Author's Note: Happy birthday to our favorite playboy, Rokujo Chikage! I got the idea from a post of a birthday room in an old movie theather. From there, the story came together. Who is this unwitting dreamer and why do they keep appearing in places like this? At first, I didn't know what I was doing with this storyline. Now that I have the character's face in my head, I know know what I am going to do. The next birthdays are going to be Orihara Kururi and (the erased Mairu) on Valentine's Day. You're going to get two steamy stories by then. For now, enjoy this new story.


Birthday Room

There is a small room in an old cinema in Kobe that is reserved for birthday parties. Right now, it is set up for a party. Three tables are covered with balloon-patterned tablecloths. Hello Kitty paper plates and napkins sat with pink plastic cups. Colorful streamers make the room pop. A giant pastel-colored Happy Birthday banner hung on the back wall. There is a pile of gifts on a table in the corner. The wrapping paper is all pink and white with gold bows on top. The carpet looked like it came out of the seventies with its red, orange, and black swirls. Aside from the decorations the wooden walls and white ceiling look so dull.

I feel like a giant sitting in one of the chairs. Again, I don't know how I got here. Something's not right about this room. I think I'm going to be sick. Who's birthday is it? The name is on the tip of my tongue. But why can't I say it?

There isn't anyone else around here. Where are the other guests? Is anyone else coming here? Was I even invited here? I think I had a party like this once. Was I five or six at the time? I try to remember but it keeps coming up blank.

Being in here alone is creeping me out. I should probably go. But… Go where? I don't know where I came from. How could I know where to go? My mind kept going back to that birthday party. More details keep coming back.

I think I was six years old at the time. It was me, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, some of my classmates, and my little brother.

No. No, that isn't right.

I tried to go around and around in my head. I keep coming up with nothing. I shut my eyes as I tried to think. Wait. Is there someone else here?

I opened my eyes but there is nobody in this room. I took a quick look around. This wasn't the first time I felt this. Who was there? Why would they come out?

"I know you're here," I said. "Do you know why I'm here?"

No.

I about jumped in my chair. Who was that? I looked around the empty room. This has never happened before.

"Who are you?"

No answer.

"Hello? Are you still there? Hello? Hello?" I am remembering being six years old having a birthday party in a room like this. And I was crying. I don't know why I was. I sat at the table crying my eyes out. It's more like ugly crying too. Why am I crying?

I felt the tears running down my cheeks right now. I don't know why I'm here.


Someone grabbed me on the shoulder. I jerked my head up to see a woman with a worried look on her face.

"Sweetheart are you feeling okay?" she asked. There was only one question that came to mind.

"Was I crying on my sixth birthday?" I asked.

"Huh? Why do you ask?" that lady asked. I stared as her as I pressed my lips together. I didn't have an answer.