Birthday Party

***

"Happy Birthday!!" We were in the amusement park sitting at a table as both Yoko and Jiro wished us.

"Thanks!" Both of us replied.

Since we were busy with many things during my birthdate and Kayo's was relatively close to mine, we decided to celebrate for both of us on Kayo's Birthday. We didn't get a chance to go to the amusement park during the summer vacation so we just went there to celebrate.

"Here," Yoko handed Kayo her gift.

"Well, it's not much but here you go." Jiro did the same.

Yoko gave her a pencil case and Jiro gave her a diary and a pen.

"I didn't have any idea about what to do so sorry for a weird gift."

"No, I really like this diary, Thanks!"

"I see, that is a relief. Well, this is for you Kazuki. This is from both of us."

"Wait what! Why did you guys buy such an expensive thing?!" I was shocked to see a headset by Bazer.

"Come on, don't sweat the price. We thought it would be good for you since you just joined an Esports team. Also, this is a thanks for everything you did too."

"I really didn't do anything that deserves this but Thanks! It will be a great help." I was genuinely thankful for having such great friends.

"Alright then, let's have some fun then."

"By the way, aren't we having a little too many events nowadays?"

"Isn't that good?"

"I guess it is but it kind of feels weird."

"Don't sweat it and just enjoy."

"Yeah."

***

"Hey, let's go to the haunted house," Kayo suggested as they were going in front of the haunted house.

"Are you sure? You were pretty scared the last time when we did horror stories."

"That was because of your stupid prank!"

"Haha!"

"I will get back at you."

"Sure!"

All of them then enter the haunted house. Kayo didn't just suggest the haunted house out of nowhere. She was actually going to try and scare Kazuki as revenge for that day. As they were going through the haunted house, Kayo took out her mask from the bag. She wore it, went to Kazuki, and tapped him on his back.

The next thing heard was Kayo's scream as Kazuki laughed. He was wearing a lot more scarier mask. He had an inkling that Kayo might take this chance to get her revenge but even if she didn't he can just scare her once again.

"I hate you!" She started pouting when they exited the house.

"Come on, you tried first didn't you?"

"Hmph!" She went on ahead.

"Uhhh..."

"You did the wrong thing," Jiro said while patting on his back.

"What do you mean by that?"

"How do you expect a lady to fall in love with you when you scare her instead of prote- Hey, where are you going? Don't ignore me." Kazuki ignored knowing what he was about to say. Jiro caught up to him.

"Seriously though, You don't love her?"

"I don't know."

"Don't know? That is a half-ass answer you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know that very well."

"Then why?"

"It's just... I can't differentiate between the feeling of gratitude and love. I don't know if what I feel for her is gratitude because she helped me at my lowest point or love for her. Unless I figure that out... I can't answer."

"I see, I guess you will just have to wait for self-realization then."

"I feel bad for half-assing it like this but right now I am really confused. I feel like I love her but I am afraid of the fact that this might just be gratitude. I need to figure out these feelings."

"Once you do?"

"You know what I will do."

"What?"

"Come on... I don't want to say it out loud."

"Ohh... Embarrassed huh?" He said poking Kazuki.

"Hey, what are you two lagging behind for? Come on let's go at the roller coaster."

"Uhh... Let me go to the bathroom real quick."

"Now now, let's have a fun roller coaster ride first." Kazuki grabbed Jiro by his arm as he tried to run away.

"Let me go, you traitor!"

"It will be fun, really fun"

"Yeah, your face is saying you are planning to have fun by watching me suffer." Kazuki dragged Jiro with him to the roller coaster.

After the ride, Jiro was sitting on the bench with a half-dead face. It seemed like his soul was sucked out of him.

"We will go get something to drink," Yoko said.

"Alright, I will stay with him. It feels like he is just about to vomit."

"He will be alright in a bit. He is just unusually scared of these kinds of rides." Both Kayo and Yoko went to get the drinks.

"Hey, did you bring a present for Kazuki?"

"Huh? Yeah, I did."

"Why haven't you given it to him already?"

"Well... it felt kind of embarrassing to give gifts at that time. I will give him on our way back home."

"I see." There was complete silence for some time.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes." Yoko stared at her blunt response as she was expecting some kind of reaction. After a moment, Kayo actually realized what she just said and her face went totally red.

"Ohh... so do, huh?" She said in a teasing tone.

"No no no. Just forget what I said."

"Heeeeh!! I am not forgetting this so easily."

"How did you realize it, by the way."

"Oh that, your eyes were following him around all day."

"Huhhh, They were? This is embarrassing."

"Still, I didn't expect you to answer this easily."

"Well... my mind was out of sorts a little bit."

"When did you realize?"

"I don't know. It just happened one day. I keep thinking about him. I want to spend more time with him." Her face was red as she was saying all this.

"I see, you really love him, huh?"

"Yeah," She said with a slight nod.

"Alright, I will make sure both of you end up together." Yoko declared.

Kayo glanced and saw a parfait stall.

*I feel like eating something sweet today*  She thought.