Tae’s Birthday Party! (Part 1)

◆ Tsukasa

“TSUKASA, WAKE UP!”

I jump. Mom is standing next to my bed. She’s biting her nails.

“Mom?” I blink. “What is it?”

“You wouldn’t wake up, so I thought something had happened to you!” She shrieks. “You think I have recovered from seeing you like that?”

Oh, right.

It’s been a few days since those guys tried to no-no me, and Senpai stopped them. But… I dirtied the hands of my beloved Senpai. I was sure I couldn’t forgive myself, but Senpai assured me we were safe. And that he would protect me with his life.

Oh, my Senpai. My knight, my love, my universe. My fuel to wake up. What I wouldn’t do for you?

“I’m okay, Mom,” I reassure her. “I guess I slept through my alarm today.” Suddenly I understand my own words. “AAAAH! I’ll be late for school!”

“There’s no school today, honey,” Mom says. “They said they’re trying to cover a PR scandal and they couldn’t possibly admit students today. My guess is that they’ll extend it to the weekend.”

I check the calendar. It’s Friday. We’ll have a long weekend.

Wait.

May 8?

“Mom, today is Tae’s birthday!” I exclaim. I hurry to my phone and call her. She picks up quickly. “Hiya, Rainbow-chan!”

“Happy 18th birthday, Tae!” I say, smiling. “Are you having a party?”

“Yup! You, Chihocchi, Kou-kun, and Haibara-senpai are invited over!” Tae replies.

It takes two seconds for the last part to sink in. “Haibara-senpai is going too?!” I gasp.

“Of course!” Tae grins. “Gotta introduce your boyfriend to my parents, after all!”

“HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND YET!” I exclaim. “YET. Wait a few more months to call him that, Tae.”

She chuckles. “Anyhow, it’s a sleepover party. Lasts from today at midday to tomorrow afternoon, long weekend helping us. Boys in one room, girls in the other, anime not sold separately. ‘Kay?”

I grin. “Sure. I’ll be there soon. Bye!”

I click off the call. Mom smiles.

“Going to Tae’s party?” She asks.

“Of course!” I exclaim. “She’s calling everybody over for a sleepover. This’ll be fun.”

She smiles. “Well, be careful.”

“Where’s Dad, by the way?” I ask.

She sighs. “At work. You know your father. He loves his job despite all it’s brought to him…”

“I know.” Dad adopted Mom’s surname partly to escape bandits that were after him, partly because it was a family tradition of Mom’s family. For some reason, however, Great-Grandma argued with Mom because I wasn’t… named after a saw or knife?

Apparently it’s a tradition in her family, but I wonder what Great-Grandma’s family tree looks like. She said her grandma raised her, what would explain her skepticism towards Mom’s parenting.

I think I’ll ask when I’m older.

***

When I arrive at Tae’s house, the birthday girl is already at the door, grinning.

“Hey, my favorite climatic phenomenon!” She exclaims, hugging me so hard I almost choke. “Has the sun been nice to you today?”

I smile. Typical Tae. But first… “Tae, I can’t breathe!” I gasp.

She laughs and lets go. “Come in.”

The Takemoto house is a warm place, permanently smelling of the sweets Mrs. Takemoto bakes. Chiho, Enomoto-senpai and Haibara-senpai are already waiting in the TV room’s enormous couch.

“Hi, Kacchan!” Chiho squeaks. “We were just preparing to watch something!”

I drop my bags next to everyone’s and plop into the couch between Chiho and Tae. “Alright, what are we watching?”

“I vote Naruto!” Enomoto-senpai exclaims. “And you, Yukki?”

“I abstain,” he replies. “And you, Aishi-san?”

“Huh?” I blink, caught off guard. He asked ME directly? “Umm… Happy Sugar Life.”

“AGAIN, Rainbow-chan? You’ve watched that thing 25 times back to back, last time I counted!” Tae exclaims. “I know that thing is your favorite, but please!”

“Then…” I force myself to recall anything else. “Oshi no Ko?”

“20 times. Suggest something else.”

“School Days?”

“I AM NOT WATCHING THAT SHIT AGAIN.”

“Munou na Nana?”

“You mean Murder no Manual? NO.”

“Then what? Dark Gathering?”

“Oooh, I like that one!” Chiho squeals. “I vote Dark Gathering too!”

“Is that a horror anime, Tae?” Enomoto-senpai asks.

“Sort of.” She sighs. “Okay, I vote Dark Gathering. By 3 to 1, since Haibara-senpai abstained, this is what we’re watching.” She stands up. “Kou-kun, could you help me make some popcorn? Chihocchi, you help Mom with the sweets.”

“O-okay!” Chiho stands up. They all head to the kitchen, leaving me alone with Senpai.

I bet this was Tae’s intent.

“Aishi-san?” He asks. His voice is quiet.

“Yes?”

“To be frank… usually I don’t watch horror anime. It’s because… I’m scared,” he admits, a slight blush on his cheeks. “But when you’re here, I don’t fear anything. So…” he smiles, “I’m glad you’re with me.”

I blush. “Senpai…”

Slowly he reaches out. I respond immediately, stretching my hand to hold his. It’s warm. Soft. Comforting. Unconditional.

Our eyes meet. His eyes are filled with love.

Yes, love.

I recognize it. The look that carries joy, hope, affection, pride, and relief, all at the same time. The thumb that rubs my knuckle almost unconsciously.

He starts to lean down towards my face when suddenly the kitchen door bursts open, and Enomoto-senpai strolls in with a big sack of popcorn. Reflexively we almost jump apart.

“Hey, lovebirds!” He exclaims. “Did I interrupt something?”

“Erre es korakas!” Senpai mutters under his breath. I remember it’s Ancient Greek for ‘go to the crows’ but I get the feeling it’s a curse much worse than that.

Tae walks in, and the disappointment in her face practically confirms that this was part of her plan. “Kou-kun, it’s basic etiquette you don’t walk in and interrupt couples,” she huffs.

“I’m sorry, Tae,” he murmurs, shrinking into his place in the couch.

She smiles, sitting next to him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Apology accepted,” she whispers, then grabs the TV controller and turns it on FlexNET.

As the first episode of Dark Gathering begins playing, I look around. Chiho is clutching a cushion, Tae and Enomoto-senpai are with their arms around each other, and Senpai, on the other edge of the couch, has his arms crossed tightly over his chest and is biting his lip.

I have died. And ascended. Because this is too cute.

This is WAY above my pay grade.

AAAAAAA—

The girl I personally consider as the female lead, Eiko Hozuki, appears on-screen.

“She looks like you, Tae,” Enomoto-senpai says into his girlfriend’s hair.

“Is that so?” Tae blushes. “Thanks. You’re very handsome too.”

“This is a horror anime, stop being so mushy,” Senpai grunts.

“You’re just jealous, Yukki,” Enomoto-senpai says. “And what’s with the face? Scared of a few ghosties?”

“Shut up, Enomoto,” he mumbles.

I take a deep breath. “Enomoto-senpai, don’t bully him,” I say. “My dad is in his forty-somethings and he’s still afraid of a monster under his bed. Don’t mock Haibara-senpai for not liking ghosts and ghouls.”

Tae blinks. “Since when? You never said that to me or Chihocchi before.”

“I thought you would laugh.”

“Yeah, we won’t.”

Senpai looks at me gratefully. I blush and drop back down to where I’m seating.

Down to Episode 3 Tae pauses so we can go to the bathroom. I’m about to stand up, but then I see the look on Senpai’s face.

“Are you okay, Senpai?” I ask.

“I’m fine,” he whispers. “Thank you, Aishi-san, for standing up for me.”

I smile. “Senpai, I told you back in New York. I will protect you forever. And I will keep that promise until I die.”

Without thinking, I scoot over to his side and take his hand. He is startled at first, but then smiles and squeezes mine back.

Nobody complains about the placement change later, but the look on Chiho’s face is weird. It’s the look she uses when she’s noticed something’s beyond saving.

But why is she looking at me like that?