, Tohka?"

Shido asked with care.

"Hihi, close your eyes, and you will know~"

Tohka smiled happily, and when Shido followed her request, she tipped her toes and kissed him on the lips!

"Tohka…"

Shido touched his lips with a dumbfounded expression.

The kiss caught him off guard quite well, and a few Spirits looked at Shido's lips with envy, hoping to jump in the action next, but they knew better than to do that in front of the birthday girl.

"Thank you, everyone," Tohka said, her voice filled with emotion as she turned to the Spirits. "This is the best birthday surprise I could ever imagine."

Shido and the Spirits exchanged smiles, their bond strengthened by the joy of creating cherished memories together. As they shared laughter and stories throughout the day, it became a birthday celebration that Tohka would remember for years to come.

Tohka summoned her angel, [Sandalphon], and was about to cut the birthday cake, but—

"—Hey Shido, [Me], everyone, long time no see~"

Suddenly, a mysterious yet familiar voice entered the living room, interrupting their interaction and making them jump!

"!?"

"You are…?"

…

A/N:

Tohka's Birthday Preparation turned out shorter than I expected, but I really don't know what to write. Nevertheless, it does help with the plot~

Good news, Date a Live V is ranked No.2 on the list of Spring Anime 2024 ! Well, losing to Konosuba doesn't seem that bad at all, after all, it's one of my favorite anime as well.